A case study: North Otago downlands - farming for profit

Abstract

Rosebery is a 295 ha rolling downland North Otago property in the Airedale district, 10 km west of Oamaru. The proximity of the farm to the coast gives a shorter winter (100 days) than that generally experienced further inland. However, the same challenges experienced in coping with the seasonal variations are shared with other North Otago farmers. Having lived in this area for all of my 46 years, farming in family partnerships for 12 years, from 1969-1981, and since then with my wife Gail in our own right, I believe I have a reasonable level of awareness of farming a unit such as ours in this district.