24 | Farming in the land of milk and honey Wairarapa farmer George Tatham still enjoys advocating for farmers. Richard Loader RURAL PEOPLE » George Tatham My parents did a fantastic job at improving the farm over their tenure and we like to think we’re doing the same. Times are changing and the ways we do things are changing. “There’s a lot more focus on the environment so we’ve spent a lot of time over our twenty years doing the basics right – retiring waterways and planting up those retired areas. We spend a lot of time on staff development, looking after our staff and creating an atmosphere where it’s fun to be here. Work is hopefully an enjoyable place for everyone at Matariki – it’s really important to us that it is.” For the last eight years George has been a Board Member for the Eastern North Island electorate of Beef + Lamb. Initially drawn to the organisation through a passion for helping run better farm businesses, George says there has been a shift to helping farmers through the challenges of changing farm practices. “I’m still enjoying advocating for farmers so that they can continue to do what they do best which his farming. “ But I also enjoy leadership in that farmers have to change ways of doing things, and that’s not always easy. People don’t like being told they need to change what they have done for the last twenty- ve years.” “Homewood is known as a bit of a pocket in the Wairarapa with high quality land. It’s a fantastic place to farm and a fantastic place to raise a family, with many opportunities.” Proud to be associated with George Tatham Call Arron Cook on 027 498 7104 George Tatham’s friends often refer to Homewood, the area that his family has farmed for ve generation, as the land of milk and honey. “Homewood is known as a bit of a pocket in the Wairarapa with high quality land,” says George. “It’s a fantastic place to farm and a fantastic place to raise a family, with many opportunities.” The farm is called Matariki. Quietly located 45 minutes east of the Wairarapa township of Masterton, Matariki is a traditional sheep and beef breeding and nishing farm encompassing an effective area of 1450 hectares, with a further 450 hectares of regenerating scrub and native bush. Matariki embraces ve kilometres of breathtaking East Coast coastline replete with a mix of sandy beaches and high cliff tops that drop to the ocean below – along with a bounty of paua and cray sh waiting in nearby reefs. “The coastline is a pretty special feature,” says George. “We’ve had lots of visitors to the farm over the years and everyone always comments on how beautiful it is. I think that at times you might take it for granted – sometimes you just have to slow down and appreciate where you live.” Apart from time spent at university and a few years gaining life experience in his twenties, George has lived all his life at Matariki. “I loved farming from a young age. My childhood was spent following dad around. Somewhat luckily for me I have four siblings and none of them were interested in taking over the farm. When my father had a few health issues I came back to manage the farm in 2000. Eighteen months later we did a family succession. I was 26 at the time and dad was determined that we start succession while I was still young.” George’s wife Sarah has been an active part of the farm journey since 2003. Very much a family farm, the couple has four children Poppy 14, Freddy 13, Digby 11 and Tui 6. “Sarah and I have a view that we want to leave the land better than we found it.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=