OKEPUHA STATION

Okepuha Station has a bird's eye view of the Mahia Peninsula and Richard and Hannah Coop love farming the windswept Hawke's Bay coastline.

Richard and Hannah are the fourth generation Coops to farm at Mahia in more than a century. The family's long association with the peninsula began back in 1905 when land was bought by Richard's great grandfather.

The 940ha Okepuha Station was farmed by Richard's parents, Will and Cathy, from the 1970s until recently when Richard and Hannah took over the farm business.

Moving back to the farm eight years ago, Richard immersed himself in the family business eventually taking the reins and the overall management of the family block. The couple bought the stock, plant and machinery and lease the land from a family trust.

It is a stunning and dramatic property with a balance of flat finishing country and undulating easy hill country that gives way to steep, clean hill country. It rises from 130 metres above sea level up to 450m and has an annual rainfall of 1400mm. 

Okepuha is a our lead farm in the supply of wool to Hypnos Beds

HYPNOS BEDS USE OUR WOOL

COMMITMENT

Through their long association with the area the Coop family have shown a deep commitment to the land and the community of Mahia. Richard and Hannah employ two locals as a shepherd and a general hand - Kingi Winiata Jnr and Charly Harrison – and others throughout the season when required.

Richard spent some time overseas and worked in Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay before returning to Mahia. Hannah worked in farm support services for DairyNZ in Whakatane and then for Wool New Zealand from her new home in Mahia.

 

SUSTAINABILITY

Richard and Hannah are part of the Green Ribbon Award-winning Whangawehi Catchment Group, which, with help from the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, has funded a planting and fencing project (10ha fenced and 27,000 natives planted) on Okepuha Station.

"We have the big picture in mind. We're planting all these natives and there are so many other things that make up the word 'farming'. Mum's father was a bit of a legend back in the day. He said, 'If you look after the land it will look after you.' We like that. We're privileged to be doing what we're doing so we're putting in as much as we can and hopefully we'll get it back." - Richard Coop

HYPNOS BEDS

The Coops have been selected as the lead farm by Wools of New Zealand to provide wool to Hypnos Beds.

Hypnos Wool Beds

Hannah and Richard Coop

This short film was made for Hypnos Beds UK so they could show their customers the passion for wool, sustainability and family that our growers have.

Hannah and Richard Coop talk about being "Guardians of this land" and the importance of animal husbandry and the pride in knowing their wool goes to Hypnos Beds in the UK.

 

 

 

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