The first of the year's major agricultural field days is set to get underway as the doors open on the Northland Field Days.
The event, dubbed the 'friendly field days', is now in its 35th year.
Patron Ross Newlove told Magic Talk's Rural Exchange the field days have come a long way since they were started by team of Dargaville Jaycees in the 1980s.
"I have seen some big changes, including the size of the venue. It was orginally at racecourse, which was a lot smaller and we were feeling our way."
Mr Newlove said the infrastructure is now much improved.
"We have our own site now, we started with a greenfields site and laid it out to suit."
In a sign of the changing times, Mr Newlove said they had been very particular about installing landlines to every site.
"That, of course, is now redundant."
The Northland Field Days run Thursday, February 28 until Sunday, March 2 in Dargaville, and will be opened by Rural Exchange host and Worksafe ambassador, Richard Loe.
Watch the full interview with Ross Newlove.
Hamish McKay and Richard Loe host Rural Exchange, 6-8am Saturday and Sunday on Magic Talk with Carter's Tyre Service.
