11 Apr 2020

Tangaroa Walker: dairy farming during lockdown

From Saturday Morning, 11:30 am on 11 April 2020
Southland dairy farmer Tangaroa Walker

Southland dairy farmer Tangaroa Walker Photo: Tangaroa Walker / Facebook

Southland contract milker Tangaroa Walker has become a Kiwi social media star with his Facebook page Farm 4 Life, where he posts educational and earthy videos of daily life on a dairy farm.

In November he became a dad, with baby Tekauenga already being lined up as a future helper on the farm.

Now classed as an essential worker in the lockdown economy, Tangaroa talks to Kim Hill about farming in the age of Covid-19 and the good he thinks will come out of pandemic.

Tekauenga Walker helping out on the farm

Tekauenga Walker helping out on the farm Photo: supplied / Facebook/Farm4Life

The coronavirus crisis further reveals New Zealand's socioeconomic chasm, Tangaroa says.

"It's identified those families that cant afford to go out and buy three weeks worth of food, they're living week to week."

"[The crisis is] bridging the gap not only between [the dairy industry] and our urban society but also [between] the wealthy and those that are still struggling. It's really cool to see people holding hands and helping each other out in these tough situations."

Tangaroa doesn't have mental health issues himself but has friends and family who do. Before the pandemic, Tangaroa started a weekly video series to help out at-risk fellow farmers – it's called Mask off Monday.

"I was just trying to make it okay to talk about things.

"I'm no professional, I'm a farmer, so I'm gonna stay in my lane there. But if I can create a platform that will allow those professionals to speak to people way the hell out in the middle of nowhere and talk to them about the shitty situation they're in then it's all worthwhile, isn't it?"

Related: Tangaroa Walker - Dairy Farmer 4 Life (August 2019)

Tangaroa talks about dairy farming during the lockdown: