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RURAL CRIME
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EDITORIAL COMMENT
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RURAL CRIME
ACHIEVE WATER GOALS
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WATER HUNTERS
SENIOR REPORTER
Dung beetles are not the most attractive creatures in the whole world. They live discreet lives underground, coming out to feed on dung pats. The adult beetles don’t have chewing mouth parts but derive their nutrients from the liquid component of faeces. It sounds positively yuk, but one has to admire their efficiency in making use of a resource no other creature is particularly interested in. And in the process they generate a multitude of benefits for farmers.
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Susan Sandys
ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
WIN WIN WIN Congratulations to our lucky winner of last month’s book giveaway. A Mundy will receive a copy of Great Tales From Rural New Zealand by Gordon McLauchlan. This month’s book draw is for Don’t Look Down by John Breen. Please email susan.s@theguardian.co.nz with Guardian Farming Book Giveaway in the subject line, or send an envelope with your name and address on the back to Guardian Farming Book Giveaway, Ashburton Guardian, PO Box 77, Ashburton 7700.
These range from improving soil health, pasture productivity and parasitic burden of stock, to the wider environmental benefits of improving waterways due to less contamination from animal waste. Dung Beetle Innovations is the commercial venture behind selling beetle packages to farmers, and wants regional councils throughout New Zealand to come on board and support introduction initiatives. Subsidised catchment-wide initiatives would be a great strategy to not only help farmers with the cost of introducing the beetles, but also assist local bodies in meeting their clean water goals.
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Rural crime
The recent theft of 500 cows put the spotlight on rural crime. It’s an insidious blight on the landscape which continues to happen right under farmers’ noses. Susan Sandys reports. New Zealand’s largest rustling incident saw a loss of up to $2 million for the Mid Canterbury farmers involved. The case of 500 cows being stolen from a Lagmhor farm hit international headlines. Most rustling and other thefts in rural areas do not get the same media attention, but cost farmers millions of dollars each year and erode the foundation of trust upon which rural communities are built.
Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers’ dairy spokesperson Nathan Currie has been a victim of rustling in the past, and knows just how it makes farmers feel. “It goes right to your bone really. You feel what else is going to get stolen, why don’t they have respect for people doing an honest day’s work … it’s gutting.” continued over page
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Organised rustlers frustrate farmers From P3 When dairy farming in Dunsandel four years ago, rustlers lifted a gate off its hinges and backed up their trailer into a pen of calves. He knows that, because the scene was left with the gate off and tyre tracks in mud. Ten calves, replacement heifers worth $5500 were missing, and the remaining 20 in the pen were luckily captured unhurt after running up and down State Highway One and other roads throughout the night. He has also been a victim of equipment theft, having a welder, chainsaw, hand tools and diesel go missing in another incident. His house was just 100 metres away from the calf pen, but he and his family had not heard a thing. The calves had been fed, meaning they would not have made much sound as the rustlers walked among them. He believes the calves would have been sold on and reared. He said farmers were traditionally naive, and many today still did not lock their doors. They trusted the people they worked with day to day. They would need to invest more in security in the future to protect their livelihoods. Despite having been a victim himself and knowing the regularity of such crime in New Zealand, the theft of the 500 cows had been “astonishing”. And it was a shame that it was possible a former staff member may have been to blame. “That really goes to the heart of how our farming operations work, on trust and reliability of folk.” A Burnham farmer who has lost $40,000 worth of prime lambs in the past two years wants to see police do more to
Susan Sandys
SENIOR REPORTER
investigate such crimes. “They sort of put it into the too-hard basket. They don’t want to know about it. They didn’t seem to help us a lot,” the farmer, who did not want to be named, said. The first lot of lambs, 160, went missing in 2014, and the theft was only picked up when the farm’s accountants noticed it. The second theft, of 170 lambs, was last year, and the only way the farmer had noticed was because it had been raining the day before, and tyre tracks were left in the mud. His house was on a different block, and there would have been no hope of hearing the vehicles. It was a full moon that night, and he believes the thieves may have been noticed from a nearby busy road if anyone had been passing at that time, which he believed would have been between midnight and 4am. The tracks showed evidence of three separate trips to load the stock. “It used to happen in the back country I thought, but it seems to be happening everywhere now.” He had since installed locks on all the six gates to the property. Security cameras would be too expensive, and yarding sheep up every week to count them was unrealistic. He had spent many a sleepless night since, wondering who might be responsible. He employed no staff, so there was no suspicion
Farmers and police need to work together, says Rick Powdrell.
of it being conducted by someone with inside knowledge. The farm was situated on a busy road, but he believed it was more than just a one-off opportunistic theft. “I think it must have been pretty well organised, for us to lose that many they obviously know what they are doing.” Federated Farmers national meat and fibre chairman and rural security spokesperson Rick Powdrell said thefts of large numbers of stock in such incidents were obviously organised crime, undertaken by professionals. “You have got to have trucks, you have to have more than one person, it’s not just a random one-off. It’s highly planned,” Powdrell said. Just where the animals
“Mate, I can’t see the forest OR the bloody trees?”
ended up was a mystery. He mentioned one case in Gisborne where there had been thefts on neighbouring properties, and after one farmer lost a large number of hoggets, the stock agent owner hired a private detective, but the investigation went nowhere. He said how seriously police treated rural crime depended on which area of the country you were in. “To be very honest, we have got some wonderful response from rural police in certain areas of the country, in other areas we have a little bit of work to go to get them where we would like them to be in this space.” And often by the time farmers noticed stock missing, it had turned into a
cold case making it hard to investigate. Federated Farmers was soon to conduct a new survey on security, but its last one in 2014 had shown that only 39 per cent of known rustling cases were reported. And 78 per cent of farmer victims who had chosen not to report the incidents did so because they believed police would not have the resources or be interested enough to respond. Powdrell said Federated Farmers, FMG and the police had been working on raising awareness of rural crime since then, and he hoped the new survey would reveal an attitude shift. The recent government commitment for police to attend every burglary had
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and police Therefore they won’t be putting the necessary resources to it.” Powdrell said one of the most effective ways of combatting crime was for communities to have good communication channels with their police. This aided communities in being the eyes and ears of police, and could be particularly effective around suspicious vehicles.
“ PHOTO SUSAN SANDYS 260916-SS-113
helped give farmers confidence that police did care. And farmers also had to be realistic and realise police had priorities. Police had last year set up the national Police and Rural Stakeholders Partnership Committee which included members such as Federated Farmers, Rural Women, MPI, Young Farmers and others. He chaired the committee, which identified and talked through issues. Powdrell said it was important farmers reported rustling, burglary and thefts on their properties, no matter how long after the fact they were discovered. The police did take such crimes seriously. “The police want to know. If they get a whole lot of reports from one area, they then know there’s something going on there,” Powdrell said. “If you are not reporting it, they don’t know the size of the problem.
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Powdrell, who farms in the Bay of Plenty, gave an example from his area. In the event of suspicious activity, police would notify the Federated Farmers provincial secretary, who would send an email out to relevant people in the area. This had operated with success in capturing an offender who had slaughtered a heifer on one of the farms in the area. A farmer the previous night had noted the offender’s vehicle and talked to the occupant, who told him he was looking for his dog. “By nine thirty the police had that guy.” Powdrell himself had caught rustlers red-handed on his property after they had been making visits, butchering two sheep, mainly $1500 breeding rams, each time. One night the result was 40 dead lambs after the ewes scattered in bad weather, and all up the incidents cost him about $8000. He had security cameras, but the rustlers had mainly visited in bad weather, obscuring footage. The rustlers, who ran away when he saw them but were apprehended by police, were only able to be prosecuted for the one incident.
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Stock are generally not covered by insurance, and it is unknown how much it costs farmers each year, although one figure which has been suggested is $120 million. Rural theft claims have cost New Zealand’s leading rural insurer, FMG, more than $21 million nationally in the last five years. This represents about 28 claims per week, costing on average $2800 per claim. In the past five years FMG has paid out over $2.2 million in burglary and theft claims in Canterbury, and $430,000 in Otago. FMG has produced a free Rural Crime Prevention Guide and holds Crime Prevention Workshops around the country. Police co-ordinator for community
policing, Alasdair Macmillan in Wellington, said farmers and communities needed to work together. Neighbourhood Support New Zealand had recently appointed a rural neighbourhood support coordinator, to assist local co-ordination of Neighbourhood Support groups in rural communities. “What we have to do is work together, share information and work together to get prevention, prevention is what it is all about,” Macmillan said. He understood the disappointment and frustration with police that farmers had after becoming victims of crime. “For years and years and years people have thought police are going to solve everything. We are just part of the problem solving tool.”
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RURAL THEFT PREVENTION TIPS
Cow theft “gutting” fo
■■ Report all crime and suspicious activity so police get an accurate picture. Farmers have not been good at reporting everything traditionally. ■■ Take security measures which are practical for your property. Technological means can be an additional layer over traditional padlocks and gates, and include CCTV, sensor lighting, alarms, smartphone apps, seismic detectors to pick up on vibrations of stock trucks, and even chemical analysis to identify a farm that stock originated from. ■■ Be observant as to what is happening in your neighbourhood, talk to each other, join rural neighbourhood support groups, and encourage community interaction with police. ■■ Log all your high value tools, machinery and equipment with snap.org.nz to make it more difficult for thieves to sell stolen property. Mark or engrave equipment. ■■ Keep equipment and items in secured storage, keep keys for buildings and vehicles out of view. ■■ Ensure all firearms are secured. ■■ Ensure your property or RAPID numbers are clearly visible should the police be called out.
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Dairy farm manager Bernie Doyle noticed milking was finishing earlier than usual on one day last December. He was coming back to the early morning shift after two days on late shift, and was puzzled as to what was causing the faster milking time. He checked the milk shed’s Protrack computer system, and saw it was recording less cows. He phoned the Protrack administrators, thinking there could be a fault with it. But they assured him everything was working fine. Even cows not recorded by their electronic identification tags going into the shed, would still be picked up by sensor lights on the way out. That’s when he started to think of the nightmare scenario of the cows being stolen. The next milking he stood up on the milking platform and did a manual head count, and his worst fears were realised. And it could not have happened at a worse time of year. It was coming up to Christmas and he was to be married in about one week’s time, with the busy festive season to follow. “I just couldn’t believe that something like this had happened, even harder was telling the boss. I’m not even financially involved, but it’s just gutting that it’s sort of on your watch,” he said. Even though he picked up on the theft reasonably quickly, he wishes he had of picked up on it even sooner. The farm owners David and Jill Quigley were just as shocked as he
was, but were supportive and urged him go away on his honeymoon without worrying. Doyle believed the theft was carried out over two nights. On these nights the cows were in a paddock which had one of the farm’s only road gates. The puzzling thing was there was no tyre tracks left, but a friend had told him about a rustling group in Otago several years ago which had operated by putting down carpet on the grass and installing temporary yards. Police were on the case quickly and still are today, but it continues to be a complete mystery. There was the initial $70,000 cost of the cows, as well as $60,000 lost milk production for the season, as well as knock-on effects such as having to carry cows that would have otherwise been culled. He had no idea whether the crime could be linked to other cow thefts in the area, including that of 500 cows from Mark and Jennie Saunders’ dairy farm, and he had no fears of it being an inside job with his staff involved in any way. “It’s a completely different world to what I know, the old man told me there’s nothing worse than a thief, and he’s right too. He and the Quigleys had since tightened security on the farm, padlocking all road gates and installing four security cameras. There was now only one access point to the property, which was the main tanker track. “Pretty much if you come onto the farm you will be seen,” Doyle said.
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Dung beetles on the march Dung beetles in their thousands are on the march, burying cow and sheep pats across the country. Susan Sandys finds they are helping achieve clean water goals in the process. North Canterbury farmer Pete Handyside is a fan of dung beetles. As the drought dragged on earlier this year prior to winter, he introduced hundreds of beetles from three different species into his paddocks. “I wanted to do something positive in the middle of a drought, I just liked the science that was behind them,” Handyside said. The insects got to work straight away, living up to their reputation for being able to munch through dung pats with impressive fervour. The drought meant pats sat on top of the ground in a dried-up state, but the beetles helped
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Dr Shaun Forgie of Dung Beetle Innovations discusses the benefits of the beetles at an alpaca workshop.
bury the manure, aiding the recycling of nutrients and aeration of soil. Sheep on the farm were suffering a nasty internal parasite, Barber’s Pole worm, at the time, and Handyside believed by burying dung under the ground, the beetles could help break the parasite cycle. It was too early to say how successful the beetles had been, and apart from the initial release, the small black creatures have not been obvious. But Handyside was confident they would spread
out over his farm and he would begin to notice the benefits as they moved into successive generations. “Hopefully they will start multiplying underground, and in one year’s time you will start to notice the benefits. It’s probably too early to say (how successful the introduction has been) but the science is there that backs it up.” Handyside farms a 500-hectare property with 2000 ewes and about 100 cattle. He said late last month there had been recent rain, and it was
New Zealand’s newest dung beetle is Copris hispanus. It has a horn used in fighting.
good to see some mud, and grass growing. His farm was among about 40 throughout New Zealand, including several in Canterbury and Otago, which had the beetles introduced last summer. Dung Beetle Innovations (DBI) is the company behind the releases; it has four release packages for farmers from those on small blocks to large farms, ranging in price from over $1200 to almost $7000. Managing director Andrew Barber, in Auckland, was a member of the founding Dung
Beetle Release Strategy Group which was established in New Zealand by a group of farmers in 2008. It attracted about $1 million of government funding and was successful in its application to release 11 imported species. So far about six species have been released, and there are another two in quarantine. Barber said the species in the country so far required a summer to autumn release, and last season was the first for the company. He hoped that this coming summer up to 80 farms
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BEETLE BIOLOGY Adult dung beetles do not have chewing mouth parts; they simply suck the liquid component of faeces. Adults compile balls or sausages of dung for their grub larvae, which do have chewing mouth parts, to consume underground.
Dung beetles love nothing more than munching through dung.
would order beetle packages, doubling last year’s figure. DBI wanted to work with regional councils throughout the country. Local bodies and similar groups could support catchment-wide releases, and work with groups of farmers. For example, DBI had applied to Waikato River Authority for subsidising beetle releases in that area, on the basis the insects would help the authority achieve its cleanwater goals. And Environment Southland had been one of the first regional councils to jump
on board, providing funding through its sustainable funding project. Dung beetles were the most studied insect in the world, due to the economic advantages they brought. “It’s a complete paradigm shift for the country, once they become established,” Barber said. They improved soil health and pasture productivity, and reduced fertiliser costs and parasite burden. Additionally, the conversion of dung to the soil meant reduced nutrient leaching and reduced E Coli in waterways.
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North Canterbury farmer Pete Handyside has introduced dung beetles on his farm and is confident they will bring multiple benefits in years to come.
However, they were a longterm solution, and beetles released last season would not be seen again until three to four years down the track. To get to the stage where the beetles are in Australia, where they can destroy a cow pat within 24 hours, would take nine years. The payback period for individual farms was about eight years as it took time for beetle numbers to build up. “But after that they return one to two times their capital value every year.” In America the value of the
beetles to farmers had been conservatively valued at $380 million per year. The beetles spent 95 per cent of their time underground, from where they fed on the dung of stock. The beetles flew from dry pat to dry pat, and once they got into the dung they created tunnels, like branches of a tree, underneath. “They have filmed them, they literally go straight into the poo and straight underground, you have to be quick,” Barber said.
The newest species addition in New Zealand is Copris hispanus, which has a distinctive horn often used in fighting other beetles. Copris hispanus males with larger horns use them to ward off other males as they compete to mate with females, while males with smaller horns tend to rely on sneaking in strategies for mating. Copris hispanus females also have horns, thought to be used in fighting when feed gets low.
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Around the traps It was all about ryegrass at a Foundation for Arable Research discussion group meeting at Simon Bonifant’s at Wakanui last month. FAR presenter Phil Rolston and Murray Kelly from PGG Wrightson Seeds spoke about early spring management. PHOTOS AMANDA KONYN
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For more information, or to view any of our tractors, contact: Ashburton 03 307 8027 Amberley 03 314 9055 Leeston 03 324 3791 Timaru 03 688 2179 www.cochranes.net.nz
$20,000 + GST
$19,000 + GST
5065 Hrs
$29,000 + GST
Kuobota 105 S 3728 Hrs
$39,000 + GST
Case IH Puma 165 $56,000 + GST
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NZ NEWS BRIEFS
The property market is taking the new nutrient environment in its stride, say real estate agents. Bayleys country manager Simon Anderson said recent comments by Bank of New Zealand agribusiness head John Janssen that the recentlyunveiled Healthy Rivers plan posed a risk to land values reflected a level of nervousness around the issue. The plan, for the Waikato and Waipa rivers, requires significant shifts in how farms in the area will operate in coming years, with tighter constraints around key nutrients. Anderson said there were lengthy time frames to achieve improved water quality, giving communities and farmers time to adjust to the changes. Bayleys North Canterbury rural specialist Dean Pugh said buyers of
rural real estate in Canterbury were aware of the need to take catchment regulations into account when assessing both land use and land value. When it came to vendors, some were organised, often depending on farm type and location, and already had nutrient information prepared. Others were taking the opportunity that the sales’ process presented to have the work done. “Most of the transactions we are seeing are based on a high degree of certainty. The market appears to be taking the nutrient environment in its stride and operating with a high degree of confidence.”
South Canterbury farmers can join a Pleasant Point workshop on October 14 on how to irrigate in dry conditions. The IrrigationNZ workshop will cover scheduling irrigation as well as calibration, the operation and maintenance of irrigators and Farm Environment Plan compliance. There will be a mix of classroom and practical learning, with a walk alongside irrigation machinery to help participants identify operational risks. IrrigationNZ project manager Steven Breneger said more workshops were being rolled out this summer than previous summers due to the increasing knowledge base irrigators required to meet new environmental requirements. Opuha Water’s Environmental
Manager Julia Crossman said present ground conditions were dry again for this time of year and the company was already looking at how the water stored needed to be managed in the season ahead. “These dry conditions mean that, more than ever, irrigators need to operate at peak performance,” she said. The Irrigation Operator and Manager training workshop will be at Pleasant Point between 10am to 4.30pm on October 14. See www. irrigationnz.co.nz/events/ for more information, or contact Kate Mills (03) 974 1425 or kmills@irrigationnz.co.nz.
Farm Building Kitsets From $8,499*. That’s Versatile! $8,499+gst
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Drop in today at 364 West Street, Ashburton or call Brent on 03 308 3569 Optional extras - Braced to high or very high wind, canopies, available up to 6m tall and with up to 6m wide bays Terms & conditions apply.
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13
Geraldine Lime Quarry manager Paul Johnston.
Lime operations manager Craig Hendry is leading recent upgrades to the fertiliser co-operative’s lime quarry mobile plants and systems across its 75 quarries throughout New Zealand. Under new health and safety legislation, Work Safe require all quarry managers to renew their A or B grade quarry managers’ qualification by January 2017, which involves completing a number of safety training courses and renewal of managers’ Certificate of Competence for surface mining (COC). Hendry said Ravensdown quarry managers have already completed the upgraded safety qualification, and have gone one step further in an overhaul
of how the quarries operate and investing in significant upgrades of mobile plant, areas of fixed plant and management systems. Geraldine Lime Quarry manager Paul Johnston said his staff were now much more focused on health and safety. “Our radio mics are busy with staff communicating their movements around the quarry, they also love the new fit-for-purpose mobile plant, which has the added bonus of being a lot more fuel efficient than the old kit.” In addition the plant was offering to put staff through a manager’s course, as part of its Quarry Cadetship Programme.
Sam Whitelock.
Whatawhata farmer Stu Richards is spreading the healthy eating message. Richards manages a 550-hectare bull finishing unit near Hamilton, and recently attended a Farmstrong workshop which made him turn around his lifestyle for the better. He and his family have cut out a lot of sugars and processed foods. He has instead filled the kitchen with fresh fruit, salads and greens for sandwiches and rolls, water in the fridge to keep him hydrated during the day, and healthy snacks for fuel top-ups out on the farm. “I don’t get sick as often or feel as
tired anymore,” he said. “Farming can be a very busy job. I used to try and do everything, now I make sure I set realistic expectations of what I can achieve in a week. I’ve learnt to prioritise and delegate.” Farmstrong has a new ambassador on board to help spread the healthy living message, rugby player Sam Whitelock. “Farming is a lot like rugby. It’s hard work both physically and mentally. And you can’t do that when you’re running on empty,” Whitelock said.
HC DOW0314-AG
Health and safety is more than putting high vis and hard hats on your staff, says Ravensdown.
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Optimism tempered by caution While the local rural property market is busy, as it always is in spring, how soon that activity will result in transactions remains to be seen.
Susie Williams
PGG WRIGHTSON
Confidence continues to rise in the dairy sector and interest in farming land is increasing, although local buyers and sellers look likely to take a while longer to reach agreement on values. Real Estate Institute data for August indicates farm sales throughout the country are climbing steadily, with 2.6 per cent more farms sold during the past winter than in the three months to August 2015. This was before the sustained run of positive Global Dairy Trade auctions over the last two months so the volume of farm sales is likely to continue rising gradually. Across the PGG Wrightson Real Estate network, my
colleagues suggest dairy farms are selling between 10 and 15 per cent below their peak of two years ago. Real Estate Institute statistics reinforce this, although the discount is greater in some parts of the country and, with few sales completed in recent months, gauging precise values is difficult. In Canterbury and North Otago, growing optimism will eventually flow through into the sale and purchase of farmland although, in
the meantime, this positive sentiment is heavily tempered by caution, particularly among potential vendors, who are in no hurry to commit. While farmers are preparing to act to enhance their businesses and making enquiries about buying or selling, they are taking their time to proceed. As the outlook has improved in recent months, any farmer considering offering property to the market can be more certain that they will receive a good price, while those looking to buy can look
forward to a better return on their investment. Some purchasers are active in the market with specific requirements, particularly for sheep and beef farms with capacity for 5000 to 7000 stock units, and also for high country property. However, anyone thinking of listing such farms needs to be realistic and see the situation through the eyes of potential purchasers, who are generally looking for operational profitability, not just capital gain.
MASSIVE MACHINERY CLEARANCE BY AUCTION FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21 ON ACCOUNT OF JOHNSON GLUYAS TRACTORS COMMENCING AT 12 NOON 225 ALFORD FOREST ROAD, ASHBURTON TRACTORS USED: • Case MX 135-4 Tractor front 3PTL, 1999, 6266 hrs • New Holland T6010 -4 Delta Tractor w MX T8 fel, 2007, 2648 hrs • Case MXU135-4 tractor w Pearson fel, 2008, 5536 hrs • New Holland TD90D-4 tractor, 2008, 2000 hrs • New Holland Versatile 9682, 3PTL,1997, 4561 hrs • New Holland T6030 RC TG40k Tractor w Q50, 2009, 4624 hrs • New Holland T6010 Plus SR w Q45 fel, 2011, 3517 hrs • Valtra 900-4 c/w loader, 2001, 4974 hrs • New Holland TL90-4 Cab w MX80 fel, 2000, 6779 hrs • New Holland T6030 Elite 50kph TG, 2009, Q50 FEL, 4624hrs
• • • • • • • • •
New Holland T6070-4 PC tractor, 2008, 2581hrs John Deere 6420-4 SE tractor, 2003, 4697 hrs New Holland T6020 Plus SR Tractor w T8 fel, 2008, 9070 hrs Ford 7840-4 Tractor, 1999, 9649 hrs New Holland T5060-4 tractor c/w Stoll loader, 2012, 3116 Case MXU125 Pro Tractor w Manip loader, 2009 New Holland T6010 Plus Tractor w Stoll fel, 2008, 7347 hrs Case Maxum 140 Tractor, 2007, 4634 hrs TYM 903 Cab tractor, c/w loader & bucket & forks, 2008, 1500 hrs
TRACTORS NEW • New Holland T6070 Plus SR, 2014
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MACHINERY USED:
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PAM For fullBRANDI-JEAN item list pleaseTERESA visit www.johnsongluyas.co.nz/auction www.ashburton.toyota.co.nz Call Chris Johnson on 027 432 6451
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Water hunters digging deeper It is not as easy to strike water as it used to be, but drilling for the clear liquid gold remains a passion for Wayne O’Donnell. Susan Sandys reports.
Driling for water beats working in the mines in Australia any day. Wayne O’Donnell and business partner Bruce Washington are the faces behind Barber Drilling at Geraldine. They have worked for major mining companies in Australia including BHP, CRA and Robe River. A booming farm economy and demand for water brought them back home in 2001, and they and their eight staff are just as busy today as they ever were. They generally do 12hour days to ensure they get through their high workload. O’Donnell said while new consents were not issued as much anymore, there had been a recent growth in extending established wells and digging replacement wells. The main culprit was lack of recharge, with less rain and snow melt over the last couple of years. The switch from border dyke to spray irrigation had compounded the problem. Some areas of Mid Canterbury and Selwyn districts had seen deeper wells drop in yield up to 30 per cent.
Wayne O’Donnell on the job in Mid Canterbury.
In addition drain takes had either disappeared altogether or were on full restrictions, and shallower wells had also dropped off in yield. Wells which may have been
drilled to the 60-metre zone in the past were now needing to go up to twice as deep to strike water. Water divining remains the most popular way for farmers
to decide where to sink a well, and water was struck 90 per cent of the time. Well drilling is an interesting business, and one which has occupied O’Donnell
Christmas celebrations all wrapped up HOTEL ASHBURTON CHRISTMAS DINING & EVENTS BOOKINGS NOW AVAILABLE
Wrap up your year with decadent dining and festive atmosphere at Hotel Ashburton. Hotel Ashburton have got the bright ideas and festive atmosphere to ensure your Christmas celebrations are a success. Whether you’re celebrating with family, friends or colleagues, Hotel Ashburton and Clearwater Restaurant can host an event that suits. There are plenty of options; a sit down three-course meal, a lively cocktail party, buffet dining, or a relaxed afternoon barbeque. On the big day itself, a special Christmas menu is on offer. Call today to find out our menu options and to book your Christmas celebrations.
Enquire today! 0800 330 880 events@hotelash.co.nz fb.com/HotelAshburton HotelAsh.co.nz
Christmas Day On the big day, a special Christmas menu is on offer with starters, hot mains, salads, appetisers and fresh desserts made in-house.
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“
PHOTO SUSAN SANDYS 021016-SS-096
for the last 25 years. The deepest well his company has ever sunk in New Zealand was to 333 metres in Methven, as the land owners searched for what turned out
17
Drilling for water beats working in the mines in Australia any day
to be a very elusive, if not non-existent, hot spring. In Western Australia O’Donnell worked on a range of projects including gold mine stabilising, which involved drilling on a 60 degree angle to backfill with cement, and dewatering, which involved drilling in open cast gold and iron ore mines in order to keep the mines operational for longer. It was a heavily regulated environment to work in, and drilling in New Zealand on farmland for a diverse range of people was a “breath of fresh air” in comparison. “Here you are out working with real people on the land,” he said.
A 12-hour day begins early for well drillers (from left) Bill O’Sullivan, Paul Moses, boss Wayne O’Donnell and Wade Kauta. PHOTO SUSAN SANDYS 021016-SS-109
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Around the traps Tasman Region Young Farmers came together for a day of skills and learning last month at the Ellesmere A&P Association show grounds. The Tasman Region spans from the Rakaia River to the top of the South Island and includes the West Coast. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
From left - Mike from Shands Husqvarna, Georgia Rhodes and Jasmine Brash.
Bee keeping paper. From left - Roshean Woods, Rebecca Sinnamon, Hannah Falconer and Ella Turner.
From left - Joe Marychurch, Chris Foster, Alison Dagg, Benita Maclean, Neville Moorehead, Kurt Knarston, Roshean Woods and Grace Baldwin.
From left - Amelia Marsden, Rachel Stewart, Braydon Schroder, James Beattie and Sarah Heddell.
Kurt Knarston (left) and Alan Harvey teaching fencing.
From left - Neville Moorehead life member and patron to Tasman Region Young Farmers, Rachel Stewart, Braydon Schroder and Amelia Marsden.
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They’ll LOve New Zealand’s No.1 Calf feed* Here at SealesWinslow, we know just how important it is to give your calves a healthy start. But if their feed doesn’t taste great they’re simply not going to eat it. Our delicious feed contains everything they need to ensure they get complete nutrition, and you get complete peace of mind. To order yours today call 0800 287 325 or visit sealeswinslow.co.nz
No.1 *Based on NZFMA 2014 Compound Feed Production Statistics
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Rethinking waste Upcycled Fashion and Wearable Waste at Ashburton Show There’s still time to have fun creating an outfit to parade at the Ashburton A&P Show on Saturday, October 29, or to encourage friends, family or anyone creative to have a go. Thanks to sponsors Ashburton District Council and Envirowaste Services Limited, we have $550 in prize money. Materials are often free from charity shops or someone’s wardrobe. Remember to lodge your entry and check entry details at www.ashburtonshow.co.nz . I can’t wait to see the creativity in this year’s entries so make sure you come along to see the parade at 11am at the show with Hoops as the compere. Love Food Hate Waste Kiwis struggling to feed their families are set to get a further helping hand from one of New Zealand’s largest supermarket chains. Countdown is setting aside $100,000 of its profits to create a contestable fund that will be available to food-rescue
Sheryl Stivens
ECO EFFICIENCY
operations. Currently the supermarket donates food that is still fit for consumption to charities through the Countdown food rescue programme. A significant amount of the rescued food was fruit and vegetables that came from Countdown stores. Donating food for human consumption puts food on the table for families in need and diverts foodwaste from landfills. Encouraging businesses to donate food rather than waste it (Food Act 2014) protect people who donate safe food in good faith. There is funding available for community groups through the Community Organisation Grants Scheme which has
provided more than $40,000 to food rescue organisations in the past financial year. In the meantime we can all do our bit to reduce food waste by: • Planning meals and writing a list so we do not buy more than we need. • Taking our own reusable shopping bags to the supermarket. • Sharing excess food with family or neighbours or offering it to the food bank. • Setting up a compost bin, bokashi bucket or worm farm so our left-over food can be used to build healthy soils to grow healthy food. Can you believe in Scotland the humble doggy bag has reduced food waste ? Do you find you have food left on your plate when you go out for a meal? Research shows that most people like to be offered a doggy bag even though many people are too ashamed to ask for one. The Scottish government, driven by their Zero Waste Policy, is providing free doggy bags to hundreds of
SPECIALISTS IN ALL TYPES OF WASTE REMOVAL
restaurants across Scotland. The Good to Go branded bags are being rolled out after a pilot scheme showed that offering customers doggy bags could reduce food waste from leftovers by 40 per cent per restaurant. Further reductions were achieved by asking diners if they actually wanted side dishes and giving the options to change portion sizes and items. Some restaurants said that offering customers a doggy bag actually improved sales as customers who weren’t sure if they could manage bigger portions ordered them anyway and took them home.
Restaurants in France are legally obliged to provide doggy bags to customers in an effort to curb food waste. It forms part of an initiative launched by the French government in 2013, with the aim of reducing food wastage by 50 per cent by the year 2025. Reducing food waste here in New Zealand and globally continues to be a high priority target area. And further good news on the international front is that Japan is planning to produce the medals for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics from recycled materials by reclaiming precious metals from e-waste.
LEARN TO COMPOST Come along to the free monthly compost demo and learn how to easily compost your food and garden waste: October 17: 12 noon to 1pm Eco Education Centre, Ashburton Resource Recovery Park. Enquiries: 0800 627 824 or sherylstivens@gmail.com
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High performance Lucerne under heavy grazing conditions.
Icon was selected on plant characteristics including improved disease and pest resistance. Icon is a very good dual purpose hay, silage and grazing cultivar because of its resistance to grazing which it was bred for, from selections of fields grazed by sheep and cattle. Icon has low crowns that will tolerate closer grazing, particularly by sheep.
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21
Toxins or mineral imbalances? Jenny Paterson
BSC ZOOLOGY AND BIOLOGY
When it comes to identifying the cause of issues that are affecting your horse’s health and behaviour, it is easy to get stuck on toxins! Ten years ago, when we started the incredible journey of understanding how various aspects of pasture grass affect our horses, the subject of mycotoxins came up first. Soon everybody was introducing toxinbinders to their horse feed. Since then we have learned that such a strategy is actually a waste of money because mycotoxins aren’t the only problem associated with pasture grass. It turns out that mineral balances trump everything for achieving calm, healthy horses. The real problem is the increased cost of real estate! It means we are forced to keep our horses on smaller and smaller acreages on which we don’t have time to allow the grass to mature sufficiently before grazing again. And if we fertilise to produce more grass we can make the pasture even more unsuitable. Vegetative, or green, growing grass is always minerally imbalanced. In growth mode grass uptakes a very high proportion of potassium compared to sodium (from salt) for which it has virtually no requirement. Whilst all mammals including horses, have evolved mechanisms to excrete excess potassium and conserve sodium via the adrenal glands and the kidneys, when the intake of potassium is persistently high the horses’ own self-regulating systems can’t cope, become exhausted and don’t function as they should. Then outward signs of health and behaviour problems appear and hey presto, you have created a ‘grass-affected’ horse! Hence the reasoning for avoiding potassium rich feeds (lucerne, soy,
molasses, kelp and many herbs) – you are only increasing the horse’s load. Adding plain salt to feeds is one of the simplest and most economical actions you can take to reduce the effects of a chronically high potassium diet. Mycotoxins are produced when fungi get stressed – this is a common occurrence in humid regions or conditions. They can also become a problem in grain silos or wherever feeds are stored, especially in the presence of any moisture. Mycotoxins are insidious because they are invisible and they do not show up in blood tests.
“
Mycotoxins are produced when fungi get stressed – this is a common occurrence in humid regions or conditions
When mycotoxins affect your horse the signs are likely to include loss of appetite, ill-thrift and serious reproductive problems. Over the years we have realised that mycotoxins from fungi are by far the lesser problem for our horses than mineral imbalances. Whether the issues you are experiencing with your horse are due to mineral imbalances or mycotoxicity, can sometimes be difficult to determine as signs can be confusingly similar. Take ‘staggers’ for instance which can be caused by either mineral imbalances or mycotoxicity. If your horse doesn’t respond to a toxin binder it is likely that mycotoxins aren’t the cause of the problem so you should address mineral imbalances – and vice versa. Go to www.calmhealthyhorses.com and fill out the Health Check to get a good picture of any issues that arise and read Dietary Principles for a Calm, Healthy Horse to help you make the right decisions.
Serious separation anxiety can be avoided by addressing mineral imbalances. Horses in this state are a danger to themselves and anybody trying to handle them.
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0800 FOR LAND Hastings McLeod Ltd Licensed REAA 2008 217 West Street, Ashburton P 03 307 9176
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23
How much water is required? Following last month’s ramble on how much water is required to produce a litre of milk (approximately 1020 litres) I have had considerable comments on my article. Most are from people astounded that it took that much water, and I received many comments about the Ashburton District Council going shares in a bottling programme. Some for and some against. But also many people asked if it takes that much to make milk, how much does it take to make other agricultural products. So I have included the accompanying table. Further to this, figures from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers suggest that 50 per cent of all food produced in the world ends up as waste every year. This equates to approximately two billion tonnes of food every year. The United Kingdom Institution of Mechanical Engineers blames strict sell-by dates, buy one get one free and western consumer demand for
Chris Murdoch
PROPERTY BROKERS
cosmetically perfect food and inadequate infrastructure and storage facilities. I guess the point here is the world uses a large amount of water every year, but 50 per cent of all that water usage is wasted. It would be very interesting to know New Zealand’s food wastage per year. If you study the data in the table, I guess you should eat eggs, as well as drink wine, beer and tea. Then you may solve New Zealand’s and the world’s water problems. I guess I can only do my part!
Typical Values for the volume of water required to produce common foodstuffs Foodstuff
Quantity
Water consumption (L)
Chocolate
1kg
17,196
Beef
1kg
15,415
Sheep Meat
1kg
10,412
Pork
1kg
5,988
Butter
1kg
5,553
Chicken Meat
1kg
4,325
Cheese
1kg
3,178
Olives
1kg
3,025
Rice
1kg
2,497
Cotton
1 @ 250g
2,495
Pasta dry
1kg
1,849
Bread
1kg
1,608
Pizza
1 unit
1,239
Apple
1kg
822
Banana
1kg
790
Potatoes
1kg
287
Milk
1 x 250ml glass
255
Cabbage
1kg
237
Tomato
1kg
214
Egg
1
196
Wine
1 x 250ml glass
109
Beer
1 x 250 ml glass
74
Tea
1 x 250ml cup
27 Source: IME
PHILL STAYS GREEN WITH INCREASED REVENUE Farm owner and agricultural consultant Phill Everest uses Growsmart® Precision VRI to “kill five birds with one stone.” He’s able to improve the sustainability of his dairy operation while reducing its environmental impacts. Phill sees the benefits in terms of track maintenance and grass growth as well as ensuring the availability of his water. The water he saves under one pivot can be redistributed to irrigate an additional 23ha of his farm. FieldNET® integrates with Precision VRI to provide complete remote pivot management, with VRI control, monitoring and reporting. “The first time using the new FieldNET tool for Precision VRI, I found it very easy. It was much simpler and quicker having just the one place to go to control my pivot and manage my Precision plans”
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© 2016 LINDSAY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ZIMMATIC, FIELDNET AND GROWSMART ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF THE LINDSAY CORPORATION.
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IRRIGATION AND EFFLUENT FEATURE
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Helping farmers launch into spring The team at Landpro are used to talking about irrigation and effluent until the cows come home. Landpro is a wellestablished and awardwinning professional consultancy business offering planning, surveying, engineering, hydrological and mapping services. With bases in Cromwell, Timaru, Gore and New Plymouth, Landpro’s team of consultants have become trusted advisors and enduring problem solvers for their farmer clients throughout New Zealand. Managing director Kate Scott said as farmers now put calving behind them, they will be wanting to make sure everything is in order in terms of compliance and planning around effluent and irrigation. “The approach we like to take is to work with our clients to help them through that process. We try and keep costs as low as we can by working with our clients to gather the necessary information and
put it together in the way that councils understand it,” Kate said. If you need help understanding your effluent system, or advice on meeting consenting requirements, or drafting an effluent management plan or sustainable milk plan, Landpro are able to assist. On the irrigation front, Landpro has vast experience in helping individual farmers, as well as irrigation schemes, to prepare resource consent applications and address compliance issues. The company’s team of surveyors are also very experienced in mapping and surveying irrigation infrastructure, pipelines and races, using both conventional survey equipment as well as a survey drone. “Once the design is finalised, whether it be irrigation, fencing or dams, our team ensure everything ends up where it’s meant to, allowing our clients to get on with their work, without the stress,” Kate said.
Landpro’s survey drone is in demand for mapping and surveying irrigation infrastructure. PHOTO SUPPLIED
Make the most of your land Talk to our team of experts today to get the job done right the first time! Specialists in... Geotechnical Services Water Permits Water Quality Sampling Dairy Conversions Renewal of Effluent Discharge Consents
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IRRIGATION AND EFFLUENT FEATURE
25
Lead or be led Almost every September “IT” happens and IT happened again. Despite all the advice, measuring technology, field days, workshops and head bashing, peer pressure irrigation is here to stay.
Tony Davoren
HYDRO SERVICES
I was triggered to revisit previous September articles while driving to an MGI Field Day last month and was not surprised by three things. Firstly, while we knew we would see irrigators going, we were initially pleased just a few were going. Coming back we were surprised by how many neighbours of those we saw on the way down were irrigating – take home message I should have stressed at the workshop was manage irrigation according to what your neighbour does! Secondly, we were amazed at how many pivots were going but how few rotational irrigation (roto-rainer, K-line and the like) were going (many on the same farms). Pivots are
the last systems that should be irrigating, because they have a return time of two to three days and not 10 to 12 days of rotational systems. Thirdly, how slow a rotorainer was travelling in a paddock alongside State Highway One – it had travelled about 150 metres in six hours (the time between
us passing it on the way down and on the way back). Definitely on a 24-hour run applying I’m not sure how many millimetres (probably around 60-65mm if it was pumping 35 litres per second. What do the soil moisture measurements in the area tell us? The soil moisture plot shows the deficit on the 22nd
was about 15 millimetres – significantly less than the roto-rainer was applying and probably about what the pivots were applying. There was no need for the pivots to be going, probably no need for the roto-rainer to be going, and the weather since then has meant no irrigation is needed.
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Water management complex Water is precious to us for many reasons. We rely on it to maintain our health, produce our food, generate our energy and sustain our businesses. It is the lifeblood of the world’s economy. Water contributes to our country’s economic success, and in ensuring the health and well-being of all New Zealanders. From a purely economic perspective, the two largest contributors to GDP are agriculture and tourism. Both are highly dependent on water. KPMG recently had the opportunity of supporting a young university graduate from France, Theo Rohfritsch, who, after obtaining a Master of Science Degree in Sustainability, set out on a 25,000 kilometre cycle trip from France to New Zealand, crossing 21 countries on a bamboo bike. His sole mission throughout the journey was to shine light on the water crisis, generating awareness and inspiring others to support the cause. If you don’t think we have a global water crisis then
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consider this: • 30 per cent of the world’s population (2.3 billion people) do not have access to adequate water sanitation. • The global demand for fresh water will exceed demand by approximately 40 per cent by 2030. • Up to 80 per cent of illnesses in developing countries are linked to poor water and sanitation conditions. • One in five deaths of children under five in developing countries is due to a water-related disease. • 1400 children a day die from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation. Water research and innovation represents a huge opportunity for New Zealand.
New Zealand is in a unique position to become a global centre and a world leader in water research and innovation. It could open up new export possibilities for our waterrelated technologies, IT and products, and support the premium value of our exports. Let’s turn the negative connotations into potential positive outcomes. It is estimated that New Zealand receives about 680 billion cubic metres of fresh rain water each year, or 145 litres per person annually. This compares with 22 litres in Australia and two litres in China. Separately New Zealand has 110,000 hectares of snow and ice and 700 billion cubic metres of groundwater. Make no mistake, the management of water is both complex and challenging, it requires the right capability and expertise across all cultural, scientific, infrastructure, economic and regulatory spheres. It will require a high level of expertise to manage communication and
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
27
Prize ribbons ready to award By Susan Sandys Over $4000 of ribbons bold and beautiful have been filling the guest room at the home of Ashburton A&P Show secretary Lucille Brown. She had a visitor stay the other night, but had to put them in another bedroom, as she was still in the middle of sorting all the prize ribbons into their various categories. A clotheshorse in the room has proved indispensable in this regard, as has the queen-size bed and surrounding furniture. “They don’t come back from the printer in that order, so they can be all over the place,” Brown said. The association annually orders new ribbons to ensure there are plenty to award to the more than 500 prize winners at the show. The order this year included 750 standard prize ribbons – red for first, blue for second and green for third. Some events such as horses have fourth, fifth and sixth placings, and the
ribbon colours for these are lemon, black and pink respectively. Then there are the rosettes, and the special sashes. The latter come in a range of colours, some even with three colours in stripes, and they are all embellished with gold fringes. All ribbons have gold print to reflect the honour they represent. These can range from the esteemed “Supreme Champion” in various livestock categories, right down to something as humble as “Best Children’s Poultry” on smaller ribbons destined to decorate the outside of a diminutive feathered entrant’s cage. Brown herself has been a recipient over the years. She enjoys patchwork, and has taken out many an award for the craft. This year she has just one entry in the section, as she focusses on her show secretarial duties. Among duties this year has been organising 5000 booklets, to replace the traditional catalogue at the show.
PHOTO SUSAN SANDYS 2909160-SS-010
Ashburton A&P Show secretary Lucille Brown sorts through $4000 of prize ribbons.
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
The showgrounds are well laid out in preparation for the 139th annual show.
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
29
Moving with the times President’s address The Ashburton A&P Show provides an annual opportunity to showcase the diversity of Mid Canterbury’s agricultural industry. The environment of town and country is constantly changing. To keep pace with this change, we need to have a mixture of new and varied farming types and practices, alongside support industries. And as it is in town and country, the shape and makeup of the Ashburton A&P Association is changing. For the association to grow and build on its proud history, we are looking to strengthen the organisation. At present we are reviewing our constitution and working through a proposal to change the association’s structure. Just as the farming sector is doing, the association is aiming to keep up to date and move with the times. I was born and raised in Ashburton, and trained as an architectural draughtsman in Christchurch prior to 27 years in the industry with roles in
The Ashburton A&P Association is taking on the challenges of the PHOTO TETSURO MITOMO 261015-TM-121 modern era, says president Chris Watson.
design, project management, construction and sales. In 2002 myself and wife Amanda moved back to Ashburton to be closer to both our extended families. It’s where we are happy to remain to this day,
with our two sons Harry, 17, and George, 14. You may ask why is someone involved in the building industry the president of the Ashburton A&P Association. I first became involved in
2003 when asked by the then president, my cousin Brian Leadley, to join the grounds committee. Both Amanda and I come from rural families and I enjoy interacting and working with
farming people and the rural community. Whilst not living on a farm, I grew up going to work with dad on Saturday mornings, helping with lambing and feeding out. And there were numerous holidays on relative’s farms growing up. My first paid school holiday job was grubbing thistles and shifting break fences on a local farm. With my late father, Stewart Watson, a past president and several of my relatives having had significant roles within the association, you could say that agriculture and the A&P are in my blood. My family’s proud history of involvement makes it even more exciting to me as we take on the challenges of the modern era and move with the times. I would like to thank all the committee members for their hard work in preparing for what is going to be a great show for 2016, and I look forward to seeing everyone there. Chris Watson
SHOW DATES
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For more information contact Association Secretary Lucille Brown P. 03 308 7908 E. ashburtonshow@gmail.com • www.ashburtonshow.co.nz
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
When country comes to town The 139th Ashburton A&P Show is on track to draw crowds from throughout Canterbury and further afield. Young and old are sure to be entertained by this year’s programme over the show days of Friday and Saturday, October 28 and October 29. Country has been coming to town for generations at the show, in the form of a wide range of sections and events ranging from dog trialling and shearing to wool judging and alpacas. The variety amongst the rural sector, and hence the Ashburton Show, is endless, and all easily reflecting on this year’s theme of Building Diversity with Town and Country. There are over 50 outdoor market sites, 30 indoor market sites, and the trade section is as big as ever, with over 100 large trade sites. “Really we are bulging at the seams,” said secretary Lucille Brown. After the grand parade highlight, to be held at 2pm, there will be a sky diving demonstration from Skydiving
Thousands come from near and far each year to attend the Ashburton A&P Show.
PHOTO JOSEPH JOHNSON 311015-JJ-25
Kiwis, weather permitting. The home industries pavilion will be, as always, packed with the amazing
talent of our district’s sewers, knitters, bakers, photographers and more, and for the first time this
year there will be a school’s champion of champions event. This will see children from schools throughout the
district complete entries in a novelty made from a fruit and vegetables, original lego model and handmade card. The Young Farmers Animal Pavilion is always a highlight and sure to include creatures great and small. There will be a range of entertainment on offer, including highland dancers and children’s shows such as that featuring the popular sparkling fairy, who walks around granting children’s wishes. On the Hokonui Entertainment Stage there will be the novelty of chicken herding, sure to get a laugh from the crowds, and in the Daggy Bar, professional Ashburton performer Luke Glendinning will entertain. Generally more than 5000 people mill through the gates over the two days of the show, and at last count entries were also heading up towards the 5000 mark.
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
31
Gearing up for a bumper show BY SUSAN SANDYS Canterbury A& P Association president Warrick James is gearing up for a bumper show. Held shortly after the Ashburton A & P Show, the Canterbury show is a regional highlight attracting exhibitors from throughout the province. James is himself one of those exhibitors. His limousin cattle will be among the approximate 6500 entries. He and his family will have about 17 animals in categories such as mature bulls, cows, calves, heifers, prime steers and yearling steers. James and wife Cece farm at Glentunnel, on a 1300-hectare sheep, beef and carbon forestry property. James’ father Roger first began showing cattle from the breed at the Canterbury show in the mid 1970s, after he originally imported them from France. Their three children, aged 18 to 23, have grown up to love showing just as much as their dad and granddad, and they will be the ones in the stock pens this year, giving
Canterbury A&P Association president Warrick James, at the Methven-area Canterbury A&P Show sign, has plenty of entries in the upcoming show. PHOTO SUSAN SANDYS 270916-SS-379
James time to dedicate to the president’s role. Taking the cattle along will be a particular highlight as the beef section is a royal event for 2016, offering a rare opportunity for them and
fellow exhibitors to compete for royal ribbons and medals. For James himself, he has a few particular highlights he is looking forward to. He is a fan of woodchopping and hopes to ultimately see more young
people attracted to the sport, so the event can retain its top spectator status. “It’s a great competition, the effort that goes into it... Canterbury has one of the better events in the Southern
Hemisphere,” James said. The shearing will see tough competition as it leads into the World Shearing Championships in Invercargill next year. The 2017 New Zealand team will be chosen at the show. He’s excited about the entertainment on offer and newly overhauled food and wine area. New Zealand’s newest supergroup the Yeah Nah Nahs will be the headline act. They will perform alongside country music sensation Jody Direen. A food hall will feature, with the food pavilion flowing outside to a wine village leading to a courtyard near the village green. James said the grounds were already being prepared, and he appreciated the Christchurch Horticultural Society coming on board to beautify the Canterbury Agricultural Park venue. He was driving around the region recently to update signs advertising the show, to be held November 9 to 11. The show is the largest in the country, attracting 100,000 visitors each year.
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
Equestrian events a family affair By Susan Sandys Murray and Anne Campbell will be taking a back seat at equestrian events at the Ashburton A&P Show this year. That will be a whole new experience for the Ashburton grandparents, who are used to taking the reins and have more than 60 years of service between them. Murray started in ring two for ponies in the late 1970s, as an announcer. It was the perfect job for him, as it enabled him to use the verbal skills he had primed as a Dalgety’s New Zealand Limited auctioneer. He went onto announcing in the main ring, and in the 1990s he joined the horse committee and became a horse measurer, and has done that ever since. He joined the A&P committee over 20 years ago, and was ring master for about 10 years in charge of all the equestrian rings. His jobs have been wide ranging including looking after stabling for the hundreds of
Murray (left) and Anne Campbell and their pet horse My Montieth. PHOTO TETSURO MITOMO 031016-TM-134
horses involved. In the early 2000s entries were over 2000, while today entry numbers are around the 1700 mark.
Anne came on board in the 1990s, and has clocked up 25 years service to the equestrian section. She had a natural interest in equestrian
events after competing many years ago, and Murray and Anne’s two children, Jason and Amanda, also competed over the years.
In fact equestrian events have always been a family affair for Anne, with her sisters Claire Pomeroy and Marion Cornwall having helped her out for about 20 years. Her father, the late Ron Wakelin, who founded Ashburton’s Riding for the Disabled, was involved in the show, as was her brother Murray Cornwall. Anne said a highlight for her had been the satisfaction of seeing all the work which went into the show paying off at the end, and fine weather days were her favourite. “Just keeping everything going, all the rings going and everything running smoothly.” Horses remain a passion for the pair, and this year they are looking forward to acting more so in an advisory capacity. They say their hard work in the equestrian section had been a success each show because they operated as a team. “It’s a team effort, I bounce things off Anne and she does the same to me,” Murray said.
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
33
It all starts with a smile ... Smile. Start a conversation. Make Canterbury feel like home. That’s what people are being asked to do as part of Ashburton’s new Start with a Smile campaign. The campaign, which aims to make the Ashburton District more welcoming to newcomers, was launched at the EA Networks Centre on September 23. Led by Ashburton District Council, the focal point of the campaign is a blue Smile Couch – a place where locals and newcomers can sit down and get to know each other. The couch will travel around the district to events, public places, community spaces, workplaces and schools. The Smile Couch made an appearance at Boulevard Day on September 26, where more than 100 people sat down and found out more about the campaign. The next outing for the couch is the Ashburton A&P Show on October 28 and 29. Ashburton District Council’s community relations manager Vincie Billante says locals are
encouraged to smile and start a conversation with someone from a different background, whether it’s at work, school or waiting in line at the supermarket. More than 250 people are already following the campaign on Facebook, including Filipino dairy farm worker Marlon Aragon, who moved to Ashburton in 2010 and features in the campaign. “I love the serenity, the cleanliness and the quiet. Ashburton is a great place to live,” he says. Marlon works on a familyowned dairy farm, where he says he and his family were welcomed with open arms. “We couldn’t have felt more at home. They helped us to settle in and have since become very close. I consider them my second family.” Start with a Smile was first run last year in Christchurch, by the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, in response to the large number of overseas rebuild workers in the city. Ashburton District Council has taken up the campaign, as part of its leading role in the newcomer
r o t f a t ch u o u ! k o o w c o o e L il sh m &P s e h t he A t
and migrant settlement work programme, under the Canterbury Regional Economic Development Strategy. As part of the campaign, Ashburton residents will also be
encouraged to host their own Start with a Smile event. “A potluck lunch, family sports day or even just inviting the newest employee to after-work drinks can all contribute to making
newcomers feel at home here,” Vincie says. The campaign will run in Ashburton until the end of March. It will then be available to other Canterbury councils.
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
ADVERTISING FEATURE
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE ADVERTISING FEATURE
Soil is gold PHOTO SUPPLIED
“Very little of what we grow and remove from our land can be produced without soil yet so many take it for granted. Many people don't seem to care or are given terrible advice,” said Calvin Bracken of Canterbury based Sustainable Soils. If the body is abused, under or over nourished for long enough, negative side effects generally result. The very same applies to our soil - our greatest asset. Calvin is a former farmer who understands situations from both sides of the fence yet has created an awful lot of smiles since operating as a soil consultant. Sustainable Soils can provide you with a programme which will help produce good benefits from your soil. These include; more total and even spread of feed throughout the seasons, increased per animal production, lower animal ill-health costs, reduced
From left: Ashley Seaton , Calvin Bracken and Warrick Seaton standing in a paddock of swedes (18 tonne) grown with Sustainable Soils programme at Aylesbury Canterbury.
reliance on fertiliser N inputs and less pest and disease pressure It’s critical soil analysis looks at more than just pH and NPK. Clients of Sustainable Soils confirm old pastures perform like new, often better, pasture colour is superior with better balanced soil and stock are more content and healthy. Where possible the team use natural fertilisers’, like viafos guano phosphate which mitigates phosphate nutrient runoff and has very low cadmium. Natural options encourage and enhance soil biology which promote soil health, humus development, root growth and importantly plant and stock health, these factors can only be good for the consumer who are becoming more and more the driving force in how best practice in agriculture is managed. For more information, contact the team at Sustainable Soils on 03 312 6865 or 0800 65 65 88.
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Healthy feet
35
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Veehof Dairy Services are the exclusive distributors of the Dunlop range of farm gumboots. Working on a farm often means long hours in cold, wet, dirty and slippery environments, be it in the shed, on the paddock or in the workshop. The risk of slipping, falling or becoming injured by heavy materials or an animal’s hoof is very real. For these reasons we need reliable, comfortable and safe footwear that will stand the test of time. Dunlop Gumboots set the standard in gumboot design and manufacture worldwide. Whether you work on or around a farm, with livestock or crops, you want to come home at the end of the day with dry, warm and healthy feet ... which can go to work the next day without any problems. The answer, Dunlop Purofort boots, they are comfortable, lightweight, insulated against the cold and offer a good fit. Strong, durable and tear-resistant footwear is another requirement on farm, again the answer, Dunlop safety boots with steel toes and soles for when working with livestock and heavy materials. What’s more, all Dunlop Purofort boots are resistant to manure and various chemicals and solvents. The team from Veehof will be at the Ashburton A&P show this year. Please come over and let us introduce you to be best gumboot in the world.
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW AND EDUCATION FEATURE ADVERTISING FEATURE
ADVERTISING FEATURE
High achieving
Should he board?
Waitaki Boys’ is one of New Zealand’s high achieving state boys’ colleges. Our boys work hard and play hard. Sporting achievement is also high, in a variety of sports. Many boys also act or sing: the true Waitakian is an all-rounder. For us, character development is as important as academic achievement. With a roll of 500 we are large enough to offer an extensive academic and vocational curriculum and cocurricular programme, but small enough to know each boy well and recognise his character and needs. We understand boys. Our primary task is to identify and develop each boy’s potential. Our hostel (Don House) is a vital arm of the school. Like the school, it is friendly and purposeful. Parents often note how the confidence and self-discipline of their son develops with exposure to the routines, responsibilities and traditions of hostel life. Boys learn what it means to live in a community and to get on well with others. After school, hostel boys benefit from facilities such as the gym, library, music suite, auditorium and computer rooms. Many hostel boys participate in our extensive school agriculture programme, which includes weekend
Why should you let him go boarding? Parents I talk to often agonise over the decision to board or not. For them thinking about “sending my son away” seems a negative consequence. Talking to their boys I get the opposite point of view, they can’t wait to get to Waihi. So I encourage parents to think of it as “letting him go”, for all of the positive experiences he will encounter. Today’s boarding is comfortable, caring and above all fun. Parents are a lot more involved, technology allows constant communication and insights into your son’s daily experiences, and the pastoral care is second to none. If you are new to boarding, please take time to consider how this environment will benefit your son. Boys love it. The heartbeat of Waihi is our boarding family in Pyne House and the families onsite that make up our fabulous community. Boarding lies at the centre of all we do. Our boarders make friendships that last a lifetime. They also develop independence and social skills that set them up ideally for the adventure of secondary school and beyond. All boys are under the personal care of the housemaster who lives onsite. There is also a residential team of staff including the Headmaster, Deputy Headmaster and two other
ITO courses and activities organised by the Young Farmers’ Club. The Hostel Hunting & Fishing Club is very popular. Over 30 sports are available at the school, we are very proud of our achievements in sport. For a small school we punch well above our weight on a regional and national level.
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For us, character development is as important as academic achievement
Most hostel boys play several sports during the school year. During winter there are snowboarding/ skiing trips some weekends, as well as trips to watch Highlanders games in Dunedin. Graduates of Waitaki Boys’ High School include 18 knights, 13 All Blacks, eight cabinet ministers, a governor general and some of New Zealand’s leading cultural figures. More importantly, many thousands of average boys have also graduated from Waitaki as confident, selfmotivated and well-rounded young men ready to take their place in the world.
Considering your son’s boarding options for 2017?
DON HOUSE
A boy’s education for life
WAITAKI BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL
“We aim to develop our young men into educated, all round citizens of outstanding character”. Fraser Farm - functioning, productive school farm
Boarding and Day School for Boys Years 4-8 The benefits of a Waihi Education include: ü A curriculum specifically designed for boys ü Strong male role models ü An outstanding record of a cademic, sporting and cultural success ü Small class sizes with a focus on personalised, inquiry-‐based learning ü Modern purpose-‐built boarding facility with a family atmosphere
Contact us to book your own personal tour at a time to suit
High achieving First XV rugby team Strong cultural achievement Excellent facilities Great school and hostel spirit
T: 03 687 8014 E: admin@waihi.school.nz www.waihi.school.nz State Highway 1, Winchester, South C anterbury
We would be happy to hold an information evening in your area to discuss how we can meet your son’s needs. For more information please contact the Rector Mr Clive Rennie on 03 437 0529 or the Hostel Manager Dan Keno on 03 433 1137
teachers, all of whom live and work alongside the boys in the evening and have their own young families too. Head matron, assistant matrons and gap tutors also care for the boys. Thus there is always someone to whom a boy can turn, someone who will listen, advise and support, and the levels of pastoral care that all boys receive is outstanding. The team are enthusiastic about running many activities for boys in the evenings and at weekends, either within our extensive grounds, down at the Waihi River or further afield, taking advantage of the beautiful South Canterbury environment. In Pyne House, which opened in 2011, we have a boarding facility that is simply one of the best in New Zealand. Added to this is our magnificent rural location ‘behind the hedge’, and a range of facilities that many senior schools would be envious of. Our boys really do have a primary school environment that is second to none. Boarding at Waihi helps provide boys with that additional enrichment as well as preparing them to do their best academically. We believe strongly in the value of boarding as a means of developing a boy in every respect – to be happy, confident, courteous, independent and ambitious.
Daily buses from Timaru, Geraldine and Ashburton
“Since our son started at Waihi, he has developed education, sporting and life skills that have exceeded our expectations, through the great mix of modern teaching methods, sporting and cultural opportunities, incorporating traditional school values.” Craig & Rebecca Lambie Ashburton
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW AND EDUCATION FEATURE
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ADVERTISING FEATURE
SI’s premier catholic boys’ school St Bede’s College is the South Island’s premiere catholic boys’ boarding school. It is proud of its long-standing tradition as a provider of boarding school education and it welcomes students from throughout New Zealand and overseas. The College can cater for up to 140 boarders. The college motto is Fide et Opere (By Faith and Works) and our aim is to produce young men who are hardworking and live their lives by a code of good values and consideration for others. The college also has six areas of activity that it believes are crucial to the future success and fulfilment of its students.
These are called the Six Pillars and they cover: • • • • • •
Special character Community Academic Cultural Sport Boarding We offer a comprehensive curriculum which includes excellent educational and
cultural opportunities. Our dedicated staff achieved a 95 per cent Level 2 NCEA pass rate for our students in 2015. We have a wide range of facilities on site – a modern gymnasium with a strength and conditioning gym, an Olympicsized hockey turf, spacious
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St Bede’s College provides many opportunities and challenges for its students
sports fields, swimming pool, cricket nets, tennis courts, and a performing arts centre. All students are actively encouraged to participate where possible. St Bede’s College provides many opportunities and challenges for its students. In the words of Fr Cormac Hoban SM…“Gentlemen, I want you to become the best possible version of the person God created you to be.”
Boarding at St Bede’s College is a tradition that goes back to the 1920s when the College established itself at its present site. Today’s boarders enjoy life-away from home at the only single-sex Catholic boarding school in the South Island. They benefit from spacious grounds and a wide range of modern facilities. The College has a comprehensive curriculum an pastoral care network, with excellent cultural and sporting programmes.
For further information please contact: Eddie Murphy (Director of Boarding): | Email emurphy@stbedes.school.nz | Phone 03 375 1875 | Mobile 021 725 412
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Farming
ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
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A&P Show events programme SHOW EVENTS PROGRAMME Friday 28th October 2016 »»7.30 am Dog Trials »»8.00 am Horse Events »»9.00 am Indoor & Outdoor Markets »»9.30 am Wool Judging »»10.00 am Home Industries Judging »»Grain & Seed Judging: ITM/Young Farmers Animal Pavilion »»11.00 am Mid Canterbury Dog Training Club Inc. »»Noon “South Island Seed Dressing & Storage” Home Industries Pavilion opens »»1 pm Mid Canterbury Dog Training Club Inc. “Daggy Bar” opens »»2.00 pm Dog Trials »»2.30 pm Mid Canterbury Dog Training Club Inc »»4.00 pm Mid Canterbury Dog Training Club Inc
Saturday 29th October 2016 »»7.30 am Dog Trials »»8.00 am Horse Events Donkey Judging »»8.30 am Alpaca Judging »»9.00 am “South Island Seed Dressing & Storage”
Home Industries Pavilion opens Indoor & Outdoor Market opens Sheep & Cattle Judging Shearing commences »»9.30 am Mid Canterbury Dog Training Club Inc »»9.40 am Highland Dancing Competition
Hokonui Radio Entertainment starts »»10.00 am Goat & Poultry Judging: ITM/Young Farmers Animal Pavilion Pony Parties »»10.30 am Shetland Pony Judging »»10.45 am Mid Canterbury
Dog Training Club Inc Champion of Champion Calf & Lamb Competitions »»11.00 am “Daggy Bar” opens »»11.00 - 2.00 pm “Rainbow the Fairy” »»11.00 am Rural Wearable Waste Competition: Hokonui Entertainment Stage.
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ASHBURTON A&P SHOW FEATURE
»»2.15 pm “GDC” Lolly Scramble »»2.30pm Skydiving Kiwis (weather permitting) »»3.00 pm Mid Canterbury Dog Training Club Inc Showjumping continues »»3.30 pm Shearing Presentations »»4.00 pm “South Island Seed Dressing & Storage” Home Industries Pavilion: Trophy presentations »»4.15pm “South Island Seed Dressing & Storage” Home Industries Pavilion closes
MAIN RING PROGRAMME »»11.30 am Shetland Harness »»Noon Mid Canterbury Dog Training Club Inc Champion of Champion Ram & Ewe Hogget’s Presentation of Sheep & Awards: Sheep Pens »»1.00 pm Tiny Tots Show: Hokonui Entertainment Stage Live music by Luke
Glendining entertains at the “Daggy Bar” »»1.15 pm Mid Canterbury Dog Training Club Inc »»1.50 pm Address by President & Guest »»2.00 pm Grand Parade led by the Pipe Band “Vetlife Ashburton” Lucky Draw
Friday 28th October 2016 »»8.00 am District Saddle Ponies/ Horses »»Ridden Warmblood »»8.30 am Showjumping (Ring 1 - Horse) Novice Ponies • Novice Saddle Hunters, Novice Riding Horse, Inhand
Hack or Hunter • Novice Hacks, Novice Park Hacks, Inhand Warmblood • Inhand & Ridden Gypsy Vanner • Inhand Coloured Horses & Ponies, Best Pleasure Horse or Pony »»10.00 am Working Hunters (Pony), Pony Hunters over Fences »»11.00 am Working Hunters (Horses) »»1.00 pm FEI Showjumping (Ring 2 - Pony) »»Horse Hunters over Fences
Saturday 29th October 2016 »»8.00 am Unity »»First Ridden Led Rein »»Saddle Horse Hacks »»Park Hacks • Saddle Hunters, Riding Horse • Saddle Cobs »»8.30 am In Hand Ponies, Inhand Welsh, Ridden Pintos »»8.30 am Donkey »»8.30 am Saddle Ponies »»8.30 am Inhand Pintos
Charlies Takeaways A Division of Robsons Canterbury
»»9.00 am Clydesdale »»9.15 am Registered Miniature »»10.00 am Ridden Standard Bred »»Arabs »»10.30 am Showjumping (Pony & Horse) »»Shetland Ponies »»11.00 am Supreme Pony Presentations »»12.30 pm Pony Grand Prix Show Jumping »»12.45 pm Judging of Champion Rider »»1.00 pm Judging of Farrell Challenge Cup »»1.30 pm Judging Supreme Champion Open Saddle Horse »»1.50 pm Presidents Address & Presentations »»2.00 pm Grand Parade & »»“Vetlife Ashburton” Lucky Draw »»2.15 pm GDC Lolly Scramble »»2.30pm Skydiving Kiwis (weather permitting) »»3.00 pm Show Jumping continues Times are approximate and correct at time of going to print.
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