Following my Irish Famers Journal Snapchat takeover recently, I have received a lot of questions about the ins and outs of working in New Zealand. So I thought I’d put together a few of my tips for people who are thinking of coming to New Zealand to work on a dairy farm.
1. Go from July until DecemberThe best time to come to New Zealand is July-December for calving and breeding. It will be the middle of winter when you arrive, however the days will be getting longer and warmer. The working hours will be long and tough, but it is the best time to get work. The January to May season is also a good time, you arrive in the middle of the summer, still plenty of sunshine. Not obviously as busy as the winter, but there are still jobs to be got.
2. Use a recruitment agencyI would highly recommend using a recruitment agency, I used Celtic Connections. They find you a job on a good farm and sort out all the paperwork and the work contract. Alternatively, if you know someone who is already out there, they could help find you a job.
3. Bring an unlocked phone
Make sure you bring out an unlocked phone, especially for iPhones, that way you can easily get a NZ sim card. A lot of people use the company Spark, but Vodafone have the better deals for people who use the internet more.
4. Base yourself near friendsI’m working in the mid-Canterbury area and I have found my location brilliant for meeting friends and going to the local town for the weekly food shopping. Some of the areas that I think would be good to be based near are Methven, Ashburton, Rakaia and Dunsandel.
5. Pack for all weather conditionsBring clothes for all weather conditions. New Zealand really is a place where you can have four seasons in one day. Bring wooly hats, fleece jumpers, gloves, peaked caps, work shorts and t-shirts. Your milking gear such as boots, wet gear and aprons will be provided for by the farmer.
You will need a car, I’m only here for 16 weeks and I bought a car. Ideally, have a car sorted before you arrive, buy from someone who is leaving if you happen to know anyone in that situation. There are lots of car sales here. Expect to pay $900-$1,600 for a good car. Make sure it has a Warranty of Fitness (WOF). This is like the NCT at home. I bought mine from a local dealer, you can also buy on trademe.co.nz, the Kiwi version of Done deal.
New Zealand is a beautiful country to travel
7. Use your spare time wiselyDon’t spend every weekend off in the local pub or sleeping, believe me, it could easily happen. New Zealand is a beautiful country to travel. A lot can be done in one weekend. So far, we have travelled to Milford Sound, Queenstown, Dunedin, Hanmer Springs, Lake Tekapo, Christchurch and the West Coast, and that’s only the South Island. You could also plan to go to a rugby match (the Lions Tour is coming up), do a skydive or a bungee jump, go to the beach and go skiing on Mount Hutt in the winter.
Be careful with your spending. It’s very easy to spend big here because everywhere accepts card. Also the cost of groceries is quite high, so be smart.
9. Put yourself out thereIt could be quite lonely if all you do is eat, sleep, milk and repeat. Get out of the house in the evenings. Go to the local town and meet people, I would recommend The Dubliner in Methven. There is even a GAA club in Rakaia, which is a great meeting point.
Ellen Buckley is an agricultural science student at UCD and is travelling as part of her professional work experience (PWE) programme. Ellen is a winner of the Agricultural Science Association – PWE Travel Bursary Award, which is supported by the Irish Farmers Journal.
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Student blog: Arriving on a New Zealand dairy farm
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