August 10, 2026 • 8 mins
Harriet Bremner says the benefits of a break at this time of year can work wonders for the farming mindset.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The muster on the farm with Southland District Council working
together for a Beta Southland.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Harriet Bremner is based at Jericho Station over near Manapori
and joins us on the muster on this Well, it's
a pretty decent afternoon here in Gore anyway, Good afternoon, Harriet,
Blue sky in abundance here in Gore.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
How are you fearing?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Good? Andy? Yeah, Look, I actually burnt the clutch out
in my truck yesterday. So I've been on the bike
on morning and I have to say I've got pheeli
cold toes. But the sun is out now, which is
good timing because I'm about to head over the hell.
So yeah, it's a beautiful day now, which is nice,
no frost and so yeah, temperatures are up a bit,
which is good this week.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
The irony of that statement burning out the clutch, A
lot of the new generation won't understand what you mean
because everything's automatic.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Yeah, well, I you know, sitting mobs and driving slowly
and things. I think you just tend to rest your
foot on the clutch at this I've been given a
bit of ship by the boys we put up to
the garage yesterday. We got five hundred meters for the
garret and then it's just completely went. So we nearly
got there.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Almost got there anyway.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
How's everything being over at Jericho Station over and for Jordland.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Oh yeah, I look good. Thanks Andy. It's been pretty
good winter. We haven't had as much fog as normal.
We've had quite a bit of rain. But last Morbi
dairy cows go home tomorrow, which is always a really
good feeling. And we've just got the first carving angus
eifes into the yard, so we're sorting them out after
lunch to put them into their mobs for carving, and
(01:38):
just going to go immove some sheepe up the hill
and yeah, just pottering around moving a few brakes and
bits and pieces. But this time a year is quite
nice because you sort of see the light at the
end of the tunnel. One can see there's a future
beyond break fences, which is a really good feeling.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
There's always a relief, I suppose when the cattle get
on the truck and head back home to where they
came from and you can look back in the last
time weeks or so and think, geez, where did that go?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Yeah? Absolutely, you know when they turn up on the track,
you think cracky, it's going to be a long winter,
and you know, July tends to be the hardest month,
I think for a lot of us speaking to other
people about it, but then when they go home, you
sort of wonder where that where that time went. But
you know, it's good exercise. It's satisfying getting everything fed
and doing a good job of it. But yeah, it's
(02:26):
nice to get to this point and have a bit
more variety in front of us, which which is great.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
How do you find August on the farm?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
It's the transitioning of the season, just starting to see
sheets of venue, of the spring coming into life as such,
And yeah, generally it's a bit of a transition from
the winter cycle into what spring holds, whatever that is.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yeah, often August you can get a bit of a
false spring, can't you, And it can be quite a
nice settled month. So yeah, like Neil and I went
around yesterday afternoon measuring all the pastures and figuring out
where we're going to put everything and what's to happen
moving forward. So we've actually got some really good tucco around,
which is great. We kept all our carbs this year,
so we've got extra mouths to feed, so a bit
(03:09):
more of a juggle, but it's all cool working together
and for me, you know, learning all the time about
pasture management and making those decisions, which I find, you know,
really interesting and and quite exciting that we're going to
get longer days and a bit more sun hopefully and
hopefully we don't get springs that we've had the last
couple of years. It's what we're really just hoping for
(03:30):
at the moment. I think it's just that it's going
to be kind to us.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, fair cool on that one landing days.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
When are you supposed to start or do you have
a few earlies already like a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
No, no earlies. We actually got rid of our older
us earlier on in the year, and I'm quite excited.
We're not lending hoggits this year, so we're actually going
to have basically everything up on the hill Lemding, which
is really good. And as I say, we've got extra
carbs on the ground this year. Yeah, we'll just be
having you know, grass breaks up and yeah, getting them
(04:05):
rotating down on the flat, so it'll be a bit
different to full on laming beats this year.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Which is I'm quite excited about and eracing.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
You're going away from lambing hoggits when a lot of
people are doing the opposite.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Why is that?
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Look For me personally, I'm really interested to see what
the scanning percentages come out as totos that haven't lambed
as a hogit. We have straight pirandales here and they're
really lovely sheep, just a bit more on the frame,
And yeah, I was pretty strict this year when we
weighed them that they had to be over forty four
(04:39):
kilos to go to the ram, which not you know,
most of them weren't. So yeah, it's just a bit
of a trial for us because Ed has always done it.
But you know, and lambing hoggits is you know, it
does help with the bottom line with a bit of
extra money coming through. But yeah, we're Neil and I
are looking forward to seeing what happens with our scanning
and our toto's next year be interesting, I think, And
(05:01):
I guess for us, we've sort of reduced our sheep
numbers a week bit and increase increasing our cattle numbers.
So you know, you've got to make a decision, don't
you Like if you're landing your hoggits and you need
more space on the flat for them and set stocking
them down there. But we need that feed for the
carves this year, so yeah, just a bit bit of
a change around this year. We'll just see how it
goes and yeah, hopefully the prices stay up for these
(05:24):
carves and be happy days.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Now. You're a really busy individual. You've got a heap
of stuff on the go.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
What are You're an author, you're a speaker, you're an
advocate for rural health, safety and well being on the side.
You wonder Zanda McDonald waded a couple of years ago.
You've got quite a bit on your plate.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yeah, and then you chuck motherhood into that as well.
And yeah, so full time, I'm on the farm day
to day and I guess I squeeze and the other
things around around work. You know. Sometimes it's early starts
before work or late nights the weekends. Yeah, so just
make it work where I can make it fit, really
(06:02):
and it is a big passion of mine doing these
other things, so it's really important to me. But we
just try and plan ahead and yeah, it make it
work and juggle it best we can. And it's funny
you say that. At the Xander conference earlier in the year,
I talked for quite a few people about, you know,
how do you balance the juggle, and from what I gather,
(06:22):
no one really has ever perfected it. So I think
it's just a matter of just keeping on, keeping on
and doing what you can when you can, really.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
So you just make it work whatever it takes.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Basically, And I think if you're passionate enough about something,
then you know you'll make it happen, and you've got
that drive to do it, so it works out. But yeah,
it's just I think it's really important for me to
contribute to the community, and our kids are future farmers
and future people and their egg sector, and yeah, I
just I want to be part of that story, I guess,
(06:56):
and helping other people it's really important to me.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
But also enjoyed your first w to holiday for a
very long time recently.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah, Ed and I finally got on our honeymoon tree
and a half years later, but which was really nice.
And we haven't been away for a proper holiday five years,
and you know, we've done a little bits and pieces locally,
but you know, I don't think either of us actually
realized how it ghosted. We were until we got over
there and slipped for the first couple of days. So
I think it's a really good reminder that you do
(07:25):
need to actually physically remove yourself from the farm sometimes
to actually really truly have a proper reset and a
proper break. You know, it can be hard to do
that when you're living at where it come it.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Did you find it a case of looking forward to
getting home because you'd had that reset? Oh?
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Absolutely. I think we got today four and we were like, right, Oak,
we're ready.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
To go home now, such a self bolder, I know,
but there's no.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Place like home. And we both said it's a good
sign of a good holiday that you that you're ready
to go home, but also a good sign that you
want go home. So no place like home is here
in your own bed.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Absolutely, Harriet, thanks for your time as always, and enjoy
the afternoon there in Fjordland.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Awesome. Thanks Andy, you have a great one.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Harry Bremner based at Jericho Station with her husband, ed
over near Menapori.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
This is the muster up.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Next we're across the road to Saturn dan Stock Foods,
where we catch up Daryl Moyles
The muster on the farm with Southland District Council working
together for a Beta Southland.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Harriet Bremner is based at Jericho Station over near Manapori
and joins us on the muster on this Well, it's
a pretty decent afternoon here in Gore anyway, Good afternoon, Harriet,
Blue sky in abundance here in Gore.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
How are you fearing?
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Good? Andy? Yeah, Look, I actually burnt the clutch out
in my truck yesterday. So I've been on the bike
on morning and I have to say I've got pheeli
cold toes. But the sun is out now, which is
good timing because I'm about to head over the hell.
So yeah, it's a beautiful day now, which is nice,
no frost and so yeah, temperatures are up a bit,
which is good this week.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
The irony of that statement burning out the clutch, A
lot of the new generation won't understand what you mean
because everything's automatic.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Yeah, well, I you know, sitting mobs and driving slowly
and things. I think you just tend to rest your
foot on the clutch at this I've been given a
bit of ship by the boys we put up to
the garage yesterday. We got five hundred meters for the
garret and then it's just completely went. So we nearly
got there.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Almost got there anyway.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
How's everything being over at Jericho Station over and for Jordland.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Oh yeah, I look good. Thanks Andy. It's been pretty
good winter. We haven't had as much fog as normal.
We've had quite a bit of rain. But last Morbi
dairy cows go home tomorrow, which is always a really
good feeling. And we've just got the first carving angus
eifes into the yard, so we're sorting them out after
lunch to put them into their mobs for carving, and
(01:38):
just going to go immove some sheepe up the hill
and yeah, just pottering around moving a few brakes and
bits and pieces. But this time a year is quite
nice because you sort of see the light at the
end of the tunnel. One can see there's a future
beyond break fences, which is a really good feeling.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
There's always a relief, I suppose when the cattle get
on the truck and head back home to where they
came from and you can look back in the last
time weeks or so and think, geez, where did that go?
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Yeah? Absolutely, you know when they turn up on the track,
you think cracky, it's going to be a long winter,
and you know, July tends to be the hardest month,
I think for a lot of us speaking to other
people about it, but then when they go home, you
sort of wonder where that where that time went. But
you know, it's good exercise. It's satisfying getting everything fed
and doing a good job of it. But yeah, it's
(02:26):
nice to get to this point and have a bit
more variety in front of us, which which is great.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
How do you find August on the farm?
Speaker 2 (02:33):
It's the transitioning of the season, just starting to see
sheets of venue, of the spring coming into life as such,
And yeah, generally it's a bit of a transition from
the winter cycle into what spring holds, whatever that is.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Yeah, often August you can get a bit of a
false spring, can't you, And it can be quite a
nice settled month. So yeah, like Neil and I went
around yesterday afternoon measuring all the pastures and figuring out
where we're going to put everything and what's to happen
moving forward. So we've actually got some really good tucco around,
which is great. We kept all our carbs this year,
so we've got extra mouths to feed, so a bit
(03:09):
more of a juggle, but it's all cool working together
and for me, you know, learning all the time about
pasture management and making those decisions, which I find, you know,
really interesting and and quite exciting that we're going to
get longer days and a bit more sun hopefully and
hopefully we don't get springs that we've had the last
couple of years. It's what we're really just hoping for
(03:30):
at the moment. I think it's just that it's going
to be kind to us.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, fair cool on that one landing days.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
When are you supposed to start or do you have
a few earlies already like a lot of people.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
No, no earlies. We actually got rid of our older
us earlier on in the year, and I'm quite excited.
We're not lending hoggits this year, so we're actually going
to have basically everything up on the hill Lemding, which
is really good. And as I say, we've got extra
carbs on the ground this year. Yeah, we'll just be
having you know, grass breaks up and yeah, getting them
(04:05):
rotating down on the flat, so it'll be a bit
different to full on laming beats this year.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Which is I'm quite excited about and eracing.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
You're going away from lambing hoggits when a lot of
people are doing the opposite.
Speaker 3 (04:16):
Why is that?
Speaker 1 (04:18):
Look For me personally, I'm really interested to see what
the scanning percentages come out as totos that haven't lambed
as a hogit. We have straight pirandales here and they're
really lovely sheep, just a bit more on the frame,
And yeah, I was pretty strict this year when we
weighed them that they had to be over forty four
(04:39):
kilos to go to the ram, which not you know,
most of them weren't. So yeah, it's just a bit
of a trial for us because Ed has always done it.
But you know, and lambing hoggits is you know, it
does help with the bottom line with a bit of
extra money coming through. But yeah, we're Neil and I
are looking forward to seeing what happens with our scanning
and our toto's next year be interesting, I think, And
(05:01):
I guess for us, we've sort of reduced our sheep
numbers a week bit and increase increasing our cattle numbers.
So you know, you've got to make a decision, don't
you Like if you're landing your hoggits and you need
more space on the flat for them and set stocking
them down there. But we need that feed for the
carves this year, so yeah, just a bit bit of
a change around this year. We'll just see how it
goes and yeah, hopefully the prices stay up for these
(05:24):
carves and be happy days.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Now. You're a really busy individual. You've got a heap
of stuff on the go.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
What are You're an author, you're a speaker, you're an
advocate for rural health, safety and well being on the side.
You wonder Zanda McDonald waded a couple of years ago.
You've got quite a bit on your plate.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Yeah, and then you chuck motherhood into that as well.
And yeah, so full time, I'm on the farm day
to day and I guess I squeeze and the other
things around around work. You know. Sometimes it's early starts
before work or late nights the weekends. Yeah, so just
make it work where I can make it fit, really
(06:02):
and it is a big passion of mine doing these
other things, so it's really important to me. But we
just try and plan ahead and yeah, it make it
work and juggle it best we can. And it's funny
you say that. At the Xander conference earlier in the year,
I talked for quite a few people about, you know,
how do you balance the juggle, and from what I gather,
(06:22):
no one really has ever perfected it. So I think
it's just a matter of just keeping on, keeping on
and doing what you can when you can, really.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
So you just make it work whatever it takes.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Basically, And I think if you're passionate enough about something,
then you know you'll make it happen, and you've got
that drive to do it, so it works out. But yeah,
it's just I think it's really important for me to
contribute to the community, and our kids are future farmers
and future people and their egg sector, and yeah, I
just I want to be part of that story, I guess,
(06:56):
and helping other people it's really important to me.
Speaker 3 (06:59):
But also enjoyed your first w to holiday for a
very long time recently.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Yeah, Ed and I finally got on our honeymoon tree
and a half years later, but which was really nice.
And we haven't been away for a proper holiday five years,
and you know, we've done a little bits and pieces locally,
but you know, I don't think either of us actually
realized how it ghosted. We were until we got over
there and slipped for the first couple of days. So
I think it's a really good reminder that you do
(07:25):
need to actually physically remove yourself from the farm sometimes
to actually really truly have a proper reset and a
proper break. You know, it can be hard to do
that when you're living at where it come it.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Did you find it a case of looking forward to
getting home because you'd had that reset? Oh?
Speaker 1 (07:44):
Absolutely. I think we got today four and we were like, right, Oak,
we're ready.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
To go home now, such a self bolder, I know,
but there's no.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Place like home. And we both said it's a good
sign of a good holiday that you that you're ready
to go home, but also a good sign that you
want go home. So no place like home is here
in your own bed.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Absolutely, Harriet, thanks for your time as always, and enjoy
the afternoon there in Fjordland.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Awesome. Thanks Andy, you have a great one.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Harry Bremner based at Jericho Station with her husband, ed
over near Menapori.
Speaker 3 (08:18):
This is the muster up.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Next we're across the road to Saturn dan Stock Foods,
where we catch up Daryl Moyles
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