In the productive paddocks of Yaldhurst, near Christchurch, Andrew Kyle is continuing a legacy that began over a century ago. The land where his business grows vegetables has been in his family since 1915, when his grandfather, a veterinarian who moved from Australia, purchased the property.

“My grandfather came from an agricultural background. When he came to New Zealand he had harness horses and introduced Guernsey cattle into New Zealand,” says Andrew.

Andrew’s journey into horticulture was shaped by his early exposure to farming and the influence of key mentors. His father, who grew potatoes, peas, and cereal crops on the family land, passed away when Andrew was just 11 years old. From a young age, Andrew was determined to make good of the land, and he continued to navigate his path towards becoming a grower.

Two pivotal figures in Andrew’s development were local grower Neville Morris, who eased land from Andrew’s father in the 1970s, and neighbour Anthony George, who Andrew worked for part-time while in school.

“When I was a kid, I’d spend a lot of time out in the paddock with Neville, watching and copying what he did,” Andrew recalls. “We also had vegetable grower Anthony George living next door. He was almost like a father figure to me, and it was through Anthony that I got to know more about MG. When I was in school and working for Anthony, I’d also grow a few parsnips and potatoes and send them to the market.”

After leaving school, Andrew attended Flock House, a practical farm school in Bulls, and later went on to Lincoln University.

“At Flock House, I gained a lot of knowledge — not just in agriculture and cropping, but in mechanical, building, engineering, and maintenance work,” he explains. “I followed that by going to Lincoln Uni, and because I wanted to make the most of our land for growing, I focused on horticulture.”

Andrew credits his relationship with the MG Group as an important factor in the growth of his business.

“I’ve had a lot to do with Grant Stumbles from MG Dunedin over the past 30 years, and he’s encouraged me to do more with MG,” Andrew says. “The relationship with MG has been great. A number of people in the business have helped grow and strengthen me as a grower.”

Today, Andrew’s operation stands as a true family business, producing mainly cauliflower and cabbage, along with a smaller variety of other crops, including corn, courgettes, beetroot, silver beet, and onions. His son Harrison, who is currently at university, finds time to work on the farm, along with his two sisters, Charlotte and Milly, who are still in school.

“Harrison is really involved. He’s at Uni but works too and spends all summer doing planting, tractor work, and everything else. Charlotte, my youngest, helped with all of our planting last season, and Milly is also on the payroll,” says Andrew.

The farm’s success is built on hard work and resilience, values that Andrew lives by.

“There’s no compromise for hard work— it can be a tough industry but you get up and you get into it, and keep going no matter what,” he says. “There are times when it’s hard yakka and nothing seems to go your way, but you have to keep dusting yourself off and keep at it.”

A key to success is making connections with good people, being prepared to take advice and collaborate. To that end, Andrew says he works closely with MG to plan his season ahead and meet market demands. “Working alongside MG really helps. I keep in touch with them on what the market needs and don’t tend to go too far outside of a set growing programme,” he adds.

Pictured: Andrew Body (MG), Andrew Kyle, Mike Breitmeyer (MG) & Harrison Kyle