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Home / The Country

Surfing for Farmers: Event encourages farmers to get off the farm and into the water

Alyssa Smith
By Alyssa Smith
Multimedia journalist - Lower North Island·Stratford Press·
20 Oct, 2020 08:31 PM2 mins to read

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Representitives from each of the 15 regions taking part in Surfing for Farmers. Photo/ Supplied.

Representitives from each of the 15 regions taking part in Surfing for Farmers. Photo/ Supplied.

Trading farming tools for surfboards and wet suits will help farmers cool down this summer.

"Surfing for Farmers" founder Stephen Thomson says the initiative is aimed to get farmers away from the stresses of the farm and into the water.

"The beach is a very peaceful place. We're wanting to make their mental health more resilient and the water is a great way to do that as it has a calming, healing power."

The initiative originated in Gisborne and has been running for three years.

It has now expanded to run in 15 regions across the country and this year it is running in Taranaki for the first time.

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"I had farmers reach out to me from Taranaki wanting the event to run in the region. We are wanting to make Surfing for Farmers as easy and accessible as possible for farmers," he says.

Stephen, from Gisborne, says he started the initiative as a way to give farmers a break during a busy time of the year.

"I wanted to make an opportunity for farmers to have fun and get off the farm for a couple of hours. A lot of farmers live on the farm and never really have time away from their work. They're there 24/7 and don't really switch off. I work for Baileys as a rural real estate agent so I have seen a lot of farmers under stress."

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He says it is "phenomenal" the event has grown.

"It's a real buzz seeing it grow and having people wanting to give it a go. It's really cool."

Stephen says the event is free for farmers.

"We supply the surfboards, wetsuits and coaches to teach the farmers how to surf."

Surfing is something he personally enjoys, he says.

"It's peaceful, there's no cellphones, and no dramas. You can go with friends or by yourself, it's a great way to cool down in a calm and peaceful place."

Details are yet to be confirmed but when's everything is finalised it will be posted on to the Surfing for Farmers Facebook page, he says.

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