The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Day a chance to experience life on a farm

By Sally Rae
Otago Daily Times·
7 Dec, 2017 04:00 AM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Fonterra Otago area manager Gregor Ramsay (left) and Outram farmer Duncan Wells prepare for the "open gates" event on Sunday. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Fonterra Otago area manager Gregor Ramsay (left) and Outram farmer Duncan Wells prepare for the "open gates" event on Sunday. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

When Duncan Wells left secondary school, he was encouraged not to go farming.

It was during the farming downturn in the 1980s and his farming father suggested he get some other skills.

So he became an electrician and worked for a few years before giving in to his passion for the dairy sector.

Now Mr Wells and his wife Anne-Marie are sharing that passion with others - opening the gates of their Outram dairy business, Huntly Road Dairies, to allow the public to experience a taste of farm life.

On Sunday, Fonterra has organised an ''open gates'' initiative, with 40 selected farms around the country opening for the day.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

For the Wells family, such a move was not unusual; it had been a business decision for the couple to make their farm and business accessible for people to visit, Mr Wells said.

Mrs Wells had a target of six visits a year - which had included preschoolers and secondary school pupils - and the Fonterra initiative was a ''perfect opportunity to get another one ticked off'', he said.

Brought up on a dairy and cropping farm in Northland, Mr Wells came to the South Island in 1997 and progressed through the dairy industry. He had no regrets about swapping his trade for a pair of gumboots.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The couple, who have three children, formed an equity partnership seven years ago and bought their farm, where they milk about 600 cows.

The open day was an opportunity to make the public aware of how modern dairy farms worked, he said.

''This isn't anything special; it's a typical modern dairy farm. It's just giving an opportunity to see what actually does go on on the farm and how much science we're relying on and new technology we're employing.

''If kids come along and they are budding scientists and got a passion for science and the environment, that couldn't be a bad thing. We're doing our best and trying to look at the best practices,'' he said.

Discover more

Listen: Fonterra's Paul Grave on the 'Open Gates' event

23 Nov 07:41 PM

The Country - Fonterra edition

04 Dec 12:13 AM

Listen: Federated Farmers frustrated with Fonterra critics

04 Dec 01:03 AM

Listen: 'It hasn't been the best week for our farmers'

08 Dec 12:15 AM

There would be an opportunity to view the dairy shed, cows and calves, and infrastructure involved in running the farm.

There would also be various stations, including on the environment - as well as the end product, with a free ice-cream - and the opportunity to ask questions.

- Farms will also be open near Oamaru, Milton, Wallacetown and Invercargill.

Find out more about Open Gates here.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

Go fishing with Scott Barrett and Kaiwaka Clothing

11 Jul 02:40 AM
The Country

The Country: Aaron Cruden on All Blacks v France second test

11 Jul 02:21 AM
live
The Country

'Threat to life': Tasman District upgraded to red warning; floodwater enters homes

11 Jul 01:53 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Go fishing with Scott Barrett and Kaiwaka Clothing

Go fishing with Scott Barrett and Kaiwaka Clothing

11 Jul 02:40 AM

You and a mate could be part of a fishing trip with Kaiwaka Ambassador, Scott Barrett.

The Country: Aaron Cruden on All Blacks v France second test

The Country: Aaron Cruden on All Blacks v France second test

11 Jul 02:21 AM
'Threat to life': Tasman District upgraded to red warning; floodwater enters homes
live

'Threat to life': Tasman District upgraded to red warning; floodwater enters homes

11 Jul 01:53 AM
Northland needs unity for $977m regional deal, minister advises

Northland needs unity for $977m regional deal, minister advises

11 Jul 12:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP