- A retired Dannevirke farmer and his brother bought a Hare Krishna-owned estate for $965,000.
- The 65.2ha property was intended as a self-sufficient village but failed to take off.
- The new owners plan to turn it into a small beef farm, returning to their Northland roots.
A retired Dannevirke farmer and his brother have snapped up a Northland estate for $965,000.
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The 65.2ha property, Kirikopuni Road, in Parakao, hit the market at the end of last year after the vendors, a group of 10 Hare Krishnas, abandoned their plans to turn it into a self-sufficient village for others like them.
The group bought the former dairy and beef farm for $1.24 million in 2022 as a post-lockdown retreat. But the project failed to take off.
The new owners plan to return the 63ha property to a beef farm. Photo / Supplied
The Krishnas instead adjusted the boundary to create a more usable 2ha block and put the remaining 63ha property, including a four-bedroom house, an inground swimming pool, and two sheds on the market.
Ray White listing agent Alex Smits said the aim was to sell the small bare block in the future, which would soften the vendors' $275,000 loss.
Smits told OneRoof that his clients were pleased the property had sold and that they could finally move on. They told him they were “richer in life experience”, if not richer in the pocket.
The new owners plan to turn the property into a small beef farm.
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The brothers were originally from Northland, so were “coming home to retire”, Smits said.
Before the vendors took over, the property was owned and operated by the Field family for 60 years.
Smith told OneRoof that there had been good interest in the property, adding that it was incredible buying at $965,000.
“I don’t think there are many places in New Zealand where you could buy a block that size with a good return on it in that sort of price bracket.”
Hare Krishnas spread their joy. The group believes, among other things, that cows are sacred animals. Photo / Getty Images
Smits told OneRoof last year that the vendors' project had failed to take off because "life got back to normal [after Covid]". While Hare Krishnas had visited the property, no one had committed to living there permanently.
The vendors renamed the property Krishna Farm, but because they adhere to a non-violent vegetarian lifestyle and believe cows are sacred, they took an unusual approach to livestock. Smits previously told OneRoof the group had acquired some retired dairy cows to help keep the grass down. “It’s almost like a cow retirement village. They are there just to live out their lives in happy karma.”
He said the group planned to establish educational facilities, a food forest, cow protection, workshops, festivals, a temple, and accommodation. “The idea was that you could bring your cabin and become part of the communal life, have a community garden and everyone work together,” Smits said.
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