Farmstrong: Abbi Ayre’s Shed Shout a hit with Reefton farmers

Reefton dairy farmer Abbi Ayre.

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When Reefton dairy farmer Abbie Ayre decided to host a casual get-together for her neighbours, she didn’t expect it to be so popular.

Ayre and her husband, Frikkie Terblanche, recently hosted a Saturday night Shed Shout, which became a highlight of the local farming calendar.

The event, which took around two weeks to organise, aimed to boost people’s wellbeing and sense of connection over the winter months.

“It had been in the back of our heads for a while,” Ayre told The Country’s Jamie Mackay.

She said it was a combination of ideas that came to the couple when they were farming in Culverdon.

“We just dropped a whole lot of pamphlets in our neighbours’ letterboxes, because we’d never met them ... and had everyone around to the cow shed and we just all chatted.

“I thought, oh, that was a cool idea.”

A similar casual Friday catch-up during calving in Duntroon began to cement the Shed Shout idea in their heads.

“We would go to somebody’s cow shed and just have a beer or whatever and catch up for the week.”

Ayre said it was a nice way of learning that everyone was dealing with the same issues.

The couple mulled over the Shed Shout idea, but Ayre said they never really got around to it and put it on the back burner.

However, a tough season in Reefton brought the concept to the forefront of their minds.

“We’d had a pretty hard season here in Reefton... from the wettest winter/spring in 25 years to the driest summer in 50,” Ayre said.

“I thought, oh well, let’s just pull everyone together and basically have a really low-key chat.”

Reefton dairy farmer Abbi Ayre's Shed Shout was well attended, even in foggy weather conditions.

She mooted the idea with other farmers.

“[I said] would you guys be keen to like jump around some cow sheds over calving - and that’s where it came from.”

The Shed Shout ended up attracting 50 people, including kids, who braved foggy weather to attend.

Guests were treated to a barbecue and a bouncy castle for the children.

Ayre and Terblanche are Farmstrong Champions.

Farmstrong is a nationwide rural wellbeing programme that helps farmers and growers manage the ups and downs of farming and growing.

Mackay asked Ayre what made her a Farmstrong Champion, and she was unsure how to answer at first, because it came naturally to her.

“I think I follow loosely the five ways to well-being without even really knowing I’m doing it.”

Also in today’s interview: Ayre talked about working on super yachts and sang the praises of Reefton.