40 | MEAT & WOOL » Davaar & Co Reviving the strong wool industry Sally wears The Lucky Lass in snow. Richard Loader When Kate Macdonald sells a beautifully made jersey knitted from crossbred wool grown on her family’s Southland farm, she is not just selling a jersey, she is selling the whole beautiful story that ties it all together. Kate is the founder of Davaar & Co, the uniquely Kiwi business that she operates from a small cottage on Davaar Station, her parent’s farm that is home to Romney-Perendale crossbred sheep. Nestling in the natural wilderness of the Takitimu mountain range, Davaar Station has been farmed by the Macdonald’s for 107 years. Kate and her siblings Anna and Ben are the fth generation to roam the same grassy paddocks and hills as their ancestors, something that is not lost on Kate. “I very much get a sense of my family’s ancestry on the farm which really stems from my parents. We grew up in a loving family environment, taught to get out of bed early in the morning and work hard. The farm is very much a team effort. We feel very privileged to be here, looking after the land. We’re very cautious about how we farm in a sustainable way and I’m trying to tell that story through Davaar & Co. and wool, which is a beautiful, sustainable natural bre. Having it all produced in New Zealand adds to that authenticity and the heritage family story.” Despite loving farm life, being back on the farm had not really been on Kate’s radar. Her path had been boarding school, a good marketing degree, work in marketing and travel abroad. But sometimes life intervenes and takes us on a wonderful journey we could never have anticipated. Kate returned to Davaar Station from working in Tauranga at the start of 2020. Proud to be supporting Davaar & Co asb.co.nz Proudly backing Davaar & Co. To see how we can help get your rural business one step ahead, call your local ASB Rural team on 0800 787 252. ASB Bank Limited 56160 24537 0322 » Livestock transport » Bulk transport Bulk Transport » Fertiliser spreading » General transport » Rubbish removal Operating from branches in Te Anau, Mossburn, Lumsden, Queenstown, Cromwell and Invercargill, we have the resources to assist our customers with: Queenstown 121 Gorge Road Ph: 03 441 3620 Invercargill 3 Victoria Street Ph: 03 214 4959 Cromwell 147 McNulty Road Ph: 03 445 0824 Lumsden 4 Pluto Street Ph: 03 249 7050 Mossburn 16 Devon Street Ph: 03 248 4030 Te Anau 52 Caswell Road Ph: 03 249 7050 Trustedby thousands of Southland farmers, for over 70years. 03 211 0801 | 160 Spey Street, Invercargill 9810 WE OFFER: Sheep Conveyor • Tailing • Electro Dip • Casual PHONE NICK 027 4619 645 The farm’s shepherd had left and Kate’s intention was to help out before embarking on her overseas travels in June. Plans changed when Covid entered the planet. “I’d always been very interested in wool. During uni holidays I was rousing and helping out in the sheds and could never understand why farmers were getting such terrible prices for such an incredible product. It just didn’t make any sense. I’m quite a go getter person and like to be busy so I said to my dad why don’t we do something with our Davaar wool clip to raise awareness of the product. We discussed quite a few ideas but focussed on garments.” Kate’s dad’s mother was a talented knitter, spinning her own wool then dyeing it using organic matter foraged from the farm including ferns and lichen, before knitting the family beautiful homespun jerseys, many of which are still in use to this day. “I thought it would be so lovely to recreate similar homespun jerseys and sell them to people who don’t have access to those sorts of garments. There was a lot of research involved over a two-year period to ensure the idea would be viable. We were nally able to launch Davaar & Co in February this year. We have a good friend who is a wool classer and at shearing time she helps me pick out the best of the best eeces from our whole wool clip, ensuring we have quality control right from the outset.” There are currently four styles of jerseys for both men and women to select from. While most pay homage to the skills and talents of Kate’s grandmother, Kate has added a touch of fashion-esque air to add market appeal. The jerseys are available in four colours, each re- ecting the environment surrounding Davaar Station. Founder and Creative Director of Davaar & Co - Kate Macdonald. Wearing The Wild Wanderer in bark. Anna Macdonald on Davaar Station wearing The Lucky Lass in tussock.
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