Back on the farm

As I am a calf of the herd (those lazy cockles) I feel driven to register a protest. I also come from a small town but have visited many and varied farms all over the North Island and know by personal experience that the average NZ cocky is a damn sight harder working then the average NZ worker of any type.

Contractors are used to save time and money if the cockey feels it will be beneficial to him and is certainly not afraid of work. I mean why buy chainsaws, bulldozers etc to fell some trees if somebody else has all the equipment and knowledge and will make a better job of it and quicker.

Cockies generally have flash cars because firstly it is an investment, and secondly when they get their little bit of time off they don't want to spend all of the time travelling to their destination.

The price of living has risen fantastically in the last few years and the return on butterfat has risen just a shade in proportion and as a result cockies on an 80 acre 'plot' like my parents certainly aren't making ends meet and with the price of land as it is because of townies, how bright does the future look for the mainstay of the economy. And how come a lot of cockies work the whole winter while the cows are dry, in freezing works etc to get enough money to do capital improvements and tide the family over until the next season hoping it will be better.