Community given chance to visit an award winning farm

Community given chance to visit an award winning farm

The Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Award Committee is offering the public the opportunity to visit a top performing high country station.

A field day will be held on the 12000ha Omarama Station on November 6. The farm is owned and operated by Richard and Annabelle Subtil who were the Supreme winners in this year’s Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

The Subtil’s also won the Environment Canterbury Water Efficiency, WaterForce Integrated Management, Ballance Agri-Nutrients Soil Management, and Massey University Innovation awards.

Sandra Taylor, the Judging Coordinator for the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards, said the field day is a rare opportunity for people to see how a supreme award winning farm operates.

“We are delighted to be able to provide members of the public with a chance to see why Richard and Annabelle won this prestigious award.

“The Ballance Farm Environment Awards recognise and celebrate that best practice on-farm management is both good for business, and good for the environment.

“We are sure plenty of people will be keen to see such a diverse farming business and how sustainable and profitable farming practices have been implemented,” she said.

The field day will include a tour of the farm to see how the Subtil’s achieve top performance in such a sensitive and challenging environment.

At the Field Day industry experts will also speak on a variety of topics including farm technology, irrigation efficiency, forage systems, stock and nutrient management, and eel recovery.

BFEA judges noted that the Subtil’s demonstrated excellence in financial, environmental and social sustainability.

Production has risen significantly since the installation of a centre pivot irrigation system that was developed between 2006 and 2011 from 240ha of border-dyked land and now covers 560ha.

The couple add value to much of the meat and wool they produce, they grow crops, generate and sell electricity and run a homestay business.

For the past 11 years the Subtils have also been working with local iwi and the Department of Conservation to promote the regeneration of the native longfin eel population and a QEII National Trust covenant has been placed over 2500ha, including unique high-country bog wetland containing rare native species.

Entries for the 2016 Canterbury BFEA are open until 30 October and are a good opportunity for farmers to get feed-back on what they have been doing to enhance their environment.

There are nine Award categories which cover soil and nutrient management, livestock management, farm stewardship, community involvement, integrated management and crop harvest. For more information visit www.bfea.org.nz.

Field Day information

Date: 6 November 2015, 10am-4pm (rain or shine)
Venue: Omarama Station, 59 Omarama-Lindis Pass Rd, Omarama 9448
Catering: BYO packed lunch, BBQ and refreshments will be provided from 4:00pm

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