Up the Orautoha

KATHRYN OLIVER: In her element on the Orautoha Valley farm.

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Central Districts Farmer

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It was a retirement property, but hardly the type most people would choose for retirement. Winston and Heather Oliver started a new life on a new property at a time when other farmers are thinking of slowing down. LIZ BROOK went for a look.

The Olivers farmed a steep 514-hectare property in the Orautoha Valley west of Raetihi and it was getting a bit much for them. So seven years ago, when the chance to buy the neighbouring land came up – at 447ha – it seemed a good time to move.

"We think we have retired but we haven't really. It is more work," said Heather Oliver.

The farm had been leased for several years and maintenance had been minimal. It was run down, to say the least. One daughter and son-in-law said it was too rough and too run down. However, another daughter and her husband bought the old farm.

Daughter Kathryn, who now runs the property, was working in a London diagnostic clinic as a cytologist, and it was not long before she was home and helping on the farm.

"She sort of had it in her mind to go farming and had always been keen on animals," said her mother.

The wool shed, only 25-years-old, was in good shape. They have since brought the house up to scratch, there was a lot of scrub cutting to do, gates that were standing were tied up with baling twine, fences broken down by cattle, and there had been no regular top dressing.

They are still sorting out the fences. Four sets of yards are spread around the property, and the ones "out back" need some TLC. There is the added annoyance of goats and deer coming onto the property, which creates a problem. Even though their cattle are C10 (Tb free), because of the deer they need annual Tb testing.

Electricity was, and still is, a problem with lots of outages. They invested in a large generator and it is "used a lot". Although there is a Telecom repeater at the top of one of their paddocks, there is no cellphone coverage.

Ms Oliver bought the sheep from her parents and has 2400 Perendale ewes and 700 hoggets, plus her parents' 30 heifers and cows.

When Ms Oliver returned home she did a Massey University course in farm management which has proved helpful.

"Mum and Dad help when I need them," she said.

In an emergency she can shear sheep, though "very badly". But her release valve is dog trialling with her heading dog.

Some of the land is "a significant landscape area" under local government planning, but the family said it is really the river, the riparian margins and the bush that are the significant areas, not the grassed hills and pasture. Talks with authorities are continuing...

- Central Districts Farmer