The Pannett family run Hill Springs, a large sheep and beef property in the Teviot Valley near Roxburgh. The land runs from river flats beside the Clutha River up to run country at 1,000 metres. Curtis farms with his parents, John and Tina, running about 11,000 stock units of crossbred ewes and Hereford/Angus cows.
Why does it matter where you can update the books?
When the accounts lived on one computer, father and son had to take turns. Now they can both get in from wherever they are.
“The biggest plus has been a real improvement in our on-farm communication. Dad and I used to have to share a PC which meant if he needed to change something he had to pop up to my place. Now because the software is cloud based, we can log in from anywhere, on any device and update details which is a real time saver during busy periods.”
Being remote hasn’t been a problem either.
“Not needing to install a specific programme to run the software was a bonus and, even with our relatively remote location, there haven’t been connection issues.”
Accountant and bank online
The Pannetts give their accountant and bank access to the accounts, so questions get answered without a meeting.
“Having our accountant and bank on-line means they can cover off any questions we have and access information they need. It’s much more efficient for all parties because there’s no need to meet face-to -face.”
Time off the farm
Curtis knows the value of a break. He’s a commercial fixed-wing pilot and a member of the Central Otago Aero Club, and once spent three years as a station pilot on Anna Creek Station in South Australia.
“I find flying a great way to relax and enjoy being able to buzz off and see places I wouldn’t normally get to see.”
Still on the same page today
The Pannetts still run Hill Springs’ accounts in Farm Focus. Bank feeds and their Farmlands account flow straight in, the Invoice Scanner handles the bills, and they keep a working budget alongside the actuals. GST is filed every two months, and their accountant sees the same live numbers. Since July 2026, they can also ask the AI Farm Assistant quick questions about their actuals, plans and reports.
Every Farm Focus customer gets free onboarding and phone support from a team that knows farming, in New Zealand and Australia.
