Emma O’Sullivan was born in Dublin. She originally studied journalism and public relations, before she transitioned into the food industry and worked in sales and sales management with Cuisine de France for over 10 years.

Now, her and partner Colin Hadden are contract milking in Canterbury, New Zealand.

“City slicker turns apprentice dairy farmer should be my title. I’m pretty new to the farming industry, although, thankfully, Colin has milked cows since he could walk,” says Emma O’Sullivan.

A few years back, before emigrating to New Zealand, Colin and Emma decided to merge their respective strengths. They set up their own business, selling meat from their farm to butchers and restaurants around Dublin. They also had a butcher and farm food shop in Co Wicklow.

“Our decision to move to New Zealand wasn’t easy, or an easy transition either,” says Emma.

In 2012, they were approached by a gentleman looking to buy their business. With the recession at the time, they thought it best to at least look at the opportunity.

The couple then decided to go to New Zealand for five weeks.

“We travelled from Kerikeri in the far north of New Zealand, right down to Invercargill on the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand. Give or take a few ‘hairy’ towns and quick u-turns, we fell in love with the country, and, more importantly, the kiwi people themselves. Having made up our minds, we headed back to Ireland, packed up our house, said our very tearful goodbyes to beautiful family and friends, and boarded a plane to New Zealand in January 2013.”

Colin initially took an interim role on a dairy farm in Hawkes Bay (North Island) and Emma worked as brand manager for an educational company. Then in May 2014 they landed jobs as contract milkers and are now milking a 1,200-cow dairy herd outside Ashburton in mid-Canterbury.

“Working full-time on a dairy farm is pretty new to me. I look after all the records (AI details, vet treatments, cows dried off etc), HR and administration, which isn’t easy given that we have 1,200 cows and a team of six staff to manage. I also look after the calf-rearing. I am currently gearing up for our spring calving season; we’re due to calve 650 cows between August and November, so I’m praying that everything goes well and that I survive, as well as the calves.”

Emma also helps Colin or the vet with scanning cows, AI treatment, herd testing, or whatever the day throws their way.

The couple live only 40 minutes from Mount Hutt, one of New Zealand’s best ski mountains, 30 minutes (in the other direction) from Timaru coastal area, and just over an hour outside Christchurch.

“We really do have the best of both worlds where we live in Ashburton, although a day off to enjoy it is hard got,” says Emma.

Despite a very tough year getting used to life so far away from family and friends, Emma now has 18 months under her belt.

“As a way of life, farming is really family-orientated. If I’m ever hankering for the boardroom, I just listen to the traffic report on the radio about hour-long backlogs in Auckland or Wellington and it shakes me back to my senses. I can honestly say that life is good.”