| 3 Aorangi Farm showcase their business Jed on his horse Bud and Taylor on her pony George. Sue Russell Since winning the coveted Tararua Excellence in Farming Awards, Mathew and Marilyn Prior have hosted a very successful field day on 2 May, to showcase their farming business up close to about 130 farmers. Aorangi Farm extends over 740 hectares – 640 hectares effective, of what can be described as challenging hill country, mostly class 6 and 7. Just 10 hectares of the farm’s total footprint is cultivable land. The judges, in awarding this prize, recognised the years and years of hard work, careful due diligence, perseverance and innovation, that has hallmarked their farming journey to date, and will continue to guide and ground future decisions. The field day gave fellow farmers the chance to hear what the couple have set as their priorities, exchange ideas and celebrate the Prior’s achievements. “We’ve been working hard to build equity in our farming business, paying off a large sum over the last 8 years,” Mathew explains. Gary Massicks from BakerAg facilitated the field day, commenting that the turn-out was fantastic, despite the 15mm of overnight rain. Aorangi Farm, is situated at Makuri, a small farming community in the Manawatu / Whanganui region, about an hour from Palmerston North, between Pahiatua and Pongaroa. The couple came onto the farm in a partnership with Mathew’s parents, which has subsequently been paid out to them. The farm, Mathew says, has been profitable right from taking it over with the former owner having put a lot of fertiliser on it. The farm lambs 3,600 mostly romney ewes and about 230 weaner cattle and 100 18month-old cattle. Mathew says a real strength of the business is that he and Marilyn are prepared to think outside the square when it comes to their sheep and beef policies. The sheep policy is based around buying replacement ewes, mating all terminal and selling a mixture of store and fat lambs which allows more ewes to be lambed, while reducing workload. “We don’t breed replacements and this approach has paid off for us. Our resources are put into costs and activities that give us the best return.” The cattle policy is based around a trading margin of about 380 weaner-18month old cattle from their mix of bulls, steers and heifers. Their two children, Jed at 9 years old and Taylor at 7 attend the local small country school and both Mathew and Marilyn are involved in their community. And with a clear strategic pathway ahead, flexible enough though to seize opportunities as these present, the couple are well on their way to eliminating farm debt, to set themselves up for the RURAL PEOPLE » Aorangi Farm future. They started with 75% debt and are very proud of their cost control and the farm’s ability to pay down debt while developing the land with 18km of 8-wire fencing completed in the last 5 years. “We’re open to what will happen and when that might be, but the idea of an equity partner is appealing, as they have some skin in the game.” To prepare for the field day, the couple documented all the key aspects of their farming business, opportunities and challenges in a comprehensive field day booklet, made available to those attending. The document sets out in bullet-point form all the major historical events, financial situation, the key factors in their stock policies, where their strengths and weaknesses are. “We found that exercise to be really worthwhile and it meant we could see the journey to date and the pathway ahead, guiding our farming decisions.” And when not involved in local community activities, the couple and children are enjoying a spot of fishing in a recently purchased boat. “We found that exercise to be really worthwhile and it meant we could see the journey to date and the pathway ahead, guiding our farming decisions.” “For the real deal call Beale” For all your Rural Transport needs • 027 688 2081 • orders@bealetrucking.co.nz Cheri Henricksen ( NOT A BUS DRIVER ) Associate, B.B.S., C.A. we help drive your business forward PH. 06 376 7181 MOB. 0274 778036 Specialising in livestock cartage & general freight transport in the lower North Island region 61 Short Road, Pahiatua, New Zealand, 4982 brandfmurdoch@xtra.co.nz “We don’t wean until the middle of January so that gives us a window before hand to get away a bit.” All in all, with the fruits of their hard work recognised in the award, Mathew and Marilyn find themselves in a very positive farming business situation and with plenty of years ahead, it will be a question of wait and see, to see what they can achieve ahead.
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