| 35 Environmental work recognised at awards Kelly Deeks RURAL PEOPLE » Meringa Station • from page 34 Collaboration with Massey Following his demise, the estate was entrusted to the care of his daughter, Judy Pottinger. Judy, who had no children, passed away in 1976 and in the wake of her passing the trustees of Baker’s estate deliberated and decided to transform Limestone Downs into the cornerstone of a trust dedicated to realising Baker’s will – the advancement of agricultural science and broader charitable objectives. The C Alma Baker Charitable Trust was established in 1981 and heralded the beginning of Massey University’s involvement in the farm. This collaboration ushered in a transformative shift in the farm’s management philosophy. The new approach prioritized intensive farming techniques, featuring subdivision through electric fencing, smaller paddocks, reduced flock and herd sizes, rotational grazing, and the integration of higher-performing livestock. In a significant development, the Trust embarked on an ambitious pasture improvement initiative from 2012 to 2013. This endeavour included the humping and hollowing of a substantial portion of the coastal flats, a practice not undertaken in half a century. This marked the foundation for a dairy conversion effort, culminating in the establishment of a 300-hectare milking platform and a state-of-the-art rotary dairy shed commissioned in 2013. Farm managers Graham and Tracey Sinnamon have been recognised for years of hard mahi around environmental protection on the stunning Pamu farm Meringa Station in Taumarunui, as they have taken away a handful of 2023 Ballance Farm Environment Awards for the Horizons region. Graham has been with Pamu for 34 years, and came to Meringa Station from a Wairarapa farm in 2004, looking to get back to the King Country. He says Meringa Station is a stunning property, and its landscape features the Pureora Ranges at the back, the Tangamatoa Stream at the front, and lots of bush remnants between. “The infrastructure is immaculate from the fencing to the wool shed in the middle of the farm, and its mix of contour which for a King Country sheep and beef farm is fantastic.” Meringa Station has always been a solid performer, and Graham and Tracey inherited a farm with very good heart. The 1500ha effective station has a total area of 2000ha including 140ha of Maori lease land, 200ha of forestry, 250ha of native bush, and 100ha of riparian fencing. With a prime focus on lamb finishing, Meringa Station also carries 300 mixed-age Angus cows, as well as 200 dairy beef or steers which are purchased every year as 100kg calves, and kept for two years. Much of Graham and Tracey’s work on the property has been around environmental protection, and as well as planting several hundred trees, they have been early adopters of riparian fencing, having fenced many kilometres of riparian and QEII land. The couple were deservedly handed the NZFET Biodiversity Award, the Horizons Regional Council Award for the Integration of Trees, and the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award. Pamu regional business manager Kathryn Broomfield says they came very close taking out the supreme award, which went to Peter, John, and Karen McErlean of Poplar Partnership. “Graham and Tracey’s recognition at the 2023 Ballance Farm Environment Awards is due to the journey they started many years ago,” she says. “Graham and Tracey have managed this farm for so long and through all the challenges we’ve faced as an industry. It has been an ongoing journey for them the whole time they’ve been on farm.” Meringa Station is now working with climate change and drastically changing weather patterns. A dry and windy summer is forecast with El Niño, so Graham and Tracey are making sure they have a resilient farm for those conditions. Graham and Tracey’s other big challenge is one they share with Pamu and with the whole of New Zealand’s agriculture industry. For all your Excavating requirements give Steven a call today! Servicing Matira, Ngaruawahia, Te Akau, Waingaro, Waikaretu & Huntly areas Steven Brooks 0273361366 • Matira Rd, Ngaruawahia SW Brooks Contracting Limited EXCAVAT I NG , TRUCK CARTAGE & S I LAGE SERV I CES Limited 168 Totara St, Manunui 3924 Ph 07 895 8492 • Mobile 027 418 670 info@ongaruetransport.co.nz Proud to be associated with Meringa Station i i i i It is of course, the ability to attract high performing employees. But Pamu is making headway for the future in this area with training for all staff, and dedicated Nature of Leadership programmes for farm managers and 2ICs. “We need to do something to keep attracting people in for our future, and for the future of the industry,” Kathryn says. Graham and Tracey Sinnamon (inset) have been recognised for their work at Meringa Station with a swag of Farm Environment Awards for the Horizons region.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=