@georgiemcfarlane & @mattfaddes
Tell us a little bit about yourselves where you're based? What kind of farming do you do? How did you end up where you are?
We are Matt Faddes + Georgie McFarlane, freshly engaged and planning on getting married next year.
We own a 570 cow dairy farm between Kurow and Duntroon and bloody love it. Coming from a nursing and rugby background we weren’t really sure where we would end up.
After Matt finished up with the highlanders in 2019 we moved to Northern Ireland for two years while Matt played rugby for Ulster. We had the best time, drunk far too much Guinness and came back about 15kg heavier.
"I’ve always been a farm girl, growing up on a sheep and beef to then dairy persuaded us to get into
the dairy game while we were overseas and haven’t looked back since."
It definitely has its challenges and we’ve had to learn A LOT (everything) from Dad and some very knowledgeable people around us, but are slowly starting to find our feet and make it our own.
We love that we can go to work together (sometimes drive each other up the wall) and although it’s soo hectic sometimes we couldn’t be happier. We are incredibly lucky with the community we submerged ourselves into. Having such a great group of friends living so close to each other definitely helps us out in the tougher times.
What does a normal day look like for you both?
Depends the time of year, pretty hectic between August- December but taper off slightly after that. During calving and mating it’s generally a 4am start after a strong brew we begin wrangling calves and bulls and a pretty hectic day filled with milking, feeding calves, shifting breaks, spreading fert, feeding out and so on.
This time of year, it’s more to do with maintaining pasture quality and grass growth, irrigation and keeping the stock happy and healthy.
What's it like working every day on the farm together? how do you master the work/love balance
Mornings are tough lol. Usually after a coffee we are both fine. We aren’t a very romantic couple (don’t even have a valentines date planned) but
"after a tough day we usually waddle up the hill with our two labs and a couple of beers to chill"(that’s about as romantic as we get sorry).
We look after different areas of the farm. I’m (Georgie) more hands on with animal health, feed plans, and in control of the shed, whereas Matt does all the tractor work, deals with all the contractors, runs a tight cutter on our irrigation and jumps in the shed too.
What's your go to meal after a busy day on the farm? Do you plan ahead?
Quick and easy would be bangers and mash. We eat potatoes most nights haha. Try to plan but more often than not we forget haha.
If there is one place in NZ you would love to spend Valentines day where would it be / Restaurant + accommodation + Location
Sparrowhawk in the Waitaki Valley, eat at Riverstone kitchen
Tell us your most favourite and biggest drag about farming
Favourite is dealing with animals all day, you can make a huge difference to their lives. Biggest drag - the 4am start lol and hard to see sick animals.
One bit of advice for new couples heading back to the farm or starting a job together on a farm.
Pace yourselves lol don’t be rip shit and bust like me (Georgie). You also don’t have to know everything in the first week, it all takes time/mistakes for you to learn.
City of Rural life? Heels or gumboots?
Rural + gumboots hands down. I still can’t walk in heels
What's the first thing you enjoy when you go to town?
McDonalds
Any off farm ventures you are wanting to pursue (can be a big dream that might seem impossible but would love to do)?
Still trying to get our head around this venture so haven’t thought much further ahead than next week.
What are your 4 favourite Whistle & Pop products?
