By Anna Heslop, of FAR
Tash White’s first memories of farming are hand rouging wild oats. Despite this she wasn’t deterred from a career in the arable sector and her children are now doing the same job.
Tash is a third-generation farmer at ‘Willowbank’ farm, just south of Ashburton, Canterbury. The farm has been in her family for 72 years. She and husband Dan lease the property from Tash’s parents, living there with their three children Tabitha, Edward, and Harriet.
Tash has loved farming from a young age – “I was always that girl at boarding school who had farming posters on her wall” – and apart from a short stint as a nanny she’s has always worked in the farming industry, both in New Zealand and overseas. In the early 2000s she did three seasons in Australia,seeding on arable farms as well as nine months in Manitoba, Canada, on a pig and arable farm.
“The size of everything and the scale of it was a real eye-opener, I’m so glad I did it. It made me want to come home and continue.”
Going back to the ‘70s and ‘80s Tash says Willowbank was more focused on a sheep and beef system, however in the ‘90s more specialist arable crops and vegetable seeds were introduced.
“We’re still mixed arable, growing a range of crops including wheat, barley, red beet for seed, parsnip for seed, alongside 500 bulls and fattening 3-5000 lambs a year. It’s very different from when we had 6000 merinos.”
Tash and Dan are proud of the developments they’ve overseen on the farm, including the introduction of pivot irrigation to replace much of the original 1970s irrigation systems.
“Being the third-generation farming on this property is special, continuing to develop something we’re very proud of and seeing food and fibre go out the gate to feed New Zealand and the world is important to us. We are lucky our kids really enjoy farming and have always been involved and we hope we might be able to say we are a fourth-generation farm in the future.”
When Tash came back to the farm in 2005 she was invited to join FAR’s newly formed Women in Arable group and says “it really sowed the seed for our involvement with FAR.
“Since then, Women in Arable has encouraged me to have the confidence to take things on and speak up in what was once a very male-dominated industry. Farming conversations have changed over time and Women in Arable has helped me, and other members, navigate those changes and provided an opportunity to ask questions.
“There are a lot more women involved in farming now, I’ve only ever come across one stock agent who asked to speak to the boss…we’ve been very lucky to have some great support and people to help us over the years.”
Tash was also involved at the beginning of Arable Ys which provides an opportunity for younger arable farmers, staff, and industry personnel to up-skill in a comfortable environment, whilst also having the opportunity to socialise with their industry counterparts.
“It has been a benefit for both of us.”
Tash’s involvement with the wider arable industry doesn’t stop there, she took on the role of Mid-Canterbury arable vice-chairperson for Federated Farmers last year.
“From being involved with Young Farmers, and other community roles it was sort of just a natural progression. It’s not a role I ever saw myself being in, however every role has sort of been a stepping stone to the next and to something bigger.”
“Being involved with both Women in Arable and Feds has been an eye-opener for me; so much goes on behind the scenes, especially in the policy space. It’s important to get involved if you have something you want to say or contribute; the farming environment is changing and we need to take the opportunities to learn about it.”