NZ Dairy Winter 2021

8 | nz dairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Andrew & Liz Reymer Future-focused farm model the goal Karen Phelps O haupo farmers Andrew and Liz Reymer aim to make their farm a showcase for the dairy industry, helping to bridge the rural-town divide. “We’d love the farm to be a model of how a modern future-focused farm functions, one that employs the right technology to get results and also benefit the environment,” says Andrew. Andrew grew up on the farm but until this year has only had a passing acquaintance with the practicalities of farming. Although he’s always lived on the farm and helped out, he’s mainly worked off farm in contracting and he and Liz also own a property management company. He owned the farm in partnership with his brother, then equity partners before buying the farm outright. Now, after around 20 years he is finally a full time farmer and also president of Te Awamutu Federated Farmers and the Waikato Dairy co vice chairperson. “I’ve always had a real connection to the farm it’s just been a bit of a different journey to farm own- ership. There is no such thing as driving to work any more - I just step out the door and I’m here. I’m loving every minute of it.” The 180ha farm includes 15ha he leases off his brother. It milks a herd of 440 Friesian cross cows through a 50 bail rotary shed. The cows have col- lars, which give a wealth of information on which to base decisions and feeds into Andrew’s love of technology. Historically the farm has been a system 4 but is now a system 2 as Andrew has de-stocked and is not farming as intensively. He runs the unit with one full time staff member and Liz helps out as required as she is still running their property management business, which holds the contract for the Mighty River Domain at Karapiro, encom- passing event management. This background in managing a multi faceted contract has stood the couple in good stead to go dairy farming and Andrew says the transition has been simple. The couple’s aim is an all-round lifting of the farm’s performance and integrating the farm with the local community. They are still considering how to achieve this integration but ideas include com- munity and family days, school groups and tours. “It’s about showcasing the positives of dairy- ing,” says Andrew. “It’s about getting people onto farms to enjoy the rural life as there is too much negativity out there and many people don’t know the reality is not what they might think it is.” The family is also enhancing the environment with riparian planting and fencing off waterways. For example, they let grass grow on the edge of drains rather than spraying it as farmers tradition- ally have. Andrew says this acts as a natural filter before run off enters the drains. The farm targets around 172,000kgsMS, something it produces on average. Sons Josh, 17, Curtis, 15 and Nathan, 12 all enjoy helping on the farm. p. 07 871 3037 e. tbs@spreading.co.nz T.B.S. No.1 OFF ROAD . . . . Mike: 021 94 2120 | Chris: 021 94 2121 Phone Office: 07 871 9565 agreymer@gmail.com | www.reymerag.co.nz 768 Pirongia Rd, RD 6, Te Awamutu 3876 REYMER AG The Reymer boys lend a helping hand at milking time. In his Federated Farmers role Andrew is keen to maintain the strong local branch with regular meetings to bring farmers together. “It’s about sticking together. United we are stronger as one. Dairy is in a real strong space and farmers should be proud of what they are doing. The world wants our product and we have to keep producing it as best we can.”