This is my chronicle in which I am recording the last few months of interesting and unforeseen circumstances in my life. My husband had a stint in hospital with an infected hand. Finally after two weeks I realized the inevitable, I was it. I had to take on the farming role; there was no one else. Overnight I had advanced from assistant to full blown manager in charge of too many calving cows and an inexperienced young man.

The New Zealand Kellogg Rural Leaders Programme develops emerging agribusiness leaders to help shape the future of New Zealand agribusiness and rural affairs. Lincoln University has been involved with this leaders programme since 1979 when it was launched with a grant from the Kellogg Foundation, USA.