Why The Boohai?
The name goes back decades.
At some point, a few Roberts ago, Bert Auld - Rob’s grandfather, who purchased the farm in 1924 - gave this far-flung corner of the property a name that stuck: The Boohai.
It was a nod to the old New Zealand expression “up the boohai” - somewhere remote, out of the way, or simply out in the back of beyond.
And that is pretty much what it was.
Tucked away at the northern end of the farm beside Woodlaw Forest, The Boohai is an eight-hectare, spring-fed wetland that was never drained or developed. For generations it remained a wet, wild corner of the Auld family farm.
Today, we understand just how special that decision - intentional or otherwise - turned out to be.
An ecological survey has identified The Boohai as one of the most significant wetlands in Southland, with established native vegetation, natural springs and important wetland habitat.
Our job now is to look after it.
Worth looking after.
The Boohai has remained largely untouched for generations. What was once simply the wet, out-of-the-way corner of the farm is now recognised as something considerably more important.
An ecological survey identified The Boohai as one of the most significant wetlands in Southland. Its natural springs, wet ground and established vegetation provide an important habitat within a landscape that has been farmed for generations.
Those springs are also the source of the water we use at Auld Farm Distillery, creating another direct connection between this land and the spirits we make.
For us, looking after The Boohai isn't about turning it into something it isn't. It is about protecting what is already here and giving nature a little more room to do its thing.
We are working to enhance our 8 hectare wetland through fencing, native planting, weed and pest control, and ongoing care - protecting it as part of the farm for generations to come.
Looking after The Boohai.
Protecting The Boohai is a long-term project.
We are progressively fencing the wetland from surrounding farmland, establishing more native plants, controlling weeds and pests, and maintaining the area so its existing wetland habitat can continue to thrive.
Some of that work is already underway, supported by people and organisations who share our belief that places like this are worth protecting.
The aim isn't to manicure The Boohai or turn it into something new. We want to strengthen what nature has already created here, while keeping it very much part of our working family farm.
It is the sort of project that will never really be finished - and we rather like that.
Your visit leaves something behind.
When you visit Auld Farm Distillery, a small part of your experience goes back into the land you have come to see.
$5 from every experience booking goes directly towards the restoration and ongoing care of The Boohai. Visitors who would like to contribute further can choose to support the restoration as an optional extra when booking.
That contribution helps support native planting, fencing, weed and pest control, and the continuing work needed to protect this special eight-hectare wetland.
It means every whisky tasting, gin tasting, Seed-to-Sip Experience and private tour plays a small part in looking after this corner of the farm for the generations that follow.
$5 FROM EVERY EXPERIENCE HELPS RESTORE THE BOOHAI
Looking after what we have.
Looking after The Boohai is one part of a much wider approach to how we farm, distil and host visitors here.
As a working farm and distillery, we look for practical ways to use resources carefully, reduce unnecessary waste and return useful materials back into the farm wherever we can.
Organic material from The Dramery is composted and returned to the soil, while our on-farm nursery allows us to propagate native plants for restoration and planting around the farm. Where possible, spent grain and other organic by products from distilling and products from The Dramery are returned into the farming system rather than treated simply as waste. The spring water that rises at The Boohai supplies our distillery, creating another direct connection between the health of this land and what we make from it.
As we invest in buildings, equipment and visitor experiences, efficiency and environmental performance form part of those decisions too.
There is always more to do. For us, sustainability isn't about claiming perfection. It is about making sensible choices, improving where we can, and looking after the land our family depends upon.
Come and see it for yourself.
The best way to understand this place is to come and experience the farm, distillery and the story behind what we make.
EXPLORE OUR EXPERIENCES
Care for the place you visit.
We support the Tiaki Promise - a commitment to care for New Zealand, for now and for future generations.
When you visit us, we invite you to explore Southland with the same curiosity and care we try to bring to this farm every day.