Byron Vollweiler and Amanda Snow, the Otago supreme winners of the 2022 Ballance Farm Environment Awards hosted a field day on Berriedale Farm in Circle Hill, about halfway between Dunedin and Balclutha, last week.
About 120 people went on a tour of the sheep, beef and forestry farm they manage.
Mr Vollweiller, speaking in the woolshed to about 120 people before the tour, thanked his parents David and Helen Vollweiler.
"There wouldn’t be a field day today if it wasn’t for you."
He also thanked his wife Amanda for her support and for "being a sounding board for my big ideas".
The theme of the field day was "farming to a changing climate", he said.
"I don’t mean that just literally but also a changing social and political climate as well."
He wanted to show how they were adapting their system to try to meet some of the changes.
"There is a lot of talk out there at the moment — not much of that talk is about solutions."
He knew the way they farm would not fit into the system of everyone on the field day but he hoped it would help them look at their farm objectively and be critical on how they choose to use their land.
Awards Otago judging co-ordinator Paula Cross, of Dunedin, said Berridale Farm was judged the supreme regional winner because they were a close family unit, which supported each other to achieve their goals.
"They have an incredible passion to learn, take on new ideas and analyse data for the best outcome," she said.
On the farm there was a strong focus on animal health, environmental management, nutrient budgeting, wetland protection and water quality.
"They also have a strong commitment to the community and industry."
The couple also won the Soil Management Award, Agri-Science Award, Quality Water Enhancement Award, Farm Forestry Award and Livestock Farm Award, Mrs Cross said.
"They farm a high performing Romney ewe flock, with impressive lambing percentages and weight gains."
They won the Agri-Science Award for their "whole farm plan approach" with the use of science to monitor soil, water and crop impacts, to optimise productivity and minimise any environmental impacts.
The Farm Forestry Award was given because the farm was "an exemplary model of how both animal production and forestry work together, without the need to blanket farms with forestry".
Overview
Berriedale Farm:
Size: 1100ha (800ha effective, 200ha production forestry, 100ha native bush and wetland).
Topography: Rolling/medium hill.
Annual rainfall: 850mm.
2022 production: 4190 mixed-aged ewes mated April 14, scanned 190%; 1260 two-tooths mated April 14, scanned 180%; 1750 hoggets (860 hoggets heavier than 46kg at May 1 were mated May 14. 760 in lamb at 128%.
