16 | The flock, which sits at around 39 microns, is culled on wool quality, with Brad insisting any animal kept must perform on both fronts. “It has to produce good wool and be a good meat animal as well,” he says. “We just sold our wool for $6.48 a kilo greasy at the North Island wool sale.” Rather than sending lambs to the works at lighter weights, the family now builds them up further, ‘Everything is working in our favour’ Located near Porangahau the 1240ha home block, Longview, bore the brunt of the cyclone’s damage. Karen Phelps RURAL PEOPLE » Longview Repairs after Cyclone Gabrielle to southern Hawke’s Bay farming operation Longview and Oakbourne are finally gaining momentum thanks to rising wool and meat prices. “After the cyclone we made do with what we had but with the meat and wool prices rising everything is working in our favour,” says Brad Stoddart who runs the farms with father Mike. Located near Porangahau the 1240ha home block, Longview, bore the brunt of the cyclone’s damage, with slips, and damaged tracks and fences leaving around 7-8km of fencing in need of repair. Tracks and access points across the farm have largely been restored and slip sites are being left to grass over naturally as paddocks recover. The finishing block, called Oakbourne, is 410ha. The farms runs 14,200 stock units with 60% Romney sheep and the remainder in Angus cattle. Fencing is currently the main focus with a contractor recently taken on to work through the backlog gradually. “Sometimes it gets frustrating when you go to put lambs in a paddock and they can get through because of a hole,” he says. “So it’s created a lot of extra work for us on many fronts. The yards and fences my father built when he was younger are also coming to the end of their life and it’s great that we’re able to reinvest back into the farm now.” Winter lambs have performed well in the past two seasons as have cattle prices. The family’s wool operation, built around its Romney flock, has been a particular bright spot, with prices climbing sharply. “We got about $5.40 for our main shear at Christmas, and the price is going up quite fast,” says Brad. “There is demand for it and less wool around due to land going into pine trees and people changing to shedding sheep.” Proud to support Longview Hay, Baleage & Feeds Kevin Hermansen 027 485 5755 Silage & Trucking Paul Glover 027 286 1699 Agricultural Cultivation Kevin Hermansen 027 485 5755 Email: hermycontracting@xtra.co.nz THE DEFENDER HD11 ENGINEERED TO OUTPERFORM WITH THE MOST POWER, TECHNOLOGY, AND COMFORT BAY MOTORCYCLES • BAY FORD • BAY MAZDA • GISBORNE MOTORS • TAUPO POWERSPORTS 31 Takapau Road, Waipukurau 06 858 8983 Proud to support Longview Services include: • General farm earthworks • House & shed site preparation • Drainage solutions • Root raking • Fence line clearing • Pipe laying & mole ploughing • Portable sawmilling • Red metal supply & cartage Equipment: • 13T digger • Bulldozer • Truck & transporter • Tractor trailer HERE FOR LIFE. Willy Philip 102 Laws Road, Dannevirke Ph: 027 450 9398 06 374 8857 Email: anui@xtra.co.nz George Philip 923 Mangatuna Road, Dannevirke Ph: 027 306 2369 06 374 2861 Email: gwphilip@hotmail.com targeting carcass weights of 24-26kg before supplying Silver Fern Farms. “We are working on getting a stable business that makes the most of good times, so when a downturn or bad time occurs we can handle it,” says Brad. “It’s about making a more resilient business.” Staffing pressures have also forced change on the operation, which has scaled back to just Brad, his wife Aleisha, Mike and a full time worker supported by contractors. “If you get the right contractor and have the right relationship with them it works out quite well, so that’s made it easier.” Brad is the third generation to farm the land, a ballot farm his grandfather obtained after the war. Aleisha and Brad are parents to daughter Cadi, 11 and son Beauden, 9, who also love the rural life.
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