Monday, 20 April 2015 15:37

Pukekohe grower wins title

Written by 
Hamish Gates. Hamish Gates.

Hamish Gates from Pukekohe has beaten off tough competition to be crowned New Zealand Young Vegetable Grower 2015.

The day-long competition, which is supported by Horticulture New Zealand, took place in in Pukekohe on 16 April. On the day, the four competitors battled it out in a series of practical and theoretical challenges designed to test the skills needed to run a successful vegetable growing business.

“Winning the competition was really unexpected and this year’s had some of the best young growers I’ve met,” says Gates, a 24-year-old washline supervisor at AS Wilcox & Sons.

Gates has won a travel grant for professional development valued at $2,500. The prize also includes a one-day media and presentation course in Wellington, all-expenses paid trip to Christchurch to compete for the national 2015 Young Grower of the Year title in August and attendance at the 2015 Horticulture New Zealand Conference.

“I’m looking forward to competing in the national Young Grower title and will be stepping up my preparation over the next few months,” he says.

Kiran Hari, co-ordinator of the competition, says, “It’s great to see how much talent our young growers have. We know that our industry demands a lot, and we’re looking forward to seeing our young talent continue to progress and grow their careers over the coming years.”

Michael Anderson (29) from Canterbury was placed second and third place went to Lance Pratt (29) from Pukekohe.

More like this

Kiwifruit sector's big night out

The turmoil and challenges faced by the kiwifruit industry in the past 30 years were put to one side but not forgotten at a glitzy night for 400 kiwifruit growers and guests in Mt Maunganui recently.

Ideal weather for growers

Specialist horticulture and viticulture weather forecasters Metris are reporting near ideal spring start conditions for fruit growers this season.

No more tears for onion exporters

Onion exports to the lucrative Indonesian market are resuming after officials negotiated an end to costly pre-export methyl bromide fumigation.

Featured

New ag degrees at Massey

Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.

The show is on!

It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.

National

Food charity to hold online auction

Meat the Need, New Zealand’s dedicated charity delivering locally sourced protein meals to food-insecure communities, is launching an online National…

Machinery & Products

An ideal solution for larger farms

Designed specifically for large farms that want to drill with maximum flexibility, efficiency and power, the new Lemken Solitair ST…

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Leaky waka

OPINION: Was the ASB Economic Weekly throwing shade on Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr when reporting on his speech in…

Know-it-alls

OPINION: A reader recently had a shot at the various armchair critics that she judged to be more than a…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter