Abstract:
Programme Note: It took me until my mid-forties to recognise the wisdom contained in the farming-related ethics I grew up with. I now fully appreciate what my father was trying to pass on in exposing his family to a life in the country. There is a richness of wellbeing that is all-but unattainable in the melee of urban sprawl, and he, having spent his own childhood holidays on a farm in Milburn Otago New Zealand, intimately knew the value of this experience. This piece, which has taken several years to complete, is a gift for my wonderful parents Brian and Clare Coulter, who in 2016 celebrate their 75th, and 70th birthdays (respectively), as well as their 50th (Golden) wedding anniversary. Explanation of Title: The saying ‘make hay while the sun shines’ expresses an attitude that can be literally translated as: 'if you have an opportunity to do something, do it before the opportunity expires'. This code reflects a small part of the lifetime of learning and discovery that comes from living and working in a farming community.
