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'Golden oldies' hang up their boots

After a lifetime in the dairy industry, Rotorua self titled "golden oldie duo" Don and Sylvia Watson say it is finally time to "hang up their boots."

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After a lifetime in the dairy industry, Rotorua self titled "golden oldie duo" Don and Sylvia Watson say it is finally time to "hang up their boots.", Rotorua self titled "golden oldie duo" Don and Sylvia Watson say it is finally time to "hang up their boots."

At 77 years of age, Don and 64-year-old Sylvia say they are looking forward to spending their "twilight years, doing whatever - whenever."

Until 1997 the couple owned and operated a pedigree Jersey dairy farming business in Te Kauwhata - Sylvia working as a Livestock Improvement (LIC) artificial breeding technician while Don worked full time on the farm.

When they sold the farm and purchased a lifestyle block in Hamurana near Rotorua (Sylvia's home town) the plan was to retire - but then they began working as LIC herd test field technicians in the Bay of Plenty. Now, 13 years later, they're reverting to that initial retirement plan.

"Selling the farm provided an opportunity to extend my work with LIC to herd testing," Sylvia says.

"After we moved to the Bay of Plenty Don worked with me as my AB assistant, loading all the technicians' supplies and doing the paper work, particularly on the large synchronised herds, and it wasn't long before he started first doing relief work for LIC as a herd test metre officer (field technician) and then came on board full-time."

As herd testers, the couple visited dairy farms over a wide-spread geographical area, Don's run included the Western Bays, Whakamaru, Mangakino and Atiamuri and Sylvia's route included, Te Puke, Pukehina, Mamaku, Reporoa, Galatea and Taupo - and often both journeyed many miles between farms.

"It wasn't unusual for us to each drive 500 kilometres a day," says Don.

"Last season I covered 64,000 km and for each of the past three have clocked up more than 60,000 km. "

The couple say on an average day they would each set up between five and six sheds with about 170 meters to 200 metres of rubber hoses and collect about 3000 milk samples.

Don and Sylvie say they have seen significant technological advances in herd testing during their time with LIC.

"When we started, a 40 bale Herringbone shed was considered big, now it is common to see 60 bale herring bone sheds," says Don.

"There were also only about 10 rotary sheds in the region we covered at the start but now there are over 80, and they're all big ones - 60, 70 and 80 bale.

"There are also a lot of differences today between sheds, the technology they use and set-ups, there didn't used to be much that set sheds apart in the past; they were either walk-through, herringbone and, on rare occasions, small rotaries."

Sylvia started working as a ‘land girl' at the age of 16 years and says she recently visited the farm where her dairy career began.

"I recently herd tested at the farm, where as a teenager, I started work. The farm is in Rerewhakaaitu (Rotorua) and when I began work it was an eight bale walk-through milking an 80 cow, mixed winter/spring herd. Today it has a 30 aside herring bone shed, they milk 350 cows and don't wash down using buckets like we did in the early days!"

Both Don and Sylvia say what they are going to miss most about working is the comradeship.

"We have had a lot of fun with the farmers and people we have worked with at LIC and have made many strong friendships over the years," says Sylvia.

"I am known by hundreds of farmers," she laughs, "and must know half of New Zealand.

"It has been a big thrill for me to know the child from yesterday who is now farming today.

"It is a fantastic feeling when a farmer comes up to you and says: ‘I remember you, you did AB (or herd testing) on my dad's farm when I was little, especially when I think I'm meeting them for the first time. It's fabulous to see the progression of a farming family through the generations."

Don says even after most of his adult life spent in the dairy industry it still surprises him how effective the rural grapevine is.

"In the last few weeks I have had a number of farmers stopping me to say they've heard I'm retiring, I don't know how they've heard, but it's nice they keep coming and wishing me well."

The couple say though they are going to miss a lot of people, they plan to call in on those they pass and hope their many friends will stop in and visit them too.

"We joke that we are married to our jobs and that now we are retiring it's time to be married to each other - but it's not just farming that's in our blood, it's LIC too - both have become a way of life."