12 | RURAL PEOPLE » Hereheretau Station Awards ‘showcase all the hard work’ Drenching and fencing at Hereheretau. The 3480ha station has a history dating back to 1922 when it assisted Maori soldiers returning from World War 1. Karen Phelps Hereheretau Station is a finalist for the second time in this year’s prestigious Ahuwhenua Trophy – BNZ Maori Excellence in Farming Awards. “We’re very proud to be representing the Maori Soldiers’ Trust and showcasing all the hard work that’s been put into the station over the years,” says farm manager Dick Finnie. Hereheretau Station is situated on Hereheretau Road, some 25km northeast of Wairoa and access is gained via an unsealed Hereheretau Road,7kms from its junction with SH 2 at Whakaki. The 3480ha station has a history dating back to 1922 when it assisted Maori soldiers returning from World War 1. Today Hereheretau Station provides grants to the Maori Soldiers’ Fund and Sir Apirana Ngata Scholarship, benefitting young Maori from all over the country. The education fund became the major recipient of Hereheretau Station profits as its original beneficiaries, World War One soldiers, passed on. Hereheretau Station comprises predominantly steep land and farms approximately 9.8 stock units per effective hectare, a total of 27,000 stock units. It is almost evenly split between sheep and beef with a slight leaning towards the sheep side of the operation. The breed is Romney base with a black face used for terminal sire. The cattle are Angus Shorthorn and Gisborne/Wairoa genetics are favoured with Simmental bulls used from Karrah Simmentals stud next door. The station fattens and kills all its animals with sheep fattened on Whakaki Flat and lambs killed at 19kgs live weight. There is a small trading component with around 2000 lambs bought in each year. The aim is to kill all trade cattle before their second Christmas, killing heifers at 260kgs and steers at 300kgs. The station also buys in an additional 350 steers to fatten and kill. A little maize silage is fed on the sand dunes over winter to get the cattle off the steep hills and wet flats. A newer venture is bull farming to make the most of the land on the Whakaki Flats. Around 130 bulls are taken through one winter and killed at 18 months to provide more diversity to the farm income. Due to the lie of the land stock work Hereheretau Station is mainly completed on horse. Dick says this provides opportunities for workers to learn better stockmanship skills and means they can get to places not accessible by vehicle. No tracks means less damage to the land. Conservation values are at the forefront at Hereheretau Station. There is on-going investment in fencing, pasture regeneration and weed control. Around 172 hectares of native bush has been fenced off, and gullies have been planted with willows for erosion control and to provide stock with shade. Dick says at risk gullies are identified and the station works with Hawke’s Bay District Council to plant them in natives. Recently the community was involved in a planting day. Providing opportunities for the next generation is another focus. The station runs a shepherding programme with three shepherds. The shepherds move up the ranks gaining experience – even taking charge of employing the new incoming shepherds. Hereheretau Station has three other employees, including shepherd Paul Te Aho, who has been on the station for over 30 years. James Beattie and Lance Wesche are the general hands/fencers. Hereheretau Station’s farm supervisor is Peter McKenzie of Lewis Wright Valuation & Consultancy. “It’s pretty cool to work for a unique bunch of people,” says Dick. “We certainly run Hereheretau Station with a lot of mana, thinking of the Maori Soldiers’ Trust we work for.” “It’s pretty cool to work for a unique bunch of people. We certainly run Hereheretau Station with a lot of mana, thinking of the Maori Soldiers’ Trust we work for.” LIME - UREA - FERTILISER BLENDS - STANDARD FERTILISER Call us today to discuss your requirements Bulk fertiliser and Lime spreading across the Wairoa District Contact: Craig Henneker Phone: 021 751 235 Email: craig@wss.nz Locally Owned and Operated
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