A strange illness which left 22-year-old John McRae combating regular pain became the main reason to shift to organic farming. Mr. McRae had severe constant pain in back and kidney region and he got seriously ill.

He said that he had been working on a Canterbury farm and developed constant dull ache and throbbing pain.

He had to take two pills in a day to keep the pain under control, but the extended use of medicines led to a stomach ulcer.

He said, “None of them could tell me what was wrong. I don't know how much I was spending on prescription painkillers, but I was always in pain. I went to all sorts of doctors, specialists, and racked up the medical bills”.

Someone suggested him to switch to organic food, he started taking organic diet and within one month, he became quite energetic, pain free, and was playing rugby. Resorting to organic food gave a new lease of life to him.

Four years ago, he took over Glendhu Station and decided to go chemical-free. He now believes that toxins in food items that are grown by using chemicals will eventually pass in the human body, which is quite harmful.