14 | Tracts of native bush a farm feature Robert Cashmore repairing some roadside fencing at Kiripaka Station. The 1200ha property includes three large tracts of native bush. Richard Loader An hour southeast from the hustle and bustle of Auckland’s CBD, Kiripaka Station is owned by the Cashmore family and managed by Robert and Rachel Cashmore. Translated from te reo, Kiripaka means ‘hard as flint’ and reflects the manganese seams that run through the 1200-hectare property, which has been in the family for five generations. Of the 1200 hectares, about 750 hectares is effective, with stock excluded from the balance, which includes three large holdings of native bush that Robert’s predecessors had the foresight to protect. “Those tracts of native bush have been virgin bush forever and include beech, which is very uncommon this far north, large holdings of kauri, rimu, totara and matai,” says Robert. “We do have pockets of native bush for shelter in just about every paddock on the farm. There are also some wetland areas. We’re doing what we can to fence off wetland and patches of bush, but money has been tight and that has prevented progress.” Robert says the station policy is to allow gullies prone to erosion from heavy rainfalls reconvert back to bush so that the native vegetation holds pasture up either side of the gullies, preventing tracts of water from destroying it. About 300 hectares of Kiripaka Station is flat to rolling with the remainder steep country rising from an altitude of 200 metres up to 600 metres above sea level, the highest privately owned farmland in Auckland. RURAL PEOPLE » Cashmore Farms The station’s capital stock includes 3000 Romney ewes, 850 replacement hoggets, and 204 breeding Angus cattle. Fattening stock includes 50 R2 bulls, 23 R2 steers, with 17 R2 heifers remaining from the original 50 Robert started with this year. As of this season Robert and Rachel have changed their stock policy and now trade lambs over autumn and spring. “We have 2500 trading lambs on farm at present, with the intention of trading 5000 lambs. All progeny from our capital stock is stored off the ewes as well. I have no lambs on farm over summer, only replacements. Come autumn I start buying in lambs and do trades from March to July, and then July to October. “ As a breeding and finishing farm we were not getting the margins required to keep up with inflation, so we are going to be running our capital stock on the more marginal country, but are uncertain what capacity we will have feed wise going into winter, so may have to lower numbers.” Genetics from Turanganui Romneys in South Wairarapa are used because of their bloodlines, better fertility, and a frame size that suits the farm’s topography. “We’ve tried different breeders and we always seem to go back to Turanganui – the sheep just seem to do better on our farm. Turanganui also breeds for facial eczema (FE) resistance, and test genetically for FE tolerance, rather than sporidesmin, which many ram breeders do. “I’m also breeding my own sire bulls through an AI programme, which is a bit different to the norm. I get Angus semen and AI my replacement heifers, and keep` the progeny, to go over the mixed age cows.” While Kiripaka didn’t suffer from a major rain event when Gabrielle swept through the region last year, extreme winds did blow down many poplar trees, and damaged the woolshed, sheep yards, and small cattle yard nearby. “When the poplars came down they created wind tunnels that destroyed our stand of lusitanica trees, that fell over our driveway. That took a month or so to clean all that up. There is still some roadside fencing that needs to be done, but in terms of operational facilities we are OK.” Mike Warren 027 446 5312 or 06 307 7841 Guy Warren 027 848 0164 WilliamWarren 027 824 9327 Turanganui Romneys 33 Coles Crescent PO Box 72-016, Papakura 2244 T 09 299 6596 E reception@robbix.co.nz • Business Advisors • Rural Specialists • Chartered Accountants Proud to be associated with Cashmore Farms Ltd Empowering freedom, clarity and purpose in business
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