Dairy farming proved lucrative for Mathew and Gemma Barham, but the Silver Fern Farms Farmer of the Year winners say it was the wrong lifestyle to raise a family.
"Dairy is not conducive to bringing up young kids," Mr Barham said.
"It's bloody tough getting up at 3.30am and getting home at 8am-9am without having to worry about kids kicking around.
"Sheep and beef is more conducive to the younger families. I know a lot of guys do it with kids but it's pretty tough. But it definitely served a purpose, we enjoyed milking cows while we were doing it."
Fresh out of university with a degree in rural valuation and farm management, he got a job milking for a sharemilker to Crafar Farms, which was New Zealand's largest family-owned dairy business. He had milked during his university holidays throughout Reporoa.
"After six months I was contract milking."
He milked 900 cows for a season before also milking a farm on the lake's western bays.
"I gave the first block up to another sharemilker and consolidated the one we were on, upped the numbers slightly, and we were given the opportunity to develop and set up another one," he said.
In all he was involved in three Crafar properties, but he always had one eye on dry stock.
"Two years after leaving university I bought a share in a property which I sold to have sole ownership of a smaller beef and sheep block. I then leased it out to another dairy farmer. There was a bit of going back and forth between blocks and I'm just lucky that my father was available at the time. I was milking nearly 3,500 cows. He oversaw those land purchases and sales and made sure lease blocks were being looked after by the leasees.
"We finished with Crafar in July 2005 and we went to a 10-month contract on a conversion out of pine trees into dairy at the back of Tokoroa.
"We milked for Crafar for about eight or nine years but it was a stepping stone into sheep and beef."
The couple sold up all their dairy interests and bought the 1000ha Mangatarata Station near Waipukurau.
He said his experience in dairy helped him with dry stock.
"It gives you a good work ethic and good skills in relation to the cattle side.
He said he had made slight changes to the station's farming system.
"We are running paddocks through a bit of a cropping programme, just trying to get new grass in.
At age 34, and Mrs Barham, 32, they have no more big moves planned.
"We are probably just going to consolidate. We are paying back principal as quickly as finances will allow. We are really hunkering down," Mr Barham said.
They always sought out experts to help them and were grateful for the good advice they received, but there were four experts they were especially grateful to - their parents.
"It's not easy farming without that support whether it be helping us on the farm or looking after the kids now and then."
He said dairy farming "served a purpose".
"Our intention was always to milk cows for a period of time, build a strong base and jump back into the sheep and beef.
"I saw an opportunity to get out and we took it. It's hard to get out of dairy when you are generating such a big income. You have to get the timing right to step away from that income when you have still got debt."
He said they enjoy their lifestyle and local community.
"It's a great neighbourhood, we've all got young families around the same age - it's a great supportive little spot."
A field day will be held at Mangatarata Station on May 3.