The Resilient Farmer

The Resilient Farmer
ISBN: 9780143770787
Publication Date: 31 July 2017

Every day I watch my farm burn. Day after day, the sky is a relentless, empty blue. As our land dries up, all my hopes have turned to vapour, lost in that wide, blue yonder.

And so begins Doug Avery's story of emotional resilience in the face of what at times seemed a hopeless situation.

The South Island farmer suffered terribly during eight years of drought. His farm was depleted and so was he, to the point of severe depression.

The Resilient Farmer is Doug's powerful example of how to get life back on track. With candour and wisdom, he tells his story of turning desperation into determination, embracing risk, navigating change and, on top of everything, enduring monumental earthquakes.

An inspiring tale of how one man overcame heartbreaking adversity to live a fruitful life and help others.

About the Author

Doug Avery is director of Bonavaree Farm in Grassmere, South Marlborough. The 2400-hectare farm has been owned by the Avery family since 1919. The Averys won the 2010 'South Island Farmer of the Year' for their work adapting farm-management systems in response to increasingly dry conditions. Doug was also Chairman of the Starborough/Flaxbourne Soil Conservation Group working with NZ Landcare Trust, an initiative whose innovative work has attracted both national and international attention.