4 | RURAL PEOPLE » Alcuin Station ‘Swamp’ now an award-winning farm Jane Johnson on farm (top). Getting Alcuin up to speed involved installing seemingly endless kilometres of Novaflo for drainage, along with extensive contouring using their own digger and a hired bulldozer. Hugh de Lacy A fistful of environmental awards, including last year’s East Coast Balance Supreme winner, is testament to Jane and Mark Johnson’s development since 2008 of Alcuin Station straddling the Motu River near Matawai, about 100km inland from Gisborne. Alcuin was “essentially a swamp” carrying just 7500 stock units when he and Jane took it over, Mark says, and it has required a huge developmental investment and the addition of a neighbouring 1000ha farm to get it up to the 15,000 units it carries today. Of its present 2400ha of medium to steep hill country, about 1600ha are effective, with the best land comprising 600ha of river flats along both sides of the Motu. Today, on a ratio of 60% cattle to 40% sheep, Alcuin carries 4400 ewes, 2200 trade lambs and 1800 cattle, the latter mostly comprising Angus and Charolais bred on the farm, but including 430 rising two-year-old Friesian bulls and 450 yearlings, plus 149 Wagyu steers and heifers. “The pastures at Alcuin were very sour when we took over, and there were lots of rushes and old logs and stumps left over from its native forestry days,” Mark says. At the time the Johnsons acquired Alcuin they were also farming a 500ha sheep and cattle farm of 5000 stock units at Otoko, and they stayed there with a manager on Alcuin until they moved to the larger farm and disposed of Otoko about 13 years ago. Getting Alcuin up to speed involved installing seemingly endless kilometres of Novaflo for drainage, along with extensive contouring using their own digger and a hired bulldozer. Developing the pastures involved sowing a swede/kale crop of winter break-feed for each of the first two years, followed by a ceres one50 ryegrass and clover mix, followed by intensive liming that lifted the pH level from 5.2 to 6. Then there was the fencing, miles of it, not only for sub-division but also to protect both sides of the 14km of river flowing through it, and similar treatment of a road doing the same. That was followed by the water reticulation of the 600ha of river terraces, the formation and metalling of laneways throughout the farm, and building a 34m concrete bridge over the river for what seems like the modest cost today of $250,000. This laneway metalling was made economic by a quarry, just over the road from the farm, of hard blue rock, some of which had been used for roundabouts in Auckland. Three years ago the Johnsons set about upgrading their flock of sheep by introducing Kelso bloodlines for their robustness and conformation, and their ability to maintain body-condition year-round. “It’s too early yet to see the full benefits of the Kelsos come through the main flock, but the positive signs are certainly there,” Mark says. Winning the East Coast Balance Supreme Award last year came from the couple “wanting to put our hand up for all farmers and show the good things that farmers are doing everywhere for the environment,” Jane says. Proud to be working alongside Alcuin Station. Listening. Thinking. Innovating. 0800 4 KELSO Power Farming Gisborne | 06 868 8908
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