Graeme and Seann Williams, Mangaroa Station, Tokomaru Bay.
Mangaroa station was cleared in the early 1900s and farmed by Hindmarshs and Reynolds until it was bought by Ralph and Margaret-Ann Williams in 1961. It was cheap, because erosion had begun, after the roots of the original bush cover had rotted away, and Mangaroa was considered only fit for trees. Graeme returned home on 1986 and bought the property in 1989, married Seann in 1990 and they have three daughters. He continues to farm Mangaroa extensively, with only 12 large paddocks on 800ha, the same number it had in 1961. Graeme comments that gross income from 6000 stock units (wintered) may not be high, but his accountant says his net income is among the highest because of the very low cost structure. All stock work is done on horses and farm management is kept simple.
Winter stocking: 2100 Romney ewes and 300 Angus/Hereford cows.
Some of the big paddocks are 100ha, with the pastures sown down in the early 1900s.
The rams go out on March 1 and the ewes are rotated around the large paddocks every few weeks. They are second shorn on May 10 and then mobbed up with cows, before set stocking on three paddocks with good feed and shelter for lambing at the beginning of August. Docking it down at the end of September and the all sheep and lambs mustered beginning of November, weaned and the male lambs sold as stores (average liveweight 23-24kg) on a truck weight tender system.
Ewe lambs are shorn on November 10, with the ewes, and weaned for the dry summer to come. Ewe lambs shorn again May 10 and selection of 600 replacements made. The remainder go to Progressive Gisborne averaging 19kg CW.
Graeme has used Androvax for four years and boosted lambing by 20% to 133%.
Hereford bulls go out over the predominately Angus and whiteface cows on November 1, for a calving date of around August 10. Weaned calf ratio of 95% achieved, which is excellent result for hill country and no supervision. Graeme weans calves at the end of March, when the bull calves go on a truck to store stock buyers, on prices based on weaner fairs. He sell cull heifers and retain 60 of the best, mostly whiteface. Fertiliser regime is 120 tonnes of super or sulphur super annually, with the Olsen P readings all over 20.
Mangaroa won the bi-annual Gisborne District Council Environmental Excellence Award in 2005.
Ralph and Margaret-Ann took on Mangaroa in 1961 and knew immediately they had to try and stabilise the erosion with tree planting. They used Matsudana willows and two species of poplar because these were available from Mangaroas own nursery, or by pollarding existing trees. Some 50,000 poles have been planted in 45 years, without sleeves and very little loss.
Ralph deserves the credit for how well Mangaroa is looking today, says Graeme.
Trees have been planted along dozens of watercourses, in bogs and on slips. Graeme is now lopping the willows, providing feed in dry seasons for the cows.
He only has to start up the chain saw and the cows come running.
The award judges commented about the well-executed erosion planting with comprehensive gully and slip planting. The waterways are protected and Graeme and Seann have a strong conservation philosophy.
Graeme and a neighbour Peter McKenzie have mustered 30,000 feral goats off hill country farms from Ruatoria to Wairoa, earning $1 million, which has been split 50/50 with the farmers.
This has grown into a sustainable business, because there are heaps of goats around.
It requires a lot of organisation and innovation. It also requires a very good team of dogs, which many lowland farmers no longer have.
You have got to be able to think like a goat, says Graeme.
This is Graemes hobby, from which he makes a useful income. He also impersonates Parakura Horomia, the Maori MP and minister, and gives speeches and comedy performances his agent is Andy Hayden.
I am no overly politically correct, but the Maoris really love it.
Winter stocking: 2100 Romney ewes and 300 Angus/Hereford cows.
Some of the big paddocks are 100ha, with the pastures sown down in the early 1900s.
The rams go out on March 1 and the ewes are rotated around the large paddocks every few weeks. They are second shorn on May 10 and then mobbed up with cows, before set stocking on three paddocks with good feed and shelter for lambing at the beginning of August. Docking it down at the end of September and the all sheep and lambs mustered beginning of November, weaned and the male lambs sold as stores (average liveweight 23-24kg) on a truck weight tender system.
Ewe lambs are shorn on November 10, with the ewes, and weaned for the dry summer to come. Ewe lambs shorn again May 10 and selection of 600 replacements made. The remainder go to Progressive Gisborne averaging 19kg CW.
Graeme has used Androvax for four years and boosted lambing by 20% to 133%.
Hereford bulls go out over the predominately Angus and whiteface cows on November 1, for a calving date of around August 10. Weaned calf ratio of 95% achieved, which is excellent result for hill country and no supervision. Graeme weans calves at the end of March, when the bull calves go on a truck to store stock buyers, on prices based on weaner fairs. He sell cull heifers and retain 60 of the best, mostly whiteface. Fertiliser regime is 120 tonnes of super or sulphur super annually, with the Olsen P readings all over 20.
Mangaroa won the bi-annual Gisborne District Council Environmental Excellence Award in 2005.
Ralph and Margaret-Ann took on Mangaroa in 1961 and knew immediately they had to try and stabilise the erosion with tree planting. They used Matsudana willows and two species of poplar because these were available from Mangaroas own nursery, or by pollarding existing trees. Some 50,000 poles have been planted in 45 years, without sleeves and very little loss.
Ralph deserves the credit for how well Mangaroa is looking today, says Graeme.
Trees have been planted along dozens of watercourses, in bogs and on slips. Graeme is now lopping the willows, providing feed in dry seasons for the cows.
He only has to start up the chain saw and the cows come running.
The award judges commented about the well-executed erosion planting with comprehensive gully and slip planting. The waterways are protected and Graeme and Seann have a strong conservation philosophy.
Graeme and a neighbour Peter McKenzie have mustered 30,000 feral goats off hill country farms from Ruatoria to Wairoa, earning $1 million, which has been split 50/50 with the farmers.
This has grown into a sustainable business, because there are heaps of goats around.
It requires a lot of organisation and innovation. It also requires a very good team of dogs, which many lowland farmers no longer have.
You have got to be able to think like a goat, says Graeme.
This is Graemes hobby, from which he makes a useful income. He also impersonates Parakura Horomia, the Maori MP and minister, and gives speeches and comedy performances his agent is Andy Hayden.
I am no overly politically correct, but the Maoris really love it.