Today we stopped in Gisborne, New Zealand, which is a lovely city on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. The group split up to explore different areas of interest. One group went for a wine tasting, and another went to an arboretum. My group visited a nearby sheep farming station to learn more about rural life in New Zealand.

At the farm, we were greeted by multiple generations of the family who live and work at the station. After meeting some friendly dogs, we listened to a fascinating presentation about sheep farming. We even got to watch as two sheep were sheared.

After our time with the sheep, we visited the family home, where we were treated to a ‘smoko,’ or morning tea, in the garden. At the end of our visit, we stopped for a bit to watch one of the family members herd the sheep with the help of her dogs. It was fun to see the horse, sheep, and dogs interacting.

Now we all have a better appreciation for what rural life is like on a farm in New Zealand.