Karla is currently in her second season of managing the Northland Agricultural Research Farm ( NARF). She is a third generation farmer who grew up on her parents pedigree Ayrshire dairy farm in Towai, Northland and was  involved with farming from a very young age including calf club and showing cattle.

“I always knew I would work in the dairy industry,” says Karla.

“I developed a love for farming when I was young.

I am in charge of milking 250 cows with two part time staff and the position provides a challenging and educational environment.”

“As the manager for this farm I get to work with an amazing group of industry experts and leading farmers.

“I feel there is no better way to learn than being hands on and as this position is sole-charge it is my responsibility to ensure all goals are achieved.”

The 24-year-old has a Bachelor of Agri-Science from Massey University and plans to progress to farm ownership in the future.

Karla is also the winner of the 2015 Northland Farm Manager of the Year. This is the second year she has competed in the NZ Dairy Industry awards. Last year she came third, entering for the experience and to gain valuable feedback on how she was progressing in her career.

“The competitions are a great way to meet others and the knowledge you come away with is very valuable for personal growth. Kaipara is a great place to live. It is close to the beaches and there is lots to do. It is close enough to home but far enough away to have my own career in the industry.”

“The work here involves incredible amounts of monitoring and recording, and it is essential that everything is done accurately and in line with best practice. I believe that this is a key strength as high standards are expected in every aspect of the farming system. I feel that there is no better way to learn, and as the position is sole-charge it is my personal responsibility to ensure that this is achieved.”

“Through the competition I had the chance to meet a huge range of farmers and industry specialists. These contacts have become extremely valuable and helpful over the past year.”

Before coming to NARF she spent 7 months working on a 2.8 million acre beef cattle station in Australia, and gained 6 months experience working on dairy farms in part-time positions.