Meet our ranchers


John & Carol Wingate and daughter Stephanie

  • Meldrum
  • Alfredton, Northern Wairarapa
  • 537 hectares / 1327 acres
  • Rolling to steep hill country
Map of Alfredton
John & Carol Wingate and daughter Stephanie's Land
John & Carol Wingate and daughter Stephanie
John & Carol Wingate and daughter Stephanie
John & Carol Wingate and daughter Stephanie

This land has been in my family for more than 130 years. My Great, Great Grandfather, John Wingate, bought our property in 1883. Working the land is what I know and love; I left school at 16 years old and couldn’t wait to get back to the ranch. It’s a lot of hard work and there are things out of our control, like the weather, that we have to contend with. But it’s extremely rewarding and I wouldn’t do anything else. I want to improve the land we’re looking after and ideally leave it in better condition than how it was when we took it on. We’ve been working with Atkins Ranch since they began in 1989. They have a unique approach where they acknowledge the produce right through to the market. And what we produce in New Zealand is pretty special; clean, grass-fed lamb to the best specifications, that is really tasty.