From Paddock To Plate

A DigitalNZ Story by Courtney Johnston

Growing up on a farm, I saw every intimate detail of the meat production process - from crying the day my father put my favourite calf (a Murray Grey bull calf - patently useless, but so sweet) in the bobby calf shelter, to the way you have to hose away all the blood from home slaughter so as not to spook the cows at milking time, to the slippery feeling and nitrate-heavy smell of kilos and kilos of bacon, which I would fold into small handkerchief-like packages, slip into little plastic bags, then seal with a twist-tie. My favourite part though was the ritual of the sales yard; the heaving pens of panting animals, the thrill of running along the gangways, the ritualistic farmers' conversations, the auctioneer's patter and the general sense of community. This set tries to capture some of the steps and history of this industry (along with being an excuse to use some of my favourite John Dobree Pascoe photos of Manuka Point Station).

Image: Manuka Point Station, Canterbury

Manuka Point Station, Canterbury

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: View of Manuka Point Station, Rakaia River Valley, Canterbury

View of Manuka Point Station, Rakaia River Valley, Canterbury

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Cattle musterers outside their whare during mustering season, probably Wairarapa

Cattle musterers outside their whare during mustering season, probably Wairarapa

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Sheep mustering near Ruatoria - Photographer unidentified

Sheep mustering near Ruatoria - Photographer unidentified

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Mustering sheep, Northland

Mustering sheep, Northland

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Unidentified men at a stock sale at an unidentified stock yard

Unidentified men at a stock sale at an unidentified stock yard

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Sale yards by the Whanganui River, including stock and buyers

Sale yards by the Whanganui River, including stock and buyers

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Waipukurau saleyards, sheep being auctioned

Waipukurau saleyards, sheep being auctioned

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Auctioning the rams at Messrs Hunter and Nolan's sheep fair

Auctioning the rams at Messrs Hunter and Nolan's sheep fair

Auckland Libraries

Image: Stortford Lodge saleyards, Hastings

Stortford Lodge saleyards, Hastings

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Stockyards, Hawkes Bay

Stockyards, Hawkes Bay

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Cattle auction, Christchurch

Cattle auction, Christchurch

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Largest auction sale of dairy cattle, 1973

Largest auction sale of dairy cattle, 1973

Kete Horowhenua

Image: Stock holding yards under construction at Raroa, Wellington

Stock holding yards under construction at Raroa, Wellington

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Sheep being unloaded from trucks at the Levin saleyards, Wellington

Sheep being unloaded from trucks at the Levin saleyards, Wellington

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Mt Roskill/Onehunga area, Auckland, with stock yards

Mt Roskill/Onehunga area, Auckland, with stock yards

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Freezing Works, Nelson

Freezing Works, Nelson

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Wanganui freezing works

Wanganui freezing works

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Burnside Freezing works

Burnside Freezing works

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Westfield Freezing Works, Westfield

Westfield Freezing Works, Westfield

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Carcass inspection, Freezing Works

Carcass inspection, Freezing Works

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Workers in the lamb cutting room at Gear Meat Company Ltd, Petone

Workers in the lamb cutting room at Gear Meat Company Ltd, Petone

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Duke of Edinburgh observing cuts of meat being processed, Gear Meat Works, Petone

Duke of Edinburgh observing cuts of meat being processed, Gear Meat Works, Petone

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Sheep in the yards, Manuka Point Station, Canterbury

Sheep in the yards, Manuka Point Station, Canterbury

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: The Duke Edinburgh's visit to the Gear Meat works, Petone

The Duke Edinburgh's visit to the Gear Meat works, Petone

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Gear Meat Company :The Gear Meat Preserving and Freezing Company New Zealand Limited. Roast mutton. [1880-1890s].

Gear Meat Company :The Gear Meat Preserving and Freezing Company New Zealand Limited. Roast mutton. [1880-1890s].

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Gear Meat Company :[Three labels for Ox-tail soup; Soup and bouilli; and, Maccaroni soup]. Gear Meat Preserving & Freezing Company of New Zealand, Wellington New Zealand. [1890-1920].

Gear Meat Company :[Three labels for Ox-tail soup; Soup and bouilli; and, Maccaroni soup]. Gear Meat Preserving & Freezing Company of New Zealand, ...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Gear Meat Preserving and Freezing Company Ltd :Wholesale price list, January 1905; [and] Wholesale price list, November 1902. [Covers].

Gear Meat Preserving and Freezing Company Ltd :Wholesale price list, January 1905; [and] Wholesale price list, November 1902. [Covers].

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Butcher shop interior

Butcher shop interior

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Carcasses in a butcher shop

Carcasses in a butcher shop

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Inglis Wright, Tonks Butcher Shop

Inglis Wright, Tonks Butcher Shop

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: The interior of a butcher shop

The interior of a butcher shop

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: David Taylor's butcher shop in Wadestown

David Taylor's butcher shop in Wadestown

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Display of frozen export carcasses outside the British New Zealand Meat Company, Christchurch

Display of frozen export carcasses outside the British New Zealand Meat Company, Christchurch

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: NEW ZEALAND'S GREAT MEAT EXPORT TRADE: GENERAL VIEW OF THE WORKS AT NGAHAURANGA, WELLINGTON, SHOWING THE HARBOUR AND CITY IN THE BACKGROUND

NEW ZEALAND'S GREAT MEAT EXPORT TRADE: GENERAL VIEW OF THE WORKS AT NGAHAURANGA, WELLINGTON, SHOWING THE HARBOUR AND CITY IN THE BACKGROUND

Auckland Libraries

Image: Great Britain. His Majesty's Stationery Office :The Empire's strength. Do you know that New Zealand produces six times as much butter to-day as during the last war and twice as much cheese; that wool, meat and fruit are also exported in very large quantities. These are the sinews of war. [1940s?]

Great Britain. His Majesty's Stationery Office :The Empire's strength. Do you know that New Zealand produces six times as much butter to-day as dur...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: FIRST SHIP TO CARRY FROZEN MEAT OVERSEAS FROM NEW ZEALAND.-TAe ship Dunedin (1250 tons), which, sailing-from Port Chalmers, landed her cargo >of frozen meat in London on 27th May, 1882-fiftyyeai-sago. This was thepioneercargo of St is now one of New Zealand's biggest exports.•>? ■.:■;. (Evening Post, 24 May 1932)

FIRST SHIP TO CARRY FROZEN MEAT OVERSEAS FROM NEW ZEALAND.-TAe ship Dunedin (1250 tons), which, sailing-from Port Chalmers, landed her cargo >of fr...

National Library of New Zealand

Image: New Zealand frozen meat trade; history of a sheep from a New Zealand sheep station to the Central Meat Market, London. Reprinted by permission from 'The Pictorial World', July 21 1887.

New Zealand frozen meat trade; history of a sheep from a New Zealand sheep station to the Central Meat Market, London. Reprinted by permission from...

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: 2 boys eating sausages rolled in slices of bread at Gala Day

2 boys eating sausages rolled in slices of bread at Gala Day

Kete Horowhenua

Image: Everyone gets a large helping from the pot of sausages... From the series: Washday at the pa

Everyone gets a large helping from the pot of sausages... From the series: Washday at the pa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Image: Sausages

Sausages

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Dinner time, Manuka Point Station

Dinner time, Manuka Point Station

Alexander Turnbull Library