Dairy farmer and educator Tangaroa Walker wants to keep it real and keep up the positivity.
Based in Southland, he loves a gag and loves to get the whānau involved in his antics.
Walker, founder of online education hub Farm4Life, is used to a little bit of isolation when he’s working day in and day out on the farm.
He’d also spoken to a lot of farmers during Southland’s recent Alert Level 4 lockdown.
“We’re on the reverse of what Auckland’s going through,” Walker told Seven Sharp.
“A lot of our Auckland whānau, they’ve been stoked to get out of work, get home, be among their family and do some chores around the house.
“Whereas us farmers, we’re sick of being around our family, we’re sick of being at home ‘cause it just means too much work. We just want to get out but we can’t.”
It was business as usual, though, and farmers were “busy as” during calving season, Walker said.
He’s got a new feathered friend in his bubble, too.
About a year ago, Walker decided to prank his neighbour by mixing a calf into his “milkers”.
“He got a bit of stick with his in-laws about this calf running around with his milkers.”
That neighbour has got him back now, Walker said.
There are a few hens on Walker’s farm. One morning, he found a rooster among them.
“This thing is the most pain in the ass rooster I’ve ever met,” Walker joked. He said the rooster kept crowing and crowing long after the sun had come up.
His tip for those in lockdown was this: Enjoy your time with family.
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