Here are our wonderful 2020 entrants for the Greater Wellington 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. William Beetham, Beetham Pastural — Wainuioru & Kapiti Coast Sheep & beef Pastural performance through partnerships is the vision […]
Region: Greater Wellington
2020 Greater Wellington Entrants
2019 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winners
A multi-faceted sheep and beef farm in Featherston, Palliser Ridge, was announced the Regional Supreme Winner at this evening’s 2019 Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards run by the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust. The Ballance Farm Environment Awards programme champions sustainable farming and growing and sees one Regional Supreme Winner selected from each of […]
TSM Farms Limited, Cornwall Rd Dairy Farm – SIMON SEARLE
The concept of ‘team effort’ has been given a new lease of life through TSM Farms. This passionate business is a cross-section of talents contributed by three local families – Tulloch, Searle and Marfell – each part of an equity partnership. The Tullochs own the two dairy farms and one sheep and beef farm that […]
Jan & Andy Tatham (owners) and Aaron & Nicola Tomlin – Kaiwhata Farm
Kaiwhata Farm, on the Wairarapa Coast near Masterton, has a long farming history. Its owners, Jan and Andy Tatham, are the fifth generation of Tathams on-farm with the original purchase of the farm in 1876. A dedicated team works hard behind the scenes and is made up of cropping and infrastructure manager Aaron Tomlin and […]
Hitiri Turner – Manuka Health
Great ideas have humble beginnings; they blossom thanks to vision and dedication and mature with the right alchemy of hard work, tenacity, futureproofing and innovation. The success of Manuka Health attests to this. Founded in 2006 out of a small shed, this profitable business has grown significantly since inception and today employees 140 people working […]
Blundell
A lot of thought has gone into the presentation of Hugh and Janna’s property, especially the placement of the house and surrounding planting to maximise aesthetic appeal. They have made an impressive effort to establish a significant proportion of the property in native plantings with the occasional special area for fruit trees or other ornamentals. […]
Geoffrey Glazebook
Great vision has seen the Glazebrooks create an amazing haven amongst the bush. Clever planting has seen them utilising the various aspects of the block, investing in new plants each year that are very well suited to the area. Natural regeneration is now taking place and native fauna has increased as the wetland habitat has […]
Raewyn Hullena and Ray Hintz – UTOPIA
Raewyn and Ray purchased Utopia in 2003 as a bare land block with a mix of pasture and regenerating bush. Raewyn has a huge passion for the land and a clear plan of what she wants. Utopia is farmed in a very self-sufficient and sustainable way with stock income paying for rates, insurance and fertiliser. […]
Tim and Summer Priest
Tim and Summer purchased their block three years ago. It has a mix of cultivatable land through to steep scrubby hill country with a small unfenced bush block. With amazing energy, work ethic and vision, the development of this property has happened quickly. There are also diversification plans such as glamping and forestry with ETS […]
Palliser Ridge – Jim & Marilyn Law and Kurt & Lisa Portas
The expressions ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ and ‘there’s no place quite like home’ are befitting of Jim Law’s professional journey. The dedicated farmer has always held Aotearoa close to his heart and came back to New Zealand after working globally for Mobil. Today, Jim and wife Marilyn own and operate Palliser Ridge, a […]
2018 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winners
Richard and Becks Tosswill’s farming operation is described by the awards judges as an “innovative and forward-thinking farm driven by a passion for change through social responsibility and commitment to further the future of New Zealand farming.” The Tosswills won the Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards on Wednesday night (April 11) at the Carterton […]
2017 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winner
Masterton farmers Nathan and Kate Williams’ arable and sheep and beef finishing business spans both sides of a section of the road to Castlepoint, about 4km east of Masterton. Most years the 335ha farm’s income is split around half and half between their crops and livestock. They are flexible in what they grow, basing their […]
2016 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winner
Martinborough sheep and beef farmers Daniel and Reidun Nicholson are the Supreme winners of the 2016 Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Originally purchased by Dan’s parents Patricia and the late Matthew in 1977, Tokaroa winters about 6200 stock units on 585ha effective, with a 75:25 sheep to beef ratio. It is run in conjunction […]
2015 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winners
Wairarapa dairy farmers Leo and Rebecca Vollebregt run a 580-cow operation south east of Featherston,which has focused on creating “an attractive, productive and profitable farm that everyone enjoys working on”. The Vollebregts farm a total of 289ha, including the 154ha effective home block which is divided by Pahautea Road and partially bounded by the Ruamahanga […]
2014 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winners
Two properties totalling 800ha effective in the Kaituna district west of Masterton form the basis of Matt and Lynley’s progressive breeding and finishing business, but they utilise several other properties to allow them to run as many ewes as possible. The award judges described Spring Valley Enterprises “an exceptional operation in all respects”. Matt explains, […]
2013 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winners
The award judges described Michael (Mick) and Karen William’s 224ha central Wairarapa arable, lamb finishing and beef unit as, “an outstanding farm operation run by an inspirational young couple”. The judges highlighted the couple’s “immense passion” and how they displayed acumen in their everyday decisions in achieving the best. “They are innovative, hardworking and work […]
2012 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winners
The award judges described Derek Daniell’s farm, Wairere, a 1206ha property north east of Masterton, as “a sustainable, innovative and financially sound farming operation”. This mainly medium to steeper hill country property in the Bideford district carries approximately 12,500 su of sheep and beef and is the base for an internationally recognised Romney sheep stud. […]
2011 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winners
The riparian plantings on Ray and Lyn Craig’s 178ha Carterton dairy farm rank “amongst the best achieved on a dairy farm in New Zealand” according to the award judges. Effective too, says Ray Craig of the plantings, part of extensive erosion control work undertaken in the past 14 years on their land, which hosts the […]
2010 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winners
George Tatham’s commitment to his family’s farming legacy is a clear driver in the operation of Matariki. Proof that passion underpins achievement, George is perceptibly proud that, with his wife Sarah, he is running Matariki. “From a young age I was pretty keen,” he says, “this is always what I saw myself doing.” He’s a […]
2009 Greater Wellington Regional Supreme Winners
Tim and Jo Loe and their South Wairarapa property “Oporua” have come a long way in their 22 years together. The farm was larger, and a sheep and beef unit, when Cantabrian Tim arrived in the Kahutara district south of Featherston to take on the job of managing the place for it’s new owners, Wellington […]