4 | ARABLE » Arhee Farming Brad’s methodical approach to cropping Maisie, Ruby and Brad Lindsay in the sheep yards. Karen Phelps Central Southland farmer Brad Lindsay’s methodical approach to crop management has earned him recognition as a finalist in the 2024 Arable NZ Cereal Grower of the Year award. “It’s quite humbling to be recognised. I do put in a lot of work, take pride in what I do and like to run a successful operation,” says Brad who has been back on the family farm for nearly nine years. The operation at Drummond near Winton spans three blocks, with the main 200-hectare home farm complemented by a recently purchased 35-hectare block and a 20-hectare leased area. The business structure sees the land and operations managed through Arhee Farming, owned by Brad, his wife Bridgette, and his parents Brian and Jenny. Brad, who regularly attends Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) events in Southland and is a member in FAR’s Southland Growers Leading Change group, has developed an innovative system that combines strategic nitrogen management with an intricate crop rotation programme to achieve consistently high yields. Before planting spring barley, he conducts potentially mineralizable nitrogen testing alongside deep N testing for available nitrogen. This data-driven approach allows him to calculate soil nitrogen provision accurately and determine the precise amount needed for application. “It’s about trying to apply just the right amount. It saves money and also the environment,” explains Brad. The second main factor in the farm’s success is a methodical 11-year rotation system. “It’s about trying to maximise our wheat in our rotation as it has a higher yield with a higher gross margin. So we grow that as much as possible without exposing ourselves to disease risk,” says Brad. The rotation begins with four to five years of permanent pasture, followed by spring barley, winter wheat, and then returns to spring barley before introducing garden peas as a break crop. The cycle continues with winter wheat, spring barley, and winter barley before returning to permanent pasture. This careful planning has resulted in impressive yields, with barley consistently achieving at least 8 tonnes per hectare, sometimes reaching 10 tonnes. Wheat performs even better, averaging 12 tonnes per hectare, with some paddocks producing up to 15 tonnes in the dryland farming situation. The company maintains strong local connections, selling wheat and barley directly to dairy farming clients through long-standing relationships. Its pea crops are grown under contract for Townsend Seeds International in Rakaia. Complementing the arable operation is a sheep breeding and finishing component utilising approximately 70 hectares of pasture. The farm runs Textra breed composite sheep sourced from a local Riverton ram breeder, finishing Proudly supporting Ahree Farming info@matakanui.co.nz all lambs on-site alongside approximately 1,000 traded lambs. Brad says the sheep operation works in well with the cropping with paddocks destined for spring planting being sown with forage oats in autumn. This provides six months of grazing for finishing trade lambs while maintaining soil quality. The operation’s self-sufficiency is another key feature, with all work conducted in-house using their own equipment and two neighbouring farmers are casual tractor drivers. Brad works full-time on the farm, while Bridgette splits her time between farming duties and her nursing career. They have three children Ruby, 10, Maisie, 5 and Frank, 3. Brad’s father Brian still works part time on the farm while easing into retirement and Jenny still shows a keen interest in the farm. The family is already undertaking succession planning, with Brad and Bridgette, the fourth generation on the farm, which has been in the family for 112 years, recently purchasing a 35- hectare block of the home farm marking the beginning of a gradual transition to acquire the remaining land in the farming business.
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