Music at The Old Dairy Factory

Old farmer’s co-operative dairy factories can be found throughout New Zealand. Some are crumbling and scrawled with graffiti but others have taken on a new lease of life. One such place is The Old Dairy Factory at Norsewood. The 120yo building once produced ‘the choicest creamery butter’ under the Canary Brand and was a bustling part of the village before a state highway split Norsewood into two. Its native timbers were milled from the original 70 Mile Bush which stretched from Wairarapa to Hawkes Bay, much of it cleared for farming by Scandinavian immigrants who arrived in the 1870s. But it’s Londoner, David Selfe, who has converted the place into a recording studio and live performance venue. The musical director, producer, music teacher and pianist has turned The Old Dairy Factory into a music hub for the community as well as a home for him and his family. And it’s the regular monthly shows he puts on, featuring renowned musicians from all over the country, that has established the place as a regular venue on the music circuit. Jazz, classical, country, blues and other genres of music all feature as part of the range of intimate concerts performed. After a wonderful summer picnic lunch we’ll meet David, hear about how he has ended up with this unique life, and, after he’s treated us to a mini-concert demonstration of his piano virtuosity, we’ll enjoy afternoon tea with him and his family. Join us for a unique and delightful summer’s day out filled with fun, sun and music. What more could we want?