Blessing of young kowhai tree. Photo:Deidre Coogan
Strength in Numbers
In Normanby, Taranaki, Māori Trustee has brought together 1,000 owners to create Te Rua O Te Moko - a joint dairy farm that will pay dividends for owners for years to come.
The joint venture links four blocks of land into a single farm, and stems from the owners' desire to make better use of their land and create work and training opportunities for whanau.
The 189 hectares was previously leased to other farmers and the Whanganui office of Māori Trustee worked with the owners for two years to bring the groups and their collective capital resources together.
The agreement is the beginning of a new era for the land and its owners. Initially 400 cows will be milked under a 50:50 sharemilking contract and eventually the owners aim to acquire their own herd and employ their own staff.
Our photo shows Kaumatua Sid Kershaw blessing the young kowhai tree planted by sharemilkers Vicki Stevens (left) and Julian Stevens (right) commemorating the start of the joint faming venture on Te Rua o Te Moko.