Business Rural North Autumn 2021

8 | RURAL PEOPLE » Ongarua Farm: Saunders Family Cameraman, cave guide, author drawn The historic wool shed at Ongarua Farm. Photo: Tim Saunders Richard Loader O n the banks of the Oroua River in the Manawatu and in the small farming district of Glen Oroua, Ongarua Farm takes pride of place; a legacy of land bought by WJ Saunders and his son Tom back in 1906. Prior to 1906 the land was prone to flooding from the Oroua River on the eastern boundary and couldn’t really be farmed. But when WJ Saunders and his son bought the land they set to work build- ing a stop bank along the river boundary using drays, horses, scoop and a lot back breaking work. The flooding was contained and pastoral farming became possible on the Saunders parcel of land, so successfully that the local government of the day decided to replicate what the Saunders had done and constructed banks to the same design right along the river. Over the last 115 years the farm has passed through five generations of Saunders, with the third generation splitting it into two 380 hectare farms for two farming sons in 1977. Fifth generation Tim Saunders, who farms Ongarua with his brother Mark, says he feels a huge responsibility farming land that has been in the family for so many successive generations. “The 380 hectares that I farm is more or less the same land that my great-great grandfather walked. It’s a big responsibility to the land, the environment and to the family name. No one wants to be that generation that drops the ball and everything turns to custard.” Both living in cottages on the farm, Tim gravitates more to the sheep, while Mark gravitates to crop- ping, and both meet in the middle to look after the cattle. “With only 380 hectares we really have to make things work and I think that every generation wants to make the farm more productive and every generation has ideas on how to improve the farm,” says Tim. “But I think it’s important we don’t forget the past. There’s a reason that we’re here and the farm is still viable. That reason is the people who walked this land before us. Everything I know about farming has been handed down from generation to genera- tion. We’re guided by the past when looking to the future.” From those past generations who built the stop banks, cleared the land and left their own mark in the face of farming adversity Tim has taken away the lessons of tenacity and the need to keep going. In the old days that spirit was referred to as ‘true grit’. Today we refer to it as resilience. When Tim left school he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be a farmer; the world just seemed such an exciting place. A decision to study agriculture at Massey Univer- sity was really a ploy to delay any career decisions but a degree in Applied Science was the reward. Going on to study TV and Film at Avalon Studios in Wellington, Tim ended up behind a lens, becom- ing a camera operator for a few years. “I was living in Wellington at that time and was torn thinking the farm was still there but I hadn’t finished seeing the world. I answered an advert to be a Cave Guide in Te Anau, despite never having been in a cave before and only a dim idea of where Te Anau actually was. “So I spent several years in Fiordland before driving busses for a company called Flying Kiwi taking groups of tourists on 30 day camping trips right around New Zealand. It was while doing this that I met my wife Kathrin who was here on a visit from Germany.” At the end of his contract in 2006 Tim moved to Germany with Kathrin and lived in Hamburg for a few years before feeling a pull to the farm and a need for open spaces and fresh air. “We decided to come back to the farm in 2009 and have been here ever since. In this country we’re in a unique position to produce ethically raised free range/grass fed food. And as consum- ers it’s important we’re mindful about what we eat and where it comes from and give it the respect it deserves. As a farmer I have to convey that mes- sage to the people who buy the food.” In August last year Tim published his book ‘This farming Life’, which spent six weeks in the Top 10 Best Sellers. The book covers a year of Tim’s life on the farm incorporating the highs and lows of farming. ‘Farming can be full of joyful moments and crushingly harsh. The book covers everything from lambing to drenching to shearing to slaughter and describes how farming life changes through the seasons and some of the processes that affect that. Through that book I hope people will know a little more about the people who produce the food.” Tim made a good call to return to the farm and be that fifth generation. “But I think it’s important we don’t forget the past. There’s a reason that we’re here and the farm is still viable. That reason is the people who walked this land before us. Everything I know about farming has been handed down from generation to generation. We’re guided by the past when looking to the future.” Congratula�ons to the Saunders family on successfully farming their property for 100 years. We are proud to have been involved in providing them with Agricultural Avia�on Services. In the 70 years since Agricultural Avia�on commenced there has only been three operators providing Avia�on Services to the Saunders family-Frank Desborough, Barry Sait and for the last 50 years Griffin Ag-Air Ltd. GRIFFIN AG-AIR LTD For all your Aerial Spraying requirements contact Halle� Griffin at Griffin Ag-Air Ltd Phone: 06 3572651 or email us: griffair@inspire.net.nz AFFCO is proud to support Saunders Family Farm