Ahiaruhe Farm
farmed by Michael and Karen Williams
Nestled in the Ahiaruhe Valley and surrounded by idyllic farmland, Ahiaruhe Farm is home to Michael and Karen Williams.
Farmers with a passion for preserving and enhancing the land. Ahiaruhe Farm is a major supplier of lamb to Cabernet Foods, finishing around 4,500 lambs annually. The nutrient rich land is used to grow crops such as wheat and barley, as well as ryegrass and clover for seed. Once the harvest is complete, planting of forages that are ideal for finishing lambs is used to support the health and wellbeing of the animals.
Taking care of the environment and preserving the land is at the heart of the farm operations for Michael and Karen. Their commitment to sustainability was acknowledged in their win of the Supreme Award (Wairarapa Region) in the 2013 Ballance Farm Environmental Awards.
“We are constantly looking for improvements, and at the moment are interested in what our carbon emissions are, and offsetting those is something we want to embrace going forward.”
The environmental initiatives used on Ahiaruhe Farm include fencing to protect the natural waterways from livestock, soil testing to eliminate nutrient wastage, non-tillage systems for cropping, and riparian planting to support the native habitat living around the waterways.
With a property that includes 2.8 kilometres of Ruamahanga River boundary and comprising 224ha of river silt flats, the Williams’ take their role as guardian of the waterways seriously, as well as the wetland forest. The Williams’ ensured the protection of the remnant forest on the property by establishing a QEII1 covenant.
“This is our home as well as our business. It’s important to us that we can look out of the window each day and be proud of what we are achieving” says Karen.
