If there’s a region which breeds resilience, it’s the Northern Region Young Farmers who have battled through drought and water shortages this year.

Now with calving being the most stressful time of year for most dairy farmers, the Region’s Young Farmers have come together to support each other with the help of a few sponsors.

‘Calving survival kits’ have been dished out to members, filled with things to not only keep them warm during the challenging winter months, but also ensure they are looking after themselves.

“I'm super excited to be able to provide our members with a tangible resource that helps them look after themselves mentally and physically, and extend our reach further into the community with the 'get one, give one’ aspect of this project,” said Northern Regional Chair, Natalie Lynch.

“We created them to help out and to also let everyone know that we’re all in this together”.

With six Young Farmers’ Clubs across the region, each member received a kit for themselves and a kit to pass on to a colleague, family, friend or someone in the community who could use a pick-me-up.  

“Farming is tough and when you’ve got so much going on, it can be tricky to remember to take care of yourself. We wanted to make sure all our members and friends were looking after number one, while they take care of their cows and calves which always come first at this time of the year.”

Hoping the recipients will keep their kits in a convenient place and also topped up so they’ve always got something on hand to keep them going, it was also a reminder that the most important thing farm on your farm, is you, Lynch said.

The Mental Health Foundation donated postcards, bookmarks and stickers for members to read and use with advice around ‘five ways to wellbeing’.

Meanwhile things like chocolate, berocca, lollies and coffee were provided as a pick me up, and beanies, coffee travel mugs and soup were put in there to help warm people up during the long days.

“We’d like to say a big thank you to FarmStrong and The Mental Health Foundation as well as local businesses such as LIC, Sistema, Whitelaw Weber, Kaukapakapa General Store, Berocca, Northland Farm Services and New World Warkworth who also supported this initiative and donated goods. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without them,” Lynch said.  

PHOTO CAPTION - Northern Vice Chair Nikita McCahon (left) and Chair Natalie Lynch (right) getting ready to hand out their calving survival kits.