Our parents’ time on Venlaw through the war years was tough. Electricity didn’t come until after World War II. The family worked extremely hard with limited resources to ensure a future for the property.
My brother Bruce and I farmed Venlaw in partnership from the 1960s until 1990. The property was largely undeveloped. A massive five-year development programme was put in place to jump-start the station. This included fencing, over-sowing, ploughing, new roading, a new woolshed, tracking on the hill, and more. At the beginning of the programme Venlaw carried 7000-8000 stock units, but by the mid l980s it was close to 30,000 stock units.
They were busy years and stock prices were poor: as little as $3 for ewes and $5-$6 for lambs.
In 1990, Venlaw was subdivided. I farmed Jedburgh Station on my own until 2003 when Murray Kennedy was employed as farm manager.
The station is in the heart of rural Eastern Southland. Jedburgh is the scene of verdant green rolling hills rising from a river valley, set against the dramatic wind-swept Slopedown escarpment. It is an arresting landscape with varied geographical features – valleys, creeks, waterfalls and the Mimihau River which winds through the property, falling in a series of distinct natural sandstone weirs.
The area has a moderate to high rainfall spread evenly over the year, but the property is transformed by sunshine. The result is a balanced climate which allows agricultural activities to flourish.
My farming abilities have come naturally, also stemming from a long association with the land and stock, an open-mindedness to change, and a strong will to maximise success.
The 1990s were a period of consolidation at Jedburgh. These were challenging years, what with the huge snow in 1994, depressed product prices, and rising input costs. For example:
- January 1997: Works ewes average price $20.18
- Fat lambs $40.46
- Ewe fleece $2.30 a kilogram
- 20-month bulls $444.00
Setting up new intensive farming systems, including ewe scanning, weighing and feed budgeting among other things, was exciting stuff for one who had been more of a land developer in the past. During the next few years lambing percentages went from 97% to 125% and calving from the mid 80s to 92%.
Using the latest farming techniques and sustainable practices, Murray’s skills and energy are now driving development on Jedburgh.
Tim Story
Related stories: Development legacy continues, Development fever
