March 3, 2026 • 7 mins
Ahead of next week’s Impact Summit and Zanda McDonald Awards, today’s panel features the 2025 Zanda award winners.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's life on the road for me at the moment.
Tomorrow I'm off to the Golden Shares, get back home,
then I'm off to the Impact Summit and the Zander
McDonald Awards. Then I'm home again and then I'm off
to the Wanaker Show and the Lincoln University fundraiser. So
it's going to be a fun week ahead of me.
Here's a couple of people who are going to have
an interesting week. They are the twenty twenty five Xander
(00:21):
McDonald Award winners, one from Australia, Jack O'Connor, one from
New Zealand, Megan Blom. Looking forward to catching up with
you two in person next week in christ Church. Jack,
we will start with you from Harden in New South Wales.
When are you jumping on the plane to come over.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, that's right, Jamie. Thanks and good to touch base again.
So yeah, we're our family farming business is located in
between Hard and Young, so about four hours sort of
southwest of Sydney. But I'll be heading to Canberra the
very early hours of Sunday, sorry Monday morning, the game
by Sydney and then coming out of christ Church. Yeah,
(01:03):
coming in in hot to the conference and the summer
mate looking very much, very much looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I had to look up hard in New South Wales
on the map, Jack, and I see you're kind of
north of Canberra and Wogga Wogger sort of in that
area year well west of Sydney. As you say, how's
your season been going, because you're the manager of your
farm's eight thousand hc dere mixed farming operation.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah, that's right, nice Jamie. It's I was quite a
quite a fortunate end of our harvest. Our main harvest
period is sort of through the end of November and December,
and despite the desplite the dry conditions, our subsort moisture
sort of helld us in good stead towards the end
of our season and really and really enabled us to
(01:49):
finish those crops off well. So we were very we're
very happy with the result there, and to obviously get
it in before Christmas is a big game for us. Yeah.
Since that time, Jamie, I mean, I'm always I'm always
to say, you know, how dry things get them tight
things get because that's obviously relative, and a lot of
other places doing it a lot tighter and tougher than us.
But you know, January in February where you know, we're
(02:10):
on the dry side for us, which being a mixed
a mixed a mixed timing business, we've finished a lot
of finish, a lot of marino and crossbred lambs so
and obviously through that main joining period for us too,
so that's always always tricky to balance. But yeah, in
recent weeks, Jamie, very fortunately we've been under some some
really good showers of rain a couple of inches now
(02:32):
and counting, so you know, certainly putting us in a
good position, getting some grazing crops in as we speak,
and then heading through to our main sort of selling
window for this upcoming season. Also in the midst of
all that of the sharing and obviously.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
There's plenty of your listeners will know, you know, wet
sheet at this point is never good, so you know
that at the same time too, where we're welcoming a
bit of rain. So just yeah, I juggle as always.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Jack O'Connor. They are the twenty twenty five Sandra McDonald
Award winner representing Australia. Let's welcome back onto the show.
The twenty twenty five New Zealand winner, Megan Blom Dairy
farmer's daughter from Balfa and Northern Southland, just up the
road from the capital of Northern Southland, Riversdale, Megan. But
these days you're into aquaculture. You are the operations manager
(03:25):
at the mills Bay Mussels Farm in Marlborough.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Sure I am, yeah, and thanks for never letting me
forget my roots, Jamie. I'm definitely still a proud Southlander,
but based in Marlborough these days.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
So I am managing mills Day Muscles, which is part
of our muscle farming business up in the top of
the South. So we're growing muscles in the Marlborough Sounds
and in Golden Bay and then selling them through mills
Day Muscles into the domestic market. So the muscle tanks
around the South Island and some of the North Island
(03:58):
will be Millsby Muscles if you're looking for them. But yeah,
it's awesome. I love it. Yeah, and I'm really looking
forward to the summit next week. It'll be good to
see you there.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Which one's going better, the Marlborough Muscle Farm or the
Belfer Southland Dairy Farm.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Well, you know, it's definitely a mixed business, so each
have their own challenges and their own highs and lows,
but in general it's a good season across the board,
which is pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
You're a founding member of Young Fish and Z and
I'm thinking, what the hell is that? But it's a
group that connects young professionals in the seafood industry.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Yeah, so young Fish. You know, we shamelessly stole the
idea from Young Farmers. But basically it's a network of
people who work in the seafood industry in New Zealand.
So that's anywhere from like marine farming and actual onboard fishing,
like through the sciences and then into sales and marketing, processing, production,
(05:00):
and we've even got a maritime lawyer in the group,
so it's really anyone who's got a finger in the pie.
But yeah, it's just about bringing us together so we
know each other, we can bounce off each other and
just build that sense of community amongst young people in seafood.
But yeah, it's pretty cool group. Next week it's the
Mighty Muscle Festival in Havelock, so we've got Young Fish
(05:22):
the air, Yeah, living up a storm. We've got a
whole bit of young Fish games where the muscle farmers
will compete against each other with a whole lot of competitions.
But yeah, it's a really rewarding group to be part of.
Cool bunch of people.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Hey, just to finish on you two, excuse my ignorance.
I don't know the answer to this one. That's why
I'm asking the question. No such thing as a dumb question.
Have you done your trip yet? Your studied trip as
part of your winning prize from last year where you
get in the private jet and zoom all over Australia
and New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
We sure did. Last year we went in September two Australia,
and then this year we scheduled to go in August
around New Zealand, which will be epic. But the Australia
trip was unbelievable. I just couldn't believe the things we
saw and the people we met. They put on a
real cool itinery for us. I wanted to see examples
(06:17):
of people who are doing really good marketing, and also
I wanted to see the scale that can be found
in Australia that we might not quite see here in
New Zealand, just the large land masses and just the
scale of the businesses. So they really delivered on that
for me and yeah, went above and beyond.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Okay, Jack, I take it that you're looking forward to
doing the New Zealand Trump.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, very much so, Jamie, and I couldn't agree with
Megans with Megans that were there before about the trip.
It was fantastic around Australia to just connect with some people,
really really special people and captains of industry, you know
on the Australian and New Zealand side that have just
really grown and expanded and diversified businesses at scale, like
(07:07):
Meghan said, and to really get deep a deeper understanding
of you know, of their journeys and their businesses and
their mantras. And it's real insight into some pretty pretty
special operations. And then yeah, moving forward into what's looking
like a fantastic trip in August that Matt White and
(07:27):
Shane and Jane and a couple others are putting currently
putting together for us and some of the some of
the people that you know that are sort of being
floated around as potentials at the minner. I think it's
some pretty pinchy self moments, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Okay, guys, Jack O'Connor, Megan Blomb, the twenty twenty five
Sander McDonald Award winners. We'll see you in christ Church
next week. Thanks for your time today.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Awesome kids, great looking forward to it.
It's life on the road for me at the moment.
Tomorrow I'm off to the Golden Shares, get back home,
then I'm off to the Impact Summit and the Zander
McDonald Awards. Then I'm home again and then I'm off
to the Wanaker Show and the Lincoln University fundraiser. So
it's going to be a fun week ahead of me.
Here's a couple of people who are going to have
an interesting week. They are the twenty twenty five Xander
(00:21):
McDonald Award winners, one from Australia, Jack O'Connor, one from
New Zealand, Megan Blom. Looking forward to catching up with
you two in person next week in christ Church. Jack,
we will start with you from Harden in New South Wales.
When are you jumping on the plane to come over.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Yeah, that's right, Jamie. Thanks and good to touch base again.
So yeah, we're our family farming business is located in
between Hard and Young, so about four hours sort of
southwest of Sydney. But I'll be heading to Canberra the
very early hours of Sunday, sorry Monday morning, the game
by Sydney and then coming out of christ Church. Yeah,
(01:03):
coming in in hot to the conference and the summer
mate looking very much, very much looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I had to look up hard in New South Wales
on the map, Jack, and I see you're kind of
north of Canberra and Wogga Wogger sort of in that
area year well west of Sydney. As you say, how's
your season been going, because you're the manager of your
farm's eight thousand hc dere mixed farming operation.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah, that's right, nice Jamie. It's I was quite a
quite a fortunate end of our harvest. Our main harvest
period is sort of through the end of November and December,
and despite the desplite the dry conditions, our subsort moisture
sort of helld us in good stead towards the end
of our season and really and really enabled us to
(01:49):
finish those crops off well. So we were very we're
very happy with the result there, and to obviously get
it in before Christmas is a big game for us. Yeah.
Since that time, Jamie, I mean, I'm always I'm always
to say, you know, how dry things get them tight
things get because that's obviously relative, and a lot of
other places doing it a lot tighter and tougher than us.
But you know, January in February where you know, we're
(02:10):
on the dry side for us, which being a mixed
a mixed a mixed timing business, we've finished a lot
of finish, a lot of marino and crossbred lambs so
and obviously through that main joining period for us too,
so that's always always tricky to balance. But yeah, in
recent weeks, Jamie, very fortunately we've been under some some
really good showers of rain a couple of inches now
(02:32):
and counting, so you know, certainly putting us in a
good position, getting some grazing crops in as we speak,
and then heading through to our main sort of selling
window for this upcoming season. Also in the midst of
all that of the sharing and obviously.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
There's plenty of your listeners will know, you know, wet
sheet at this point is never good, so you know
that at the same time too, where we're welcoming a
bit of rain. So just yeah, I juggle as always.
Speaker 1 (03:01):
Jack O'Connor. They are the twenty twenty five Sandra McDonald
Award winner representing Australia. Let's welcome back onto the show.
The twenty twenty five New Zealand winner, Megan Blom Dairy
farmer's daughter from Balfa and Northern Southland, just up the
road from the capital of Northern Southland, Riversdale, Megan. But
these days you're into aquaculture. You are the operations manager
(03:25):
at the mills Bay Mussels Farm in Marlborough.
Speaker 4 (03:29):
Sure I am, yeah, and thanks for never letting me
forget my roots, Jamie. I'm definitely still a proud Southlander,
but based in Marlborough these days.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:37):
So I am managing mills Day Muscles, which is part
of our muscle farming business up in the top of
the South. So we're growing muscles in the Marlborough Sounds
and in Golden Bay and then selling them through mills
Day Muscles into the domestic market. So the muscle tanks
around the South Island and some of the North Island
(03:58):
will be Millsby Muscles if you're looking for them. But yeah,
it's awesome. I love it. Yeah, and I'm really looking
forward to the summit next week. It'll be good to
see you there.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Which one's going better, the Marlborough Muscle Farm or the
Belfer Southland Dairy Farm.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
Well, you know, it's definitely a mixed business, so each
have their own challenges and their own highs and lows,
but in general it's a good season across the board,
which is pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
You're a founding member of Young Fish and Z and
I'm thinking, what the hell is that? But it's a
group that connects young professionals in the seafood industry.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
Yeah, so young Fish. You know, we shamelessly stole the
idea from Young Farmers. But basically it's a network of
people who work in the seafood industry in New Zealand.
So that's anywhere from like marine farming and actual onboard fishing,
like through the sciences and then into sales and marketing, processing, production,
(05:00):
and we've even got a maritime lawyer in the group,
so it's really anyone who's got a finger in the pie.
But yeah, it's just about bringing us together so we
know each other, we can bounce off each other and
just build that sense of community amongst young people in seafood.
But yeah, it's pretty cool group. Next week it's the
Mighty Muscle Festival in Havelock, so we've got Young Fish
(05:22):
the air, Yeah, living up a storm. We've got a
whole bit of young Fish games where the muscle farmers
will compete against each other with a whole lot of competitions.
But yeah, it's a really rewarding group to be part of.
Cool bunch of people.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Hey, just to finish on you two, excuse my ignorance.
I don't know the answer to this one. That's why
I'm asking the question. No such thing as a dumb question.
Have you done your trip yet? Your studied trip as
part of your winning prize from last year where you
get in the private jet and zoom all over Australia
and New Zealand.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
We sure did. Last year we went in September two Australia,
and then this year we scheduled to go in August
around New Zealand, which will be epic. But the Australia
trip was unbelievable. I just couldn't believe the things we
saw and the people we met. They put on a
real cool itinery for us. I wanted to see examples
(06:17):
of people who are doing really good marketing, and also
I wanted to see the scale that can be found
in Australia that we might not quite see here in
New Zealand, just the large land masses and just the
scale of the businesses. So they really delivered on that
for me and yeah, went above and beyond.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Okay, Jack, I take it that you're looking forward to
doing the New Zealand Trump.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Yeah, very much so, Jamie, and I couldn't agree with
Megans with Megans that were there before about the trip.
It was fantastic around Australia to just connect with some people,
really really special people and captains of industry, you know
on the Australian and New Zealand side that have just
really grown and expanded and diversified businesses at scale, like
(07:07):
Meghan said, and to really get deep a deeper understanding
of you know, of their journeys and their businesses and
their mantras. And it's real insight into some pretty pretty
special operations. And then yeah, moving forward into what's looking
like a fantastic trip in August that Matt White and
(07:27):
Shane and Jane and a couple others are putting currently
putting together for us and some of the some of
the people that you know that are sort of being
floated around as potentials at the minner. I think it's
some pretty pinchy self moments, that's for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Okay, guys, Jack O'Connor, Megan Blomb, the twenty twenty five
Sander McDonald Award winners. We'll see you in christ Church
next week. Thanks for your time today.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Awesome kids, great looking forward to it.
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