on my previous

post, I was in Dunedin contemplating life and a drive to Becks.

Becks was easily found on the Pig Route up from Palmerston (the original Palmerston).

In the scheme of things Becks was an easy drive from Dunedin

probably not so much between March and October but then I'm a sook when it comes to driving conditions - which I am perfectly fine to drive in but I gotta have something to be challenged in.

I arrived to join the Upper Manherikia 75th Jubilee committee buzzing like bees organising the Becks Hall and rugby field for the celebrations that began that night.

Central Otago is another world in so many ways

I consider myself lucky to know some of the locals

ok two but I know more now

I stayed with Nessie and Ben

on their family farm

in their 150 year old stone house

cool in summer and freezing winter

Nessie said (I swear she did so gleefully) that the coldest it had got in her experience was minus 24 for three weeks

And she lives in a stone house that would be an ideal place to store food because it stays cool/freezing.

South Islanders are like that though, priding themselves on their ability to withstand subzero temperatures. More power to them I say...

so they can run their heaters, is what I mean.

But the Manuherikia Valley layed on brilliant sunshine and extreme heat that was a little like being on the face of the sun but Ben and Nessie's front porch was a place of pure bliss. If I didn't have to actually be at the Jubilee celebrations I would have sat there for ever

or until the midges go going.

There's heaps to tell so I'll spread it out over a couple of posts and beware they may be a little delicate but more on that later.

Nessie took me out with her to move some sheepies.

They grow merinos for wool and have put some work into developing their own fabric which from the feel I had of the jersey and the long undies samples was good, warm wool that would be divine to wear.

This photo is deceiving.

This is much bigger in real life, like that's mountainous type height there.

Ness and I wandered over to collect the sheepies to move them elsewhere, ok I wasn't taking that much notice about things so on our way back I had no idea where we were.

The sun was shining, the landscape on the farm was magnificent and we were moving at a very slow pace so I was relaxing to the point of falling asleep - which I may have done just a little sitting in the shade outside the kitchen that morning.

Good thing Ness had me drive the ute otherwise I would have drifted away into relaxed land and not got to the agrisports in the afternoon at the Becks Hall.

That day the agrisports included stock judging terminal sires and merino rams (Ness won the girls comp), identifying bizarre objects mostly off the farm, the Tui pass the ball target game thing, tossing a sack full of hay over a very high bar like they would have back in the day when hay came in haystacks and to finish with, boat races.

Boat races are a time honoured country tradition favoured by Young Farmers by where there is a team of 3 or 4 who face off against another team to have a relay race of skulling beer. Highly entertaining and the current Upper Man Young Farmers were beaten by the Naylor family of aged out Young Farmers to the shouts of victory from all aged out Young Farmers crowing at the demise of young people's ability to drink.

We even had a kids boat race with lemonade - it's harder than it sounds so they found.

That night found us back at the Becks Hall for the evening function of a lovely catered dinner

actually all the food was good all weekend

nibbles for Friday night, BBQ and salads for lunch Saturday

Nessie had offered me 5 of her 10 minutes to speak

which was how I got to know how enjoyable the front porch was,

a perfect place for speech writing.

So we enjoyed Snow's MCing and the stories of back in the day

James the current chairman spoke well

Nessie talked about the region under her leadership and always speaks well

I blathered on about the future of Young Farmers

which is fantastically good looking by the way.

Bevan from Ida Valley had organised the Life Membership award and presented it to Janet Smith who so deserved it for all her support of the Upper Man club.

Bevan spoke heartfeltly and perfectly for such an honour.

Janet was moved, as we all were.

Seriously I love being at Clubs when they do lifetime memberships awarding, it's so emotional when you realise how much the recipients have put into their club and the love and esteem in which they are held by the members, past and present.

That's about as emotional as farmers get.

A great weekend, organised under Ben's guidance and my hosts were exactly what I needed.

Thanks Ben and Nessie!