Our Farmers

Paul and Marie Renton began their farming life together on Glenmore In 1990.

Glenmore is a rolling hill country farm in the Mangatahi district of Hawkes Bay.

The climate is warm and dry, with mild winters.

Glenmore is a family farm and Paul is the 5th generation to steward this property.

In 1996 Paul and Marie established their business on a portion of the original land.

Their focus is on growing quality Deer, Bulls and Lamb, bringing them on farm as young stock and giving them every opportunity to flourish in a stress free, regenerative farming environment.

Paul and Marie have had an ongoing environmental programme planting many trees for shelter, shade and erosion protection of hillsides. Lately more attention is on the water ways with native plantings along stream beds promoting cleaner water quality and added biodiversity.

In 2017 the family experienced the sudden passing of Paul. Marie has continued on with their farming legacy and their three adult children are all supportive, ensuring the whenua is in good hands.

Karen Middelberg and Richard Hilson are second and third generation on two family-owned farms in Central Hawkes Bay. Initially fitted in alongside their veterinary careers and a family of three children, the farming operation began with deer from the very start, in 1998.

Now on a total of 800ha of flat land at Takapau and limestone hill country at Hatuma, they farm 1400 deer, including 600 hinds, as well as breeding and finishing both sheep and cattle. The two hind herds have different focuses. The hinds at Clovelly, in the Hatuma hills, are focussed on high growth rates from terminal sires. The Jedburgh hinds, at Takapau, are fully recorded with dual emphasis on growth rates and antler production.

Farming is a complicated business and can be a bit of a juggle at times, but the key focus with the deer (and, in fact, all stock) has been good productivity and healthy animals – good animal health and stress-free stock are really important.

Karen and Richard have both also been involved in the wider deer industry at several levels. Karen has had two terms on the Executive of the NZ Deer Farmers Association and chaired the SAP. Richard was on the JML and DeerPro advisory boards and is currently on the deer industry Research Advisory group, as well as facilitating the Hawkes Bay Originals Advance Party.

A lot of passion for deer? You bet!

I have been farming at Matahiwi for the last 10 years in the beautiful Central Hawks bay having had Deer on the property the whole time. I have been a loyal supplier to First Light Farms from the beginning of my farming career coming from the Manawatu were I was a breeder finisher up in the hills of Apiti at 2000 feet.

I have always been an keen hunter and loved the taste and health benefits of venison so progressed to farming them but still enjoy hunting in the local Ruahine mountain ranges for Red Deer.

Matahiwi is 143 ha situated 2km east of Waipawa in Central Hawks bay

Predominately Deer finishing and velvet production with cattle and Wilshire ewes ,I am an passionate farmer in producing the best product that we can off our land with animal welfare being at the forefront with the animals on our farm being fully fed to be able to grow to produce the best eating product that we can .

The relationship with the team at Firstlight farms has been amazing ,they are an incredible business whom understands both the farmer and end consumer and there needs .

The Deer industry is one that I am very proud to be part off and would love to see more people eating our amazing product.

My favourite venison dish is slow cooked well-seasoned venison shank with bone in with mashed potato covered in thick gravy!!

Matt and his wife Dana, together with their 2 girls Hannah and Lilla manage Anawai Station which is situated at the top of Maraetotara, in Hawkes Bay. Matt has been on Anawai for the last seven years as the manager for Horizon Farming Limited (HFL), who in turn lease the farm off Craig Hickson. In his spare time Matt enjoys getting off the farm and into the water with his family, whether it be diving, fishing, boating or surfing!

Ananwai is an 1466ha mixed contour sheep/beef and deer farm, with an elevated fertile plateau at the top of Maraetotara, steep hill country that runs down to rolling summer dry country within the Elsthorpe community. Anawai runs between 650 and 700 hinds and finishes all progeny on-farm. The extensive hill country is used for fawning, while the top plateau makes an ideal platform for finishing deer alongside lambs and angus steers. Anawai is a grass-fed operation, but does grow 20ha of kale to get the finishing cattle through the colder months.

Matt enjoys the diversity of farming deer alongside sheep and cattle and relishes the challenge that being a breeding, as well as a finishing farm brings. When Matt and HFL took over Anawai, he didn’t have a lot of experience managing deer (HFL had no deer farming experience), however they could see the potential for improving the performance of the deer, and set about prioritising their feed and well-being, with obvious benefits over the coming years.

Matt enjoys being part of the close-knit family that supply First Light and likes supporting a local Hawkes Bay business at the same time. Venison eye-fillet is always a treat for friends and family on the bbq at the bach over summer.

Haunui is situated 32kms southeast of Waipukurau, in the Wanstead/Flemington district of Central Hawke’s Bay. James and Sue have owned the intensive deer and bull finishing property for seven years and both take an active part in the day-to-day running of it.

They were attracted to First Light by the forward thinking commitment to improving the whole supply chain — from genetics and production, right through to the promotion of venison as a niche product with a point of difference. The “all round year” supply concept was also attractive as it allows them to better finish stock according to their farming type and systems.

Haunui is extensively planted with shelter belts and trees, giving shade and shelter, and providing a good environment for the animals. As with all First Light products the animals from Haunui are raised outdoors in a healthy environment. “The venison we produce is a high quality, wholesome product that has been sent to the customer with their needs in mind”.

In the Hewitt household the favourite way to eat venison is sliced, marinaded delicately and cooked hot on a barbeque.

Riverslea Trust is made up of three blocks. The breeding unit (260ha) is under the Ruahine Ranges where it is summer safe and the two finishing blocks (202 and 93ha) are on flat to rolling country where it is warmer in the winter. We run 700 breeding hinds and finishing all of the fawns as well as running finishing cattle and breeding ewes. On all properties trees are being planted in an ongoing programme to provide shelter, shade and erosion control.

The farm is operated on a day to day basis by Richard and Emma on the breeding unit and Nick and Jane (Richard’s parents) on the finishing units. When major tasks are being undertaken everyone helps.

We joined First Light because we like the way we, as farmers, could have input further than just the farm gate. It also gives us stable pricing that we can use for planning, and we like the more direct feedback from First Light consumers.

The Lawson’s like to cook the fillets whole.  First searing it on the hot plate and then in a super hot oven wrapped in tin foil for 10 mins and then left to rest. Serve in slices on mashed potato, with roasted winter vegetables and a hunter sauce (an old family recipe of red wine and crab apple jelly).

2 Tier Trust with a holding Co and a Farming sub committee.

Trust Chairman Rakei  Taiaroa

Farm Sub Committee Chairman- John Kahu

Farm Manager – Colin Gates

Maori Owned since 1200AD

Consists of 4000ha with 3000ha farmed with livestock. 13000 ewes plus replacements, 550 cows plus replacements, 2200 hinds plus replacements

Breed, finish and trade in all classes except deer. Deer breed and finish only.

Being part of a small group of like minded people striving to be continually better than the average in the production of a quality food product.

The ability to have some surety of pricing and supply make reporting to a trust committee a lot more accurate.

Provenance relates to the fact the land has been owned and farmed in one way or another for 800 years and is owned by a large number of people to be farmed sustainably for the benefit of future generations. To sustainably farm Waihi Pukawa in an environmental way means it has to be profitable as well without compromising animal welfare.

Regional winner Maori Farmer of the Year and National finalist Maori Farmer of the Year.

The owners and management of Waihi Pukawa farm the property because it is what we do well we aim tp produce a quality product from an area that leads New Zealand in environmental practices.

Tony & Lynda Gray, together with their daughters Rebecca and Catherine, farm at the top of the scenic Pohangina Valley nestled under the Ruahine Ranges in the northern Manawatu.

They own 408 hectares (approx 1,000 acres) of easy hill country of which about 140ha is regenerating native trees protected by a QEII covenant. 140 ha of the farm is fenced for deer and they farm about 300 hinds, 1,200 ewes and 75 beef breeding cows taking younger cattle through to their second winter.

First Light Venison is the reason that they are still farming deer. Being part of a vertically integrated company marketing venison to the world is a great opportunity. They are breeders and their goal is to produce well grown weaner deer for other members of the group to finish using Wapiti and Eastern Red sire stags. Their favourite venison is a sliced fillet lightly barbecued and served with a fresh salad.

Jane and Jacquetta are a mother and daughter team who joined First Light when the company was first formed. Their property, Tarndale, in Colyton, Feilding, and the Pohangina Valley includes a deer breeding and finishing property along with sheep and beef. They were  attracted to First Light because of the consistency it offered to suppliers, the excitement the group has about what it’s doing and the direct-to-consumer marketing.

After Derrick Ward, Jane’s husband, passed away suddenly, their daughter Jacquetta, working in Sydney at the time, made the decision to come home and manage the farm on behalf of the estate (which includes her three sisters). As female farmers, Jane and Jacquetta believe the First Light principles are second nature — animal husbandry especially comes naturally. They see a brilliant future for venison and say they will continue to be part of it for a long time yet.  “We are encouraging more friends and family to eat this delicious and healthy meat,” says Jane.

At Tarndale they choose to serve venison as a steak marinated in a little oil, soya sauce and sweet chill and served with a boysenberry sauce.

Forest Gate is a 340ha deer, sheep, cattle and cropping property which is being farmed in its 4th generation by our family. Duncan Holden purchased the property in 1934, with Peter Holden introducing deer during the late 80’s. Forest Gate is currently being farmed by Duncan & Wendy Holden in conjunction with their son and his wife, Tom Holden & Bex Cave.

Forest Gate is a finishing farm with all of our livestock brought in to finish. Our deer are breed on another Firstlight farm 15mins up the road. We are a majority grass based system , with all livestock being grass fed finished. We use brassica crops to help us get through the tighter periods.

We enjoy farming deer because there is still a lot to learn about them. It’s a young industry which is exciting as we are constantly learning new ways/techniques to achieve better outcomes for both us and the deer.

Its important to us that we farm Forest Gate in a way that won’t affect future generations from having the opportunity enjoy farming deer and they lifestyle that brings!