Day 6

 

Sunrise at Hawkes Bay

Our day in Hawkes Bay. This place is known as the first for anyone on earth to see the new day’s sun. After we enjoyed the sunrise on the beach, we headed to the farmer’s market where many of us tried the famous bacon sandwich that Julie has praised all semester. While at the farmer’s market we got to taste many samples of bread, cheese, venison, olive oil, and treats such as crepes and macaroons. Some of us also found a local manuka honey supplier that was purchased by many. Before leaving, we even joined a spontaneous game of cricket taught by the greatest bus driver, Stew, a nice touch to the community spirit of the market.

A rare but welcome photo of the professor who made it all happen (with her favorite sandwich).

As we drove toward the farm, we passed several vineyards and orchards where we learned that to protect crops from hail and frost, especially during colder months, many growers use helicopters or wind turbines to keep air circulating and prevent frost from settling. It's an impressive example of how technology supports agriculture in subtle but powerful ways. The farm we visited was a bustling operation with a mix of livestock and crops. The farm is home to around 5,000 Southdown x Romney sheep, known for their good meat quality. There are also 300 Angus cows, well-known for their premium beef. The land is also used to grow several important crops, including processed beans, molting barley, and pea vine hay. Water management is a key part of farm life here. Irrigation runs from October 1st to May 31st, aligning with the growing season. But water isn’t unlimited—they’re struggling with usage limitations, a challenge many farmers face as they balance productivity with sustainability.

Lunch being served during our tour @ Papawai Farms

Towards the end of the day, we all got to meet our homestay hosts near Pahiatua. Here, we were split into small groups and hosted by a variety of families. All of us appreciated being in a home and feeling cared for. It reminded us of our families. However, we hope those missing us at home take comfort in knowing we were quickly and enthusiastically accepted into some new Kiwi families.

Small sample of the 5000 ewes @ Papawai Farms, Hawke's Bay

Homestays recaps:

Beth and Kayleen

Beth & Kayleen with their host, Ann

We had the pleasure of staying with Ann for our homestay. She first took us to the local brewery before we made our way over to a shed full of antique tractors, trucks, and motorcycles that were restored for the owners’ grandchildren. After arriving at Ann’s home, she served us sausage rolls, vegetables, and made fresh custard for dessert. We ended the night by watching Country Calendar and Jeopardy.

Elle, Hayden, Hadley

Megan, Phil (not Dr. Urso), and their black lab, Ted, welcomed us into their home. They served lamb chops, venison, peas, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, scallop potatoes, and homemade cheesecake. It felt so great to kick back on a couch and watch Country Calendar. We got to talk about everything from rugby, show pigs, the education system, and so much more. We stayed up until 10 just talking in the living room.  We ate breakfast and coffee from the “plunger”. Then, Megan’s sister picked us up to visit assorted bottle calves.

Brianna, Julienne, and Casey

At the beginning of our home stay, we were taken to check out some tractors and old trucks. They were upkept by one of our host mom’s father and named after his grandchildren. After checking out the cars, we went to their sheep farm and climbed a steep hill to check out the viewpoint. We headed down the mountain and met our host mom, Louise, to drive us to her house for the night. There, we met her husband, Dave, before getting showers and nachos for dinner. She treated us with a homemade pavlova before we sat down to watch Country Calendar, a farm show commonly watched by New Zealanders. We then had in-depth conversations about differences in America and New Zealand before heading to bed. In the morning, Julienne and Casey tried marmite for the first time along with some other common breakfast before heading to get picked up by our favorite bus driver, Stew.

Bruce, Mitchel, Halle, Ava, and Aletta

Bruce, Mitchell, Aletta, Halle, Ava, Carl & Jaydon with
Andrew & Melaine as they prepare to move sheep
to a new paddock.

Andrew and Melanie welcomed us to their home after a stop to look at some very cool antique tractors and trucks. When we got to their sheep, beef, and racehorse operation, we got dressed to move some ewes from paddock to paddock. We were sent up a hillside that was bordering on mountainous, with an elevation change of 850 feet. We watched Andrew and his dogs herd a wee flock from one very rough paddock to another one. Winds were nearly 60 mph and provided extra challenge to the adventure. We were served fried paua, shredded lamb, and an egg bale of sorts in the evening. Our night ended with netball highlights and Country Calendar.

Carl and Jaydon

Carl and Jaydon playing cricket with some of the boys of their host family

Carl and Jaydon stayed with a family that had three boys ranging from 8 to 14 years old. We joined the group for the sheep herding and supper at Andrew’s sheep farm and then went home and played a soccer video game against the boys. In the morning, one of the boys gave us cricket lessons before we dropped them off for school.

Emily and Kallie

Kallie and Emily with their hosts Alisa and Amaia

Emily and Kallie stayed with Alisa and her 10-year-old daughter Amaia. They were welcomed with New Zealand candies and lots of fruit; kiwis, lemon apples, and fejoas. Their evening consisted of hiking up to the Tuiwood sign, looking at old machinery, playing New Zealand and American card games, and chatting the night away. The next morning, we wrapped up our home stay with a visit to see the feeding of 350 dairy calves.

Kayle and Cade

Kyle and Cade had the opportunity to check out the old Tui Brewery as well. After a quick pint, they went to their host family’s sheep farm, where they raise sheep for wool and meat. They ate venison curry for supper and also watched Country Calendar.

Cade and Kyle wit their hosts

 

Our host family's surprise for today's birthday girl!