Over The Fence

Surrounded by the vibrant farmlands of Geraldine, Toby How has spent the past decade turning his passion for fencing into a dynamic and successful business.

In the rugged expanse of the Mackenzie District, beneath the shadow of Mount Dobson, two properties form the backbone of Melior, a deer farming operation that’s redefining the future of the industry. Stretching across diverse and breathtaking landscapes, Melior operates across Stanton Station near Burkes Pass, and also has a second property on partially irrigated pastures below. It’s here that Managing Director Tom Macfarlane, his wife Samantha and their team are pushing boundaries in deer genetics and sustainable farming.

Situated in the heart of South Wairarapa, Wharerata Farm in the township of Pirinoa is framed by the Haurangi Ranges and just a short drive from the spectacular Palliser Bay. Known for its fertile soils and temperate climate, the region provides ideal conditions for a mixed farming operation. We spoke with Sophie Atkinson, a ‘dyed-in-the-wool’ farmer who, alongside her partner Tim, continues her family’s legacy on their fourth-generation farm.

We visited Winston at his Kaharoa-based property, just 30 minutes north of Rotorua, where he showed us a few tricks he had up his sleeve from working over 40 years in fencing.

Cory Jones, along with his wife Chloe, has turned his passion for fencing into a thriving business.

Tucked away in the breathtaking landscapes of Central Otago, Rose Creek Farm offers a unique blend of old-world charm and innovative agritourism. Owned and operated by the Peake family - Leigh-Anne, Andrew, and their son Nathan - this estate showcases their journey from Cambridge hobby farmers to multifaceted rural entrepreneurs.

Situated just beyond the landmark Huntly Power Station and a short 15-minute drive west of the township, Kauri Moor Farms sits amidst a breathtaking hidden landscape. The 700-hectare property, managed by third generation farmer, Rhys Darby, epitomises a blend of farming tradition and modern agricultural entrepreneurship. With a strong commitment to growth, succession and sustainability, Kauri Moor Farms stands as a testament to the evolving nature of New Zealand farming.

In the heart of Kio Kio, Waikato, Kieran and Jess White are redefining what it means to be sustainable farmers. On their families 80-hectare property, Green Park Dairy, the couple blends traditional dairy and sheep farming with a clever, unique strategy for using excess, low-quality wool - an often neglected by-product in agriculture.

Located on the southern edge of the Hokonui Hills near Lumsden, Glen Mitchell manages Glenrae Stud, a 500-hectare sheep and cattle farm, with a dedication that spans generations. A Lumsden local, Glen returned to his Southland farming roots after studying applied science at Massey University. When the opportunity arose to purchase the property 19 years ago, he couldn’t pass it up — especially since it sat right next to the farm where he grew up.

Situated on the northern boundary of Palmerston North, Stewart Dairylands is a living testament to over a century of family farming excellence. Established 120 years ago, the farm began as a humble sheep and beef operation. In 1999, it transitioned to dairy farming, and today, it boasts two expansive milking platforms covering 350 hectares and an additional 230 hectares of support land home to a thriving 800-cow herd.

Located just south of Auckland on Umupuia Beach along the Hauraki Gulf, Clevedon Buffalo Co. is New Zealand’s pioneering buffalo farm. Established in 2007 by Richard and Helen Dorresteyn, this family-operated farm manages a herd of 200 buffalo, of which 70 are currently in milk production. Their passion extends to crafting award-winning products such as buffalo mozzarella, bocconcini, ricotta, feta, yoghurt, and marinated buffalo cheese.

Aaron Third of Aaron Third Contracting has been transforming the landscape of rural fencing for nearly seven years.

Will Pei is carving a niche for himself in the fencing world. Originally hailing from Te Anau, Will has been a local in Balclutha for the last four years.

Situated at the front of the rugged Catlins Ranges lies Hēpara Cashmere, a cashmere goat farm with David Shaw at the helm. For nearly 40 years, Hēpara has been home to these intelligent, curious and luxuriously fluffy animals. David shared with us the story of his farm and his fascinating journey of integrating cashmere goats into the New Zealand agricultural landscape.

In the picturesque township of Waipu, situated amongst rolling hills and coastal vistas, lies Belle Chèvre Creamery. The 40-acre farm, operated by Jennifer Rodrigue and her husband David, stands as a testament to the pairs’ pursuit of a dream. Jennifer, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, shared the story of their journey, from high-tech industry professionals in America to goat cheese artisans in New Zealand.

Nestled in the vibrant neighbourhood of Kingsland, Auckland, Urbanaut Brewery stands as a dynamic and innovative player in the New Zealand brewing scene. We recently caught up with Dave Huff, head brewer and aptly named ‘yeast whisperer’ at Urbanaut, to discuss the brand’s journey, their hops selection process and the evolving landscape of the New Zealand beer market.

In Tapawera, we met with Hayden Oldham, farm manager of New Hoplands – a fourth generation hop farm. Hayden cultivates a diverse array of hop varieties to meet market demands, whilst maintaining his passion and commitment to organic farming and sustainable practices.

It was a crisp autumn day when we caught up with Rose Haynes at her sheep and beef farm, Waihua Station in Wairoa, an hour and a quarter north of Napier. The Haynes family have owned the land for over 140 years and whilst the farm is rich in family history, Rose's approach is firmly future- focused and dedicated to diversification, sustainable practices, and adaptability.

Situated in Te Karaka, near Gisborne is Turiwai Farm, a 63-hectare beef and sheep farm and home to the Baynes-Ryan family. Storm and her husband, Ginge, purchased the hill country property two years ago, relocating from rural Auckland with their four kids, Clancy, Aurelia, Ran and Wyatt.

Home to Whanganui's famous fresh berry pancakes and fresh fruit ice cream, Windermere Berry Farms is a nostalgic slice of paradise for many locals, and a popular destination for tourists. Situated on the Whanganui-New Plymouth highway, the farm is a great opportunity for an interactive experience of in-season berry picking, greeting friendly alpacas, and enjoying food and refreshments at their on-site cafe?.

Central Otago is known for its cherry-growing capabilities, with 90% of New Zealand’s cherries planted within the region. Based in Cromwell, Lowburn Cherries is one of two cherry orchards managed by Nick Common and their company; Advanced Horticulture Limited. What was once part of a large merino sheep property in the Lowburn Valley north of Cromwell, is now being developed into a 50 canopy hectare cherry orchard.

Building premium horticultural and viticultural developments is something that David Holwerda has been doing for the past five years.

Tim Garrick has been contracting in the Gisborne region for the past six and a half years. With a total of eight years of fencing under his belt, he mostly works on hill country jobs that require a lot of post and batten fencing.

We visited Jamie at his Tasman-based property as he showed us three ways to use a GOFENCE® Permanent Wire Strainer.

Tasman Pine Forests (TPF) has been operating since 2016, occupying a large amount of forest land in the Nelson-Tasman region whilst dedicating time and resources to producing and extracting high-density radiata pine for its suppliers. Steve Chandler is the executive director of TPF and has been in the role for five years, surpassing 50 years working in the forestry industry.

Tucked away in the Moutere Forest, the Mechanised Cable Harvesting (MCH) team of seven spend their days working at Tasman Pine. Owned by Nathan Taylor, Hamish Matthews, and Ross Wood, the business also has a duplicate team working at another site – both fully mechanised swing yarder crews with cable extraction.

Last month, we visited Geoff and his son, Mitch, while they were working on a fencing project in Waitoa. While we were there, the pair showed us two different fencing tips – see last month’s mailer for Mitch’s tip on a stay assembly. In this edition, Geoff shows us his tip on footing a strainer.

Marlborough is home to New Zealand’s largest growing wine region, producing some of the finest-tasting wines our country has to offer. In a region teeming with vineyards, Marisco stands out from the crowd; the family-owned and operated business is renowned for their award-winning success and is the producer of wine brands including The Ned, Leefield Station, The Kings Series, The Craft Series, and Diamond Heart, which they export to 16 countries around the world.

Mudbrick Vineyard and Restaurant is a destination like no other with its spectacular views, delicious food and wine, a cellar door, an aesthetically pleasing rooftop bar, lodge accommodation, vineyards, and scents of lavender and rosemary from their perfectly manicured gardens. The family business, managed by Oscar Jones, has been operating for the past 32 years, with their newest venture integrating organic varieties.

It was a hot summer’s day when we visited Mitch in Waitoa, just ten minutes from Te Aroha township. Mitch and his father, Geoff, were working on a seven-wire fencing project for a rural block. While we were there, Mitch was happy to show us how he installs a stay assembly.

It’s a known fact that Queenstown is a popular attraction for Kiwis and overseas tourists, with breath-taking landscapes and stunning views of Lake Wakatipu. Adding to its charm is NZ’s oldest passenger carrying steamship, the 48-metre long TSS Earnslaw, otherwise known as ‘the lady of the lake’ that has been in operation for over 100 years. This unique 45-minute voyage sends you across the western shores to Walter Peak High Country Farm, a property containing a beautiful garden, an old homestead, friendly farm animals, and a catered restaurant.

Mike Gee-Taylor knows how important it is to have a good succession plan. Based in Rangiwahia, an hour’s drive from Palmerston North, Mike is the owner of three farms and is no stranger to hard work and determination. His latest farming venture is to restore Tawai Farm to how Mike remembered it as a young boy – a thriving sheep and beef property that he always dreamt of owning.

We visited Tawai Farm in Rangiwahia, where we met up with Mike Gee-Taylor and his fencer, Taylor Barr, the 2023 Emerging Talent winner at FCANZ, as they completed some re-fencing projects.

Spread across two orchards, Craig and Wendy Dowling are the owners of Bayleaf Organics, based in the thriving fruit-growing region of Hawke’s Bay. Both orchards, one based in Meeanee and the other in Haumoana, total 40 hectares, where they grow five different apple varieties that suit their organic practices and the Hawke’s Bay soil and climate.

Kaiaponi Farms has a long history of cropping, dating back to 1907. Originally purchased by Cedric Witters, the land has been used for growing many varieties of fruit and vegetables over time, including avocados, pears, tomatoes, squash, apricots, beans and grapes.

Since we last visited Neil, he’s completed miles of fencing on big and small projects across the Waikato region. Recently, he has been working on a 2,000-post job in Taupō and has also been helping to rebuild and repair bridges in Hawke’s Bay after significant storm damage.

Owned by Cath and Paul Baker, Sevenoaks is a prosperous sheep, beef and cropping farm near Renwick, Marlborough. Along with growing oats, red clover and wheat, the 121-hectare property also dedicates space for Sauvignon Blanc grapes, making it an exciting and diverse operation.

Rob and Toni Auld continue the sheep and cropping family legacy on their Southland-based property which was purchased by Rob’s grandfather in 1924. The 200-hectare property has since been established by Rob and Toni as the southernmost on-farm whiskey and gin distillery - Auld Farm Distillery.

Hebberd and Mckay Partnership was formed in 2010 between Billy and his partner, focusing heavily on wire and irrigation work. It was a stunning afternoon when we visited Billy in Spring Creek, Marlborough, as he was running out wires in a vineyard.

For over three generations, the Guild family has settled within the Rakaia Gorge, across 3,700 hectares of high-country land. Celebrating their fiftieth year, High Peak Station features 18,000 stock units comprising sheep, beef and deer.

We were up at the crack of dawn as Grant Charteris showed us around his Hawke’s Bay deer, sheep and beef property based in Tikokino. Grant’s family has farmed at this location for nearly 70 years, building a successful operation dedicated to their deer velvet genetics.

We visited the father-son duo as they were working on deer and seven-wire fencing for The Whale Trail, just outside of Picton.

Known for their Wiltshire sheep breed and genetics, Mt Cass Station is a certified organic sheep and beef property 
that spans 3,800 hectares amongst the steep, rolling countryside.

Known for its Scandinavian heritage and prosperous future on the backbone of farming, Dannevirke is also home to Pukemiro Station, a thriving 930-hectare (effective) sheep and beef farm that established a cadetship in 2018, training two groups of three across two years.

Based in the Gisborne District, Waihina Station, is a 1,800-hectare sheep and beef station run by Hamish Harding. We had the pleasure of visiting whilst they were shearing 1,500 of their ewe hoggets for New Zealand wool business, Wisewool.

Quinn and Renee were the Fieldays® Silver Staples winners this year, taking the title back to the Pukemiro Station Cadetship, where they’ve both been stationed for the past couple of years.

In 2018, Donald Pearson gifted the farm to New Zealand Young Farmers in the hopes that it would educate young people, connecting them with the primary sector, and helping them understand why agriculture is a significant part of New Zealand’s identity.

Patoa Farms is the largest pig farm in New Zealand, dedicated to a system that focuses on sustainable farming practices. This includes the production of 100,000 pigs per year, within an ecosystem where all straw and manure from the farm is recycled or repurposed.

If you’ve ever visited an alpaca farm, you might be aware of the overwhelming joy that you feel when interacting with these soft-fleeced animals. Similar to and often confused with llamas, alpacas are part of the South American camelid family and complement wool as a secondary source.

We revisited James Ewing in the sweet spot of Pleasant Point, where he was working on a ten-kilometre fencing job for a local sheep farmer.

When you think of New Zealand hops, do you immediately think of the Nelson region, where majority of our hops are grown? We 
do too! However, in 2016, a Garston sheep farm owned by the McNamee family decided to take on a new venture and implement their first experimental hop plants. Today, Garston Hops is the first commercial hop garden in Southland.

Ever since Brent McGlashen was little he was enamoured with hops. Growing up, you would find him and his three siblings spending countless nights in the hop shed helping their father during harvest. It was a huge part of Brent’s upbringing and that passion for hops continues. Brent is a fifth- generation hop farmer and director of Mac Hops situated across two properties – their home farm in the heart of Motueka and the other based in the Moutere Valley.

We visited Stephen Daley as he worked on covenant fencing for Landcorp, amongst the stunning Te Anau landscape. He had his helper on site, George, who at the time had only been working with him for three weeks and was already making a good impression.

Situated in the Rakaia Gorge on the northern slopes of Mount Hutt and next to the Rakaia River, Cleardale Station is a 1,700-hectare stud sheep and Angus beef farm owned by Ben Todhunter and Donna Field.

Taranaki is known for its thriving agricultural industry, steep hill country and picturesque views. Around 60% of the region is used for farming, dairying being the most popular sector followed closely by sheep and beef farming. Gene Thomson is the farm manager of Kaipikari Farm in Urenui, North Taranaki. He lives there with his partner Danielle.

Founder, Elle Perriam is a force to be reckoned with in the rural well-being space. Since 2018, Will to Live has been dedicated to promoting mental health awareness, giving rural New Zealanders the support through free and individualised well-being programmes.

Debbie Robertson has been fencing since she was 19, helping her dad on their home farm in Taupō and fencing for many years alongside her husband, Neil. Their Waikato-based business Fensin Ltd has been operating for over 40 years with the overarching aim of giving back to the rural community.

Greg Rathbun and Tann Duangprasit have created a unique and harmonious avocado and mushroom operation, powered by passion and productivity, using Greg’s financial consulting background and Tann’s passion for foraging and growing mushrooms.

We got the opportunity to visit Brandon as he was doing some rural fencing work half an hour from Winton.

Surrounded by Marlborough’s mountainous landscape, we visited Curtis Jenkins at one of Pernod Ricard’s vineyards based in Renwick, where he showed us how to replace a strainer post.

We visited Jack Dawson at the end of last year whilst he was working at Rathgen Fencing. Jack worked alongside Tom Rathgen, who he has known since childhood, being long-time mates with Tom’s younger brother, Luke.

John Noakes, known to many as Noksee, has been an avid fencing contractor for 18 years. He prides himself on having good health and safety protocols and a strong work ethic, resulting in high-quality work on the fence line.

Owen Orr has been fencing in the Waikato region since he was just 19 years old and is now passing the baton to his nephew Bob Orr, who is making a name for himself with his South Waikato business, Bob Wire Fencing.

Jeff Rawson and his wife Susanne have had a very intriguing career, meeting in Antarctica in 2012; Jeff was in a field support role helping groups with logistics and maintenance within the remote environment, whilst Susanne was working with the Antarctic Heritage Trust as a Lead Conservator to preserve the historic expedition bases built by Shackleton and Scott during the Heroic Age.

When we visited Josh Sutherland, he was working on a culvert pipe project as one of his clients was about to build a new home. He was kind enough to show us how he deals with excess surface water by installing a Smooth Single Wall Culvert Pipe for a new rural driveway.

An avid storyteller, businessman, entrepreneur and viticulturist, Monty Knight is the proud owner of Kaitaia-based vineyard Okahu Estate. Located at the southern end of Ninety-Mile Beach and a ten-minute drive from Ahipara, the Estate features a small vineyard, cellar door and Monty’s home, where he nurtures a veggie garden and an exquisite range of palm and banana trees which, paired with the warm climate, make you feel like you’re in the tropics.

For many New Zealand farmers, running a business can mean getting the whole family involved. This was apparent from the beginning when we visited Francis and Annette Maher on their seventh-generation farm in Marlborough. All five of their daughters, three of whom are married and live in Marlborough, help out with the 800-hectare livestock and vineyard operation.

Home to some of the most eminent wineries in the country, Martinborough has been known for its high-quality Pinot Noir since the late 1970s, which inspired the Central Otago region to follow suit. Their family ethics and stewardship of the land, which boasts the best soil and climate for various wine varietals, is what makes Martinborough and its vineyards a great place to visit.

We visited Chris Dalzell in Mount Pleasant, just under ten kilometres from Christchurch Central, as he was working on a retaining wall for a property that off ered panoramic views overlooking Heathcote Estuary and Pegasus Bay.

Tony and Shona Pedersen’s property, located between Hamilton and Raglan, is not your usual Waikato-based dairy farm. It is the last dairy farm standing in the Waitetuna Valley, featuring 300 hectares of rolling hills, flatland, native bush, pine trees and cattle – adding a unique mix to their family operation over the last 33 years.

Nestled away in the East Otago landscape, filled with tussocks, plain land and rolling hills, you will find the home of Dave and Sarah Smith, beef and sheep farmers at Mt Watkins Farm. A 45-minute drive from Dunedin, their farm is an idyllic spot featuring livestock, forestry and their luxury, off-the-grid Fallow Ridge Retreat where guests can enjoy a slice of rural paradise.

The Tasman region is known for its coastal adventures, golden beaches and artistic flair, but it’s also known as one of the top places to grow fruit, predominantly apples, in New Zealand. Golden Bay Fruit is an exciting collective that has been around for over 20 years, exporting premium fruit grown by family-operated orchards within the region.

Hawke’s Bay is known for being one of the main fruit-growing regions in New Zealand, with 86% of our country’s apples and pears grown in Hawke’s Bay and Nelson. Due to high levels of sunshine per day in Napier, Hastings and the surrounding areas, this makes it the perfect spot for orchard and vineyard operators.

It was a beautiful morning when we visited Tom Rathgen’s family farm in Leeston, where he, and co-worker Jack Dawson, showed us how to install a gateway. The pair have competed in a couple of fencing competitions together, the most recent one being the NZ Young Farmers (NZYF) Goldpine Fencing Competition held in Taipuha, Northland at the end of last year.

Just ten minutes outside the township of Amberley, we visited Leigh Powell whilst he was installing a couple of Corrugated Twin Wall Culvert Pipes for a local dry stock farmer.

The Carrfields Group is a family-owned agricultural business that focuses on machinery, technology, irrigation solutions, contracting services, livestock sales and grain and seed production. The business has many facets, but the focus for our visit to Ashburton was to understand, in more depth, the work of their grain and seed division, managed by Ryan McLaren.

Ross Hewson is a third- generation arable, sheep and beef farmer. Ross farmed in partnership with his brother, David, in South Canterbury until 2000 when he moved to Pendarves, Mid Canterbury to expand his arable and vegetable business, Hewson Farms.

Māniatoto offers an array of tussock-covered hills and inland mountain ranges, and is home to Willowglen Farms – a deer, sheep and beef farm spanning 700 hectares. Becks Smith can be described as a woman who wears many hats, but the blood, sweat and tears that she puts into farming alongside her husband Jason and his parents, Barry and Diane, promotes great stockmanship.

We have been visiting so many inspiring rural women recently, and we thought we’d add another to the list. Caroline Smith is the farm co-owner, with her husband Geoff, and the head operator of Chipinga: a 250-hectare deer, cattle and cashmere farm located near Te Pōhue in Hawke’s Bay. With her girls can do anything mentality, Caroline has two daughters who are both fond of becoming farmers and walking in their mother’s footsteps one day.

We were fortunate enough to visit Mike again as he was working on a project for the Marlborough District Council Farm Park Boundary. Mike was there with two of his workers installing approximately 600 metres of deer fencing over three days.

Rich in history, Davaar Station has been in Kate Macdonald’s family for over 100 years. As a fifth-generation family member, Kate has always had a love for agriculture and the importance of wool as a natural fibre. Combining these two passions, Kate works with her parents at Davaar Station near Te Anau, Southland and is the founder and creative director of newly-founded business Davaar & Co.

Settled amongst snow-capped mountains, flat farmland and expansive hill country, the Northern Southland landscape is home to Fairlight Station; an intensive deer, sheep, beef and thriving forest operation. It is also home to The Fairlight Foundation internship programme that paves the way for advancing women in the agricultural industry.

Sheep and beef farmer John Levy was once a successful real estate businessman who lived in his hometown, Paremata, for 50 years. He always had an itching for farm life after getting a taste of it from a young age. John’s story provides inspiration to those who wish to follow their passions and navigate a completely different path.

Tucked away in the picturesque alpine scenery is the charming town of Glenorchy, situated 45 kilometres from central Queenstown. It is also home to business owner and marketing manager, Chanelle O’Sullivan and her family. Chanelle defines herself as a multipotentialite, having many different interests and creative endeavours – not being fixed to any one given job.

Growing up on a dairy farm gave Gavin Fisher a love for the outdoors and constantly being surrounded by animals was a bonus. After leaving high school, Gavin spent two years abroad before working on his family farm, making him a third-generation dairy farmer of Mountain View Organics.

Tangaroa Walker, the founder of Farm 4 Life, is taking rural education by storm with his new hub and video learning platform that aligns with NZQA-qualified teachings for the dairy industry. The Farm 4 Life Hub has more than 2,000 videos, incorporating quizzes and assessments, giving members an understanding of the ins and outs of dairy farming.

Catching up with Ben Clark It’s always a pleasure catching up with Ben, and when we found him working in the hills, he was happy to take us through the process of repairing a broken fence post. Although it takes a considerable amount of force to break a Rounded Superpost®, accidents can happen!

Hawke’s Bay farmer Peter Olsen has had an exciting and varied career as a fencing contractor, a professional rodeo rider, a horse trainer and a sheep and beef farmer. One thing that is evident is the wealth of knowledge that Peter has acquired from raising animals and being surrounded by them from an early age.

Mount Taranaki is the perfect backdrop for Mangaotea Farm, breeders of quality stud Angus, Hereford and Murray Grey cattle. The farm is owned by the Blackwell family and it was such a pleasure meeting them at their Ratapiko-based property situated a shy 20 minutes from Stratford.

It was a foggy morning on the way to Astill Farm, one of three locations that Berry Farms NZ operates from in the Hawke’s Bay region. When we reached our location, we were greeted by General Manager Johnny Milmine as he showed us around the site that consisted of five canopy hectares of raspberry-filled tunnels.

Whether you’re making guacamole, salads, burgers or using it as a spread on toast, avocados are the perfect addition to any meal. This popular fruit is loved by many with an extensive number of avocado trees placed throughout Northland and the Bay of Plenty regions.

Originally from Lake Tekapo, Chris Ensor is the domestic log sales manager of Trans-Tasman forests and mills business, OneFortyOne. With ties to both Australia and New Zealand, OneFortyOne manages over 160,000 hectares of land, including conservation, and plants over six million seedlings every year.

We visited Brad Rodger and the crew at Moutere Logging while they were working on a project for M&R Forestland. Based in Nelson and founded by Dale and Christine Ewers, Moutere Logging has been running since 1989. It’s grown from one logging crew to 14 crews nationwide.

Ali Akbar is the sole installer at AST Fencing based in Hamilton. When Ali requires more hands on deck, he’ll bring in other fencing contractors to help him out with larger projects.

We visited James at Pleasant Point where he had just recently finished three kilometres of sheep netting fencing; it took him, one other team member and some help from the farmer, 70 hours to complete.

Neil and his wife, Debbie, are huge advocates of health and safety in fencing, with the pair being certified fencers. Fencing has been very much a family affair, with their son also working as a fencing contractor for 14 years (up until two years ago).

Located in the Moutere Valley, which is best known for its food, wine and craft beer, you will find the property of Freestyle Hops. Managed by Sean Riley and owned by FS Investments, this successful establishment is going from strength to strength being a one-stop-shop for all of your hop and pelleting needs.

When we arrived at the farm of James and Elissa Cooper, just nine kilometres from Taupō, we were greeted by James and his team of herding dogs. Friendly from the first hello, you could tell that James was excited to show us his farm-based brewing facilities, popularly known as Lakeman Brewing.

Godfrey Quemeneur and Rachel Downes are the owners of Hawke’s Bay’s hidden gem, GodsOwn Brewery. The brewery is located 20 kilometres from Hastings in a rural settlement called Maraekakaho.

The diversity of the farm, from their cottages and historic villa on the property to the livestock, bees and crops, brings in visitors from all around the country. Located just south of Riversdale Beach, east of Masterton, is where Andy Tatham’s fifth-generation family farm is located.

Just 30km kilometres outside of Timaru in South Canterbury, you’ll find Colin Hurst's Makikihi-based farm comprising of livestock and crops. The farm has been in the Hurst family since 1963 when his parents grew crops as part of their livestock rotation, farming sheep and a few cattle.

Fourth-generation horticulture business, Taylor Apples, has been going from strength to strength – not only due to the expansion of their land and produce over the years but also by using technology to their advantage.

In the region known as the ‘fruit bowl of New Zealand’, Hawke’s Bay is home to The Apple Press: an award-winning and sustainably sourced apple juice company. This small but mighty business was founded in 2013 by Ross Beaton and Sally Gallagher.

Much like Goldpine, Waimea Nurseries is a family-owned business that has been in the Simpson family for three generations. Bruno Simpson is the CEO at Waimea Nurseries which consists of over 300 hectares in Waimea West, just 20 minutes from Nelson city.

It was 30 years ago when arable farmers Eric and Maxine Watson moved to Wakanui, in the Ashburton District, to pursue cropping full-time. Eric was originally brought up on a mixed cropping and sheep farm in Ealing (a small town on the bank of the Rangitata River) and always had a love for cropping.

Matt Fryer’s interests in agriculture and farming machinery stemmed from his upbringing, spending school holidays and long weekends on various farms with his parents as a kid. Today, Matt is the owner of Fryer Ag Contracting specialising in maize planting, direct drilling, hill country cropping and trailer services.

Ever since leaving school, Luke has been working alongside his father, Dave, who is the owner of Golden Bay Fencing. After acquiring an NZQA Level 3 qualification, he started working full-time for the family business. Luke has now been fencing for over 13 years with 10 of those years spent as a contractor.

When we caught up with Ben recently, he was back up in the hills working on a rail fence that needed repairs. A qualified viticulturist, Ben spent many years managing vineyards in the Nelson and Marlborough regions before starting his own contracting business.

In the Maharahara District just south of Dannevirke township, you will find the dairy support block of Terry and Lisa Yates. Terry and Lisa are long-time dairy farmers who have experienced the highs and lows of the industry.

It was a few years ago when we first visited Rakaia Island, a large family-owned farming operation based in Canterbury. Recently we caught up with Calf Rearing Manager, Amy Pyne, as she shared with us her experiences of dairy farming.

Nick and Jo Collins have been organic dairy farming for around 17 years. They farm in a small town called Piopio in the Waitomo District of the mighty Waikato. Nick and Jo take pride in their animals and their milk products.

Just 10 kilometres outside of Palmerston North, Cricklewood Farm is the home of boat builder and beef farmer, Carl Ferguson. When Carl bought the property 16 years ago, it was originally a 50-acre block. Today Cricklewood Farm encompasses 80 hectares.

Leaving their jobs in dairy farming and teaching, Rory and Hannah O'Brien started up Raglan-based business, Hunt and Gather Bee Co. Their business provides award-winning raw New Zealand honey that is ethically sourced, good for people and the environment.

Named the largest goat farm in New Zealand, Oete Farm is found in the rolling hill country of Patumāhoe, a small town in the South Auckland region. Owned by Matthew and Sarah Bolton, the business has been operating for seven years.

Operating since 2014, Hartnell Services provides a range of agricultural labour including machine operation, fertiliser topping and fencing. We visited Luke where he had set up a 3 wire electric fence in a barn at McGuire Draining & Contracting.

Down a long shingle road, you will find Mangarara plastered in big red letters on a wooden batten fence. The family farm owned by Greg and Rachel Hart features an Eco Lodge where you can relax in the Central Hawke’s Bay countryside.

Just a hop, skip and a jump away from the giant L&P bottle in Paeroa, you will find AgriSea who is an industry leader in sustainable solutions, specialising in seaweed products.

With Lake Rotoiti right on their front doorstep, Rotoiti Lodge Outdoor Education Centre is situated in the heart of St Arnaud at Nelson Lakes National Park. The Lodge offers a range of different programmes from outdoor activities to learning more about yourself and your peers.

Located in a small settlement in the South Waikato District of the North Island, Ian Scott’s Okoroire-based Oraka Farms runs across land known to be some of the highest quality soils in the country.

Known for its vineyards and a certain popular wine festival, Martinborough is also home to some of New Zealand’s great farming country. Nestled in the valleys and thirty minutes from cellular reception, we found the home of James and Kiri Elworthy of Wairewa Farm.

Graeme Coleman comes with a wealth of wisdom and experience having worked in the fencing industry for just over 40 years now, and he is still going strong.

Surrounded by Marlborough high country, just a short 8kms outside of Blenheim, we visited Rob Hammond at his farm that has been in his family for four generations. Over time, he has turned the family block into a thriving vineyard.

Based in St Arnaud at Nelson Lakes National Park, we met up with the foundation members of Friends of Rotoiti, Drew Hunter and Wayne Sowman, as they talked about their conservation and pest control initiatives.

We had the pleasure of visiting Geoff Ross, owner of Lake Hāwea Station, situated just 20 minutes north of Wanaka in beautiful Central Otago.

The Nelson region has continued to cement its place as the home of hops in New Zealand, with hop gardens spanning from the hills of Golden Bay right through to the ranges at the southern end of the region towards the West Coast.

In the heart of Maniototo, halfway between Dunedin and Wanaka, we met up with the family representative of Linnburn Station, Peter Barrett. On our visit, we got to learn more about regenerative agriculture, healthy soil and how to be more cost-effective on-farm.

We visited Ed Body at Geraldine High School in Mid-Canterbury, where Ed and his team come and teach the students basic fencing skills a couple of times per month.

We visited Te Anau in the heart of Western Southland, where we met Chris Daley and his team as they did some fencing work at a Landcorp property, on the road to Milford Sound.

On the outskirts of Ashburton, we met up with Natural Performance and Symbiosis Agriculture Ltd owner, Jono Frew, as he took us through an in-depth look at what it's like to grow a regenerative crop.

We visited Sean Finlayson, Operations Manager at Craigmore Horticulture, on their 140-hectare apple orchard in the pleasant surroundings of central Hawke’s Bay.

We visited Kenney Crockett and his team as they were doing some eight-wire batten fencing work for the Hauraki District Council, just a few kilometres outside of Paeroa, in the Waikato.

Owen Orr found his feet in the Waikato as a fencing contractor and it’s a life he has fallen in love with. He’s a traditional man who values the relationships created around a cup of tea and takes great pride in his work.

In between the rivers of Rakaia and Rangitata, we visited Ashton Beach, mouth of the Ashburton river, where Lindsay Hayman is doing some fencing work for the local council.

In the agricultural settings and lifestyle subdivisions, you will find Allan Vaughan and his son, Matt, fencing in and around the Christchurch/Canterbury region.

In the mighty Waikato region, we visited the February shed winners of 2020, Ōtorohanga Kiwi House, as they undergo massive renovations to their kiwi and native bird sanctuary.

For Mike, it’s fair to say that fencing is in the blood. Over 40 years ago, Mike’s father, Terry, started the Marlborough based business. Mike and his brother, Brad, have been involved for the last 20 years.

About 7 kms north-west of Ohura in the Ohura Valley, we visited Brett Campbell who farms two properties with his wife and son.

Nigel Higgins of N & T Higgins Fencing has built a long-standing relationship with Goldpine and is thoroughly involved in the development of products and improvement of service.

Situated between the Kaimai Ranges and the Waikato River, you'll find the township of Morrinsville, also dubbed "Cream of the Country".

We visited Bonavaree Farm in the thriving countryside of eastern Marlborough. On the outskirts of Blenheim, we were greeted by Doug Avery, who proudly showed us around the farm that has been in his family for 102 years.

Nestled up in the hills of Christchurch, we visited Phil Richmond and the small team from Steve Brown Builders, who were busy working on a building site in Hillsborough.

We visited Diamond Harbour on the Banks Peninsula, where we met up with Alan Dibnah, Builder at Strongline Projects, who is working on the first stages of a new mall.

A real icon in fencing circles, John Noakes, from Noksee Fencing, has built his reputation through delivering to a high standard on every job.

In the residential hills of Mount Pleasant, we visited Jeremy Kay, owner of Black Hill Ltd, while he was working on a small retaining wall for a client.

We visited dog trainer and animal behavioralist, Paul Tonycliffe, at his 10 acre lifestyle block in Yaldhurst, on the outskirts of Christchurch.

When you learn of Bruce Cameron's background, and outlook on fencing, it’s no surprise he has a long list of happy customers.

Winter in Northland is very wet for sharemilker, Luke Kampshof, who runs a 90 hectare farm on Fulton road. A good shed being essential in this weather to shelter his calves.

The fencing "batten" has been passed through Mat Cave's family, he's now a third-generation fencer who has owned and been running his business MJ Cave Contracting Ltd in Hawke's Bay for over ten years.

Based in Katikati on the Kauri Point, sticking out into the northern end of the Coromandel harbour, you'll find the home of Brian Thompson.