South Taranaki dairy farmer's bootcamp helps boost community wellbeing

Kane Brisco is helping people with their physical and mental health at his South Taranaki dairy farm bootcamp. Photo / Supplied

A South Taranaki dairy farmer's bootcamp gym is helping his community with a whole lot of heavy lifting - mental as well as physical.

Kane and Nicole Brisco are sharemilkers at Ohangai, a remote South Taranaki community near Hawera.

Kane Brisco is a keen sportsman who in his late teens and early 20s spent time in the boxing ring and playing rugby for the Taranaki Under 20s and 100-plus senior games for Waverley's Border Rugby Club.

Now he's helping others to build their fitness and overall wellbeing at his farm bootcamp.

"I'm a believer that you grow in mind and body when you face a few physical challenges and put yourself through a bit of discomfort," Brisco said.

"This means when life throws one at you, you can dig a couple of tools out of the box to deal with the issue."

The exercise programmes he develops for people attending his bootcamp sessions aim to condition minds as well as bodies.

Brisco started out by improvising farm equipment for the workouts – for example, pressing and lifting bales of hay and haylage or fence posts of different sizes and weights. He now also has some gym equipment like resistance bands, boxing gloves and skipping ropes, and will set up a punching bag.

Brisco recently completed the theory part of the USA National Academy of Sports Medicine's personal trainer course and will soon do the practical assessment.

"My thinking was the people coming to the bootcamps were putting in their best effort, so I should too – and while it's been a challenge doing the study on top of running the farm, it's reinforced I'm on the right track."

He first considered setting up the farm bootcamp sessions three years ago when the milk price paid to dairy farmers was low, and finally got it under way in January 2019.

He was feeling pressured and could see farmers and others in the community were also stressed so he decided to get his neighbours around for some laughs and a good workout.

"I got some free weights together, and some sandbags people could also work out with, and put the word out. I really thought only two or three people would turn up, but at that first bootcamp there were six people – and it's grown from there to where nearly 20 people are likely to turn up for a session."

He said the bootcamp sessions and his personal training services attract a variety of people. Mostly they are local farmers and teachers, but there also people who are happy to drive 30-40 minutes to get to the farm.

In the winter months workouts are in a farm shed but the rest of the time the sessions are outside. The gym takes a break during calving, the busiest time of year for dairy farmers.

'Staying fit and well, and helping others to do the same, is helping me to be a better person, a better farmer and a better husband," Brisco said.