Manawatu Farming Lifestyles, December 2022

TRADITIONS TREES AND

BY DENISE GUNN

Bryan and Helen began with forestry thinnings before branching out into growing their own improved variety. The trees were originally grown on the family’s farm in the Wairarapa, then cut and sold in Wellington.

Over the past 10 years, the couple’s son Nathan, and his wife, Rowan, have developed a pick and cut business on their Sanson lifestyle block. Bryan passed away just after Christmas last year.

Three hectares of Nathan and Rowan’s five-hectare Cemetery Road property is set aside to grow Christmas trees.

“We plant about half a hectare in trees each year, and have a five-year rotation,” said Rowan.

“It’s quite an involved process. The trees take five years to grow so there are several paddocks of trees at various ages. Pruning is a year-round process. Every tree is pruned up to three times a year. They have to be pruned at set times of the year to coincide with the new growth.”

Mowing and spraying, as well as grazing pet sheep and goats, helps keep the grass under control during spring.

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Rowan and Nathan with their children Ryan and Jamie among the Christmas trees

Three generations of the Wilton family have been involved in growing Christmas trees, establishing their Real Xmas Trees business more than 35 years ago.

“Depending on the age of the trees, we generally need to keep the stock out of paddocks to avoid damage.”

Rowan said the entire family is involved in growing and selling the trees. “I started selling cut trees from the in-laws’ farm in our three-bay shed when Ryan was only two. Ten years later, the kids are fully part of the business, and we would be lost without them.”

Caring and maintaining the trees fits around employment off the farm. Nathan works in commercial construction management, and Rowan is a resource teacher for learning and behaviour.

“Time is our biggest challenge. We both work full-time, and the kids are really busy with after-school activities. It can be hard to want to get out on a nice weekend and prune trees.”

Growing trees come with other challenges too. “We had a drought one year and lost all of the seedlings that were planted. This creates issues for four to five

years later as we lost a whole season of growth that cannot be caught up. Sales were rationed for a few years to hold back older trees.

“This year has rained so much, and our soil is on a clay base. The paddocks were waterlogged, and the usual spring growth was delayed, and hence pruning was out of time.

A percentage of seedlings are also lost to hares eating the tops each year. Trees are sold from the paddock on the Sanson property, at Memorial Park in Palmerston North and at the Riding for the Disabled grounds in Silverstream during weekends leading up to Christmas. Nathan and Rowan also have trees available on their farm during weekdays by appointment.

Students are employed to help sell the trees at some of the sites. “We have a wonderful university student that has been helping us for the last four years, Monique Priest. She becomes part of our family at Christmas tree selling time.

We also have Ruby and Ella selling in Palmerston North at Memorial Park, and Charleigh selling in Silverstream, Upper Hutt, for us.

“This year, we are also supplying families selling in Levin and Manakau, and Cashmere School in Khandallah as a fundraiser.”

Many families return each year to select one of the Wilton’s trees. Taking annual photos of their children among the trees has become a tradition too. Rowan said everyone who visits to buy their tree is

excited and she enjoys hearing their Christmas stories.

“Every customer has their own idea of what their tree should look like, and it is really neat when they find it in the paddock. What one person is looking for in a tree will be very different to another customer.

“You can plant a paddock of trees at the same time, in the same way, and be pruned by the same person. Yet every tree is unique. Some grow tall, some grow very wide and some barely grow at all,” Rowan said.

arah’s

background stems back to growing up on a 1,500-acre Gladstone sheep and beef farm in the Wairarapa. Later, she raised her children on a farm near Bulls.

“I am currently living in Feilding. My partner, Hew Dalrymple, farms a 2,000ha

arable, beef and lamb trading and horticultural property, 10km southwest of Bulls,” said Sarah.

A long association with High Performance Sport NZ led to Sarah becoming the high performance director for New Zealand Equestrian. This role

involved managing the organisation’s Olympic and World Championships programmes. More recently, Sarah worked as the operations manager for Primary Partners.

“This role reinforced how important the primary sector is to the economy and the incredible farming operations New Zealand has.”

Sarah was first introduced to the NZFET five years ago while attending the national showcase for the Gordon Stevenson Trophy with her partner, Hew. Brothers Hew and Roger were supreme winners of the 2007 Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA) or the Horizons region.

“I remember being in awe for two reasons,” said Sarah.“Firstly, the level of dedication and commitment to the environment, and sustainability each of the

Promoting the rural environment’s future sustainability is one of Sarah’s passions

regional supreme winners displayed whilst balancing productivity and profitability.

“Secondly, the fact that the NZFET not only provides winners a wider platform for learning but is also very successful at celebrating the success of these businesses throughout New Zealand and outside the farming community.

New Zealand Farm Environment Trust’s (NZFET) newly-appointed general manager, Sarah Harris, brings a strong agribusiness background and a passion for environmental sustainability to the position.

“Since that first showcase, I have regularly attended both the Horizons regional showcases and the national showcase. Each time I attend, I am reminded of the amazing ambassadors for our food and fibre sector we have among our farming community.”

New Zealand Farm Environment Trust chair Joanne van Polanen is delighted to officially welcome Sarah to the trust.

“We see the value in Sarah and her skills, passion and experience, and feel even more fortunate to have her accept the role of general manager.”

Joanne said Sarah brings an aligned breadth of project and performance leadership, farm investment, asset management and primary sector industry experience.

“Sarah joins the trust at a time when we are working to enhance our network of good practice champions. We are excited to have Sarah build on our role as storyteller on a national and international scale.”

Taking up her new position also enables Sarah to fully dedicate her focus to promoting her passion for the rural environment’s future sustainability. She plans to continue to work in the primary sector, particularly the NZFET wider family, to champion good farming practices.

“I’m very proud to be joining an organisation delivering such value to the agricultural sector.” Working as a volunteer on many occasions, and sitting on various boards, has given Sarah an appreciation for the value of those helping to support the trust’s programmes.

“Through my career, I have discovered that I really enjoy people and developing effective teams to deliver positive outcomes.

“I’m looking forward to bringing our whole community along on this next step of the trust’s journey.”

Creating strong relationships and partnerships within the wider NZFET and BFEA family is one of Sarah’s goals as manager. She also wants to ensure the NZFET is the most recognised and listened-to voice for environmentally

sustainable farming and growing practices in New Zealand.

Away from work, Sarah enjoys spending time with her family, tramping, walking, gardening and reading.

“Our environment and sustainability have always been important to me. Today they take on heightened prominence with my three young adult children all showing a keen interest in the agribusiness sector and the family business.”

Sarah’s lifelong association with agriculture began when growing up on a Wairarapa sheep and beef farm In her new

partnerships with the wider NZFET and BFEA

FARMERS RAISE FUNDS FOR HOSPICE

BY DENISE GUNN

ric Weir (QSM) of Waverley came up with the initial cattle-raising fundraising concept to support the hospice. The scheme was established in 2005, just three years after the hospice building was opened by Dame Catherine Tizard. Six trustees manage the project.

Farming Friends Trust chairman Brian Doughty became involved in the scheme around 2006. The former Brunswick dairy

farmer also had a lengthy involvement with Federated Farmers before retirement.

Brian said the trustees spread the workload between them. Cattle are purchased through stock agents and then distributed to willing participants for grazing.

“We have one person who looks after purchasing the cattle, and two or three of us place the cattle.”

There are currently 200 cattle with 170 graziers from Taranaki to the Whangaehu River, north to Taihape and Waimarino.

“It covers the old DHB area,” said Brian. “We buy the cattle and have a list of willing participants who graze them for us. We spread them around — then they go to the works. We get the margin from what we buy for and what we sell for.”

Graziers range from large-scale farmers to lifestyle block owners. “Anybody who wants to participate in the scheme.”

All cattle are purchased through stock agents as rising two-year-old stock weighing between 400–450kg.

“We don’t buy anything at saleyards. With the advent of M bovis and TB, we deemed it more important to safeguard our graziers.”

Cattle graze until they reach slaughter weight, usually within 12 months.

Arrangements are then made to have the livestock processed with proceeds deposited into the Farming Friends of Hospice Whanganui account.

“We cover the transport of stock, and we get a discounted price with a local carrier,” said Brian.

Photo: Whanganui Chronicle/NZME

Farming Friends of Hospice Whanganui Trust chairman Brian Doughty

Farming Friends of Hospice Whanganui has raised close to $1 million since the scheme began, providing vital funding for the facility.

Farmers and lifestyle block owners can take on cattle to graze, donate cattle for sale or make a monetary donation to Farming Friends of Hospice Whanganui. Some farmers prefer to supply the scheme with their own cattle.

“We do have donations of calves, lambs and culled ewes going to the works, and we get the funds from that. We just get an invoice from one of the companies.”

All donors are thanked by the trust for their donations. In the previous financial year, Farming Friends contributed $60,000 to Hospice Whanganui. The scheme has become a critical part of the hospice’s income stream.

These funds have enabled the hospice to pay for clinical operating expenses, medical supplies, practising certificates for clinical staff, subscription for clinical IT systems, and clinical expenses for community nursing teams.

Half of Hospice Whanganui’s annual operating budget is received from Te Whatu Ora o Whanganui. The remainder of the budget, around $1.7 million, needs to be fundraised from the community through the hospice’s shops, donations and other fundraising initiatives.

At any one time, there are around 80 patients, plus their whānau, under the care of Hospice Whanganui.

This year, more than 300 patients and their families will require specialist end-oflife care. Although the majority of patients are cared for in their homes, Hospice Whanganui’s inpatient unit has five beds available to manage their needs.

Clinical staff work in mixed roles across the inpatient and community team settings. This ensures flexibility to meet the needs of the community, covering an area south to Turakina, north to Waverley and across the Waimarino district. Two palliative care specialists share their time between Hospice Whanganui and Arohanui Hospice in Palmerston North.

For more information on becoming involved with Farming Friends of Whanganui Hospice, contact Brian at 027 485 7903.

Photo: Whanganui Chronicle/NZME

Hospice Whanganui chief executive Davene Vroon and Farming Friends of Hospice Whanganui Trust chairman Brian Doughty

Hospice Whanganui’s inpatient unit has five beds available to manage the needs of patients

Let the celebrations recommence

by Amy Fifita

The World of Music, Arts and Dance (WOMAD) festival will finally be in New Zealand again after being cancelled due to Covid for three years running.

The past few years have been difficult for many events following the worldwide spread of the coronavirus. WOMAD, a celebration of multicultural art across the globe and the arts world, is due to arrive in Taranaki once again from March 17–19 2023.

It will star a collection of talented people from various countries. Amongst the mix will be comedians, musicians, artists, wordsmiths and dancers from Aotearoa and abroad encompassing what each country stands for on a cultural level.

Explore other nations’ beats and creativity and widen your knowledge of what makes them beautiful. The celebration captures diversity and entices its audience to enjoy the arts on another level.

The vast range of artisans in New Zealand show how multicultural our country is. The local Kiwi artists include authors Phil Lester, Laurie Winkless, Dr Susette Goldsmith, Michael Bennett, Rose Carlyle, Anna Fifield, Lil O’Brien and Lisa Murray.

Representing the country’s musical talents are Rubi Du, Mazbou Q, Kita, Fly my Pretties, Deva Mahal, Avantdale Bowling Club and Acapollinations. Narukami Taiko is a collaborative musical group between Kiwi and Japanese drum performers.

Dancers from Wellington’s Mudra Dance Company will perform and represent its Indian culture in New Zealand. Le Moana will take to the stage with some Pasifika movement.

James Nokise brings a dose of Kiwi humour, as does the trio from Mad Doggerel Cabaret with a musical spin on things. Poetry Slam performers are Daren Kamali, Chris Tse and Womad champion Penny Ashton.

Also at the event will be mathematician Professor Hinke Osinga, MNZM artist Dick Frizzel and 4Phase Gaming creative director Morgana Watson and her team with a Māori roleplaying game.

Other countries represented are Korea, Romania, America, Argentina, Germany, Morocco, France, Cuba, Canada, Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, Italy, Niger, India, Pakistan, Zambia, Belize and Senegal.

Embrace and explore the world and its cultures in New Plymouth’s Bowl of Brooklands Park at WOMAD 2023. Tickets are available on ticketspace.nz.

Enjoy the different cultures at WOMAD 2023 in New Plymouth this coming March

Creativity encouraged in lead-up to festival

by Denise Gunn

creative air.

Since its debut in 2018, the festival has grown and developed to become a highlight on the rural calendar. Each year, thousands of people visit to view the wide range of entries.

The Kimbolton Arts and Sculpture Trust hopes previous visitors to the festival have been inspired to have a go at creating their own sculptures for the festival.

“If you were a spectator in 2021 and enjoyed seeing all the creations, we would like to encourage you to make 2023 your year as a participant, a maker of your own dreamed-up marvel,” said trust chairman Tony Waugh.

“We dare everyone to try. Being creative can increase positive emotions, reduce depressive symptoms and anxiety, and improve the function of our immune systems. So please come and join in the festival as it is a celebration of grabbing what’s at hand and having a go.”

Six awards for adults and seven youth awards, with a total of $18,500 in prize money, are up for grabs in the NZ Rural Sculpture Awards. A wide range of classes are available, including the rsttime Have a Go category.

“It all starts with an idea. Why not use some of that stuff that’s lying around your property and put it to creative use,” said Tony.

“Now is the time to get to your shed and show what you can do. Grab a chainsaw, some welding gear, or just chip away. Start dreaming, start plotting, and most importantly, start making.

“You never know what you can do unless you try. You might even be able to sell your creation.”

Inspiration and the criteria for speci c awards can be found on the festival’s website ruralart.nz. Further ideas are available at #kimsculpture on Instagram.

Tony said materials commonly found on farms, such as recycled farm machinery or scrap metal, steel, wood, plastic materials, wire netting, fencing wire or used plastic containers, could be used for sculptures. Register your intent to enter the NZ Rural Sculpture Awards by lling out

the entry form at ruralart.nz/sculptorproposal. Entries close Sunday, March 24 2023.

The Kimbolton Sculpture Festival will be held on Saturday, April 1 2023, at the Kimbolton Sports Domain. Gates open at 9am.

Sculptors are encouraged to enter the Kimbolton Sculpture Festival

by Denise Gunn

Owner/manager Bruce Savage established the business from the ground up in 1986 after completing his apprenticeship with Dennis Fowler Electrical and Refrigeration.

“I had this crazy idea to start my own business. When I rst started out, I was xing VCR recorders and the odd electrical, factory or washing machine repair. It went from there,” said Bruce.

Bruce’s Electrical and Refrigeration now covers commercial, industrial, domestic and electronic installations and repairs.

“We are more than maintenance and breakdowns. Due to the skill factor and quali cations, we cover more than the average electrician does. This includes whiteware, fridges, household wiring, switchboards and power points, and we are available for weekend call-outs.”

A call-out fee is charged for whiteware repairs on weekends. Installing, servicing and steam cleaning heat pumps are another aspect of the business.

With a mobile workshop in his truck, Bruce has an extensive amount of equipment onboard when visiting sites. Mobile eftpos is also available in the van.

“We’ve got an elderly discount too, and normally give them discount on their fridges.”

Travelling throughout the Whanganui, Ohakune, Hunterville and Waiouru areas, Bruce is often called to repair farmer’s cool rooms, chillers and service cowsheds.

“We install a lot of CCTV cameras on farms to protect property. We also

do security alarms installation and maintenance,” he said.

After completing speci c jobs, Bruce follows up with a phone call to the customer. “I like to know that everything is correct and the customer is happy. We have a lot of return customers who keep coming back.

Next year, Bruce intends to employ another tradesperson or apprentice to help spread the workload. That will enable some time off to further pursue his scuba-diving and shing interests.

“I teach scuba-diving now then and decided to nalise my dive master ticket.

I’ve been scuba-diving for about 35 odd years.”

Bruce said customers are pleased with the work carried out by his electrical business. “We get on well with customers. I stand by what I x and enjoy what I’m doing.”

Phone 021 439 137 to discuss all your electrical requirements with Bruce.

the past 36 years, Bruce’s Electrical and Refrigeration has earned

domestic and electronic services in the wider Whanganui region.

Bruce’s Electrical and Refrigeration owner-manager Bruce Savage covers commercial, industrial, domestic and electronic installations and repairs

WATER MATTERS

76%

Small rural water supplies

by Andy Bryenton

Part of the debate swirling around Three Waters reform issues has been the impact on small water suppliers; many of these are farms with a bore or dam supplying two or three dwellings.

The biggest hurdle for farmers and rural people, which will be thrown up by Three Waters reforms does not concern the monolithic entities posited to run all municipal water amenities. Instead, the issue comes from water safety watchdog Taumata Arowai, which initially appeared to require all water sources serving two or more houses to meet stringent new testing requirements at a level akin to municipalities.

Federated Farmers said that its ‘worst fears about the definition of a water supplier’ were justified after the reading of the government’s Water Services bill. It was their estimate that approximately 75,000 drinking water suppliers could be impacted, including most farms. The requirements on these suppliers went above and beyond the level of water health assurance recommended for the average rural household in both scope and cost.

“We asked for anyone supplying less than 50 people to be exempted, but in the end, we were not heard,” Federated Farmers president Andrew Hoggard

said. “If water suppliers were able to treat water at the end-point by attaching treatment units to homes, it would not be so daunting. Still, that will not be an acceptable solution under the legislation.”

It would appear to be the outcome of recent changes, which fall in line with the Rural Drinking Water Programme. It has recently passed into law as of November 2022. While this programme sets standards for water health, it also offers funding to get the job done. A sum of $20 million has been set aside specifically to upgrade water treatment systems for rural marae, kāinga and kōhanga reo. A further $10 million has been set aside specifically for private drinking water suppliers that are notfor-profit in areas of high vulnerability. The funding acknowledges the historical inequities of access to safe drinking water in rural areas.

Bill Bayfield, chief executive of Taumata Arowai, addressed concerns that small suppliers may face huge monitoring and treatment infrastructure costs. His last day will be January 27

2023, following his resignation in late September.

“In bigger cities or towns, councilsupplied drinking water is treated before it goes into the pipes that take it to your house, but for these small communities who are supplying water, it’s equally important that we have safe drinking water, but we don’t need to treat water that, for example, is going to be used for stock or irrigation or force expensive treatment systems on small numbers of households,” said Mr Bayfield.

Bill Bayfield

Discovering

by Andy Bryenton

In ancient times, priests were tasked with finding water sources; in places such as Egypt and Sumeria, water was considered a sacred gift, and wells were ordained by a ceremony. It’s very likely that the success of these divinations was more to do with religious leaders knowing how to read the signs of underground water, such as spots where wild palm trees grew or areas that remained green in summer.

Through the Middle Ages and into the present day, many people have sworn by the power of water dowsers, who claim to find underground water with the help of a pendulum, forked stick or pair of l-shaped wires. Some water-finders produce consistently good results, confounding sceptical thinkers, but the US National Groundwater Association opines that ‘controlled experimental evidence clearly indicates that the method is without scientific basis’. Its theory is that water dowsers, like those priests of old, have a knack for reading the lay of the land and that their forked sticks and other tools are props.

Hydrogeologists use science alone to find water underground, relying on

lies beneath

the field when they arrived with the era of flight. Hydrogeologists could trace linear features in the landscape that could indicate fractures in the rock, the edge of different zones of minerals, and even underground streams.

While the specialist skills of such an expert are often needed to drill a successful well in uncharted territory, local well drillers will often have a good knowledge of the underground strata in the area where they work, helping them get the job done through experience more than experiment.

Well drillers can tap into hidden resources and install a bore that will last the distance, but first, they need to pinpoint the best place to drill

knowledge of how aquifers form in porous rock. Sedimentary rocks like sandstone and porous rocks like limestone are apt to hold water reserves, and the shape of hills and valleys will often suggest where underwater reservoirs can be found.

Aerial maps proved a game-changer for

The ultimate tool for finding underground water is thoroughly modern. Still, it’s unlikely to be deployed to help construct a new bore or well for your farm. Ground penetrating tomography that fires waves of energy into the earth, and records the signals which bounce back can detect water from far above. Some satellites are even sensitive enough to minor shifts in the planet’s gravity field that they can detect the movement of underground water from space.

Ode from a water tank

by The Rural Laureate

I am the unsung hero of the Kiwi countryside. In concrete, plastic, and in iron, you’ll find me nationwide. Sworn at when I’m empty, but forgotten when I’m brimming. Without my help there’d be no homebrew, no bubble baths or swimming.

If I’m kept from cracking up, or rust, I’m good and watertight

I’ll hold more litres than the local pub on Friday night

And while you humans quench your thirst with milkshakes from a straw

I’m prone to gulp down 50,000 litres from the bore

They say I have a belly; well — I’m usually quite round

The farmer slaps my side to hear my level from the sound

Or looks up, where a floating orange ball provides the proof

That through the winter’s storms I’ve drunk the rain right off the roof

Now, on that little note, I have some grumbles and some mutters

About the leaves and bird-poop which come swirling down the gutters

Not to mention mice, and things less nice, you wouldn’t want to drink

It’s up to ME to keep that kind of stink out of your sink!

To help me out, I’ve usually got a filter keeping guard,

So go on, switch it out, you’ll find it’s really not too hard.

And please, guys, keep my lid on - it’s really quite a panic

When a possum gets inside and goes the way of the ‘Titanic’.

Sometime’s there’ll come a season when I give all that I’ve got

It’s usually a summer — one that’s extra-blazing hot

The level get quite low, and that’s the perfect time for cleaning

A healthy scrub inside and out; you fellers get my meaning.

Then it’s time to call my trusty friend, the local water tanker

The driver never hears me, but I gurgle as I thank her

And I keep that water cool despite the sunshine on my top

When you could fry an egg up there, or get your corn to pop.

When visitors and rellies call, there’s limits to my powers

I wasn’t made to give the whole clan never-ending showers

And if your auntie needs to soak for hours to feel pretty

Inform her gently she can do that — back home in the city.

See, aside from all of this, a water tank has got it made

My life is cool and comfortable, cats lounging in my shade

I can gossip with the garage, ask the shed ‘bout each machine.

And I know to never, EVER ask the longdrop what it’s seen!

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Ranfurly Manor have 74 rest home or hospital level care rooms available. In addition, we have a 25bed centre for specialised dementia level care. This provides for residents who need to be cared for in a restricted / secure environment with specialist Dementia trained staff.

Rest home or hospital level care is also offered in any of our 53 residential care apartments. These rooms include a private lounge, en-suite and kitchenette. Residents of these rooms enter into an Occupancy Rights Agreement (ORA) whereby you purchase the rights to live in that apartment. They are available as single or double bedroom apartments to suit married couples or partners, siblings or good friends.

While RRCC’s main focus is on offering premium residential care services, we also have independent living villas. These are ideal for individuals or couples looking to downsize, are still able to live relatively independently, but want the advantages and conveniences of having a care

facility and help nearby.

Residents in these units purchase an Occupancy Rights Agreement. There is a monthly corporate maintenance fee (which includes a gardener if required and any maintenance work). Rates and Building Insurance paid by Ranfurly Manor.

1 or 2 double bedrooms with double wardrobes

Laundry located in the large garage

100m2 approximately (including garage)

Purchase price includes floor coverings, curtains, dishwasher and stove

Walk-in shower (no step up into the shower)

Heating supplied by heat pump

Brick building – low maintenance with small lawn and garden area

Call bell connected to Ranfurly Manor rest home facility for safety/security

Meals available at Ranfurly Manor rest home facility for a small cost

Able to join activities with Ranfurly Manor residents.

Prices range from $360,000.00 to $485,000.00 These are being pre-sold and won’t last long.