28 | New block has shifted the balance Lagoon Hill runs approximately 4,000 ewes to the ram, 1,000 ewe lambs and 230 cattle. Kim Bowden RURAL PEOPLE » Lagoon Hill Only eight months into his role at Lagoon Hill Station, manager John Templeton has already overseen a near doubling of the farm’s effective area. “Just as I arrived, we purchased another 480 hectares and attached it to Lagoon…it was only 560 prior,” he says. The newly acquired block has shifted the balance of the farm - John refers to it as the “sunny side”. Where the original country largely faced into drying northwesterlies, the additional land brings a different aspect and greater resilience. “For farming and growing grass, there’s quite a benefit,” he says. That expansion came with an initial lift in stock numbers, but John has since taken a more measured approach, reducing stock to what he believes the land can sustainably carry. “From my experience, less is more,” he says. “You’re better off with 50 good sheep than 100 poorer types.” Today, Lagoon Hill runs approximately 4,000 ewes to the ram, 1,000 ewe lambs and 230 cattle. John is moving away from straight Romney and Coopworth sheep towards a Romney–Texel type, guided less by breed purity than by performance. “I’m a believer in hybrid vigour - it’s the only thing in farming you get for nothing,” he says. “I’m after a type of sheep…rather than the breed.” While genetics play a role, he is clear on what matters most. “Feed plays a bigger part. If you’ve got no grass, no matter how good your genetics, they won’t perform…type and grass are king.” The expanded property is now split by a sizeable creek - usually manageable, but capable of turning quickly. “You could get across on your push bike no trouble,” John says of typical summer flows. “But we’ve seen it eight to ten feet above normal…it’s a huge catchment.” A bridge planned for installation in May will replace the existing ford, cutting out lengthy detours between blocks and improving day-to-day efficiency. Alongside these changes, Lagoon Hill retains strong links to its past. The station’s woolshed, built in 1912, remains in active use and is a standout feature for John. “That wool shed just about brings a tear to my eye,” he says. “It’s as sound as the day it was built - a real testament to the craftsmanship of D. H. S. Riddiford, who built it.” Ownership sits with Louis and Georgina Vavasour, with Louis a descendant of the family that farmed the property for generations. His interest in land stewardship and diversification is reflected in a growing pheasant shooting operation running alongside the core sheep and beef business. Under the guidance of a dedicated gamekeeper, birds are reared and released across multiple drives each season. Birds are trained to move between roosting areas The largest range of side by sides in the Wairarapa We service and repair all makes and models of ATV’s, Side by Sides and Bikes. YOUR THREE SOLID CHOICES Sargent Motorcycles | 388 High Street South, Carterton 5713 | sargentmotorcycles.nz For all your agricultural requirements. Spraying, cultivations, direct drilling, baling and grain harvesting. 30+ years experience new house plumbing & drainage rennovations septic and enviro tank service/installation heat pump/hot water systems pump & rainwater schemes NIGEL MALNEEK 027 2900 518 malneek_plumbing@yahoo.com PLUMBER / DRAINLAYER 06 370 1212 315 Ngaumutawa Rd, Solway, Masterton www.agtec.co.nz AGTEC – Home of Scimitar Equipment’s Premium Tip Trailers tonne tonne tonne tonne tonne 6 4 8 10 14 AGTEC MACHINERY are proud to support Lagoon Hill. and planted crops before shoot days, when visiting groups are hosted on-farm. “It’s growing into a pretty good business,” John says. Importantly, the enterprise fits around the farm system rather than disrupting it, taking place during quieter winter months and making use of land that complements the wider operation. “We get the crop to eat once they’re finished,” John says. “That’s the best bit.”
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