Mike and Ellen Bennett have their hands full with seven children, a Whangarei riding school and a 400-hectare dairy farm which also supports school and holiday camps and tourist adventure activities.
It is also home to a constant stream of WWOFERS – willing workers on farms. Frequently, wwofers are young people, travelling the world, who exchange their work skills for accommodation and a meal.
Some stay a couple of days; others a couple of months and the Bennett’s huge oak dining table is nearly always ringed with people from many lands. In the family room comfy couches and wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling bookcases packed with books, look like they are all well used by the bustling, extended household,
This large, open plan farmhouse also features a huge wrap-around verandah where once again a long table is the central piece of furniture. However, an almost equally long line-up of gumboots, in varying sizes, is nearly always a subject amusement among first-time visitors.
Beyond the house an array of buildings include backpacker and family cabins and a former wool shed now converted to camp accommodation. It’s the kind of space kids adore – big, basic and earthy with a huge brick fireplace, pool table, more couches and adjoining ablutions block.
Mike and Ellen are well known not just locally but much further afield – Mike was born in Howick and still has friends in this part of the world. Their amazing property called simply, The Farm is also known beyond Northland’s borders, it’s well formed Moto-X trails just one aspect in big demand all year round.
The Farm was the outcome of their search and 16 years later the Bennett’s are firmly established on their personal piece of Russell Rd paradise. These days Mike is only a sometimes vet, The Farm affording he and Ellen a living from dairying and allowing them to indulge their interest in the outdoors and the welfare of kids.
“Our school camps cater mainly for primary and intermediate age children then in the holidays we run four-day MEAN-AS camps for older 10-16 years old boys,” Mike says. “The kids love it. They learn everything from bush and trail craft through to operating a milking shed, farm and firearm safety, knots, fire-lighting, how to smoke fish and a host of other skills.
“They also take part in activities such as kayaking, horse riding, paintball games, sailing, fishing, dirt bike riding, pig hunting and more.
“They learn to cook for themselves and generally have a great time. What’s more, in the upcoming holiday break we are running our first MEAN AS girls camp which is going to be something else!”
While the cost of the four-day MEAN AS experience is $600 per single child, the Bennett’s offer a super special of just $300 per child when four friends register together. Alternatively if three register together it is $400 each or where two children register together, it is $500 each.
“This works well,” says Mike. “When friends come together they feel right at home from the first and they not only have a great time at camp but can relive their shared experiences when they go home.”
The next camp is October 5-9, 2009 with more planned during the summer break. And of course, adventure activities are also available to adult groups.
