SDState New Zealand 2025: Day 9

Stunning view of the day at Somers Station

5/21/25 Blog — Hayden and Hadley

Today greeted us with crisp fall air and our first continental breakfast provided by the hotel. Afterward, we boarded the bus, leaving behind the Canterbury Plains and heading straight to Mount Somers Station, nestled at the foothills of 5,538 ft Mount Somers. We were welcomed by David and Kate Acland, the owners of the farm, who are deeply committed to sustainable production through a highly diversified operation, unlike any other farm we’ve visited so far. The station spans over 3,900 hectares and supports a wide range of systems including dairy and beef cattle, Romney sheep, deer, and forestry. These enterprises provide the station with wool, meat, milk, venison, velvet, and even carbon credits. Their success is made possible by a team of 12 staff members and a few student Cadets who rotate through each enterprise, gaining hands-on experience while earning class credits. The sheep operation utilizes most of the available forage, about 2,390 hectares, enabling intensive pasture rotations. This allows them to maintain a flock of 6,300 mixed-age ewes, 3,000 two-tooth ewes, 3,300 ewe hoggets, and 100 rams. Their dairy system includes approximately 1,300 cows fitted with Halter precision fencing collars. These collars monitor health metrics and GPS location, allowing for efficient resource use and reduced labor. Their beef enterprise was introduced strategically to utilize dairy-cross sires while avoiding the introduction of new animals that could pose a biosecurity risk, especially with the spread of Mycoplasma bovis in New Zealand. Today, their beef animals stand as an important system to their farm. The rest of their land supports bee hives, and a few hundred deer for niche markets.

To support their livestock systems year-round, the Aclands grow several crops. Thirty-eight hectares of swedes, 78 hectares of kale, 120 hectares of autumn-planted tetraploid grasses and a clover-grass mix, plus additional fields, 38 hectares each, of barley and maize. They also grow 30–40 hectares of oats. These forages are critical for winter grazing, helping the station overcome seasonal limitations in pasture growth. In the winter, forage production can drop to as little as 1–3 kg/day, requiring costly supplements to maintain livestock performance. Extreme weather also poses challenges. David recounted a recent storm that damaged roads and underground water lines across the farm. On top of that, new regulations now require all animals to be excluded from riparian areas on the property. They still have 2–3 km of fencing to install and must redesign pasture layouts to comply, an expensive and ongoing process. We also learned over lunch that a past earthquake damaged several buildings, including their home. Despite all this, their resilience is clear and is reflected in the continued success of their station.

A smile only a mother [or Elle] could love

Best lunch of the trip at Somers Station

Lunch was served in their stunning home overlooking snow-capped mountains. An Australian gum tree with a swing stood out front, creating a postcard-worthy scene as we enjoyed what was easily our favorite meal yet, a fresh quinoa and feta salad, tender lamb shoulder, venison sausage, and bread slathered with thick butter. Dessert was an easy choice, carrot cake and brownies all around. The rest of our day was spent on the bus, soaking in views of Mt. Cook, New Zealand’s tallest mountain, and several alpine lakes on our way to Alexandra, our home for the night.