The Farmers Fast Five: Where we ask a farmer five quick questions about farming, and what agriculture means to them.

Today we talk to Hurunui dairy farmer and founder of social media platform Females in Farming Anthea Rolfe.

What did your journey into farming look like?

I started farming “late”, at the age of 24.

It was an unintentional career move but one that positively impacted the trajectory of my life.

I haven’t looked back to city life since.

Tell us a little bit about your farming operation.

I am a dairy farmer, for the whole 17 seasons so far, either in an on-farm position or very closely related but you will usually find me on a dairy farm somewhere around Canterbury.

I am currently on a 1200 cow farm so there is plenty to be kept busy with.

I have also started a FB page “Females in Farming” which has progressed to selling women's clothing & posting educational & engaging posts about cows and dairy farming.

What challenges have you faced in your farming business, and how have you tackled those challenges?

Starting later in life and coming from a non-farming, city background meant I had ALOT to learn — and fast.

I didn’t grow up with practical, hands-on type knowledge, so I had to ask questions constantly, watch closely and not be afraid to get it wrong (because sometimes, I did).

Being a woman in a male-dominated industry also came with its own set of assumptions and limitations — both from others and from myself.

Over time though, I stopped trying to prove I was “tough enough” and focused on working smarter not harder which made life alot easier.

I overcame those challenges by asking “why” more than anything else.

Why does this happen? Why do we do it that way?

That mindset opened up so many learning opportunities and helped me grow not just as a farmer, but as a person.

What has been a major highlight for you in your farming journey?

Managing a dairy farm (albeit for a short period, but over the busiest time) was a highlight.

It really proved to myself that I had the skills to make it work, even the face of some big obstacles.

Starting my FB page and seeing it evolve is also a great highlight that is continuing to give me the satisfaction of being able to help others coming through the ranks in the industry or who may be looking at farming for a career option.

What advice would you have for the next generation of farmers?

Question everything. Don’t just accept that that is how it’s done, always ask why. Questions like, “why do we think that” and “why not try it a different way”.

Asking why is the fastest track to growth in my opinion and in farming we should never close ourselves off to learning because there is so much we don’t know still.