Passion For The Land Recognised

An accomplished chef, environmentalist and proven Charolais stud breeder would not be the standard introduction for your average farmer but it does describe the essence of Allan Roulston - a farmer based in Hillend, South Otago - just north of Balclutha. Having attended two years chef training through Otago Polytechnic, Allan has gained the skills to tantalise the taste-buds of many over the years. He is well-known for his delectable hors d'oeuvres and his melt in your mouth pig on a spit - grown on his own farm. Allan is also very generous in giving his time for cooking demonstrations as fundraisers for local charities. With Telford Rural Polytechnic just down the road, Allan has opened his farm to many students to share his experience of farming on the tops of Hillend. He is well respected for his contribution to these students and has been invited onto the advisory panel for the Polytechnic and is now Chairman. His operations are diverse - he farms sheep, breeds pigs and operates a Charolais stud on 400 hectares of rolling country. However, he is better known for his passion for the environment and his effort to create a sustainable environment.

Award-winning farmer Allan Roulston, centre, with Sarah Middleton and Tim Dunn from Polson Higgs at Allan's farm in South Otago.

Allan has a passion for silviculture and this has seen the planting of 40 hectares of the property in a vast array of tree and plant varieties to provide shelter for stock and as a source of farm income. The farm is beautiful with many colour and fragrance themes featuring in the hillsides and valleys of the property. Allan has also focused on riparian plantings on the land surrounding his creeks and streams which has seen the recovery of many natural ecological environments - with the return of fresh water crayfish an obvious sign that things are well on the way to recovery. Allan is much admired by farm foresters for his enthusiasm for experimenting with various varieties in the different climates that the farm contains. This passion, combined with his effort to get the best out of his land and stock, has earned him the NZFEA Trust Habitat Improvement Award and Hills Laboratories Harvest Award at the 2009 Ballance Farm Environmental Awards. Allan has worked with Tim Dunn and Sarah Middleton from Polson Higgs over several years and has gained from a range of farm accounting and structuring advice. He has also hosted the Polson Higgs business services staff on a farm visit which is still being talked about!

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Last updated: 15th December 2009 | 4:48 pm