A redevelopment project to future-proof an intergenerational sheep, beef and deer farm is under way in Central Otago.
The remaining work includes finding the best stocking policy and where to create hazards to concoct a golf course for a school fundraiser.
Farmer Cam Nicolson said he and his wife Amy were redeveloping their flat 508ha farm "Cashmere" in Poolburn.
"The first digger and bulldozer rolled in on April 2022."
He said he had underestimated the work involved when he started the five-year project.
A major redevelopment project was "not for the faint-hearted", but was necessary.
"Doing nothing was not an option."
A motivation for the redevelopment was to "future-proof" the farm so if any of their sons, Al, 13, Brodie, 10, or Emmett, 9, wanted to, they could become the sixth generation to run Cashmere.
The first part of the project was to remove 39ha of border dyke irrigation and install three pivot irrigators, covering nearly 120ha, and building a new dam.
The pivot irrigators started spraying water in November 2022, joining about 90ha of K-line irrigation and about 35ha of border dyke irrigation on the farm.
In 2022, the project budget "all looked tickety-boo", the bank agreeing the investment was worth the increase in production.
However, since starting the project, on-farm costs had risen and commodity prices had fallen.
Ways to curb softer commodity prices included making use of dags by putting them in pivot ruts and continually investigating the best stocking policy to maximise returns.
"Nothing is off the table."
Once the policy was to run 400 hinds, 20 cattle and about 2100 crossbred ewes and fattening their lambs.
But after a policy change, the hinds were sold and deer fencing replaced with sheep fencing.
He said about 20 stags were kept for velvetting to "keep my hand in".
"They are a great animal to deal with but I’m trying to find out how I can fit them in this system."
Cattle would feature in the policy because they played an important role in reducing the worm burden in the flock.
Lambing begins on September 5.
Dry conditions and a lack of feed in autumn meant lambing percentages lower this season.
In hindsight, he would feed his ewes more in autumn.
"You have to make a mistake to learn."
He expected a future policy change would include reducing ewe numbers to help get through times when dry conditions took hold.
New crops, such as barley, would be planted under the pivots this season.
The redevelopment project was about 85% complete.
Pending work includes fencing around a pivot irrigator.
"We’ve learnt a hell of a lot as we’ve gone along."
The learnings include how pivot irrigation impacts the groundwater level.
He had visited farmers who had recently installed pivot irrigation, including Richard Copland, to learn what works best.
The development work had been enjoyable, but had caused some sleepless nights.
Often a fencing plan would be changed at 2am and then returned to its original state at 7am.
During the development, his parents Stu and Jan, of Omakau, had helped with shifting fences, feeding out and providing advice.
"You can’t buy experience," Cam said.
Another pending part of the project was the construction of a nine-hole golf course on Cashmere.He floated the idea for the golf course to the Home and School committee of Poolburn School so it could host its inaugural paddock golf fundraiser on Saturday, September 7.
"They thought it would be a bit of a giggle."
An aim of the golf course was to provide the community an opportunity to have an afternoon off the farm and enjoy themselves.
"It will be built for fun."
One hole will require golfers to drive their ball over his new dam.
He believed his ball would make it across the water hazard.
"I’m very confident," he laughed.
To create another challenge for golfers, fairways would be created by leaving strips of grass and ploughing the rest of the paddocks.
"That’ll make it tough for everyone."
Poolburn School principal Melissa Gare said the event would raise money for Home and School to pay for extra staff to teach the 38 pupils at the school.
The pupils had designed each hole to be built on Cashmere with the aim to showcase the hole’s sponsor.
"The kids have put a lot of work in to it and learned a lot about science, physics and forces to design the holes, which has been a lot of fun and it has been really interesting to see where they have gone with their ideas."
Because the fundraiser was for adults only, the years 7 and 8 pupils would play the course the day before.
The pupils had also built a hole on school grounds for a bit of fun. Pupils tee off from the top of a large round hay bale and aim for the hole — a concrete water trough.
A team of four for the Home and School fundraising tournament costs $200 to enter, Mrs Gare said.
"You don’t have to be a great golf player, you can come along and have a hack."
