Would you be surprised to learn Auckland Council is the largest urban farmer in the region?
Grazing nearly 1500ha across 19 regional parks, this farming operation boasts some of the most picturesque coastal farmland while providing a cost-effective means of retaining these open spaces without compromising park values.
It allows Aucklanders the pleasure of enjoying the region's rural farming heritage in an 'urban' setting.
Delivering an efficient and sustainable business
At the heart of operations is the environment, where a holistic approach is practised from the ground up to help reduce the impact of farming.
Duder Regional Park is just one of the working farm parks. Farm Manager Dene Noonan says, “Close attention is paid to soil and pasture, from optimising the use of the soils, with the right plants, grazed by the right animals at the right time to deliver an efficient and sustainable business.”
Technology is employed to record data to help manage the health of pasture, animals and stockbreeding programmes, while close attention is paid to the fencing of waterways and riparian planting.
As custodians of the land and the environment, high standards are employed to manage the environmental footprint and maintain the rural character of our regional parks.
While every element of the farming operation is important, the Hereford breeding programme gets Dene’s heart racing; and there are 13 good reasons for that.
Back in 1968, the former Auckland Regional Parks began a Hereford breeding programme. Chosen for temperament and meat quality, pedigree cows and bulls from premier studs across the North Island were brought to the parks.
Fifty years on, 13 animals from the original bloodline remain and rebuilding the herd is a priority. Earlier this year at Mystery Creek, cattle from the old bloodline won gold in the Hereford section of Beef & Lamb NZ Steak of Origin 2018.
