Grab the opportunity, scholar urges

‘A journey of personal growth and learning."

That's how last year's Kellogg Rural Leadership scholar Nathan Chestnut describes his experience as the recipient of the $6000 award from the Whangarei A&P Society last year.

The scholarship aims to grow Northland's future leaders in the primary sector and applications are now being sought for the next recipient.

Chestnut said the support and encouragement was ongoing, with members of his cohort of about 20 keeping in regular contact.

"There were only about six farmers in the group as people could be accepted from all parts of the agricultural sector, including farmers, growers, industry and agribusiness professionals."

Chestnut said the programme had really opened his eyes to the world of agriculture.

"You get exposure to world-class speakers, insights, and experiences and a chance to further your skills and passion. Connections made throughout the course come in many forms, professional, educational, mentorship and friendship. The Kellogg Rural Leadership Programme will have you setting your goals at new heights and have yourself wondering, what next?" he said.

The course exposed the scholars to a range of different experiences, including five days at the Beehive in Wellington meeting legislators and finding out about the inner workings of the Government.

He is in his fourth season on the farm after graduating with a Bachelor of Agricultural Commerce and postgraduate Certificate in Commerce from Massey and Lincoln Universities.

He also travelled overseas, including a stint in the UK, as he wanted to take the opportunity to have experiences away from the farm.

"Once you are on a farm, you struggle to get much time away," he said.

Now 27, Chestnut enjoys being farm manager on the family farm, with 115ha used for the 350-cow milking herd and a 40ha lease block used for a beef farming business run with his 30-year-old brother, Ryan, wintering 140 head.

Life is busy with about 1000 head of cattle to look after, and two staff to handle milkings and maintenance.

The huge rise in the costs of running a farm business, estimated to be 14 per cent more than last year, meant careful planning was needed.

"We've just got to be diligent with our capital expenditure and servicing debt. There are some things we can't skimp on to make sure we are doing the job properly," he said.

Nathan's father, Kerry Chestnut, won the Northland Dairy Farmer of the Year and came runner-up for New Zealand in the late 1980s.

"I am still very much in the learning phase, with Dad looking over my shoulder," Nathan said.

He checks on the "beefies" twice a day and incorporates their care with the daily chores of dairy farming.

All breeding is done on the farm in a "closed shop", with the farm being on LIC's first AB run in Northland in 1953. The top performing animals are bred with dairy genetics and the bottom half of the herd are bred with beef genetics, to produce the replacements needed.

A large covered feed barn had made a big difference to looking after the pasture and making sure the cows were well fed and sheltered.

"We can put the entire herd under cover, which has been especially good during the recent storms. In March we had a record 300mm in four hours according to MetService and some neighbours reported even more," Chestnut said.

At one end of the farm almost all of the fences were wiped out by floodwaters, despite being an elevated farm where flooding is not usually a problem.

As a break from the pressures of the farm, Chestnut is a keen rugby referee giving him "a good excuse to run away from the farm on Saturdays".

He also plays squash and is the current champion at Mangakahia Squash Club.

Chestnut said the network of contacts built up during the Kellogg course helped him keep up with the latest from the primary industry pipeline.