Strong succession planning has played out as Hugh and Judy Akers hoped it would with their son Willie and his-now wife Laura Akers running Broadlands Station, a 1650ha sheep and beef farming operation in Ashhurst, Manawatū. The farm, which has been in the family since 1886, was named the Regional Supreme Winner at the 2015 […]
Debbie Henderson
Growing farmers for a positive future
The Regional Supreme Winners of the 2015 Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) Richard and Annabelle Subtil have always been passionate about telling the farming story. “Sometimes it feels hard to be a farmer, so it’s up to us to tell the positive stories,” says Richard. Ten years on from winning the award, the Subtils’ […]
High country farmers named 2024 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing
Hamish and Simon Guild of High Peak Station in Canterbury have been announced as the 2024 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at Claudelands in Hamilton this evening. High Peak Station has traditional farm roots, however it has diversified in recent years […]
Tussock tales: National Ambassadors embark on study tour delving into grasslands
As the 2023 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy, Steve and Kellie Nichol recently had the opportunity to participate in a ‘study and flag-flying tour’ of Tasmania, Australia. Steve and Kellie report on their findings… We currently own a predominately sheep and beef farm, located within the […]
Innovative and dedication sees Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms take out the Regional Supreme Award at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin this evening. Angus and Tara have been managing The Wandle since 2020, and are focused on producing quality over quantity while caring for the land. […]
Financial and environmental stewardship sees the Miller family of Roslyn Downs take out the Regional Supreme Award at the Southland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The Miller family of Roslyn Downs in Glencoe has been named the Regional Supreme Winner at the Southland Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Invercargill this evening. The 1,034ha dairy, sheep and beef operation is led by brothers Jason and Quentin Miller, along with Jason’s son Andrew. The original 149ha farm has been in the Miller […]
All-round excellence in sustainability earns Andy and Gemma Phillips of Motumatai the Regional Supreme Award at the Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Andy and Gemma Phillips of Motumatai have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Carterton this evening. Motumatai has been in Gemma’s family since 1914, with the couple farming the property since 2009. After purchasing the sheep and beef farm in 2017, they have focused on both […]
Leadership and community-based action sees Alastair and Ann Reeves of Reeves Farms take out the Regional Supreme Award at the Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Alastair and Ann Reeves of Reeves Farms in Te Akau have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Waikato Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Karapiro this evening. Alastair and Ann have developed a highly resilient farming business that is profitable while enhancing the surrounding environment. Reeves Farms has been in the family for more […]
Innovation and diversification sees Peter Rensen of Utopia Nurseries take out the Regional Supreme Award at the Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Peter Rensen of Utopia Nurseries has been named the Regional Supreme Winner at the Auckland Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Ellerslie this evening. His 18ha (8ha effective) Pukekohe nursery produces orchids, chrysanthemums and ruscus greenery, as well as miscanthus, which is grown and processed for potentially heating greenhouses in future. Extensive riparian planting has been […]
A culture of pride, connection and community sees Oromahoe Trust, managed by Dean Candy, named the Regional Supreme Winner at the Northland Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The award recognises the significance of the Trust’s underlying mission, which is to protect and look after the land for future generations. All farming decisions build on the goals of the Oromahoe Trust, a collective of 1,500 shareholders who are focused on achieving more than good economic outcomes. As kaitiaki of the land, the Trustees […]
Entrepreneurial dairy farmers James & Debbie, and Dave & Jan Stewart of Stewart Dairylands take out the Regional Supreme Award at the Horizons Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
James, Debbie, Dave and Jan Stewart are the driving force behind Stewart Dairylands in Hiwinui, which is one of three companies in the Stewart Group. Their farm is the dairy division, with 800 cows across 580ha (560ha effective). Stewart Dairylands was established in 1999, however five generations of Stewarts have farmed and expanded the legacy […]
Te Puke beef farmers Blair Linton, Linda Ellison and Robert Linton of Te Ranga Farms take out the Regional Supreme Award at the Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
The family behind Te Ranga Farms is focused on optimising the farming system, while protecting and enhancing its natural beauty and freshwater. The 296ha (176ha effective) farm has been in the Linton family since 1973. Since the early 1980s, it has been owned and managed by Robert Linton and Linda Ellison. Since 2022, their son […]
A diverse, multi-generational farming operation sees the Guild and Dunbar families of High Peak Station take out the Regional Supreme Award at the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
High Peak Station has traditional farm roots, however it has diversified in recent years to include a wide range of income streams enhanced with added value. The 3,760ha (3,450ha effective) property is managed by an eight-way partnership that runs four different businesses. The partnership is comprised of the Guilds – James, Anna, Hamish, Gemma, Simon […]
Innovation and forward thinking sees multi-generational farming family take out the Regional Supreme Award at the East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards
Simon & Josi Beamish and Hugo & Pip Beamish of Awapai have been announced as Regional Supreme Winners at the East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Gisborne this evening. Awapai, which is located in the WhanaWhana Valley, west of Hastings, is a 2,100ha (1,625ha effective) slice off the family’s original 7,910ha property. The grazing […]
Joanne van Polanen, moving on but not moving out
Former New Zealand Farm Environment Trust chair Joanne van Polanen can’t quite believe how the last eighteen years began. “Just at the time the children were settled in school and we had extra farm labour, I was thinking it would be good to do something off farm. I saw an ad in a local paper […]
BFEA Storytelling inspires Community Catchment
When the community comes together to plant 3,000 trees on a neighbour’s property, you know it’s the beginning of something special. For Sue Meszaros and Karyn Maddren of Streamland Suffolks in Ahuroa, north of Auckland, it was a sign that their initiative to create an Araparera River Catchment group within the local community was on […]
Certain the uncertain future is going to be good
The spring lambs have started to drop and Waipukurau sheep and beef farmer Steve Wyn-Harris tells me to take my chances if I want to catch him for a phone interview. I struck it lucky on Sunday morning. The photo Steve sends me of where he’s sitting in the sun is picture postcard beautiful. Brilliant […]
Young Otago sheep and beef farmers named 2023 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing
Steven and Kellie Nichol of Auldamor in Otago have been announced as the 2023 National Ambassadors for Sustainable Farming and Growing and recipients of the Gordon Stephenson Trophy at the National Sustainability Showcase at Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington this evening. Managed by Grant Bezett, Auldamor is primarily a sheep breeding and finishing operation, with […]
Continual improvement and guardianship sees Auldamor owners take out the Regional Supreme Award at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards
Steven and Kellie Nichol of Auldamor have been announced as Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin this evening. Steven and Kellie are constantly evolving their farming business though diversification and adapting production systems, all while considering environmental impact. Their 1,498ha property is located at Clarks Junction, Otago. The Nichol […]
A focus on family and productivity sees fifth-generation sheep and beef farmers take out the Regional Supreme Award at the Southland Ballance Farm Environment Awards
Cameron and Robert Grant of Croydon have been announced as Regional Supreme Winners at the Southland Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Invercargill this evening. Known as Grant Brothers, the business comprises four farms that span 4,444ha (4,200ha effective). Since 1884, the original block has been added to, with the brothers inheriting a successful long-term vision […]