Food, frost & farm tech: The best of Fieldays 2017

Want a to know what really went on at Fieldays? Sure, there were lots of great things for sale and sample, but the real magic was happening inside the Innovations tent, one of the busiest sites on the Fieldays campus (aside from the food halls, of course).

The Locus team spends the majority of our time in the Lab, inside the Innovations Centre, so when we do find something the captures our attention we take note. Here is the wrap from the Locus team:

Daniel Faris, CEO

Best learnings in the Innovation Centre

Apiculture (beekeeping) is the next hot topic in Agriculture. It’s the wild west out there at the moment but the pace of innovation is huge.

Top company/business to watch

Our friends RoboticsPlus – great to see the autonomous platform and kiwifruit robot out in the wild. It looks like the orchardist’s batmobile. We’ve been close to Al and the team at Robotics for some time and are super impressed with their work.

Best ‘this is great’ moment

I love the smell of innovation in the morning. The Lab was humming from first thing and the engagement/interest from Fieldays punters was huge. Great to see people excited about the things that excite us.

 

Fave food of Fieldays

Tauranga Favourite Johney’s Dumplings. Pork Buns to die for.

Any other comments

We have the honour of being on the Innovation Judging panel, and the upshot of this is that we have a couple of very early mornings in there, on event. This year saw clear skies and frosty cold temperatures; in any other scenario you’d expect people to stay at home. However, the numbers were great, and the enthusiasm high.  What a great way to start the day.

 

Caroline Noordijk, Creative Director

Top company/business to watch

It is probably stating the obvious, but Smartx, Biofume and other award winners have the right DNA to go places. However, there were also some interesting products like the Fixed Grid Irrigation System and Smart Animal Transport System that are worth keeping an eye on.

Best ‘this is great’ moment

Seeing the Lab team and sharing the same passion for supporting the exhibitors and each other. And I always enjoy the award session with the exhibitors all excited and the winners truly grateful.

Fieldays pro tip

If you are after vegetarian food, bring your own. Or go to the awesome pita place and get yummy falafel 😉 #meatfest #cows

Fave food of Fieldays

Ha see above. I would like to highlight the limoncello at the food barn and truffle brie from Over the Moon (Robin knows what I am talking about!)

Any other comments

It was the coldest Fieldays so far, scraping windows, jumping jacks, and gloves out. Clearly, we need Locus branded beanies!

 

Michael Peterson, Technical Director

Best learnings in the Lab

That virtual reality software concept development is feasible for start-ups (Pepper Creative).

Best ‘this is great’ moment

Seeking shelter from the rain and discovering good business connections.

Fieldays pro tip

Park at gates furthest from entry to ensure a quick exit in the afternoon.

Fave food of Fieldays

My first whitebait fritter (go easy on the lemon).

 

Robin Lyttle, Communication Designer

Best learnings in the Lab

Get engaged! Stepping out of your comfort zone and talking to people you don’t know is hard, but it’s rewarding. Listening to the different ways other people think is great for getting your gears going.

Fieldays pro tip

Comfortable shoes, warm socks, and layers! A cold morning can turn into a hot day and then back into a cold evening.

Fave food of Fieldays

The Kiwi Kitchen — I love trying new food (via free samples) so this is heaven for me. Over-the-Moon black truffle brie wins best in show. The True Honey wins best packaging.

Simon Crane, Product Designer

Best learnings in the Lab

That grassroots innovation is not just about coming up with crazy things in the back shed, there are now entrants that are tackling things beyond physical products. Innovative approaches to software, online marketplaces and new, more efficient service delivery models to improve success on farm.

Top company/business to watch

Ubco Bikes — huge interest on the stand and a rapidly expanding business with an exciting product that we are proud to be a part of.

Best ‘this is great’ moment

Many entrants in the Innovation Centre have really upped the level of their brand and marketing material so they look like a slick, professional outfit. People know that their product not only has to be innovative and do the job, but they have present a compelling brand and story to get people’s attention.

Fieldays pro tip

It’s easy to get free lunch at Fieldays if you know where to look! LIC, Zespri, Fonterra, Affco all have their own free lunches/cafés for members and non-members to save those precious dollars.

Fave food of Fieldays

Good George putting on the free beers after the punters have left for the day.

 

Krissi Mills, Communication Designer

Best learnings in the Lab

People respond well to you if you’re in a lab coat — it’s like this secret sign that you’re important, kinda like a high-vis. Maybe I should wear one more often.

Best ‘this is great’ moment

The best moment for me was seeing up and coming innovators walking away from the Lab with a clearer plan and a smile on their face. It’s nice to know you’ve helped answer some of the difficult questions they have, and help them on their creation journey.

Fieldays pro tip

All the coffee carts give you a single shot coffee! If you like your coffee strong, make sure you ask for a double (but be prepared to pay).

Fave food of Fieldays

My fave food is always Johney’s Dumplings — but I didn’t get there this year! I did see people walking around with curly spud on a stick. I need me some of that in my life.

 

Bonus Gail Hendricks, Event Manager

While we’re all busy in the Lab, the Fieldays staff and over 250 volunteers are working in the background to make sure everything goes smoothly — they do so well that you’d hardly know they were there if it weren’t for the high vis jackets they wear. The Queen Bee running the Innovations show is Gail Hendricks, Event Manager for Fieldays Innovations for the last three years. While the Innovation Centre has been a part of Fieldays for 40 years now, it’s been constantly evolved to grow into a more professional and innovation nurturing environment. Gail, herself, sees innovation as a key aspect of Fieldays, and as things changing for the better. She gave us her wrap:

Best Surprises

Sometimes it’s the success of an innovator — TrustiTuber from Fieldays Innovations 2016 sold out of their product; a visit from the Prime Minister and the number of selfies requests; or chasing after an escaped ram — that was a first this year.

Pro tip

Comfortable shoes, lots of vitamin C and coffee!

Fave food of Fieldays

I look forward to the pulled pork guy (Urban Escargot) — and doughnuts, of course!

Wrap Day Tradition

On the last day of Fieldays I sit with my colleagues at 6pm and have a wine… this year it was a Good George Black Doris Cider!


Want to read more on creativity, design, product development and innovation? Go to our Six Lenses Blog.

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