Our People Our Century - A Piece of Land

I always wanted to be a farmer. I was brought up on the land, and working with stock. I couldn’t stand being hemmed up in town. There’s nothing better than getting up in the morning and deciding what you’re going to do for the day. A lot of city people have that same thing [choice], but they're not out in the beautiful fresh air most of the time, and looking around ... it's brilliant. I wouldn't want to do anything else.

– Simon Elworthy, 5th generation on the land

Unless land is properly managed it could be of no use. Some of our people get overly emotional, I would say, about it ... fair enough. I don't get all that emotional [about it]. Land is there. You own it today and you die tomorrow. It stays there.

– Ted Tamati, ex-Taranaki farmer and chair of Tamaki Trust Board