| 63 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Opadadus Farming Blake taken on a second sharemilking job Anne Boswell Blake and Alana 50/50 sharemilk a farm in Hedgehope, managing 600 cows on 265 ha. For Southland dairy farmer Blake Korteweg, farming is more than just a profession - it’s a way of life. A third-generation dairy farmer, Blake grew up on his family’s farm in South Otago, where his grandfather first established their dairy operation. Despite an early interest in sheep farming, Blake’s career took a different path before ultimately bringing him back to dairy farming. “I always wanted to be a high country sheep farmer - because our farm was flat, and I love the mountains - but I ended up completing a building apprenticeship in Balclutha after leaving school,” he says. After travelling and playing rugby for several years, Blake returned to farming and he and his wife Alana have built a successful operation in Southland. Today, they 50/50 sharemilk a farm in Hedgehope, managing 600 cows on 265 hectares. This season, they expanded their operation by taking on a second 400-cow sharemilking job in Wyndham, about 30 minutes away. The Hedgehope farm herd produces around 285,000kgMS annually, while Wyndham is targeting 190,000kgMS in its first season. The operation follows a spring calving calendar, maintaining about 22% replacement heifers each year and beginning mating on November 1. Looking ahead, Blake and Alana have their sights set on farm ownership within the next five years, with the hope that Hedgehope will eventually become their own. “We are currently sharemilkers for an equity partnership, and we would like to become part of the equity partnership going forward,” Blake says. Beyond the farm, Blake is involved in the Southland community, which he says is known for its hospitality. “Since we came here 11 years ago, I’ve been involved in the rugby club, coaching and playing,” he says. “And we have three girls at school in Invercargill and one boy at school Gore, and they are involved with pony club and athletics, among other activities.” Blake also acknowledges the broader impact of the dairy industry on the region’s economy. “A lot of my friends, while not directly involved in the dairy industry, have felt the pinch of a low payout as engineers and builders,” he says. “It has been very noticeable for them - they are the first to get hit when the payout is down. We are lucky that our regional towns - and Invercargill city - are very aware where the majority of the economy stems from, and they are very supportive of dairy farmers.” The past year has brought changes that Blake believes have positively affected farmers’ outlook. For all your Agricultural Engineering Needs Specialising in Dairy Shed & Yard Maintenance and Design Suppliers of Crushed Rock & Gravel Phone Daryll • Grading & Rolling • Building Platforms • Lane Maintenance • Drainage • Bulldozing • Tip Trucks Proudly supporting Opadadus Farming Ltd “It feels as though the belt has loosened a bit and the mood amongst farmers is certainly more positive than it has been,” he says. “It has been nice to be backed by a government that is forging ahead. The good payout this year has also helped us through a very tough spring in Southland.” That spring has been particularly challenging for Blake’s farms. “Hedgehope is known as a wet area, and September/October was the wettest spring on record,” he says. “And our new farm flooded three times in the first three months. But we’re out standing in the sunshine now, and it’s great.” For Southland dairy farmer Blake Korteweg, farming is more than just a profession - it’s a way of life.
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