Parkside Farm is a single block of 175 hectares located in the Ida Valley, Central Otago. We are conveniently situated between Dunedin and the popular destinations of Wanaka and Queenstown. Central Otago is renowned for its harsh climate, characterised by extreme dryness, intense heat, and cold temperatures, which makes it a challenging region for farming. However, for tourism, a hot and dry summer is the recipe for a good season. The Rail Trail carves its path straight through our farm, running from Clyde to Middlemarch. This former train line has been repurposed as a popular biking route for those who enjoy a leisurely ride amidst magical scenery. Historically, the northern part of the farm was the Ida Valley train station, and the former Ida Valley pub was just around the corner. Our goal for this farm is to maintain and regenerate the land whilst producing high-quality products.
Olivia is our chief finance officer, proud mum of Harvey, and she keeps us on track with every project. Originally from Southland, she grew up on a sheep and deer farm and has since gained valuable skills throughout her career in accounts administration.
With her sister Amanda, you can often find them together, enjoying a cup of tea (or a dozen) daily. Olivia manages the accounting and administrative side of our operation. However, as soon as she can, she is out and about with Harvey in tow, helping us outside.
Devin, a.k.a. Harvey’s dad, a.k.a. Olivia’s husband, a.k.a. our builder/handy man/farmer. Devin can pretty much do anything on the farm and his passion for all things farming is incredibly beneficial to us. Is there anything he can’t do? Well, probably don’t ask him to cook you a dinner. Devin grew up on the East Coast, near Dunedin, on a sheep and beef farm.
He has spent the last few years living in Wanaka, driving heavy machinery and working on landscaping projects. At this stage, he has two dreams, both involving a petrol engine: he wants a Valiant to tour around on his days off, and he would like a dirt bike to explore the countryside.
Whether his wife will accept these purchases is a different story!
Amanda is the definition of an animal lover. Growing up on a farm, she has always had a deep affection for animals and takes great pride in caring for them. Her days are filled with tasks such as egg collection, checking on our stock, and acting as a general farmhand. She has a diverse background in both farming and tourism, which is definitely useful at Parkside.
Her other great passion is cooking; she could spend hours in the kitchen planning amazing dishes. Whether you prefer an Asian-inspired stir-fry or a good old Southland roast, she has everything covered.
Yohann is probably the least “farmer” of us all. Although he grew up in rural France, his background has been more focused on marketing and business management, primarily in the tourism industry. With his wealth of experience, he oversees the glamping side of our farm as well as all commercial aspects.
On the farm, what he lacks in experiences he makes up for in bright ideas – though these sometimes require a dose of realism in execution from Devin. If you want to get him talking just ask him about wine, especially those from Central Otago or Burgundy.
Harvey is Olivia and Devin’s first-born son. Born in 2022, he is our overall CEO. We must work around his schedule: we feed him, and he tells us what to do – a future boss in the making.
While he can be shy at first, once you’re accepted, he will not stop talking to you. Though he’s too young to decide yet, we hope he will be part of the next generation of farmers.
Trick: He loves animals, dinosaurs, and Thomas the Tank Engine.
Miyah, Bethany, Oakley, Cooper and Saidi
Well, we wouldn’t be a farm without our dogs. While some of them are working dogs, most are actually our pets. They all have different personalities, and we love them just the way they are.
To start with, we have Oakley, the husky. He is the oldest and operates on his own schedule; and doesn’t like being told what to do. He definitely behaves like an old man.
Miyah is a Hunterway and Collie cross. Amanda works with her around the sheep, and she loves it. However, her favourite thing to do is to get cuddles from Yohann. She’s Just a friendly face, always happy.
Bethany, or Beth, is our true working dog. Her work ethic is amazing, and she knows how to handle sheep and cattle. She is obsessed with Amanda and could spend hours following her everywhere.
Sadie is our lighting-speed dog. She is so fast that she could catch anything. Her main hobby is to annoy her sibling, Cooper, as much as she can. I guess that’s what a younger sister does.
Cooper, or ‘Pooper’, as Harvey calls him, is the happiest dog alive. He will always try to get you to play fetch with him, but if you just pat him, he is in heaven.
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