Five young growers will get down and dirty, going head to head as they compete to become the 2012 NZ Young Vegetable Grower. The competition, on May 10 at Riccarton Racecourse in Christchurch, will test the skills a vegetable grower needs to run a successful business, including tractor driving, quad bike safety, fencing, identifying plants and diseases, and managing employment relations.
The winner will then attempt to secure the title of Young Grower of the Year, during the annual Horticulture New Zealand Conference in Auckland on July 23-24.
Coordinator, Graham Martin, says the competition allows young horticulturists to showcase their skills outside of the work environment.
“This competition helps Horticulture New Zealand promote excellence within the industry and makes for a really interesting and fun event. Each year the standard of the competitors gets stronger and stronger and this year is no exception.”
Last year’s Young Vegetable Grower, Ben Smith, who also went on to win the Young Grower of the Year title, says the competition brings out the best in participants.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my Young Grower experience; I pushed myself and my skills to the limit and met some really great people along the way. Being part of the competition really helped my career and I really look forward to seeing what this year’s contestants have to offer.”
The NZ Young Vegetable Grower competition will run from 9am to 3pm; members of the public are welcome.
This year’s finalists are: Ravinder Dass, Tiny Toms Ltd, Auckland; Aneil Hari, from a Pukekohe family farm; David White, Woodhaven Gardens, Levin; Andrew Scott, Hewson Farms, Mid-Canterbury and Brett Parker, Hinemoa Quality Producers, Pukekohe.
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