60 | Native seedpod trial part of land rehabilitation The farm’s accommodation business was put out of action by Cyclone Gabrielle. Waiwhenua runs a mix of beef, sheep and deer. Karen Phelps Hawke’s Bay farming couple Ainsley Harte and Willie Hill are focusing on how to create efficiencies on the family farm they started leasing a year ago. At present the couple are the sole workers on 410ha total/315ha effective Waiwhenua Farm in Waiwhare. “At the moment we have to take our days off separately so we are looking overall at how to streamline. We would like to find a lease block as expanding we could then justify an extra labour unit,” explains Willie. Willie is third generation on Waiwhenua, which is owned by a family trust. He had been stock manager at Waiwhenua for five years prior to the couple leasing the farm. Willie and Ainsley say they wouldn’t be in the position they are in now without having a good relationship with Willie’s mum, Kirsty and Willie’s step-dad, Gary. Waiwhenua has a mix of sheep, beef and deer. The farm’s 300 Red deer produce solely velvet for the Chinese and Korean market with only culls heading to the works. Willie says that it has been a rewarding industry with good potential for making genetic gain and improvements. “Dad introduced deer onto the farm in the eighties and venison prices fluctuated a lot so we looked for a different revenue stream to diversify. Velvet is a more stable market and is having massive growth,” he says. The couple also has a Friesian bull beef finishing business and aims to finish about 300 R3s each RURAL PEOPLE » Waiwhenua Farm Hawke’s Bay farmers Willie Hall and Ainsley Harte. year and, depending on the season, finish R2s as well with 140 R2s finished this season. They rear 250 replacement Friesian bull calves every year, which are purchased from the Reporoa Sale. They finish around 4000 winter trade lambs each year and up to 2000 summer trade depending on the season. Both work full time on the farm with Willie being the decision maker in the stock side of the business and Ainsley in charge of administration, agronomy and fertiliser. Ainsley grew up on a dairy farm, has a degree from Lincoln University in environmental management and planning and previously worked as agri manager for Ravensdown. “As Willie grew up on this farm combined with my background and knowledge it’s been a good combination,” she says. “It’s exciting to see results here as I have already changed our fertiliser policy and come up with a re-grassing plan with species that suit our finishing system.” The farm also includes an accommodation business called Waiwhenua River Side Park – currently out of action due to the Tutaekuri River overflowing during Cyclone Gabrielle. They plan to streamline this part of the business and open again for the summer 2024/25 season. The cyclone luckily didn’t do too much harm to the farm much apart from small slips damaging fence lines. Ainsley’s brother Tate, a fencer, came to the rescue quickly re-establishing temporary fences until they can be repaired permanently. Ainsley is also secretary and catchment coordinator for community catchment group called Between the Two Rivers (B2R). The group has government funding available to facilitate everything from trial work on farms and workshops in agricultural, horticultural and viticultural spaces to community meetings with councils discussing community issues etc. “B2R is about to start a trial with seedpods containing native tree seeds being distributed on slipped farmland that is going to be retired from grazing. The seedpods will be flown on by drone so it’s going to be exciting to be a part of rehabilitating this land.” 0800 100 123 ravensdown.co.nz Ravensdown is proud to support Waiwhenua Farm TURTONS.CO.NZ
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