I’m a 33 year old male from the Canterbury area, I’ve been in the top fruit industry since I left school at 17. I’m currently a Farm manager for a small family business where i started early 2017, They produce 4000 bins of top fruit and approximately 2000 tonnes of strawberries. My role is too assist the owner into the day to day runnings of the farm and to help organise the picking gangs required for the long season we have from February for strawberries until the last Apple is picked in November. I Organise and manage the pest and disease control on the soft fruit and top fruit side of the business. Organise and assist the irrigation for the soft fruit and top fruit. Manage and operate the 3300 bin CA storage facility and monitor the use of CA systems and DCA systems for pro longing storage life for the top fruit picked. I’ve currently been at this farm for 4 seasons and have learnt a great deal in this time. My previous employer was for another top fruit business. Where I started my career in farming late 2004 where I started work there as a seasonal tractor driver/picker in the top fruit picking gangs where I then was a supervisor. I then moved to work full time as a general farm worker where my roles where spraying, mowing, weed killing and helping with logistics of the harvest. I worked with various machinery and I’m very familiar with old and modern machinery. From Hardi boom sprayers, to munkhoff 3 row and KWH three row sprayers. I did this for a few years until I was offered a junior management role to assist the farm manager with day to day running’s of the farm for a year until I was appointed farm manager. Then I was responsible for 150 ha of top fruit. From making sure the spray operations where being managed and applied correctly too managing 150 pickers at peak season for our Apple harvest. I’ve always enjoyed working in the industry and will like to continue to do so. Im a single parent with a 4 year old son whos is a huge fan of farming (not sure why) who i try and regualry see as much as possible. of course it can be difficult during peak season but ive made things work. also in my spare time i like to watch, play football, go for walks and go and see freinds and family. but of course with how the year is going its been very difficult. so lets hope for a better year in 2021.