6 Jun 2014

Ngati Apa acquires historic farm

7:46 pm on 6 June 2014

Lower North Island tribe Ngati Apa says its purchase of the historic Flock House farm near Bulls means it can now use the facility to train descendants in farming.

The iwi joined with two other organisations to recently buy the farm from AgResearch for an undisclosed sum.

The 1100 -hectare property has a 332-hectare dairy unit and a 768-hectare sheep and beef unit.

Flock House was well known as a training farm until the late 1980s, and the central campus was subsequently sold.

Ngati Apa developments chairman Toko Kapea said the purchase opens the way for aspiring young farmers to learn about the job on their ancestral whenua.

Mr Kapea said because the tribe has involvement in the governance and management level, it can enable Ngati Apa and Whanganui iwi descendants to gain practical experience in farming.