| 25 Rugged climate a challenge and a blessing Like most West Coast farmers, the Davies have learned to work with the weather rather than against it. Kelly Deeks After more than 20 years on their Hari Hari dairy farm, the Davie family of JJJ Farms have seen first-hand how the rugged West Coast climate can be both a challenge and a blessing. Originally from Helensville, north of Auckland, Gavin Davie and his parents made the move south seeking opportunity, rain, and room to grow - and they found it all. “We came from a pretty dry area,” Gavin says. “Up north we’d swing between floods and droughts, and there were lifestyle blocks creeping in on all sides. Down here, at least we’re guaranteed rain - maybe a bit too much sometimes - but the grass grows and we can farm properly.” What started as a short-term project to renovate and resell quickly became home. “The idea was to fix this place up, stay for two or three years, then flick it off,” Gavin says. “But it didn’t work out like that. We’ve developed this farm to exactly how we want it, and it would be hard to find anything like it again.” Like most West Coast farmers, the Davies have learned to work with the weather rather than against it. The 2024/25 season has brought its share of challenges — mild but relentlessly wet spring conditions followed by cold snaps that slowed pasture growth. “Our second round, there was just no guts to the grass,” Gavin says. “We had to feed out to top the cows up and keep them happy for a few weeks.” Gavin’s mum Karen keeps a rainfall chart which shows last year the farm got 4513.5mm and this year to mid-October had received 2442.7mm of rain. Even with soggy paddocks, JJJ Farms has adapted by using a helicopter to apply fertiliser when ground access is limited. “It saves Dad (Steve) a heap of tractor work and gets the job done quickly,” Gavin says. “We don’t mind doing it two or three times a year if it keeps things ticking along.” With much of the Coast’s economy relying on agriculture, Gavin says a strong rural community is vital. “Whether you’re sheep and beef, deer, dairy, or mining - there’s not a lot else happening here. When you’ve got enough good farms, the industry builds around them. It’s important for everyone.” A solid payout over recent seasons has been welcome, but Gavin remains cautious. “It’s rare to get two or three high payout years in a row,” he says. “We plan our budgets on a lower milk price just in case. When we get a high payout, we focus on getting our debt down as much as possible.” That pragmatic approach extends to how the family runs the farm. JJJ Farms operates an allgrass, self-contained system - rearing their own stock, making their own baleage, and keeping RURAL PEOPLE » JJJ Farms Ltd everything close to home. “It keeps things simple,” Gavin says. “We can see what’s happening across the whole farm every day.” To fine-tune their management and benchmark performance, JJJ Farms recently returned to using DairyBase, DairyNZ’s data platform that tracks farm costs, herd health, and productivity. “Dad used it years ago, but back then there weren’t many West Coast farms involved, so the data wasn’t that relevant,” Gavin explains. “Now there are about a dozen of us using it, so we can compare like-forlike.” Real-time herd and production data are also shaping better decisions. “It’s like herd testing - the more you do, the better picture you get,” he says. • General Freight Nationwide • Bulk Freight, Fertiliser, Hay etc • Refrigerated Freight • Rural Freight • Bulk Fuel • Home Heating Fuel • BP/Castrol Lubricants FREIGHTERS LTD 0800 756 666 • 03 769 9081 Greymouth • 03 429 8265 Hokitika freight@aratuna.co.nz • Plant & yard upgrades • Backing gates • Water pumps & tanks • Teat spray systems • Farm ef uent systems • Registered machine testing • Galv pipe & steel • Rubberware & hose OR COME IN AND SEE US AT 15 HAU HAU ROAD, HOKITIKA E westlanddairysheds@xtra.co.nz Ryan Arnold 0275 484 586 | Tommy Arnold 0275484587 | atacon@xtra.co.nz ARNOLD TRANSPORT LTD Transporting goods throughout the South Island including lime, fertiliser & stock feed, timber & logs, rock, woodchip and all general goods. Proudly supporting JJJ Farms Ltd “We’ve done five tests this season so we can really see what’s going on.” For the Davies, progress comes from balancing tradition and innovation - and from taking every season as it comes. “We just try to keep improving,” Gavin says. “There’s always something to fix, something to learn, and something to be grateful for - even when it’s raining again.”
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