Richard and Annabelle Subtil prepare agriculture’s next generation of farmers at Omarama Station. Video / Alan Gibson
Richard and Annabelle Subtil have always been passionate about telling the farming story; now they’re working with the younger generation so they can share theirs, too.
The Omarama Station farmers were the Supreme Winners of the 2015 Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards, where judges praised their excellence in social sustainability.
Ten years on from winning the award and the Subtils’ work creating pathways for young, aspiring farmers show the judges’ observation was well placed.
Richard and Annabelle’s home is on the 12000ha Omarama Station in the South Island’s Mackenzie Country, a family-owned property previously farmed by Annabelle’s parents, Dick and Beth Wardell.
It’s from here that they prepare agriculture’s next generation through their Growing Future Farmers initiative.
“We could see that there was a lack of young people coming into the industry and harder for kids that didn’t come from a farming background to get into agriculture,” Annabelle said.
Richard agreed.
“There was no pathway for anyone who was interested or keen to learn.”
So the Subtils set up the Growing Future Farmers Trust in 2019, and started a pilot programme in 2020, with 11 students on 11 farms.
The programme now has 139 students on 105 farms in 14 regions throughout New Zealand.
Annabelle and Richard Subtil were the Supreme Winners of the 2015 Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Photo / Alan Gibson
It’s a two-year, fee-free course during which students live on farms.
“They work on the farm four days a week and then on Fridays get together for some academic work, or further training in essential farm skills such as fencing, shearing, and using a chainsaw,” Annabelle explained.
The students also receive a pup when starting and dog training throughout the programme.
“By the end of the two years, they have two working dogs and are ready to hit the ground running in the workforce,” she said.
Omarama Station shepherds Kingsley Standen (left) and Molly Nelson with first-year Growing Future Farmers student Nate Lamborn. Photo / Alan Gibson
The Subtils are a farming duo who walk the talk and firmly believe adopting a learning mindset is not just for youngsters.
They embrace technology to help improve their farming, learning a thing or two along the way.
For example, they’ve been using Gallagher’s eShepherd — a solar-powered, GPS-enabled livestock neckband that uses virtual-reality fencing to manage herds.
“It’s a bit weird to put cows behind invisible fences, but touch wood it’s doing what it said it would do.”
Omarama Station is in the South Island’s Mackenzie Country. Photo / Alan Gibson
The Subtils have worked for nearly two decades to preserve the ecological value of a 3000ha river-flat block.
While they were confident their farming practices weren’t hurting the environment, it was still important to keep their social licence to operate high.
This meant the technology was worth it, despite the substantial investment.
Eight weeks into the trial, Richard and Annabelle said they felt like crash-test dummies, but the tech was exciting.
“We are happy to be early adopters because the options as they are now, for instance, constantly losing fencing to flooding, aren’t working,” Richard said.
As well as keeping cows out of waterways, the collars ensured a clean muster.
“You can see every cow and exactly where they are,” Annabelle said.
The Subtils' irrigation storage pond at Omarama Station. Photo / Alan Gibson
The Subtils’ Mackenzie Country property winters 23,000 stock units, including 7500 Merino ewes and 310 Angus-Hereford cows.
The diverse operation grows a range of crops, produces high-quality wool, and finishes about 10,000 lambs and 700 steers and heifers annually.
A centre pivot irrigation system that now covers 560ha was another huge investment, and an irrigation storage pond makes it possible to keep the system going during dry periods.
“We can store about six weeks of water, and it’s an insurance policy in case of very dry periods,” Richard said.
Embracing technology, growing young farmers and committing to finding better, smarter ways to farm within changing climate pressures keep the Subtils focused on the future.
“Both of our children are keen to be involved in farming and we want them to be proud and passionate to be the next generation telling positive farming stories,” Richard said.
“Sometimes it feels hard to be a farmer, so it’s up to us to tell the positive stories.”
