22 | The farm has planted 1000’s of native plants along the fenced of river and stream margins. “We have about 130ha of forestry on the farm that we’ve been planting since the 1990’s (100ha of which is in the ETS)”. infested Taiko creek to native plantings with more to complete on the property, we have ECAN plantings along the Pareora and little Pareora Rivers, these areas are really enhancing the biodiversity and I’m proud of how they are looking.” Son John, partner Sara and daughter Sophie live on the farm, John works alongside Peter and has been home since 2020, his Mechanical Engineering background has been invaluable to the farm with various compliance consents being granted and also using IT for stock water, irrigation and recording data. Their oldest son Richard is living and working in London and their daughter Lucy works for Beef + Lamb in Christchurch. With a focus on innovation and quality production, Alpine Farm is well on course for success into the future. History Benjamin Hudson Evans, aged 22, left Wales bound for Timaru in 1863. His ambition was to own a farm and after 10 years of saving, Ben and his wife Elizabeth were able to purchase 200 acres in 1874. Ben, his wife Elizabeth and children set to work to turn virgin land of low growing native scrub (Matagouri, tussock, cabbage and kowhai trees) into a working farm. The land was broken in by single furrow 2 horse plough. A sod cottage was built and boundary fences constructed with sod, wire and gorse. Fodder and cereal crops were grown for the Merino sheep and small number of cows and horses. Once the meat trade was established the sheep breed changed to Borders and English Leicester’s. More land was purchased in 1886. When Ben and Elizabeth retired to Timaru in 1905 the farm was 307 acres. Ben and Elizabeth had 8 children, the youngest son Benjamin Edward took over the management of the farm and eventual ownership in 1910. In 1918 the Mt Misery hill block of 600 acres was purchased, which along with freeholding riverbed increased the property size to 1000 acres. Bens tenure from 1910 to 1958 was not easy, servicing a large mortgage in times of Wars, depressions, booms, fluctuations in land and stock values. It wasn’t until the late 1940’s that a tractor replaced the horses and agricultural fertilisers and practices changed, that the finances on Alpine improved. Ben and Janet had 5 children and they retired to Timaru in 1958. Their son Alwynne (Wynne) took over the farm. Wynne and Joan farmed Alpine from 1958 until Wynne’s death in 1988. A highlight of Joan and Wynnes tenure was to build a new homestead and develop a large country garden. When Peter left school the first project was to sub divide the farm with electric fencing and start rotational grazing. Peter and Jane took over the farm in 1988. Neighbouring blocks of land came on the market over the next few years which they purchased, the farm is now 1100ha. Jane and Peter have 3 children and their son John his partner Sara and daughter Sophie are preparing for the next chapter in the history of Alpine Farm. Covering the South Island 6 Greig St, Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, NZ Proudly supporting Alpine Proudly supporting Alpi 03 614 7811 F. 03 614 7812 M. 027 433 5116 Adrian Cox Shearing LTD Thomas Forbes OPERATIONS MANAGER · 027 384 7595 · thomasf@forestmanagement.co.nz Specialising in: · Establishment · Silviculture · ETS & Carbon · Silviculture Servicing the South Canterbury region for 30 years · Forest Management · Harvesting & Log Marketing · Forest Consultancy Proudly Supporting Peter and Jane Evans. Like you, the ASB South Canterbury/North Otago Rural team is part of the local community. We are celebrating farming families who have owned and farmed their land for a 100 years or more. Talk to your local expert today about how we can help your business. asb.co.nz/rural ASB Bank Limited 56160 29391 0425 Simon Cooney 027 228 9713 Dan Laming 027 308 9354 Contact details: 56160 29391 0425 Alpine Feature Rural Advert.indd 1 ɐ30 NEW ZEALAND CENTURY FARM AND STATION AWARDS » Alpine • from page 21
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