32 | Award a nod to hard work of pioneers Randall Johnston Seeing the production potential unlocked by irrigation is a key motivator for Brad Morton and the family on their 1250ha property ‘Smallburn’ near Lowburn in Otago. The family travelled as a group to Lawrence recently, to be recognised as an early founding farm, and an important contributor to an industry on which the whole early New Zealand economy was founded and is reliant on. “Receiving the Century Farm Award is a real honour, but more an acknowledgment of the work that was put in well before our time and well before dad’s time really,” Brad says. The focus in terms of production on-farm in 2024 is sheep and beef finishing, with half-bred Merino x Romney sheep and Angus/Angus-cross cattle. The numbers are considerable, with 4,000 ewes and they winter 3,500 hoggets. “1009ha of that is our own and we are leasing another 250ha. We have about 255ha of pivot and K-Line irrigation, under five centre pivots and the balance is a mix of flat dryland and lower hill country,” Brad says. CENTURY FARM AWARDS » Smallburn Ltd Entrance to Smallburn, a 1250ha sheep and beef finishing property near Lowburn. “We work with John and Joy McDonald and their Snowline brand of sheep and have a great relationship with them. Drench resistance is a major focus for us now, especially after having the irrigation installed. The snowline rams are bred for worm tolerance and are high in the index for the ‘CarLA’ gene, so the focus is to head down that track with our breeding. “Like everyone, we are getting a lower return from wool, so we will be looking at going into crossbreeds and AI soon. Just being able to finish lambs before winter is going to reduce farm inputs and reduce labour. My dad Peter and I are both getting older, so we need to be sensible about how we do things down the track, without the need for staff and just using contractors or casual staff.” While the cattle side of the business is far smaller, it’s still an important aspect of the overall operation. 140 cows typically go to the bulls and they keep all the calves through to finishing Smallburn also runs up to 2,000 Snowline Ram Lambs from December to May. History Smallburn was originally part of Mount Pisa Station which was 145,000 acres and the Clutha, Kawarau, Cardrona and Luggate Rivers were its boundaries. When gold was struck at the junction of the Clutha and Kawarau Rivers in Cromwell, the water races were cut to provide water for the sluicing of soils. When the gold finally ran out, the water races were then used for pastoral farming. Through the Discharged Soldiers Resettlement Scheme, Mt Pisa Station was then divided into seven runs and two smaller parcels of land. One of the smaller parcels was Smallburn, which Jack Clark drew in a ballot in 1921. When Jack took over, there were no buildings or fences, just rabbit prone land with a few scrub bushes. Jack was quoted as saying ‘no 600 sheep would ever run on this place’. The rabbits nearly cost Jack the farm and still require constant control measures today to keep their numbers down. Jack had four children, two girls and two boys. Ray and Bill went into partnership with their father. The two sisters, Jean the oldest child and Sylvia the youngest, married two Morton brothers, Dave and Stuart. Ray always had a keen interest in fine wool, entering fleeces for many years in the local A&P shows. He had a great deal of success at the local level but his greatest achievement was winning the New Zealand Golden Fleece award. Jean’s son, Peter is the third generation on the farm; after leaving school and working for his two uncles from 1969. He went into partnership with his uncles in 1982. Now Peter, and his son Brad, farm in partnership. Brad and wife Marnie (who works at a local accounting firm) have two children, Emma, 18, who is in her first year at Otago University and Lachie, 17, attending the local high school, making them the fifth generation. Peter’s daughter Lauren, husband Nick and their daughters, Eloise and Lucy have developed a 7.5ha vineyard named Section 44. This is named after one of the Block numbers that their great, great, grandfather took over in 1921. “We are lucky as good soils, diverse landscape and above all water, will allow future generations the opportunity to continue the Smallburn legacy,” Brad explains. Pasture management has been a key factor (even with the irrigation, because the area is very drought prone) and so pasture species that tolerate the dry have been especially selected. Water to the property is snow-fed, so varies greatly from season to season, in terms of volume and availability. It took Brad and Peter almost four years to finish irrigating the land, from 2016 right up until to the Covid-onset in early 2020; an achievement that Jack Clark would have been very proud to see. 0800 433 787 www.mainlandminerals.com A smarter, more strategic and sustainable approach to your fertiliser. Everything your soil needs Proud to be associated with Smallburn Ltd GREEN TO GOLD LTD SPECIALISTS IN ARABLE CONTRACTING Silage & baleage | Hands-on arable farming experience Minimum tillage, optimum cultivation, moisture retention, seeding, harvesting Cutting edge, top-performance machinery | Cereals, brassica & grass Maximise your yield | Latest GPS technology 027 221 9501 230 Mt Barker Rd, Wanaka | greentogold@xtra.co.nz Proud to be associated with Smallburn Ltd.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=