28 | RURAL PEOPLE » Hugh and Pru Lilburn Organic farming – ‘It’s won me over’ Rosa Watson Hunterville farmer Hugh Lilburn hadn’t intended on heading down the organic farming route when he purchased an 80-hectare block near Fielding three years ago. But after observing the natural processes taking place, he admits he’s been “won over” by the approach, and the bene ts it shown to the stock and to the land. “I was just buying it as a retirement block to retire to and decided that’s where we want to be,” Hugh explained. “And then the guy said, I’m just letting you know, it’s an organic farm.” Having grown and up on and taken over the family sheep and beef farm, this was a fairly new direction for Hugh, but he and his wife, Pru, were happy to take it on as a nishing block. “So, we didn’t buy it because it was an organic farm.” But it made sense to carry it on as it was. “It’s quite hard to get organic certi cation. It’s got opportunities if you keep it organic.” And it’s opened their eyes to the bene ts of the growing approach to farming. “The way it’s going I’m keen to roll it out over more of our platforms.” This includes another 400-hectare farm that is also near Fielding. Hugh said he’s been sitting back and observing the natural process of the organic farm – that grows organic wheat and runs 100 dairy grazers full time and nishes around 100 beef cattle and 1000 lambs from their other properties – and is amazed at what he’s seeing. This includes clover that grows year-round. “There’s hardly a weed on the place down there. There’s hardly a thistle on the place, even when you can’t spray it.” He discovered there were other “ways and means” to eradicate weeds other than spray, like mowing it or letting the stock onto it. “The seed heads grew up … and we now put the dairy herd on it … and they just eradicated it.” By just observing the farm, he has seen how livestock and the land work together. “It’s a really enjoyable experience.” He noticed more diverse bird life appear on the property. “A whole lot of pied stilts took on one of the paddocks – there would’ve been something they would have been eating, one of the baddies (in the soil).” He’s also noticed there doesn’t appear to be any intestinal worm problems in the stock. “I reckon the cattle put on weight faster because there doesn’t seem to be a worm problem.” And he says the stock yield is better when they’re killed. “People have a perception of organics as being inferior fertility-wise, and with poor stock, and yet the soil tests off this farm are some of the best you’ll see. The proof’s in the soil test.” • to page 29 This years organic wheat, despite an appalling summer. Phillip Cockery OWNER 06 323 1080 or 027 44 22 456 feildingtractors2018@xtra.co.nz 133 South Street, Feilding 4702 CASE IH•FIAT •ISEKI •NEW HOLLAND•FORD•McCORMICK KUBOTA•DAEDONG•MASSEY FERGUSON•SAME•JOHN DEERE DAVID BROWN SPECIALISTS + ALL OTHER MAKES & MODELS Scrubcutting • Planting & Thinning • Pruning • Innovation • Drysale, Ferndale & the Turakina Valley Scrubcutting for the Lilburn family for 45 years Dean McManaway Contracting Proud to beHugh&Pru’s AGContractor Organic Cereals • Regrassing • Chicory Moleploughing • Hay • Baleage PhoneDean027429 1292 g ’ Cows graze on lush pasture at Feildale. Grazing heifers on the move at Feildale (above right).
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