Spinning a Stronger Future : Kaituna Ridges

In the heart of Marlborough, Freddy and Nikita Gane run Kaituna Ridges – a diverse sheep, beef, and viticulture operation with a focus on genetics, sustainability, and community. Their story is one of growth, resilience, and determination to create a long-term legacy for their family and farming in New Zealand.

The Ganes didn’t start out in sheep and beef. Both studied viticulture at Lincoln University before returning to Marlborough to manage Freddy’s family vineyard for seven years. “After university, we went back to Freddy’s family farm for a few years. In between that, Freddy had a passion for sheep and beef farming. He always had a team of dogs, and in his spare time, he would go on muster for a few local farms. Kaituna Ridges was one of those farms.”

Today the farm spans 1000 hectares, with around 920 effective hectares including lease blocks. “We winter about 8000 stock units here on this property, and then we also graze somewhere between two and three thousand stock units in the vineyards over winter,” Nikita said. “The 8000 stock units is about 85% sheep, mostly Romneys with 100 suff olk stud ewes. We have a Romney stud, which is about a third of those sheep, and then the remaining 15% is cattle – Angus cattle predominantly, but some Angus Hereford cross as well.”

The stud has become one of the Ganes’ key focuses. “The stud is definitely a bit of a baby of mine,” Freddy said. “It began because I have a real passion for genetics, but I could see some long-term challenges for the industry, and that breeding was going to be a pretty significant part of the solution.”

“The core principles of the stud are nil drench,” Freddy continued. “What we call the elite Romney is a genuinely nil-drenched animal that is pushing the boundaries for the breed - and probably a lot of breeds in this country. We expect them to have a lamb as a hogget without drenching too.”

“We now have sheep in their fi rst year of life with no anthelmintic support, and they grow fast enough in spite of that burden to be mated. They prove that they are capable and even happy with that burden because they’re growing. Young animals just won’t grow if they’re not happy.”

Freddy explained that this approach reveals resilience. “When you remove drench, you naturally fi nd the productive, long-lasting animals in the environment you’re in. Rather than try and use chemicals and other means of getting rid of parasites, we are letting it roll just the same way our forebears did with footrot. We’re just letting it go and breeding from the sheep that can handle it, while also setting high standards for reproduction.”

Wool quality is another key focus. While many studs concentrate on fl eece weight, Freddy and Nikita are determined to protect the strength and character of strong wool. “One other pretty key part of the stud is that we can maintain our own wool quality,” Freddy explained. “The main thing with the breeding ewe anywhere in New Zealand is they have to reliably get in lamb every year. But we also want to maintain strong wool quality – avoiding fleeces that have cross-fibre or can’t drain properly. That’s something we’re pretty proud of.”

Their clip is treated using a process usually reserved for Merino, called worsted spinning, to produce a finer, more versatile yarn.

From this, they’ve launched their own wool clothing brand, built on the principles of slow fashion, emphasising durability and quality. The Kaituna Ridges knitwear is available to buy on their website.

Working with wool has led Freddy and Nikita to get innovative with finding and creating the best quality possible. “Wool has some fundamental issues that you must solve if you’re going to extract value,” Freddy explained. “One is that it shrinks, so we pre-shrink everything. One issue is that, in its felt form, it will pill. To address this, we have a process called the Wool Last process, which prevents pilling. Another thing with knitwear, specifically, is that you can pull fibres out of your nice new sweater when you buy it. We mitigate that by using 100% fleece wool. It’s all graded for length here in our wool shed and hand-picked and then sent through the worsted spinning process that typically is reserved for much finer fibres.”

For Freddy and Nikita, creating wool products is a passion that runs deep. It also sets up their farm and business for the future. “We feel a deep personal connection to creating food and fibre. One of the reasons we ventured into wool is because it offers us a way of adding value directly to our business and untying at least a small part of our business from commodity markets, Freddy said.

“While costs keep rising, wool gives us a chance to create something durable, sustainable, and uniquely ours. Strong wool is almost the only primary sector where we can legitimately say New Zealand is the best in the world.”

Diversification is also a part of life for the Ganes. Alongside sheep, beef, and wool, the Ganes grow Sauvignon Blanc grapes, operate a clothing company, and host farm tours. Tourism has become a way of connecting with visitors while showcasing wool. “We generally get guests from America,” Nikita said. “They come and visit our farm, we talk about New Zealand farming practices and the benefits of natural fibre. A lot of these guests have never heard of strong wool. It’s nice to be able to introduce them to a beautiful fibre that we need to wear more of and use more of in today’s society.”

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing since the Ganes took ownership in 2021. Within days of taking ownership, Kaituna Ridges was hit by a major flood. Another followed a year later, then Marlborough’s driest June-to-June period since 1936, and most recently one of the wettest years on record. Adapting to these extremes has become part of the job. “If that’s what normal is, we’re here for it, but the environmental factors have definitely been a big thorn in our side,” Freddy added.

Their four children are also part of the farming operation. Aged between three and ten, they also help out when needed on the farm, especially through the busy season, Nikita said.

Community engagement is another cornerstone. Kaituna Ridges operates with an “open gate” approach, welcoming schools, local clubs, and groups to use the property for everything from sustainability lessons to motocross rides. “We’re pretty much an open gate policy if people want to come, they are welcome,” Nikita said. While the Goldpine team were visiting, Freddy and Nikita were hosting a class of year 7 and 8s from the local school and teaching the kids about the properties of wool.

For the Ganes, the farm is both a legacy and a responsibility. “We wouldn’t be here without Mum and Dad and their backing of us to do what we think is the right thing. We recognise we also have an obligation to hand it on to somebody else down the track too.

“It’s about being sustainable – meeting the needs of today without adversely affecting the needs of tomorrow,”

Freddy said. “Every step along the way, people have put the next generation into a better position, and it doesn’t stop with us.”