Written by South Pacific Students, Julia M and Clivia
What’s New in Our Journey?
This past week, we volunteered at the Hart Family Farm, a livestock farm near Napier. We learned about sustainable agriculture practices and humane livestock farming from Greg and Rachel, who have owned the farm for almost thirty years! Along with Greg and Rachel, we got to know Frasier, one of their farmhands. We got some experience herding cattle and found that some herds are more… temperamental than others. Greg also showed us how to herd piglets, as well as collect chicken eggs, getting many chicken cuddles in the process. On the last day at Hart Family Farm, we helped to prune pine trees, a tradition that every Carpe group has done. Over the weekend, we drove back to Wellington. We got to explore the city, eating at cool restaurants and learning about the city’s drag scene. It was very enjoyable for the group to rest after two intense weeks, and get ready for the upcoming adventures at Whenua Iti!
Top Three Highlights of the Week:
Drag Show Extravaganza: One of the top highlights of the week was the drag show that some of the group went to on Saturday night. It was a new experience for most of us, and we had lots of fun dancing and singing during and after the show.
Art Deco Afternoon: On Wednesday afternoon, we explored Napier and learned more about the background of the city’s famous Art Deco style. We did some shopping and visited the Napier Museum, learning about the city’s history with earthquakes.
Farewell Farm Feast: Finally, we had a wonderful last night at the Hart Family Farm, when we got to make our own pizzas in a pizza oven and taste the traditional New Zealand dessert pavlova. Over the week, Rachel helped us with cooking, helping us to make new meals with fresh ingredients grown on the farm. The last night was a great way to say goodbye, and reflect on all we had experienced with Greg, Rachel, and Frasier.
This Week’s Challenge
This week, we all got our hands dirty when we had to chase down runaway cows and put them back in the pen. While we knew the cows were more scared of us than we were of them, it’s hard to stand your ground when facing off against dozens of cows. We also faced similar challenges with the piglets, though on a much smaller scale. The piglets were overwhelmed by how many people there were, which made corralling them into a pen a surprisingly hard task.
Group Dynamics and Reflections
This week, we are especially grateful for our strong group dynamic, which gives everyone in the program a support system. We’ve grown even closer this week through hard work, movie nights, and lessons on many topics presented by group members. One lesson led to an interesting debate about agroecology, letting us interact with each other in a more academic setting. We have also supported each other through times of political change and experienced a wide range of emotions as a group.
Gratitude for the Week
Our group is very grateful for the two nights we spent in Wellington, which allowed us to explore a different side of New Zealand while also giving us more free time and independence. This was the first time our group got to really dive into a big city for multiple days, and it was great to see New Zealand in a different light.
