Canterbury winners

Water re-use impresses judges

A very strong performance in all areas of profitable and sustainable land management has won Paddy and Barbara Boyd (the managers of Haldon Station in the Mackenzie Country) this year’s Ballance Farm Environments Awards Supreme Award for Canterbury.

Judging co-ordinator Doug Archbold said his team had a difficult task in choosing the best performer from a group of excellent entries. The Boyds have shown an outstanding grasp of the complex skills required to run an operation of this size. Their ability to implement systems to protect and improve soil and water values, manage weeds and pests whilst producing a healthy profit in such a fragile environment, are simply outstanding.

Their system of reusing border dyke water to irrigate further land gives them an edge as this system protects and improves soil and water values in a dry and fragile environment.

Innovative use has been made of deer to control briar, which was taking over in many areas. Paddy says the country was effectively ‘buggered’ for sheep. Large mobs of deer stop the briar reseeding, and chew off all the young shoots, and it has now got to the stage where sheep can be grazed after the deer.

Haldon Station runs about 6000 deer, 11,000 sheep and 1000 cattle. The station also has Merino, Hereford, and Angus studs. Paddy says they finish all their own stock, and breed the majority of the replacements.

As well as winning the Supreme Award, Paddy and Barbara also won the Environment Canterbury Water Efficiency Award.

The 14,000ha Haldon Station was bought in 1991 by the Klisser family when they sold their bread making business. Paddy Boyd stayed on as manager, having been on the farm since 1982.

Han Klisser said Paddy Boyd was doing a fantastic job: ‘Without him we couldn’t have done it. Standards have been set, and we have been improving year by year.’ In turn, Paddy said the Klissers had been hands off, allowing him to get on with development. All development was done out of farm income.

Other winners were:

Ballance Nutrient Management Award
Paul and Ann Jarman, Essendon Farm, Darfield

Hill Laboratories Best Harvest Award
Paul and Ann Jarman, Essendon Farm, Darfield

Livestock Improvement Dairy Farm Award
David and Karen Ellis, Orari and Waimate

PPCS Livestock Farm Award
Tony and Becky Marett, with owners Rosemary and David Morrow, Okawa Farm, Mount Somers

ANZ Grow Award
Nick and Michelle Ward, Temuka

BFEA Heritage Restoration Award
Francis and Shireen Helps, Flea Bay, Akaroa

Gallagher Innovation Awards
Nick and Michelle Ward, Temuka
Ross and Helen Ivey, Glentanner Station, Mount Cook
David and Karen Ellis, Orari and Waimate

Merit awards:
Mark and Marie-Claire Dewsbury, Mt Somers
Hamish and Grace Roxburgh, Waiau
Erin and Andrew Mulholland, Hawarden
Garfield and Andy Hayes, Kurow
Tony and Sharon Allan, Twizel
Roger and Lisa Small, Waimate