40 | Helping the next Tamar Farm Red Devon calf. Owners Richard and Chrissie Wright are keen supporters of local organisations and sponsor the local rugby club. Sue Russell Manufacturing • Silage feed-out wagons • Multi bale feeders • 2 bale feeders • Vee-Rakes and Line-Rakes Manufacturers of High quality farming equipment “Built Strong, Built to Last” Proudly supporting Tamar Farm 75 Main South Road, Sockburn, Christchurch • 03-348 7800 • taegenz@hotmail.com Mowing • Raking • Round & Square Baling • Individual & Tube Wrapping • Feed Trading & Storage 0274 603 921 Fergus Wakelin Richard and Chrissie Wright have followed a well-strategised path through sharemilking and equity partnerships to enable ownership in 2002 of Tamar Farm, now an 1840ha beef, dairy and cropping property near Mt Somers, mid-Canterbury. The property is flat and bordered by two rivers. Over time they have extensively planted it with willows, poplars and other ornamental trees and native species to improve further the environmental sustainability of the property. Richard says he and Chrissie believe it is important to give back, not only in terms of improving environmental and financial outcomes but to also help the next generation of keen farmers to achieve farm ownership. They now have sharemilkers on their dairy units. Richard says he’s concerned within the rural sector, that not enough established farmers who gained property ownership themselves through sharemilking, support others to move into sharemilking. “We really believe it is a responsibility having reached the position we are now in to assist other hard-working farmers to achieve their goals. For the health and longevity of the industry that encouragement is needed to ensure new generations come through.” And never stopping improvement is key to their ongoing strategy. When Rural South spoke with Richard early February, a focus for him was to upskill himself on Green House Gas Emissions and the impact their farming systems had on these. “We’ve also engaged a consultant, Charlotte Glass, of Agrimagic, to build a model of the farm so we can put a whole lot of ‘what-if’s’ into the mix, to see what outcomes these bring in terms of efficiency gain.” Adding value to the core activities on the selfsufficient property has created opportunities to secure further gain as well. Tamar Beef is now being sold and supplied to local restaurants and Richard says feedback gained from consumers and chefs using the meat has been extremely encouraging. “It’s a beautiful marbled meat, full of flavour, and it’s great to be able to find places where locals and visitors to the district can taste it.” Supporting the growth in demand for Tamar farm-sourced meat has been local butcher NethMEAT & WOOL » Tamar Farm: Richard & Chrissie Wright erby Meats, from Ashburton who sources all his beef from Tamar. Tamar also sells meat direct from the farm and is about to launch a new website. Richard says he and Chrissie give away a lot as well to support local community. “We like to donate and sponsor the local rugby club, A & P Societies, the Lions Club and others. Richard is optimistic that this particular business, within the wider farming business will continue to thrive, as word gets out about the quality of the meat. “We also use the Red Devon bulls to breed over our dairy heifers and cows after AI as they are an easy calving breed. We then rear those calves which minimises bobby calves and they are finished as prime beef or the bulls sold back to the dairy industry”. “Red Devon as a breed are perfect for beef production. They are slow growing, docile animals. Slow growth creates great beef. We use ultrasound to measure the intra muscular fat (IMF) and eye muscle area (EMA) to assess the quality of the animal so that we can continue to improve the herd”. It’s an old-fashioned breed and the contractor who does our ultra-sound scanning says, working with our stock is like going back in time. The breed hasn’t been tampered with to breed lean meat as was the fashion for a number of years, whilst now marbling is back in vogue. Stock are two year’s old at slaughter. “We know we have a unique beautiful marbled product.” The farm operates a pasture-based system and Richard says half the farm is not irrigated and can get dry. The beef herd is used as a tool to clean up the pasture quality following behind youngstock. “We calve up to 400 Devons in the Autumn which spreads our workload and also gives us the most mouths on the farm in the Spring to utilise the Spring flush”. Named after the Tamar River that separates Devon and Cornwall in England where Richard grew up, Tamar Farm is situated at an elevation of 350m. Views extend out to the Southern Alps and a prettier farm would be hard to find. A lot of care and thought is being put into developing the Tamar Beef website. “We want to showcase our farm, the environment, our sustainability and our people”. Mt Somers Excavation Ltd Alistair Parris Owner / Operator - 20 Hinds Gorge Rd RD 8 Ashburton 7778 Call now to discuss what jobs you require! Ph: 027 434 7278 W: www.mtsomersexcavation.co.nz | E: mtsomersexcavation@xtra.co.nz Broad range of Earth moving maintenance needs catered for! • GENERAL FARM MAINTENANCE • ALKATHENE PIPE LAYING • IRRIGATION MAINLINE TRENCHING • 8, 14 & 20 TONNE DIGGERS • TIP TRUCK & TRAILER • GRADER • SCREEN SHINGLE SUPPLIES • TREE REMOVAL
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