Bringing world-renowned fisherman and author Zane Grey to New Zealand, improving the design of fishing reels and financing British aircraft in both world wars are among Charles Alma Baker’s achievements.

The dairy-conversion at Limestone Downs covers 350ha of flat to rolling land.

Rubber plantation
Charles was born in Otago in 1857 but spent most of his life in Malaya, where he was a surveyor and owned tin and rubber plantations. In April 1923, when he visited the Bay of Islands, Charles saw the potential for New Zealand to become a big game fishing mecca. With promotion in mind, he invited Zane Grey to visit in 1926 and he arrived with cameraman, crew and three truckloads of gear.

His book ‘Angler’s Eldorado New Zealand’ was published later that year, helping boost the country’s fishing reputation.

“The big game fishing club at Russell has lots of pictures of Charles Baker and Zane Grey,” says Alf.

Charles’ link to Limestone Downs began in the 1920s, when he joined his nephew in a farming venture at Te Karaka station, near Port Waikato.

Later the adjacent property Limestone Downs was purchased and Charles invested profits from his interests in rubber into developing the farm.

Today the property is administered by a NZ-based committee, appointed by the English trustees of the C Alma Baker Estate.

The farm and trust has strong links with Massey University, with the trust providing some funding for agricultural and horticultural research at the university. Links with the UK are enduring too.

Young farmers
“Every year four members of the UK Young Farmers Club come to work on the farm for three months each – when one leaves, another one arrives. The size of the farm is a bit of an eye-opener for them at first but they soon get used to it, and generally have a good time while they are here.”

Alf grew up on his parent’s farm near Gisborne but when his wife-to-be Carol went to teachers’ training collage at Palmerston North he followed, working as a shepherd on Massey University’s Tuapaka 1200 acre sheep and beef farm.

“I worked at Tuapaka twice; the first time in 1975 as a shepherd and after a break of three years returned in 1981 as manager.”

Alf’s supervisor Kevin Lowe was also closely involved with Limestone Downs, and it was he who encouraged Alf to move to the Port Waikato farm.

“Kevin is still involved in Limestone Downs and we’ve worked together for 35 years now,” says Alf.

Simple operation
When Alf first arrived the farm was running 22,000 ewes, 7000 ewe lambs, 1200 breeding cows, about 800 bulls and employed seven staff. “It was a pretty simple sheep and beef operation.”

Farm management is not quite so straightforward now that some of the easier country has been converted to dairy. Staff numbers have increased to 11 and beef cattle have basically been replaced by dairy cows.

“We now have 7000-8000 ewes and lamb 3000 hoggets. This season we’ll dock 13,000 lambs.

“We are rearing calves for replacements for the dairy herd and for beef, so we’re now self-sufficient without the need to buy in cattle.”

Maize is grown for silage each year and while there’s been significant re-sowing for the dairy unit, other areas of pasture have been sown specifically for spring calves.

“When we get rain grass grows well here, but the growth is more consistent than areas like the Manawutu. We don’t get big spikes in growth.”

Alf says Limestone Downs is an attractive property to live and work on. “The property goes right to the coast and out the back of the farm there’s 1000 acres fenced off native bush.” True to its name there are limestone outcrops too.

Every year Limestone Downs hosts an open day and the next one is on February 17, 2015, when Alf says anyone who wants to see the farm and its operations is welcome to attend.

Charles Alma Baker helped put New Zealand big game fishing on the international map.