Submitted by Alina Roell on the 2020 winter session program in New Zealand sponsored by the Department of Animal and Food Sciences…
During my second week in New Zealand, I had the pleasure of meeting two different farmers; Hamish Marr and Craige Mackenzie. Both were specialized seed farmers, but used two very different methods of farming to achieve their production requirements. I focused more on the Mackenzie farm, as I did a paper and a presentation on their farms Greenvale Pastures and Three Springs Dairy. The Mackenzies produce over 65% of the world’s carrot seeds, so if you have ever eaten a carrot, there is a good chance it started out as a seed on the Mackenzie’s farm! It was truly an honor to meet with farmers who have such a diverse and proactive approach to agriculture.
As well as visiting the farms, I also spent my first long weekend away from campus at Mt. Cook and Lake Tekapo. When I first arrived in Mt. Cook, I could not believe how big the mountains were. Coming from South Jersey where it is mostly flat, I had never experienced snow capped mountains before. I hiked for ten miles to see Mt. Cook and everywhere I turned looked like a postcard. I also saw my first ever glacier, and small avalanche. It was an experience of a lifetime that I won’t soon forget. That night, I went stargazing in the world’s largest dark zone and saw the milky way with my bare eyes. I also was able to see many shooting stars and satellites moving across the night sky. Even though I wasn’t able to take any pictures, I will always remember looking up to see a sky filled with an amount of stars I wouldn’t have thought possible.
In Lake Tekapo, I had less time to explore, but I still managed to walk around town and eat at some of the local restaurants. It was here that I also had my first real camping experience, although it was actually “glamping”. I did sleep in a tent with a few other girls, but we were on raised cots, had outlets, and quick access to showers and toilets. On the ride home from Lake Tekapo, we stopped to see the beautiful lupine flowers just outside of town. With the Canterbury Plains being so hot and dry this time of year, it was refreshing to see so many colorful flowers in bloom.
Overall, this week has definitely got me feeling more like a true Kiwi, and I am ready to take on the last two weeks of my program!
