

Johannes Kloppers and Bill Kingston.
The Kingstons and Kloppers are always on the lookout for new ways to improve the farm and improve their environmental performance.
"Since Skibbereen was converted the farm has been in a continual state of development to keep up with the change in regulations and to improve ease of management – including installing pivot irrigation, effluent upgrades, soil moisture monitoring and riparian and shelter planting. We see this as an on-going process, and implement science proven environmental solutions as they become available – in the past years I estimate we have spent towards $1 million on improvements. Our farm has joined the Selwyn Hinds partner farm group so we and our staff see what is happening on other farms that can be brought back to continue the improvements at our place."
- Bill Kingston, Skibbereen
Skibbereen is near the coast at Coldstream, just north of the Rangitata River. The farm has been in the Kingston Family since 1947, and was converted to dairying by Bill and Jessmae in 2010. In the 2020/21 season, Johannes and Maree Kloppers - who were previously managing the farm - have started contract milking Skibbereen. There has been a lot of investment in infrastructure over the last ten years including pivots and Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) going in from 2015 to now, and the plan is to finish this project in the upcoming seasons. Skibbereen is operated with strong family farm values, and it is important to the Kingston Family and the Kloppers that everyone who works at Skibbereen enjoys and is proud of what they do.
Download full Skibbereen Partner Farm Profile
Nitrogen Loss
Skibbereen comes under Mayfield Hinds Valetta Irrigation scheme (MHV), as they have access to a small amount of MHV water, and their nutrient allocation is managed through the scheme. Bill and Jessmae were interested to know how they would be tracking compared to a 2012 baseline.
This was modelled in Overseer and is shown in the table below. It includes a 30% reduction for 2019/20 – this is mainly due to a reduction in drainage through infrastructure changes and irrigation management. In the Hinds catchment farmers are required to make N loss reductions of 15% by 2025 and 25% in 2030. The farm has 50 hectares of mixed pastures that include plantain. This has not been modelled in Overseer but potentially could further reduce N losses on the farm.