58 | Sheep, cattle, honey, pigs and pinot Leefield Station manager Greg Crombie. Rachel Graham Leefield Station in Marlborough has a long history in the region, but it is far from stuck in the past. The site is now home to an integrated farm, with vineyards on the flattest land, cattle on the steepest bits, and sheep and pigs fitted in in-between. Leefield Station in Waihopai Valley is one of Marlborough’s earliest runs, settled by Constantine Dillon in the 1840s. It started out covering 20,000 hectares but was broken up over the years. In 2012 it was purchased by Marisco Vineyards, with 650 hectares of the 2200-hectare site dedicated to vineyards. The glacial valley, filled with mineral-rich soil and rolling foothills, is primarily planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay. Greg Crombie is the farm manager overseeing the cattle, sheep and a few Berkshire pigs who free-range in a Walnut orchard. Greg looks after about 3000 breeding ewes, including hoggets, and 280 cattle. In winter around 4000 lambs finish off their grazing underneath the grapes. A special focus on the farm is the breeding programme, with a 50 strong New Zealand Hampshire sheep stud and 100 registered and recorded Angus breeding cattle. Greg says the programme allows them to breed the genetics that thrive within the station. He says the top-quality animals being bred at the station dovetails beautifully with the quality wine produced on the flat land. He says they are creating a provenance property, where people know they can get excellent wine, animals, meat, wool and even honey. The bull breeding started about eight years ago but has ramped up in the last four years. “We went out and bought some of the best females available throughout New Zealand and built our numbers up. Even though we’re a young herd in MEAT & WOOL » Leefield Station • to page 60 With coverage from Seddon to Collingwood, our radio network o ers health & safety features like GPS trackingmandown and lone worker management. Proud to support Lee ield Station Proud to Support Leefield Station 10 Horton Street, Blenheim P: 03 578 9239 M: 021 954 274 E: parts@automarine.co.nz MP BOYCE CONTRACTING Covering the top of the South Island, Marlborough, Cheviot & North Canterbury Spraying Contractor Phone 027 951 9664
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