Like many other farmers, Clarke and Megan Horrell are always open to different ways to diversify revenue, particularly if that adds value for their local community.

Clarke and Megan farm Huntly Farm, a 720 hectare fourth generation sheep and beef property at Waikaia, Southland, breeding and finishing Coopworth Texels, and trading Angus, Hereford and Friesian steers and calves. Clarke’s family took over the farm in 1909, and although it’s early days to predict a fifth generation, the couple’s three school-aged children are shaping as keen farmers.

Juggling farming and family demands, Megan recently started a new enterprise that gained instant popularity with her neighbours, as she explains.

“About a year ago I went to Christchurch, where my two sisters live. I like to buy clothes sustainably, and the same as many other farmers, am into recycling. Over a couple of days, the three of us did lunch and went shopping, including shops selling pre-loved fashion garments. We went to a few that were kind of quirky, and one or two in out of the way places. I thought ‘I can do this, too.’ I bought a notebook at the airport and started writing down my ideas on the flight home,” she says.

After a year in the making, including transforming a farm cottage that the couple describe as unloved and unlived in for several years, in November last year Megan opened Waikaia’s own on-farm recycled fashion boutique, Glitter & Gumboots.

“We all make mistakes when we buy clothes, and sometimes, even if you love wearing something, you just want a change. If I can help someone sell what they’ve got, and that benefits someone else, everybody is happy,” she says.

Megan also works two days a week off-farm in Riversdale, and last year the three children were all at different schools, so Glitter & Gumboots fits in around an already busy schedule.

“There were other pre-loved fashion businesses in the region, in Gore and Mandeville, though they closed, so there is a gap in the market. Plenty of women want to pass clothes on, and not everyone can be bothered with TradeMe or Facebook. Meanwhile, others are keen on a bargain, which is where Glitter & Gumboots comes in. At this stage I’m only open on Sundays, though if people want to come in at other times, I also open by appointment.

“Keeping with the theme of recycling, we have used some old farming artefacts that were lying around on the property, repurposing them as decoration in the shop or to sell, and we are also selling ear-rings, made by a local from Dipton from recycled rubber, which keeps that theme going,” she says.

Glitter & Gumboots’ marketing is predominantly via Facebook, though Megan is also dipping her toe in the Instagram water.

She and Clarke already have experience of another important revenue stream – and another type of glitter: local gold mining enterprise Waikaia Gold took 120 hectares of Huntly Farm out of production for sheep for four years from 2014, which caused some disruption, though overall was well worthwhile.

“Waikaia Gold was great for us. Mining from our land was more profitable than sheep, and when the mining was finished, the company remediated that part of the farm, including re-fencing, rewatering and redesigning the block they had been on, improving the layout of the land and its fertility. Having the mine here was also great for the local community, boosting the likes of the school and our sports clubs,” says Clarke.

Like others, Clarke and Megan are not satisfied with their wool cheque.

“Wool returns have been disappointing for 25 years, it’s not just the last three years, though they have been worse.”

Huntly Farm has supplied its clip to PGG Wrightson Wool through long-term Southland wool rep Daryl Paskell since well before Clarke and Megan took over running the farm in 1999, initially with Clarke’s brother William. Although he is holding out for better earnings, Clarke appreciates the certainty that supplying on a contract provides.

“We are on a Bloch and Behrens Flexi Contract. While it is always there or thereabouts, every year we have earned more than we would if we had sent our wool to auction. Using the contract builds cashflow security into the business. We have done the same in the past with lambswool contracts,” he says.

Despite current pricing, the Horrells remain staunch with wool.

“Along with everyone else within the industry who is keeping the faith, we can see the potential of our natural, sustainable fibre, though of course we need the rest of the world to wake up to that as well,” says Clarke.

Which might even add a little more glitter to the gumboots. Check out Glitter & Gumboots on Facebook HERE.