Ben Stubbs, with children Elijah and Edan are looking forward to hearing the call of the kiwi from their Awatiro farmhouse garden, reports Chris Gardner. Four generations of the family have farmed at Awatiro and as they continue making their land safer for native wildlife, their Te Anga Rd neighbours hope to establish a home safe enough for kiwi from Maungatautari to be released there.
Elijah, left, Ben, and Edan Stubbs
The Stubbs family of Awatiro Farm are preparing for the return of kiwi.
“There’s talk of creating a Kiwi sanctuary nearby,” said sheep and beef farmer Ben Stubbs.
He’s from the fourth generation of the family to farm Awatiro off Te Anga Road near Waitomo village, and the family has found kiwi bones in its cave system over the years.
“The sanctuary will bring their genetics back to our place.”
Rick and Moira Haddrell, who own neighbouring land, are exploring reducing predators to the extent that they can establish a home for some Kiwi from Maungatautari Sanctuary Mountain in the Waipā district.
The Haddrells hope to have their land ready next year, with the support of neighbours.
“There’s a huge part to play for this area to make this a success,” Ben Stubbs said. “It will really drive some changes on the farm. It’s a must for the King Country.”
He grew up on the farm before leaving home to train in fine arts and teaching and securing a teaching job at a Morrinsville school.
He returned to farming at Awatiro, a name chosen by his great grandfather Hugh, 21 years ago after his father Alister, mother Ann and uncle Antony, sought help running the farm and continuing the Stubbs legacy.
Ben and his wife Bex, a fine arts teacher at Te Kūiti High School, are about to vest an extra 20 to 30 hectares into its Queen Elizabeth II National Trust covenant.
Ben Stubbs
In so doing they hope to help return more land to its natural state and protect more native flora and fauna species on the 663ha farm.
“About half is QEII land,” Ben said.
“We began divesting it in the 1980s. Ever since we have been adding a little bit here and there.
“It helps improve the quality of the ecosystem. More and more we are looking for opportunities.”
They have a native tree planting programme, mainly grown from seed collected on the farm.
“This is grown on by volunteers in Hamilton and then planted using volunteers when we can. The areas now encompass over half the farm including four headwaters.”
The Stubbs do it for love, and to protect the environment surrounding the farm for future generations.
“We have seen a huge amount of regrowth in the trees and controlled possums to some degree.”
Alister Stubbs checks a possum trap on Awatiro Farm. “Anything to get outdoors,” he says.
The Stubbs have set possum traps all over the farm. Alister, 84, enjoys a daily drive across the farm to check them, capturing about 130 between mid-November and our visit in mid-January.
They also get a little, much welcome, rate relief on the vested land.
“I don’t believe there’s enough rate relief,” Ben said. “I think there could be a bit more in it for farmers.”
The Stubbs are also involved in a community driven Waitomo water catchment group, whose members have been focussed on improving water quality in the district for 30 years.
“The whole community is behind that, and it’s a really good model,” Ben said.
“Recently we have identified areas which will qualify for carbon credits. These areas while not huge will give an ongoing passive income until 2050.”
Awatiro is a sheep and beef farm.
The Stubbs stopped cropping on the land about 15 years ago.
“We lost a lot of topsoil in the rain,” Ben said.
Elijah Stubbs, 20, left, and Ben Stubbs, 56, shearing in the Awatiro shearing shed, while Edan Stubbs, 16, prepares to sweep up.
The rain came shortly after planting, so there was no root system to speak off to retain it.
The Stubbs run 1100 Romney Texel cross ewes, and their lambs, on the farm, producing thousands of kilograms of wool each season.
“Prices are a lot more stable than last year, prices are reasonable, not terrible,” he said.
“But we are still shearing our own sheep because we can’t afford to get people into do it.”
The flock is sheared twice a year. Ben’s son Elijah, 20, takes leave from his trapping job to help his parents out.
His sister, Te Kūiti High School pupil Edan, 16, is on hand with a broom to sweep the wool into a large pile.
“Wool is a fabulous product. However wool prices while improving have a long way to go before we see a return.
“Sheep on the sort of country we farm will always have a place. Getting the mix right between sheep/beef/trees and tourism is the challenge.”
The Stubbs also run 60 breeding cows built from a dairy beef cross using a Hereford bull over all.
“The last few seasons have been very challenging with high interest rates, increasing costs and lower returns,” Ben said.
“I am hopeful that the beef market will continue to perform well and that lamb prices will hold on better than we have seen recently.”
Elijah and Edan are the fifth generation of Stubbs to be raised on the farm, and one day Elijah is planning to take over from his parents.
“I will take over, and do what is ever needed to be done,” Elijah said.
Other family members make a living off the farm.
Ben’s brother, Angus, runs Tetiro Bed and Breakfast with his wife Rach, and his sister Biddy and her partner Rich Kersel run Rock Retreat Bed and Breakfast.
“Many farms have retired significant areas of land to improve water quality, planting trees and restoring existing native forest,” Ben said.
“As these areas heal over time there will be further challenges to control pest species.
“For farmers in the Waitomo catchment, we are mindful of the fact that the water that flows from our land passes through the Waitomo Glowworm Caves. A thriving tourist destination.
“Farms are multidimensional spaces. A decision in one area may affect another.
“One benefit of being on a fifth-generation farm is hindsight.
“Our challenge as a family continues to be working to achieve a balance on both sides of the fence.”
Awatiro Farm has been farmed by the Stubbs family since 1914.
