20 | ARABLE » Blair & Judy Drysdale Hemp oil part of diverse operation Hemp seed (top). Balfour farmers Blair and Jody Drysdale with family Fletcher, Leah and Carly. A healthy hemp crop (above). Richard Loader Even before Balfour farmers Blair and Jody Drysdale started farming in their own right, they had the idea of doing something directly from the farm to the consumer, telling their own story that reflected their passion for producing good, healthy food. “We were always dissatisfied with the commodity model and wanted to do something about it,” says Blair. “With the hemp business, it’s the satisfaction of knowing that you’re providing healthy products to the consumer and getting their feedback.” Apart from seven years working as a mechanic, Blair has been on the farm all his life, and is the third generation to care and love the fertile, free draining northern Southland soils. “Dad was ready for me to come back and I was ready to go back too –that’s where my heart was, 100%. You go back to where your heart and passion is. With the support of my parents, we’ve been able to buy the farm and have been farming in our own right for thirteen years now, and it’s working well.” Encompassing 320 hectares of dead flat land, the couple’s farming operations include 170 hectares of wheat, barley, oilseed rape, oats and peas, along with 12 hectares of hemp. “There’s also twenty-five hectares of tulips and the rest is all pastoral with 200 of our own Wiltshire breeding ewes, which we’re aiming to increase to 300. We also graze 600 hoggets from April to December, and 150 dairy heifers from May to May.” The introduction of hemp to the mix was a direct result of the Drysdale’s aspiration to provide valueadd products directly to the consumer. “We wanted that connection directly to the consumer to get feedback, and that has made it so satisfying. We grow, harvest, dry and clean the hemp on-farm. We have our own press facility, we filter the oil, bottle and label it with our Hopefield Hemp Ltd brand. “ The oil is very healthy because of the balance of Omega 3 and 6. Some people have a tablespoon of it for health reasons. It’s also put over green salads, cold vegetable salads, breads and dips and makes beautiful pesto. Jody was doing the hand and body cream here, but that grew too big and we’ve contracted that to a Dunedin company. The chapsticks are still made here.” Blair says he has the easy part of the hemp business, looking after growing and pressing the crop, while Jody is 90% of the business taking care of processing, administration, marketing and sales. “She does all the hard stuff. Our business is website based. It was important for us to maintain that customer connection, not just for the feedback, but also to shoulder any issues ourselves. We’re starting to go retail with some selected stores in Southland and Otago.” Blair and Jody were Finalists in both the Innovation, and the Arable Food Champion awards for their Hopfield Hemp products at this year’s New Zealand Arable Awards. While unsuccessful, Blair said it was a great night, and great that the business and products had been recognised by the industry. “We will just keep slowly growing the value-add side of the business. Our ideal is to get our hemp to 25-hectares within the next two years, and to grow the product line. After that we might extend our oils to more than just hemp, grown and made on farm.” Covering Otago & Southland 0800 227 226 www.advance-agriculture.co.nz Proud to support Blair and Jody Drysdale Specialist Suppliers of Agricultural Chemical, Seed, Spray Equipment & GPS Precision Ag 2745 Waimea Highway, RIVERSDALE | Ph. 03 202 4044 | andrews.transport@hwr.co.nz • Livestock • Bulk and General Cartage • Fert. Cartage & Spreading We are a locally owned and operated company servicing and supporting the rural communities of the Waimea Valley and greater Northern Southland Area. www.squareupbuilding.co.nz JAMIE MAGINN | 027 300 7780
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