| 39 Traditional blade shearing alive at Ben Ledi Around half of the station’s quality wool clip is supplied to the Smartwool brand. Karen Phelps Traditional blade shearing is a dying art except at Ben Ledi Station at Danseys Pass, inland from Oamaru where the flock of 5800 Romney/Merino ewes and 1500 ewe hoggets are shorn the old fashioned way. “There are only about three gangs left in New Zealand that do this and it doesn’t cost a lot more. It leaves more wool on and doesn’t break the grease barrier on the skin. The sheep do that much better, they don’t get cold and can put up with weather conditions more. They reckon over a sheep’s lifetime it will grow an extra fleece of wool. It also gives a smooth, clean cut on the fibre.” It works well as the property is around 3618-hectares in extent, rising to 1400-metres at its highest point. Ian points out that another advantage is that when sheep are cold they eat a lot more and can go backwards if really cold. Blade shearing helps the sheep keep condition on. Maintaining quality is also important. Around half of the station’s quality wool clip is supplied to the Smartwool brand, ultimately ending up as premium socks and other quality wool wear products. It is in mid-April Ian goes out mustering to bring down all his ewes from steep snow-prone pastures to the lower country. All ewes are grass wintered with no supplementary feed. Ian says they are tough self-sustaining sheep with the right foraging instincts for this southern country. Ian grew up on the station. His father bought the station and his mother grew up on the property next door. Ultimately the two stations were combined. Following tenure review some of the land went into the conservation estate. Today the property is around 3618-hectares in extent, rising to 1400-metres at its highest point. Along with the ewes, the station is home to a few hundred cattle. Heifers go to the bull as two-yearolds, calving as three-year-olds. One recent frustration has been the consent for a burning permit to enable Ian to burn big tussocks. After a long process he finally obtained the consent but the way it is worded means Ian can’t actually burn the parts of the farm he mainly wants to. “I can’t burn above 900m and the way the block is its 100m to the top and it will be hard stopping it burning that extra 100m. Country varies around New Zealand but nobody even came to look at the farm for the consent. It’s been burned above “There are only about three gangs left in New Zealand that do this and it doesn’t cost a lot more.” RURAL PEOPLE » Ian Anderson - Ben Ledi Station 900m for ever on this farm now it can’t be, which is frustrating. It reduces the amount of land we have available for grazing.” While currently enjoying “phenomenal stock prices” Ian is keeping an eye on whether the predicted El Niño weather pattern materialises. “During El Niño most of the rain comes from the west and south. We get most of our rain from the east. But at the moment we’re getting a good rain from the east which is not meant to happen in El Niño so if that continues it will be quite good.” Getting your hands on Parkside Lime is super easy. To order or enquire call our office on 03 433 1134 or email the parkside team on sales@oamarustone.co.nz Parkside Quarries - Supplying lime to local farmers for 75 years. LIME CONTACT US FOR: • Fine Lime - Faster reaction time when compared to standard ag lime • Dried agricultural lime - for groundspread throughout the year and aerial application • Undried agricultural lime - groundspread use only • Track Lime - suitable for dairy lanes • Modern fertiliser mixing plant available for customised fertiliser blends • Rut Busta - rock for pivot tracks YOUR RURAL BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS Responding to market conditions OAMARU DUNEDIN
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