WOOL
Profile
WOOL’S COLOUR AND FUTURE IS BRIGHT After a lifetime working with strongwool sheep, Dan and Barbara Ramsden are moving on from the family’s farms. Terry Brosnahan reports. Photos supplied by Ravensdown.
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D
an Ramsden is a wool man. He has grown and worked with wool all his life. It has been a major focus of his farming of Moanaroa and Ware Ware stations, near Dannevirke. The two stations produce about 70,000kg of strong wool. Dan and his wife Barbara have retired from farming and are moving to Havelock North. Son Hugh manages Moanaroa and daughter Fiona is managing Ware Ware (1215 hectares effective). There is a 400ha finishing block at Pongaroa. They also run cattle and sheep studs. The land is in trust and the farms are run under a family company structure. About 23,000 stock units are wintered over the three blocks, 60% Romney sheep, 40% Angus cattle. Dan may have given up control of the cheque book but will still be involved with farming, especially wool. Born in Dannevirke on the last day of 1939, Dan grew up on the family farm at Kumeroa near Woodville. In 1959 Dan gained his wool diploma through Massey University, just in case he had an accident and had to take a new direction in life.
Country-Wide
October 2021