Grasmere, a Kiwi family business

“I have the best job in the world,” said Heather Harrington, horse whisperer, last Christmas, as we trekked from farm paddocks through the matagouri scrub near Arthur’s Pass in Canterbury, New Zealand.  My surefooted and gentle horse, Clyde, was attentive to Heather’s every nuance.

Heather musters cattle and does heavy-duty farm work in Grasmere and other neighboring ranches.  Her kindness and compassion made me overcome a phobia caused by a fall from a skittish colt long ago.

Venerable history

Grasmere Lodge is a historic family business, albeit handed down to different families.  In 1857, the Englishman Joseph Pearson explored the area, naming the neighboring lake after the one in his hometown.  His employer, Joseph Hawdon, built a two-room hut in what became Grasmere Station.  Due to economic ups and downs, Grasmere passed from one family to another, until in 1930, it passed to Cambridge graduate David McLeod and his wife Mary, who managed the farm for half a century; at its peak, Grasmere encompassed 24,000 hectares.

David passed on Grasmere to his son Ian, who sold it to another party, before Oliver and Vicki Newbegin bought the freehold of 608 hectares in 1988.  Eager to share the beauty of the region to outsiders, the couple, who worked in the travel industry for decades, transformed the homestead into what is now Grasmere Lodge.

In January 1995, a day after the lodge’s opening, Tom Butler started as an all-around staff when he was 18 years old, and never left.  The Newbegins did not have any children, and in 2005, Tom became the owner of the lodge.  (The freehold is owned by other businesspeople.)

Hooked on dairy

Grasmere is not the usual hotel; rather, it is more of a cozy, albeit luxurious and stately family home.  Because of the remote location (Christchurch is two hours away), the staff live onsite and treat guests like family.  Fabulous hikes, clay pigeon shooting, horse riding, with scenery right out of “Lord of the Rings” and most importantly, with wifi but no cell coverage: Grasmere is the ideal place to unwind.

Aside from hosting guests, Grasmere is a working farm, but not in the usual sense.  Grasmere does not grow agricultural crops.  “David McLeod wrote that every time he tried to grow something, it would fail,” says Tom’s partner Joanna “Jo” Scowen, gesturing to the land filled with tussocks and scrubs.  Grasses grow wild, great for cattle to graze, but the land is austere, unlike the loamy soil needed for agriculture.

New Zealand used to be known for its sheep, but now dairy farming is paramount, accounting for 20 percent of its Gross Domestic Product (tourism is second, with 10 percent).  The reason?  China.  Out of the NZD 12 billion worth of the country’s annual dairy exports, China accounts for one quarter.   The country’s five million dairy cows outnumber the 4.5 million humans.  For slightly more than half the year, they produce milk, but for the rest of the time, they graze on farms such as Grasmere.

Tom and Jo have two young daughters.  Will they take over the family business one day?  “They are raised here, so when they grow up, they may want to do other things,” says Tom.  “But I hope so!”

Glacier flights

Tom introduced us to Ben Patterson, owner of Wilderness Wings, who took us on a flight over some of the most breathtaking scenery on earth.  “90 percent of what we see today can only be seen from the air,” said Ben as he piloted the fixed-wing Cessna over Mt. Cook, and Franz Josef, Fox, Tasman Glaciers.

As Ben pointed out one mountain after another, my husband asked, “How can you distinguish between them?  They all look alike!”  Ben laughed, “This is my backyard.  I grew up here.  I love the mountains, and I love showing them to people.”

Born in the heart of the Southern Alps, Ben was brought to school every day in the coolest way possible:  by his aunt on the plane.  Ben now lives with his wife in the town of Hokitika, and he delivers groceries to his parents and his brother in the family lodge by plane.

In 1992, Wilderness Wings was established by Ben’s father’s friends in 1992.  Ben was 10 at that time, but he already knew he was going to fly.  “After I finished university, I decided to come back,” Ben said.

Will the business stay in the family?  “Oh yes,” Ben is confident.  “My son already wants to fly!”

Visit Grasmere Lodge at www.grasmere.co.nz and Wilderness Wings at www.wildernesswings.co.nz.

Queena N. Lee-Chua is on the Board of Directors of Ateneo de Manila University’s Family Business Development Center.  Get her book “Successful Family Businesses” at the University Press (email [email protected].)  Email the author at [email protected].