Southern Field Days Turns Waimumu Into Tent City of Innovation

Southern Field Days has once again transformed 56 hectares of farmland at Waimumu, near Gore, into a bustling “tent city,” showcasing the latest in rural innovation, technology and community spirit.

Committee chairman Steve Henderson said the event is driven by a passionate group of 23 volunteers from the local Young Farmers network.

“It’s just a group of 23 on a Young Farmers committee,” he said. “We age from 25 through to, I’m going to quote, 65 — but some of the exhibitors probably don’t want me to, or the committee don’t want me to say that.”

This year’s event features around 700 site holders and more than 800 exhibits, ranging from sweet treats to cutting-edge agricultural machinery.

“They range from right behind us, we’ve got a lolly shop, right through to the newest and flashiest tractor, and everything in between,” Steve said.

The scale of the event draws support from across Otago and Southland, with exhibitors travelling from throughout New Zealand and overseas.

“Economy-wise, all of Otago Southland gets behind it, and we have machinery and bits and pieces coming from the North Island, and also over the world — there’s some mowers here from Slovenia,” he said.

At its core, Southern Field Days is about showcasing progress in the agricultural sector.

“Yes, farming has been around for a long time, but there’s always technology there, and innovation is what we really showcase, or give the exhibitors the opportunity to showcase,” Steve said.

Visitors wandering the site can expect to see products and ideas they may not have even known existed.

“Cruising around the site, there’s just so much new stuff you didn’t even know exists — and then in 2028 there’ll be stuff that you didn’t even know exists today,” he said.

Attendance numbers will ultimately depend on the weather, but organisers are hopeful of another strong turnout.

“Crowds — yeah, we don’t know, we just try and put the best event on, so anywhere upwards of 30,000 would be pretty cool,” Steve said.

Held every second year, Southern Field Days continues to be one of the South’s biggest rural events, bringing together innovation, industry and community on a grand scale.