Geoff & Jodelle Clark Bucking the trend and reassembling the family farm.
In a decade where land prices have romped away and many family farms have either been carved up or amalgamated into bigger, more profitable units, this progressive Southland couple are swimming happily against the tide.
Theyre just completing the purchase of the final block of land to put back together the 433ha Hokonui farm Glendale which Geoffs grandfather Noel took on as a rough block in 1927.
What makes this couples achievement all the more remarkable is that when the past decade opened the Clarks were enjoying travelling and working in Australia; returning home to Geoffs family farm 20 kms east of Winton to join his father and brother was not in the plan. But when the idea came, in Geoffs words as a bolt from the blue, the pull home to the farm was inescapable.
Id always wanted to do bigger and better things, says Geoff, then all of a sudden farming seemed bigger and better. Fortunately Jodelle was of the same mind and its pretty obvious that herein lies one of the keys to the rapid progress this couple have made in the business of agriculture they work hard, and well, together.
Although Jodelle grew up on a farm only 10 minutes over the hill from Geoff at Glendale, they went to different schools so didnt meet till they were 17. Since then though, theyve been a tight unit, and now the couple in their early thirties have three sons, Thomas, 4; Sam, 3 and Harry, 1 and the beginnings of a farm succession plan, should it be required.
When Geoff and Jodelle came home to Southland in 1995, Geoffs parents and brother welcomed them. By July 1997 a lease agreement had been worked out, with 263ha of the flat to rolling land for Geoff and 384ha of the rolling land for the use of his brother Ewan. Sadly, just 6 weeks later their father Boyd died suddenly, aged just 56.
In 2000, Geoff and Ewan purchased the respective parts of the farm they had been leasing. The following year Geoff and Jodelle bought the first of three blocks back off Ewan, who was moving into agricultural contracting and happy to give them first shot at the land. The noose around the neck was large, recalls Geoff, but on-farm profits were increasing and so was their confidence.
Theres a strong link between the farms improved performance and their off-farm income. Addressing the genetics of the sheep on the farm was highest on the list of priorities for Geoff and Jodelle when they began farming. They took a path that led the long way from the resident Perendales until they hit upon what works for them when they began using Highlander rams from Tower Peak, Te Anau. The McCleans from Tower Peak are breeding partners with Rissington Breedline Ltd.
For just over a year, Geoff has been Rissingtons genetic advisor in Southland. Representing the company is easy and inspirational he says because hes simply out there telling people about whats worked so well for him. Hes managing the contract grazing of 20,000 (and rising) young sheep in the province under the Rissington Sheeplink system.
1400 of those sheep are at Glendale, under the daily watchful eye of Jodelle and full-time farm worker, Rob Finch, a recent immigrant from England. Farmers are paid according to weight gain of Sheeplink stock. Under the system the ewe lambs are mated on the property, using Rissington rams of course, and the farmer gets to keep the progeny and the wool. For the Clarks, this has worked particularly well because it has allowed them to put more capital into land, instead of stock.
They also have 650 of their own hoggets and 2300 ewes. A mix of genetic improvement, and better feeding of their sheep means productivity is continuing to lift. When they first scanned in 1998, the figures were 140%, with 110% at lambing. Last year it was 183% at scanning and 148% at lambing. This winter it was 207% and theyre targeting 160% for lambing.
This year, after consultation with shearing contractor Jamie McConachie, they changed their annual shearing to pre-tup. The result has ensured theyll stick with this practise, which brings together the need for the pre-tup feeding flush, and the established fact sheep eat 30% more in the month after shearing.
Southlands dairying boom in the past 10 years has also contributed to improved performance at Glendale. Geoff and Jodelle have raised up to 120 calves a year for cashflow, and winter grazed up to 650 dairy cows.
The grazing has sped up the regrassing and subdivision of the property. A three-year cycle is used. Major Plus swede in year one, Coleor Kale in year two and new grass in year three, often using a seed mix from CRT which Geoff calls a lamb fattening brew. The crops get three tonne of lime per ha with 300kgs DAP. The seed gets 300kgs of drilling super per ha. The rest of the property is generally topdressed annually, with soil testing being the main guide. If they think things need a kick along in spring, they will have 150kg DAP applied per ha.
With each purchase of more land, and each annual lift in production, the Clarks say they are increasingly likely to stay put now. The tie to the place is huge emotionally they say, and it is a beautiful farm. But interestingly, Geoff will not completely discount a move. They are, after all, in business he says and therefore must never shy away from a better opportunity.
Theyre just completing the purchase of the final block of land to put back together the 433ha Hokonui farm Glendale which Geoffs grandfather Noel took on as a rough block in 1927.
What makes this couples achievement all the more remarkable is that when the past decade opened the Clarks were enjoying travelling and working in Australia; returning home to Geoffs family farm 20 kms east of Winton to join his father and brother was not in the plan. But when the idea came, in Geoffs words as a bolt from the blue, the pull home to the farm was inescapable.
Id always wanted to do bigger and better things, says Geoff, then all of a sudden farming seemed bigger and better. Fortunately Jodelle was of the same mind and its pretty obvious that herein lies one of the keys to the rapid progress this couple have made in the business of agriculture they work hard, and well, together.
Although Jodelle grew up on a farm only 10 minutes over the hill from Geoff at Glendale, they went to different schools so didnt meet till they were 17. Since then though, theyve been a tight unit, and now the couple in their early thirties have three sons, Thomas, 4; Sam, 3 and Harry, 1 and the beginnings of a farm succession plan, should it be required.
When Geoff and Jodelle came home to Southland in 1995, Geoffs parents and brother welcomed them. By July 1997 a lease agreement had been worked out, with 263ha of the flat to rolling land for Geoff and 384ha of the rolling land for the use of his brother Ewan. Sadly, just 6 weeks later their father Boyd died suddenly, aged just 56.
In 2000, Geoff and Ewan purchased the respective parts of the farm they had been leasing. The following year Geoff and Jodelle bought the first of three blocks back off Ewan, who was moving into agricultural contracting and happy to give them first shot at the land. The noose around the neck was large, recalls Geoff, but on-farm profits were increasing and so was their confidence.
Theres a strong link between the farms improved performance and their off-farm income. Addressing the genetics of the sheep on the farm was highest on the list of priorities for Geoff and Jodelle when they began farming. They took a path that led the long way from the resident Perendales until they hit upon what works for them when they began using Highlander rams from Tower Peak, Te Anau. The McCleans from Tower Peak are breeding partners with Rissington Breedline Ltd.
For just over a year, Geoff has been Rissingtons genetic advisor in Southland. Representing the company is easy and inspirational he says because hes simply out there telling people about whats worked so well for him. Hes managing the contract grazing of 20,000 (and rising) young sheep in the province under the Rissington Sheeplink system.
1400 of those sheep are at Glendale, under the daily watchful eye of Jodelle and full-time farm worker, Rob Finch, a recent immigrant from England. Farmers are paid according to weight gain of Sheeplink stock. Under the system the ewe lambs are mated on the property, using Rissington rams of course, and the farmer gets to keep the progeny and the wool. For the Clarks, this has worked particularly well because it has allowed them to put more capital into land, instead of stock.
They also have 650 of their own hoggets and 2300 ewes. A mix of genetic improvement, and better feeding of their sheep means productivity is continuing to lift. When they first scanned in 1998, the figures were 140%, with 110% at lambing. Last year it was 183% at scanning and 148% at lambing. This winter it was 207% and theyre targeting 160% for lambing.
This year, after consultation with shearing contractor Jamie McConachie, they changed their annual shearing to pre-tup. The result has ensured theyll stick with this practise, which brings together the need for the pre-tup feeding flush, and the established fact sheep eat 30% more in the month after shearing.
Southlands dairying boom in the past 10 years has also contributed to improved performance at Glendale. Geoff and Jodelle have raised up to 120 calves a year for cashflow, and winter grazed up to 650 dairy cows.
The grazing has sped up the regrassing and subdivision of the property. A three-year cycle is used. Major Plus swede in year one, Coleor Kale in year two and new grass in year three, often using a seed mix from CRT which Geoff calls a lamb fattening brew. The crops get three tonne of lime per ha with 300kgs DAP. The seed gets 300kgs of drilling super per ha. The rest of the property is generally topdressed annually, with soil testing being the main guide. If they think things need a kick along in spring, they will have 150kg DAP applied per ha.
With each purchase of more land, and each annual lift in production, the Clarks say they are increasingly likely to stay put now. The tie to the place is huge emotionally they say, and it is a beautiful farm. But interestingly, Geoff will not completely discount a move. They are, after all, in business he says and therefore must never shy away from a better opportunity.