| 41 nzdairy BALLANCE FARM ENVIRONMENT AWARDS » Hermanus Farm Been busy quietly transforming their farm Karen Phelps Over the past 25 years Rodney farming couple Troy and Karin Everson of Hermanus farm have been quietly transforming their farm into a thriving ecosystem alongside building a successful dairy operation, which has seen them win three awards at 2025 Ballance Farm Environment Awards. The couple took home the DairyNZ Sustainability and Stewardship Award, Beef + Lamb New Zealand Livestock Farm Award and the Rabobank Agri- Business Management Award for the Auckland region. “When we arrived here in 2000 it was a run-down sheep and beef farm with hardly any fences and no buildings apart from an old house and wool shed,” says Karin. “It was a blank canvas. A lot of very long-term decisions had to be made to get things right.” A year after purchasing the property they began converting it to dairy. Today the farm milks 450 high-performing cows and raises all young stock on-site. The couple aim to produce 240,000kg of milk solids annually, using crops grown on the farm including rye, clover and 30 hectares of maize. The Eversons have taken a holistic approach to sustainability, implementing practices that benefit both the environment and their business. Their focus on soil health involves shallow cultivation and re-grassing on a seven-year rotation. “It’s all about timing of grazing - not under or over grazing. If it gets wet we’ve got a feed pad so we’re always looking after the soil,” says Troy. They have planted around 130,000 native trees and thousands of poplars across their 264-hectare property. “We’ve planted off gullies and steeper areas, and planted 35 hectares of natives, also poplars along the races for wind and sun protection for the herd,” explains Karin. “The poplars slow the wind going over the farm which also helps us keep weeds under control by shading them.” Troy Everson. Photo: Cristy Benson, Sentient Imagery. The judges noted that the environmental measures implemented at Hermanus have also improved health and safety on the farm. “Planting out steeper areas means we’re not worried about tractors and motorbikes rolling. We feed the cows before milking on the feed pad so tractors are only driven on flat ground,” says Troy. Since 2018, the couple have been actively working to reduce their carbon footprint. “We’ve reduced the number of cows and aimed to produce as much as we can per cow,” explains Troy. “We’re using a mixer wagon to complement their feed, keeping everything in balance, finding the sweet spot between grazing and feeding.” The Eversons’ approach to business management also caught the judges’ attention, with intentional planning and adaptation being key to their success. “We have a few meetings with our accountant to strategise each year. We keep adapting our strategies according to what’s happening with the payout and costs,” explains Karin. “We look to the future and what things might arise. That’s partly why we’ve done all the planting as carbon footprint has become more important.” The couple are preparing for the future by continuing to refine their operation. They have already reduced their herd from 500 to 450 cows as part of their ongoing sustainability strategy. “We’re obviously not going to be able to carry on dairy farming forever so our children might be interested in taking over the farm,” says Troy, referring to their sons Blake, 23, and Kruz, 21, who are currently pursuing trades. “But it’s important they make their own mark in the world first and then if they return it will be because they know that’s what they really want to do.” “We’re obviously not going to be able to carry on dairy farming forever so our children might be interested in taking over the farm.” THE PERFECT MIX FOR OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE JAYLOR 5425 SINGLE AUGER • Suitable for herds of 275-350 cows JAYLOR 5750 TWIN AUGER • 22 cubic metres capacity with reduced mixing times Power Farming Northland 09 438 9163 | 17 Rewa Rewa Rd We keep you growing Servicing the needs of farmers throughout Northland, we are proud to provide a full range of services for your tractors and machinery. 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