As a young boy of five and six, this saw me growing up on a dairy farm in Northland. Small town, rural New Zealand is where my life journey began. Every day was an adventure, a learning experience, the rigours of daily farming, life ever present, and a community in which everyone knew everyone—and I loved it. Although I spent my teenage years at Auckland Grammar School, the pull towards the countryside and rural New Zealand was always strong. The land, the animals, farm machines, all were powerful magnets for a young boy. It was because I felt part of something, something bigger than myself, and like so many of us who feel it, it was tremendous. 