The deadline is nearing for farming families with a long heritage of farming their land to submit their application for this year’s intake for the New Zealand Century Farm and Station awards.
Families who have farmed their land since 1924 or earlier are eligible to apply for the special acknowledgment of their hard work and perseverance with applications due by November 30, 2024.
Judging by the number of applications already in, it’s gearing up to be another good year NZCFSA chair Edward Fitzgerald said.
He said the 2023 event held earlier in the year at Lawrence, Otago, was a “huge hit with visiting families and the committee continues to receive accolades from those who attended”.
“The award recipients find the whole process a very rewarding and emotional experience, from the gathering of their farming history through to the coming together of extended family at the awards ceremony.
“It is a chance for all generations to reflect on the challenges and achievements over 100-plus years and share those memories, which are often very similar, with other farming families.
“The committee firmly believe that keeping any farm or station in a family from generation to generation through challenging times is an impressive achievement and deserves to be recognised.”
The programme began in 2005 in Lawrence with an aim to capture and preserve family histories of pioneering families and their descendants.
Eligible families submit narratives of their farm history together with copies of related photographs and supporting documents, which are then archived at the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, ensuring all records are kept in perpetuity.
A formal dinner in Lawrence each May honours the awardees and their significant achievement of 100 or more years in farming.
It is a chance for recipients to meet each other and formally receive their distinctive bronze plaque and certificate to display on their property.
In the 19 years of the awards more than 630 families from throughout NZ have joined the exclusive circle of centenarians and sesquicentenarians.
The programme has a “first in, first served” policy, capped at 40 families per year, for each awards event.
Families are encouraged to get their application in early to avoid disappointment.
Further information including the application form can be found at www.centuryfarms.co.nz
