The silent force that makes farming possible

I recently read about a new raspberry cultivar that Plant and Food has produced and how it will help the raspberry processing industry and therefore the producers.

] with rob Cope-Williams

Called Early Bell, it comes on stream two to three weeks before other varieties, has an upright growing habit so it is ideal for mechanical harvesting.

It has average brix so the processing folk will love it as they prefer a slight tartness to the fruits, it is firm and medium sized so fits the bill again when it comes to processors, and it is ideal for freezing in individual berries and doesn’t form a solid block.

My thoughts drifted, as they are likely to do, and I wondered where the folk who developed the Early Bell at Plant and Food started their research, where they went to find the original stock to cross or whatever they do in their glass houses, and what motivated them to spend goodness knows how long experimenting before they arrived at exactly what the growers and processors wanted.

Why raspberries, and why not simply accept that raspberries are raspberries and develop a variety that fruits heavier, or as in kiwifruit, has more than one colour?

Actually, I am not sure why we needed yellow kiwifruit let alone red ones, but that is another story for another day.

Think for a moment, about the varieties of grasses, cereals, potatoes and vegetables that we use commercially or in our own home gardens.

Not long ago we townies could buy a couple of varieties of tomatoes, now there is a huge range of them to cover any demand.

Lettuces the same, but gardens are different to our main stream industry, and I can only marvel at the new cultivars of broad acre crop choices.

Think back 50 years when basically wheat was wheat, ryegrass was ryegrass, and clover was clover.

Now the silent force in their white coats have given farmers a range of crops that mature when they should, are what the end market wants, as in those who graze animals, plus those who produce for the retail markets.

I suppose the question is who drives the research and the need for always achieving better and better products, the market, the folks in the glass houses, or the fact that there are several research organisations doing it, so it is pressure to keep your company ahead of the others in the field.

Whatever it is, we, as an industry should be very grateful that there are people who have the patience to and knowledge to do what they do so farmers can benefit as well as the consumers.

Thanks to Robin Oakley for growing his triple coloured potatoes, they are a winner Robin and as you say, look great, taste amazing and all have a different texture. A product of the silent force.

Rolling to steep sheep and beef unit at Ballance. We first applied at Functional Fertiliser mix in 2010 and have applied to 85ha every year since.

We have enjoyed outstanding animal health with both sheep and beef animals regularly achieving top prices at the local sales yards. Independent analysis showed our soil quality to be second to none.

– GRAEME AND JUDY OLSEN

Functional Fertiliser applications over four years have transformed our rotationally grazed pastures into a highly productive summer dominant clover sward.

The “fertiliser’ soft carbon combination brought our soil and pasture to life with amazing alacrity.

Our spring pasture growth supported a stocking capacity of 40 su/ha with the pastures still requiring topping. The Functional Fertiliser wrap around support service has been exceptionally helpful.

– LINDSAY

This stuff is amazing. I have clover coming up where there was none before, thanks!

– LANCE UNSWORTH

We have a small organically registered farm near Otaki specialising in cattle finishing. In the 8 years since applying Functional Fertiliser no nitrogen has been applied and the changes have been exceptional with very strong clover growth providing all the nitrogen required. It took a little time to kick in however our animal health has been exceptional with no lice or worms and very few vet bills resulting in a low cost easy to manage and profitable operation. The property is at least carbon neutral, and the pastures largely look after themselves. The stock agent says we fatten cattle quicker than others with two year old carcass weights of 280 – 300kg with the meat having exceptional flavour.

Our costs are 30% less, with 30% less labour required. We run fewer animals with a 30% increase in overall profitability. It’s an easy-to-follow system that is equally successful on both large and small operations. Functional Fertiliser really works. It sweetens the soil creating the ideal environment for mycorrhizal fungi and beneficial microbes resulting in strong growth throughout the year.

– STUART PRITCHARD