Town/country split offers best of both worlds

• Published date: 29 September 2021

ANNA Munro used to think she would love to end up owning a farm.

Now she’s not so sure. After all, the Hawea woman has the best of both worlds, dividing her time between working on Ardgour Station, near Tarras, and as a physiotherapist in Wanaka.

It might seem an unusual combination but, for outdoors-loving Mrs Munro, it suits her to the proverbial T.

‘‘I suppose it depends what you’re into. I think it’s perfect. I know I definitely still like having the people contact but man, I really look forward to getting out to the farm as well. Definitely at the moment, life is pretty awesome,’’ she said.

Mrs Munro (34), nee Jaine, grew up in Mid Canterbury, initially on sheep and beef farm Cren Lea at Carew — a ‘‘tiny little spot’’ with a church, school and a hall — before the family farm was sold and they moved to Cravendale, a 485ha property in the foothills at Mt Somers.

Cren Lea was on the flats, in an area that was now virtually all converted to dairying, and a property with hills was ‘‘pretty awesome’’ to grow up on, she said.

Mrs Munro was the eldest of four. She has two sisters, Nina and Ailie, who now lease and farm Cravendale, and brother Robbie.

The four all helped out on the farm, where their parents made it ‘‘really good fun’’.

‘‘I’ve got really positive memories of growing up,’’ she said, quipping that her parents must have secretly disguised work as fun.

Nina and Ailie, in particular, were ‘‘just right into the farm’’ while Robbie made it clear farming was not for him, although he loved the property.

Mrs Munro was largely kept busy with music and other creative outlets. While enjoying the farming lifestyle, she spent much of her time immersed in ‘‘music-y type stuff’’.

But Cravendale had always been a grounding place to go home to.

‘‘I think, at heart, I definitely recharge when I’m alone. The farm has always been amazing for that, lots of space,’’ she said.

Her parents encouraged the four siblings to do their own thing and broaden their horizons. Ailie trained as a nurse, Nina as a vet and Robbie as a doctor, while Mrs Munro studied physiotherapy.

But before she settled on that as a career, she took a year off after leaving school and worked on farms in Ireland and Scotland. Having had enough of school, she wanted to ‘‘work it out’’ for herself.

She worked at an outdoor education centre in Scotland for people with special needs. There was a physiotherapist there and she decided that would be a ‘‘cool path to go down’’. Her mother was also a...