Farmy Army diggers at the property on Shearers Road. Photo / Supplied
Farmy Army diggers at the property on Shearers Road. Photo / Supplied
The call has gone out for rural communities to come together and help those in desperate need, a week after the Canterbury floods.
Fifty volunteers in Red Bands and dressed in rain jackets rolled onto a dairy farm on Shearers Rd beside the north branch of the Ashburton River nearLauriston, bringing Two diggers, tractors and trailers, and bucket loaders to support the clean-up effort.
Joint farm owner Ben Streeter told the NZ Herald that it was a "pretty overwhelming response".
Streeter and Lawrence Rooney milked 800 cows here, but the farm was cut in two by the one a 100-year storm.
Fifty volunteers rolled out onto a dairy farm on Shearers Road. Photo / Supplied
The bad half: he doesn't reckon they will "get the cows up there until after Christmas".
The good part "will be 'touch and go for spring".
Monday's Queens Birthday holiday didn't stop the Mid Canterbury Farmy Army's first day on the job. Streeter was stunned by the local community support.
'We would be absolutely wrecked without it really, we would be stuffed."
Lauriston School and Farm Source cooked BBQ for the troops.
"There were 50 people here [Monday] and that is unbelievable," Streeter said. He couldn't believe how much they got done.
Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown, left, Matt Doocey, Waimakariri MP, Selwyn MP Nicola Grigg, farmer Ben Streeter, Liz McMillan - Deputy Mayor Ashburton (right). Photo / Supplied
"We are clearing fences, get the wires off the ground and then get the big machinery in and start to pick stuff up like logs silt and gravel – it is too wet to get the big machinery in at the moment."
Streeter said "it will probably take six to eight weeks work to clear" the mess.
The Farmy Army are more "hands-on workers – they will be great in the next three or four days".
Neville Reilly, group controller Canterbury Civil Defence Emergency Management said they were supporting the emergency operation centres that had been activated throughout the region as they responded to the impact of the flood.
Farmer Ben Streeter with Farmy Army. Photo / Supplied
Angela Cushnie, who is the unofficial coordinator of the Mid Canterbury Farmy Army, is working through Federated Farmers and MPI to help sort out the detail of the action plan to help desperate farmers.
Tuesday was the volunteer group's first official day on deck.
'Heavy machinery, tractors, and tip trucks are clearing [fence] wire to make things safe," she told the Herald.
According to Cushnie, the key to a successful recovery is "getting the logistics right" and to make sure "we don't make an already stressful situation worse".
In a lot of places the farm is still too wet so now was a chance to assess, "get some boots on the ground and get some camaraderie going", said Cushnie.
The Rural Support Trust, which provides help and advice for the rural community, has been working directly with farmers.
A state of emergency remained in place for the Ashburton, Selwyn and Waimakariri Districts after the deluge more than a week ago.
Neville Reilly, group controller Canterbury Civil Defence Emergency Management said they were supporting the emergency operation centres that had been activated throughout the region as they responded to the impact of the flood.
Civil Defence will remain activated as long as they are required to support the community.
At some point, they will 'move into a recovery phase' which will help everybody in the affected areas recover from the flood.
Yesterday, Minister of Social Development and Employment, Hon Carmel Sepuloni announced $500,000 will be made available for councils and approved agencies to hire job seekers to help with the clean-up.
Job seekers interested in helping the Canterbury flood recovery can register their interest by phoning 0800 559 009
