High quality silages play a critical part in the success of Corrlands Waikeria dairy farm operation. Situated around Waikeria Prison, south of Te Awamutu, the farm provides inmate training in a full range of dairy management skills. Over recent years, Corrlands Waikeria was named a finalist in the Farm Manager section of the Fonterra Westpac Dairy Excellence Awards and it also won three major Waikato Ballance Farm Environmental Awards.
About 20 km inland from Otorohanga is the tiny settlement of Maihiihi which is home to Luke Edwards and his family. Luke is a 20% partner in his family's farm which he manages along with two full time staff. It consists of 220 ha of dairy, another 20 ha of pine, 12 ha for maize and some native bush.
Joe and Jenima Foster were living in the city when they made the decision that they wanted to start a family and have a rural lifestyle for their children.
When Roel and Diana Wobben arrived from Holland 26 years ago with very little, they could not have imagined that they would end up living on their 600 ha dairy farm with three sons Carlo, Rick and Dylan and milking 1,800 Friesian cows per day.
Fraser McGougan and his wife Katherine live on their 147 ha Willowvale farm in Taneatua which has been in Fraser’s family since 1898. Five years ago, they purchased the land from his parents and are currently milking 430 crossbreed cows with a total production of 160,000 kg of milksolids per annum.
He cites adaptability, diversification, loyal staff, self reliance, nutrient preservation and, as most successful businessmen have, a secret weapon that gives him a competitive edge. In Mark’s case it’s his partner Angela Thomasen along with long time friend Garry Fotheringham who have helped him expand from 40 ha of maize to a 450 ha operation in just 12 years.
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