Hinemoa Quality Producers Ltd

More documents

Recommendations

Info

• High John and Jenny van Woerden PGG WRIGHTSON LAND AND LIFE AWARD The van Woerdens display “team work that inspires others” in the opinion of the award judges, who also commended the couple’s strong sense of community and “wonderful biodiversity work throughout the property”. John and Jenny milk 220 cows on their 120ha dairy platform, part of a much-loved 397ha property in the Waitekauri Valley northwest of Waihi. Contour is rolling to steep, annual rainfall is between 2000 to 2500mls and the property goes to the top of the Coromandel Range. Alongside the dairy operation they have approximately 100ha in mixed age mainly pines (first planted in 1984) and the balance is native and regenerating bush. Their property is the result of the purchase of three adjoining blocks, the first in 1978 and the last 14 years ago. John was just 21 when he bought the original 202ha block - a rough drystock farm - and converted it to dairy, originally milking just 80 cows. John was working on dairy farms and seeking a sharemilking position “without much success because I wasn’t married!” when he saw the farm advertised with vendor finance. JUDGES’ COMMENTS “I suppose it was a bit audacious,” he says with a typically quiet sense of satisfaction. “I got money from the vendor for the land, from the bank for the cows and from the dairy company for the cowshed.” John’s parents helped him with the conversion, including a 10-aside herringbone cobbled together with secondhand materials. These days there is a 20-aside herringbone, the cows are milked once a day. Production last year, the first on OAD was 58,000 kg MS, this season they are heading for 65,000 kg MS. Ironically, within months of buying the farm John and Jenny met. They made a conscious choice to stay in their beloved valley, bringing up their now adult children Tim and Irene. “I know we could have made a lot more money sharemilking in the Waikato but looking back, we are so happy we made the commitment here.” Their land has Coromandel State Forest on two sides. The Waitekauri River is on one boundary, the Mangakara on the other and springs and gullies run through the property. Historic gold mining sites are still evident. They have propagated and planted thousands of natives and enjoy the native bird life. Hunters and trampers regularly enter the bush through their property; motor bikers ride there. Active in their community either currently or in the past in a range of church, music and school activities, the couple warmly welcome others to share their place. “It’s not just a farm, people love to come here, and we love that,” says Jenny. The van Woerdens were joint runners-up in the original Farm Environment Awards in 1993. • net profit generated from low input farming; developed business viable to hand over to next generation of farmers. • Wonderful biodiversity work throughout; huge achievement tackling weeds like gorse and ragwort. • Strategic decisions made to get balance right between farming, forestry and native bush. Strong sense of community, enjoy others coming onto the farm to enjoy it as well.
Ian and Judy Nelson (managers), Landcorp Farming <strong>Ltd</strong> and Wairakei Pastoral <strong>Ltd</strong> ‘Resolution Dairy Unit’ WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL WATER PROTECTION AWARD Resolution is situated between Taupo and Reporoa on former forestry land, a 920 cow Landcorp-operated dairy unit where, according to the award judges, “very high standards are expected and maintained through every aspect of the business”. The judges singled out the Nelsons for high praise, writing in their feedback report: “The passion and ownership shown by Ian and Judy is a great example for all managers. They are a real asset to the industry.” The couple are in their fifth season at Resolution, they came from lower order sharemilking in the South Waikato at the time of conversion. Currently 410ha effective and producing 330,903 kg MS annually, Resolution is one of six farms (five dairy) created so far in the area from harvested forestry land owned by Wairakei Pastoral and leased by Landcorp. Ian describes the ongoing project as “a bold development of 25,000ha into state of the art, environmentally sustainable pastoral farmland, combining proven farming knowledge with experience and commitment”. A forestry road used by forestry and transport companies logging runs through the farm, an energy company is building a geo-thermal power station on adjacent land and a steady stream of recreational visitors pass through Resolution Dairy JUDGES’ COMMENTS making for what Ian terms “a unique situation”. “We are not just farming the farm,” he says with a grin. Judy – who also has an administrative position for a group of Landcorp farms – and Ian appreciate the team culture they are part of in working for Landcorp, and replicate that on Resolution. Damien Watson, Andrea Ruff and Zeke Thompson are full-time staff; Ian requested they be named. Casual relief milkers are also employed to ensure off-farm activities can be undertaken. All workers are valued, right down to the blanket ruling that hi-visibility vests must be worn on the job. “Because of all the other things going on, we have to have strict safety procedures in place,” says Ian. The climate, soil and former land use for forestry presents a demanding set of circumstances for management to retain integrity and promote pasture for grazing cows. A 50m wide filter strip along the property’s Waikato River boundary is “an excellent example of environmental stewardship by corporate owners,” noted the judges. “These initiatives have full buy-in by all staff.” Excluding run-off and pumice from entering waterways is a priority with silt and sand traps in place and regularly checked. Bore water is high in sulphur and iron. The judges described the “significant” water cleaning process using a device developed in Russia, as “easily managed, maintained and innovative”. The Nelsons have a blended family of five teenagers. Brook and Nathan (17) are both working on dairy farms, Peri (15) lives in Melbourne, and Danielle (15) and Michaela (14) live at home on Resolution. • Text book model corporate farm; manager who has a great team and achieves and betters set targets. • Water cleaning innovation; strong integrity around water and soil management. • Good staff management, housing, training and farm work accountability and data, documentation and information availability. Soil and pasture managed to maintain moisture, drying occurs rapidly; innovative methods prevent run-off entering waterways.
Page 1 and 2: 2012 WAIKATO Chris and Vikki Nichol
Page 3 and 4: Brian and Jacqui Wellington BEEF +
Page 5: Frank and Wendy Portegys ‘Braemar

Hinemoa Quality Producers Ltd

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?