This spud farmer is one real hot potato
THE Aussies may have charmed their way into the hearts of rural New Zealand, but it was a Manawatu spud farmer who took the title for 2016 Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year.
Angus beef farmer Rob Ewing from Victoria, Australia, won the People’s Choice award, but Paul Olsen, from Opiki, 17 kilometres south of Palmerston North, who takes home the coveted Golden Gumboot award after cutting his finger while cooking and taking a ribbing about his chosen crop.
‘‘The kitchen is not my strong point, I guess,’’ Olsen said. ‘‘We were just making a salad. I was just chopping up the carrots. Yeah, it added a bit of texture or protein in there, I guess.’’
Olsen runs a dairy farm and dry stock, which rotates year round with his potato crop.
As winner, he takes home a Suzuki King four-wheel-drive quad bike, $5000 in vouchers from Swandri, Stihl and Skellerup and the Golden Gumboot trophy. Not to mention bragging rights.
His farm’s a great operation, he said, but ‘‘it’s different’’, so he got a bit of grief about the spuds from fellow competitors.
‘‘I’ve had a bit of ribbing all week about the spuds. It’s a good one to have a yarn with when everybody is dairy farming. There’re not too many spud farmers around.’’
The bachelors were tested on a range of skills including speed fencing, speed dating, log splitting, digger driving and dog training.
The 35-year-old Olsen put his win down to experience.
‘‘I’m pretty stoked, to be honest. I guess I’m a little bit older than the other guys but the skill set we’ve had this week, I’ve probably gelled with, so yeah, I’m rapt.’’
Ewing stood out in the Fieldays competition and continued to win hearts when he donated the $2000 in vouchers he received for the People’s Choice Award to the Cambridge Riding for the Disabled Association.
‘‘We went to Cambridge RDA on tour with the boys and I don’t need it, so I thought I’d just give it to ‘em. They do a great job,’’ Ewing said.
He said there was plenty to learn throughout the week, especially about himself, and he made some good friends.
‘‘It’s a tough gig coming to your country and winning you over, so I’m very happy.’’
Ewing heads back to his Victoria beef farm with bragging rights and good memories. ‘‘The blokes were excellent. ‘‘There was argy-bargy in the group, we all got along really well and it was just excellent.
‘‘This was one of the best experiences of my life.’’
I’ve had a bit of ribbing all week about the spuds. There are not too many spud farmers around.’ PAUL OLSEN