Onfarm

Witnessing the stress of sheep farming in Southland as a child led
Steve Clarke to a career as a helicopter pilot before returning home to the dairy farm. He and wife Hayley are on a mission to ensure that farming creates a balance of work and life for their family and staff. Words & Photos Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

Leefield Station in Marlborough’s Waihopai Valley is a powerful example of diversification with multiple land uses intertwined and integrated to provide an intergenerational, future-proofed farming business. Words Sarah Perriam-Lampp.

After two decades in the corporate world, James Kellow realised his farming heritage on the windy Awhitu Peninsula near Auckland. The award-winning farm has since been converted from dairy to beef, a game bird estate as well as planting 300,000 native plants. Words Helena O’Neill, Photos Cristy Benson.

Monowai Station, Waimatā Valley, Gisborne, has entered its 100th year of being farmed by descendants of the Savage family. This is a farming business where long-held family values and traditional farming practices merge with efficiency, responsiveness to opportunities, and environmental good practice. Words & Photos Louise Savage.

Muller Station has won the Marlborough Farmer of the Year title. It’s not just off the back of their highly profitable sheep, but
for creating a pasture powerhouse out of hieracium- and rabbit-infested country. With Steve Satterthwaite at the helm for a half-century, Muller has taken up the best of the new and safeguards the cherished high-country traditions of the past. Words Jo Grigg, Photos Jim Tannock.

Deferred grazing to rejuvenate pastures has been a no-cost alternative to a summer regrassing programme for Waikato farmer Bill Garland, and he believes the practice could help farmers in their quest to become better environmental managers, as well being light on the pocket. Words Rebecca Greaves Photos Christine Cornege.

Understanding what a valuable resource the Central Progeny Test is to the industry, Paul Crick and Dayanne Almeida have been instrumental in the establishment in the first hill country Central Progeny Test flock. Words Sandra Taylor, Photos Arahua

Since returning home to his family’s farming operation on Banks Peninsula eight years ago, George Masefield along with his wife Emma, have made some significant changes. The couple, with the support of George’s parents John and Carol, bought a tractor and have not looked back. Sandra Taylor talks to them about the development programme which has transformed their business and enabled them to finish all of their lambs on their dryland hill country and buy in trading stock.
Photos Kelly Shakespeare

High above Otago Peninsula, the extinct volcano Hereweka Harbour Cone looks down on the farming operation of Brendon and Paula Cross, and where the possums used to play. Karen Trebilcock visited. Photos Jan MacKenzie.

Body condition score is the biggest driver at Simon and Katie Falloon’s Tiraumea farm, Waipuke, with a high performing ewe flock of exceptionally fertile ewes underpinning outstanding financial performance to take out this year’s Keinzley Agvet Wairarapa Sheep & Beef Farm Business of the Year. Words Rebecca Greaves Photos Photos for Jean.