| 139 nzdairy ON FARM » Norton and Geddes Karen Phelps Josh and Chelsea Norton have just completed their first season as 50:50 sharemilkers, a significant step up the dairy ladder and one supported by farm owners Dean and Jo Geddes. The farm milks 450 cows and Dean has retained 200 cows with 250 cows owned by the Nortons. “Dean wanted to carry on his Tahora stud but also wanted to help me get into sharemilking,” says Josh. “We were trying to work out what percentage to do, then decided to do a basic 50:50 contract and I pay him a lease for his cows to make things easy.” The Nortons have already spent three seasons contract milking for the Geddes on their 170-hectare effective property at Tai Tapu, approximately 18 kilometres south-west of Christchurch. The Geddes’ pedigree Holstein herd stretches back four generations, having been established by Dean’s great-grandfather in 1921. Josh has also built his own pedigree herd, Springoaks. One of the season’s biggest challenges has been the incorporation of an additional 50 hectares of land purchased by the Geddes family. The block adjoins the furthest reaches of the farm. “We’ve been trying different options to make the most of that land including cutting and carrying and making silage,” explains Josh. “It’s a bit far for the cows to walk from there so the plan is to grow more maize on it and run young stock. The block is well-fenced and tracked with troughs in place as it was originally part of a neighbouring dairy farm.” The season’s weather was another challenge. A prolonged wet period from Christmas onwards, including heavy rain in February, gave way to dry conditions that persisted into autumn. “We haven’t had to buy in much more feed than predicted,” says Josh. “We’ve just redistributed it at various times as needed.” The farm has from a 440-cow free-stall barn, which houses the herd around the clock over winter, and is a system built around home-grown maize and grass silage, supplemented with soy for additional protein. Around 20 hectares of maize is grown on the farm itself with a further 30 hectares of grass silage made on a run-off block down the road. In their first season as sharemilkers the Nortons achieved around 670 kilograms of milksolids per cow. Josh is targeting 690 to 700 kilograms this season. Chelsea, a nurse and busy mother, manages the young stock, with the help of both of Norton’s parents who they lease land off for this purpose, and helps out on the farm as needed. Dean helps out around the farm as well and he and his mother Judith, who is in her 80s, still come A significant step up the dairy ladder down to the cowshed every morning to feed the calves. “The plan is to keep doing what we’re doing, increasing production a bit more and efficiencies where we can with the farm system,” he says. Josh has also been enjoying his role as a senior judge for the New Zealand Holstein Friesian Association. “It’s a good experience,” he says. “You see different parts of the country and meet a variety of farmers and see their systems. I’ve judged a couple of A&P shows and also onfarm competitions in Manawatu and Taranaki.” Tahora Stud has enjoyed considerable success on the show circuit and at the 2025 New Zealand Dairy Event in Feilding, the stud took three cows and returned with intermediate champion, supreme champion, reserve champion, and an honourable mention for intermediate champion. In March 2025, the Tahora Party and the Polo FERTILISER SPREADING | FARM MAPPING GPS TRACKING | VARIABLE RATE SPREADING LIVESTOCK CARTAGE | DAILY FREIGHT CONCRETE SUPPLIES | GRAIN CARTAGE SHINGLE SUPPLIES | FERTILISER SUPPLIES Leeston: 03 3248 070 | Dunsandel: 03 3254 039 reception@ellesmere.co.nz www.rurallivestock.co.nz PROUDLY SUPPORTING NORTON ANDGEDDES Paul Mavor Logan Moore 0274 730 100 0274 730 811 on-farm sale drew strong interest, with 80 head of cattle sold between Tahora, Spring Oaks, and the Gilbert family. Josh has also shown cows from his own stud Springoaks at the Ellesmere, Rangiora, and Christchurch A&P shows where the next generation is already making its mark. The Norton’s children, Charlie, who turns five in July, and Claire, aged three, took calves to the shows. “Charlie won some showmanship classes in the under-11 division and he was only four. That put a big smile on his face.” Josh and Chelsea Norton have just completed their first season as 50:50 sharemilkers. Photo: Rebecca Claridge Photography.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=