Page 18 - Hereford Magazine 2021

in charge of the backpackers and farmstay cottage (also used
for contractors’ accommodation). Douglas and Dara also have
adult children, Cameron and Rebecca.
Maria’s role includes the managerial side of the stud,
helping on the farm and in spring is kept busy tagging stud
calves and feeding lambs. Son James works for FMG and
daughter Anna is in her first year at Victoria University.
Through Douglas’s connections, Otapawa has introduced
several young people from Wellington city into farming life.
“One was here five years and one four years,” he says.
“They learnt so much while they were here and are now
both out shearing, one doing 400 a day and the other doing
more than that. They came from tough backgrounds and
they’ve lifted themselves out of that world. It has been
inspiring to see them go from street boys to having a
purpose in life. It’s a good feeling. How many more are out
there with the ability but not the opportunity.”

Right:
Raa Katene from Porirua on the handpiece at Otapawa, where he
worked for four years without any prior experience. He's now a
full-time shearer in a Masterton gang.

A sweet future

Otapawa has 250ha of manuka, which produced 17 tonnes of
honey last year, almost 80% of which was high-grade honey.
“That’s turned into a lucrative little business,” Stuart says.
“We contract out the hives and hive management to
Kauri Park Nurseries, trading under Manuka Resources
Ltd, putting approximately 1000 hives around the property.
We have arranged a 70:30 split, with us, as the landowner,
getting 30%. We maintain the health and safety side of the
arrangement with tracks and infrastructure. Two weeks ago,
the beekeepers did a safety driving course for tractors and
utes in case they come across issues on the farm. Plus we’re
learning so much about beekeeping. It’s a cool business.”
Stuart and Douglas’s sister Vivienne, along with dad
Donald, have always been hobby beekeepers.
“Four to five years ago we were talking about roller
crushing that manuka country and developing it. We said
we’d give it one more year and it was a particularly strong
year so we decided to keep going. Because of the revenue
involved, we started to get more interested in bees and trees
and we have a growing passion for that industry.”
Another 30ha of areas inaccessible for farming have been
planted in manuka seedlings.
Douglas says the honey is just another aspect of their
growing multi-generational enterprise.
“Every generation until now has grown the business
by buying more land, but the next generation has so
many more avenues open to them, like the honey or the
accommodation.”
Stuart says they have a vision of what they want the farm
to look like.
“We’ve done 50km of conventional fencing in five years and
there’s another 50 or 60 left to go and we’ll keep boosting to
get there. Fencing off the creeks, watching the natives grow.
We have this vision and that’s what makes you keep wanting
to get up in the morning and get out there.”
Beehives being choppered to sit on the manuka-covered hills.

16 HEREFORD MAGAZINE Year 2021