2024 Southland Catchment Group Showcase: Greater Dipton Farmer-led and community driven, the Greater Dipton Catchment Group recently spear-headed a project that focused on helping both rural and urban dwellers offset their carbon emissions. Established in 2020, this Catchment Group is characterised by strong links to their local community. They started with a well-attended community meeting […]
Region: Southland
Greater Dipton
The Miller Family of Roslyn Downs
2024 Southland Regional Supreme Winners: The Miller Family of Roslyn Downs – Dairy, Sheep and Beef Roslyn Downs is going from strength-to-strength under the guidance of the Miller family whose approach centres around teamwork, the land and business. The 1,034ha Glencoe dairy, sheep and beef operation is led by brothers Jason and Quentin Miller, along with Jason’s […]
Philip and Katherine McCallum and Briar Swanson of Rockley Farm
2024 Southland Finalists: Philip and Katherine McCallum and Briar Swanson of Rockley Farm – Sheep, Beef and Dairy Grazing The team at Rockley Farm is dedicated to continuous improvement and growth – both on-farm and in terms of their contribution to young farmers and the local community. Rockley Farm was originally owned by Kath McCallum’s parents. […]
Tracy & Steve Henderson of Legendairies
2024 Southland Finalists: Tracy & Steve Henderson of Legendairies – Dairy and Beef Located near Invercargill, this Awarua beef and dairy farm is increasing production in a sustainable way, thanks to the clear and imaginative vision of its owners. Tracy and Steve Henderson are building on their extensive dairying experience as they realise the potential of […]
James & Tanya Goodwin of Kelvin Grove
2024 Southland Finalists: James & Tanya Goodwin of Kelvin Grove – Sheep James and Tanya Goodwin’s approach to sheep farming is characterised by a willingness to try new things, thinking outside the box and sharing knowledge. The Gore property has been in James’s family since 1968, with the original farm expanded by his parents to […]
Mike & Kirsty Bodle of Braintra Farms
2024 Southland Finalists: Mike & Kirsty Bodle of Braintra Farms – Dairy The couple behind this Hokonui dairy farm is seeing their vision become a reality, driving increasing performance while creating an environment that is rich in biodiversity. Braintra Farms is a 439ha (389ha effective) property that runs 700 cows plus supplies calves to local buyers. […]
Kevin Hall on facing the challenge of how to “winter better”
From the day he purchased Hollyvale farm in Waimahaka, Southland in 2008, Kevin Hall was looking for ways to improve his wintering facilities for around 700 mixed-age cows. He didn’t want to send them away for contract grazing, and knew there had to be a way to “winter better.” Kevin, who was the 2022 Regional […]
Hedgehope Makarewa Catchment Group
2023 Catchment Group: Hedgehope Makarewa Catchment Group Connecting, inspiring and supporting a thriving community are key focuses of the Hedgehope Makarewa Catchment Group that encompasses 60,000ha of rural Southland. The group has gradually expanded since 2014 as it strives to make well-informed decisions that ultimately enhance the land, water and people. Today, their catchment incorporates […]
Jason and Sandy Herrick of Murray Creek
2023 Finalists: Jason and Sandy Herrick of Murray Creek – Dairy Sharemilkers Jason and Sandy Herrick are part of a water-users group that is looking after its local aquifer – however that’s not the only environmental project they are tackling. At Murray Creek, they’re also developing wetlands and are planning to create a thriving habitat […]
Southland Regional Supreme Winners 2023 Cameron Grant and Robert Grant of Grant Brothers
Regional Supreme Winners 2023: Cameron Grant and Robert Grant of Grant Brothers – Sheep and Beef The fifth-generation owners of this Croydon sheep and beef farm are being guided by a successful long-term vision that has both business and family at its core. Known as Grant Brothers, the business is comprised of four farms that […]
Nick and Alexis Wadworth of Bare Hill Farming
2023 Finalists: Nick and Alexis Wadworth of Bare Hill Farming – Sheep and Beef In the rolling hill country of the Otapiri Gorge, Nick and Alexis Wadworth are making a name for themselves as they strive to improve Bare Hill Farming’s efficiency and productivity. This has resulted in them being heavily involved in their community, […]
Mitchell Smith and Steve Smith of AB Lime Ltd
2023 Finalists: Mitchell Smith and Steve Smith of AB Lime Ltd – Quarry, Fertiliser, Landfill, Dairy & support blocks Sustainability comes first in decision-making at this Southland dairy farm, with the team taking a long-term view that seeks to protect the environment. The dairy farm is one of a suite of businesses owned by AB […]
Southland Catchment Group Award Winners 2022 – Pourakino Catchment Conservation Trust
Founded in 2014, Pourakino Catchment Conservation Trust is one of the longest standing catchment groups in Southland, and was formed after a group of farmers joined together to have a meaningful voice and address sediment issues in the Riverton Estuary. The group’s immediate focus is on the four key areas of minimising sediment runoff, improving […]
Ben Worker & Jaime McCrostie of Eastbourne Dairy Farm
2022 Finalist: Ben Worker and Jamie McCrostie of Eastbourne Dairy Farm – Dairy The team behind this property has a strategic approach to its management, resulting in long-term system improvements to ensure it’s more profitable and functional into the future. Eastbourne Dairy Farm has a 164ha milking platform, along with 70ha of runoff and is […]
Matt and Kate McLaren of Camp-Hill Farming
2022 Finalist: Matt and Kate McLaren of Camp-Hill Farming – Sheep and Dairy support Getting basic pasture and nutrient management right is paying off for the couple behind Wyndham’s Camp-Hill Farming, a 570ha sheep and dairy support farm. Matt and Kate McLaren established Camp-Hill Farming in 2016, although Matt’s great-great-grandfather bought the original Camp-Hill property […]
Hamish and Chantal McClean of Burwood Station
2022 Finalist: Hamish and Chantal McClean of Burwood Station – Sheep and Beef Hamish and Chantal McClean see themselves as the caretakers of this vast Te Anau sheep and beef station, always looking for opportunities to enhance it for future generations. They run a total of 28,000 stock units across the family run Burwood Station […]
Southland Regional Supreme Winner 2022: Kevin Hall of Hollyvale Farms
Regional Supreme Winner 2022: Kevin Hall of Hollyvale Farms – Dairy grazing, Beef fattening Using off-paddock wintering facilities is generating huge benefits for this 250ha Waimahaka dairy grazing farm, in terms of animal health, land and water. Hollyvale Farms winters almost 1,000 cows, plus has 270 heifer grazers and fattens 80 beef cattle. Since purchasing […]
John & Liz Chittock of The Salvation Army Jeff Farm
2022 Finalist: John & Liz Chittock of The Salvation Army Jeff Farm – Sheep, Beef and Deer It’s almost 70 years since the late Edmund Jeff gifted his farm to the Salvation Army along with a vision of it being used to teach young people how to farm. His dream is now a reality, with […]
Stu and Brooke Cameron of Valley View
2022 Finalist: Stu and Brooke Cameron of Valley View – Dairy Valley View is an excellent example of how good management and dedication can lead to a successful large-scale dairy conversion over a relatively short number of years. Since 2014, Stu and Brooke Cameron have transformed this 905ha effective Mokoreta property from a conservative sheep […]
Leon and Wendy Black of Blackdale Stud
2022 Finalist: Leon and Wendy Black from Blackdale Stud – Sheep Located against the picturesque backdrop of Riverton, Blackdale Stud is one of the biggest family run stud sheep operations in NZ. The Blacks have worked this land for almost 100 years, with Leon and Wendy now at the helm, grazing more than 5,000 animals […]