34 | CENTURY FARM AWARDS » Puketapu Farm Farm history recognised at national level Sue Russell It’s a proud moment when your family’s longevity and devotion to farming is recognised at a national level by way of a New Zealand Century Farm and Station Award. Such is the case for Helen Voss whose grandfather, John Philip purchased 376 acres and two poles (a pole is equivalent to 25m²) of the former Hillhampton block near Palmerston, on 28th June 1920, for the sum of £6,770. John had leased land neighbouring the Puketapu hill since 1914, and once purchased, named the property Puketapu. Sheep and beef cattle were reared and fattened on Puketapu until John’s death in December 1944. John was father to five children and one of these, Keith, returned from WW2 prematurely on the death of his father, to take over the farm operation at the age of 21. Keith ran the farms for 65 years, 50 of those with his wife Margaret, who he married in 1959. Keith continued to add small bordering pockets of land from the township of Palmerston, growing Puketapu to 505.8 acres (204.7ha). Their daughter Helen helped out on the farm until marrying David Voss whereupon, over time, the next generation in the story were born. David and Helen and their five children formed a trust, PARKS Holdings, who in turn purchased Puketapu from the estate of Keith and Margaret in November 2015. Today, Puketapu is leased to Grant Still, who has worked for the Philip family since the age of 15. John Philip’s contribution to Palmerston township is immense, donating 400m2 of land on the summit of Puketapu to the New Zealand government so a replacement monument to Sir John MacKenzie, Minister of Lands in the Liberal government of the 1890’s, could be erected. Permission for public right-of-way access over Puketapu was given as part of the land donation and remains open to the public to this day, for those wishing to visit the summit of Puketapu hill and the 13m high monument. The monument is an iconic landmark in Palmerston. The farm was home to local and regional North Otago dog trials for 100 years. Keith ardently supported dog trials and, as a result of his outstanding contribution, was made life-time patron of the North Otago dog trials association. For Helen, receiving the Century Farm award, is recognition of the work and toil put in by generations of her family to build Puketapu farm to what it is today. “It is wonderful to have this recognition and we’re looking forward to the awards night, meeting other recipients, coming up over the weekend of 17-19 May in Lawrence, South Otago,” Helen says. Their main property, Cloverdowns, bought by John in May 1910 is still in the family as well. Lambs from Cloverdowns were sent to Puketapu for fattening. During Keiths time, each farm ran a stud as well, with Puketapu carrying Romney genetics and Cloverdowns Corriedale. Cloverdowns remains one continuous block of land today, amounting to 4,205.7ha (10,392.6 acres). The farm runs sheep and Angus cattle. The New Zealand Century Farm and Station Awards were established in 2005, by the late Russell Brown from Lawrence, who had heard of a Century Farm Award and story gathering programme operating in North America. Eligible families provide narratives of their farm history, along with photographs and supporting documents. These are archived at the Alexander Turnbull Library in Wellington, ensuring these precious historic records are kept in perpetuity. The awards claim over 550 families from throughout New Zealand who have held title continuously to their farms for a century or more. “I think it’s wonderful that the history of our family’s farming and that of so many others are recognised and then held by the Library as a living history of those pioneers who worked so hard over a century ago to make farming what it is today.” “I think it’s wonderful that the history of our family’s farming and that of so many others are recognised and then held by the Library as a living history of those pioneers who worked so hard over a century ago to make farming what it is today.” Matt Johnston 027 4755 530 mjcontracting22@gmail.com Proudly supporting Puketapu Farm The Puketapu Hill. Keith Philip with prize winning sheepfleece. Keith and Margaret Philip with Helen Voss.
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