Century-old farm a case of all in the family

David and Kerri Moore enjoy farming in these times.

Five generations of the Dougherty family have owned Te Kowhai dairy farm in Hukanui Rd, south of Pahiatua.

Four of them celebrated a century of ownership at a private gathering on October 24 - 100 years to the day of purchase.

The farm was bought in 1913 by the original Dougherty generation, Patrick and Brigia, originally from Ireland.

They moved from their first home in the Hutt Valley, built the homestead of Coleraine and expanded from that farm to Te Kowhai to run dairy cows.

The farm was worked for the next 100 years as sons helped their fathers to farm and gradually took over.

Gus was the first son to farm, followed by his son Bernard. Bernard worked in partnership with his son, Dennis, who eventually took over. Dennis then immediately employed his daughter, Kerri, as a 50/50 sharemilker. She and husband David (Butch) bought the farm in 2008.

Patriarch of the family is 90-year-old Bernard, retired and living in Pahiatua. He remembers the early dairy farming days fondly, as a lad working when he had to, eeling when he wanted to and riding his horse on the farm. He said breaking in the land was hard work and reminisced about the camaraderie with neighbours who helped one another out at haymaking and looked after one another's welfare. He remembers when he got sick and returned from hospital to find his hay baled and stacked. He had to set to and build a hayshed.

A highlight of those days was going to the milk factory in horse and cart, chatting to other farmers and returning with the whey to feed the pigs. It was a good lifestyle and although there was never a lot of money, his family never went without.

Technology and change came in over the years. The farm had its first tractor in 1953, there was a new home in 1964, a herringbone cowshed in 1965, a bigger shed after the burning of the original in 1995 and recently, the "herd homes".

Bernard says he would be keen to farm again in the old way but would not like to in this modern era.