Plenty of positivity at Northland Field Days despite drought and water crisis

Cohen Underwood, 2, from Maungaturoto tests out the equipment at the 36th Northland Field Days, at Dargaville yesterday. Photos / Michael Cunningham

The D and W words - drought and water (or more accurately the lack of water) - were on farmers' lips at the 36th Northland Field Days this week.

But despite that, and both issues affecting farmers badly in Northland, there was plenty of positivity among the sector at the three-day event that finished today, Northland Field Days Committee Vice-President Bruce Cole said.

Northland's drought has lead to serious issues for farmers, and has caused severe water shortages - and tight water restrictions - across the district. But despite that, Cole said, farmers were staying positive.

''Considering the conditions with the water and dry ground there's still a lot of positivity around. There have been some good sales here and the exhibitors have done a great job in getting their products out there,'' he said.

Cole said Thursday and Friday were when farmers descended en masse while today's final day was "Townie's Day'' when city folk turned up to look.

He said yesterday seemed slightly up on numbers over previous years, and all up more than 20,000 people are expected to have been through the gates at Awakino Point East Rd site.

The Advocate went along to the field days to capture the action.

More from the 36th Northland Field Days in Thursday's edition of The Country in the Northern Advocate.

Dargaville Rotarian Bruce Crawford, 72, and Rotarian exchangee from Austria Clara Liebmann, 16, help with carpark control at the Awakino Point East Rd site.

William Richards, of Whangārei, from NZ Young Farmers takes a dunking at the Field Days.

A Field Days favourite is Stephen Muggeridge and his Taungatara Clydesdales.

Morocco Roma, 15, from Pouto, is helped out Stewart Johnston, from Pouto. Morocco had a motorcycle accident recently but came along to the Field Days to look at . . . motorbikes.

Piri Tangira, from Whangārei, is in charge of making sure all the toilets are up to scratch at the Field Days. He describes himself as "The Kaka Suka Upa".