NZ Dairy Winter 2021

| 3 nz dairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Janet Schultz A s someone who has had her fair share of struggles, North Taranaki dairy farmer Janet Schultz says everyone has downfalls in life. But if you are positive with drive and determina- tion you can achieve anything. But the glass, she says, must always be half full. Janet spent the first 12 years of her life happy on a dairy farm in South Taranaki that was leased by her parents. When her father was killed in a road accident, she and her mother had to leave the farm. With a passion for dairy farming forged through those early formative years Janet maintained her interest by visiting friends’ farms when the opportunity allowed and continued to show cattle on school calf days, developing an interest in breeding. Interestingly, hairdressing was a preferred career when leaving school, but when Janet was unable to get an apprenticeship she opted to be a dentist’s receptionist for several years, before meeting and marrying Gary Schultz. Eventually the call of the farm became too great and in the ‘90s the couple leased a small farm where Janet milked 80 cows. The purchase of a ‘West Coast’ lease in South Taranaki followed, milking 180 cows, and by that time the couple had two children, Kelsey and Brody. Gary was killed in a head-on motorcar accident in January 2001. The whole family was in the vehicle and Janet spent the next two years recov- ering, relearning to walk. Five years after the accident, Janet sold the farm, along with another she had purchased and bought the 103-hectare/86-hectare effective Inglewood farm she still owns. Nine years ago a 36-hectare undeveloped run-off was purchased, consisting of one fence and two water troughs. The property has since been divided into 1.5 hectare paddocks, had a lot of digger work done on it, a lot of Novaflo laid and now has proper grass growth. When Janet’s second marriage ended, her daughter’s partner, Matt Brooks, came to work on along side Janet. At the time Kelsey was working as field consultant for CRV Ambreed. Despite setbacks, Janet’s glass remains half full Richard Loader Now married, Matt and Kelsey are entering their third season as contract milkers, as Janet steps further back from the farm’s day-to-day operations. “They’ve just bought two and half acres off me and will build a house,” says Janet. “Within the next three to five years they will look at go- ing 50/50 and purchase the calves and in-calf heifers. I will have a dispersal sale of the cows that are left, which are all J16 and F16. There are not many farmers out there who can have bulls in CRV and Ambreed so that is a little pinnacle of breeding.” Janet says that while still passionate for cows, that is now directed to the heifers and beef stock on her run-off. “Kelsey has the passion for breeding quality cows now and she has taken over that side of things. I still have a huge drive and always have had that. People call me Mrs Ping, because I never stop. I now have four part time jobs and a range of interests that keep me busy.” Admitting that it was difficult to step back from the farm, Janet says this is now her time to enjoy, while still being there for her family including two wee grandies. “My garden is beautiful and that’s going to be in the Fringe Festival this year. It will be the first time the garden has been in that festival. I’m also involved in quite a bit of community work. That’s my way of giving back to the community.” Taranaki farmer Janet Schultz is stepping back from the farm’s day-to-day operations, which gives her more time for her two grandchildren and her expansive garden. Chartered Accountants www.tandemgroup.co.nz Call Tom Butler on 06 758 5273 Supporting and empowering business Proud to Support Janet Schultz www.westownagriculture.co.nz Pleased to be Janet Schultz's Contractor 06 753 6611 180 Cowling Rd | New Plymouth