Meet the Farm Team

Matthew

Matthew took over the farm in 2006 and is responsible for the overall coordination of activities. He himself manages the arable side and the livestock with the work being carried out by the farm team altogether. His emphasis at present is on increasing production efficiency and diversity so as to ensure long term sustainability. He is strongly committed to continuing the organic development of the farm as Milmore Downs moves into third generation hands.

Alice

Alice, Matthew's wife, is a fully qualified beauty therapist and has a very well appointed treatment area connected to their house and works autonomously there in her salon “Beauty by Nature” – beauty therapy for your natural health and beauty experience. She offers several facial and body treatments as well as waxing. The treatments will be made with products based on natural ingredients.
Ring and ask Alice about the treatments available and for an appointment +64(0)3 3143 842 or +64(0)276355467.

Sam

Sam joined Milmore Downs in 2018 as a co-worker with main responsibilities for grain processing. He previously worked in the food industry in Christchurch while studying for a B.Com at Canterbury University. He realised that being cooped up at a desk for 8 hours a day was not his idea of a fulfilling career, so decided to remain at Sanitarium in the position of Marmite manufacturer. In 2013, Sam and his family set about a change in lifestyle and relocated to Scargill, just a stone’s throw from the farm, to enjoy the quiet, country life and establish an organic food forest.

Ian

Ian although being part of the farm since a child – his parents shifted to Scargill when he was ten years old – has an engineering background with experience also in teaching English as a foreign language. He has over 25 years experience as a practicing Biodynamic farmer and Demeter licensee at Milmore Downs and was one of the Biodynamic pioneers in New Zealand agriculture. Under his guidance Milmore Downs developed from a conventional sheep monoculture into a diverse livestock mixed cropping farm. He also has responsibilities with Demeter New Zealand and coordinates the standards committee for Demeter International.

Eva

Eva was born in Germany and studied agriculture there. She has always had a strong interest in ecology and organics and with her green thumb gardening skills became committed to Biodynamics. Ian joined Eva in Germany for several years where Eva had developed an organic community garden as part of the ecology faculty of Stuttgart Polytech. Her years of experience with alternative ideas and green philosophies was put to good use developing courses on a wide range of topics including nutrition, fitness and other areas of sustainable living.

Now Ian and Eva are back in New Zealand in a supporting role on the farm that is run by Matthew. What that actually entails varies a lot depending on season, work load and availability of labour, but in any case they keep a close eye on Biodynamic preparation making and use. Eva loves working outside, but also processes farm products for the family, and carries the Farmers’ Market initiative strongly. In addition to her practical gardening skills her strengths are in communications and public relations.