Like all small communities, the village of Whatawhata Research Station extended far beyond the farm boundary fence. Part 5 records some of the new tales, many gleaned from the friends of friends. Lands & Survey v Maori Affairs. The success of the Lands and Survey Romney and Angus breeding schemes at Waihora, led by Superintendent … Read more
Christmas parties. When I look at the old slides of the Station Christmas parties, I cannot believe the size of the gatherings. Grown ups in summer garb and crowds of kids of all sizes. It just proves what a vibrant place it was, and how we were like one great whanau. And the pics I … Read more
Ritchey tags. When I took over the L&S Angus breeding scheme at Waihora, we had to decide on how to ID the 600 wild cows, and as our Station had used round brass tags on chains for years, Graham Hight thought they were the only choice. Thankfully the Ackland brothers of Mount Peel station in … Read more
Betty Farrelly’s 1986 book (Farrelly, Elizabeth J. Whatawhata Hill Country Research Station — An historical Review 1949–1986, including early farming in the Waikato and formation and activities of the Department of Agriculture, (No ISBN number) is the main source of the Whatawhata Hill Country Station history, and much more. The photos in particular bring back … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Interest in travel Roger Dean grew up in Gillingham in Dorset surrounded by farms, and was always interested in travel, particularly to Australia or New Zealand. After leaving school he did a Certificate in Agriculture at the Dorset Farm Institute and responded to an advert in the British Farmers Weekly for … Read more
These photos were found in an album in the Livestock Improvement Corporation library at Newstead in Hamilton when I did the 4WRD exhibition at the Waikato Museum of Art and History in 2008. It was the only archival material they had from the herd testing days. It’s clear from the photos that the horses were … Read more
HistoryThe Whatawhata Hill Country Research Station was purchased by the New Zealand Department of Agriculture (later to be the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) from private oweners when the need was seen after the second world war by Research leader Dr C.P. McMeekan at the Ruakura Animal Research Station, to have an area of typical … Read more
By Dr Clive Dalton Interviewed August 2004 Tony Wrench grew up in Worcestershire in England where he lived on a farm and was always interested in Jersey cows. He used to write to the New Zealand Jersey Association and they’ send him information and photos which fed his appetite for the breed. Then he saw … Read more