Ross Hyland is visiting parts of New Zealand few people ever get to see.
The voice which extolled people to 'get over to Morrinsville' is no longer on our airways but the energy which drove the growth of one of New Zealand's iconic feed milling operations is behind the development of a book which, in the words of its author, "simply has to be written".
Ross Hyland earned a name for himself as the head, and voice, of one of New Zealand's largest feed milling operations - the voice of Seales Winslow which told people to 'get over to Morrinsville'. Following the sale of the business, Hyland was in demand as an agribusiness adviser and in the course of that work he gained access to some of this country's top farming operations.
"The sheep, beef and deer industries in New Zealand have faced major structural challenges over many decades," he says.
"The sheep industry, in particular, has lurched from crisis to crisis and yet despite, or perhaps because of this, a number of farming families and their associated businesses have achieved what can only be described as extraordinary.
"Theirs are stories which capture the essence of New Zealand as a country - innovative, humble, hard-working people who exemplify the land custodianship which is enshrining and protecting our unique environment for future generations of New Zealanders."
Hyland is touring the length and breadth of Aotearoa interviewing around 30 farming families, but admits getting their consent to be involved required a degree of encouragement because, "in typical Kiwi fashion, they didn't see what they were achieving as anything special".
"And it is their perception of 'special' which is so interesting because what they are quietly and doggedly achieving is nothing short of spectacular," Hyland says.
"Those featured in this book have found a raft of ways to ensure their legacies are passed on, enabling inter-generational farming businesses to go in hitherto unforeseen directions, harnessing brains and brilliance into entrepreneurial endeavour that should make every one of them - and us - proud.
"What leaps out in every case is family bound by a clear sense of honesty, credibility, community and faith, a focus on quality food production and an abiding commitment to nurturing and ensuring long term sustainability of the environments they farm in - all carried out with absolute integrity."
The 'In Search of Excellence' tour is being supported by Ford New Zealand that has provided a Ford Ranger for the tour, to ensure Ross can access even the toughest locations. Simon Rutherford, Ford New Zealand managing director, says the tour was something they wanted to be a part of from the start.
"It jumped out as something we wanted to support. New Zealand is built on ingenuity and hard work and there are many, many stories of innovation worth telling across the country," said Rutherford.
Ross Hyland's tour is under way with several farms and stations visited - Hyland has just returned from Northland where he has been capturing stories for the book.
Follow Ross Hyland's tour of New Zealand on https://www.facebook.com/RossHylandNewZealand/