4
June 2012
Waikato Farming Lifestyles
National accolades for Putaruru farmer Sense of responsibility and good production earns runner-up title by Annette Lambly-Robinson
W
ith two seasons of contract milking under his belt 23-yearold Putaruru farmer Thomas White is on the move to a 50-50 share milking position on the other side of the town. He’s ambitious — having recently taken the national runner-up position in the New Zealand Dairy Industry Farm Manager of the Year Awards he already has plans in place that he hopes will fast-track him to farm ownership. Mr White has just completed his second season on his parents 112-hectare farm Philmara on Whites
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Road where he milked around 400 Kiwicross cows. He is the fourth generation farmer on the property purchased by his greatgrandfather in 1928. While he was born and raised on the farm at aged 17 he spent two years on a cadet training farm in the Hawkes Bay before going to Massey University to gain his Diploma of Agriculture. Following that he spent a half season on a Southland dairy farm before returning home to do a season as herd manager before stepping up into the contract milking position. He’s a hard task master to himself.
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