New Zealand Learning Adventures
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High Country Farming
 

VIDEO

High Country farms let the animals free on the mountains to search for their sustenance.  These farms are much bigger than the farms of the fertile lowlands. Away from the plains we encounter steep, snow lashed areas where the ice age glaciers formed the land. Here the farmers are tough rugged. They breed mountain sheep, deer and cattle. Farming is different in the high country, options are limited but the life style away from the large population suits these farmers well. The farmers and their workers are tough resilient people because of harsh remote conditions. Farmers work with different breeds of grasses, animals and routines from the lowland operators.   Studies help us understand the comparisons between farms, management, inputs and products   A visit to a "high country" farm is often included for groups with special interest in farming.  We discover the problems of farming in remote mountain areas with its short summers, poor soil, snow and difficult terrain compared with others. We explore the facilities, grasses, soils, weather, breeds of animals, weather, seasons and routines of the farmers so we make comparisons with low land farms.