Students from five King Country, Waipā and Hauraki high schools converged for the third education and agri-skills event at Owl Farm, St Peter’s School, Cambridge last week.
The agri-skills race winning St Peter’s team with the Owl Farm Secondary Schools Agri Challenge shield. Photo: Jesse Wood
Since 2015, Owl Farm has been one of three demonstration farms in New Zealand. It is a joint venture with Lincoln University and funding partners.
The 160-hectare dairy farm is between the St Peter’s campus and the Waikato River.
For 90 years, the land has grown produce for the school kitchen and gives the students opportunities to learn farming skills.
Te Awamutu College competitors mix and identify chemicals. Photo: Jesse Wood
About 100 teenagers from Te Awamutu College, Hauraki Plains College, Ōtorohanga College, Piopio College and St Peter’s put their agricultural abilities to the test at the event.
Attendees completed eight learning modules before an interschool agri-skills race after lunch.
Race activities included tying a terminal fence knot before attaching it to an insulator to set up a portable fence, identifying beef breeds, mixing and using spray chemicals, identifying income and expenses, identifying fertiliser and seed types, potting and identifying native plants, labelling parts of a cow, stacking and securing hay bales and dressing a wound.
Piopio College students prepare to stack and secure hay bales during the interschool race. Photo: Jesse Wood
The host school came out on top with teams in first and second, followed by Piopio College with the bronze.
“It means a lot. We kept our heads up, worked as a team, got through it and got the win,” St Peter’s winning team member Hunter Redman said.
“I reckon the secret was just working as a team. We prepared a lot coming up to this and we were mentally prepared. We just kept at it.”
The champion team now have their school’s name engraved on the Owl Farm Secondary Schools Agri Challenge shield twice.
About 100 students took part in the event. Photo: Jesse Wood
Owl Farm demonstration manager Jo Sheridan said the organisers were thankful for the help from Young Farmer clubs in the Cambridge area and Owl Farm’s industry partners along with the St Peter’s agriculture teachers.
“Even though it was very hot the students were great participants – asking lots of questions in the education modules in the morning and giving everything a go in the agri-skills race,” Sheridan said.
“Many of these students will go on to compete at Regional Young Farmer events where they test their skills amongst the best.
One of the tests was potting and identifying native plants. Photo: Jesse Wood
“These events give students confidence in their abilities to contribute to the food and fibre industry and allow them to see the huge range of opportunities available in the industry.
“We are grateful for the efforts of the teachers that build on these skills in the classroom and we are excited to see the contribution these students will make in the food and fibre industry.”
The champion St Peter’s team in action. Photo: Jesse Wood
