NZ Dairy Autumn 2021

| 17 nz dairy CENTURY FARMS » Enton Farms outdoors a farming family tradition Marilyn Millar and her four eldest grandchildren (from left): Sophie, Tamara, Mason and Josh Millar. contract was lost with the family trading the truck and licence for 500 acres across the road. Sons Alan and Athol, David’s uncle and grandfa- ther, worked Walter’s original land as a dairy farm until the late 1940s but during the ‘50s and ‘60s sheep and cattle were farmed. When the price of beef fell off in the early ‘70s, the old 7-bail walk-through dairy shed was reinstat- ed, followed by a 14-bay herringbone dairy. As families grew, Alan and Athol split the farm in two, each taking about half of Walters original land. Athol, his son Evan and son in-law, Bill Millar – David’s father – continued farming dairy on their part of the land. As the herd grew, so did the dairy shed with additional bails being added in 1986 extending it to 22-aside. By this time the farm had commenced trading as Enton Farms and in 1999, Bill and David’s mother Marilyn bought the rest of the family out, purchas- ing an adjacent farm the following year. A new 50-bail rotary was built along with feed pad and underpass in 2004 allowed for the merging of the two farms. “My grandparents would often enjoy a cup of tea while sitting on the viewing platform of the dairy shed as they watched milking,” says David. The farm now encompasses 166 hectares and milks cows. “In 1986 we were split calving and in 2008 switched back to seasonal spring calving,” says David. “For the last three years we’ve gone autumn calving to match feed growth. We have gone back to the future and become much more low input.” In 2012, David and Marie bought into Enton Farms as equity partners and their children Sophie 16, Joshua 14 and Liam 10 help out on the farm, just as each generation has since 1919. A birdseye view of Enton Farms. Mc Connell Stafford-Bush & Associates Specialist Accountants to the Farming Sector Lynda McConnell Phone - 09 238 0699 Phone - 09 238 0699 Visit our website for a full list of services www.msbca.co.nz Σ Summing it upwithPractical Business Advice Proud to be associated with Enton Farms O ces Pukekohe and Waiuku ww engineers | surveyors | planners 1180 Amohia Street, Rotorua 3010 Ph: +64 7 349 8470 Proudly supporting the rural community since Napier, Ohakune and Taumarunui, we are your experts in: • Subdivision • Land Use Compatibility • Soil Contamination • Resource Consents