Guardian Farming June 2011

An Ashburton Guardian Advertising Feature

Guardian interesting • informative • essential

A steep learning curve . . .

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GUARDIAN FARMING

What’s happening Event June 11

Democracy in action

I

t was heartening to see local democracy in action when Frank Williams called a public meeting on the Rakaia Barrhill stockwater race, which was held at the Rakaia community centre recently.

Instead of farmers and residents quietly stewing over the Ashburton District Council’s (ADC) proposed closure of the stockwater races, the meeting was a prime opportunity for farmers and Barrhill residents to express their opinions in a constructive manner.

I must commend Eddie Oakley in his role as chair in summarising the issue concisely and mediating between those who supported the closure of the race and those who wished it to remain open.

It seemed both sides of the argument were well represented by those involved and the one thing I came away with from the meeting was how dependant the resolution was on both parties working together to reach a satisfactory outcome for all.

The age-old custom of the public meeting certainly seemed as effective today as it was when community centres were established for that purpose and represented the heart of their respective rural communities Within the confines of the Rakaia community centre

a number of different points from the stockwater race’s original purpose, efficiency and impact were raised by farmers and resindents for and against the closure.

Lance Isbister It seems a simple concept, but Ashburton Guardian one which cannot be taken rural reporter for granted especially within a small community which has access to so many other modes of communication which are not quite as direct as a meeting where all voices can be heard.

Eastern ward councillors Stuart Wilson, Peter Reveley and Neil Brown’s presence at the meeting showed just how alive the democratic system in Mid Canterbury was as they listened to each affected party’s concerns and explained the rationale and work done by ADC which led to the proposed closure.

The thing that truly resonated with me however was the fragility of the resolution in the hands of the community, which Mr Brown said could easily be taken away by an Environment Canterbury arbitrator, should they not be able to make progress.

Guardian interesting • informative • essential

Any feedback is welcome, any comments about our magazine, letters or story suggestions.

Please direct any correspondence to: Amanda Niblett, on 307-7927 email: amanda.n@theguardian.co.nz or to: Lance Isbister, on 307-7953 email: lance.i@theguardian.co.nz or write to PO Box 77, Ashburton.

Advertising: Phone 307-7900 Email: emma.j@theguardian.co.nz Publication date: June 7, 2011 Next issue: July 5, 2011 An advertising feature for the Ashburton Guardian. Any opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Guardian Farming or the Ashburton Guardian.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

A steep learning curve L

ynette Lovett and youngest son Phill have steered the family farm through dramatic changes over the past decade ever since the loss of husband Rod and father-in-law Ralph.

In 2002, within the space of six months, the Lovett family lost two loved family members and with them the main sources of knowledge in running the family farm.

Lynette did not want the death of Rod and his father Ralph to be the final chapter of the Lovetts farming at Seaview, but had huge decisions to make with regards to the farm’s future.

After Rod died, the 550 hectare farm (at the time), which was half irrigated by two roto-rainers was in limbo and Lynette was left to make key changes to ensure the family farm would survive.

Lynette realised she had to learn as much as she could about the business of farming.

“What’s the point in putting on a manager when you don’t know what’s going on?

“It was either sink or swim.”

Her youngest son Phill had always been interested in farming and was keen to be involved in running the farm upon his return from the United States where he was harvesting.

The Lovetts soon realised how taxing the

two roto-rainers were on labour as they needed to be shifted before breakfast and after tea seven days a week throughout the irrigation season.

Knowing they had several water rights that were not being used, the Lovetts approached the bank to finance a new lateral irrigation system on their farm.

Together Phill and Lynette learned the family ways of old in which impromptu decisions were made was no longer relevant and the farm had to be run as a business.

“It’s a business, things have to be done on time, you have to make plans for next year in crop rotations.

“We had to be more efficient and look at how we were growing things,” Phill said.

Lynette said they had a great bank manager who backed and supported them throughout the process of developing the new irrigation system, which was just the beginning of the farm’s transformation.

Phill said the more they communicated with their bank manager, the more he came on board with their decisions.

Without Rod or Ralph to advise them, the Lovetts farm advisor and accountant were critical members of the team when it came to making decisions.

“If they didn’t back us we would have

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Lance Isbister, Ashburton Guardian rural reporter

done what we’ve always done.”

By 2004 the irrigation project was well under way and, looking back, Lynette was glad they made the decision to get on with it when they did as the whole economic situation has changed and it would be more difficult to get finance in today’s economic environment.

It was a decision which saw them transform from being a predominant sheep farm with small area crops to a more extensive arable farm, something Phill welcomed as a keen wheat grower.

The Lovetts said they can’t afford to throw money away through the business and believe in minimum tillage as a means of saving on labour and fuel costs while also retaining the health of the soil.

The development of the lateralmove irrigator system led to a natural progression in which the farm was landscaped which saw trees and fencing removed and new fencelines put in to increase paddock sizes.

At the same time the Lovetts’ machinery, much of which was bought by Rod and Ralph when they were in partnership in the 1970s, was in need of replacing.

Although the acquisition of a new combine and tractor contributed to some big bills on the farm ledger, they were a necessary investments which fitted in well with the focus on crops.

The Lovetts grow a variety of crops, which include wheat, barley, peas, red beet, radish and linseed which are all contracted.

Like many other Mid Canterbury arable farmers, growing a range of crops enabled the Lovetts to spread the risk.

Despite the fact they are surrounded by dairy farms, the dairy industry does not appeal to Phill who enjoys the satisfaction of growing a good yielding crop and learning how to improve where he can.

The Lovetts have found the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) to be an excellent industry body in providing them with knowledge and support.

“I think it’s been an important player in the arable industry, we’ve come a long way with them in the last 10 years.”

Both Phill and Lynette make use of the local discussion groups Arable Women and Arable Y’s provided by FAR, which gives them a good opportunity to learn more about the industry with their peers.

As the Lovetts’ transformation of their Seaview farm comes to an end Lynette is stepping back as Phill takes on more responsibility on top of the day-to-day running of the farm.

They’ve both come a long way since 2002.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Keeping costs under control N

o matter what your business, we all look to reduce costs where we can to maximise our returns.

Farmers are no exception, and given the high input costs they face, it is not surprising they are keen to find ways of keeping their input costs as low as possible. It is not possible to control and manage all expenses â&#x20AC;&#x201C; or returns.

Commodity prices, interest rates, exchange rates and compliance costs are just a few of the areas which have a significant impact on farming operations but are very difficult to control.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why business structures such as co-operatives are so important to the rural sector. Co-operatives have the added benefit of having a conscience because they have to deliver value for their shareholders who are also their customers. In a corporate situation shareholders are not always the customers and they are often primarily focused on increasing share values through increased profitability.

The benefits of competition are obvious and some of our legislative changes over the years have been driven by the promise of greater competition. This was one of the main thrusts behind the deregulation of the energy sector in 1999. It was hoped competition would be encouraged and in turn, consumers would experience lower energy costs. This hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been the case.

Recently a situation in the Waikato sparked electricity authority intervention after some industrial businesses were charged well above what could be considered the normal energy rates.

On March 26 the national power grid was out due to planned and notified maintenance in the Waikato area.

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As a result, some industrial businesses buying wholesale electricity were hit with multi-million dollar bills, with Genesis Energy reaping the benefit from use of its Huntly power station. It was estimated prices were up to 200 times higher than normal.

The Electricity Authority has since investigated the situation and according to media reports, which say that while Genesis Energy had acted within the rules it was an â&#x20AC;&#x153;undesirable trading situationâ&#x20AC;? and it is now proposing to reset wholesale market spot prices to much lower levels.

Is it acceptable that some rules for big businesses are changed to suit a few? Or should a more holistic approach be taken to ensure all parties are being treated fairly? I tend to think the latter especially in light of this situation.

Genesis Energy was quick to defend its actions immediately following the March incident, saying it offered hedges to cover the potential trading risk market participants faced from the outage.

The company also said prices they offered into the wholesale market were designed to recover the costs of operating expensive thermal power stations which have high operating costs in circumstances where they had declining utilisation. The prices obtained when its thermal units did run had to cover the many trading periods when the units did not run.

On a purely business level, this would appear to be a sensible and prudent approach being taken by Genesis Energy. But obviously this was not the perception of consumers.

Neal Shaw, ATS Chief Executive

Consumers should be protected but should this be at the detriment of other good business practices? Businesses all experience highs and lows. Farmers know this â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it is the cyclic nature of business.

A similar scenario a little closer to home could be experienced in the dairy sector. If for argumentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sake a dairy farmer has the ability to earn $8 per kilo of milk solids, but this makes the price too high in the supermarkets should their income be capped to say $5 per kilo of milk solids? Should rules be changed just to suit the consumer without taking into account the dairy farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs?

Farming has had to stand on its own feet with no subsidies for more than 20 years. It requires a high capital commitment and has to generate a return on the funds invested. Shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t these factors also be considered?

Would it be appropriate for Government to intervene and tell farmers their returns have to be capped?

Of course consumers should be looked after, but there are also other business risks to be considered.

The same goes for energy, it is supply and demand governed. In March Genesis Energy had the opportunity to capitalise on a planned outage, but it seems others in the industry had, and the Electricity Authority was unhappy with that, despite Genesis Energy not contravening existing rules.

The upshot is that there are proposals under way to change the rules. If the rules are flawed should there be the odd tweak along the way when a perceived situation arises? Or does it signify the need for a more thorough review or re-write?

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Beware the welfare state B

ack in July 1956 I was a member of the Wakanui Young Farmers’ Club debating team that won the junior district competition.

My two colleagues and I debated the affirmative of the subject “That the welfare state has sapped the initiative of the people.”

I was again reminded of this in the Guardian May 18, 2011 when the front page headline declared – UNEMPLOYED DON’T WANT JOBS. A recent local seminar saw 77 of the district’s 112 unemployed 18 to 24 year-olds invited to attend, and just 33 turned up.

On the first day of an employment seminar organised by Work and Income and employers with job prospects, only 11 attended.

“Instead of a bunch of young people keen to get off the dole and into work, the seminar attracted minimal interest, with only a handful of those attending keen to swap the dole for a job or work training” said the spokesperson.

“The opportunities are there and the jobs are there but some just don’t want to work.”

Total lack of motivation, not only a local problem but one of national significance.

I believe much of the blame for this lies with an over generous welfare state.

According to a ministerial source 20 per cent of New Zealand children live in homes where government benefits are the major source of income. Not a figure to be proud of.

Statistics also show that in general, beneficiaries have larger families than those in the workforce, so the issue is of greater significance than it appears.

Intergenerational unemployment is a huge problem in New Zealand. If neither mum nor dad has the discipline of attending work on a regular basis, installation of a good work ethic in young families is doubly difficult.

The ongoing tightening of rules surrounding the availability of the Domestic Purposes Benefit in recent years is a step in the right direction. Previously the option of second and third children as a means of increasing income was a real concern, but the emphasis now placed on training and employment is a much better outcome for both parent and child.

Since my last article where I again challenged the age

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This awards show Cochranes of Canterbury’s committment to their customers and the Case IH product.

of eligibility for universal superannuation, a number of readers have asked for justification of my views.

As I see it, many current superannuitants entered the workforce and became taxpayers at age 15-16 Even those who followed an academic career through university in the 1950’s and 60’s consistently paid their own way through university as taxation contributors. According to NZ Year Book figures, life expectancy in 1950 was 67.2 years for males and 71.3 years for females. The 2008 Year Book gives the figures 78.7 and 82.2 respectively as the expectation.

Today a 15 year-old male could expect to live to 79 years and a female to 82 thanks to medical and surgical advances.

With the emphasis now placed on continuing education past secondary school (college) level, many young New Zealanders are not permanently in the taxpaying workforce till 22-26 years, or longer if overseas holidays are involved. Many when they do enter the workforce have tens of thousands of dollars owing in student loans – and as we all know the default level is high.

I welcome the changes in last month’s budget in this area, even though the approach was very timid! (Election year no doubt).

Significant improvement in accountability in this area is still essential to justify taxpayer investment.

The lack of change to the age of eligibility, for universal superannuation was the major disappointment in this year’s budget in my view.

With current borrowing of about one third of a billion dollars a week some radical changes are needed if long term financial issues are to be addressed. My preference is to raise the age of eligibility beginning 2015 by one year every four to reach age 70 by 2031. Even sooner would be better.

If no changes are made in 10 to 20 years time there simply will not be sufficient taxation dollars to meet national super as we know it today.

Thanks to advances in medical and surgical techniques, the snow-balling number of fit, experienced and capable men and women in the 65-70 age bracket is a wasted employment resource. For many even part time work would help relieve the tedium of early retirement.

Attend any working bee and watch motivated pensioners toiling! Compare that with a Periodic Detention work gang ethic!

Page g 5

John Leadley

Absolutely no comparison.

For many young people today the attitude seems to be that the world owes them a living. They want to start at a level their parents and grandparents worked for years to achieve. Modern cars, flat screen TV, I Pads and all manner of expensive gadgets seem to be the expectation of many of today’s young couples.

I find it intriguing that teenagers and young people of today can create a Facebook Page, Twitter, Tweet and do all manner of modern technological activities but wouldn’t have a clue how to successfully cultivate a potato plant for example, or bake a scone. Somewhere we are getting priorities wrong.

There’s no denying that the current economy of New Zealand is not strong – take out the dairy industry and the best description would be tenuous. Everyone, yes everyone has a part to play to turn this around.

Why should banks be encouraging people to accumulate non-essential assets available through readily available hire purchase finance? Increasing the required deposit to 50 per cent on these items would be a good idea.

Why should income derived from capital gains (often using borrowed money) not be taxed like salary and wages, after allowing for inflation? If that income was used to boost economic activity, the whole nation would benefit. Worldwide demand for food is virtually insatiable.

When the welfare state was introduced 80 years ago in a worldwide depression it was a great initiative to deal with genuine poverty.

It is just as essential today for those with genuine physical and psychological conditions which preclude employment.

To create an expectation within healthy young people of today that the government (i.e. population) will provide a financial backstop for age 0 – 25 and 65 onwards in the years to come is simply ludicrous, particularly now that life expectancy can realistically be expected to rise further due to medical and surgical advancements.

If, as a nation we really want cradle–to-grave welfare dependency remember it comes at a cost. Check Scandinavian nations and be prepared for taxation up to 85 per cent plus a consumer tax of 25 per cent.

The time to bite the bullet of welfare dependency in New Zealand is now.

Yes the welfare state has sapped the initiative of the people.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Growing dynamic communities R

ural Women New Zealand has launched its refreshed and updated brand image. At our annual Conference in Auckland two weeks ago.

ment effective?

Members are also keen to request the Government to delay further implementation of the ETS Act so that its full effect on NZ agriculture and rural communities can be more clearly assessed.

Surely when our economy is dependent on income from agriculture, it cannot be wise to be the only country in the world proposing to include agriculture in an Emission Trading Scheme. The potential environmental gain is uncertain but the scheme may add costs to primary producers operating in a very competitive market.

Members enthusiastically welcomed a new logo which reinforces our image as dynamic, influential, inclusive of all New Zealand, with ties that hold us together, and offer pathways to the future.

Since forming in 1925, we have worked to ensure that New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rural communities have equitable access to services and that the impacts of policy changes on the rural sector is taken into account.

Our core values of being charitable, flexible, professional, and inclusive continue to be important as we work in the key areas of health, education, land use and social issues to grow dynamic communities.

At our recent conference members discussed a wide range of topics including: Asking the Government to increase the amount that beneficiaries may earn in addition to their benefit without penalty.

The Government states they wish to encourage beneficiaries into employment and yet the amount beneficiaries may earn without penalty ($100 per week) is so low that people are restricted to so few hours of work that it is often difficult to seek employment and undertake any necessary training.

Advocating for research into the impact of student loans on NZ society.

The escalating debt of unpaid student loans is a huge

Kerry Maw

liability on New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy. In spite of the student loan programme, NZ continues to suffer from a skill gap. We would like the Government to investigate whether the student loan scheme is best meeting the needs of our students, workforce, and overall economy.

Asking the Government how effective the Amended Overseas Investment Act 2005 has been in addressing concerns regarding the sale of land to overseas investors.

In August 2010, Finance Minister Bill English, stated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;we do not know how much of NZ is in foreign handsâ&#x20AC;?. And in December 2010, he wrote that â&#x20AC;&#x153;aggregation of farm land by overseas investors may not be beneficial to NZâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic interests.â&#x20AC;? Fonterra Chairman Sir Henry van der Heyden has also stated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;keeping title to our farms is vitalâ&#x20AC;?. And yet in the 12 months to June 2010, $13.6 billion flowed out of NZ to overseas owners of NZ companies. So the question must be asked: is the law related to overseas invest-

Prior to the general election this year, we will continue to ask the hard questions of candidates. With this in mind we are updating our own manifesto of what we see are the major issues which need to be addressed and will be asking candidates how their party will respond to the needs of rural New Zealanders.

While RWNZ actively advocates on serious issues that impact on the growth of our communities, we are also incredibly charitable and we know how to have fun doing it too.

In the aftermath of the two Canterbury earthquakes our members have been providing a great deal of support to people and their damaged communities.

Whether it be baking, funding community support events, providing relief accommodation, helping at welfare centres, catering for volunteers, providing funds for stress counselling, or knitting warm clothes, Rural Women New Zealand members have been there.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Winchmore update - May

John Carson

J

ust when we were all starting to think that May was going to stay dry the rain fell heavily on Thursday 26th with a vengeance bringing our total for the month to 90.6 mm, 28 mm above the long term average but a lot less than the 242.2 mm that fell in May 1959, bet that was a good duck shooting season.

paddocks and areas they will need to run the trials they plan on running here on the farm.

The first mob of cows for winter grazing has arrived and is now settled on the kale and into a routine (cows and staff ), feeding straw first and then shifting to a new break of kale an hour or so later.

Although only 40.6 mm was recorded here at Winchmore on Thursday, a lot more fell in other places. Here it was enough to think that our irrigation was flowing again, with many of the border dyke paddocks having large pools of water flowing along the wipe off areas.

All the work that Will put into tidying up the electric fences has meant that the power to all the fences is the best it has ever been, both animals and Will have a healthy respect for 9000 volts of power surging through the body.

Nevertheless May has been an exceptional end to autumn with a recorded daily max temp of 21.9 C, only six frosts and soil temp that on the 29th has only just dropped down to 6.2 C, due mainly to the -3.6 C frost that morning.

The pasture growth rates are also well above normal at 45 kgdm/ha/day for the very old pasture and 33 kgdm/ha/day for the newer pasture.

The 23 year average growth rates for May is 11 kgdm/ha/day, some of the increase will still be the carry-over effect of the nitrogen applied in April, but even so, climate conditions have had a considerable influence as well.

Page 7

The second mob of dairy cows arrives on the 30th and will hopefully settle in to routine just as easily.

The first mob of wintering over cows are settling in.

Science has finished most of the shorterterm trials here with only a few sheep to possibly faecal sample and 10 R1 heifers to weigh and sample in June.

It means that now I can use one mob of calves to clean up the areas of the blocks they used and a few carry-over cows to

tidy up after them to set the paddocks up for spring growth.

I think their winter days are spent mostly in the office writing up the results and planning next season’s work and deciding on animals etc required and academics hopefully letting me know early the

I guess being dairy cows, routine is a major part of their day and after a few days here they know the tractor means straw is on its way, a guy on a motorbike means the fence is pulled down and another day’s allowance of kale is going to be opened up and a guy on motorbike with some dogs means they have broken through to tomorrow’s feed and are about to be chased back.

Ending with that observation it’s time to start another day and another week.

Take care.

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Greg Donaldson Contracting 3/06/2011 10:49:41 p.m.

Page 8

GUARDIAN FARMING

Selenium - the natural solution?

S

elenium is an often one of those â&#x20AC;&#x153;grey areasâ&#x20AC;? for horse owners. Most people know their horses need selenium, but can get a bit hazy about how much, what it actually does, and have a fear of overdoing things and poisoning their horses.

lar to what is seen in calves and lambs. Newborn foals can be born with painful, unsteady hind quarters, sore back and neck muscles, while older foals can develop lethargy and a stiff gait, which progresses into an inability to stand. Pneumonia and death will follow if the foal is not treated.

So what is selenium, what is its role in the body, and how much should we be giving our horses?

Selenium is an essential nutrient in the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s diet. It is found in the soil, and absorbed by growing plants, so horses should ingest it through the pasture they eat. This is true for most places in the world, but unfortunately for us, large chunks of New Zealand has soils that are extremely selenium deficient, especially the alluvial type soils found in Canterbury. The pastures, and harvested feed grown in these deficient soils, such as our local chaff and hay, are also very low in selenium, making selenium deficiency common in Canterbury horses.

Of course, like chocolate and wine, too much of a good thing can have negative health consequences. Overdosing with selenium can cause either acute or chronic toxicity.

We see acute selenium toxicity following a single very large overdose, such as when someone gives 100 times the recommended dose in one go. This form of selenium poisoning is known as blind staggers, and as the name suggests, it causes horses to appear blind, they may head press, sweat profusely, have signs of abdominal pain or colic, and diarrohea.

Chronic poisoning is seen when someone consistently overdoses a horse by a small amount, for example giving Selenium plays a vital role in the body. It is an essential com- two to three times the recommended dose every day for an ponent of an enzyme called glutathione peroxidase, which is extended period. This form of toxicity is also called alkali disone of the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants help to protect ease, and is when we see hair failing out of the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mane the cells from damage caused by the waste products of celand tail, and cracking around the coronary band. Horses can lular metabolism, or free radicals. even slough their whole hoof, literally walking out of their hooves.

Selenium plays an important role in the function of a healthy immune system, reproductive system, has anti-inflammaBoth forms of selenium toxicity are very serious, and can be tory effects, and helps with the metabolism of the thyroid fatal. However, people can get so hung up on the risks of toxhormones. Selenium is also crucial for muscle function. All icity, they may overlook the importance and health benefits pretty important factors for a happy healthy horse, especially correct selenium supplementation can have on the health, one we would like to win races, or jump offs! wellbeing and performance of their horses. By far the majority of horses tested in our clinic have low selenium levels.

Our selenium deficient horses are more prone to Tying up, muscle cramps, and have a poorer immunity to diseases and A safe and accurate way to assess the selenium status of your infection. Mares may struggle to get in foal. Foals born to horse is for your veterinarian to take a simple blood test. We Selenium deficient mares can get white muscle disease, simi- test the selenium level of the whole blood, which give us

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a â&#x20AC;&#x153;rolling averageâ&#x20AC;? of the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selenium intake over the previous three months. This tells us if our selenium supplementation program is effective.

So how much is enough? The basic selenium recommendation for your â&#x20AC;&#x153;averageâ&#x20AC;? 500kg horse is 1-3mg of inorganic selenium per day (1-3ml of 1mg/ml of the sodium selenate liquid). For most of the horses in our practice 2mg/day of inorganic selenium seems sufficient. Performance horses in harder work will need more than the paddock ornaments, and a smaller more regular dose is safer and far more effective than big doses given occasionally.

However, when you are calculating your horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs, you need to take into account any other selenium that they might be getting. If the horse is grazing on a sheep farm, has the paddock had selenium prills applied? Do any of the hard feeds have selenium in them? A lot of the all-in-one type feeds have some selenium added. There may be some selenium included in a mineral mix you are feeding your horse.

Some feed labels can be confusing, making you feel like you need a degree in equine nutrition just to make head or tail of them â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ppm, mg, organic, inorganic, sodium selenate â&#x20AC;Ś you get the picture.

That is why it is important to talk to your veterinarian about the individual selenium requirements for your horse, and monitor those levels with blood tests. No one recipe works for all horses, all diets, and all locations. While a blood test is a great monitoring tool, you need to remember a single blood test is just a snap shot in time of a dynamic parameter, if the intake changes or the requirements increase, your supplementation programme will need to be re-assessed.

If you have any concerns about your horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s selenium levels, talk to your equine vet for some individual advice.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 9

What’s our stock water races worth?

Sheryl Stivenss

T

he ribbons of waterways that flow through our plains were first constructed or dug by hand for stock water as well as household use in the late1800s.

The landowners of the time worked together and collaborated to connect and expand the race network forming race schemes with support from the Ashburton County Council.

These ribbons of water race schemes bought about a change from pastoralism to arable farming and many of our ancestors would have bucketed water from the creeks onto trees to grow the very first shelter belts . . .

By the 1890s the race network in its current form was in place.

The water race network has existed in some areas for more than 120 years and because it is gravity fed and requires no energy to service the many farms and households of the plains it is an efficient and cost-effective system to convey and access water.

Water races part of our environment.

The total length of the race system is 3409 km including 470 km mains, 2377 rateable properties serviced and 235,070 hectares total serviced land. There are now two piped

schemes with a combined length of 90.65km and 113 rateable properties.

The area serviced by the piped schemes is 12,555ha.

Water is primarily for stockwater, however in areas where water is difficult to access, the creek water is filtered and treated for domestic use.

Larger races also provide water for fire fighting purposes. Other uses include helping to drain flooded land during extreme rainfall periods and where stock water races have been closed and filled in surface flooding at these times has increased.

The Ashburton creeks and stockwater races are well established and embedded in our environment supporting local ecology including food and shelter for fish, eels and birds, a water source for animals, water birds, and insects especially bees who cannot fly far for water during windy periods as well as supporting habitat several metres from the water race.

Water losses from the open water race network has beneficial effects in terms of recharge of the underground waterways or aquifers.

Many of us who grew up on the plains have happy memories of

Need a

playing in the creeks catching cockabillies and sailing boats we made or received as gifts.

However with changing land use some landowners are requesting that their water races are closed in or piped and the systems closed in.

The water used for the stockwater races is part of the ever increasing demand and debate over water use throughout our district. There are those who believe the water would be better if returned to the Ashburton River. There is no certainty that any water returned up river would result in a better flow below the Ashburton township.

The creeks and open water races that meander over the plains provide many environmental benefits and alternatives will be more expensive long-term and are likely to transfer environmental issues relating to source to other locations.

The debate and discussions around our water and water ways continues.

If you would like to provide some feedback go onto the Canterbury Water management website and tick – “What is happening in the Ashburton zone’ or watch out for the new facebook site about to be constructed and have your say.

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Farming JUNe.indd 9

115 Alford Forest Road, Ashburton P 03 308 9099 - F 03 308 1824 3/06/2011 10:49:44 p.m.

Page 10

GUARDIAN FARMING

Workshop

Our workshop can maintain and repair vehicles Workshop

from car fleets to heavy plant, farm machinery and even motor homes.

Landscape and Aggregate Landscape and Aggregate Our Dobson Street Yard can help you with landscape supplies from a shovel load to a truck load.

Road Sealing Road Sealing ACL runs its own fleet of chip spreaders, tankers, rollers, an 11000l bitumen sprayer and a specialist signs truck. We also perform reseals using conventional cut back bitumen and polymer modified seal designs. We can provide free reseal advice and quotations for any size job from trench resealing, driveways and car parks to streets and roads.

Ready-mix ConcreteConcrete Ready-mix We are experts in delivering concrete to all commercial, rural and residential jobs from kerb and channel to dairy sheds and tilt slab panel construction. In addition we can add colouring agents, special aggregate types or admixtures to suit your project.

Plumbing & Utilities Plumbing & Utilities ACL has its own fleet of diggers, drain clearing equipment and plant service vehicles and we are the Mid-Canterbury agent for Biolytix Septic tank systems.

If you have drain blockages or flow issues, we can create a solution.

Construction & Drainage& Drainage Construction ACL can provide the construction solutions for all sizes and requirements of earth moving and shaping.

Transport & Excavation Transport & Excavation ACL are specialists in all aspects of Farm earthworks and maintenance. ACL has the ability to carry out a range of works from greenfields dairy conversion to grading tracks. ACL have specialist staff experienced in land clearing, track construction, site preparation, lane capping, underpass construction and installation.

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 11

Rural Service & Maintenance Tractor Workshop • • • •

Features 10 bays Computer diagnostic facility Hydraulic systems testing New dynometer for 500 PTO HP

Harvest Workshop • • •

Specialising in modern machinery Servicing Combines, Balers, Mowers and windrowers Large under cover workshop

Premier Machinery Top Left: The truck team (from left to right): Lindsay Young, Russell Savage, Vince Soal, Duwaine Leary, Marie Hodgkinson, Barry Walker, Cameron McCormick, Thomas Rickard and Dave Stewart.

Top Right: The tractor team (from left to right): Ken Ward, Jeremy Moore, Jorg Nittmann, Bruce Albon with the Workshop Manager Chris Price.

Absent Jeff McKee. Left: The combine and engineering teams (from left to right): John Rich, Craig Heney, Grant McKenzie and Arran Linfoot.

Ashburton Implement Services Ltd has been servicing the agricultural and transport industries since the company was formed in Mid Canterbury in 1951.

Divided into five divisions, the business features a full diesel workshop facility catering for today’s modern road transport and agricultural customers with specialist agricultural, road transport and engineering technicians.

Ashburton Implement Services Ltd offers an extensive range of agricultural and road transport parts and sell the entire range of Power Farming equipment including tractors and balers through to the smaller lines like hay and silage gear and ride-on lawn mowers.

With 20 workshop staff members AIS has the ability to travel as far south as Wanaka and up to North Canterbury and although

we specialise in repair and maintenance in tractors and combines we have the skills and expertise to repair anything from lawn mowers and chainsaws through to construction equipment.

Divisions of AIS include Premier Farm Machinery, which also incorporates Premier Engineering, Brian Miller Truck and Tractor of Nelson, AIS Lawn and Garden Power Products.

• • • • •

Custom machinery manufacturing Repairs and maintenance of all ground engaging equipment General engineering Certified welding Road transport repairs

Truck Workshop • • • • •

Full 20m service lane Brake testing machine Brake Profiler & Drum Lathe Truck hoist COF pre-checks & repairs

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Specialise in: • Combines • Windrowers • Tractors • Telehandlers • Balers • Mowers & garden tractors • Seed drills • Implements Also available: full range of Castrol oil and filters to suit any of your machinery.

Fixed labour costs.

N RIDE ON SERVICE SPECIAL: Fixed labour cost of $195 + GST 10% discount off listed service parts Free pick up and delivery within a 40km radius of Ashburton OR Christchurch Branches Change engine oil & filter Lubricate all grease points Check or replace fuel filter Clean or replace air filter Clean or replace spark plug Clean battery terminals Sharpen or replace blades Check all belts and pulleys Check tyre pressure & level mower deck Check valve clearance Thorough steam clean

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PUSH MOWER SERVICE SPECIAL: Fixed labour cost of $85 + GST 10% discount off listed service parts Free pick up and delivery within a 40km radius of Ashburton OR Christchurch Branches Oil change (using quality John Deere oil products) Sharpen blades (sharpening of reel mowers not included in this price Change spark plug Lubricate Clean/replace air cleaner Adjust carburettor Thorough steam clean

On farm service and maintenance... for all makes and models!

For all your enquiries on our winter services specials, contact Arran Linfoot Harvest product service manager

Bruce Albon

Tractor service manager

Chris Price

Workshop manager

ASHBURTON BRANCH 832 East Street PHONE 03 307 9911 CHRISTCHURCH BRANCH 714 Main South Road PHONE 03 349 4883 FREEPHONE 0800 432 633 www.dne.co.nz

Farming JUNe.indd 11

Ashburton Implement Services Ltd

22 Robinson Street, Ashburton Phone 03 307 8550 3/06/2011 10:49:50 p.m.

Page 12

GUARDIAN FARMING

Don’t waste years . . .

H

ere is another classic story. I get several of these a week, just variations on the same theme.

The moral of the story is, if you are having any sort of trouble with your horse, make some simple changes to their diet and then reap the benefits of having a sane, enjoyable horse to ride.

These ’problem’ horses aren’t ‘special needs’ they’re just horses, a species which was never meant to eat short, green, growing grass. They are designed to be calm and healthy on coarse, fibrous material like very mature grass or hay.

Make a good grass free area for spring and autumn, (it doesn’t take long to rack up an equivalent cost in various investigations and treatments!)

Learn about how grass can affect horses on the calmhealthhorses website., Eliminate clover and grow your grass long before allowing controlled access to it.

Hi Jenny, Well where do I start? I have for the past 20 years had problems with my horses especially after they had been on our property for about nine to10 months, and I have seen the full array of symptoms you mention with one horse or another over the years.

I kept thinking this is not the horse’s fault, and I’m not that bad a rider but something was not right all the time. It would come and go and I definitely saw a pattern in the weather and thought it was the grass.

I would take them off, not completely though, just onto a paddock of short grass and would still be feeding lucerne etc, so things would improve but not completely and only for a short time.

The worst thing is that five years ago I had my open medium dressage horse put down, as he couldn’t even walk, trot and canter anymore and was too dangerous to have around as I had just had a baby.

It broke my heart, I felt I had let him down, I couldn’t find out what the problem was over the 10 years I had him.

While starting a family over the last five years I bred a Warmblood X gelding, thinking that if I bred my own at least I would know what his history was if there were any problems.

Well what a learning curve again, he has been plagued with muscle problems. He has been broken in for two years now and I have cantered him only 10 to 12 times as he just can’t seem to do it. He doesn’t have the lovely big movement

You already know that pivot ruts are potentially hazardous and costly . . .

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Save time and money through: s Less maintenance on motors & machinery s Less risk of irrigators tipping s Reduced risk of farm accidents s Less down time Welshy Digger Hire can dig out shingle on site or cart it in.

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What we can do for You!

Diet plays such a huge role in a horse’s well-being, if it’s not right it can lead to a multitude of major problems. his breeding should give him, he hates feeds and simplified his diet to beet, loud noises, is very claustrophobic (took chaff, Premium Horse Minerals, two years to get him on a float happily), Alleviate-C plus salt. everything has taken such a long time.

Being a 550kg warm-blood I got him At the end of April 2010 while riding him up to five to six tablespoons of salt at the trot he started jibbing which he in his feed every day but I noticed he had never done before. Then he started was still chewing the wood so I made flicking his head at walk, not happy at loose salt available to him too and the all! So I booked my horse dentist who chewing immediately stopped. I haven’t re-checked his teeth. reintroduced grass to him at all yet and have made him a good, safe area by Two days later he had swollen muscles bringing in sand. all over his body and seemed sore all over. Then the drought broke and after But I am happily riding him, the this rain he became really cranky, not his headshake is definitely going, and usual self at all! the muscles in his hindquarters are improving all the time. And he can So more research and this time I came now move properly and walk up hill no across your website. Well then things problem. started to make sense!

Thanks for all your help so far, it is a Three months later . . . wonderful learning experience.

Well it has been three months since I last emailed you, and there have been huge improvements in my horse. I keep reading the www.calmhealthhorses.com website which has kept me faithful on his diet plan.

Today was the opening of duck shooting and both horses were calm and relaxed despite gunshots going off in all directions quite close. Nice for them not to be stressed out as they would have been before!

I cut out the lucerne and pre-mixed

Kind regards, Melissa, Waikato

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 13

Creating a buzz in your backyard said growing awareness of the plight of bees has seen an increase in calls from gardeners to assist.

Urban gardeners are being urged to lend a hand to a small and often overlooked worker that plays a huge part in New Zealand’s economic well-being – the humble honey bee.

“Now that there is a much greater awareness of the global bee crisis, most people want to do something to help the bees in New Zealand. The plant list we created for gardens in the Urban Trees for Bees project is an excellent tool that people can use to help protect the New Zealand honey bee in cities and in country gardens,” she said.

Landcare Research has joined with the National Beekeepers’ Association (NBA) to launch the Urban Trees for Bees programme in collaboration with the Auckland Council, the Auckland Beekeepers Club and the New Zealand branch of the Oceania Pollinator Initiative.

The initiative is based on the successful Trees for Bees programme launched last year that was aimed at the agriculture sector and is based on improving the numbers and health of New Zealand’s bee stocks.

Bees rely on nectar and pollen for their food and without it they get weak or starve, are less able to resist diseases and pests and cannot reproduce to build up strong colonies.

Honey bee numbers in New Zealand are increasingly threatened with the long term effects of varroa combined with the addition of a number of new diseases.

Added to this is the misuse of pesticides that affect bees in gardens and on farms, the loss of habitat for shelter and the lack of flowers for bee food.

Urban Trees for Bees includes tips to

Farming JUNe.indd 13

As well as consuming pollen for their protein and vitamins, and nectar for energy, bees also move pollen from one plant to another, and in the process pollinate plants.

Honey bee on New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) make gardens more bee-friendly and researcher Linda Newstrom-Lloyd says creating the list of best bee plants for gardeners was quite different from the previous regional lists for farmers (www.treesforbeesnz.org).

“Plants in gardens often receive more specialised care than plants out on the farm and they don’t need to be so practical. In gardens, the possibilities for numerous plant species with glorious flowers are endless and even the vege garden can have lots of good bee

plants like squash and corn.

“Almost all of the herb plants tend to have a lot of nectar and are particularly well loved by bees, especially rosemary, lavender and sage. The same is true for fruit trees like apples, and plums and especially citrus fruits. Native plants for the garden such as New Zealand flax and the cabbage tree are also of high value for bees,” Dr Newstrom-Lloyd said.

NBA spokesperson, Maureen Maxwell,

The NBA believes about $5.1 billion of New Zealand’s economy is attributable to pollination by honey bees, domestic honey sales and exports, beeswax and exported honey bees. In addition to direct pollination, bees also contribute indirectly through the pollination of clover, sown for nitrogen regeneration, which benefits the meat industry.

Many garden plants rely on bee pollination to bear seed or fruit.

The Urban Trees for Bees brochure presents a shortlist of bee plants suitable for both city and country gardens. The brochures are available online at www. nba.org.nz or www.treesforbeesnz.org

3/06/2011 10:50:00 p.m.

Page 14

GUARDIAN FARMING

Humate and Humic

Substances

Pathway to Sustainablity Humic substances are natural occurring materials, they are not processed, but are found in soils, compost and mines.

on top of coal and are naturally occurring materials.

They are the natural humiďŹ ed remains of organic matter.

Humic substances arrive from micro-biological activity on the bio-matter and the bio-matter was at one time a living material and then gets broken down by micro-organisms.

Humic substances have been associated with coal deposits, they are not coal but have been derived FROM COAL 4HEY ARE OXIDISED MATERIAL EXPOSED TO WEATHERING AND OXYGEN AND MICROBIAL ACTIVITY

the result of having been reverted back to humic substances.

Soil organic matter is the total of all naturally occurring carbon based matter found in soils that were once living, and the process of the breakdown from recognizable bits and pieces of plants, to dark coloured humus is called humiďŹ cation, somehow it then reorganises itself and goes though a series of phases of secondary synthetisation reaction called condensation reactions.

This is a scientiďŹ c supported principle of trying to deďŹ ne the process from which they come from, and is the end product of the carbon cycle.

The humiďŹ cation process is as far as carbon can get. HumiďŹ cation is the natural process of changing organic matter such as leaves into humic substances. Humic substances are in humus but humic substances and humus are different things.

BeneďŹ ts of humic substances Humic substances are renown for there ability to, s $ETOXING WATER AND SOILS s 3TIMULATE BIOLOGICAL SOIL ACTIVITY s )MPROVE NUTRIENT UPTAKE ESPECIALLY phosphorous, sulphur, and nitrogen s 2EDUCE THE NEED FOR NITROGEN FERTILISATION s 2EMOVE TOXINS FROM BOTH SOILS AND ANIMALS s #HELATE SOIL NUTRIENTS s 3OLUBILIZE MINERALS s )MPROVE SOIL STRUCTURE s !CT AS A STOREHOUSE OF .

0 3 AND :N s )MPROVE WATER HOLDING CAPACITY FOR BETTER drought resistance and reduction in water usage.

How does it all get started !S DESCRIBED PREVIOUSLY HUMIC SUBSTANCES ARE natural occurring materials that are not processed and are found in soils and compost, but there is another way to receive the beneďŹ ts of humic substances, Humate.

Humateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are mined from the Leonardites deposits

ALL THREE ASPECTS IMPACT SOIL FERTILITY While conventional soil fertility programs focus on N, P, K. The balanced fertility approach considers not only the full spectrum of CHEMICAL elements necessary to optimise pasture or crop yields, but the BIOLOGICAL and PHYSICAL factors that impact production as well.

0HYSICS Biology

Finely ground coal has very little humic substances BECAUSE IT HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TOO OXIDATION AND micro-biological activity and is not soluble.

Humic acids, Fulvic acids and Humin are all fractions of humic substances. Humic material is SUBJECTED TO DIFFERENT EXTRACTION TECHNIQUES AND processes with the resultant product of humic acids and fulvic acids from humate material.

Humic substances, the natural dark-brown component of soil have been around for hundreds, or even thousands of years, yet they can be destroyed in less than 50 years by some agricultural practises.

The global movement away from chemical to biological agriculture has some of the best scientiďŹ c minds developing sustainable practises to utilise these amazing substances.

So why are sustainable farmers using these products and how does this beneďŹ t and effect their farming operation?

Nitrogen Management #ARBON HELD IN NATURAL SOILS IS VERY STABLE

conventual fertilisers rapidly age soil components resulting in acidiďŹ cation of soils and destroying humic material with soluble nitrogen. Urea is very effective at destroying humic substances.

Farming practices with high urea applications burn up the humus substances resulting in loss of organic matter, nutrient holding and water holding CAPACITY WHICH RESULTS IN MORE WATER REQUIREMENTS

more nitrogen needed to sustain production, loss of more organic matter and ďŹ nally leaching of nitrates and nutrients into water systems.

Humic substances stabilise nitrogen, up to 35 % of the soluble nitrogen applied to soils is retained in a biological form and preventing it from leaching and IS AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE REQUIREMENTS -IXING SOLUBLE nitrogen with Humates enables up to 35 % less having to be applied which has both economic and sustainable environmental positives with no loss in production, in most cases improved performance results.

#HEMISTRY Numerous scientiďŹ c results show how humic substances improve nitrogen utilisation and impact overall quality by increasing the efďŹ cientcy of fertilisers when blended directly with fertilisers, which has both economic and environmental signiďŹ cance.

Barley Test Fertilizer

Tissue Analysis Nitrate ppm

Plans/row

Yield bu/acere

Total N%

16-20-6 68 47.3 1.275 4.4 15-22-5 84 47.6 945 4.8 10-10-5L 96 53.5 1.025 4.7 There was a 12 percent increase in yield in the barley test, despite the fact that the leonardite-treated crops had relatively low nitrate nitrogen. The signiďŹ cant yield advantage was attributed to increased tilling.

Potato Test Fertilizer

Tissue Analysis

SpeciďŹ c Gravity

Yield bu/acere

Cwt. Bu/acre Nitrate ppm Total N% 820 4.7 16-16-8 1.095 162 270 10-10-5L 1.096 1.600 5.2 134 224 The potato test plots reveal that a 95 percent increase in plant-tissue uptake of nitrogen was possible even though 35 percent less nitrogen was applied with the leonardite fertiliser combination.

Sugar Beet Test Fertilizer

Seeding

Yield

Emergence Tons/acre Sucrose% Sucrose lbs./acre 5-45-5 175 8.873 17.0 3.010 10-10-5L 140 10.925 15.9 3.474 Sugar beets treated with the fertiliser-leonardite combination yielded 23 percent more tonnage per acre and 15 percent more sugar per acre.

Farmers... Spend less to gain more!

Healthy Soils

Stock Health An application of Dolmite presents magnesium to your stock through your pasture every day. This will reduce the need for current animal health remedies that are costly and indeed time consuming.

This magnesium can be released through the pasture in as little as 14 days.

Liming Effect Provides enough lime to lessen your current pastures liming rates.

Golden Bay natural magnesium Dolomite is typically Calcium (59% Calcium Carbonate, 24% Elemental Calcium) and Magnesium (39% Magnesium Carbonate, 11.5% Elemental Magnesium).

Increased Phosphate EfďŹ ciency Insure a steady supply of plant available phosphate at all times.

The magnesium in Golden Bay Dolomite acts as a carrier for phosphate.

You will obtain all these advantages with only ONE application.

Dolomite is a calcium magnesium carbonate occurring as completely natural rock deposit in New Zealand only at Mount Burnett in Golden Bay.

Farming JUNe.indd 14

Farmers - Dolomite is now available in bulk or bags.

At the Healthy Soils, Plant&Soil Nutrient Store.

SpringďŹ eld Est. State Hwy 77, Methven. 027 432 0187

3/06/2011 10:50:04 p.m.

GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 15

Humate and Humic

Substances are responsible for kelation of calcium holding these in a bio-available form.

Humic substances and rock phosphates The stimulatory effects of humic substances have been directly correlated with the enhanced uptake of macronutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur and micronutrients Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn. Humic substances enhance the uptake of minerals through the stimulation of microbiological activity. Humic substances actually coat mineral surfaces, which aid in the solubility of otherwise insoluble compounds by dissolving, complexing, and chelating the dissolved nutrients.

Humic substances can improve the effectiveness of rock phosphate causing the release of PO4-anions and CA2+ cations from hardly soluble rock minerals because high total acidity and its ability to complex and chelate the resulting solution and to stimulate the microbial metabolism.

Research has also conďŹ rmed that combining rock phosphate with humate can increase the available phosphate analysis from near zero to over 10 %.

Calcium Calcium and humic substances make a powerful combination. Many of the beneďŹ ts of calcium overlap with the beneďŹ ts of humic substance along with their biological stimulation and chelating capacity.

Humate and a dry lime source work as well if not better than other chelated calcium products, because the humic substances are known to complex both cations and anions, creating a synergistic effect, resulting in the combination, is greater than the individual ingredients. Humic substances

Conclusion and pathway to sustainablity The conventional tools of chemistry have not been able to explain why these materials work in the complex soil ecosystems.

Humic substances also chelate iron, zinc and copper and complex with many other trace elements. Elements typically found in natural phosphate minerals such as zinc and copper, are known to suppress pathogens and encourage the growth of beneďŹ cial organisms.

They have all the qualities of humus, but are not humus, and are available as humate in dry powers or humic acids and fulvic acids in liquids. Because of their ability to improve fertiliser efďŹ cientcy, humic substances are best utilised as part of a total fertiliser program blended into fertilisers.

Humates, humic acids and fulvic acids are powerful biological tools which the beneďŹ ts should result in. s "IOLOGICAL RELEASE OF NUTRIENTS FROM OTHERWISE INSOLUBLE materials s 2OOT GROWTH s .UTRIENT UPTAKE FROM LARGER ROOT MASS s 2ESPIRATION s 0HOTOSYNTHESIS s -INERAL BIOAVAILABILITY AND STABILISATION s .ITROGEN STABILISATION AND FERTILISER EFlCIENCY s $ISEASE RESISTANCE Humic substances are critical components of water and soil ecosystems. The vast agronomic and environmental importance of these materials is just beginning to be appreciated.

The ecological and plant-nutritional beneďŹ ts provide sufďŹ cient justiďŹ cation for using these extraordinary complex eco-minerals.

D.L. HART 25.2.2011

Don Hart standing in a wheat ďŹ eld that had no fungicides or insecticides applied and recieved less than 90kg N/HA, demonstrating the beneďŹ ts of soil heatlh.

Biological Sustainable Solutions For Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Agricultural Challenges

7

â&#x20AC;˘ Balanced natural mineralised fertiliser programmes â&#x20AC;˘ Guano Phosphate, Dolomite, Humates and Foliar Fertilisers

Rules towards a sustainable farming system.

1. Test soils and balance all soil nutrients, not just NPK, and apply macro and micro-nutrients and minerals in order to reduce limiting factors and to enhance the balance of chemistry, physics and biology.

2 . Use fertilisers that are not harmful to soil health, soil life and plant Roots. Add humates to fertilisers to buffer and increase the efficientcy of fertilisers.

3. Use natural mined soil nutrients that have a balance of quick and slow release properties to provide energy throughout the entire growing season. (insoluble but available ) 4. Use pesticides, herbicides, biotechnology and nitrogen sparingly,

Use cultivation methods that enhance soil structure for air and water movement.

5. Get legumes into the system and have in place the ten essential soil and plant nutrients that are necessary for nitrogen fixation, and to drive the photosynthesis process.

6. Feed the biology, apply food for the soil life, add fish and seaweed products plus vitamins, and a carbon source of crop residues ,compost, humates and sugar.

7. Have fun, enjoy the enthusiasm and excitement of progressing towards a successful sustainable farming system.

Healthy Soils, Healthy Plants, Healthy Animals, Healthy and Happy People.

I am pleased to introduce Sally Truelove to Healthy Soils. Sally is a trained Agronomist and shares her time with Mountain View Agronomy and advising and advancing Healthy Soils Biological Farming principals.

With a sound science background, Sally is contactable on 0274 362 458.

Healthy Soils Healthy Soils Biological Farming Consultant Donald Hart 0274320187 Farming JUNe.indd 15

3/06/2011 10:50:04 p.m.

Page 16

GUARDIAN FARMING

AIMI cereal survey results to April 1 A

s part of the Arable Industry Marketing Initiative, the AERU at Lincoln University conducts a survey of 100 grain farmers to provide current information on the production, sales, plantings and on-farm stocks of wheat, barley, oats and maize grains in New Zealand.

The information presented below is a summary of the results of the third survey, which collected data on production, sales and stocks to April 1 2011.

Estimates for the 2010 survey have been changed since the last report in November to incorporate new data from the Agricultural Production Statistics, which showed that areas and volumes of wheat were higher, and areas and volumes of barley lower, than had been estimated.

• Wheat areas harvested in 2011 have declined by an estimated 13 per cent from 2010 levels while it is estimated that there has been a 30 per cent increase in barley area and a five per cent increase in maize area.

Total volumes of wheat have declined by a greater

percentage (33 per cent) than total areas (13 per cent), as a reflection of lower yields per hectare. While the area of barley harvested in 2011 increased by 30 per cent, the total crop volume increased by only 24 per cent.

• There were considerably lower levels of stocks of cereals on hand going into the 2011 harvest than there had been in the previous season.

Only 11,000 tonnes of feed wheat remained unsold, compared with almost 30,000 in the previous year.

barley unsold after the 2011 harvest is only 20 per cent higher than the volume unsold in September 2010.

• Survey respondents reported a 52 per cent increase in 2011from the 2010 harvest in the area of maize silage harvested. Of the total area harvested, 93 per cent had been contracted before harvest.

• The proportion of contracted milling wheat declined markedly between 2010 and 2011, while the proportions of both feed wheat and feed barley contracted increased significantly.

• More of the wheat, barley and oats held currently held on farm is committed than remains unsold. The estimated volume of feed

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3/06/2011 10:50:05 p.m.

GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 17

United Wheatgrowers Competition 2011 Feed Wheat Class 1st Prize for Einstein Wheat TA Whiteside & Co Ltd [Craig Whiteside] 232 Waiwera Station Rd RD2 CLINTON 9584 2nd Prize for Phoenix Wheat Waverley Downs Ltd [John Whiteside] N0 3RD BALCLUTHA 3rd Prize for Excede Wheat AG & AC Hurst Farming Co Ltd [Tony and Mandy] 575 Thompsons Track RD14 RAKAIA 7784 Biscuit Wheat Class 1st Prize for Claire Wheat [1st Prize only] PG & IM Campbell [Peter & Margaret] “Terrace View” 890 Rakaia River Rd RD12 RAKAIA Milling Wheat Class 1st Prize for Conquest Wheat Morrish Farming CD Morrish [Chris] 463 Waterholes Rd RD8 CHRISTCHURCH 2nd Prize for Conquest Wheat DC & LJ Redmond Ltd [David & Lynley] 217 Denshires Rd North RD 7 ASHBURTON 7777

Ashburton Trading Society’s general manager of operations Jono Pavey (left) and United Wheatgrowers director Brian Leadley (right) present Peter Campbell with the Griffith Cup for winning the United Wheatgrowers Wheat Competition biscuit section last month. It was the fourth time Peter and Margaret Campbell won the cup.

3rd Prize for Saracen Wheat Rangitata Holdings c/- E & M Watson [Eric & Maxine] 326 Wakanui School Rd RD 7 ASHBURTON 7777

Judges’ comments: The grain growing season last year was far from perfect in most regions which were reflected in lower yields and some quality issues. It was pleasing to see the entries in the competition were of a high standard. In particular the top samples were free from small grains, with high test weights in the Feed Wheat section and very good protein levels in the Milling Wheat samples.

We

...

in good service

We believe good things stand the test of time, which is why at Ashburton Toyota your servicing will be carried out by our team of trained technicians, that have over 100 years of combined experience. Four of our technicians are certified to issue WOF’s, to get your car safe and legal as soon as possible.

Here is the great news - we don’t just service Toyotas! We service, maintain and repair ALL makes and models of cars, as well as trailers and caravans.

“Our service technicians know past and present Toyotas, and other makes and models inside and out, giving you piece of mind that you can bring any vehicle to us and we will have it back to you in pristine condition in no time”. Our technicians receive constant training and up-skilling, so they are up to date in

the latest levels of safety requirements.

Our supreme customer satisfaction doesn’t start and finish within the workshop. We will pick up and drop off your car, within the Ashburton town boundary for free! Now that’s what we call service.

When you book your next service with us, ask about our loan car that we have available on a booking system.

Remember to book it with us though, as it is so popular, we want to make sure it is available when you need it.

We do it all, from full engine reconditions, to engine diagnostics, WOF repairs and Pre-purchase inspections.

Ashburton Toyota, we care about your car almost as much as you do.

New vehicles, used vehicles, parts & service...

we do it all!

Service your next car with us to keep it at its best.

Cnr East Street and Walnut Avenue, Ashburton.

Phone 307-5830 or 308-9928 anytime. www.ashburton.toyota.co.nz SALES TEAM A/H Ray Girvan - 0274 507 497 OPEN SATURDAY 9AM - 1PM Farming JUNe.indd 17

3/06/2011 10:50:07 p.m.

Page 18

GUARDIAN FARMING

Advanced Maintenance In the field of industrial maintenance and manufacturing, Advanced Maintenance Ltd in Ashburton’s Industrial Park can stand and take a bow. Consistently proving themselves as market leaders in industrial maintenance and manufacturing, if there is a need for a piece of plant to get the job done, then Advanced Maintenance can build it.

Not only will they build it from the nuts and bolts up, but they can design it from scratch, and then provide a superior follow up maintenance service, ensuring reliability and a solid performance.

Plant machinery is a large investment for any business, an investment which must be dependable and sound. Advanced Maintenance understand the importance of getting plant operating to optimum performance levels, which is why their core values reflect their passion to help their clients succeed. They find unique ways to solve problems that they are faced with, and will use their skills to think outside the square, striving for continuous improvement and innovative solutions. A

premier delivery service is also a priority, ensuring that the job is done in a fast and efficient manner, and that maximum effort on all jobs is performed.

It is through these core values that they have established themselves as reliable and successful for more than 15 years in Ashburton. In 2006 the company was purchased by the Spray Marks Group, as it was Advanced Maintenance who designed and built the specialist road marking trucks that Spray Marks operate today.

Providing solutions to industrial maintenance issues has become their trademark. The below example shows how Advanced Maintenance designed and manufactured specialist plant equipment for Winslow Seed.

Not only do Advanced Maintenance custom-build specialist plant and provide exceptional

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We service what we sell 5 Range Street Ashburton Phone 307-7055

maintenance services, but also they supply of a full range of industrial products; including compressors, industrial drives, material handling equipment, bearings, electric motors gearboxes and V belts.

If you think that’s perhaps a little too impressive, and they may be full of hot air, well you are half correct. Air is another exceptional facet of Advanced Maintenance. Basically they can put it in and take it out. They have a full range of compressors, ranging from small, to large enough to keep the entire Neumann’s Tyres workshop running at full capacity. They can design equipment to extract air, dust and fumes from large warehouses, such as a

Above: Jody Leitch putting together the design of product hopper on Solidworks design programme before going to workshop for manufacturing.

Above left: Engineer Andrew Pawsey making last minute adjustments to the product hopper. Experience, sound engineering principles and knowledge allow AML to produce quality machinery for a range of industries just like Winslow. They provide project management services throughout the assignment, employing and managing subcontractors on your behalf. Follow up maintenance services and schedules for optimization of performance is an important part of the project.

Bottom left. From left to right: The AML management team; Sid Russell (Engineering Business Manager), Jody Leitch (Contracts Manager) and Joe Cuthers (Senior Engineer for service and maintenance).

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seed blending plant or a building that is exposed to a lot of chemical fumes.

For intuitive and revolutionary solutions to machinery design, manufacture and maintenance, give Advanced Maintenance a call today. You may be surprised at what they can do to help your operation run more consistently.

Design, Install and service 25 McNally Street, Ashburton Ph (03) 307-2027 www.plainsirrigators.co.nz

T 03 308 5577 www.spraymarks.co.nz

TRUCK SERVICING s 3ERVICE REPAIRS s #/& REPAIRS s !LL MAKES AND MODELS 2OBINSON 3TREET !SHBURTON 0HONE !LL DEPARTMENTS HOURS Hydraulink Mid Canterbury Ltd

Water Ballast Rollers Spiral Welded Pipe Grain Augers 16 Robinson Street Ashburton 7700 Phone/Fax 03-3089623 Dave Stockdill Farming JUNe.indd 18

Spaldings Flatlift Sub Soilers Dale Plough Shares Plough Conversion Kits European Plough Parts Cultivation Points & Tines Tractor Parts & Equipment Combine Harvester Croplifters

0800 472 563 Fax 03 308-6512 plameragriparts@xtra.co.nz 34 Robinson St, Industrial Estate, Ashburton

(Locally owned and operated)

• Installation and repairs to hydraulic hoses • Service & supply of hydraulic components • 24 hour - 7 day service Paul Fergus 39 Robinson Street, Ashburton Phone 308 8848, pfergus@xtra.co.nz 3/06/2011 10:50:08 p.m.

GUARDIAN FARMING

Page 19

Life after rapture Ken Ring

M

ay 21 came and went and we are still here, surprise surprise. One radio station in Auckland, was it Hauraki? said the the “moon man” predicted the end of the world on May 21. I don’t THINK so, if it meant me, and it stands alongside previous media nonsense invented about me.

So who do we turn to for balanced reporting?

Well, not the big national newspapers, the radio shows or TV. And when it comes to truth or not of scaremongering reports which include the GNS report of large earthquakes hitting Christchurch between now and February 2013, tsunamis expected in no particular timeframe, earthquakes destroying Wellington, volcanoes returning to Auckland some time in the next few million years, the 2012 Mayan prophecy, rising sea-levels due to global warming that will see the world burn to a burnt-out crisp, climate change that will flood New Zealand cities and hammer them with hurricanes, so much CO2 filling the air that we will all suffocate, oil shortages that mean we will have to go back to horseback, pollution that will poison mankind - and if that doesn’t get us first then a worldwide shortage of water will - you have to say enough already.

Some how these fear-stories are not viewed as causing stress and anxiety, but anything little old I suggested about possible earthquake dates leading up to April, were. Longrange forecasters are unpopular because they can steal media headlines before something happens.

Simply may I suggest, do not buy into

irrational fears that have no quietly described explanation. Do not scare your children with it. Turn off the channel-ranters who try to sound alarmist to make themselves look effective. Saying something will happen but we haven’t a clue when, is irresponsible. But if any catastrophes are forecast as likely within a short predicted timeframe may I suggest we quietly and without panic prepare loved ones for floods, storms, heat-waves and earthquakes.

The best legacy we can leave future generations is how to cope quietly and maturely with a threat of adversity. When we are prepared, fear often dissipates. Rather than the end of the world it is arguably the way to build a new and better one.

The 21st of May did indeed see an alignment of planets. But planetary alignment, also called conjunctions, does not necessarily cause earthquakes or destruction. The world’s extreme weather, including earthquakes is controlled by energy from the Sun, with timing brought about by Moon position. The Moon contributes, alone, 80% of the world’s weather by its effect on the tide of the atmosphere, and by the movement and size of the seatides, which in turn influence barometric pressures.

The Moon and Sun together provide enough pressures and stresses on the internal mass of the Earth and its magnetic field to effect sudden changes in density beneath ground that seek release above ground.

That someone predicts the end of the world based on biblical references should

not have worried anyone. We are all adults, capable of making informed decisions based on available information. Today, with the internet and search engines, all information is available. We should be open to all opinions and with a grain of salt, and make up our own minds.

It is both our choice on how to react, and whether or not to let such a prediction threaten us. As to what will or won’t happen, no one can say. If we can give opinions we must state the reasoning behind that opinion, and the reasoning should be understandable to the lay person.

Since the talk was of a planetary alignment, it was not the domain of scientists, unless they had studied the ancient astrology of Vedic, Persian and Asian cultures that says planets may have an effect on the Earth’s environment. As we know, mainstream scientists scorn any mention of planetary influence on Planet Earth. But even astrologers would have said there was nothing destructive for New Zealand indicated by the 21st of May except a continuation of early wintry cold conditions.

So unless cooler temperatures frightened the life out of you, there was nothing to fear come May 21.

Some blogsites have also been humming with fears that with all the earthquake activity, particularly the tsunami from Japan, the world has seen a rotational shift.

Scientists have pointed out that the Earth has shifted on its axis. The claim has been made that Japan’s strongest earthquake on record

moved the main island by 2.4 metres which has re-aligned the earth. According to CNN it shifted the Earth on its axis by nearly 10 centimetres. Is this true? And will that now affect our seasons?

The answer is yes, every extreme event moves the poles slightly, sometimes several centimetres either way, and no to a change in weather patterns because the earth is not only far bigger than most imagine, and the earthquakes relatively small, but earthquakes are what the earth is about. We should remember that earthquakes, tsunamis and the shifting aside of tectonic plates is partly responsible for life on earth.

Earthquake movement that relieves internal stresses builds mountains, enriches soils, concentrates gold and other rare metals and maintains the sea’s chemical balance.

Continental volcanic upheaval also recycles carbon dioxide, regulating the earth’s temperature. Without a relatively constant temperature life might not have evolved on earth beyond simple organisms.

Tsunamis can distribute rich sediments from river systems across coastal plains, making the soil richer, bringing fertile soils into the lowlands. Into these, in time, a more fertile jungle will develop. In spite of the unfortunate loss of human life, there’s no question that seismic activity rejuvenates the planet. Just as humans seek relief of stress and pressure, and such relief is healthy, so it is with the Earth. Despite what we read in the frantic hair-pulling headlines, the planet is actually doing just fine.

DDC is offering services of trenchless excavation by way of directional drilling or thrusting for all those places you don’t want to open trench, therefore saving on mess and reinstatement costs.

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DDC also offer the services of fusion welding from 20mm up to 800mm PE pipe with a computer read-out of joint condition and quality.

DDC is locally owned and operated company that is part of GDC Ashburton.

For further enquiries or a no obligation free quote, call Greg today on (03) 308 8479 or 0274 326 915 – email greg.gdc@xtra.co.nz

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Farming JUNe.indd 19

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Directional Drilling Co. NZ Ltd 3/06/2011 10:50:13 p.m.

Page 20

GUARDIAN FARMING

Weather by The Moon: June Forecast General Number of rain days:

Approximately 5-8

Precipitation potential times:

June 6th-7th, 11th12th, 15th-17th, 23rd-25th

Mostly dry

June 1st-5th, 24th-30th

Wettest periods:

June 7th-28th

Warmest maximum temperatures:

June 15th

Coolest maximum temperatures:

June 7th

Warmest minimums: Coldest minimums:

June 12th June 1st and 18th

Sunniest days:

June 1st-4th

Best days for outdoor recreation:

June 1st-5th

Cloudiest:

June 21st-25th

Estimated precipation for Ashburton:

15mm

Rakaia:

30mm

Methven:

25mm

Estimated sunshine amount for Ashburton:

131hrs (June average 119hrs)

June should be drier than average, sunnier and warmer than average. Snow is not yet expected but there may be around 12 frosts.

From 3-14 June is good for planting and weeding. From 17-28 is best for pruning and spraying.

High kingtides are expected around 4th5th and 16th.

Ground tremor risk is between 1st -2nd, 12th -13th, and 27th -28th.

Averages for maxima may be 14°C and for minima 2-3°C.

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0800 428 453 KITSET OR ERECTED Farming JUNe.indd 20

3/06/2011 10:50:15 p.m.