But during September, the emphasis on cattle switches towards another unique and beautiful side of Taniwha Station – the 10ha of daffodils that are grown exclusively to benefit a local charity.
The farm is owned by Angus and Esther Mabin and Angus is the fourth-generation family member to run the property. Since his grandfather acquired the property in the mid- 1890s it’s been variously a conventional sheep and beef operation, a deer farm and a polled Hereford stud. When Angus took over the farm from his father in the 1980s it was a conventional sheep breeding operation with steers.
Angus’ return to the farm, after finishing his degree at Massey University, coincided with the major economic reforms of the then Labour government.
“I had some very inspiring uncles who were into the bull beef game at an early stage, so I exited sheep and entered bull farming, which was the best thing I ever did. Now we are known as the daffodil farm,” he says.
The story of the daffodils is one of remarkable generosity and community spirit. It was the birth of Angus’ brother that prompted his mother Railene to begin what has turned out to be a lifetime legacy. According to Esther Mabin, her mother-in-law was so grateful for the help given to her by the Plunket nurse that she decided that she would like to thank that organisation in some tangible way.
“She said ‘I can’t sell cakes because I am not very good at baking so instead, I will grow daffodils and sell them’. Initially she’d bundle them up and sell them in town, and then as the children grew up, the daffodils were put at the farm gate on the main road in buckets and she got her kids to do that,” she says.
Initially, says Esther, the daffodils were just around the main homestead like they were on many similar properties, but Railene dug these up and started a major planting programme. This included buying a whole range of different varieties and finally she purchased all the stock from a grower at Palmerston North who was retiring.
“This led to Railene’s husband Barrie having to slightly reduce the farm and the enlarge the house paddock to ten hectares, all of which is devoted to beds of daffodils of different colours and varieties,” she says.
With this expansion has come the development of a large park which, besides the huge number of daffodil beds, includes ponds and trees, not to mention stunning views of the distant mountain ranges. Taniwhai has now also become a popular wedding venue. It also includes a building that serves as a shop that sells light refreshments during the two weeks Taniwhai is open to the public.
Esther Mabin says when she married Angus, the daffodils were still being sold in the nearby town of Waipukurau along with a few gate sales. Then a small committee was formed and it was decided they would offer people the chance to come and pick their own flowers.
Various times to do this were tried, including opening the property every two years, to weekends and so on. But Esther says the demands on the family were great and finally, after Covid, they decided that they would open up the property every September for two weeks and three weekends.
Initially the local Plunket society was the chosen charity of the Mabins, but that organisation made a decision that any money given to the local group had to be passed on to their national office. At that point the Mabins decided they wanted to just give to a local charity and so now their Taniwha Daffodil Charitable Trust supports the CHB Parents Centre and the CHB Pregnancy and Parenting Hub – which supports parents and their babies.
Preparing for the two-week open period is a busy time for the Mabins, their extended family and their team of volunteers. The 10ha house paddock has to be mowed, signs erected and areas marked out for parking cars.
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Railene Mabin |
Joy To The People
At the centre of all of this is Railene Mabin who instigated this amazing project, for which in 2017 she received the QSM for her services to Plunket and charity. She is centre stage in the shop selling flowers and chatting to members of the public.
For Railene, Esther and Angus Mabin, opening up their property to the public and selling daffodils comes with some very satisfying moments, such as seeing up to 300 cars in their carpark at weekends. Also seeing the smiles on the faces of people who come and pick flowers and picnic on the spacious grounds.
Then there is the money that is raised. This year they expect to give around $20,000 to their main charity and a few small ones.
“It brings a lot of joy to a lot of people. Just when you are feeling grumpy about it, someone says ‘this is a great community service and thank you for opening your property’. This is our dividend,” says the family.
