IFAJ POST-CONGRESS SOUTH ISLAND TOUR
8-14 October 2015
MEDIA BACKGROUND
@IFAJ2015NZ #ifaj2015_SI
MONDAY 19 OCTOBER
Oaklands Farm: in family hands since 1844
Oaklands Farm has been part of the local community since it was purchased from the New
Zealand Co in 1844. Although Briton John Waring Saxton found his £150 investment “steep,
hillish and swampy”, he and the eight generations of farmers who have followed him
worked hard to turn the ground into workable farm land.
The Saxtons did so well at clearing the area that not only did the farm supply the area with
milk from their dairy but in 1932 some land was set aside for Nelson Aero Club. Three years
later Cook Strait Airways began operating from the grass strip.
Despite giving over more land in the 1970’s to the council to allow for the Saxton Fields
sports grounds, roads, car parks and house building, the farm remains in operation just as
the early Saxtons had intended – serving the community.
Doing the right thing for the community has always been important for the custodians of
Oaklands and so when the opportunity came about to allow natural, farm fresh milk to be
sold directly from the farm, it was another chance for the Raine family to serve the public
with good local produce.
The farm produces milk, which is sold in lightly pasteurised form from vending machines at
the farm gate, along with hops and soft fruit. Julian Raine, whose grandmother was a
Saxton, is also president of Horticulture New Zealand.
The Saxtons, and later the Raines, have owned Oaklands for the past 171 years and recently
received the Century Farms Award, which recognises families who have worked the same
land for a century or more – in a young country that is a long time!
More information:
 www.oaklandsfarm.co.nz
 Farm worked by same family for 171 years, Radio NZ, 9-7-15
 Nelson’s farm milk vending business expanding, Stuff, 5-9-13
 www.hortnz.co.nz
Kono: Māori enterprise
Kono is an associated business of Wakatū Incorporation, a special entity rich in history and
at the forefront of Māori enterprise.
Based in Nelson, Kono’s owners descend from the Māori tribes of – Ngāti Koata, Ngāti
Rārua, Ngāti Tama and Te Ātiawa. The company’s assets of land and sea are used in a
manner akin to the Māori values of its owners – Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga,
Rangatiratanga and Whanaungatanga.
Kono is a premium New Zealand food and beverage company. It employs over 300 staff,
farms over 530 hectares of land and sea and exports to over 25 countries throughout the
world. It has three sectors Kono Beverages (wine), Kono Foods (mussels, oysters, lobster
and natural fruit leathers) and Kono Horticulture (apples, pears, kiwifruit and hops).
The company is based in the top of the South Island of New Zealand, with orchards in
Motueka, vineyards in Nelson and Marlborough, mussel farms in the Marlborough Sounds, a
seafood processing in Blenheim, Annies factory in Blenheim (producing fruit leathers) and
offices in Nelson, Blenheim and Motueka.
During your time at Kono you will visit The Te Awhina Marae in Motueka to experience a
traditional powhiri (Māori welcome), learn more about Kono, Kono Horticulture and
Innovation, then visit the Whenua Matua vineyard in Upper Moutere near Nelson, home to
gold-medal award winning Tohu Wines, before lunch at the vineyard.
More information
 www.kono.co.nz
Sample the local wares
Wine and beer-tasting, followed by a barbecue, hosted by Wine Marlborough, the
Marlborough Research Centre and Plant & Food Research at the Marlborough Research
Centre. We’re hopeful that local Guild members may be in attendance.
More information:
 www.wine-marlborough.co.nz
TUESDAY 20 OCTOBER
Marlborough Wine Research Centre and Plant & Food
An intensive dip into the world-renowned Marlborough wine region. Learn how land use in
Marlborough has changed over the past 170 years from Gerald Hope, chief executive of the
Marlborough Research Centre. Marcus Pickens, general manager of Wine Marlborough will explain
Marlborough and New Zealand’s place in the global wine industry, while Dr Damian Martin science
group leader for Plant & Food research will show you Marlborough’s contribution to grape and wine
research in New Zealand.
More information:
 www.wine-marlborough.co.nz
 www.mrc.org.nz

http://www.plantandfood.co.nz
Yealand’s Estate: producing wines sustainably
Wine-tasting and tour of the Yealand’s Winery,
Peter’s Yealand’s trademark ‘can do’ attitude is the stuff of legend. Happiest working the
land at the controls of a bulldozer or digger, Peter has a track record of making pioneering,
innovative plans come to fruition – and his successes have been chronicled in a book “A
Bloke For All Seasons – the Peter Yealands story”.
He has developed seven of his own vineyard sites in Marlborough, plus several others under
contract for other companies. However his entrepreneurial vision extends well beyond
grapes. Early on, Peter recognised the potential to farm Greenshell mussels commercially
and in 1971 was issued with New Zealand’s first marine farming license. Thanks to his
efforts in designing innovative technologies and helping establish aquaculture in the region,
marine farming now contributes $160 million a year to New Zealand’s export earnings. In
the mid ’80’s Peter established one of New Zealand’s most successful deer farms,
specialising in stud animals and embryo transplants. This 2,000 hectare property in Kaiuma
Bay in the Marlborough Sounds won a rural environment award in 2003. Peter, wife Vai and
son Aaron now focus their energies on building Yealands Estate into a global brand.
Whilst spending much of his time travelling, Peter gets personally involved in every
initiative, rolling up his sleeves and pitching in with the team to get the job done in the most
sustainable, practical manner.
Peter’s ‘can do’ attitude and innovative thinking have led to a number of world firsts in
sustainable winegrowing (see Yealands Estate: sustainability initiatives below) and his goal
of becoming the most sustainable winegrower in the world ensures there are plenty of
initiatives to come!
The Yealands Wine Group was recently recognised for the quality of its white wines with a
trophy at the prestigious New Zealand International Wine Awards. The Marlborough based
winemakers claimed the Champion Other White Wine Varieties for their Yealands Estate
Grüner Veltliner 2014, which also won gold in July at the Spiegelau International Wine
competition.
The company also scored a gold medal in the International Wine Awards for The Crossings
Pinot Noir 2014. In total, Yealands received 35 medals, including two gold and fifteen silver
medals.
Comments from the judges were descriptive and evocative. Fragrant aromas evoke
memories of spiced apples, quince and tropical guavas. Full and textural yet crisp and dry
with a zing of pepper and fine acidity underpinning the fleshy fruit.
More information



www.yealands.co.nz
Yealands Estate: sustainability initiatives (pdf at DropBox, 4.9 MB)
Champion Grűner Veltliner at the NZ International Wine Awards, Yealands website, 28-9-15.
Bonavaree: adaptation and resilience
The Averys (Fraser and his father Doug) are entrepreneurial sheep and beef farmers and have a
really interesting story about adaptation to climate change and farmer resilience. They are using
drought tolerant plant species and excellence in stock management/policy decisions to optimise
stock and financial performance.
The Avery family have farmed Bonavaree since the early 1900s. Sustained drought in the region,
over a period of eight years in the 1990s, meant the station was facing a very uncertain future. In
1998, Fraser’s father Doug learned about lucerne as a primary grazing plant at a Lincoln University
seminar. This proved to be the tipping point to transformational change and adaption to climate
change at Bonavaree.
Today, the station has 1,500 hectares owned and 280 ha leased. In 2012, they were wintering 13,000
stock units (5,000 sheep, 1,650 cattle), growing 90 ha of lucerne for seed and the family was retiring
from production an increasing number of natural areas. The property had six full-time staff and lots
of busy contractors.
You will meet Fraser Avery, son of the dynamo and Kiwi legend Doug who has received a number of
awards for his work at Bonavaree, including the 2008 Green Ribbon from the Ministry for the
Environment, 2010 Lincoln Foundation South Island Farmer of the Year, 2011 Marlborough District
Council Farm Environment Award and the 2012 New Zealand Land Care Trust Ambassador title.. He
was also winner of the NZ Guild of Agricultural Journalists & Communicator's 2012 Landcorp
Communicator of the Year award. Unfortunately, Doug is not available today.
More information – Bonavaree Farm and Resilient Farmer are both on Facebook.
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Dryland Farming: A Marlborough Family’s Journey, MAF, 2009. Although quite dated, Fraser
says this factsheet has much of the background to Bonavaree’s story. Check facts and
statistics during the visit. A copy is also available at the DropBox.
Transformational change and how to make it, MeatExportNZ, 26-7-12
WEDNESDAY 21 OCTOBER
Dougal Norrie: a life of innovation
Welcome to North Canterbury’s Amuri basin, a pleasant green and vibrant landscape. This is a low
rainfall area and, prior to irrigation, was very drought prone and seasonally volatile.
Dougal Norrie, 78, farms in Culverden and is a pioneer of irrigation and dairy conversions and
development in the Amuri basin. Although originally an enthusiastic pioneer of border-dyke
irrigation in New Zealand, the extended family now farms around 4,500 cows, mainly under centrepivot irrigation.
A pioneering champion of the dynamic irrigation programme that has transformed this drought
prone, windswept pastoral and mixed cropping land, Dougal was chairman for nine years and a
member for 19 years of the Amuri Irrigation Committee that help guide the basin’s transformation
from struggle to a land of milk and honey.
His vision has included passion, innovation and lateral thinking.
Dougal and his wife Diane’s extended family, including one of their sons and two daughters and their
respective families, continues to farm the land and continue to grow their own businesses.
Last year, the total family farmed area was 2,238 hectares with around 2,115 ha effective. The
milking area platform was approximately 1057 ha, producing a total of 1,569,565 kg of milk solids or
1,485 kg per ha. The best performing farm produced 1,840 kg ha.
The enterprise comprises 22 staff, 20 houses and 22 centre-pivot irrigators. The remaining area
winters the dry stock and grows supplements such as lucerne and fodder beet – 120 ha.
This coming 2015-2016 season, the farm will milk 4,330 cows on four main blocks of land.
Additionally, they run dry stock comprising around 1,000 R2yr heifers and R1yr calves.
Prior to dairy and irrigation development, the Norries had 5,500 Corriedale breeding ewes plus
replacements, plus a Corriedale stud and beef cattle.
More information:
 ‘A life of innovation’ backgrounder to Dougal’s story is up at the DropBox.
 ‘The Economic value of potential irrigation in Canterbury’, September 2012, Caroline
Saunders/John Saunders, AERU/Lincoln University.
 www.amuriirrigation.co.nz
 www.irrigation.co.nz
 http://www.cpwl.co.nz
Waipara Springs Winery
Located in the heart of Canterbury’s Waipara Valley, Waipara Springs Winery’s 26 hectares is
planted with Riesling, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, gewurtraminer, pinot noir and merlot. The
wines are crafted in two differing styles, the fresh fruit driven wines under the Waipara Springs label
and the structurally driven wines of the Premo label. You’ll be able to sample and learn more about
the winery.
More information:
 www.waiparasprings.co.nz.
THURSDAY 22 OCTOBER 2015
Kimihia Seed Research Centre, PGGWrightson Seeds
The Kimihia Research Station is the research headquarters for PGG Wrightson Seeds and its primary
activity is plant breeding. Breeding programmes are operated in crops such as forage grasses,
clovers, pasture herbs, turf grasses, grain and forage brassicas. Early generation seed production of
grasses and brassicas are conducted in strict isolation regimes by a dedicated group, and a
specialised seed cleaning plant operates on-station. Its seed laboratory supports both cereal and
forage breeding systems and a Kimihia seed laboratory with ISTA accreditation.
Your visit will include a presentation about the research work at Kimihia with a focus on
PGGWrightson’s international business, an overview of the research facility and its operations,
followed by a farm walk and tour of the facilities.
More information:
 Kimihia factsheet
 www.pggwrightsonseeds.com
Lincoln University
Lincoln University is one of New Zealand’s premiere agricultural institutions.
During this visit you will find out more about Lincoln Sheep Research and Lincoln’s other research
activities, visit Lincoln University Demonstration Dairy Farm looking at best practice to improve
productivity and limit environmental impact and have a tour of campus.
Note: Lincoln is generously hosting a dinner for the tour group this evening, at which there will also
be a number of local Guild members.
More information:
 Lincoln Sheep Factsheet (547 KB pdf at DropBox)
 Lincoln University Demonstration Dairy Farm factsheet (247 KB at DropBox)
 http://www.lincoln.ac.nz/Lincoln-Home/Research/Research-Centres/
FRIDAY 23 OCTOBER 2015
Bill and Lynda Davey, Somerton, Rakaia
Brits Bill and Lynda Davey emigrated to New Zealand in September 2001 from Lincolnshire
on England’s east coast to farm without subisidies in the Raikia Gorge area of Canterbury.
The Daveys now farm 487 hectares (482 ha effective) and have irrigated 482 ha, in two
blocks one of 277 ha and the other 205 ha.
Their cropping operation grows cereals (milling wheat and and feed barley), and a number
of crops for seed (kale, red cabbage, borage and white clover). They let out land to grow lily
bulbs for export to Japan and to grow Process Potatoes for French fries. In between the
main crops, Italian ryegrass is grown to supply the dairy industry with supplementary feed in
the form of silage from paddocks that used to finish store lambs before dairy support
became more profitable.
The farm over winters 1,500 dairy cows for three months (June to August inclusive), which
are grazed on brassicas and fed a ration of home-grown barley straw.
A small herd of Hereford Beef cows are run on the permanent pasture around the
homestead.
Bill and Lynda are directors of the limited company. Bill runs the operation with son Nick
and one full-time man.
More information:
 A more detailed backgrounder on the Davey operation is available at DropBox.
 NZ’s farming paradise disappoints import, Stuff, 15-6-15
Paul and Pru Ensor, Glenann, Rakaia Gorge
Paul and Pru Ensor are the fourth generation of the Ensor family to run the 1,035 ha high country
station, running over 2,700 ultra-fine merino ewes, 1,450 merino hoggets and 700 Romney ewes and
around 180 Angus cattle. In 2016, the family will celebrate its 100th anniversary on the station.
Situated in the Upper Rakaia Gorge, the property ranges from 440 to 1,200 metres above sea level,
over high country tussock hill, cultivated paddocks on the fan and river flats.
The Ensor’s mission is to improve property production by 20 percent by 2016, targeting a farm
working expenses ratio below 50 percent. Amongst their business goals are ‘continuing to be
innovative and leading the way with technology transfer’, and to be in the top 10 percent of merino
farms for productivity and Economic Farm Surplus.
They see measuring and monitoring as the key to lifting performance.
All stock are EID tagged and recording and reading is done using Gallagher equipment (TSi). The
Ensors use FarmIQ’s Farm Management System, a cloud-based full farm recording analysis system.
Glenann is contracted to meat processor Silver Fern Farms through the Silere Alpine-origin Merino
programme.
The Ensors employ one full-time shepherd and have a 20 percent share in a local machinery
syndicate which completes all cultivation and drilling.
More information
 A more detailed backgrounder on the Ensor operation is available at the DropBox.
 Farm IQ Glennan
Further reading

Situation and Outlook for Primary Industries 2015, Ministry of Primary Industries, July 2015.
Link to pdf of the report in DropBox here.