Visits to Farms and Industrial Plants by Flock House Trainees

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 79, Issue 5, 15 November 1949, Page 448

Visits to Farms and Industrial Plants by Flock House Trainees

By

J. H. HITCHCOCK,

Farm Training Supervisor,

Flock House Farm of Instruction.

VISITS to farms specialising, in stud stock or fat-lamb production and to places such as freezing works, woollen mills, and fertiliser works are considered an important phase in the training of students at Flock House Farm of Instruction, Bulls. Though the usual curriculum provides for well-balanced and thorough tuition in all phases of farming, it is felt that visits of the type described, particularly to farms, assist the trainee materially to appreciate the significance of thorough training and the results which can be achieved only through such training and by employing sound farm practices.

T ECTURES on certain phases of livestock breeding and management alone cannot possibly give trainees the clear, concise picture they get through visiting the proper-

ties of successful farmers, who can demonstrate in such a practical manner on their stock. The Department of Agriculture is indebted to those who have received visits from Flock House parties, because it is realised that farmers have to give up 2 or 3 hours of their working time, and demonstrations have been most thorough.

During the 12 months of a trainee’s course visits are made to each of the following: A stud Foiled Angus herd at Turakina, a stud Hereford herd at Fern Flats, Marton, a stud Jersey herd at Parewanui, a stud Romney flock at Leedstown, Marton, a stud Southdown flock at Upper Tutaenui, Marton, a fat-lamb farm at Greatford, the Feilding freezing works, the wool stores and the wool sale at Wanganui, the woollen mills at Wanganui, the fertiliser works at Wanganui, the Marton A. and P. show, and the Rangitikei Co-operative Dairy Company’s factory at Bulls. It will be realised that during the 12 months’ course a trainee sees a great variety of farming and associated activities in addition to those connected with instructional work actually at Flock House.

Flock House Curriculum

The Flock House curriculum is on practical lines, the fundamentals of agriculture being covered as fully as possible during the 12 months.. Included in the training are subjects such as dairy cattle management, pasture management, flock- and fat-lamb production, pig management, land development (including ploughing, cultivation, and all activities pertaining to pasture and crop establishment), fencing, farm carpentry, horticulture, poultry management, and apiary work.

Courses at Flock House are open to youths from any part of New Zealand, the only qualifications being that the prospective trainee should be between 15 and 18, of good physique, and keen to learn, and that he intends to make some branch of farming his vocation.

Application for Enrolment

The only cost to parents is an outfit of clothes, which is not ' extensiveonly what a youth would require if engaged in farm work. Full details of the Flock House course are available from Flock House or any office of the Department of Agriculture. Applications for enrolment at Flock House should be made to the Director, Extension Division, Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3004, Wellington.

Courses at Flock House begin in the middle of January, May, and August, when approximately 15 trainees are admitted for their 12 months’ tuition.

HEADING PHOTOGRAPH: The accommodation buildings at Flock House.