| 31 Building on legacy and embracing opportunity Gracie (14), Greg, Bruno the dog, Nic and Sam (12). Alexia Anderson For more than a century, the Ruddenklau family has farmed the Golden Gully home block at Five Forks in North Otago. Today, Greg and Nic Ruddenklau are continuing that legacy while embracing new opportunities to enhance the family’s farming future. Golden Gully Farming combines sheep and Angus cattle with agritourism through the Little Red School House farmstay and farm tours. Greg and Nic run the business alongside their three children - Bailey (22), Grace (14) and Sam (12), with the younger two also operating their own entrepreneurial venture making woollen pet beds. “The Ruddenklau family has been farming and caring for the Golden Gully home block since the 1920s, acting as custodians of the land for more than a century,” Nic says. The business entered a new chapter in 2003 when Greg returned home after managing a large North Island sheep and beef station, joining his father in partnership. Since then, Greg and Nic have continued developing the operation through irrigation, fencing, paddock development, changes in sheep genetics, a transition towards Angus cattle and the addition of agritourism. “Like many modern farming businesses, we’ve looked for opportunities to add value and create multiple income streams while remaining firmly grounded in farming,” Nic says. Alongside livestock, diversification has become a key aspect of the business. The Little Red School House farmstay began as a project after Nic restored the former Fuchsia Creek School, which operated from 1925 to 1949. “Many of our visitors come from busy urban environments, so being able to soak in an outdoor bath under a star-filled sky, listen to the sounds of nature and enjoy wide open spaces can be quite special.” The couple also offer farm tours, introducing visitors to life on a working farm and helping close the gap between rural and urban communities. “Diversification has been extremely important for us,” Nic says. “There have been periods when commodity prices were low and interest rates were high, and having additional income streams provided valuable resilience for the business.”Family remains at the heart of everything they do.“Family, integrity, hard work and stewardship are values that guide everything we do. We recognise that we are simply the current RURAL PEOPLE » Golden Gully Farming custodians of the land and have a responsibility to care for it so future generations can continue farming it if they choose.” Those values are already being passed on to the next generation. Five years ago, Sam wanted a new motorbike, prompting his parents to encourage him to earn it himself. “He started making woollen pet beds, and to our surprise, the business quickly went viral. Before long, the whole family was spending evenings in the woolshed helping keep up with orders.” Gracie soon joined the venture, with the siblings learning everything from customer service and marketing to managing costs and saving for the future. Looking ahead, Greg and Nic hope to continue building a resilient farming and agritourism business while creating opportunities for their children. PHIL CLELAND SHEARING Servicing North & East Otago For all enquiries please call Phil 027 434 7599 Your Rural Accountants ph.co.nz “Ultimately, we would love to see Golden Gully Farming continue into a fifth generation if that is a path our children choose for themselves,” Nic says. “Until then, we’ll continue doing our best as custodians of the land while sharing a little piece of rural New Zealand with visitors from around the world.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=