My farm placement is in Awanui, North Island, New Zealand. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, I was already feeling very isolated. Awanui has a very low population, with no big towns near me or college colleagues.
I am very lucky to have beautiful beaches near me, which I made the most of during my time off, as unfortunately now with the New Zealand Level 4 alert in place, I am unable to leave the farm.
The farm has 680 cows, which is split into two herds on 260ha. I milk one herd of 250 cows, twice a day in an 18-unit herringbone parlour, by myself, also managing the heifers and calves.
I never thought that coming here I would witness the worst drought since 2013. Water management is a huge part of my work, because the demand for water is higher than supply. I didn’t think my placement would teach me plumbing skills.
Being on my own, I was immediately filled with panic and fear
The inspection of and fixing water leakages is now part of my daily routine. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, came to interview my host farmer to discuss the drought and to show her support to local farmers.
On 20 March all students were advised to return home by the Irish Government. Being on my own, I was immediately filled with panic and fear.
All I wanted was a hug from my mother, but she was always at the end of the phone. We managed to book the last seat on a flight for Wednesday 25 March I took it as a good sign.
Then my flight was rescheduled to Thursday. On Sunday 22 March, Emirates announced it would ground all flights. My heart sank, tears flowed but I was thankful I wasn’t stranded in Dubai.
The world is changing hourly and I have no control over it, but I can control my reaction to it
I am taking everything day-by-day. The world is changing hourly and I have no control over it, but I can control my reaction to it.
I love farming, the animals I care for and nature, so I use my work to stay focused and positive, limiting my time on social media. John O’ Connor, Kildalton College, was and is a reassuring presence in my life.
My placement finishes on 27 April. Dairy Careers has reassured me that, while I wait for a flight home, I will be provided with accommodation and a job on an orchard or a winter milk production farm.
Amy Caldbeck has been unable to get a flight home but hopes to be back in Ireland in May as originally planned.
I am currently working on a 250ha dairy farm, located in Dorie, Mid Canterbury, New Zealand. I arrived here in early January, with many other stage-three agricultural science students at Waterford IT.
Coming from a dairy farm in north Kilkenny, I was eager to learn about new farming methods and to get an insight into a much larger-scale dairy farm.
Milking starts at 4.30am, there are 850 cows split into two herds and they are milked in a 54-bale rotary. Throughout the day jobs vary from fencing, moving effluent, moving cows and feeding out.
A large group of us spent St Patrick’s weekend in Queenstown before learning that the virus had arrived in New Zealand
New Zealand had more time, compared to Ireland, before the global pandemic COVID-19 hit. A large group of us spent St Patrick’s weekend in Queenstown before learning that the virus had arrived in New Zealand.
New Zealand saw the rest of the world smother with the deadly virus, so they acted fast. Before putting a full lockdown in place, all unnecessary movement was restricted. It all happened so quickly, many of us tried getting flights home.
However, flights were being cancelled, planes were full and seats were very expensive. The fear of being trapped in another country en route home was not worth the risk in my opinion.
I would love to return home in early May, when originally planned
I was unable to get a flight home and I still don’t know when I will get home. Cows still have to be milked. I am lucky to have work for as long as I need it.
I would love to return home in early May, when originally planned. Time will tell.
I am learning every day and I will take home the knowledge gained here and put it into practice when I get back on Irish soil.
Irish student Michael Martin went to the
US for his work experience in college.
It was early January when Eoin McGrath, Sean Kenny and I flew into Joplin airport, Missouri, USA, to begin a 15-week work placement.
As we left Dublin airport we said our goodbyes and were ready for an experience like no other. Expecting to be back in Ireland in late May, after travelling across America, we were excited and ready for an adventure.
Today, 12 weeks later, we sit in isolation in an empty house in Dublin.
As the news of the coronavirus filtered through to us in rural America, we initially thought it would have little impact on us
While in America we were based on a 550-cow dairy farm outside Springfield. Calving began in late January and was a busy period on the farm.
As the news of the coronavirus filtered through to us in rural America, we initially thought it would have little impact on us.
But as Trump began to ramp up preparations to stop the spread of the virus, the threat of being locked in was forever increasing. We spoke to the Irish embassy in Washington and Chicago, our families at home and WIT, the advice we received was to leave immediately.
We spoke to Aer Lingus and they took good care of us. We got a flight from Chicago to Dublin. On the same day we left, American Airlines halved the number of flights within the USA and Emirates grounded all flights.
The world of aviation was coming to a halt and we considered ourselves lucky to get out when we could.
Currently, we feel healthy and have no symptoms of the virus
When we landed in Dublin we were told to enter two weeks of quarantine. The hardest thing is being on Irish soil but not allowed to see family and friends, but we feel the best way to stay safe is to stay away.
Currently, we feel healthy and have no symptoms of the virus.
We will be glad when we get to leave the city and return to rural Ireland where the cows, crops and cattle will keep us occupied and some bit of normality will be restored.
Read more
Teagasc student work placements suspended
Green Cert graduates in May able to apply to young farmer scheme
My farm placement is in Awanui, North Island, New Zealand. Before the outbreak of COVID-19, I was already feeling very isolated. Awanui has a very low population, with no big towns near me or college colleagues.
I am very lucky to have beautiful beaches near me, which I made the most of during my time off, as unfortunately now with the New Zealand Level 4 alert in place, I am unable to leave the farm.
The farm has 680 cows, which is split into two herds on 260ha. I milk one herd of 250 cows, twice a day in an 18-unit herringbone parlour, by myself, also managing the heifers and calves.
I never thought that coming here I would witness the worst drought since 2013. Water management is a huge part of my work, because the demand for water is higher than supply. I didn’t think my placement would teach me plumbing skills.
Being on my own, I was immediately filled with panic and fear
The inspection of and fixing water leakages is now part of my daily routine. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, came to interview my host farmer to discuss the drought and to show her support to local farmers.
On 20 March all students were advised to return home by the Irish Government. Being on my own, I was immediately filled with panic and fear.
All I wanted was a hug from my mother, but she was always at the end of the phone. We managed to book the last seat on a flight for Wednesday 25 March I took it as a good sign.
Then my flight was rescheduled to Thursday. On Sunday 22 March, Emirates announced it would ground all flights. My heart sank, tears flowed but I was thankful I wasn’t stranded in Dubai.
The world is changing hourly and I have no control over it, but I can control my reaction to it
I am taking everything day-by-day. The world is changing hourly and I have no control over it, but I can control my reaction to it.
I love farming, the animals I care for and nature, so I use my work to stay focused and positive, limiting my time on social media. John O’ Connor, Kildalton College, was and is a reassuring presence in my life.
My placement finishes on 27 April. Dairy Careers has reassured me that, while I wait for a flight home, I will be provided with accommodation and a job on an orchard or a winter milk production farm.
Amy Caldbeck has been unable to get a flight home but hopes to be back in Ireland in May as originally planned.
I am currently working on a 250ha dairy farm, located in Dorie, Mid Canterbury, New Zealand. I arrived here in early January, with many other stage-three agricultural science students at Waterford IT.
Coming from a dairy farm in north Kilkenny, I was eager to learn about new farming methods and to get an insight into a much larger-scale dairy farm.
Milking starts at 4.30am, there are 850 cows split into two herds and they are milked in a 54-bale rotary. Throughout the day jobs vary from fencing, moving effluent, moving cows and feeding out.
A large group of us spent St Patrick’s weekend in Queenstown before learning that the virus had arrived in New Zealand
New Zealand had more time, compared to Ireland, before the global pandemic COVID-19 hit. A large group of us spent St Patrick’s weekend in Queenstown before learning that the virus had arrived in New Zealand.
New Zealand saw the rest of the world smother with the deadly virus, so they acted fast. Before putting a full lockdown in place, all unnecessary movement was restricted. It all happened so quickly, many of us tried getting flights home.
However, flights were being cancelled, planes were full and seats were very expensive. The fear of being trapped in another country en route home was not worth the risk in my opinion.
I would love to return home in early May, when originally planned
I was unable to get a flight home and I still don’t know when I will get home. Cows still have to be milked. I am lucky to have work for as long as I need it.
I would love to return home in early May, when originally planned. Time will tell.
I am learning every day and I will take home the knowledge gained here and put it into practice when I get back on Irish soil.
Irish student Michael Martin went to the
US for his work experience in college.
It was early January when Eoin McGrath, Sean Kenny and I flew into Joplin airport, Missouri, USA, to begin a 15-week work placement.
As we left Dublin airport we said our goodbyes and were ready for an experience like no other. Expecting to be back in Ireland in late May, after travelling across America, we were excited and ready for an adventure.
Today, 12 weeks later, we sit in isolation in an empty house in Dublin.
As the news of the coronavirus filtered through to us in rural America, we initially thought it would have little impact on us
While in America we were based on a 550-cow dairy farm outside Springfield. Calving began in late January and was a busy period on the farm.
As the news of the coronavirus filtered through to us in rural America, we initially thought it would have little impact on us.
But as Trump began to ramp up preparations to stop the spread of the virus, the threat of being locked in was forever increasing. We spoke to the Irish embassy in Washington and Chicago, our families at home and WIT, the advice we received was to leave immediately.
We spoke to Aer Lingus and they took good care of us. We got a flight from Chicago to Dublin. On the same day we left, American Airlines halved the number of flights within the USA and Emirates grounded all flights.
The world of aviation was coming to a halt and we considered ourselves lucky to get out when we could.
Currently, we feel healthy and have no symptoms of the virus
When we landed in Dublin we were told to enter two weeks of quarantine. The hardest thing is being on Irish soil but not allowed to see family and friends, but we feel the best way to stay safe is to stay away.
Currently, we feel healthy and have no symptoms of the virus.
We will be glad when we get to leave the city and return to rural Ireland where the cows, crops and cattle will keep us occupied and some bit of normality will be restored.
Read more
Teagasc student work placements suspended
Green Cert graduates in May able to apply to young farmer scheme
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