While the team is getting excellent results across the range of vegetables it produces on 450ha in Canterbury, there has been a 15 percent increase in potato yield over the past four years – and not at the expense of the environment. Oakley’s is a main supplier of potatoes, beetroot, pumpkin and broccoli to one […]
Region: Canterbury
The proof is in the potatoes
2020 Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners
Dairy farmers Tony Coltman & Dana Carver of Canlac Holdings are the 2020 Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners of the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Canlac Holdings was a high-performing farm when this couple took over in 2013 and their focus on good management practice means they have lifted it to another level. At the same time, there […]
2020 Canterbury Entrants
Here are our wonderful 2020 entrants for the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards. We congratulate them all for becoming involved in the awards programme – it’s a privilege to have learned more about their food and fibre production businesses. Tony Coltman & Dana Carver, Canlac Holdings — Dunsandel Dairy Canlac Holdings was a high-performing farm when this couple took over […]
Richard and Chrissie Wright – Tamar
2020 finalists: Richard & Chrissie Wright of Tamar – Beef, dairy & Cropping. Scale is no barrier, and attention to detail paramount, at this 1,850ha Mt Somers property that has grown considerably since the Wrights bought it in 2002. The business is an inspiring example of a family committed to advancing good people into farming and […]
John Taylor, Brendon Stent & Aafke Huisman – Rosebank, Landcorp Farming Pāmu
Growing 1,500 replacement stock, the farm has been transformed in recent years thanks to impressive investment in development and capital projects – driven by a focus on sustainability. For example, three centre pivots have replaced border dyke irrigation and a new dam means water is now stored on the farm. New cattle yards have made […]
Robin Oakley – Oakley’s Premium Fresh Vegetables
Owner Robin Oakley started the Southbridge business in 1999. He says it can be the small things and observations that make all the difference to sustainably producing quality vegetables. To enhance crop performance, his team keeps a close eye on crop rotations, soil cultivation, soil nutrients and irrigation, plus they adapt to environmental conditions. The […]
Mike & Nicky Salvesen – Wakare
2020 finalists: Mike & Nicky Salvesen of Wakare – Beef & deer. A progressive vision for the future is guiding this Canterbury beef and deer farm, enabling it to adapt to changing conditions and reduce its environmental footprint. Native trees are flourishing thanks to a significant planting programme that includes planting 1,500 new trees annually […]
2019 Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners
White Rock Mains, owned and operated by Duncan and Tina Mackintosh, was announced the Regional Supreme Winner at this evening’s 2019 Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards run by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust. The Ballance Farm Environment Awards champion sustainable farming and growing through an awards programme which sees one Regional Supreme Winner selected […]
Ngai Tahu Farming – Dairy Support – Quinten Green and Piripi Perry-Smith
Ngāi Tahu Farming – Dairy Support was established in 2017 to support the eight Ngāi Tahu dairy farms based at Te Whenua Hou (Eyrewell Forest). This support is provided by managing the performance of the heifers – R1, R2, carryover cows – and through growing feed for other parts of the dairy enterprise. Additionally, the […]
Pencarrow Farm – Brad & Viana Fallaver AND the Macfarlane Family
While it is anything but just a ‘box ticker’ in its mission to be a great farming operation, Pencarrow Farm does, indeed, tick all the right boxes. The Macfarlane family bought the property almost 30 years ago and has a special connection with contract milkers, Brad and Viana Fallaver, who are in the fifth year […]
White Rock Mains – Duncan & Tina Mackintosh
The Regional Supreme Winners of this year’s Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards, the couple were very humbled and pleasantly surprised by their amazing achievement given they were in the company of other farmers and growers doing very special activities on their farms”. Hardworking ‘early-adopters’, the Mackintoshes embrace new innovation, which is reflected in the farm’s […]
Christchurch Mens Prison – Piggery – Warren Chilton
Christchurch Men’s Prison – Piggery has a profoundly important purpose. This purpose is much more than its role as a supplier to Freedom Farm and its general contribution to the wider primary sector, although both of these are commendable achievements in their own right. The farm’s primary significance lies in the people who work and […]
Garrickfield Farm – Malcolm & Kate Cairns and Graham & Laura Cairns
Garrickfield Farm, an arable and horticultural operation, has a distinctive and endearing energy. This owes to the fact it has been gently handed down through succeeding generations, with each proudly assuming responsibility for its environmental, social and economic wellbeing. Today, it is Malcolm and Kate Cairns at the helm supported by Malcolm’s Dad, 86, and […]
2018 Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners
Medbury Farm will host a field day in mid-June at the Dalzells Road North property. The Medbury Farm board members had completed a governance course before the tragic sudden death of founding farm partner Eric Jacomb (husband of Janet Girvan) in January 2016. As resident equity partners, the Hislops said they wanted to enter the […]
2017 Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners
Stonyhurst Partnership, is a 22,000 stock unit sheep, beef and deer breeding and finishing property reaching inland to Greta Valley from the coast at Motunau. Brothers John and Peter Douglas-Clifford have been farming Stonyhurst together for close to forty years. John and Robyn Douglas-Clifford’s eldest son Charles came home in 2012 and now has control […]
2016 Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners
Geraldine sharemilkers Joe and Suz Wyborn are the Supreme winners of the 2016 Cantebrury Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Descriibed by BFEA judges as representing ‘everything that is positive about the New Zealand dairy industry”, Joe and Suz have been 50:50 sharemilking on Grantlea Dairy No.1 – a 253ha irrigated property east of Geraldine – since […]
2015 Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners
Omarama high-country farmers Richard and Annabelle Subtil run 12000ha Omarama Station – a family-owned property previously farmed by Annabelle’s parents Dick and Beth Wardell. Situated south of Omarama Village, the Mackenzie Country property winters 23,000 stock units, including 7500 Merino ewes and 310 Angus-Hereford cows. The diverse operation grows a range of crops, produces high quality […]
2014 Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners
Mark Slee’s parents Syd and Morrell converted the original 365ha family sheep farm south of Ashburton in 1987. Mark and Devon began managing this in 1991 and have since grown the business to 2640 cows, buying the family farm, two neighbouring properties and a run-off in the process. Operating efficiently and managing resources carefully are […]
2013 Canterbury Regional Supreme WInners
Intensive land use can also be sustainable land use say Criage and Roz Mackenzie, a progressive couple who are clearly comfortable with any scrutiny of farming practices on their mid-Canterbury properties. The award judges were impressed, writing in their feedback report: “They operate an extremely intensive irrigated arable operation in the Methven district utilising state […]
2012 Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners
The award judges described Dan and Mandy as, “an innovative couple making a tough high country farm profitable through intelligent, balanced diversification”. Dan grew up on the 6800ha property, west of Culverden. The couple have a diverse business wintering 3200su of sheep and beef, owning a beekeeping business producing remarkably pure manuka honey, and operating […]