Mr Gillan took over the role of farm manager about 18 months ago after he and his family returned from overseas.
Camera-shy farm dog Flyn is also a key part of the operation.
Originally from a farming background at Lochiel, Mr Gillan spent time overseas, then he and his partner Jenna Ellis and his daughter Leah (6), returned to Southland.
The couple are now expecting a baby this month.
Mr Gillan said the property was not only a working farm, it was a 'multi-use facility'.
It has a classroom for the 12 high school students who spend a year learning agricultural skills as part of the YMCA's educational programme, Y-Rural.
The farm has been associated with the YMCA for six years and the students can leave with a Level 2 Introduction to Agriculture qualification.
''The students swap the classroom for paddocks and quad bikes,'' he said.
''These are students from the city and most never stepped on a farm before.
''They all turn up every day happy and excited about what we are doing.
''They are out in all conditions and they never complain.''
They spent their school hours learning cultivation, shearing, lambing, animal health, fencing, good work ethics, health and safety and literacy, and as a treat, they get to spend time riding quad bikes.
He said they enjoyed tractor work.
''They happily stand in line all day to go around the paddocks.''
He said the farm ran a traditional Romney flock, with 800 breeding ewes, 200 replacement hoggets and a lambing percentage of 155%.
Romneys have a great mothering ability and a great temperament, making them easy to handle, which was ideal when training students.
The students enter stock in the Winton A & P Show and earlier this year came first in the commercial section and third in the prime lamb competition, which delighted them.
''The job has been a really great stepping stone for me as a first-time manager,'' he said.
Mr Gillan said the farm had allocated seed research company, Barenbrug Agriseeds, a 2ha paddock in which they grow trial crops.
Barenbrug Agriseeds had a 10-year relationship with the farm and it carried out a range of trials screening new breeding lines and cultivars, as well as running the national forage variety trials for the Southland district.
He said it had been a great resource for both, providing local data on a range of cultivars and also helping in the selection of a new germ plasm of breeding lines.
One of the new research projects include a variety of kale with sowing in November.
