Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards regional supreme winners Kellie and Steven Nichol of Clarks Junction. Photo / Supplied
Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards regional supreme winners Kellie and Steven Nichol of Clarks Junction. Photo / Supplied
For more than 150 years, the Nichol family has been farming at Clarks Junction in the Otago hinterland.
Now the current generation, Steven and Kellie Nichol, have been acknowledged for their stewardship of the land.
Last week, the Nichols were named the regional supreme winners at the Otago Ballance FarmEnvironment Awards at a function in Dunedin. They will now represent Otago at the national final in Wellington in May.
The couple were constantly evolving their farming business through diversification and adapting production systems while considering the environmental impact.
Their property, Auldamor, managed by Grant Bezett, is primarily a sheep breeding and finishing operation with additional cattle grazing and carbon and production forestry.
The Auldamor team runs 4500 ewes and 1500 hoggets, while each year they graze an average of 290 mixed-age beef cows. Stock performance and profitability had been improved by adapting farming systems and emphasising on-farm measuring and monitoring.
Several initiatives to improve soil health had been introduced, including a no-till drilling programme. This had led to improved pasture resilience, better yields and improved stock performance and animal health.
The property’s biodiversity had been enhanced through the planting of shelterbelts and forestry stands, along with significant fencing of native shrubland and waterways.
Steven was extensively involved with the local community catchment group and was one of several local farmers participating in a greenhouse gas mitigation project that was primarily focused on reducing gross methane emissions.
The judges commended the Nichols’ high level of knowledge about all aspects of their farm, their farming business and their guardianship of it, noting that - along with farm manager Grant Bezett - they made a great team, with many complementary skills.
Attending the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards are finalists Grant Bezett (left), Steven and Kellie Nichol, Matt Hamilton, Justin and Gaylene Pigou, Emily Black and James Edgar. Photo / Linda Robertson
They also won the Ballance Agri-Nutrients soil management award, the Beef + Lamb New Zealand livestock farm award, the New Zealand Farm Environment Trust biodiversity award and the Otago Regional Council quality water enhancement award.
Justin Pigou and Matt Hamilton, from Pamu’s Landsdown dairy unit at Romahapa, won the Bayleys people in primary sector award, DairyNZ sustainability and stewardship award, Hill Laboratories agri-science award and the Norwood farming efficiency award.
James Edgar and Ethan Wilson, from Wilden View at Moa Flat, won the Rabobank agri-business management award.
New Zealand Farm Environment Trust trustee Kate Taylor said the awards function was a great opportunity to celebrate some of the region’s “amazing” food and fibre producers.
Humble farmers and growers did not always participate in awards and it was a privilege to learn more about them and their businesses, she said.
The trust was established 20 years ago and the awards programme helped to bring to light so many examples of farmers and growers doing “exceptional things”, Taylor said.
The purpose of the trust - to champion good practice across the sector - had never been more important.
But with adversity came opportunity, and Covid-19 and the recent devastating weather had highlighted the importance of sustainable food and fibre production and also the importance of the sector for New Zealand, she said.
Awards chairman Brendon Cross said it took courage for farmers and growers to put their hands up in such challenging times and he thanked those who entered the awards.
He encouraged those attending to think of the awards as a way to share their story and also an opportunity for growth and development.
Judging co-ordinator Julia Christie said it was a privilege to see the passion and enjoyment that farming brought to the entrants.
