When the dairy farmer was not lobbying hard on issues facing his industry, he was tending to his beloved orchids: as passionate about them as he was his milkers.
Mr Lee was tragically killed in a car accident on the way home to Mooneba from a NSW Farmers’ Association meeting at Taylors Arm on the state’s Mid North Coast in November, 2015.
Now the state’s peak farming body has named an orchid, Cattleya Howard’s Delight, in his memory.
The orchid was bred by Ray Clement at Tinonee Orchid Nursery in the Manning Valley.
«This was something that we bred a few years ago and it’s only just got to flowering size,» Mr Clement said.
The orchid is registered with the Royal Horticultural Society as a cross of Lc. Elegans X C. Interglossa.
«All orchid hybrids have to be registered with them. They have a worldwide database, so every orchid of that breeding now has to be called Howard’s Delight under nomenclature rules,» Mr Clement said.
Mr Lee was a dedicated member of the NSW Farmers’ dairy committee, and at the time of his death was the secretary of the Macleay Valley Orchid Society.
«He was the driving force there really, one of the real workers as was his way,» Mr Clement said.
«He was also an orchid judge and he travelled around the area judging orchid shows, and really quite an accomplished grower as well.
«He was a lot more than just a dairy farmer,» he said.
«I really think that besides the prizes, his contribution to orchid growing and the orchid fraternity was significant.»
Remembered as ‘approachable’ and ‘a quiet achiever’
The president of the NSW Farmers’ Association Derek Schoen gave an emotional tribute to Mr Lee during its recent annual conference in Sydney.
«I thought it was really special that he mentioned him and that obviously reflected the high esteem that all of us who’d worked with Howard and been touched by his manner felt,» dairy farmer Kath Robb said.
The Alstonville dairy farmer and NSW Farmers’ Region 13 executive councillor remembered Mr Lee as a man of high integrity and a quiet achiever.
«Howard was a very special person,» Ms Robb said.
«He also was well aware of the issues that confront farmers in their businesses, not just in the dairy industry.
«When Howard spoke everyone listened. He was a man that didn’t say a lot, unless he felt something was really necessary to be said. He was a really approachable fellow,» Ms Robb said.
«He seemed to be managing the intergenerational farming with quite a few members of his family all involved in farming. In fact I used to joke with him and call him The Waltons.
«I remember a few years ago, when we were going through severe drought in the state, Howard was trying to organise for fodder to be sent from the coast, where we weren’t so severely impacted, to those out west who were doing it so tough.
«He had that general concern of all farmers not just those farmers who involved in the industry which he was involved.»
Source: ABC
Link: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-28/orchid-named-after-dairy-farmer/7667594