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Jeff Farm is a 2433ha property near Gore, owned and run by the Salvation Army since the early 1950s after it was gifted by farmer Edmund Jeff, with the stipulation it be "used to train young people with a passion for agriculture, who would not otherwise have such a career option" - for a career in the New Zealand agricultural industry.
The farm runs close to 30,000 stock livestock units, with cattle, sheep and deer, and grows winter forage crops for the stock including swedes, kale and fodder beet. Currently a fleet of four tractors are used for cultivation, mowing and baleage production.
General manager Michael Benton has seen the difference the opportunity to pursue their career dreams has made in the lives of the young trainees, who complete a two-year cadetship under Michael and his team.
There are five trainees at Jeff Farm at any one time, usually coming straight from school, who live on the property, where they develop a raft of skills, including how to operate motorbikes, chainsaws and tractors, fencing, stock procedures and training a working dog. "The idea is that we teach them the necessary skills to make them attractive employees in the agriculture industry once they leave here," Michael said.
Recently, the farm and its trainees received a Case IH Puma 220 - the first of the brand on Jeff Farm and now the largest in the fleet.
"It's our heavy lifter, intended to undertake all the heavy groundwork and discing, alongside running a twin mower combi for silage work," said Michael. "The remainder of the fleet are used for feeding out and utility tasks, with the new Puma doing all the hard yards.
"The new Puma has everything we need, and the trainees are certainly enjoying the additional horsepower and all the technology it offers, and how that can assist us in performing all the tasks around the property enhancing efficiency and productivity.
"Being supported by our local Case IH dealership Agricentre South, who wanted to know the story behind it, was important to us, and the service they've provided has been great."
While Jeff Farm is doing its part to help bolster the future of New Zealand agriculture, its overall productivity also benefits the Salvation Army's community outreach, contributing funding to the likes of drug rehabilitation programs and university scholarships.
For Michael, his role can be demanding, but the satisfaction he gets from his job is obvious. "It's amazing to watch these young people grow and change. The trainees who started at the beginning of this year have come such a long way already. They arrive as teenagers and leave with much more maturity and confidence. Even the difference in the way they hold and present themselves is huge," he said.
Having worked as a diesel mechanic, often on Case IH machinery, Brian Hughes was familiar with the agricultural industry and looking around the Invercargill region where he was based, saw an opportunity for contracting in the sector.
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