Farmer King Country
FRIDAY APRIL 17, 2025
King Country Farmer | 1
April 2025
Lara to the rescue
By Chris Gardner
When Jeff Woolford broke a wrist after going over the handlebars of his farm bike last year, his partner Lara Sutton stepped into his gumboots. “I would not have survived without her,” Woolford said. “It’s been pretty hard over the last eight months. “Lara has really held the farm, her career, and everything together.” Sutton, who was this month named one of three finalists in the 2025 Dairy Woman of the Year Award, ended up doing more on their State Highway One farm as Woolford healed. “I was quite lucky to spend more time with the kids,” Woolford said. Woolford had his hands full with Georgia, seven, and Logan, five, while Sutton focused on balancing milking 290ha Jersey cows on 100 hectares with her role as DairyNZ strategy and commercial partnership manager. Working for the good of the dairy industry with the Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand, the Dairy Women’s Network and Federated Farmers is all in a day’s work. “It was definitely busy from July until December,” Sutton said. The pressure came off as the farm moved to once-a-day milking in mid-December, and Woolford’s injury healed about two months ago. Sutton also managed to find time to complete the 10-month Escalator programme through the AgriWomen’s Development Trust. The programme includes modules on understanding self, governance, leadership, communication and future direction. The farm produced about 96,000 kilograms of milksolids this season, down about four per cent on its average 100,000 production thanks to the drought. This is the couple’s fourth as a
predominantly Jersey herd-owning sharemilkers on the138-hectare dairy farm midway between Piarere and Tīrau. “We have been all grass with hay,” Sutton said. “This season we needed to buy in some palm kernel to fill the gap.” “The farm owners have put in a shed feeder, which will change things a little bit.” “We are also heading toward a cross bred herd to be able to cut down on bobby calves.” Crossbreeding dairy cows with beef bulls can significantly reduce the number of bobby calves. By crossbreeding, these calves can be raised for beef production, which increases their market value and provides an alternative to early processing. Woolford hails from Tuakau and began his working life as a farmhand on a farm near Pirongia. Sutton comes from Te Kowhai and grew up in Hauturu near Kāwhia in the King Country and then Hamilton. They both spent the 2009-10 season milking at Te Kawa in the King Country. “Jeff and I are a real partnership, and we talk about every decision on farm,” she said. “I genuinely love working with Jeff.” “It’s definitely a family business,” he said. “I was very surprised and extremely humbled,” said Sutton of her placing as a finalist in the Dairy Woman of the Year competition Sutton was nominated by a friend, and nearly didn’t complete the application form because she did not feel worthy. Dairy Women’s Network trustee and award judge Jenna Smith said: “Lara left the judges with a clear sense of her ability to connect then lead. Her demonstrated ability to continue to challenge herself, has seen her seize opportunity and develop significant process and progress in the dairy industry.” • See: Jo in line for award, page 2
Dairy farmer Jeff Woolford says he would not have survived this dairy season without his partner Lara Sutton. Photo: Chris Gardner
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