4th Generation – Kippy and Timmy

Today the farm is farmed by Chris and Tim. They are two of the 12 children belonging to Christie and Remai Hehir.

Chris and Tim are the only children now involved in farming. James briefly farmed at Oroua Downs for six years. Maryanne was killed in a traffic accident in 1971 and Mary died at three days old in 1965 .The rest of the children are scattered around the country.

Timothy on his motorbike with his youngest son, Benjaman

Chris started farming after finishing sixth form at Marist High school in Palmerston North in 1968 . In 1969 there was a severe drought that had all the cows dried off by January, in order to pay for the grazing (obtained in Hawke's Bay) Christie and Jimmy both got jobs at the Longburn Freezing Works .

Chris (Kippy) getting out of the new John Deere tractor

As Chris was now home on the farm Christie stayed in this job until the works closed down in 1985. Chris farmed with Jimmy until 1975 when Tim finished seventh form at the new St Peter's College (having started at the old Marist High School) and Jimmy retired.

Tim and Chris farmed the unit as a single farm up until 1993 when they decided to split the farm up into two units, run respectively by Chris and Briona Hehir on one unit and Tim and Cathy Hehir on the other .

Both Tim and Chris's children participating in the local agricultural day

Tim built a new 18 -aside herringbone cowshed near where Mickey Hehir's original shed stood. In 2001 another 100 acres was purchased from Graham Pedley on the opposite side of Taikorea Road. An underpass was installed to facilitate the passage of the cows from one side of the road to the other and this extra land enabled each farm to lift it's milking capacity to 180 + cows.

Both Chris and Tim have families (Chris has seven children, Tim has four). The families are very involved in the local life with Tim and Chris both being on the local school Board of Trustee's. Tim was the chairman of the Board of Trustee's when the school closed down in 2001 after 112 years. The families are also involved in running the local hall and library.

Kippy driving the Tractor with the bucket.

The Hehir family has been heavily involved in the Catholic Church at Rongotea since it was first built 105 years ago and there are currently three generations involved in the liturgy finance and maintenance of the Church.

As is the case nationwide the depopulation of the rural area is having a huge effect on Taikorea. (ie: the closing down of the school). And more and more the focus of cultural, educational and social events is situated in Palmerston North. Fortunately good roads mean that it is only a 20-25 minute trip into town.