Mathew Korteweg

Life on the Farm & Remembering a Legend

Mathew Korteweg from Balclutha—farmer, footy player, and family man—joins us to talk about what’s been happening on the farm, celebrating World Prematurity Day, and a big milestone for his youngest, Leo, who’s just had his first school visit.
We also reflect on the legacy of Jonah Lomu, 10 years after the passing of one of rugby’s greatest icons and a childhood hero for so many.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's here to South Otago in fact right bank smack
in the middle of kit and sterling, and see how
things are this morning on the dairy farm and catch
up with Matt good we good.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Morning morning kid? Are you good?

Speaker 1 (00:12):
Thank you? You have ended up in the dairy shed
this morning. What's happening on farm? Mate?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Yeah? I have. Some of my worker is probably saying
it's a bit of a rare sight, but someone's called
him sick this morning, so I had to pull the
boots on and step up.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
I'm sure that a man of your caliber has no
problem with leading the pack from the front. What douse
is happening on farm? Have you recovered from your trip
across the ditch? What a whirlwind?

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah? No, it seems like a bit of a memory now,
so it was a good time. But now it was
nice to get back and did come back feeling refreshed,
which was the main reason of it all. And although
being a bit of a quite a week on farm,
we're still still getting a bit done, making a bit
of baillage and stuff and silas for the well, there's
plenty of growth around at the moment, so we just

(00:57):
got to take it when we can. I suppose that's
what I was going to ask.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
Have you got plenty You know, we've had that rain,
but we've also had that heat and that sound, and
so the grass seems to be growing like little good
things all over the countryside.

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Yeah, no, it certainly here. It's absolutely cranking along now
and it's a bit later than maybe usual. But yeah,
you just you know, you're not farmers a light. Well,
wondering is good and wonderin is thead. So it's a
great problem to have. And like I said, we're just
capturing what we can because at the end of the
day we'll probably need it somewhere along the line in
the season.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
So oh absolutely, And if we can winge about the
good stuff, you know, like if we've got good winding
problems their lives. Actually, Okay, yesterday marked World prem Baby Day,
but also marked a pretty pretty special occasion in your
household as well.

Speaker 2 (01:43):
Yeah, yeah, we were. We We have a young fellow
that turned up early on us for almost almost five
years ago now, so it was actually his first half
day of school yesterday, which was as a special day
and anyone's seemly so. Yeah, although with a bit of
a shock and a fast start, way back then. He's
certainly thriving now. So yeah, pretty special day in our

(02:06):
household yesterday.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
What was it like? Can you reflect on what that
would have been like nearly five years ago? Was it
just an absolute Rigmaroles put it lightly?

Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, it was, It really was. Yeah, I'm not really sure.
It was a bit of a blur about far out.
It all happened so fast. He couldn't really even think
at the time. It was just rush from here to Dunedin,
which is you know, an hour drive, which is done
in about half an hour. And yeah, we were so lucky.

(02:37):
Everything went really well for us. And yeah, you honestly
wouldn't be able to tell or with how we feller.
He's a week killer.

Speaker 1 (02:44):
That's pretty special to hear for those people that might be,
you know, in that similar boat at that moment now
that in five years time they could be hidden off
to school, you know.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, absolutely, yeah, no, it is, it is. Yeah. I
just as a farmer, you're so used to being in
control of everything and there's some things you can't control.
And I'm glad, I'm glad I have no exercise in
that area because it's pretty sensitive and pretty stressful times
that you just got to let them do their thing.
And they're amazing what they do, especially up at Nico

(03:15):
and all the Nico's around the country. But the one
that dinned especially was unbelievable.

Speaker 1 (03:20):
Yeah, health professionals are absolutely incredible, right mate, before I
let you go? Ten years today marking the anniversary of
when the world lost one of our absolute sporting icons,
and I would say we probably both had posters of
him on our big room walls growing up. Joana Ohlamu.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
Yeah what a guy? Hey, Like I was looking back now,
I was a young feller that jeez, what to impact
that guy I had on who basically kick started what
a superstar was and rugby and I can still sit
down and just watch all the reels of Jonah running
over people and man, that guy was a beast.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
Do you reckon anyone of this current era comes close
across any codes, whether it's league, rugby, you know, union
or whatever.

Speaker 2 (04:07):
Oh, there's probably a couple out there if you're really
keen on some sports. But I think anywhere in the
world around our sort of age group, if you say
the word Lomu, ever knows who he is, So yeah,
I don't know if there's been a bigger impact on
the game. Is that Salerrat was? Yeah, I'd love to
have seen him in the professional area like now, I

(04:29):
reckon you'd still kill it, oh one.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
Hundred percent, and I'm sure there's a few up and coming,
and that Cluther rugby team as well. You're not me,
all right mate, Get back and there, deary shed and
we'll do it all again next week.

Speaker 2 (04:42):
Thanks for catching up all good, See you later.