Day 4

 

All 19 sheep species displayed at the Agrodome (They are not statues.)

The day started with many students making a trip around Lake Rotorua. Lake Rotorua sits in the pacific ring of fire and has sulphate and chloride springs filled of bubbling thermal waters. A massive caldera, a large volcanic depression, formed in the area about 240,000 years ago which filled with water and formed Lake Rotorua.

L to R: Julienne & Halle petting lambs @ Agrodome

Next, we hopped back onto the bus to venture to the Agrodome! The Agrodome show centered around the display of 19 different species of sheep including varieties bred for their hair, wool, or meat. The showman made a point to involve the crowd, including some of our students. Aletta helped wrangle a rowdy Perendale ram, Elle was a milking machine to help relieve Penelope the Kiwi cow of milk, and Mitchell helped keep ducks on stage during the working dog demonstration. Takeaways from the Agrodome included the supply and demand differences in sheep products, including wool. In New Zealand, a sheep shearer is paid not by the hour, but by the sheep! A shearer can make $2 NZD (about $1.20 USD) per sheep and some shearers can shear up to 600 sheep per day. The current shearing records include 16 seconds for a lamb and 38 seconds for a mature sheep. Depending on the breeds, it isn’t uncommon for sheep to get sheared twice a year. Shearers will make a circuit around New Zealand for work, and some compete in competitions in which they accumulate points towards the international sheering competition.

Celebrating Kallie's birthday at The Redwoods

Afterwards, we stopped at a California Redwood forest in the Whakarewarewa area which is 55,000 hectares filled with imported Redwood trees. Hundreds of years ago, the native people wanted to know how the exotic trees would survive alongside the pine trees that are grown for commercial production. Some Redwoods are over 200 years old, but many appear much larger and older due to the available nutrients from the volcanic soil. The Redwood species, Pinus radiata, can mature in only 30 years in comparison to the 70-80 years it takes in other commercial settings around the world. 

Phil & his silver fern in the redwood forest

Group photo @ Tumunui Māori Dairy

The group then stopped at a mall for lunch, before venturing to the Tumunui Māori Land Trust. We greeted Matt Pepper, who is the 50-50 share milker that runs the farm on the land owned by the Indigenous Iwi. Matt owns the cattle and equipment on the farm, while the Iwi own the land and milk parlor. The two parties split profits evenly on the 2,500 acre, 1,800 cow farm. A major highlight of the dairy farm includes an asphalt landing strip where spray planes can take off and land year-round. These planes are utilized for aerial top dressing of fertilizer on hillsides that are difficult to traverse with wheeled machines. The dairy utilizes hilly and flat pasture year-round basing their spring calving around forage availability. Because the pastures are comprised of an Italian ryegrass variety, along with red and white clover, peak production is in the late spring and summer followed by a short fall regrowth period. Needs of the cows are met with supplementation of palm kernel and grass silage. During peak growth, excess grass is cut for silage to help extend the milking period when grass growth slows during winter. The dairy focuses on low input costs and genetic propensity to maintain a profit.

Elle chomping down on some cover crop swedes

 

Pōhutu Geyser at Ngã Puia o Whakarewarewa. At its highest it can reach up to 33 meters.

To end the day, we visited the Te Puia New Zealand’s Māori Arts and Crafts Institute. We learned about the Māori people of the Iwi who live in the area near Rotorua. Māori culture uses multiple techniques to preserve their art and history including bone and wood carving, flax weaving, and creation of stone jewelry and tools. The tattoos featured on many tribe members also have significance. The men who protected the tribe could have a full face of tattoos, whereas women often have just a tāmoko symbolizing the night owl to preserve their natural beauty and significance in preserving the Iwi. The women oversaw looking after the children while the men were at war. The Iwi tribe owns the land that features geysers found in the Whakarewarewa area, which were created due to the tectonic plate action that borders the Ring of Fire. Volcanic activity heats the water and stone, and students could lay on the nearby rock to warm their backs while observing the beautiful geysers, one of which is the third largest in the entire world. Lastly, the group was able to watch a traditional Māori greeting ceremony and performance. Dr. Urso was nominated and privileged to be our chief for the group, who presented our intention of peace and not war. The ceremony was moving to many, and the Māori were wonderful and accepting of us. What a wonderful day we were able to enjoy! Surely more great adventures will follow tomorrow.

Māori Haka dance during the welcoming ceremony at the Te Pula Māori Arts & Crafts Institute. 

Written by Jaydon, Halle, and Aletta.