Donald’s Farm puts out welcome mat
For many young Kiwis, this Auckland farm is their first brush with farming — now it’s holding an open day.
Every morning dairy farmer Sam Waugh sees the Auckland Sky Tower through his window. It’s a great reminder of one of his key life goals — giving young people from towns and cities insights into farm life.
The 31-year-old runs NZ Young Farmers’ Donald’s Farm in Whitford, about 30km southeast of Auckland. Last year, the farm hosted 900 primary and secondary school visitors, aiming to build up to 5000 a year.
“It’s awesome showing young people around the farm to learn how milk goes from grass to glass. We’re hoping to attract the next generation of farmers,” Waugh says.
“Most of the students haven’t been on a dairy farm before so it’s great seeing their reaction when they see cows close up and check out the native tree planting we’re doing on the farm.”
Dairy farmer Donald Pearson donated Donald’s Farm to NZ Young Farmers because he wanted to support a strong future for Kiwis in agriculture.
“There are lots of career opportunities including farm assistants, managers, farm owners and rural professionals,” Waugh says. “There are also great opportunities at industry good organisations such as DairyNZ, which supports farmers with research, resources and advocacy.”
This year, DairyNZ is supporting Donald’s Farm’s open day on Sunday as part of the national Open Farms initiative, where farms of all types throughout New Zealand give people the chance to see farming first-hand.
Passion for agriculture
Waugh’s love for agriculture began when he was a high-school student in Kimbolton, Manawatu¯ , working on local farms. While studying for a bachelor of commerce and agriculture at Lincoln University, he developed a passion for community service and got involved in NZ Young Farmers, which he finds tremendously rewarding. The non-profit group connects and empowers young people in rural communities.
Waugh says it’s a lot of fun. “You meet a lot of great people and volunteer for awesome initiatives, giving back to the sector and local communities.”
Over six years, Waugh chaired NZ Young Farmers’ Lincoln Club, then the Christchurch district and Tasman region, as he moved up through the organisation. He then served on the national board for two years, helping give young people a voice in local and national decision-making affecting rural communities.
After working as a farm consultant for four years, Waugh lived in England with his wife Liana for 11⁄2 years. He says they had a great time exploring and seeing different ways of living and farming.
When they returned to New Zealand in 2020, Waugh jumped at the chance to manage Donald’s Farm. “I get a lot of personal development out of making all the farming decisions and get a real kick out of developing the education programme with the farm’s board of directors.”
Donald’s Farm
Donald’s Farm’s 74ha is home to 125 cows, including milking shorthorns — a rare breed on Kiwi dairy farms — and light brown Jerseys.
Plans for the farm include creating an educational centre for children to — Sam Waugh learn about food, farming and nature, adding to the farm’s role as an outdoor classroom.
“We’re keen to have students come back to the farm multiple times throughout their schooling to develop their knowledge of what it’s like on a farm,” Waugh says. “It’s awesome to see young people grow more confident around the animals and on the farm every time they visit.”
The visits teach children about the whole agriculture sector including dairy, sheep and beef farming, horticulture and forestry. One of the programmes offered to schools involves people from more than 35 primary sector organisations showcasing the work that they do, helping to highlight the breadth of opportunities within the sector.
“This encourages students to realise there is so much more to agriculture than they might have realised,” Waugh says.
Environmental focus
Waugh is keen to inspire young people to get involved in environmental initiatives on farms and in their communities. “We’re committed to a healthy habitat on Donald’s Farm so native wildlife including birds can thrive,” he says.
“With help from Trees for Survival, Conservation Volunteers NZ, corporates and members of the public, we’ve planted about 20,000 native trees, plants, flax, grasses and sedges. We’re aiming to plant at least 100,000 more over 7.5 hectares — about 10 per cent of the farm.”
Trees for Survival works with schools and communities to grow and plant native trees alongside waterways, on farms and community spaces.
“We’re also working with Conservation Volunteers NZ to establish a native nursery on the farm, to grow 50,000 native plants every year to plant alongside the Papakura Stream.”
Donald’s Farm is also involved with Nature’s Den, an organisation helping Auckland children explore and learn about nature, including on farms and forests. As part of this, students visit once a week to spend time in one of the farm’s native bush blocks and learn about the outdoors.
In November 2023, Sam and Nature’s Den founder Alex Sherie put on their gumboots and walked around Donald’s Farm for 24 hours to raise money ($3400) and awareness for I Am Hope, a charity that provides counselling services for young Kiwis.
Waugh is excited for the future, including for his son Albie, 1, with so many people learning about nature and giving back to their communities. When everyone pulls together, the sky’s the limit, he says.
Most of the students haven’t been on a dairy farm before ...