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Daffodil Day raises crucial funds for cancer
Did you know that one in three New Zealanders will get cancer at
The Central Districts Cancer Society supports more than 500 rural cancer patients each year. Your donation this Daffodil Day will help provide direct support to those in our rural and farming communities with cancer.
It
If you’d like to support the Cancer Society this Daffodil Day by making a donation, volunteering to collect at a stall, or signing up your school or workplace to fundraise, go to cancersocietycd.org.
The Central Districts Cancer Society supports more than 500 rural cancer patients each year
Volunteers make all the difference in helping to fundraise for Daffodil Day
Horizons welcomes management ideas
Ideas to help shape the management of Tōtara Reserve for the next decade are sought by Horizons Regional Council.
Located north of Ashhurst in the Pohangina Valley, the 340ha Tōtara Reserve is the Manawatū-Whanganui region’s only regional park. The reserve includes native forest with ecologically rare habitat remnants and large tracts of indigenous forest.
Tōtara Reserve Advisory Board chair Fiona Gordon said Horizons was given stewardship of the reserve in 2012. An asset management plan followed in 2014 to provide direction on how the reserve would be managed.
“Under the Reserves Act 1977, we are required to continually review the plan, and we would like to hear the community’s ideas to help us do this.”
“We are asking the community, whether they are campers or day visitors, to let us know what Tōtara Reserve means to them, where they think we should focus our efforts, what new developments they would like to see, or if they don’t visit Tōtara Reserve, what’s been holding them back,” said Councillor Gordon.
“The engagement survey is the first step of a two-part process. Feedback from the survey will help us draft a new reserve management plan, which we will then ask the community to provide further comment on.”
Tōtara Reserve’s facilities for campers and day visitors includes a network of walking tracks, various picnic areas,
barbecues and campgrounds beside the Pohangina River. The two campgrounds within the reserve, Kererū on the northern side and Kahikatea over the road to the east, have toilet and shower facilities with wheelchair access.
The campgrounds are usually open during the summer months
Popular swimming holes and fishing spots in the Pohangina River are near both campgrounds. Local iwi also
have a deep history associated with the area. The engagement survey is open for feedback from Monday, July 1 to Sunday, August 4 2024. Further information and the online survey are available at haveyoursay.horizons.govt.nz.
Ideas for Tōtara Reserve management are sought from the community from Labour Weekend until Easter. Powered and non-powered sites are available.
DRAWN TO DAIRYING
TBY DENISE GUNN
he 22-year-old grew up on a 200acre sheep and beef farm near Rongotea, living there for nine years.
“For three years in between, my family and I lived in a mining town in Australia. At the age of 12, we moved on to a lifestyle block to be closer to town for our sport,” said Charlotte.
With a love of the outdoors, all Charlotte’s previous jobs directed her towards farming. However, throughout high school she never considered farming as a career despite having an agricultural background.
“All my friends went to uni but I couldn’t decide on a degree as I had too many varied interests. So I gave myself a gap year to travel and have more time to decide.”
Covid-19 curtailed Charlotte’s travel plans. She didn’t take up her previously considered career options either.
“I went in the opposite direction, cleaning a vet office as my first job, relief milking, working in kennels and raising pups to grading potatoes and then eggs. I found myself milking goats, and then finally worked in a kiwifruit orchard before I landed on my current farm milking cows.”
It was while Charlotte was thinning kiwifruit in Te Puke that her uncle phoned with a job opportunity.
“His neighbours own a dairy farm where his eldest daughter, my cousin, relief milked at the time. They had mentioned they were in need of a new dairy assistant, and he thought of me.”
Owning cows is one of Charlotte’s long-term goals
The following day, Charlotte was on the phone accepting the job at Bendymere Dairies near Feilding. A herd of 400 Friesian, Jersey and Kiwi-cross cows are
milked on the 175ha farm. Charlotte said she has been fortunate to have had opportunities to progress in her career there.
A phone call from an uncle led to Charlotte Thompson’s first permanent position in the dairy industry, starting out as a dairy assistant near Feilding.
In her role as 2IC, Charlotte has so far trained two workmates in dairy assistant positions
“As our farm is on the smaller side, we only have two of us, plus the farm owner working on-farm. After just short of a year working on-farm, I was given the choice, on whether I felt comfortable taking the role of 2IC, as my 2IC was about to go on maternity leave.
“With the ongoing learning through my Primary ITO classes, as well as the calm and supportive environment my boss creates on-farm, I was confident to accept the opportunity.”
Since taking on the 2IC position, Charlotte has trained two workmates in dairy assistant roles, and she continues to learn.
“There’s nothing I love more than getting outside and doing some physical work. I love how active my job is. I’m always getting my steps in.
“I love getting cows in under pretty sunrises, and I love the problem-solving that comes with the day-to-day work. Still, I can’t forget my cows. I’ve got way too many friends, and they are always putting a smile on my face.”
Charlotte finds calving to be a mix of the best days on-farm, and, sometimes, the most-demanding, with earlier starts to the day, longer working days, introducing heifers to the shed and cups, along with working in the rain and mud.
“Training new workmates during this period can also be challenging, as there’s a lot going on and a lot to learn. The big thing to focus on to manage these challenges is to simply listen to your body.”
Charlotte said although calving can be the most challenging time of the year, there are ways to help.
“Plus, happy calves, happy cows and happy workmates can make anything better.”
Last year, Charlotte won the Hopkins Farming Group Emerging Talent Award in the Dairy Trainee of the Year section at the 2023 Manawatu Dairy Industry Awards.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all, as I only entered with the goal of learning about what I do know and learning even more about what I don’t.”
She’s found stepping into the role of treasurer for the Marton Young Farmers recently has given her a deeper financial understanding, which she feels will help in the future. The club is heavily involved in fundraising and helping local farmers.
“My long-term goal in the dairy industry is to one day own my own cows, and you bet every one of them will have a name.”
Bendymere Dairies covers 175ha near Feilding
Brenda was raised on sheep and cattle stations around the North Island. Her father dabbled in sheepdog trials and Brenda used to go with him.
TO SHEEPDOG TRIALS SERVICES
A long-standing and dedicated commitment to sheepdog
In 1980, Brenda moved to Whangamōmona when her father took up a manager’s position on Coxhead Estate.
“I got more into the sport and competed at my first trial with a heading dog at the old Egmont sheepdog trial ground, inland
“I got and broke in my first heading dog at 15 years. I diverted away from dogs for a few years, then, once I started working on stations and farms, my interest grew,” she said.
from Hāwera. I liberated sheep there for 13 years.”
Later, Brenda became secretary of the Taranaki Indoor Showring Club, holding that job for eight years before becoming entry secretary. She said this was a huge job with a lot of organisation involved.
When Brenda married Keady O’Leary in 2001, the pair farmed at Patea until moving to a small property near Whanganui 10 years later. Brenda joined the ParaparaMakirikiri Club (Wanganui Centre) and was promptly made secretary. In 2012, Brenda was selected as promotions officer for the Wanganui Centre and thoroughly enjoys this position.
“That must be the funniest appointment of a promotions officer ever,” said Brenda.
“The then Wanganui Centre president Paul Evans was chatting with me at the Ohingaiti Tux Yarding Challenge.
“He said ‘you are it’ to which I replied ‘I am what?’ — ‘Promotion officer’ he said. I have thoroughly enjoyed the job,” said Brenda.
BY DENISE GUNN
She also covers events in other centres, particularly when Wanganui Centre competitors feature and no one has a camera handy.
Credit: Teresa Newton Sheepdog triallist Brenda O’Leary with her husband Keady
trials has seen Brenda O’Leary presented with a life membership of the Wanganui Sheep Dog Trial Centre.
“I find it really rewarding promoting our wonderful sport.”
Brenda likes to include all people and their dogs, and their achievements whether they are big or small.
“Most importantly the people behind the scenes,” she said. “Some of them have never run dogs but put in the hard yards volunteering hours setting up courses, preparing groups, working sheep and liberating on the day.”
Brenda is a full-time competitor at hill trials and show events. She has also been a judge since 2009. She said most years she does more than three hill trials and has done her fair share of show trials. These include three Tux Yarding Challenges, two trans-Tasman trials and three centre championships.
“I’ve had some OK dogs. Tote won three opens.”
When Brenda’s father passed away she took over his dog, Tote’s mother Sally.
“Sally and I had some good trials and years together,” she said. “The first dog I won an open with was a fiery little dog called Pat.”
Brenda said her competition highlight so far was the year she qualified three dogs for the championships when held at Omarama for the last time.
“Despite having been to a few championships over the years, sadly, I found it quite overwhelming, and let my dogs down by lacking confidence.”
She did, however, enjoy her first championship with her dog Gleam in the 1990s.
“He was such a good dog.”
Being involved in all aspects of the sheepdog trials has given Brenda a full understanding of the sport.
“I love that there are so many women involved in the sport. When I started out, it was not the norm to see women competing in great numbers as they do today.”
Keady’s first introduction to the sport was being dragged up the hill at the Waverley trials to help liberate sheep for eight hours on a shorthead course. Brenda was a club member for 13 years. Brenda said Keady has been very supportive over the years, often scribing for her when judging and helping out at dog trials.
Centre president Bruce Parkinson presented Brenda with the life membership badge.
“It is quite an honour to be made a life member and very humbling,” said Brenda.
“We don’t do these jobs for badges. We just do them because we all need to have an input if our sport is to flourish and survive.”
With two promising dogs in her kennels, Brenda plans to get them both to the North Island Championships next year.
Brenda competing at the 2023 Waverley A&P Show
20"
FENCING IN FINE FORM
BY DENISE GUNN
Josh grew up on a 200ha, 620-cow Foxton dairy farm where his parents are variable order shareholders. The couple also own a 600-acre drystock farm in the upper Pohangina Valley.
“Growing up, I spent lots of time working on both farms, especially the drystock farm, as that was in need of major upgrades
to the existing fencing, tracks and water reticulation system,” said Josh.
“When my parents first bought their drystock farm in 2019, the fencing was in major need of repair. So we spent a summer, and many weekends and holidays, fixing and installing new fencing to get the farm stock-proof and manageable again.
A farming background, along with a secondary school work experience course with a fencer, guided Josh Berry towards following a career in the fencing industry.
“Then, in my Year 11 at school, I did a work experience course there, and was given the opportunity to work for a fencer during school breaks. So, I did that until I could get my motorbike licence, and then was offered a full-time job fencing for the same guy, Hayden Hazlitt of Camlitt Fencing.”
Although Josh considered an engineering career, he enjoyed working outdoors on farms, and fencing came top of that list. In 2021, Josh began working for Camlitt Fencing. A year later, he was given the opportunity to go out fencing on his own. Josh established Offroad Fencing in September 2022, and has steadily built the business since.
In addition to the range of fencing available, Josh has extended the services available to include landscaping,
excavation and digger work. He now employs a team of five — four fencers and one full-time landscaper.
CALF REARING 2024
Josh established his own fencing business two years ago
Branching into pole sheds and retaining walls has also enabled his team to offer a more complete service to clients. Work takes the team everywhere between Paraparaumu to Apiti, Feilding across to Dannevirke and further afield.
Josh finds the most challenging part of fencing is receiving a request for a type of fencing that isn’t usually offered by the business, such as aluminium security fencing or gabion crates.
“In which case, we work closely with people who have dealt with this. If one of my staff has done it before we take advice from them and they lead us.”
Staff training and upskilling is ongoing. The team also attend fencing days to further their knowledge in the industry. Skills, safety, product knowledge and physical fitness are an essential part of the job. The fitness aspect is particularly put to the test when the team works on hill country.
“Especially, where we can’t get the tractor and have to do everything by hand.”
Josh said looking at a finished fence at the end of every project, combined with a satisfied client, are rewarding aspects of the job.
“My goals are to ensure that every job we complete is top-quality, stands the conditions and the testament of time. We love taking on new and exciting projects. Everything from a new fence to excavation, to pole sheds and landscaping.”
So far, working on the Te Ahu a Turanga — Manawatū Tararua Highway is one of Josh’s career highlights.
“We have done a lot of work up there from conventional fencing, deer-netting to security fencing, posts and rails and railing around culvert headwalls.”
For those keen to start fencing, Josh suggests the ideal way is to apply for a job.
“If you’re still at school, talk to a careers adviser about doing fencing one day a week for someone as a way of gathering experience.”
He also recommends phoning a fencing company to ask about the possibility of
doing some work. When he isn’t fencing, Josh enjoys helping his parents on their drystock farm.
“I also play rugby for Te Kawau Rugby Club on a Saturday, and enjoy getting out hunting as often as I can.”
Phillip Cockery OWNER
Working in the fencing industry ticks all the boxes for Josh
Fencing on hill country and gullies puts physical fitness to the test
Biomethane study helmed by top minds
by Andy Bryenton
The government has appointed a panel of respected scientists and academics to investigate biogenic methane and establish a target for reducing its emission to a level consistent with no additional warming.
The biogenic methane cycle is important to calculating New Zealand’s stance on climate change. It’s sometimes been oversimplified or represented poorly. In reality, biogenic methane has complex interactions with the plants grown to sustain livestock, the atmosphere and the wider environment.
A serious deep-dive study has been called for. The government has empanelled Professor David Frame, Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher, Dr Laura Revell and Professor Bill Collins, along with Massey University’s Professor Nicola Shadbolt as chair.
“Cabinet has approved five appointees to the independent ministerial advisory panel, including its chair, Nicola Shadbolt, who in addition to being a former climate change commissioner is a respected farmer, academic and director with extensive governance experience,” said Climate Change Minister Simon Watts.
“The panel’s members are highlyregarded climate and atmospheric scientists with extensive domestic and international experience on climate change and biogenic methane.”
The panel members bring extensive New Zealand and international scientific
experience across atmospheric physics and chemistry, understanding and quantifying greenhouse gas emissions, and climate modelling
They have been tasked with providing advice on what New Zealand’s domestic 2050 biogenic methane target should be, consistent with the principle of no additional warming. A report will come back to the government by the end of the year.
It’s a move welcomed by rural industry advocacy group Beef + Lamb New Zealand.
“The scientific understanding of methane, its warming impact and how it should be dealt with from a policy perspective has evolved over the past few years,” says B+LNZ chairperson, Kate Acland.
“We’ve long argued that the targets should be based on no additional warming and this review will enable New Zealand to take a proper look at what the targets should be. Farmers want to feel confident that targets are underpinned by the appropriate science.“
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay says that the purpose of this research is to do the right thing for the planet and the Kiwi rural economy.
“The government is committed to meeting our climate change obligations without shutting down Kiwi farms. We need to make sure our targets are fair and sustainable,” Mr McClay says.
“New Zealand farmers are some of the world’s most carbon-efficient food producers. It doesn’t make sense to send jobs and production overseas, while less carbon-efficient countries produce the food the world needs.”
Climate Change Minister Simon Watts has called a panel of heavyweight academic and scientific minds to assess the impact of biogenic methane
Crush protection device incentive launched
With the launch of the Safer Rides new incentive programme, farmers are encouraged to install crush protection devices on their quad bikes to reduce harm on-farm.
Safer Rides is part of Safer Farms’ Farm Without Harm strategy. This agricultural industry-led organisation is dedicated to leading and inspiring a safer farm culture throughout New Zealand, ultimately preventing injuries and fatalities on-farm.
Twenty-two quad bike-related fatalities occurred in New Zealand between 2019 to 2023 with most involving rollovers and steep grades. In an effort to encourage farmers to install crush protection devices on their quad bikes, Safer Farms, Rabobank, ANZCO Foods, LIC, Craigmore Sustainables and PGG Wrightson have teamed up with retailers Trax Equipment and Quadbar to offer a discount of up to 75%.
The crush protection device is designed to provide space underneath an upturned quad bike by spreading the weight of the bike to create room for survival or allowing the bike to roll off the occupant.
Wairarapa farmer and Farm Without Harm ambassador Lindy Nelson said Safer Rides reduces the cost of making quad bikes safer, with the aim of urgently addressing the high number of fatalities on farms.
“Quad bikes can be great workhorses for farmers, so making sure existing ones are made safer is one of the areas we are addressing. We’re focussing on crush protection devices right now as farmers and members have told us they work and have saved lives,” said Lindy.
“We know farmers are under financial pressure right now. This is practical support that means cost shouldn’t get in the way of safety.
“Vehicle harm, particularly quads, is a leading cause of death but also near misses, which could become a serious injury or fatality.
“We urgently need to make fail-safe solutions more available. The past year has been our deadliest yet for ATV-related fatalities in New Zealand, with the majority involving roll-overs.”
Lindy said Farm Without Harm recognises that solving this problem is going to require all of industry coming together.
“The Safer Rides programme is a practical way the industry is supporting farmers.”
Farmers will be able to apply for a heavily discounted crush protection device via a redeemable voucher to the value of $400. Almost half of the retail price is covered by Safer Rides. Rabobank and Safer Farms are piloting the incentive with an initial 100 discount vouchers available. Participating retailers are also providing a further 15% discount.
Further information and applications for a crush protection device discount code are available at farmwithoutharm.co.nz/ saferrides. Farmers are also welcome to provide feedback, sharing why crush protection devices have been the right choice for them at info@saferfarms.org.nz.
Spotless Glass For The Future
Can my joints improve?
by John Arts, founder of Abundant Health Ltd
I have been working with someone who has had problems with his knees; he had damaged one knee some time ago.
In more recent times, his ‘good’ knee had started to deteriorate from osteoarthritis. Eventually, his ‘good’ knee became worse than the knee damaged in an accident.
During a monthly review, he told me the results were amazing. He has much less pain and is more mobile. He has come from a position where working was becoming increasingly dif cult to now being more con dent about the future.
There are several lessons we can learn from this. The rst is that our bodies have an extraordinary ability to heal. However, this healing is dependent on the smooth operation of our healing systems.
In many cases, healing is restricted because the body system designed to heal the damage is somehow faulty or has stopped functioning. The outcome of this is always disease.
In this case, we made several changes. The rst is to try and identify foods that either cause in ammation or in some way restrict healing. Two of the most important groups of
nutrients are fats, because they govern the inflammatory pathways, and antioxidants, because they protect our cells from damage.
We can also cheat a bit but in a good way. I see effective Joint health supplements as the ultimate cheat. We can target speci c compounds that have a direct therapeutic function in sore joints. Doing so can often reverse the discomfort and reduction in mobility by adding therapeutic levels of chondroitin sulphate to greatly impact the health and stability of cartilage.
Adding water-soluble curcumin (from turmeric) we can reduce in ammation and swelling in the joint capsule. Next edition, we continue this discussion and look at the second lesson we can learn.
John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv. Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423 559 or email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his all new newsletter at abundant.co.nz.
What is Bettaflex?
• Bettaflex is a joint support formula to promote healthy joint cartilage function
• Bettaflex has 400mg (per capsule) of high-grade avian chondroitin, 400mg of glucosamine and 100mg of BioSolve® bioavailable Curcumin (from turmeric).
• Try Bettaflex for 3 months and see for yourself.
How can Bettaflex help?
• Chondroitin and glucosamine are building blocks of cartilage.
• Supplementation with correct levels can support healthy cartilage function and cartilage repair processes.
• New BioSolve® bioavailable curcumin helps joint function while gentle on the stomach.
• Research indicates that chondroitin is highly effective at 800mg daily.
John Arts comments:
“My latest Bettaflex formula includes BioSolve® bioavailable curcumin for faster results. The normal dose is 2 capsules daily but I recommend an initial higher dose for 1-3 bottles to saturate join tissue.”
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SPOTLIGHT ON LEVIN
Levin athletes to represent New Zealand
by Denise Gunn
Four multisport athletes from Levin have been selected to represent
Lisa Horn, Nathamian Taru, JanMaree Brown and Mike Ball follow their own training schedules but often see each other while out cycling, running or swimming.
Next month, Nathamian Taru will line up for the start of the World Triathlon Multisport World Championships in Townsville. Nathamian first became involved in the sport while working as a physical education teacher when his pupils were taking part.
As a teenager, Nathamian worked on a milk run, which kept him fit. The 50-year-old has found his fitness levels
return since taking up and training for multisport. Nathamian’s international sporting debut will see him compete in a long distance triathlon which includes a 3km swim, 120km cycle and 30km run.
Retired retailer Jan-Maree Brown began training for her first women’s triathlon 30 years ago. The 60-year-old has since competed internationally, representing New Zealand six times and winning a gold medal in Spain in 2012.
Since completing her first Ironman competition at 48, Jan-Maree has gone on to clock up 12 full Ironman and 21 halfIronman events. She has also competed
as an individual and as part of a team in four Coast to Coast multi-sport events. In December, Jan-Maree will represent New Zealand in her age group in Taupō, competing in the Half-Ironman World Championships. This event consists of a 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and 21.2km run.
MyRide bike shop owner Lisa Horn began multisport a few years ago after competing in the Kāpiti Women’s Triathlon.
“I would like other women to believe in themselves. I started out at a small women’s triathlon,” said Lisa.
“As my girls inspired me to compete, this led to half and then full Ironman, and now, Xterra Worlds. You can be a mum, run a business and compete at the top level.
“I enjoy being able to challenge myself, set goals and break them, and inspire women to achieve their goals.”
The 49-year-old will travel to Italy in September to represent New Zealand at the Xterra World Championship off-road triathlon to be held at Lake Molveno. The Xterra World Championship covers a 1.5km swim in Lake Molveno, a 32km uphill mountain bike ride between Molveno and Andalo, and a 10km uphill offroad run around the lake.
Already a four-time competitor in the Coast to Coast, traversing the width of the South Island by running, kayaking and cycling, Mike Ball then set his sights on triathlons. However, first he had to learn how to swim, which he did at 52. In 2015, he competed in his first triathlon. Six months later, he completed his first half-Ironman competition and the following year a full Ironman. The 61-year-old fits his training schedule around working as a plasterer. He will represent New Zealand in Kona, Hawaii, in October, competing in his age division at the Ironman World Championships.
MyRide bike shop owner Lisa Horn will represent New Zealand at the Xterra World Championship off-road triathlon in Italy in September
A century in business
It’s a big year for the team at Trotter Contracting Ltd as they celebrate 100 years in business; the Trotter family has been contracting in the Horowhenua region since 1924.
The company was started by William (Bill) Trotter, who pioneered contracting in the region by ploughing for the Chinese market gardeners in the Ohau area. After the war, much of the land in the Horowhenua was being broken in. Bill and his son Peter did a lot of the early development work in the region.
Today, third-generation Garry Trotter runs the business, with his son, Rowan, a quali ed diesel mechanic, taking care of the eet maintenance and overseeing the harvesting arm of the business.
Based in Levin, one of the company’s services is the bulk top dressing of all types of fertilisers, including lime, which is transported from Hatuma Lime Co in Waipukurau. Trotter Contracting operates four fertiliser spreaders and has a Ravensdown consignment store and weighbridge in Koputaroa near Levin. The company also completes spreading work out of the Ballance
store at Shannon. Its customers extend to large farms, market gardens and lifestylers.
The busy summer months see the company moving around the district harvesting round and square baleage, hay and grass silage. In the autumn, the
company shifts its focus to maize silage, and it’s a busy time for the spreaders with autumn maintenance applications.
Trotter Contracting also offers ploughing, cultivation work, drilling and transportation and other services. The business runs a eet of 13 trucks, including two truck and trailer units for bulk cartage.
The past 100 years have seen many changes, but for managing director, Garry, one thing remains the same: the company’s commitment to provide excellent service to its customers.
“Customers don’t have to wait long, weather permitting, for us to come and do their job. We’ve been around a long time, we know the land and we know the people. In fact, some of our customers have been with us for years and we’re proud to have helped generations of farmers.”
They look forward to many more years operating in the Horowhenua with the next generation lined up to carry on the legacy of the late William Trotter.
Trotter Contracting is celebrating a century serving the rural community in Horowhenua
Let’s get you calf ready!
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SPOTLIGHT ON LEVIN
Council calls for contractors to join panel
Local contractors are invited to put forward proposals to join the Horowhenua District Council’s Trade Services Panel.
This newly-established panel offers opportunities for businesses to engage in council projects, supporting the parks and property team in the maintenance of its facilities and open spaces to a consistently high standard.
Proposals are sought from builders, glaziers, flooring, plumbers and gasfitters, painters and decorators, general engineering, electricians, sign writers, roofers and concreters.
The Trades Services Panel will be called on to swiftly address repair and maintenance jobs that arise within council operations, in a manner that is efficient and cost-effective for the community. It includes responding to urgent situations. When emergencies strike, timely responses are crucial to enable the council to continue to provide services to Horowhenua.
Applicants will be evaluated based on their call-out rates, response times, relevant experience, track record, skills and resources, general capability and local impact. Emphasis will be given to
local businesses that demonstrate an ability to provide value to the ratepayer through their services. The evaluation process guarantees that the most qualified, cost-effective and reliable services providers make the cut.
Chief executive Monique Davidson expressed the significant benefits of implementing a panel, highlighting enhanced efficiencies and cost savings.
“With the establishment of a Trades Services Panel, we gain clearer insights into costs and timelines, enabling us to optimise job management, particularly in urgent situations.
“Given the diverse scope of work, this opportunity is suited to both individual contractors and larger enterprises.”
Parks and property manager Lacey Winiata advised that businesses interested in applying should service the Horowhenua district and be available to respond promptly to urgent requests.
“We are eager to hear from as many trade services as possible. We have streamlined the process to be user-
friendly, while ensuring the council receives the necessary information to make informed decisions.
“If you have any questions or need more details about the panel or process, please don’t hesitate to get in touch,” she said.
To apply, visit horowhenua.govt.nz/ Services/Business-Services/TradeServices-Panel and fill in the online form.
Proposals can also be emailed to procurement@horowhenua.govt.nz or printed forms delivered to Horowhenua District Council’s building at 126 Oxford Street, Levin.
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No Moore Hassel Pet Food is an MPI approved and recognised primary meat processor. Based in Levin we offer local farmers a free and highly professional pick-up service for unwanted healthy cows and horses in the Manawatu-Wanganui region.
If you would prefer to transport your animal yourself or have your horse or cow put down on the farm then we can arrange this with a No Hassell guarantee.
About Us
Our in-house processing plant enables us to guarantee the consistent quality and reliability of the process from the picking-up to the putting-down of the animal. As a recognised specialist you can rest assured that our years of expertise and close connection to the farming industry makes our service as convenient, respectful and professional as it can be.
by Denise Gunn
Fun, friends and fitness
Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the Levin Harriers Club, with walkers and runners meeting weekly to take part in organised events.
Club member and treasurer Bob Slade has been involved with Levin Harriers for 22 years. The 83-year-old has run all his life and enjoys the weekly events, which take place in various areas of the Horowhenua and further afield.
“When I joined, we mainly had runners. Nowadays we only have four or five runners and would like more.”
“We are a unique group in that we have people in their 70s or 80s, who perform very well at events around the place,” said Bob.
“A group of half a dozen club members went to the Rotorua Marathon recently, and competed in either the half marathon or 10km. Some members went to the Wellington Marathon.”
Husband and wife, Barry and Pauline Coupland, represented Levin Harriers in the Wellington Marathon. Both 83, the couple were the oldest competitors from a field of around 4,000 over all the events.
Pauline competed in the half marathon as a walker and Barry in the 10km walk.
Bob said Levin Harriers are very strong in the walking events for older people.
“We meet on Saturday mornings at 9.45am for a 10am start. We move around the district for different events.
Usually, it’s on-road but could be beaches, parks, forests, bush, gravel roads or walking tracks. We vary it a lot.”
Levin Harriers rent clubrooms from the Horowhenua AP&I Association, located under the showgrounds grandstand. Quite often, when members have finished their walk or run, they head back to the clubrooms or enjoy gathering in a cafe.
The club also holds an annual crosscountry run and a 7km road championships.
Over 46 years of providing all properties from Kapiti Coast to Manawatu with a reliable, prompt and guaranteed service for all plumbing, drainlaying and gasfitting
Kingston & Kemp Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying team are large enough to take on industrial jobs, and small enough to care for small home plumbing services, you can consider them your one-stop-shop for everything plumbing.
“There are also three other events when you have to estimate the time without a watch or cellphone,” said Bob.
“You are told to go out and come back within one hour and 15 minutes. The person who comes in closest wins.”
The member with the most points over the three events is awarded a trophy. April to the end of October is the official
season but the club also has a summer programme. Bob said with the better weather during summer, Levin Harriers travel further afield to run or walk.
Further information on Levin Harriers is available at levin.harriers.com or email levinharrier@gmail.com.
“We would like more people to come along,” said Bob.
Doug Rowan Riana Smith Kirsty Beatson
Levin Harrier Club members Barry Coupland and Lesley Wallis competing in the 10km walk in the Wellington Marathon
Rural Building/sheds & shelters
by Andy Bryenton
History under the hammer
Some may say that the most important human invention was the wheel, while younger generations would swear it was the mobile phone, but builders might opine that the humble nail is what holds society together.
In the earliest days of building, dowels, dovetails, grooves and joints held wooden structures in place. Nails were an invention of the ancient Egyptians, who made them from bronze for temple building, and erect the big scaffolds used to carve their monuments. This all happened five and a half thousand years ago, but the rest of the world did without for much longer.
The oldest building firm still in existence, Japan’s Kongō Gumi company, spent 40 generations perfecting wooden temple construction in this style.
Famously, the great temple of King Solomon in Jerusalem was said to have been built with no nails at all; every stone
and timber finished perfectly before being assembled on the site.
By Roman times, nails made of iron were commonplace, but they were still made and driven by hand. Blacksmiths poured hot metal into long, square-sided moulds, then clipped off the desired length and hand-hammered the points sharp. Nails were used as currency among the poor of rural Britain in Saxon and mediaeval times; a silver penny from the year 780 was worth exactly 100 nails.
Modern nails and techniques began with the invention of the wire nail in the Victorian era. This innovation didn’t have building in mind but was a response to the need for pins in the growing clothing trade. Tiny nails
were also needed to create cigar boxes and other wooden containers people of that era used instead of plastic containers.
The biggest change in how nails are used came from an unexpected problem, a frustrated engineer and a grandiose dream. The pneumatic nailgun was the invention of Morris Pynoos, who was called upon to build Howard Hughes’ immense wooden aeroplane, the Hercules H-4, otherwise called the Spruce Goose. Conceived as a wager to prove he was the master of aeronautics, the Spruce Goose
was the biggest wooden aircraft ever to fly, and building it was a massive challenge. Morris was tasked with holding the entire huge hull together while the glue that secured it dried. He decided to use nails to pin the boards in place, but hammering them in by hand would be an impossible task. Inspired by the rivet guns of boatbuilders, he developed an airpowered gun to fire the nails in. When the glue was dry he pulled each one out, and the immense aircraft was light enough to get off the ground.
healthy homes start with blown insulation. If cold or damp are words you’d use to describe your home or if you’re tired of high heating bills, insulation is a major part of the solution. While heating solutions seem like the answer, reducing the amount of heat escaping
If Howard Hughes had not tried to build his immense Hercules H-4 out of wood, the nail gun may never have been invented
Rural Building/sheds & shelters
by Andy Bryenton
Wood waste spun into homes
Timber is the building material of choice for many Kiwi builds, used for framing, floors, exterior cladding and many more decorative tasks inside the home.
However, it’s still deployed in a way that our ancestors would recognise: sawn from logs into planks and boards, then nailed into place. It’s a tried-and-true method, but it’s one that’s being questioned by industry innovators, who seek alternatives to try and bust a worldwide housing shortage.
“People can’t find homes, they’re very expensive. We also have an ageing population, so there’s less and less people who are electricians, plumbers or builders,” says Habib Dagher, from the University of Maine, in the northeast US.
Like New Zealand, this part of the world is experiencing a housing squeeze, and like New Zealand, it’s a place that grows a large amount of pine timber. Processing large volumes of wood leads to inevitable wastage, but the University of Maine’s Advanced Structures and Composites Centre (ASCC) has devised a solution.
Printing homes from concrete is a relatively new concept, but it’s happening worldwide, from a whole new 3D-printed neighbourhood in Austin, Texas, to the world’s biggest 3D-printed structure in Dubai. There are problems, though. Concrete printers work onsite and can be stalled by bad weather. They
can also only print walls, with timber used for everything else. ASCC’s design prints whole houses out of wood.
A normal 3D filament printer lays down tiny dots of plastic, layering them into elaborate and durable shapes. The machine Mr Dagher and his colleagues have crafted uses a filament made up of clear resin and particles of wood, processed from what might otherwise become waste. When the machine, the largest of its kind in the world, gets to
work, it creates solid pieces of wood, and not small ones. In 2022, the ASCC unveiled a 55sqm housing module printed in one piece, with external and internal structures all included. Tradies would simply have to add windows, doors, pipes and wires to finish it off.
The machine is not up to full strength yet. A forthcoming next-phase prototype aims to produce one so-called BioHome3d every 48 hours. The modules are made indoors by the immense printer, and can be trucked
out to a site and bolted together to make a large home, or stand alone as a cabin. While this kind of tech will never replace human builders, it’s a look at a future alternative which could increase building flexibility. It’s also a fine option for a nation with massive timber processing capacity, like New Zealand.
The University of Maine’s gigantic 3D printer, designed to print entire houses from wood and resin composite, in one piece
by Liz Clark
Many dairy farms nowadays use herd shelters as standoffs and feed pads for their herds. These shelters have a slatted concrete floor and a bunker beneath to catch the effluent. Light from above allows warmth and keeps the animals well-sheltered in adverse weather.
After being out in the paddock for a few hours, cattle will most often wander back to the shelter and remain there for a good part of the day. With paddocks easily turned to mud after the herd has grazed them, a herd shelter is a viable option.
Shelters play a crucial role in boosting feed efficiency for cattle in general. By keeping the animals warmer, shelters reduce grass consumption requirements during the colder months. More importantly, with stricter animal welfare regulations, shelters are no longer just a luxury but a necessity in modern farming practices.
“More importantly, with stricter animal welfare regulations, shelters are no longer just a luxury but a necessity in modern farming practices.”
In the paddock, cattle near calving need a sheltered area and will often
choose to give birth under a tree or near a shelterbelt if one is available. Planting shelterbelts of mixed natives and exotics fenced off from stock can provide a microclimate where grass will grow better and the soil potentially warmer. Stock benefits by being sheltered from prevailing winds in winter and providing shade in the heat of the summer. Lamb survival rates are higher when ewes are able to birth in a dry, sheltered area out of the wind.
For smaller blocks, a shelter with three sides will provide protection against the elements for stock out in the paddocks. A shelter can be as simple as some stacked hay bales for walls and roofing iron or a structure using posts timber framing and long run roofing iron. Alternatively, kitsets or ready-made shelters are available for purchase from local suppliers. Ensure any shelter provided is free of sharp edges to prevent injuries.
Rural Building/sheds & shelters
by Liz Clark
Housing for equine friends
Keeping horses comes with many responsibilities, including providing adequate shelter to protect them from the heat of summer and the chill of winter.
These days, the move towards providing yards and stalls for horses on properties has been more the domain of lifestyle blocks or stud farms and training facilities. However, in the last few decades, companies have sprung up providing solutions for housing equines, from pre-planned designs to portable stalls to fit into an existing building. Size matters when it comes to loose boxes. Allow a minimum of 3.6m x 3.6m for an average-sized riding horse, but much larger for taller breeds. If plans are in place for breeding, the foaling boxes, too, should be at least four by four metres or larger to allow room for the mare to lie down during the foaling process. It also will provide adequate space for the mare and foal afterwards. Ceiling height matters. While 2.4m would be adequate for ponies and miniature horses, a much greater height is needed for animals more than 14.2hh. Allow at least 3.6m or higher, if possible, for full-sized horses.
When designing a horse stall, it’s crucial to consider several factors. The door should be 1.2m wide and open outwards into the yard or breezeway between stalls. Natural light during daylight hours, along with adequate ventilation and drainage, are essential for a healthy living environment. The stall should also be well-sheltered from adverse weather conditions, with provision for shade during the day. The floor should be a non-slip, flat surface, and drainage should be provided to prevent a wet, unhygienic area.
Stables are also useful if you have an animal with an injury that will need shortterm confinement. It’s important to note that equines need to be able to go outdoors and have fresh air. Continuous confinement
should be avoided. There are minimum standards for horses and ponies under the Animal Welfare Act. Talk to your local rural building company about what design is best for the needs of your horse and fit the budget.
COMES
Fences and Decks
Alterations and Additions • New Homes • Maintenance • No job too small
Wayne Duncan Builder completes new homes, home renovations and light commercial projects in Palmerston North, Manawatu, Horowhenua, Tararua and Rangitikei.
Proud to be locally owned and operated. Born and bred in the region, company owner Wayne Duncan is proud to have built and renovated many homes in Palmerston North and surrounds for satisfied clients over the years. As members of New Zealand Certified Builders Wayne’s clients are always assured of extremely high levels of quality and a successful end result no matter how large or small the project.
A stable for your equine friend takes thought to come up with the best design solution for both your needs
