Sally Newell's son, Ted, keeps an eye on the chickens.
The Country looks back at some of the biggest and best stories of the past 12 months, including readers’ favourites, news events and those yarns that gave us a glimpse into rural lives and livelihoods across the country.
This story by The Country’s Kem Ormond was originally published on July 26.
Sally Newall, “vet, mother, farmer, writer, lover of animals and homesteader”, is getting closer to seeing a dream that started during Covid turn into reality.
Sally lives with her husband and three sons on a 500-hectare bull finishing property in the Patoka district of Hawke’s Bay, in the foothills of the Kaweka Ranges.
During the first Covid-19 lockdown and with three small boys to entertain, she started a Facebook page, Kiwi Country Kids, sharing their everyday life on the farm, as well as animal husbandry.
Then the family faced Cyclone Gabrielle, with nearby Rissington losing its bridge and the whole area being cut off and having to fend for itself.
As a qualified vet, Sally became the small animal vet for the community, with requirements being helicoptered in to her.
She also raised chickens to help replace hens that were lost by Hawke’s Bay residents in the cyclone.
“We raised and gifted around 350 chickens in the end,” she said.
Her Kiwi Country Kids Facebook page helped a lot during the cyclone, as Newall was able to post footage of what was happening in the area and could organise helicopter drops of donations for her community via her page.
She was amazed at the interest and, before long, she had 40,000 followers.
That was until 2024, just after the cyclone, when her Facebook page was scammed and she had to start again from scratch.
In 2023, while caring for a son with medical needs, she noticed how well he thrived on the farm, among the animals, with fresh air and outdoor activities; it was his happy place.
So, she put being a vet on hold, wrote a children’s book, sold her eggs at the local market, and poured herself into homesteading.
She also became involved with Farmer Time for Schools, an educational programme connecting farmers with primary and intermediate school students.
She has connected with Te Awa Primary School in Napier and has fortnightly live video chats, during which students can ask any questions regarding life on the farm.
“It got me thinking that young children need to learn about farm life, animals, and the role that farmers play in the community,” she said.
This, in turn, led Sally to a new adventure, developing a purpose-built learning facility on their farm.
It’s not a petting zoo, but a place where children can learn about farming and ignite interest not only in agriculture but in learning about the environment and sustainable food production.
She wants school-age children to come and experience this for free, so she is looking for like-minded sponsors to help her get the idea off the ground.
If all goes to plan, the facility will open next year, with opportunities for children to see and learn about a range of farm animals.
“They can also learn about raising chickens and calves, see cheese being made, and cows and goats being milked.”
Children will be able to visit the beautiful native bush and river on the property, and teachers can take resources back to the classroom for continued discussions.
Eventually, Sally plans to run courses for lifestylers on animal husbandry, health and sustainable practices, but that will have to wait, as the children come first.