Solar power farming in Hawke’s Bay
Research solar power farming, as I have been doing for the last few weeks, to get a grip on Hawke’s Bay’s embrace of solar, and you’ll soon hear the famous inventor Thomas Edison’s quote from the 1880s. “We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be […]
Innovative Mara Bio at home in Foodeast-Haumako
An exciting young company turning primary industry by-products into functional food-grade ingredients has moved its head office to Foodeast-Haumako this week. Mara Bio takes food industry side streams – left over products from food manufacturing processes – and, using fermentation and edible fungi, develops high-value protein powders that can be used in a range of […]
Wool’s future woolly?
WoolWorks has placed a $50 million bet on the future of wool, not just in Hawke’s Bay, but New Zealand as well. Yet the wool industry is not in great shape right now. Arguably, it hasn’t been since the 1950s. From 70 million in the 1980s, sheep numbers are now about 24 million. So what […]
Smedley Station’s new education hub built by cadets with timber grown on farm
Cadets at Smedley Station and Cadet Training Farm in Tikokino, Central Hawke’s Bay are ticking off big projects one new build at a time. The students and resident licensed builder Mark Winlove finished building the new education hub in 2023 and are now building a six-stand wool shed and covered yards on Smedley’s Farm at […]
Joe Stenberg From Te Mata Estate Wins Hawke’s Bay Young Viticulturist Of The Year
Congratulations to Joe Stenberg from Te Mata Estate who took out the coveted title of Hawke’s Bay Young Viticulturist of the Year 2024 after a tough competition at Paritua Vineyards in Bridge Pa. Congratulations also to Heath Miller from Pask who came second and Jess Sunderland-Wells from Indevin who came third. The other contestants – […]
Wairoa trust announces first horticulture graduates
Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Trust has announced the graduation of the first five cadets from its horticulture programme. It marks a significant milestone in the development of local talent and Wairoa’s regional economy as the cadets successfully completed their Level 3 horticulture certification while working on orchards over the past three years, the trust […]
Three awards for Birch Hill Station at East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards
An ethos of “enriching land and people” has helped the owners of Birch Hill Station to gain three awards at the recent East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Ben and Libby Tosswill took out the Norwood Farming Efficiency Award, the NZFET Climate Recognition Award and the East Coast Farming for the Future Award. Carrying on […]
From woolshed to bed – two sisters spin their homeware dreams
After leaving life as a veterinarian and the corporate world, sisters Kate Cullwick and Prue Watson were looking for a new business venture to combine their talents and showcase the best of the family farm. Kate and her husband Jeremy Cullwick worked as vets practising in Dannevirke before moving to Jeremy’s family sheep and beef […]
Forward thinking sees farming family win award
Simon and Josi Beamish and Hugo & Pip Beamish of Awapai have been announced as the regional supreme winners at the East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Gisborne. Awapai, which is 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 and finishing […]
Matangi Angus Beef Breaks New Ground With Boutique Butchery In Hawke’s Bay
Twelve months ago, the team at Matangi Angus Beef were in gumboots beginning repairs to their farm after Cyclone Gabrielle laid waste to much of it – a far cry from the position they now find themselves in as they open their brand new boutique butchery in the heart of Hastings’ foodie district, delivering an […]
Zanda McDonald Award crowns two winners at ten-year milestone
Two exceptional young women have been crowned as the 2024 winners of the coveted trans-Tasman agricultural award, the Zanda McDonald Award, at a special 10-year celebration evening. Australian Tessa Chartres and New Zealander Nancy Crawshaw have taken out the top honours with the award that recognises and supports future leaders in the primary sector. Australian […]