Donalds Farm is an educational dairy farm gifted to NZ Young Farmers in 2018. The 74 ha farm is made up of 63 effective ha, plus 11 ha of laneways, native bush blocks and gullies currently being replanted into natives. The farm milks approximately 130 Jersey cows and 10 Milking Shorthorn cows. The farm runs a system 1-2 with a pasture first focus. Chicory is grown as a summer crop to provide high quality feed over the summer months. Youngstock are grazed off farm.
As part of the educational work at Donald's Farm, we work with primary and secondary schools in Auckland to showcase the agricultural sector to Auckland students. This involves a range of programs hosted on farm with a large number of visitors attending the farm each year. The farm is also currently constructing a native plant nursery alongside Conservation Volunteers NZ (CVNZ) to grow approximately 50,000 natives annually which will be planted by CVNZ along the Papakura Stream.