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THE HOUSE OF WELLNESS






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SMASHING THE GRASS CEILING

Vanessa Marshall08:00, Oct 01 2023
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Helen Bankers
Meet the woman redefining what it means to be a farmer.

This article first appeared in The House of Wellness magazine.

Picture this: Breezes wafting through Waikato fields, wide open skies as far as
the eye can see, picturesque green landscapes and a trailblazing young woman
named Emma Poole standing in her gumboots at the foot of Mt Pirongia with her
baby on her hip. She's a farmer, but she's not your average farmer. Along with
being a vet and a working mum, she's the first woman to be crowned the FMG Young
Farmer of the Year in its 55-year history, and since the announcement she's
become an overnight spokesperson for the changing face of farming.

Helen Bankers
Emma Poole is the first woman to be crowned the FMG Young Farmer of the Year in
its 55-year history.

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SHE LIKES TO MOOVE IT

On the day House of Wellness visits, there's been a power cut and Emma has made
the most of one of her Young Farmer wins – a Honda generator she's fired up so we
can get on with our lights, camera, action photo shoot! A typical day on the
farm is like an episode of Country Calendar meets The Good Life, so this small
hiccup is all par for the course. Whether she's heading off to the vet clinic or
working on the family dairy farm, Emma's up and about at the crack of dawn,
tending to her young son Beau before diving headfirst into an assortment of
tasks.


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Emma thrives on activity, so whether she's feeding calves, moving stock or
brainstorming with her husband Chris (a finalist in last year's competition), the
variety of work is a source of constant stimulation. "I'm one of those people
that needs things in front of me to keep moving, so farming really provides
that," she says. And baby Beau? He's right there beside her in his mini Swanndri
overalls and gummies, so it's hardly surprising that his first word was
"tractor"!

Having grown up with five siblings on a calf rearing farm at Muriwai on
Auckland's west coast, Emma credits her history-making win to the community that
raised her, and was up for the challenge in part because her brother Tim Dangen
won it the year before. "I really looked up to the way he communicated when he
won and how he's been working to get young people involved in agriculture over
the past year. It's something our whole family's passionate about."

To get competition-ready, she had planned to start a targeted fitness regime, but
it turned out that day-to-day farm work built her strength and endurance.
Hoisting bags of calf meal and lifting bales of lucerne turned out to be the
real-life gym that helped her bring home the gold. "I love the way the contest
tests a variety of skills and makes you learn things outside of your comfort
zone," she says.

Helen Bankers
Eating farm-to-table is second nature in Emma's household, and in the summertime
all their veggies come from a large garden that has been mass planted.


PADDOCK TO PLATE



Beyond the bucolic scenes, Emma is no stranger to the mental toll that comes
with the demands of the job. The capricious nature of the weather and the
unpredictable nature of farm life can be challenging, yet Emma's resilience
shines as she champions communication and teamwork. Regular check-ins with Chris
and the wider farm team form the foundation of a strong support network. "Chris
and I are pretty lucky that we can debrief with each other," she says. "We talk
about any sore points and sort of mull it over." A weekly catch-up with staff
keeps everyone on the same page, and there's always a basket on the table that's
filled with food they can take home.

Eating farm-to-table is second nature in Emma's household, and in the summertime
all their veggies come from a large garden that has been mass planted. They grow
pumpkins, potatoes and beans, and all their meat and dairy products come off the
farm, including lamb and beef. "We pasteurise our own milk and drink that," says
Emma – unless life gets busy, and then it's a quick trip to the local
supermarket.

With a family to nourish and land to safeguard, Emma and Chris follow a Farm
Environment Plan and champion sustainable practices that resonate beyond the
farm gates. Their commitment to sustainability isn't confined to mere rhetoric –
it's etched into every aspect of their business journey, whether that's
employing GPS-guided precision or nurturing the paddocks for generations to
come.

"We've got a young family and we want to be able to see our kids grow up on this
land and enjoy it in the way we have," Emma explains. "It's a way of saying,
'Hey, we're in this together.' Sustainability is always front of mind for
everything we do."

Helen Bankers
Emma is sowing seeds for future generations by spreading her message of
empowerment and change.


FIELDS OF DREAMS

Since her win in July, Emma has become a natural role model for female farmers.
She proudly says she felt like she became "a feminist icon overnight", and is
more than happy to spread the message that agriculture can be an inclusive
vocation for anyone and everyone.

"I think I was pretty lucky with my upbringing, as Mum and Dad never doubted any
of us kids and always said, 'You can be anything you want to be.'" Along with
her thriving vet career, Emma's success is a reminder that confidence is key, as
this was instilled in her from an early age. Now she's passing it on and
encouraging others, especially women, to seize opportunities and smash through
barriers.

"It's pretty cool to be the face of it at the moment," she says of her historic
win, adding, "I don't think this is the starting point or the ending point for
women and agriculture. It's just a point on the continuum." Her prediction is
that things will keep evolving and continue to improve in the industry.

And her future? Whether it's flying the wellness flag through farming, inspiring
the next generation through speaking engagements, or simply enjoying a meal
straight from her farm, Emma isn't just tilling the soil, she's sowing seeds for
future generations by spreading her message of empowerment and change.

"You don't have to look like Fred Dagg anymore," she says with a laugh. "You can
look like me and still be a farmer. If that message gets through, I'd be pretty
happy with that."


is produced in partnership with Chemist Warehouse.





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