Bus tours of rural farms

Press, 8 December 1987, Page 38

Bus tours of rural farms

| By

MAVIS AIREY

“People are passing through Christchurch without seeing as much of Canterbury as they could. Artificial structures, dude ranches are being promoted — why not the real thing?” asks Ross Macmillan.

A farm advisor in Rangiora, he decided to use his network of clients as the basis of a farm-tour organisation that would show tourists and townies something of what New Zealand farming is all about.

Farm-to-Farm Agricultural Tours, a partnership between Macmillan and a former journalist, Vicky Lucas, already runs specific interest tours for farming groups from other countries. At the beginning of November it launched a new venture aimed primarily at the casual visitor, a scheduled, twice weekly, six-hour bus trip around two or three quite different farms in the Christchurch region. Having been on a familiarisation tour of some of the properties they visit, I think it’s something many Christchurch people would enjoy.

I was astonished at how much variety there is: we visited a tiny flower farm in Ohoka, a largescale sheepfarm which also has a herd of Simmental cattle, a small mixed farm with an historic homestead, a dairy farm with a Friesian stud, and a deer farm run by an ex-schoolteacher. Ochards and a thoroughbred stud are also in the tour pool. We whisked around five farms in as many hours, which gave us a taste of what is available, even if it left us rather breathless. The scheduled tours, we were assured, are much more relaxed, with plenty of time to talk to the farmers involved. This is a good thing, because we certainly got the most out of the places where we stayed longest. There was a chance to bottlefeed lambs, watch a sheepdog at work, and see demonstrations of shearing and spinning. For the energetic, there was the opportunity for a brief pony ride; for souvenir hunters, dried flowers

and crafts for sale. As well as talking about their properties, the farmers were able to share some of their other interests with visitors: vintage cars and tractors, a helicopter flying school, ■ a museum of local memorabilia. The variety is good for the tourists and for the fanners, Ross Macmillan believes. “We can show activities that are going on at different times of year, from haymaking to shearing, and the farmers don’t go stale: they’re still friendly, open, and pleased to show visitors around and answer their questions.” These Country Highlights tours run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The timing allows for pre-tour shopping and catching late afternoon flights. The cost, $5O, includes refreshments and lunch. Our lunch, in the manicured, poolside gardens of one homestead, featured Canterbury wine and mead: a good idea. Perhaps this could be extended to include other local products, such as cheese, honey, fruit, and vegetables.