Business Rural North Winter 2021

30 | Young farmers thriving at Mangatoa Karen Phelps M angatoa Station’s staff continue to thrive with recent successes being Steve Harris and Julie-Anne Hulmes both passing their level three AgITO qualifications. Steve came to Pa- mu’s Mangatoa Station for work experience around two years ago due to an on-going partnership with North Tec in Kaikohe that was initiated when farm manager Peter Eagle’s son was attending the learning institution. Steve started as a shepherd and general worker on the farm and has recently been promoted to the position of senior shepherd. Julie-Anne arrived to the farm through her brother-in-law, Gavin Brown, who was a stock man- ager on Mangatoa Station. In just two short years she has risen to the position of senior shepherd and Peter says her success is “very inspiring” for other young women thinking of entering the industry. Gavin is another example of Mangatoa Station’s staff success: he started as a cadet shepherd and is now managing one of the biggest farms in the King Country, Moerangi Station. Peter says AgITO courses are key and is pleased that sheep and beef courses are now being offered more locally making it easier for staff to get pro- gress. Staff complete training on farm and head to Kerikeri for courses as required. Peter also credits Pamu with being incredibly supportive of and willing to invest in its staff – particularly important in Northland where work opportunities are more limited. “Steve and Julie-Anne are proof that if you give younger people a chance they can really succeed. For Pamu we have ended up with a better work- force. Our staff really buy into the farm business plan and are on board with everything we are trying to do here,” says Peter. “I absolutely love giving young people opportunities on Mangatoa Station to get ahead.” A new recruit is Aidan Maxwell, who is fresh out of high school and Mangatoa Station has provided a much needed opportunity for him to get into his chosen career. Peter says Aidan has just got his dog and is starting to train them for his shepherd and farm worker role. Mangatoa Station has always had a focus on people. In 2018 the farm won the Livestock Health and Safety Leaders award for the North Island at the Landcorp annual awards. Mangatoa Station is located just west of Kaikohe and comprises 4676ha total/4235ha effective. RURAL PEOPLE » Mangatoa Station It winters around 5000 cattle and has 7000 romney ewes and 2000 replacement hoggets. The sheep numbers have reduced in recent years due to a lepto outbreak that has seen extra expense required to vaccinate sheep putting pressure on the profitability of this aspect of the operation and affecting lambing percentages, which have dropped from 130-140% to 100-110%. A bigger focus has been placed on the farm’s steer finishing operation. It finishes around 1200 steers each year and this year is wintering 1700 heifer calves and 800 steer calves, finishing them in the first winter instead of taking them through two winters to mitigate pasture damage. The target is 220-230kg carcass weight on the heifers. Around 180-200 dairy bulls are sold each year. Drought in 2020 has seen the farm invest heavily in water reticulation and the entire farm now has triple backup: creeks, which are the main water “Steve and Julie-Anne are proof that if you give younger people a chance they can really succeed.” 8 Enterprise St, Kaikohe 0474 PHONE 09 401 0861 Digger Hire • Bulk Cartage • Landscape Supplies Sales • Service • Repairs on all makes & models source and dams and springs as the backup. Three large dams have been built and water can be stored for dryer periods and moved around the farm where required, gravity fed to pumps from dams and pumped from tanks. Before the farm mainly relied on creeks and springs. Shade is the other part of the equation. Due to high demand for poplar poles in New Zealand and difficulty obtaining these Peter has decided to grow their own and has instigated a poplar nursery. Water shortage last year saw this part of the operation a casualty but the long term view is for the nursery to produce 500-600 poplar poles each year further drought-proofing the operation. Mangatoa staff teaching North Tech students how to check for dries on farm. AGRICULTURAL HELICOPTER OPERATORS THE COMPLETE ON FARM HELICOPTER COMPANY CALL US TODAY 0800 2 ROTOR (0800 276 867) OR CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE WWW.ROTORWORK.CO.NZ