Award winners holding field day

Sheep and beef farmers Simon and Kirstin Engelbrecht are hosting a field day. Photo / Supplied

The winners of the 2017 Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards, East Otago sheep and beef farmers Simon and Kirstin Engelbrecht, are hosting a field day on their property near Palmerston from noon tomorrow.

The couple run a 7500-stock-unit sheep and beef business on their 611ha property, Stoneburn, near Palmerston, and have four children, Oscar (19), Sam (16), Anna (14) and Charles (12).

Mr and Mrs Engelbrecht bought Stoneburn, a rolling hill-country property with steep faces and gullies, in 2005. In 2014 they acquired a 28ha coastal lease block and bought Goodwood, a 185ha farm with similar contours to Stoneburn, 20 minutes towards the coast from home.

The judges said the stock was in good health and performance was exceptionally high, while the quality of genetics, the level of feeding and

This winter they are planning on running 3700 Coopdale ewes, 1200 hoggets, 1430 fattening lambs, 120 breeding heifers and cows, 176 R2 fattening cattle and rams and bulls for breeding.

A key to the Engelbrechts' approach to farming is a willingness to make changes to ensure production is maximised and the soil and environment are

A barbecue will take place at noon tomorrow at the Engelbrechts' woolshed at 800 Stoneburn Rd.

The field day will start at 1pm and will cover strength in flexibility of decision-making, optimising stock performance and good crop management.

- Southern Rural Life