Farmer has undying belief in sheep

As a sheep and beef farmer in Southland, Martin Hall is fast becoming an endangered species...

As a sheep and beef farmer in Southland, Martin Hall is fast becoming an endangered species.

While he and his wife Jane are surrounded by dairy farmers on their Kapuka farm 35km from Invercargill, Martin has an undying belief in the meat industry and is determined to play his part in turning the industry's fortunes around.

He has been a member of the Meat Industry Action Group (MIAG), is seeking a place on the board in the upcoming PPCS elections and is the chairman of the meat section of Southland Federated Farmers.

Speaking to Martin earlier this month was a breath of fresh air. While farmers throughout the rest of the country were quite rightly complaining about the crippling dry, Martin says they were enjoying the best summer they have had for the 17 years they have been farming their 365ha flat land property.

The grass was still growing, they have had an abundance of clover and the stock were looking very healthy.

Located where they are on the south coast "next stop McMurdo Sound", means they enjoy a 1020mm rainfall, and while the farm's peat soils means they have had to invest in drainage, the farm is summer safe meaning Martin has security around finishing his lamb crop over summer.

Contrary to what one would imagine, Martin says winters are not as cold on the southern coast as those experienced in Canterbury, and they don't get the coastal weather many people expect.

They would probably only get 10 days a year when it blows off the sea.

About half the farm is fully developed and is farmed intensively. The balance is rough, peat country used for wintering the couple's 40 breeding cows.

Breaking-in peat soils does require a significant investment in drainage, superphosphate and lime, and lack of profitability from sheep has prevented Martin and Jane from doing as much development as they would like.

As well as the breeding cows, the farm carries 2000 Romney ewes and 500 replacement hoggets. All progeny are finished on the property.

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