Business Rural Winter 2021

| 15 DAIRY PEOPLE » Chris & Desiree Giles ‘Farming is a good gig’ • from page 14 milker on it. They sold their small dairy unit to fund them into purchasing their farm. The Wech family take care of all their own groundwork and cultivation. Samara takes charge of the farm finances and also has her own business as a naturopath. The farm has a 36ha support block used for silage, rearing calves and wintering stock. Their hands on approach means there are always plenty of jobs for the kids to get stuck into if they choose. Chris says that Cruze has a passion for tractor work, the girls like helping with calf rearing and shifting stock. Chris says that although all their kids may not all decide to pursue a rural career, farming can help finance them into whatever career they choose. “With relief milking money the girls have saved up for a car. This teaches them to have respect for the car and the value of money. The kids all like earning money and they can see the rural life is where they can do that. Faming is a good gig and a great pathway to many things.” Covering Otago & Southland 0800 227 226 www.advance-agriculture.co.nz Proud to support Chris & Sam Wech Specialist Suppliers of Agricultural Chemical, Seed, Spray Equipment & GPS Precision Ag Fert Wholesale Direct Ltd Farmers, are you concerned about improving your fertiliser efficiency and environmental footprint? Then Fert Wholesale Direct Ltd can help, as we have helped Chris and Desiree Giles. The ONE System which through independent trials shows a doubling of response to N. And more recently, our Revolutionary Compound Urea/SOA product where every granule contains both forms of N. Contact Shane Harold on 021 0235 6491 or shane@fertwholesale.co.nz Contracting Limited • Farm Drainage • Track Maintenance • Silage Stacking • Conversion Work • Root Raking • Rock & Gravel • General Maintenance Phone: 027 435 8236 • Email: dyneskatrina@gmail.com Proud to support Chris & Desiree Giles Earthmoving & Drainage Contracting Throughout West Otago/Eastern Southland Your electrical and refrigeration specialists in Southland and South Otago • Farm vat refrigeration and pre cooling • Heatpumps • Dairy services • All electrical maintenance and installation Hayden Baxter 027 765 8427 or Hamish Heaslip 027 215 0362 contact@handh.co.nz Community and environment focus for couple Karen Phelps G ore couple Chris and Desiree Giles are among a growing group of role-model dairy farmers who are part of a wave of environ- mental change in the industry. The couple purchased and converted their 306 hectare Waimumu Downs property in an equity partnership arrangement in 2014 which originally involved seven investors; one has since been bought out. “We thought people would be buying into our vision and how we would like to run the farm,” Chris says. Having a reasonable size farm close to Gore, its schools and amenities was also a great lifestyle option including for their two children, Danielle (10) and Andrew (8), especially compared to buy- ing a small farm and subsequent “stepping stone farms” in less convenient locations, he says. “It was just a way to end up on our forever farm I guess you would say.” The property is on the former Grasslands re- search station site and includes an office building, garages and land, under multiple leases, including to MetService which provides weather data from the site. While the Giles run a fully commercial opera- tion, they are as focused on the environment and the role they and the farm has in the community than maximising production to get the last few percent of production out of their cows. “For us it’s striving for a good farm, home, work balance and just trying to drive efficiency with everything we do (but) not wasting time worrying about that last ten percent, and giving back to the community.” Their background, which includes three years as 50:50 sharemilkers at Waipahi, South Otago, before entering the partnership and converting the farm provides some strong clues about their philosophy, goals and desire to create a synergy between farming and education. Chris previously worked in a vineyard and as a relief teacher in England and Desiree has worked for Primary ITO (Industry Training Organisation) and Dairy NZ. During their time on the farm they have col- laborated with with Environment Southland, Enviro schools, Gore Catchment Group and Hokonui Runanga to establish an on-site learning platform, including a classroom, and won three 2020 Bal- lance Farm Environment Awards. The farm includes seven wetlands of about 400 square metres each and four more in the pipeline. It is important to share the “good stories” with children and others who can understand little about farming while giving them a positive experi- ence about livestock and caring for the land and water. Some months the Giles have had as many as 400 children on the farm which usually supports up to 550 cows. Desiree takes care of the business side while Chris’ father, Alan, helps with the day to day work and his mother, Debbie, with calf rearing. In order to simplify and streamline tasks, systems implemented include 24 hour grazing and not doing break fencing. When the farm was converted the paddocks were fenced to be all the same size as part of this simplification. In addition to grass, the farm grows plantain and vetch, a herbaceous plant of the pea family, and oats as a catch-crop, but does not grow winter crops. There is also a focus on trialling regenera- tive farming practices such as improving soil structure, while radish and crimson clover is being grown on two hectares to support diversification into apiculture. “For us it’s striving for a good farm, home, work balance and just trying to drive efficiency with everything we do (but) not wasting time worrying about that last ten percent, and giving back to the community.” Gore couple Chris and Desiree Giles combine a strong environmental focus with educating school children about farm life, livestock and caring for the land.