13 March 1986 Scholarships awards to Lincoln College students

Two Diploma of Agriculture students at Lincoln College with a belief in the future of farming in New Zealand have been awarded $500 scholarships by the Canterbury Frozen Meat Company.

They are 20-year-old Miles Pupich, from The Lyell on the West Coast, and 19-year-old Evan White, from Tuamarina near Blenheim.

Each year C.F.M. awards two scholarships to Lincoln College students belonging to Young Farmers Clubs in the Aorangi and Tasman regions.

These scholarships go to diploma or first-year degree students in agriculture.

Miles belongs to Inangahua Y.F.C., and Evan White, who transferred from Awarua club, is in Lauriston Y.F.C.

Miles will go back to his family farm at The Lyell when he completes his course this year, but "in a couple of year's time I'd like to try intensive horticulture."

And he wants to look at growing herbs, and at hydroponics.

"The West Coast has great potential for growing trees; and for growing some exotic fruits, like avocados," he said.

Evan sees agriculture as "going through a rough patch at the moment," but thinks farming will come right.

He is keeping his options open ; he might go on to take a farm-management course when he sees how he goes this
year.

"I'm going to see what happens ; I might go back home or might go share milking, but I haven't made up my mind," he said.

Evan said Marlborough was lucky to have a long growing season, and could grow crops such as maize.

Miles, whose grandfather came from Yugoslavia about the turn of the century, is at Lincoln to get "basic ideas about running a farm."

"And I want to learn about stock management, and about grasses.," he said.

Both Miles and Evan have varied farm experience, at home and on other farms.

Miles has worked on a 200-ha sheep, beef and cropping farm, and on a 375- ha wheat and barley farm.

His family's dairy farm milks up to 160 cows.

Last year Evan worked on his family 175-ha Tuamarina dairy and mixed farm.

The farm has 100 Friesian dairy cows, 600 Romney ewes, 60 Angust beef cattle, and grows wheat, barley, peas and red
clover.

This year he worked at Barrhill ,in mid Canterbury, on a 240-ha mixed cropping farm.

The farm grows wheat, barley, peas, perennial rye grass, Italian rye grass and white clover, and runs 1000 Corriedale ewes.

Both students are interested in Y.F.C. debating, and in music.

Evan learned to play classical piano, and more recently has turned to playing modern music.

Miles, who went to Inangahua College, plays acoustic guitar, and "strums out a few easy songs."

Evan was in the brass band at Marlborough Boys High School, and in the the combined Marlborough College band.

He plays tenor horn and baritone (a deep-toned brass instrument).

Further information from Mr Des Mcsweeney, Director, Rural Development and Extension Centre, Lincoln College