Cyclone stories of Gisborne farmers feature in Farmstrong book

The stories of people like Gisborne farmers Rob and Marie Burke could help others faced with adversity. Photo / Farmstrong

The cyclone stories of Gisborne locals featured in a book launched by a nationwide rural wellbeing programme could help others through tough times.

Farmstrong launched Getting Through to support farmers going through the recovery process from adverse weather events.

Ormond farmers Rob and Marie Burke were part of the 30 farmers, growers and industry leaders interviewed for the project.

The Burkes know from experience that getting over a natural disaster is not a job to be tackled on your own.

“Like everything, farming’s enjoyable when you are making good money and things are going well but not so good when things hit the fan,” Rob Burke said.

Their sheep and beef farm, with some cropping, is on 360 hectares of hill country and flats in Ormond, Gisborne.

Rob Burke shared in the book how wet the lead-up to Cyclone Gabrielle had been, from the previous winter and summer through to Cyclone Hale.

“We got what seemed like 100ml of rain every week after Gabrielle and in a weather event in June we got 380ml, which for us was 100ml more than Gabrielle. That was when everything fell to bits,” he said.

The farm suffered a lot of surface slips, the kind of damage they had with Cyclone Bola back in 1988. But this time around there was greater damage.

“By June the land was sodden. The rolling country just started to drop. We had massive slumps. You’d go around and fix all the tracks and a week and a half later you’d be trying to fix them again. It was a bit chaotic.”

During Gabrielle, because the rivers were still in full flood, Rob and his neighbour, who were involved in civil defence, were scouting out the area.

“We shot up this hill to have a look and found an elderly couple in a tiny home with a river flowing around them.

“That was pretty freaky. We shot home, got the boat and were able to get them out. That was pretty cool, co-ordinating with others and feeling like you could do something to help people.”

Being hit with extreme weather events involves a mindset shift for farmers, Rob said.

“As a farmer you’re in control of your livestock and your paddocks and everything. Suddenly it’s all out of control and your business is being wrecked around you. That’s your first thought.”

A couple of months after the heavy rain in June, the Burkes hosted an afternoon barbecue for local farmers and invited the Rural Support Trust, service industry reps and other speakers who would be good for the local community to hear from.

“You might have been feeling sorry for yourself and then you talk to someone down the road or across the valley and you realise there are others who are worse off,” Burke said.

Last year, 15,500 farmers and growers attributed an increase in their wellbeing to the Farmstrong programme.

The book Getting Through and the accompanying website of the same name were officially launched in Wellington on Thursday.

Farmstrong programme director Gerard Vaughan said there is a wealth of knowledge farmers and growers can tap into and use as a roadmap to move forward after tough times.

“The main takeout from these resources is a hopeful one. As awful as these events are, farmers and growers do find a way through,” Vaughan said.

“A long-haul recovery, however, is a marathon, not a sprint. That’s why people’s mental and physical wellbeing has to be a priority, despite the upheaval.”

Getting Through was made possible with the support of Ministry for Primary Industries, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora and the Rural Support Trust.

ACC is a strategic partner of Farmstrong, alongside rural insurer FMG and the Mental Health Foundation.

-Story supplied by ACC, taken from the Getting Through book with permission