Whatever your daily hustle, you need equipment that can keep up. Long days and tough conditions take their toll, and when your livelihood
downtime is costly and inconvenient.
That’s
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Action call for pest plant
by Paul Campbell
Concern is growing over the spread of the invasive pest plant woolly nightshade that damages pasture and is toxic to stock and humans, so Horizons Regional Council is calling on residents to get involved in the hunt
property, you can also control it yourself,” said Mr Beech.
“Woolly nightshade is a species that poses a significant threat to our native biodiversity and can also reduce the amount of useful pasture species available for livestock,” said team leader pest plants, Michael Beech. “We want to know where it is, so we can nip it in the bud before it gets firmly established. It’s also known as tobacco weed or kerosene plant because of its strong pungent smell.
“Palmerston North and Feilding residents can help us bust this botanical bandit by joining the Woolly Busters team. If you think you have spotted woolly nightshade in these areas, all you need to do is take some photos, noting where and when you took them, and record an observation on the Woolly Busters project page via the iNaturalist app.
“Photos can also be emailed to help@ horizons.govt.nz, or people can give us a call on 0508 800 800 and ask for the pest plant team.
“Our friendly pest plant team will get in touch with you to discuss the best control options going forward. If you have a small number of plants on your
Originating from South America, woolly nightshade has rapidly spread around New Zealand, outcompeting native vegetation and altering habitats. It’s toxic to stock, suppresses native plants and causes allergies to humans.
Aggressive and fast-growing, it forms dense stands, which crowd out all other plants. It inhibits or prevents the regeneration rate of native forests. The dust from the leaves and stems can irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat. The berries are poisonous to humans if eaten, particularly children, but also to cattle and pigs. Vigorous growing habit, seedlings established in summer can produce seeds by autumn.
Seeds can remain dormant in the soil and germinate up to 20–30 years later. The pest can grow in a large range of habitats. Common areas are gullies, roadsides, neglected farms and wasteland, along with pastoral land, disturbed forest margins and urban areas — anywhere that birds carry seed.
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Easily identifiable — woolly nightshade is a threat
Community service recognised
This year’s recipients of Manawatū District Council’s Community Honours awards share a common thread of lifelong service.
Dennis Emery and Hinekahu Gotty were recognised for the impact they have made as individuals across various sectors. Mayor Helen Worboys said when multi-page nominations are received it’s hard to condense a lifetime of service to a manageable citation.
“Having the council chambers filled with family, community members and friends of both Dennis Emery and Hinekahu Gotty during the ceremony, reaffirmed the impact the recipients have made throughout the community.”
Dennis and Hinekahu’s commitment to cultural wellbeing, integrity and preservation has been central to their mission of service.
As a steward of the rivers, a champion for the underprivileged and an advocate for the marginalised, Dennis holds a vision of uplifting families, iwi and communities. He credits the values of his mother to help people where he can and also his deep love for his iwi.
At 14, Dennis began working at the Feilding freezing works while studying at Hato Pāora College. Later he became a union delegate, working to achieve outcomes to benefit those he worked alongside.
During a six-week national strike, Dennis coordinated a local, urgent food response model to ensure all those impacted were fed.
When the plant closure was announced in 1981, he was instrumental in establishing the Feilding Resource Centre. This social welfare organisation supported more than 400 locals, who had been made redundant, and provided support while they sought employment.
Dennis was also the CEO for the Rūnanga o Raukawa for 12 years, and served as the Māori liaison at Arohanui Hospice for eight years. Throughout his careers, Dennis continued to serve in various roles in te taiao, river management, manukura, housing and hauora. He has held more than 35 voluntary roles, while working to provide for his family and culturally serve and preserve his iwi.
Hinekahu’s professional career involved working for Ngāti Kauwhata, setting up their social services arm in Feilding to run adult life skill courses and holiday programmes for rangatahi. She continued this well into retirement.
Actively involved in Māori health, Hinekahu works alongside kaumātua and youth to ensure wellbeing in the community. She’s instrumental in promoting breast screening for Māori women in the region. Hinekahu holds a social work diploma and a degree for hapū development.
Revitalising traditional weaving and tikanga practices is one of Hinekahu’s many passions, sharing her knowledge
and skills. Hinekau also revived the Cosmos marching teams, coached her children’s netball and softball teams, and helped Aorangi Marae run cooking and sewing classes. Her sewing skills have seen her make countless wedding dresses for whānau and friends.
One of her many nominees described Hinekau as a cornerstone of the region’s cultural and social vitality.
Hinekahu Gotty and Dennis Emery were presented with Community Honours awards at the Manawatū District Council
Organic milk direct to the public
by Denise Gunn
Opening their Udderly Organic Ltd creamery realised a long-held dream for Wayne and Angela Moxham.
Twelve months ago, the couple achieved their goal to have milk produced on their Moxham Milk
farms accessible to the public under their own brand.
“This dream gained traction in 2019, when we decided on the name Udderly Organic Ltd, and began the process of working with companies that designed and built the plant, and constructed the building to house it,” said Angela.
Moxham Milk farms, located at Koputaroa north of Levin, originally ran as a conventional system with three generations of the family working on the two properties. In 2006, Wayne and
his father Murray began the conversion process for the farms to become fully certified organic, achieving this four years later.
“The decision to change to organics was relatively easy, and has been beneficial to the health of our land and our animals,” said Angela.
This included ending the use of antibiotics, penicillin, synthetic fertilisers, sprays and drenches.
pasture, where every plant provides different nutrients so our cows have variety in their feed.”
A herd of 550 predominantly Friesian cows are milked through a 54-bale rotary shed on the main farm. The smaller farm milks around 120 cows in a 14-aside herringbone shed. Both herds are milked twice daily.
“Instead, we use homeopathic treatments as both preventative and acute, natural minerals and vitamins in the stocklic, and grow a 17 mixed-species
“The main farm is milking all-yearround due to our split calving with 80% spring and 20% autumn,” said Angela. Supplementary feed in the form of hay and baleage is produced on-farm. However, a run-off nearby is used to
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Wayne and Angela Moxham run all parts of Udderly Organic near Levin
The Udderly Organic creamery at Koputaroa
graze the farm’s R1s and R2s, reducing the need for some supplementary feed requirements.
“Financially, it has also made great sense, as we are not propping up our animals to keep them healthy. They are getting everything they need from our mixed species pasture and homeopathic treatment.”
With Moxham Milk Farms certified organic several years earlier, the couple explored and then committed to the organic certification of the creamery.
“The creamery was easier to have as organic, as it was built on certified organic land and was a brand new building,” she said.
Certification of the creamery did not require a conversion period.
“Both the creamery and farms follow detailed Organic Management Plans
that are audited annually through Asure Quality.”
Connecting with a food safety and compliance consultant early on helped the couple to navigate the food safety and MPI requirements. Angela said their Udderly Organic creamery is currently the only boutique creamery in New Zealand to have certified organic milk and the processing of milk also certified organic through Asure Quality.
From the beginning, Wayne and Angela set objectives for Udderly Organic to have their premium organic milk available to the public, to continue maintaining their organic certification path and have a small environmental footprint.
Solar panels were installed on the creamery roof, and an electric heat pump, instead of using a diesel boiler, heats the hot water to run the plant.
“Both the dairy farm and creamery follow sustainable practices. We also wanted our milk to be bottled into one-litre glass bottles, so that they can be returned, cleaned and reused. At the end of their life, they can be recycled.
“Our bulk milk is also available to the public through 10-litre stainless steel billies. Like the glass bottles, these can also be returned, cleaned and reused.”
Currently, Wayne and Angela run all parts of the Udderly Organic business.
“While Wayne only occasionally gets to milk the cows, as the farm owner, he still plays an active role in supporting our
brilliant managers and 2IC. This has given him the time needed to take on being our tanker driver, and delivering the raw milk to the creamery.”
The couple share the roles in the creamery with their children helping out during the school holidays.
“We are enjoying our interactions with business owners, customers, community and having pride in selling a premium product that has been produced on our farm.”
Aria Moxham putting capped bottles on to the conveyor to go through the capper machine, which tightens them
Milking the herd in the rotary shed
Protecting whio
by Denise Gunn
Since taking on the role as volunteer coordinator of the Oroua Blue Duck Protection project 13 years ago, Janet Wilson has seen her role expand, trap numbers increase and whio population numbers remain steady.
The initiative to protect the nationally endangered whio, also known as blue duck, was set up by the Manawatū branch of the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association in 2008. Stoats are the main predators of whio.
Deerstalker members and volunteers initially carried in and set traplines for predators in the upper Oroua Valley of the Ruahine Ranges. The RNZAF also flew traps into the Oroua Valley as part of a training exercise.
Landowners in the northern Manawatū began setting traps on their farms
bordering the Ruahine Forest Park around 10 years ago. More have been added recently as part of the Ruahine Kiwi Project.
The original Oroua traps made by Tararua College students are still in good condition. More have been purchased from a commercial supplier or are locally made. Janet coordinates volunteers to check and rebait traps for stoats and rats for the Oroua Blue Duck Protection and the Pohangina Blue Duck Protection projects.
“I also chair the Ruahine Whio Protection Trust, which raises awareness
of the whio in the Ruahine and raises funds to support the trapping effort.”
She is a keen tramper and volunteers as an active trapper, too. “I do training locally and volunteer for the Te Potae O Awarua project.”
There are now many interconnected traplines on all DOC tracks and along the river beds in the Oroua and Pohangina areas.
“It’s a very extensive network now,” said Janet. “Ideally, traplines with DOC, 200 traps are serviced monthly. This happens where possible but more remote lines in
rivers and higher altitudes can only be serviced when conditions allow.
“All this work would not happen without the volunteers from the local community: mostly trampers and hunters who turn out to check traplines at least once a month.
Massey students and a very enthusiastic high school student, currently working towards her Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, make up the team. Traplines in the Oroua Valley are rebaited as either an overnight or a day trip, depending on location.”
Janet said traplines in the vicinity of Alice Nash Memorial Heritage
Ruahine Whio Protectors at their annual hui
Heading over the top of the Ruahine Ranges into the Pohangina River
and the Iron Gate Hut are more easily accessible.
“Anybody capable of tramping in there has the opportunity to learn about and service traps, and is often done by groups. More remote traps in this network, extending up the Oroua River to and behind Triangle Hut, are serviced by more experienced trampers and hunters on a less regular basis.”
Ideally two or more people check traplines together. “Pohangina River is a longer trip of at least three days. The Te Potae Project in the north-western Ruahine aims to check the network of over 800 traps seven times a season between October and May. This takes two days and nine volunteers.”
Some project funding comes from Horizons Regional Council. Limited
funding for trapping and local ranger support is provided by DOC. Wild Ruahine calendars featuring photos taken in the Ruahine Ranges are available to purchase as a fundraising project. Contact Janet at ruahinewhioprotectors@gmail.com for calendar orders, volunteer enquiries and donations towards Ruahine Whio Protection Trust.
Janet said there have been some good breeding years for the whio, followed by sightings in smaller streams leading away from the ranges.
“We think they tend to disperse rather than staying on the home rivers. This may be due to environmental conditions including food supply.”
Volunteers were concerned that Cyclone Gabrielle had severely damaged the population.
“A year on, we are optimistic,” said Janet. “In the Pohangina, at least four pairs hatched ducklings late in the season. They remain elusive and hard to count.
“A regular survey using dogs in the northern area showed a decline after the cyclone but an increase again this year.”
Janet encourages landowners with traps to continue checking and rebaiting them on a regular basis and recording their catches.
“Traps around the edges are the first line of defence to the continued invasion of stoats as well as controlling mustelids and enhancing the birdlife on their own properties.”
There are currently at least 30 pairs of whio under active protection in the Ruahine Ranges, with a goal to have at least 50 pairs protected.
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Whio family in the Pohangina River Lodge
by Paul Campbell
Aquatic invite to rural community
Getting rural people off the farm for some beneficial activity has a number of choices on offer from interested groups, with ‘surfing for farmers’ popular in suitable coastal areas.
Now, there’s an offer in Manawatū for rural people to get into swimming as a fun and physically remedial exercise.
Manager of the Makino Aquatic Centre in Feilding, Aimee Flanders, “absolutely welcomes farmers and those from out of town” to take advantage of the centre.
“Swimming in general is a great form of exercise, as it builds muscle strength, improves heart health, and greatly improves mental health. It’s also highly therapeutic. These same benefits are evident in swimmers with a mobility disability.
“The centre is an accessible facility catering to all abilities, and offers free entry to caregivers. Whether you are a fancy diver or you prefer the classic Kiwi manu, jumping into water is a true Kiwi summer sport. For people with disabilities, the thrill of jumping in isn’t always an option but the positive effects of being in the water is a delight.”
An accessible facility with indoor and a new outdoor pool, the 25m covered pool features a ramp for easy entering and exiting of the water. All pools have hoist access for added assistance.
“We have a large number of visitors to the MAC that require added assistance,” says aquatics activity leader Catherine Todd. “It’s fantastic that we cater to
swimmers of all abilities and offer free entry to caregivers.”
For swimmers who require an aquatic wheelchair, the MAC offers those constructed from furnituregrade PVC and totally submersible, helping swimmers to enter the pool through ramp access or enjoy wet deck features.
“Swimming in general is a great form of exercise, as it builds muscle strength, improves heart health, and greatly improves mental health”
New to the programme are sensory sessions. For some swimmers who are sensitive to their surroundings being in a busy pool with lots of noise and movement can be overwhelming. Sensory sessions are offered the last Sunday of every month 4.30pm–5.30pm during term time. The
An aquatic class in progress at MAC in Feilding sessions provide exclusive access to the learn to swim pool with separate changing rooms, and within this area of the centre, the music is turned off. Caregivers also swim free during these sessions.
“The MAC strives to be a centre that is inclusive, welcoming and dynamic for all,” says Aimee. “Staff are trained in how to use the accessible features, and provide tours of the facilities for those that would like to assess the facility before donning their togs.
“To learn more, give us a call on 06 323 5312.”
Optimal bedding for animal wellbeing
Moorey Animal Bedding Supplies can help you find the most affordable and efficient solution to your animal bedding requirements.
Keeping livestock warm, dry and healthy is crucial to the success of any farming or breeding operation. Moorey Animal Bedding Supplies offers a range of products, all produced with the health and wellbeing needs of livestock in mind, giving your animals a good start in life.
For the past 25 years, Moorey Animal Bedding Supplies has serviced Waikato and the central North Island. As a business, it prides itself on being the leading supplier of bulk and baled shavings, woodchip and chipper fines throughout the North Island.
The company now operates out of its new depot in Tirau, which includes a purposebuilt shavings storage unit, filled with a ready supply of product.
Considered the gold standard in bedding material, all shavings offered by Moorey Animal Bedding Supplies are kiln-dried and chemical-free. This helps to keep animals warm, dry and healthy throughout the year.
Moorey Animal Bedding Supplies has a consistent supply of wood shavings all year round and currently has good stock available for delivery in the Waikato, Manawatu, Wairarapa and Taranaki regions.
The 100% biodegradable wood shavings can be supplied in bulk on-farm via a dedicated fleet of truck and trailer units and walking floor trucks. Customers also have the option of purchasing baled shavings (approximately 100kg), which are suitable
Moorey Animal Bedding Supplies delivers a range of animal bedding requirements around the North Island
for sheds and other large livestock operations. For ease of use and handling, Premium Dust Free Pet Packs (approximately 18kg) of shavings are also available in the product range. The sealed plastic bag ensures the shavings remain clean and dry, and are ideal for calf stalls, poultry sheds and dairy goat bedding.
In addition to wood shavings, Moorey Animal Bedding Supplies also offers New
Zealand radiata pine wood chip and chipper fines. These products are being produced onsite in Hinuera, and are a popular option for the equine and dairy markets due to their excellent warmth, drainage and easy-tomanage characteristics.
Contact Moorey Animal Bedding Supplies at 07 888 1955 or order@moorey. co.nz to discuss all your animal bedding requirements.
by Andy Bryenton
Tuatara’s test of the toughest
When we talked to Tuatara Machinery’s director, Geoff Hill recently, we cut right to the chase and asked him why people should buy a Tuatara off-roader. His response was immediate.
“They’re built of steel, not plastic — they will go where other ATVs won’t,” said Geoff. “They’ll carry more, tow more, and they are cheap and easy to service. Many customers service them themselves, thus avoiding the $150 hourly rate that many dealerships charge.
“The Tuatara is not a recreational vehicle, like many of the competition, it’s a commercial vehicle that is designed to work and one that has extreme versatility in uses.”
Instead of being based on a lineage that goes back to motorcycles, Tuatara’s stable of hard-working UTVs come from a design ‘blank slate’, totally informed by the needs and wants of New Zealand’s farmers.
“Our design comes from talking to farmers,” says Geoff. “I’m always listening to feedback from our customers in the field, and we incorporate that knowledge into our design. Tuatara is designed for hard work.”
This leads to some unique points of difference, hardwired into the DNA of the whole range, petrol and electric. It starts with a solid steel construction for strength, foregoing plastics for more rigidity and toughness. Then the Tuatara is powered up with either a modern water-cooled threecylinder, 69-horsepower petrol engine or a choice of two electric options delivering up to 175km of range — all hardened against the elements. Like any serious off-roader, it’s equipped with locking diffs to deliver superior traction when it’s needed.
The petrol engine comes from the lineage of motor cars, not bikes, meaning that it’s quiet, economical and extensively tested.
The electric motor gets water cooling too, to make sure that it ticks one of the biggest boxes Kiwi farmers demand — total reliability. Geoff reckons that farms are a good fit for electric vehicles, which are used during the day and charged overnight. They also have the benefit of greatly reduced maintenance and running costs and improved ease of use.
The overall design of the Tuatara emphasises the ability to go anywhere, and feedback from customers bears this out. Geoff has been sent videos of his machines towing two-tonne utes out of sticky situations, pulling 1,000 litre calf feeders, and getting to places where other UTVs fear to tread.
The Tuatara boasts an over-all carrying capacity of 750kgs, which it manages with ease. It also comes with a winch with a twotonne pulling capacity, just one of the many standard accessories supplied.
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Nutritional therapy for Joints
by John Arts, Abundant Health
You have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. This means you have joined one of, if not, the largest health problem clubs.
Likely, you have seen your GP, who may have arranged X-rays to confirm that you have cartilage loss, as evidenced by reduction in the spaces between bones of joints. There may also be degenerative changes to these bones. You may have been referred to an orthopaedic specialist who may have outlined surgical options.
Medicine has essentially three options for osteoarthritis (OA): pain relief, physiotherapy or surgery. However, nutritional therapy based on quality, professionally prescribed supplements and anti-inflammatory diets can make a significant different. My client files are full of testimonies from people who have had significant reductions in pain and improvements in mobility.
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by Andy Bryenton
RMA successor takes shape
Like the deposed Labour administration before it, the coalition government is proposing two laws to replace the
Management Act; however, they differ in fundamentals.
RMA reform head Chris Bishop says that with the repeal of the Labour government’s attempts to replace the RMA, and subsequent fixes and patches to see the nation through until a final replacement is done, two out of three stages of the coalition plan are in place. While Labour proposed the Natural and Built Environments Act and a Strategic Planning Act, the coalition intends to enact one law for environmental protection and another to boost progress in urban environments.
While this may sound similar, the focus of these new laws is based on the sanctity of property rights, say the ministers working on the RMA’s successor.
“Putting property rights at the centre of resource management means ditching rules that invite every Tom, Dick, and Harry to vexatiously object to peaceful use and development of private property. Rules should only restrict activity with material spillover effects on other people’s enjoyment of their own property or on the property rights of the wider natural
environment,” says Infrastructure Minister Simon Court.
“The RMA was passed with good intentions in 1991 but has proved a failure in practice. In the last two decades, New Zealand has experienced higher house price growth than any other developed economy, many environmental metrics have declined, and our infrastructure deficit has got worse,” says Chris Bishop. Cabinet has agreed on the core
design features of the new Resource Management laws. These include narrowing the focus of the RMA system to managing tangible effects on the environment, simplifying council plans, promoting national standards for certainty across all civic and regional authorities, and importantly, shifting the focus away from consenting before activities can get underway, and towards compliance.
There’s also an imperative to cut back on the litigation that impedes so much current development and building. The possibility has been tabled of a rapid, low-cost dispute resolution service for neighbours and property owners, and shorter, easier-to-understand legislation with fewer points to wrangle.
“This is important and complicated work, and we are determined to avoid the mistakes of past reform efforts by governments in the past. Rather than kicking the issue of ‘fixing the RMA’ off to a judge or lawyer to spend years studying before a report is even produced, let alone actioned, the government is
Blackley
land drainage,
Infrastructure Minister Simon Court admits that replacing the RMA is important and complicated work
making it clear from the outset what the design of the new system will look like,” Mr Court said.
by Paul Campbell
Visa changes frustrate contractors
Rural Contractors New Zealand members are frustrated at having to work through more layers to get visas approved for skilled seasonal machinery operators ahead of the imminent season start.
“I have been seeing a significant increase in my members asking for assistance of late,” says CEO Andrew Olsen. “While I try to help, dealing with the daily influx of confused and disgruntled rural contractors asking for help is wearing
a bit thin. We are not an immigration advisory service but we sure feel like we’re paying a price for the lengthy checking and processing times.
“I had hoped the second year of the accreditation requirements would have
been smoother, but it’s not what we’re seeing. We have New Zealand employers applying for reaccreditation, and time frames for this have blown out, meaning further delays in being eligible to apply for visas.”
The vast majority of businesses can’t afford an immigration adviser to navigate the complexity of accreditation or visa applications.
“I do acknowledge that in response to lobbying and Immigration Minister Erica Stanford had announced rural contractors could use the Special Purpose or Event class of visa (SPEV). However, in midAugust MBIE advised the SPEV visa was now the SPWV visa (Specific Purpose Working Visa).”
This had come with additional conditions, including a need to advertise a role for which Olsen says there were no trained and available Kiwi workers.
However, around 80% of applications were approved in three weeks and feedback from members indicate the SPWV is currently the preferred visa class.
“The government has also acknowledged there is a case for looking closely at what a seasonal worker visa looks like. In our case, many of these workers will return several years in a row, already have a NZ bank account, IRD number and an accredited employer backing their visa, so wouldn’t it make sense to design a visa around that?
“This is an opportunity for the government to take pressure off, and allow Ag NZ to get on with the business of doubling exports.
“The government must also consider changes alongside its review of vocational training. For our members, the career pathway is a shambles, and we foresee a significant reliance on skilled overseas workers in the mid-term and until vocational education training sorts itself out.”
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Christmas wonderland awaits
by Denise Gunn
The doors to The Christmas Barn are open in the lead-up to the festive season, revealing a huge treasure trove of unique gifts and decorations inside.
Now into its third year, The Christmas Barn has grown to become a much talked about destination in the Manawatū. Owner Mel Bissell said their Christmas family just keeps growing, too.
‘It’s growing further and further each year. We now have some customers in the South Island and Australia.
“It’s through word of mouth that our customers are sharing with their friends and family.”
The purpose-built barn with a cafe was constructed on Mel and her husband Craig’s Kairanga property three years ago. Mel continually sources and stocks thousands of new and unique quality products, themes and colours for customers.
She said The Christmas Barn is the secondlargest shop of its kind in New Zealand.
“We really focus on the experience, so we want people to come and feel the magic of Christmas. Make memories, look around, take your time, grab a coffee and enjoy the atmosphere.”
In addition to the scrumptious food available in the cafe, Mel and her team now
offer high teas this season. Bookings for the high teas are essential.
“Life can get too busy, and we get so caught up in the Christmas rush. Step out of the rat race and enjoy some time here,” said Mel. Busloads of clubs and groups regularly visit The Christmas Barn for outings and to enjoy lunch at the cafe.
“We just love it. It is such a wonderful business to be in because your customers come out and relax.
“We love the expressions on their faces when they come through the door.”
Mel said the team at The Christmas Barn love Christmas and spending time with customers, building relationships.
“We see many of the same people, learn what they like, and the special celebrations in their lives. It’s quite special watching those milestones within their families.”
The Christmas Barn is located at 1104 Lockwood Road, Kairanga, and is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm until Christmas Eve.
Visit thechristmasbarn.co.nz or phone 0275 715 372 for further information.
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by Amy Fifita
A creative desire
After discovering their dream home on the fertile Papaiti flats, Nikki Oesterle and Adrian Rumney found the perfect opportunity to begin a distillery — Papaiti Gin.
Having grown up in Germany, Nikki was entranced after seeing a book about New Zealand’s beautiful landscapes when she was 10 years old.
“I dreamed of living there and am a New Zealander now. I don’t regret a thing,” said Nikki. “Adrian grew up in Whanganui and worked on the ski fields before moving to Wellington to work in finance, and I have a digital marketing background. We met as neighbours in Newton, Wellington, and now we have a six-year-old son.”
Three years ago while visiting Adrian’s mother in Whanganui, the couple
ventured on a bike ride to spend quality time together and happened upon an open home.
“As it was a beautiful, sunny day, we decided to look at the property and immediately fell in love with the house. Within a month, we relocated to Whanganui.”
Upon realising there was an old pear orchard on the settlement date, the couple desired to do something with it.
“The real estate agent said nothing had been done with the orchard for a decade. As it had fallen into our lives, we
wanted to use it for something productive, so we started thinking about what to do with pears.
“We always thought distilleries looked cool, and gin and tonic was our preferred drink, so we started exploring the idea of creating gin using pears.
“Within a year, we set up The Whanganui Distilling Company, and tackled many administration hurdles before creating our first gin. Having no ties to the craft, we learned the art through YouTube, books, talking to people and a lot of experimentation.
Wanting to do something with the pear orchard after relocating to Whanganui, Nikki Oesterle and Adrian Rumney began making gin
Adrian Rumney grew up in Whanganui, and after a career in finance in Wellington returned to the area
MANAWATU WHO’S WHO IN
“Making gin is incredibly creative because as long as it has more than it is 37.5% alcohol and juniper is the main ingredient, you have the freedom to use all kinds of fresh or dry botanicals.”
Nikki and Adrian source ingredients from their pear orchard, botanical garden or local producers whenever possible.
“Our orchard has about 400 pear trees and we still only use a fraction of the fruit, so there is room for more ideas.
“Papaiti is a low-lying fertile flat along the Whanganui River; everything grows there. We have peach, plum, apple, citrus, quince trees, juniper bushes, kawakawa, horopito and other native plants.
“Many of our neighbours give us their limes or drop off grapefruit. It is an awesome community here, so from
the beginning we had only support — it was heartwarming.”
Before the couple sold to trade customers in October 2022, they submitted their products to the 2023 London Spirits Competition. By January 2023, they received their off-licence and opened their cellar door in Upokongaro and their online shop.
“Submitting our Whanganui Dry and Orchard gins was an experiment to see if we were doing something right. We were floored when they both won silver on an international stage.
“In the past 18 months, our core range won 22 medals, and we received our first gold at the 2023 New Zealand Spirit Awards for the Potager, a citrus forward gin. We also won double gold for the
Whanganui Dry at the New Zealand Spirit Awards 2024.” Since winning their first awards, the couple has won accolades at The Junipers, the Australian Gin Awards, the NZ Small Batch Awards, the NZ Spirits Awards and the San Francisco Spirits Competition.
“We have four core gins and they are all connected to Whanganui and the environment we live in: the Orchard, Potager, Mountains To Sea and Whanganui Dry gins, plus we release seasonal limited editions that are popular.”
The duo know what botanical combinations to use for an excellent-tasting spirit, but their gin crafting classes also provide a wealth of inspiration.
“It has given us a great opportunity for research and development because sometimes they chose combinations we wouldn’t have thought of.”
Nikki’s interest in moving to New Zealand was piqued when she saw a coffee table book of its landscapes, she is a New Zealander now and doesn’t regret a thing
Adrian and Nikki source their ingredients locally from their gardens or local producers
ADVERTORIAL
Commitment and quality at every step
by Denise Gunn
Tebbutt & Scott Construction offers quality workmanship, transparent communication and a great turnaround time on building projects with competitive pricing.
Business owners Shane Tebbutt and Smiley Scott have worked together as a successful partnership for many years. The pair started out working part-time as Backyard Builders Manawatu, building decks, fences and verandahs.
As demand grew, Shane and Smiley established Tebbutt & Scott Construction in 2022. They now work full-time in their business, which enables them to take on larger projects. “We felt a rebrand was required to align with the direction we
wanted to take the business going forward to a full-time model and focussing on bigger projects such as farm sheds, renovations and new builds,” said Smiley.
Clocking up a combined three decades of service in the New Zealand Defence Force where the pair completed their trade, Shane and Smiley bring experience and a high standard of excellence to the construction industry. They also trained with military tradesmen and a number of very experienced builders within the Manawatū region before going out into business on their own.
days to be a very rewarding aspect of being hands-on in their own business.
“These often have the biggest impact on clients. A quick little bathroom renovation can mean a lot and make a place a lot more liveable,” said Shane.
Specialising in renovations, extensions and new builds, Shane and Smiley also complete other small and large building jobs. One standout project required flying into the Ruahine Ranges to assist with the renovation of the Leon Kinvig hut.
“It was a very cool experience and great to do a job that benefits everyone who uses it. Unfortunately, since then, it was damaged in floods and has recently been moved downstream,” said Smiley.
Shane and Smiley also find completing smaller renovation jobs within a couple of
With quality and excellence every step of the way, Shane and Smiley are committed to their clients, using their combined knowledge, skills and experience for all big and small projects.
“We’ve done a number of farm building improvements and would like to further pursue these jobs as they are another one that has great impact for the end-user.”
Tebbutt & Scott Construction covers Bulls to Pohangina, south to the Horowhenua and everywhere in between. Contact Smiley on 027 343 2258 or email admin@ tsconstruction.co.nz for further information.
Tebbutt & Scott Construction specialise in renovations, extensions, new builds and other small and large building projects
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Wetland construction consent granted
Resource consent has been granted to Horizons Regional Council for construction of the Arawhata wetland complex.
The resource consent will permit the construction and maintenance of wetland on 119ha of land in the Arawhata Stream catchment of Punahau Lake Horowhenua. Horizons purchased a 123ha dairy farm in the area for this purpose.
Construction of the wetland complex is just one of a number of actions to address the lake’s water quality. Horizons freshwater and partnerships manager Logan Brown said the consent was granted by the Environmental Protection Authority Te Mana Rauhī Taiao.
“The goal of the wetland complex is to filter phosphorus bound to sediment and reduce the concentrations of nitrogen in water before it reaches Punahau, as well as creating improved habitats for native bird and fish species.
“As we have just received the decision, we need time to go through the decision and consent conditions before making any further comment or proceeding with any work.
“We continue to work with project partners, including the governance group, which has representation from Horizons, Horowhenua District Council, Muaūpoko Tribal Authority, Te Rūnanga o Raukawa, Lake Horowhenua Trust and Ministry for the Environment,” he said.
Water currently flows from multiple sources in the Arawhata catchment on to the site of the wetland complex. The design will see construction divided into three phases.
Phase one aims to turn at least 15ha of farmland into a constructed wetland complex by the end of this year. Plants
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Resource consent has been granted for construction of the Arawhata wetland complex with phase one expected to be completed this year historically found in this area, such as harakeke, carex and rushes, will be incorporated into the wetland.
A Wetland Design Group and Mātauranga Rōpu (Kāhui Ārahi) have been established for the wetland development. The formation of a community stakeholder group will provide input.
The project has been boosted by Mahi mō te Taiao — Jobs for Nature Horowhenua (Waiopehu) Freshwater
Management Unit Water Quality Interventions project. This support to the tune of $11.2 million comes from central government funding, complemented by a further $1.3 million from Horizons Regional Council.
Further phases to extend the constructed wetland complex will be considered as further funding becomes available. This includes new drains, bunds, plantings and a walking trail.
Quad safety incentive success
More than 150 farm businesses received vouchers through the Safer Rides pilot scheme to
(CPDs) for their quad bikes after additional primary sector partners joined the programme.
The incentive scheme encouraged farmers to make their existing quad bikes safer by applying for a heavily discounted CPD via a redeemable voucher to the value of $400.
Rabobank spearheaded the initiative, which was led by Safer Farms. Support came from ANZCO Foods, LIC, Craigmore Sustainables, PGG Wrightson, FMG Insurance, Silver Fern Farms and retailers Trax Equipment and Quadbar.
Safer Farms’ Farm without Harm ambassador Lindy Nelson said there had been a high demand for the vouchers.
“In addition to the 110 vouchers already issued, we were able to provide a further 43 vouchers, thanks to additional funding from FMG Insurance, PGG Wrightson and Silver Fern Farms after the initial allocation.
“Forty per cent of the first allocation has already been redeemed via Trax or Quadbar, which is really encouraging.”
However, demand for the vouchers exceeded supply, with 88 applications missing out.
“These farm businesses are still eligible for a 15 per cent discount on CPDs from
Quadbar. We’re delighted FMG is also going to be running a client competition to win two CPDs.”
Safer Rides is part of Safer Farms’ Farm Without Harm strategy, designed to prevent harm from New Zealand’s farming systems. Nelson said the focus on CPDs was a result of farmers speaking up about how rollover bars had worked for them and saved lives.
From 2019 to 2023, there were 22 quad bike-related fatalities nationwide — most involving rollovers and steep grades.
“For many farmers, quad bikes are an integral part of the job. Installing a CPD on an existing vehicle can make it a safer option for you and anyone who is using that bike,” says Nelson.
“Crush protection devices provide space underneath an upturned quad bike by spreading the bike’s weight. This protects the rider by creating space for survival or allowing the bike to roll off the occupant.
“We urgently need to find ways to make quad bikes safer. Based on feedback collected from applicants, cost is a major barrier to purchasing a safety device.
“Farmers want to keep themselves and their people safe. There is a big job ahead to make safety devices more widely available for those who want them. We will continue working with our programme partners to implement a long-term plan.”
More farm businesses will have safer quad bikes after receiving vouchers from Safer Rides to purchase crush protection devices
by Andy Bryenton
The finalists have been winnowed down from a large and varied field, as a panel of expert judges consider the
best tractor for the coming model year of 2025?
The international Tractor of the Year competition is almost a year-round task for the 25 professional agricultural machinery reviewers, who add the weight of their knowledge to the judging panel. The 2025 decision started back in June, when the panel met in Milan to consider the long list of contenders, at the Let the Challenge Begin gala. They’ll make a call on the best tractors in a
variety of categories, spanning orchard specialist machines, giant open-plain crop cultivators and versatile dairying all-rounders.
A new category this year is just for autonomous robot tractors. The TotYBot prize is for tractors without a driver’s cabin or seat, no steering wheel and full self-driving capabilities. It’s a glimpse into a future where a farmer may be
able to coordinate a fleet of machines from the front porch. There are four major contenders vying for the first-ever robotic tractor crown, from companies like Black Shire, Field Robotics, AutoAgri and Agxeed, rather than the massively established names that dominate the other categories.
Unlike motor cars, tractors are ready for assessment earlier in their designto-showroom cycle, meaning that the top of the crop for 2025 is ready to be put through its paces now. In the mid-power category, it’s a battle of some of the ‘usual suspects’; those big contenders that often dominate the awards podium and the sales charts. For 2025, Case IH has an updated Puma 260 in the running, up against the CLAAS Arion 660, Fendt’s big Vario 620 DP, the McCormick X7.624 VTDrive and Valtra’s N175 Direct.
do a range of agricultural
including silage, hay bales, ploughing and drilling, crops and rural carting, conventional hay baling and cartage.
The coveted high-power award is hotly contested with a powerful field of five finalists. Case IH is back on track, with the large and impressive Quadtrac 715, rolling on wide triangular-section treads. The JCB Fastrac 8330 iCON represents the team in yellow, while New Holland roll out the T7.340 HD. Valtra’s new S416 and the Massey Ferguson 9s.425 round out the heavyweight division. The final decision will come soon, with the announcement of 2025’s top tractor across these and three other categories: utility, specialised and sustainable tractors.
For the first time in 2025, the prestigious Tractor of the Year competition will have a category for robotic tractors
A sector for job opportunities
by Paul Campbell
As indicated elsewhere in this series, rural contracting has a great shortage of staff and has to attract seasonal workers from overseas when visa problems may arise and despite the fact that employment opportunities exist for New Zealanders.
Roles from weed spraying and crop drilling to operating and servicing complex machinery, such as combine harvesters and silage equipment, driving tractors, mowers and sprayers as well as machinery maintenance. Training opportunities abound for operating larger and more sophisticated machinery including, combine harvesters, hay balers and similar agricultural machinery.
Even a tractor-driving job can earn a take-home pay of approaching $50,000 annually. Training courses are available in which an operator will connect a variety of equipment and operate it safely on the road, across paddocks and on undulating terrain. A complex machinery operator could earn up to $80,000, and this job requires good technical skills.
“Operating a combine harvester or foraging machine is like being at the controls of a spaceship,” says one instructor. These are highly technical
machines with several computers, touch screens, and joysticks to control the variety of operations the machine has to perform.
Mechanical support is another opening. Machinery is vital to rural contracting, and it needs to function properly. People who can perform regular maintenance and repairs are important, particularly as service centres are often some distance away. An agrichemical applicator requires some certification received after training.
Spraying crops to remove pests and encourage growth is an important job in agriculture. Training in the safe use of agrichemicals, protective equipment and various types of applicators (from backpacks to large spraying rigs) is available through formal NZQA training and Growsafe accreditation.
Training and learning opportunities advice can be found at ruralcontractors. org.nz.
