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Always on the Lookout for Plants
This article was written by journalist Sandra Taylor and published in
March 2004 in the southern edition of Country-Wide as part of a
collection of stories about Duncan and Fiona Ensor.
To try and maximise animal health, the
Ensors’ have sown 30 different plant species into their permanent
pasture.
Fiona says they are always on the lookout for different grass
species.
“Different plants grow at different times of the year and
sheep look for different plants at different times of the year.
“We are trying to set it up so the sheep can eat what they
want.”
Pastures are sown by grazing the area hard and harrowing the
paddock before broadcasting the seed and running the sheep through.
While both Duncan and Fiona are sold on the idea of holistic
grazing management systems, they don’t discount some of the more
traditional tried and true farming practises established by their
predecessors.
Financially, Duncan believes the development of their
techno-grazing system is the only way the couple could afford to farm
Glenrock.
Currently they are servicing a debt of 47% of the gross
income.
“A conventional system cannot support that kind of debt.”
The couple borrowed significant money to undertake the
development of the Holtech grazing system all at once, rather than
doing it gradually over several years.
“We did a budget plan and the figures stacked up,” says
Duncan.
He says the bank has been very supportive of them in their
development of Glenrock, as have Duncan’s parents who still live on the
property and help out when needed.
The couple, who are fanatic about accurate recording, use the
Endeavour computer programme, which they find is ideal for their
requirements as well as being user friendly.
Since returning from extensive travel overseas in 1998, the
couple have certainly made a huge impact on Glenrock.
They have developed substantial areas of land, changed their
farming philosophy to farming grass not sheep and gone from a totally
extensive system to incorporating very intensive farming practices.
Duncan and Fiona’s enthusiasm is contagious.
They both love the high country and are determined to make the
most of living and working in one of the beautiful pieces of New
Zealand.
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