From Hari Hari, to Atarau
Published date | 09 February 2022 |
"I've been in farming all my life and I am supposed to be retired but it's in my blood and I find the 130 sheep are very manageable," he smiles.
"At the height of sheep farming I was running over 3000 down at Hari Hari and that was a lot of work back then. Things have certainly changed - I was getting $12.50 for a lamb in the 1970s but today I am getting up to $200."
Rod started working on the family farm in Hari Hari when he was just a boy and has been living off the land ever since.
"My first job was with Vic my father when I was still at school, and I was soon working full time," he said.
"My grandfather Bill came out in 1800s and was working on a gold mine at Rimu."
He bought land in Hari Hari and had a mixed farm with sheep, dairy and beef. It was after World War Two - his father and brother split the farm up.
"When I started work on the farm I was also shearing sheep around the district and fencing for Lands and Survey."
Rod took a break from farming and spent some time overseas where he met his wife Charlotte. The couple returned to Hari Hari to live and raise their family.
"When we returned I started working full time sharemilking and fencing for Lands and Surveys in and in 1973 I purchased the farm off my dad," he said.
The farm had 300 breeding cows then, and 700 sheep and began developing the land.
The Muldoon government came in and had subsidised money for development and re-stocking.
Whataroa had three cattle sales then.
Muldoon's land development scheme but dropped overnight with Rogernomics and high interest rates.
Rod increased his sheep numbers to over 3000 and as well was rearing over 200 bull calves which he bought at the sales each spring.
"The prices for lambs increased from $7 to $12.50 and that price hung around for years," he mused.
"It was a reasonable price though and the sheep were shorn twice a year."
The wet spring was the worst time of the year for the sheep and he always ensured they had a bit of wool on them.
"That was the advantage of shearing sheep before lambing, as the sheep would seek shelter and the lambs would be with them. We had totara trees which provided shade and shelter for the sheep."
Rod says he initially purchased Southdown rams from Canterbury for breeding with his Romney ewes.
"I later moved on to South Dorsett and South Suff olk rams which I...
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