One Northland farmer is fighting the stereotype, and has made a name for himself in making music.
Merv Pinny posted his latest song on Facebook and now it's had millions of views.
He's spent most of his life working on a farm, and while he still spends his days getting up well before sunrise to get straight to work, there's something that sets him apart from other farmers.
"By default I just became the singer of a band, and that's how I got into it. And I just loved - I love to play live. That's my favourite thing," he says.
Pinny's music is his passion, and he recently found success in the most unlikely and unexpected way. His song, 'Can You Hear the Children Cry', has received more than 12 million views on Facebook.
The inspiration for the song stems from the terror going on around the world, and the madness society is faced with every day.
"I just thought, 'Oh, I'll write this song and I'll use this song to tell people this shouldn't be happening. Why are we doing this? Nobody wants this,'" he says.
Despite carving out a successful farming career - it's understood he sold 10 farms for $40 million - these days it takes a backseat.
"Singing is way more rewarding because it's instant; it's there and I've always loved doing that, and I love that part of performing," he says.
In fact, Pinny loves it so much he says he'd have no hesitation in giving up life on the farm to pursue his music dream.
Farming might be the money-maker but that's not important to him. For this Kiwi bloke, making music is what matters most.
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