The magnitude of their win on the national stage, carrying more than $50,000 worth of prizes, is slowing sinking in amid the enhanced planning and provisioning alongside usual farm work and family life.
Fortunately, they do not have to move farm or home for the next three contracted years of their dairying careers, milking 530-550 cows and aiming for more than 200,000kg milksolids next season.
The judges described the Beazleys as a smart, humble and practical couple from Wellsford, Northland, when selecting them from among 11 award-winning regional share farmers.
They are consecutive Northland winners of the national honours following Dan and Gina Duncan last year.
“The Duncans have been role models for us over the past year after their national win and our third placing in Northland that year. It inspired us to have another go,” Colin said.
The Beazleys are 50:50 share milking for Neil Jones and Wendy Crow-Jones at Te Hana, just north of Wellsford, and in the same district as the 2017 Northland winners, Niall and Delwyn McKenzie.
The farm has now grown from a 143ha milking platform to 283ha and with some swapping among Jones-owned land the longest walk for next season will come down from 2.1km to 1.6km.
The existing 40-aside herringbone will be used for the expanded herd, of which 230 autumn-calvers are milking for Fonterra-contracted winter supply from May 16 to July 15.
Eighty cows of the herd expansion were brought in pre-calving in March, also conforming to Colin’s and Isabella’s low-nitrogen emphasis as part of their environmental goals.
The remainder will be sourced before spring calving.
A low stocking rate and the split calving along with summer crops, maize and 250kg/cow/year of palm kernel have combined to achieve 400kg/cow/year milksolids, above the district benchmark of 320kg.
Two new staff members will be recruited to join Colin on full time and Isabella on part time plus parenting their daughter Erin, 7, and son Dayton, 2.
The Joneses and Beazleys are keen to keep the kikuyu grass content of their pastures as low as possible, targeting 20% pasture replacement annually through cropping.
This policy is helped by cow pressure, particularly the presence of dry cows about 40% of the year.
In winning the national title Colin and Isabella demonstrated strengths in pasture management, leadership, environment and health and safety, recognised by the relevant merit awards.
The judges also commented on their use of social media to spread the good word about dairy farming and their strong family values and attention-to-detail in all areas of their business stood out.
“Everything was well thought out and well planned. They are super organised and hold their staff in high-esteem.”
Canterbury’s Matt Redmond is Dairy Manager of the Year and Nicola Blowey, also from Canterbury, is the Dairy Trainee of the Year.
Redmond is the farm manager on Craigmore’s Pahau Flats Dairy’s Landsend 232ha, 830-cow property at Culverden.
Blowey is employed by Matthew and Vanessa Greenwood as an assistant herd manager on Kieran and Leonie Guiney’s 600-cow, 175ha Fairlie property.
