CRAIGMORE, a family farming company, in late 1973 bought 256 ha of undeveloped light land, of predominantly Steward soils, 5 km north of the Waitaki River on the coast. The Papamoa farm is in the Morven-Clenavy irrigation area, the first scheme in New Zealand which planned to make maximum use of unlimited supplies of water on a whole area basis. The farm therefore had the water and no future limitation likely on its use. There was the promise of a lahour-light automatic flood irrigation system. It was felt that this irrigated permanent ryegrass and clover management system would soften the periodic summer drought problems of Craigmore itself, and provide diversification.