NZ Dairy Winter 2021

| 67 nz dairy DAIRY AWARDS » Rene ten Bolscher / Jacob Stolte Close-knit team shines at regional awards Richard Loader A good team and proud of each others’ achievements, Farm Manager Rene ten Bolscher and his Herd Manager Jacob Stolte were both highly placed at the recent Hawke’s Bay/ Wairarapa regional Dairy Industry awards. Rene and Jacob work for Clarence and Elise Stolte on the Stolte family’s 170 hectare, 500 cow farm in Carterton. Placed third in the Farm Manager category, Rene won $1552 in prizes and was also awarded merits for NZDIA Power Play and Westpac Financial Management and Planning. Rene says left to his own devices he may not have entered the awards but he received very strong encouragement to do so from those around him including his wife, Mikaela, Jacob and his boss, Clarence Stolte. “I’m very glad I did because I learned a lot from the process. In farming you do so many things each day automatically and don’t think too much about. But going through the award process you have to find lots of information out about what you’re doing and suddenly the whole picture puzzle starts to make more sense.” Rene says meeting other farmers and the judges was another great benefit of the awards process along with gaining the experience of speaking in front of other people and doing interviews — things he would not normally do. Hailing from Holland and a qualified plumber by trade, Rene arrived in New Zealand nine years ago and helped his brother who was working on a dairy farm. While falling in love with dairy farming, in the 2019/20 season Rene decided to take year off to go building but found he was always looking at cows, the pastures, wondering what kinds of crops were growing or why the grass was so long. In the end the call of farming was too great and when Clarence offered Rene a Farm Managers job for the 2020/2021 season the answer was a resounding yes! “Then I thought I should’ve checked with my wife first and took the ‘yes’ back, had a brief chat with my Mikaela and she was excited too, so we took it.” Rene says if the opportunity comes up in the near future for farm ownership he and his family will grab this with both hands. “This is our big goal. Living life on the farm with family, and being able to give this option and opportunity to the next generation is what we both work towards.” Now entering his third season dairy farming, 19 year old Jacob was placed second in the Dairy Trainee category, winning prizes to the value of $1607. Jacob entered the same category last year and while not placed he received the ‘Most Promis- ing Entrant’ award. This year’s feedback from the judges included advice around career development, community involvement and public speaking. Having grown up in a dairy-farming environment, Jacob knew as a six-year-old dairy farming was going to be his career of choice, and says nothing has swayed him from that path. “There is something about being outside, dealing with cows, dealing with the environment; even though sometimes it feels as the world is against us. Yet, somehow we seem to make a living and have a positive effect on the environment.” At the conclusion of this season Jacob hopes to move into a farm management position, potentially on other farms within the Wairarapa to broaden his horizons and gain a diversity of experience. “At the end of five years I would like to look at contract milking or sharemilking.” “In farming you do so many things each day automatically and don’t think too much about. But going through the award process you have to find lots of information out about what you’re doing and suddenly the whole picture puzzle starts to make more sense.” Leanne Southey BBS, CA Rebecca Sayer BBS, CA Let us help you through your succession planning. PO Box 125 | Masterton 5840 | P: 06 3700811 | E: ca@sosa.co.nz | www.sosa.co.nz IRRIGATION & FILTRATION • PUMPS & RETICULATION EFFLUENT MANAGEMENT • MILKING MACHINERY MILKING & FARM DAIRY EFFLUENT SPECIALISTS MASTERTON 219 High Street 0800 ORDISH (0800 673474) Our People, Your Solution Farm manager Rene ten Bolscher (top left) and herd manager Jacob Stolte were both high achievers at the Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa regional Dairy Industry awards. The pair work for Clarence and Elise Stolte on their 170 hectare, 500-cow farm in Carterton. Contact Shane P: 06 379 5504 • M: 027 453 3505 E :grayscontractingltd@yahoo.co.nz - Large reduction in artificial fertiliser requirements - Eliminate effluent separating equipment - Minimise laneway & paddock damage - High flow rate for fast & efficient effluent discharge - Highly cost effective for emptying large ponds - Significantly less nitrogen loss to the atmosphere SOLVE EFFLUENT COMPLIANCE ISSUES ALL AGRICULTURAL SERVICES AVAILABLE