High country wisdom from a Millers Flat farm

Pat and Marcelle Garden have many years of farming experience, and a few tips they are happy to pass on to the next generation of farmers. Photo: Yvonne O'Hara

Pat Garden, of Millers Flat, along with wife Marcelle, had been a high country farmer all his life in partnership with brothers Eoin and Alan, on Avenel Station, above the Teviot Valley. He is also a life member of the New Zealand Grassland Association and is the chairman of the Otago Conservation Board.

Horses can count.

Mr Garden said he realised that during a long day mustering wethers in the 1980s.

He and friend, Ron Mockford, had ridden their horses to the high country to drive the sheep back to the lower paddocks.

''They had been out in the high country all winter and were fairly light,'' Mr Garden said.

''As we were getting closer to home the sheep started to feel the strain of a long day.''

He said one lay down, so he picked it up and lay it across the withers of his horse, Suzie.

Shortly afterwards, another lay down, so he picked it up and did the same thing.

''However, she sank to her knees like a camel.

''I took one sheep off and she stood up.

''I put it back on and she went to her knees again.

''It proved horses could count.''

Mrs Garden said one piece of wisdom to be gleaned from life experience was that Pat should not argue with her.

Mr Garden said he did not take much notice of that.

He said one of the most important things in life was if someone wanted to go farming, they had to have a passion for it.

''I looked over my farming career and that was one main thing which has kept me going.

''You need passion to be able to weather the downturns and the bad times.''

He said grabbing opportunities when they came along was also important.

''We got into deer farming in the early days and that made a huge difference to us.

''It enabled us to leap ahead.''

He had always taken advantage of opportunities that came along in his off-farm life as well, regardless of whether he felt he had the experience, knowledge or skills to do it.

''Much of my life has been the result of someone saying why don't you tackle this or that.

''My role as director on the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology came about like that. ''It was the same for the Otago Conservation Board.''

He said he had always been data-driven and if he did not understand the science behind information given to farmers, he would be reluctant to take it on board.

Developing good relationships was important, whether it was with staff, establishing a network of friends or industry experts.

He said it was important to love the land.

As he and his brothers had got to know Avenel Station, it became a part of them and they realised it had another, more important value other than what it could earn.

''And don't overload the horses.''

Southern Rural Life