Our Farmers

We are Harry and Emily Gaddum, along with our three children Pippa, Ted and Arlo we farm in Kereru, Hawkes Bay. We breed and finish Venison animals and also breed for Velvet in conjunction with our Venison Herd. We generally purchase in some store weaners to take through to finish along with our own. We have a strong passion for Deer, and farming them is truly in our blood. From humble beginnings of Ben Gaddum (my Dad) starting with just one deer fenced paddock in front of the house and buying in cull stags in late 80’s, to the properties now being fully deer fenced and 100% invested in the deer industry.

We are proud to be farming such a quality product and feel privileged to be doing it where we are. In Hawkes Bay.

We farm our Deer on two properties combining to be around 470ha of deer fenced area.

Our breeding block is inland by the ranges, it is higher in elevation and tends to breed strong weaner deer, that when given the opportunity to shine on the lower, earlier finishing farm seem to do really well. Mostly we are a grass based system with the utilisation of Winter crops for our Velvet herd and self-grown Lucerne baleage for all deer during winter months.

We are starting to use chicory as a summer finishing crop for our yearling deer with good results so far.

We also farm sheep and beef and dabble with some cash cropping.

Emily and I enjoy nothing more than watching a mob of deer grazing out in front of the house in the evenings. They’re incredibly inquisitive and tend to come as close as they can to get a feel for what we’re up to, whether it’s the kids playing on the lawn or what’s cooking on the BBQ! 😊

Going with Firstlight Farms was a choice we made to secure the advantage of working closely with the market by becoming mates with the supply chain. That’s what it feels like when your part of Firstlight Family anyway. Being Kiwi owned and operated with the ability to be open and honest of what the market is doing is a real benefit.

Sophie, her partner Tim and their two boys are in Pirinoa, South Wairarapa on her fourth-generation farm called Wharerata. They have a mix of deer, beef, dairy grazers, breeding ewes, and certified organic cropping. The farm is around 200 ha effective with around half being deer fenced and the long-term goal of deer fencing more land. Sophie is the third generation to be farming deer here and has a huge passion for farming them in the future.

I feel lucky to be working alongside an amazing team here at first light who have such a positive and passionate excitement within the business. They have a great relationship with working alongside their produce growers and feel in safe hands within the industry and the future ahead.