Northern Farming Lifestyles, February 2023

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TODD MULLER MP

Flooded with Issues

by Chris Penk MP, Kaipara ki Mahurangi electorate

Last week when contacted by a farmer friend in Northland, I immediately asked if he’d heard that a local state of emergency had just been declared.

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That actually wasn’t the reason he’d got in touch with me, but he knew about it. His answer was along the lines that in Northland when it comes to floods, “we are used to it”.

The stoic response was typical of my friend but also, I suspect, common among rural folk more generally.

With the threat of flood or drought near constant at certain times of the year, it’s important for all elected representatives to understand that the needs out there are very real, however laconic the reply over the farm gate may be.

In the recent flooding of Auckland and Northland, massive damage has been caused to properties in the rural areas, along with the more-publicised images of urban and suburban areas.

Extensive work is going to be needed to repair kilometres of fencing damaged by the deluge, for one thing. Large areas of farmland are now blotted by multiple large slips, such as in the Kaipara Hills within my electorate. Other issues in common with the urban and suburban areas, such as water contamination, have a distinctly rural flavour, given

different systems for the capture and storage of water.

I’ve written to the Minister for Primary Industries, asking for damage assessments to be conducted in the more remote areas of Auckland and Northland. The needs of the countryside should be taken into account in any relief package, no less than those of the city.

While the distances from the Auckland CBD and the airport may make it more logistically challenging for in-person assessment of damage, everyone reading this fine Northern Farming Lifestyles publication will be well aware that drone technology can be used to assess the state of farmland very easily.

With all the support that rural communities provide to NZ Inc, including in the form of export receipts from the primary sector, it may now be time for some significant support to be returned to the regions.

Best wishes to all those affected by the unseasonable weather, for the long and hard road ahead. Even if you are “used to it”, like my farming friend in Northland, you might still be “over it”. Please reach out if you need help, and take care out there.

Chris Penk, MP

MP FOR BAY OF PLENTY. SPOKESPERSON FOR AGRICULTURE, CLIMATE CHANGE

NORTHLAND ELECTORATE

Showtime comes back north with field days

by Paul Campbell

After two years in the wilderness, because of pandemic restrictions, Northland’s biggest rural event is back, and all eyes are now on Thursday, March 2 2023, when the gates will open on the resumption of the Northland Field Days.

The organisers, volunteers, the town of Dargaville and the wider rural community will welcome back a wide variety of displays, stalls, competitions, entertainment and, of course, a glimpse of what’s up and coming for the farm sector.

At the heart of that town and country welcome will no doubt be the economic shot in the arm for the regional economy and the field days’ coffers after the two years without the annual financial boost.

“The largest agri-event in Northland, where there’s something for everyone, rural or urban, will have hundreds of exhibitors showcasing the latest in farming innovations; there’s plenty of food and entertainment. Bring the whole family and come together to celebrate our region,” says the organising committee.

For more than 25 years, the field days has been successfully running the tractor pull competition on the 100m track for novices, experienced drivers and spectators to enjoy. “This year will be no different! Head to the Tractor Pull Area on Wells Road and experience the fun and thrill of rural racing that tests brute strength, skill and technique.”

Lawn Mower Racing will also be back in events that allow people from all walks of life to get involved, compete and have a lot of fun in the process. The younger set will have plenty to occupy their days, and not least with Caro’s Crazy Critters Mobile Farm. It’s an activity that will invite children of all ages to experience handson and personal interaction with a range

of friendly farm and domestic animals that you may otherwise not get to meet in a safe environment.

There are three large lifestyle pavilions to display quality products and services from exhibitors from all over, ranging from food and wine to new innovations and gadgets, outdoor furniture, and more. A roam around the site will see the latest in automotive excellence as well as machinery to lift farming into the next level of efficiency.

“One of our most popular events, the sheepdog trials, is part of our Kiwi DNA.

People of all ages delight in watching the best sheepdogs from around Northland compete.” Note that these dogs are the only canine visitors allowed on the grounds.

“Entertainment and information will be constantly updated on-site as both MoreFM and The Rock will be on site with some great competitions, along with great prizes, of course, and giveaways.”

The times to attend Northland Field Days are Friday, March 3 — 9am to 4pm. Gates close to the public at 3pm, and the event officially finishes at 4pm. Saturday, March 4, 9am to 3.30pm; gates close at 2.30pm as the event finishes at 3.30pm. Ticket prices are adult one-day pass $14.33; child $5.62; family pass $35.80. Exhibitors’ one-day pass — $13.33. All prices include fees.

The last event was pre-pandemic

DELUGE DEFINES DOME DUMP DANGER

BY PAUL CAMPBELL

With widespread North Island weather damage to life, homes, property, possessions and infrastructure into way past a billion dollars and counting, the government-acknowledged ‘biggest climate event in New Zealand history’ has dramatically reinforced the community battle against the siting of a mega landfill in the Dome Valley and the perceived environmental threat to the Kaipara Harbour.

With continued rain out of the La Nina-affected Pacific, the Fight the Tip movement opposed to the proposed dump for Auckland’s rubbish by Waste Management Ltd says its case has been proven. It now hopes to raise the heightened weather risk of Kaipara Harbour pollution at the current case in the Environment Court, appealing the decision by planning commissioners to allow the landfill. FTT is currently joined by iwi, councils, Forest and Bird, the Department of Conservation and many more opponents in the appeal, which is expected to run until March 30, with a decision expected later in the year.

“This rain and damage across the area have reinforced our stand,” said FTT executive member Sue Crockett. “It has amply demonstrated that the land around the Dome Valley slips and slides all over the place.”

She said her group was meeting with its legal team following the downpour and its slip damage in the Dome Valley and adjacent roads and severe flooding, as demonstrated in accompanying aerial photos with this report.

“The weather events have quite simply confirmed what we have been saying and that is this is no place for a rubbish dump.”

Litigants say the dump is proposed in the catchment of the Hōteo River that feeds into the maritime nursery of the Kaipara Harbour, as well as an arm of

the Mahurangi River flowing eastwards. A message seeking a Waste Management reaction to the extreme weather had no response at press time.

Flooding near the headwaters of the Hōteo River

Fellow FTT executive Michelle Carmichael says that adverse weather road conditions also impact the tip site plan. In the major downpour earlier in the month, “we got stranded in Warkworth on Friday night and couldn’t return to Wellsford as all roads were cut off due to flooding and slips. So for 12 hours, Waste Management wouldn’t have been able to access their landfill site either under those circumstances.”

Included in FTT’s post-storm consultations will be the chair of the Ngāti Manuhiri Omaha Marae, Annie Baines, continuing another development in the tip saga after the iwi’s settlement trust decided to

support that Waste Management case in return for project involvement and an assurance that $10 million would be paid in the event of environmental damage. Ms Baines’ marae has continued to vehemently oppose the trust decision.

“If there is a silver lining in this latest development, it is that it will raise public awareness of the battle that the Ngāti Manuhiri people face with their settlement trust, and I’m sure there are many others around the country,” said Michelle.

“Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust took a treacherous sledgehammer to years of united support between iwi and community about this proposal. The

The Northland FIELD DAYS

system is wrong because how is it morally right that a company and one mana whenua entity, without regard for others, can decide that $10 million makes it OK to pollute the very same environment that is being restored with at least $300 million of public money?” (The current

10-year Kaipara Moana Remediation Fund project).

“Fight the Tip is still seeking funding in its continuing legal case and is grateful for any contribution, which can be made to our bank account at 12-30940274048-00.”

Aerial photos : courtesy Roger Stevenson, Sky Works Helicopters

Dome Valley was inundated

“Igrew up in Central Hawke’s Bay on the Ruahine Ranges in a small place called Wakarara,” said Sarah.

“My dad Bill Cullen farmed deer, beef and sheep. It was my granddad Doug’s farm until my dad took over. I am a school teacher and always jokingly said I was never going to marry a farmer. I married John, and he works for Landcorp. We lived on several farms in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne and eventually came here to Kapiro Station, where he is the manager.

“We love it here. I began growing dahlia because we have a nice big vegetable garden, and I wanted to do something for

MORE THAN A HOBBY

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

Sarah Hallgarth has turned an interest in flowers into a successful business at Mrs Floriferous Flower Farm in Kerikeri.

the bees, butterflies and other pollinators. I had planted some dahlia bulbs, and they kept getting pulled out. I thought it was the dogs and mentioned it to John, but it was him because he thought they were something else.

“I decided they must be hardy if they can be pulled out many times and survive, and suddenly I had a lot and was addicted to them. After a couple of years growing, wedding and event organiser Kelly Fogden from Best Day Ever started buying flowers from me for her events and weddings.”

Sarah found she was suddenly a flower farmer rather than a home grower.

“I got a bit more specialised in the field. It is hard to have a favourite, my favourite changes regularly, and is always one that is disease-free and has a long straight stem.

“They go great with zinnia, which are also a Mexican flower. Dahlias don’t have a scent, so go well with fragrant blooms, and both flowers can be cut, and they bloom again.

Sarah Hallgarth has a large variety of dahlias and other flowers at Mrs Floriferous Flower Farm in Kerikeri

“Flower farmers are at the mercy of the weather and can’t insure their crops. It is a huge commitment. John and I recently bought an old orange orchard, and my mum Louise moved from Hawke’s Bay. She came to be near us and our son Samuel because her other two grandchildren live in Perth, Australia.

“Mum has been a gardener all her life, so I moved my garden to her because it certainly takes teamwork. John is a reluctant gardener, but he and Samuel are very good with machinery and do all the tractor and digger work.

“We build mounded rows and add mulch and compost. In winter, I start buying new tubers and new varieties from around the country and take cuttings from

them when they sprout. I grow them in pots and plant them when they have had a head start.

“Living in Kerikeri means it is warmer, and they start growing a month or two earlier than other places. Here they bloom for longer, generally until around Easter, when they die of mildew or being worn out. In cooler climates, dahlia naturally die in the frost.

“They are a bit different to most flowers and don’t keep opening once you pick them, unlike roses that open in a vase. You have to pick them quite early, almost before they are in full bloom, because once they get the yellow centre, they don’t last as long.

“It is best to not pick on a hot summer’s day, and it’s best to pick early morning

or late in the evening. Flowers picked in the middle of the day don’t last as well. Unfortunately, dahlias don’t have a long shelf life. You can’t import them as they won’t last. So they make a great flower for local flower farmers to grow. There is no overseas competition, and buyers know they are fresh.

“The good thing about buying New Zealand-grown flowers is that they don’t have chemicals or preservatives added like the imported ones. My packaging can all go in the compost as well.

“Known as a dirty flower, it is best to change their water daily and add a drop of bleach to keep the water clean and a touch of sugar to feed them. That is called conditioning the flowers.

“Being a school teacher and dealing with people every day, it is lovely coming home to the flowers. Working amongst the flowers is peaceful, quiet and very relaxing.

“I love the dahlia colours and variety. They can grow as big as a dinner plate or as tiny as a $2 coin. I sell at the Waipapa Four Square with a friend Candice from Brookbay Blooms at Waimate North. She has a different climate and soil type, and that gives us security to supply flowers daily.

“People can find me at Mrs Floriferous on Facebook or Instagram. It is a fun hobby that sounds glamorous but is hard work. When you buy local blooms, you are buying fresh flowers and supporting New Zealand flower farmers.”

The farm’s best workers

by Paul Campbell

The length of the country, working dogs are very much part of the rural scene, be it hitching a ride on a farm ute or on the tray of a farmer’s quad bike, shuttling between paddocks and properties as part of a working day.

What many may not realise though, is that dogs have a history in New Zealand that began long before the working breed arrived with the early European pioneers as they go back to the first canoes of the Polynesian voyagers. Then they were used as companions as such, but they also wound up in the cooking pot.

Captain Cook recorded in his writings that he ate dog meat in Queen Charlotte Sound in an encounter with Māori in 1770 — he reckoned it tasted like mutton.

As Europeans brought their more revered canine companions and working dogs from the early 1800s, the Māori kuri was lost through cross-breeding, which caused a feral population threatening damage to the native wildlife, and of course, the new farmer’s sheep.

The settlers’ reaction was swift, with bullets and poison preventing the wlld breed from becoming established, making way for the now prized working dog with more genteel breeding from the fields of Scotland, a literal world away.

Today more than 2,000 working dogs are a vital part of the New Zealand economy controlling the dayto-day management of a huge export economic sector — sheep and beef farming. Prized and commanding high trading prices, among these canine experts, with strong genetic links to the Scottish Border Collie are Huntaways with a commanding ‘voice’ when the shepherd asks them to ‘speak up’ in a high country muster, and the heading dog, fast of foot to control stock from

close in, with a steady ‘eye’ to outstare a recalcitrant sheep.

The farmer operates a canine team, usually Huntaways and one or two eye dogs, depending on the requirement of stock movement, mustering or culling and loading trucks.

Useful working dog skills include a ‘strong eye’ out-staring a sheep so it retreats, separating one sheep from another or from a group and perhaps at docking time, catching and holding a lamb without biting. Come rain or shine, their work involves running tens of kilometres a day at full pelt and responding to a range of verbal and whistled commands.

There is plenty of opportunity, too, for the best of the working canines to show off their prowess with sheep dog trials, a popular rural competition the length of the country. Most popular is testing the skills of owners and dogs, where the dog has to move a small group of sheep from a distant hill and into a small fenced enclosure at the foot of the hill country. While its origins are in the Border Collie, a longer-haired breed originally from the chilly Scottish border, over many years, they have been bred with short-haired dogs better suited to hot summers. Other dogs have been bred to be a little more robust by nature to deal with sometimes reluctant cattle.

The farm dog played a core role in establishing agriculture

Further support for Northland hit by significant weather

by Dr Emily Henderson, MP for Whangārei

The government is unlocking an additional $700,000 in support for regions badly hit by the recent flooding and storm damage in the upper North Island.

The sum of $500,000 is being made available to provide unskilled and semi-skilled jobs for local people who will support farmers, growers, and communities by completing clean-up work on their properties.

The damage to farms, homes, roads and bridges across the regions affected is extensive and no doubt will take a long time to be fully assessed. By making this funding available, local councils and other authorised agencies can hire job seekers to help.

Some areas have recorded unprecedented amounts of rain, which has flooded farmland, damaged infrastructure, and washed away some crops.

The record rainfall comes on top of what has been a challenging and wet season for many in Northland, which compounds the stress for people. It’s important we contribute to helping farmers and growers who have managed their way through these events.

Funding of $200,000 will be allocated to Rural Support Trusts, which know their communities and what support is required to help people through.

While the full extent of the damage will take weeks to be revealed, it is clear there have been significant impacts on communities, farmers and growers across Northland. We’ll be keeping a close eye on things in the coming weeks and whether further support is required.

Government agencies, councils and sector groups will continue to work together to monitor the storm’s impact and determine where support should be targeted to the greatest need.

In addition to the funding announced today, Inland Revenue is set to activate its Adverse Event Income Equalisation

Scheme for the affected regions. It will enable farming businesses to even out income fluctuations by spreading their gross income from year to year.

Dr Emily Henderson, MP

The field days experience

2023 Northland Field Days committee is excited to host the upcoming event on March 2–4 and looking forward to welcoming old and new visitors and exhibitors in the farming and lifestyle industries.

The

“After not being able to hold the field days for the past two years due to Covid restrictions, we are looking forward to welcoming everyone back,” says the committee.

“We are excited, and it is set to be a very positive experience with more than 300 exhibitors, including food vendors, lifestyle and rural pavilions. The Northland Field Days is not just for farmers. It is for lifestyle block owners, families and anyone interested in the rural sector.

“We have many activities for the family to enjoy together, and this year, we also have mobility scooters available for hire to help people with mobility issues join in the fun.

“The fencing competition for NZ Young Farmers is set for Saturday, March 4, along with fencing demonstrations on all three days.

“The tractor pull is set to take place on all three days, with the finals on

“People can show us their skills with the laser clay bird shooting, and activities for kids include bouncy castles, slides, merry-go-round, rides on the little fire truck and toy jeep rides.

“Animal lovers of all ages can visit the mobile petting farm, and Helinorth will have scenic flights on offer on Saturday, and the Wellness Hub by Te Whatu Ora — Health New Zealand is coming along.

“The Northland Field Days is run by volunteers with one paid staff member. The committee has put in a huge amount of their time, provided their equipment and machinery and a few family members to bring the event to life.

“When you spot the men and women in their Northland Field Days shirts, we’d love you to say hi. With the hundreds of exhibitors on-site, come and talk all things farming with the experts in the industry and get advice on a wide range of products and services.

“We are looking forward to community support and people coming along, having fun together and meeting past and new exhibitors.”

Members of the Northland Field Days Committee — Ross, Robert and Basil, Ned, Shane, Luciana and John John Phillips, Northland Field Days’ president Saturday. There is lawn mower racing, the logger sports competition and the log loading demo on Saturday.

The sustainable choice

Oxley’s Furniture believes that sustainability should be at the heart of every company’s ethos.

Oxley’s outdoor furniture is crafted from 100 per cent recycled aluminium, mainly sourced from drinks cans and automotive and aviation components. Making recycled aluminium uses just five per cent of the energy required to produce new aluminium. Yet, it loses no quality in the process.

Pam and Martin Shead own and run Oxley’s Furniture New Zealand, based just outside Kaiwaka on the edge of the Kaipara Harbour. They hold most items from the Oxley’s Sienna and Artemis ranges in stock; hence, they are available for immediate delivery.

A major bonus which comes from being local is ease of delivery. At the moment, they will deliver free of charge around the Northland area using their own delivery vehicle.

Oxley’s furniture is incredibly durable and heavy enough to withstand strong winds. The powder coating is resilient to salty coastal environments, and the cushion fabrics are sun, rain and mould resistant. Its high-quality outdoor furniture is the best choice for high-wind zone areas.

Oxley’s combines the perfect materials for all-weather furniture, which needs virtually no maintenance. It is luxuriously comfortable and continues to look great for years — the ultimate test of sustainability, as you will never

durability and comfort of their

“Our ‘10-year buy back promise’ is the essence of a closed loop economy,” says Pam. “The furniture may last for generations and never end up in the

furniture range at the

Days need to replace it. Pam and Martin are able to back their products with supreme confidence.

landfill, but if your circumstances or location change, we offer the chance to exchange your furniture for something more suitable.”

Oxley’s Furniture NZ will be at the Northland Field Days Lifestyle Pavillion 105–108 on March 2, 3 and 4 2023,

with a great range of furniture for you to tap, touch, lift, feel and try out. Make it a date and come along to see them.

“You will never regret investing in Oxley’s furniture,” says Pam. “Price is what you pay; value is what you get.”

P: 021 705 837

E: brett@barnbuildersnz.co.nz

W: www.barnbuildersnz.co.nz

CONSTRUCTION SPECIALISTS

Oxley’s have been handcrafting the highest quality outdoor furniture for the past 30 years using 100% recycled aluminium. Our furniture is fully welded together so it is immensely strong, totally weather proof, and sustainably made. You can leave it outdoors year round with no maintenance and it will not rust, fade or come apart. We use weather resistant Sunbrella fabric for our cushions in a choice of colours.

Pam and Martin from Oxley’s Furniture New Zealand invite all comers to test the

outdoor

Northland Field

How does magnesium help cramp?

by John Arts

Five years of progress with Labour

by Hon Kelvin Davis, MP for Te Tai Tokerau

say? It’s times like these that words are not enough to express the impact a person has had.

Muscle contraction starts with a nerve impulse that arrives at muscle fibres (cells). It commences a process that results in muscles contracting and allowing movement in our body. It is worth noting that there are three types of muscles: skeletal muscles are attached to bones to allow us to move; cardiac muscle is the special type of muscle that makes up most of our hearts, while smooth muscle lines our blood vessels and organs.

Calcium is needed for muscles to contract by controlling the nerve-muscle junction. Magnesium is needed for the relaxation of muscles by its role in maintaining muscle electrical activity.

Magnesium competes with calcium in this process as it binds to the same sites. A calcium/magnesium imbalance can cause cramps and cardiac muscle heart rhythm issues. That is often because of low magnesium intake, especially in relation to calcium intake.

Fortunately, increasing magnesium to help with cramp is relatively simple by using quality magnesium supplements. The challenge is finding a supplement that works for you. While some supplements use a single

form of magnesium, my preference is to combine three different forms as these are absorbed differently. Some are more rapidly absorbed, while others take longer but have longerlasting effects. I suggest you avoid supplements with magnesium oxide as it can upset digestion.

There are also wide variations in the magnesium doses people need. It is why my magnesium supplement has a dosage range of between one to four capsules daily. That allows for experimentation to get the ideal dose.

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 newsletter at abundant.co.nz.

Abundant Health

Magnesium Triple

What is Magnesium Triple?

To me, what stands out about Jacinda is her role as a true leader. She wasn’t a boss or manager, but someone who inspired others to be the best version of themselves.

For the past six years, I have sat next to her as she calmly led us as a government, and as a country, through countless challenges.

We have more people in work, with higher wages, which makes both Te Tai Tokerau families and our economy strong. We’ve also seen child poverty continue to improve, and measures such as our Families Package, minimum wage increases, benefit increases, and free lunches in schools have helped to lift families’ wellbeing.

It can sometimes be easy to forget how far we’ve come since 2017, particularly as we’ve all faced a global pandemic and economic shock.

I stand with our wider Labour whānau in congratulating my mate Chippie as the Leader of the Labour Party and soon to

How can Magnesium Triple help?

•

$82.95 for 2 bottles post-free or 1 bottle for $43.95 plus $5.99 postage Each bottle has 120 capsules, approx 2 months’ supply per bottle

John Arts comments:

be the 41st prime minister of Aotearoa — New Zealand.

I have enjoyed working closely with him across the education portfolio for the past five years. Seeing our tamariki thrive is a passion we share, and the outcomes we’ve achieved under his leadership have been very significant.

We’ve achieved a lot this far under Jacinda Ardern’s leadership, and I know we’ll achieve even more under Chris Hipkins.

She has truly earned a break, and nothing is more important than whānau. Aotearoa is a better country having had her lead us.

Nā reira e te māreikura, e te rangatira, e taku hoa. E mihi ana ki a koe i te nui o ngā mahi i oti i a koe.

Ka mihi hoki ki to whānau nā rātou koe i tukuna mai ki a mātou otira ki ngā rahi o Aotearoa.

Ko te pae tawhiti whaia kia tata, ko te pae tata whakamaua kia tina! (Funded by Parliamentary Service)

What can I

Photo Credit: Shannon Pitman

At the opening of Te Hononga, Kawakawa

Those that experience muscle cramps know how this happens. Mostly at night, muscles can suddenly cramp with intense pain. Cramps can often be related to physical exercise, dehydration, low salt intake and other factors such as some diseases and medications.

“Increasing magnesium to help with cramp is relatively simple”.

Turn over a new leaf

Your animals don’t know it yet, but their life is about to change, for the better — so is yours.

Twenty-two years of research, input from a leading animal scientist, intense genetic selection and rigorous testing have led to a new, easy-eating perennial ryegrass with improved nitrogen uptake.

“That means your animals don’t have to work so hard to consume the thousands of bites they need to sustain themselves each day. It also helps you utilise nitrogen fertiliser more efficiently,” says Barenbrug pasture systems manager Blair Cotching.

Bite me!

The new ryegrass is called Array. It was bred for high intake and easy grazing with dense, erect tillers that stand tall and literally put themselves closer to hungry mouths.

“A dairy cow might take 25,000 bites a day, while a ewe might take 35,000 bites. That demands a lot of energy. Array takes some of the physical effort out of this process,” Blair says.

In creating Array, Barenbrug sought advice from Dr Alastair Nicol, then senior lecturer in animal science at Lincoln University, renowned for his work on grazing behaviour and plant preference.

Lean and keen

Like all the company’s new grasses, Array was subjected to restricted inputs during development to help ensure it could cope with real-world conditions on-farm.

Unlike others, however, it showed a rare ability to grow more than its peers under low nitrogen, Blair says.

A trial comparing the same cultivars sown and managed identically under high, medium and deficient nitrogen levels, confirmed Array had the edge when nitrogen was scarce because it could extract much more nitrogen from the soil.

Array perennial ryegrass

Win-win

What does this mean for your farm? First, more even pasture growth at times when soil nitrogen is deficient. Second, a win for the environment because it gives you the potential to utilise nitrogen more efficiently.

Array is the highest-yielding ryegrass

Barenbrug has bred and is unbeaten in the National Forage Variety Trials for both total yield, and winter growth.

It is the only diploid perennial ryegrass in the top 5-star category for all regions of the DairyNZ Forage Value Index. It has Barenbrug’s highest ranking for pasture persistence, so you can sow with confidence. Array comes with NEA2 endophyte and is available in limited quantities this autumn.

Talk to your seed merchant for details.

The ryegrass every ruminant has been waiting for.

Standing tall — Array was made for easy grazing

Democracy in discussion at field days

Matt King of the DemocracyNZ Party is heading out to Northland Field Days with a message to those passionate about good governance; make your voice heard and preserve the freedom to choose.

“I was a hard-working MP for Northland, and I strongly believe that Northlanders deserve an MP who is invested in the success of Northland,” says Matt. ”For every 0.8% of the party vote DemocracyNZ receives in 2023, I will bring another MP into parliament alongside me, with Northlanders’ support, to win my seat back.”

With experience in office and a long history as an advocate for Northlanders, Matt says that his party’s focus on farming is timely and important. Carbon afforestation and regulations and taxes involving carbon emissions are hot topics in the rural sector, so he’s keen to meet with those working the land and discuss their freedoms first-hand.

It’s the policy of DemocracyNZ to vehemently oppose the so-called farming tax, repeal the Zero Carbon Bill and put an end to ‘carbon farming’, which is seeing productive land lost.

“Our values are our compass. They will drive our decision-making; they will drive everything we do,” says Matt. “We stand for democracy and equality, with freedom of choice, expression and access for all New Zealanders. We’re inclusive and open. We strive for a fair, unified nation without discrimination or division.”

That means backing a thriving economy that empowers businesses, protecting the environment, and, importantly, also respecting the property rights of all New Zealanders. DemocracyNZ believes that a good place to begin is by entrenching

the Bill of Rights to ensure clear and just lawmaking for all. Matt says that their bottom line comes down to trusting in evidence over ideology and taking needless government intrusion out of people’s lives.

Those who want an open discussion on choice, governance and the responsibility and limitations of power can speak with Matt King at Northland Field Days; stop by the DemocracyNZ tent and make your voice heard.

4.

Matt King will be present at Northland Field Days to discuss the big issues facing the region and the nation with those who are passionate about good governance

Power-free wastewater systems

Trapinator for a pest-free property

The Trapinator Possum Trap operates with an overbalance mechanism that kills the possum efficiently.

“BIOROCK S.a.r.l developed one of the fi rst non-electric, eco-friendly wastewater systems available on the world market,” says New Zealand company director Geoff Jones-Prichard.

“The company is progressive and continues to invest in research and development of new technology to keep pace with changing environmental standards and the requirements of its customers.

“A range of systems to meet most individual needs from 300 litres per day through to 13,500 litres per day is available through BIOROCK NZ. The system is passive, combining primary (anaerobic) treatment with tertiary (aerobic and filtration) treatment.

“The systems rely on natural aspiration to provide oxygen for the naturally occurring bacteria, rather than alternative methods such as vermiculture.

“The systems which convert raw wastewater into a clear, odourless

liquid, are constructed from high-density polyethylene. BIOROCK NZ primary tanks (septic tanks) are lightweight and easy to install in most locations, no matter how remote or difficult the site.

“Released this year, is the BEASY-2000 ‘all in one’ designed for wastewater flows of up to 300 litres a day. This system is ideal for tiny homes, orchards, workshops etc. If a larger flow is required, the MONOBLOCK-3-1000 ‘all in one’ is an ideal solution.

“We have a strong network of accredited installers across New Zealand who work closely with customers to implement a system that has minimal impact on the environment. BIOROCK has become a system of choice for many homeowners.

“It has no moving parts, is silent and odourless with the added advantage of requiring minimal annual maintenance. The low cost of ownership and a longlife span makes BIOROCK a long-term sustainable economic investment.”

“Our Department of Conversation series traps for rodents and stoats, on the other hand, operate through a treadle plate, effectively trapping the pest in a tunnel, while the designed tunnel deters any birds from entering,” says group sales manager Ross Mitchell.

“We take pride in the effectiveness of our traps, and ease of use is a key factor in our design. With a simple set-up process, the traps can be ready in just a few minutes.

“Trapinator is one of the most reliable possum traps on the market, and it’s no surprise that it’s a popular choice for people looking to control possum populations on their property. The same goes with the DOC series traps we manufacture for rodents and mustelids, including weasels, stoats and ferrets. It is still the leader in mustelid control; just ask DOC.

“Our traps are not just effective but designed to kill pests humanly while

REVOLUTIONARY

following the New Zealand National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee guidelines. It’s no wonder our traps are popular with DOC, councils, farmers, landowners and wildlife control professionals.

“Safety is also a top priority for us, and the traps are made in a way that minimises the possibility of accidental capture of non-target species such as our precious Kiwi. If you see an increase in birdlife in your area, it may be thanks to Trapinator traps, already used by thousands across New Zealand to remove pests humanely.

“If you are considering doing your part to remove pests and increase birdlife, I recommend you choose the leading brand in pest control, made in New Zealand, to remove pests such as possums from your property.”

Visit trapinator.com or contact us at sales@trapinator.com or 09 579 4089 for more information.

Trapinator™

Mustelid Trap has been designed to humanely kill stoats, rats, weasels and hedgehogs. Approved and used by Department of Conservation. It is lightweight, durable with flip open top for easy access. Perfect for large or small operators, this Mustelid trap makes pest kill and removal easy work.

BIOROCK S.a.r.l Luxembourg has more than 30 years’ experience in the wastewater treatment business with more than 80,000 installations worldwide.

Dhivesh Krishna, BIOROCK NZ business development manager

The Trapinator is quick and humane, making it a popular choice for DOC, councils, farmers and pest control workers

“Iwas a rural pom, and moved to New Zealand 45 years ago,” says Hugh.

“I treat everyone as I find them, and I met my oldest Kiwi friend John Read in 1977, and we are still friends to this day. I’m a jack-of-all-trades and bred beef cattle in the Kaipara but didn’t like the stories being told about the industry.

“We heard that banana plants naturally suck nitrates from the soil, and cattle enjoy eating the whole plant, so we

decided to grow them instead. The Land of the Lotus is five years old now and is an old hunting reserve.

“When we first arrived, we cleared away rocks, and started planting lotus in the ponds, and worked on the pineapple and banana beds — all are going extremely well.

“The property also has a wetland with a man-made dam that covers 10 acres. It is spring fed, meaning the water comes from underground and we are

Hugh and Pauline Rose at one of their banana plantation areas currently returning it to its former glory. Within 100 metres, we have solid rock, volcanic soil and clay.”

Hugh says pineapples are a freak of nature.

“They are part of the bromeliad family and are a conglomerate of berries joined together with tiny black seeds under their scales. If you find the seeds you can grow

them. We grow five varieties, but there are hundreds out there.

“The best of the lot is the Queen, which is a small plant with a big golden yellow pineapple. The red variety is a big plant with a medium fruit and is also nice. I think it makes great biosecurity around your fences and under your windows, as the leaves are very prickly.

Hugh and Pauline Rose grow a variety of exotic fruit, including lotus, pineapple, passionfruit and banana, at The Land of the Lotus in Maungatapere.

Hugh Rose with the red pineapples, which have spikes on the plant’s leaves

“Anyone can grow pineapple, as long as they have sunshine. They are almost identical to kūmara farming. Any kūmara grower can grow pineapple as the machine requirements, and set-up is very similar, and the Kaipara climate, in particular ,is perfect.”

Hugh learned to grow pineapple from helping Owen Schafli set up his plantation in Whangārei Heads.

“Owen is originally from South Africa and is the pineapple guru. Recently, Owen had a few pineapple growers from Australia come to learn a few of his tricks. Growing here means we don’t rely on imports, and ours are spray-free and have minimal food miles to get to market. New Zealand grown is naturally ripened, unlike the imported ones that are picked green and artificially ripened, making them stringy and sour.

“New Zealand pineapples are like liquid sunshine, and you can eat the whole thing

— even the stalk melts in your mouth. What more could you want? Once you try a locally grown pineapple, you never buy from the shops again.

“There is a definite pineapple market here, and we would be very keen to find a kūmara grower who would like to invest in a couple of hectares of pineapple. Kaipara, in particular, has perfect growing conditions, and we are keen to help establish more growers.”

Hugh and Pauline also grow fruits such as dragonfruit and pawpaw.

“We use a method called poke and hope. You put the plant in the ground and wait for it to grow. Planting in what would be considered a plant’s natural surroundings tends to cause them to grow very well. We also have a nursery and trade various plants with people.

“One thing about pineapple is the peel is full of natural yeast and sugars. If you add water and extra sugar to the

peel, you can make beer or kombucha. The more sugar, the more alcohol, but, you can also over-sugar the brew. In a still, it concentrates down and becomes alcohol in its purest form — eau de vie. My favourite thing to make is piña colada.”

Pauline says they are very good for making a crumble dessert.

“All you need to do is find a rhubarb crumble recipe and substitute the rhubarb with red pineapple,” she said.

“You can make pineapple fritter rings with a batter and deep or shallow fry them. They are very yummy. You can also freeze slices and put them in smoothies or eat them with yoghurt. My favourite way to eat pineapple is freshly harvested raw fruit.

“We love creating something to share with other people. That’s the nicest part for both of us, and we enjoy watching things grow daily, because what we do is something a little different.”

70 is the new 50.

Hugh with a male bell from one of his banana plants

Pauline grows the lotuses at their Northland property

Enrol now for 2024 and 2025

Boys Years 9–13 | Girls Years 11–13

There are many reasons why boarding at King’s works for both students and their families’ busy lives.

Our flagship Year 9 Te Pūtake Lodge offers a unique boarding experience for young boys entering into independent secondary schooling away from home. This welcoming environment supports your child in their transition to boarding at King’s, providing a home away from home.

Middlemore House also offers girls from Years 11-13 a dynamic boarding environment along with a challenging academic, sporting and cultural programme. Placements are limited.

If you’d like to find out more about a King’s College all-round education for your son or daughter call our Head of Admissions Mr Graeme Syms on 027 498 6218.

www.kingscollege.school.nz

Agriline quality machinery

Agriline will be exhibiting its large range of top-quality agricultural machinery at the 2023 Northland Field Days.

“Agriline is a family-owned business with a strong connection to the Northland farming community and is committed to being the go-to company for Northland farmers and contractors for all their machinery, parts, service and accessories,” says Agriline’s Gerry Hamlin.

“We will have Vigolo mulchers and cultivation machinery, Picursa forestry mulchers, Rata loader attachments, Walco and Vogal ATV spreaders, Scimitar tip trailers and Feeder Leader bale feeders, plus much more on display at the field days.

“The staff at Agriline have a wealth of industry knowledge and experience enabling them to give expert advice on machinery and source a huge range of parts including those harder to find ones.”

As well as the great range of machinery in the yard, the Dargaville showroom also boasts a large range of parts and accessories, including linkage and PTO componentry, fasteners, tools, lubricants, bearings and seals.

“There is a selection of hydraulic top links to suit most tractors, and in addition to this, there is also a range of Australian made Rapid Spray sprayers for ATVs, UTVs and utes, etc.”

Vigolo mulchers have become one of the flag-ship products in the Agriline range due to their efficiency and excellent quality.

“Although they are built in Italy, they are built to Agriline’s strict specifications to handle the tough New Zealand conditions and applications. This has made them New Zealand farmers’ and contractors’ favourite high body mulcher. They are an incredibly versatile machine that can be used for anything from topping grass and mulching crop residue to clearing gorse and scrub.

“If you are needing anything in the way of farm machinery or parts, call in and see the team at Agriline on the corner of Grey Street and Victoria Street or come and see us at sites D10, D11 and D12 on Agriline Way at the Northland Field Days. Alternatively, you can call us on 09 439 0500.”

– placements limited

Matt Cobb, Agriline Dargaville branch manager

First aid training with Pro+Med (NZ) Ltd

As a Registered Paramedic and First Responder trainer, Maungaturoto’s Simon Townsend has saved

Simon has trained many people in all aspects of first aid, including the prime minister’s bodyguards and taken many Northland residents through their first aid qualifications.

“My mother was a nurse, and our family always had a passion for medicine,” said Simon.

“When I was 14, there was a terrible car accident, and a guy walked several kilometres to our farmhouse for help. His mate went through the windshield. I had dealt with injured farm animals, so I decided to try and help. It took 40 minutes for the ambulance to arrive, and the medic said she didn’t know how we’d kept the boy alive.

“She suggested I do a first aid course and volunteer for St John. I started volunteering in 1989 and was employed by St John in 1996. I completed my paramedic training in 2002 and

attended AUT University to upskill to the next level.

“Over time, I suffered burnout and left the industry. I soon decided to be the fence at the top of the cliff instead of the ambulance at the bottom and teach people the tips and tricks that medics use.

“Psychological fi rst aid has now become extremely relevant, and I have taught staff from the community, workplaces, police, Coastguard, Search and Rescue and DOC.”

With the recent storms in Northland many have been caught out and isolated.

“Living in rural communities, when it comes to first response, a community solution is needed for a community problem. Recently, one of my students on a community patrol helped a man in cardiac arrest. It took over an hour for the ambulance to arrive. If nobody had stepped in, the man could have died.

”We need as many everyday people as possible to take a course and learn the basics of CPR, resuscitation and psychological fi rst aid because an ambulance might not be available.

“I now work in conjunction with Pro+Med (NZ) Ltd and travel around New Zealand training people in pre-hospital emergency care and psychological fi rst aid. People often don’t realise there is a private option aside from St John.

“We cover the Paparoa Show, Northland Field Days and sports events as on-site medics. By using Pro+Med

30-year career.

(NZ) Ltd, you are hiring a local, fully qualified, registered paramedic. We also do risk assessments and management for small and large events.

“I recently attended the New Zealand Resuscitation Council conference. When doing our courses, you’re being trained with the most up-to-date information available. Pro+Med (NZ) Ltd gets information first-hand, not from a handbook. When we pass on our knowledge or are covering an event, you are getting the best of the best.” Look into it today, tomorrow could be too late.

countless lives in his

Simon Townsend teaches first aid and life-saving skills through Pro+Med (NZ) Ltd

Search of significance

by Amy Fifita

Sisters Rosemary Gore and Suzi Poupouare are seeking people who may be related to people in a photo they have discovered of their grandparents’ wedding.

“Our grandfather’s name is Michael Thomas Victor Priestley, but he was known as Vic,” says granddaughter Rosemary Gore.

“We knew our grandmother but never knew our grandfather, and as the third generation after our grandfather, we’ve always been curious about who our family are.

“Sometimes people look at an old photo and recognise who is in it, physical family traits or the same photo may be at their marae or in family archives. The people in our photo came from Dargaville and would have definitely fought in Passchendaele and were likely gassed and ended up in hospital together.

“We are interested in finding out who the first man and fifth man are in the rear of the photo. Hopefully, people from the Dargaville area recognise them.”

Vic’s last known address was in Nukutawhiti, a small rural village on State Highway 15 heading northbound to Kaikohe. He was employed by Finlayson Brothers.

“His father or grandfather came out to Tasmania as a British military guard in prison transport,” granddaughter Suzi Poupouare says.

“He was paid to go to Australia and was expected to work for years to pay off the ticket. It was a brutal place, and we were told he hated it and ran to the bush

and worked in forestry. He heard good forestry men were needed for the kauri tree milling, and still on the run, came to New Zealand.

“His best friends were Māori, and our grandmother was an absolutely beautiful Māori lady, but it saddens me that we never talked with her about her past. Our grandparents had only known each other for six to eight weeks, and he’d spent

DON’T DELAY

most of that time in hospital before they were married.

“The girls in the photo are her sisters, and all became nurses in the first world war. Her three brothers fought in the war, and two of them died, one in France and the other in Ireland.

“Even when our dad died 10 years ago, we didn’t know his war stories because he seldom talked about it. When our uncle

stood up to say his eulogy, we didn’t know so much because men didn’t talk about their experiences.

“One of our uncles said that the men in the photo were our cousins, and we are trying to trace that mighty heritage. We always thought our little touch of colour was Indian. Obviously, we are such a melting pot of different cultures, but we would like to know where we come from.”

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Leon has been designed to work hard and stand the test of time. He’s a multi-fuel standing 900m high with a fixed log base and optional top rails.

Heat Output 16-18kw (estimated). A 3kw Lion wetback can be fitted to heat your hot water.

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Heat Output 16kw (estimated). A number of Lion wetbacks options are available to heat your hot water.

Rosemary Gore, Suzi Poupouare and their siblings are interested in finding out the first man and the fifth man in the rear of the historic photo

See you at the Northland Field Days!

by Colin Hannah — Federated Farmers Northland President

I am really proud to be teaming up with our friends at Northland Rescue Helicopter where we will be sharing a stand alongside a number of our other supporters.

You can find us at sites E16 and F16. We would love you to come and have a chat, and in conjunction with the folk at the Northland Rescue Helicopter, there will be giveaways and some great raffle prizes.

We are proud sponsors of this air ambulance, which is critical to the safety and wellbeing of people in Northland. As farmers, we know that we could need the service to save our life at any time, and we encourage others to support and donate to the service, given it has to raise well over $1 million every year.

Green Cross campaign

Some of you would have noticed green wooden crosses popping up on rural fences and buildings around the country. This symbolism in no way detracts from the ultimate sacrifice that many celebrate at Easter in the Christian world.

People are searching for why the crosses exist, why they are being dotted around the countryside and what they represent.

As in Roman days, it was the officials at that time who crucified Christ, and it is the officials worldwide that are now crucifying agriculture. For what? It is time we pushed back passively. It is time for cause and effect, acknowledge or starve.

Green Cross is a silent campaign to raise awareness among New Zealand’s population about the unworkable and impractical regulations undermining farmers, food producers and, ultimately, our economy. The message is — if we continue along the current trajectory, it will be the death of significant parts of our agricultural production.

The Green Cross campaign aims to gain the attention of consumers, generate media curiosity and then educate about the ‘real world’ challenges NZ’s primary sector is facing, uniting rural and urban New Zealanders for a common purpose — a future.

Essential freshwater, winter grazing rules, impractical wetlands protection, overly-restrictive immigration criteria, SNAs, looming taxes on agricultural emissions that don’t even follow science-informed targets, and plenty more issues are threatening the livelihood of many of us.

So come on, rural Northland, emblazon the north with green crosses, regardless of size, because I fear for hard-working Northlanders as I see our economy being jeopardised by regulation.

Check out yourfoodproducers.co.nz.

Colin Hannah — Federated Farmers Northland President

HELPING PEOPLE IN NEED

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

Meat the Need ambassador Sandra Alfeld grew up on a beef and sheep farm in Kaeo and now helps farmers provide food for families in need.

Meet the Need is a farmerfounded and farmer-led charity connecting farmers who want to donate some of their produce and families in need.

“From a very young age, I was extremely passionate about farming,” said Sandra. “My mum passed away when I was five years old, and my dad Joe Dangen became a solo father. Dad instilled good values into me, and the experience helped to build my character.

“I am a real farm girl at heart and went to university and studied sport and recreation to become a physical education teacher. I then obtained a netball scholarship and did business strategic management and marketing, but the love for the land never left me.”

Sandra met her husband Todd while in Perth, Australia.

“Todd grew up in Murchison, and we always wanted to go farming and decided to roll our sleeves up and have a go. As

a family, we decided to buy Glenhope Station, and we came home because the opportunity to go farming doesn’t always come very easily. Todd and I purchased the plant and stock and leased the farm back from his parents.

“We had broom plants as high as a house and climbed trees to find livestock. Half were wild, so they were culled, and we

currently run Angus and Hereford breeding cows. We have good genetics now, and you can drive past them and they hardly move.

“We had a German investor, but sadly he passed away, and Todd and I had to buy his share of the land two years ago.”

The couple also velvet stags, with the velvet going to Korea, Japan and China for health supplements.

There are no substitutes when it comes to Grandpas Feeders. If you aren’t satisfied in both the workmanship and the effectiveness, we will refund your purchase price in full, up to 24 months following purchase.

GRANDPAS

Clean water, no training. Go to our products page on our website for more info.

Stop pests like sparrows and rodents from stealing your hens’ food. Our feeders are also weather proof, so no food is ever wasted or stolen.

Sandra and Todd Alfeld with their children Zandi and Jax on the family farm

“We have cabins dotted throughout the 24,000-hectare station that are hired by people like big game hunters, fly fishermen and trampers. There is a 46km track that loops the entire station, and we do guided hunting, white water rafting and allow mountain biking and horse trekking groups on to the farm. We also have a lama trekking guide that takes groups on high country wilderness tours.

“The tourism side of our business is a result of my marketing, sport and recreation qualifications. We are isolated here, so I had to make the lifestyle work for me and think outside the box as I missed the social interaction. Opening for tourists was a great project.

“Our property is a great spot for other farmers to get away to as well, it has a very diverse landscape, and we love sharing it with like-minded people. Glenhopestation. com has all the information.

“My other passion is my Meat the Need charity work. I read a book about finding

your purpose in life. It said when you couple your strength with your passion and find a way of serving others, you have found your meaning in life. My strengths are marketing and sponsorship, my passions are farming and people, and by helping source funding for our charity, I am serving others in need.

“I saw families doing it tough, and as a mum, I understand how challenging it can be to put meals on the table. I saw a vacancy at Meat the Need and thought, wow, I can help service 110 food banks throughout New Zealand. I applied and got the role of partnerships manager and manage the portfolio of our Rural Business Supporters.

“By helping support food banks, we make a real difference. At meattheneed. org there is a section to donate either livestock or milk through Fonterra, Miraka or Silver Fern Farms. Anyone can donate a virtual animal, including the general public and businesses. Even $5 helps with meat and milk.

“Being involved with this cause is the most inspiring and humbling work I have ever done. Meat the Need is only three years old, and in December, we raised 1.2 million meals through our rural telethon called The Big Feed.

“I ask all farmers to look at meattheneed. org and think with your heart. We are in a position of influence, and it is an easy process logistically. What does our society of tomorrow look like if we turn a blind eye to the social problems of today?

“Never have we been in such dire times socially in New Zealand. We are stronger if we collaborate together and show our communities what the agricultural sector is really made of.

“There are many concerns about the urban-rural divide, but through donating milk and meat to Meat the Need, we help bridge that gap.

“We are people of our communities and the land, and if we can help, we should.”

Purrrfect For Cats

The Alfelds enjoy having the tourism side of the property such as the guided lama tours and river rafting Anyone can donate meat and milk to the Meat the Need charity

Dam Weed Guard

Peter and Sheryl Tonkin from Matakohe are renowned for their ‘find your own answer to the problem’ attitude, which is what happened when Gordon Speedy, also from the area, decided farm water could use a little help to keep clean.

“That’s how the Dam Weed Guard was born,” says Sheryl.

“Who needs multimillion-dollar research budgets when Kiwi ingenuity is alive and well? We own a beef and sheep business, and after fitting the Dam Weed Guard in our own dam, we were so impressed with Gordon’s innovation we bought the business.”

The device is built strong for longevity and low maintenance. The inclusion of a chlorine tablet dispenser in the unit eases the strain on pump and water systems by discouraging weeds and fish.

“Having bought the business, we now actively promote the device at farmorientated events such as field days and shows. Whether you own a farm or a lifestyle block — this invention will work for you.

“Water is the life blood of any farm and the cleaner, the better. Clogging of your reticulation system, pumps and piping can mean an expensive repair bill, so why not halt the problem before it becomes one. Just as a number eight wire fix is cheap and easy, so too, is the Dam Weed Guard.

“It helps protect your water supply from weed problems. The tough weed guard floats in your dam or creek water

supply and protects the filter from weeds and floating debris. It has a lid to keep light out, so weeds won’t grow and block the intake. An anchor rope can be attached for ease of retrieval and to secure the unit in fast-moving water.

“By using a chlorine tablet dispenser inside the guard, you can prevent most algae build-up, which causes blockages in pumps, inline filters, water lines and trough valves. By using this system, you ensure your stock gets the best water possible.”

Once your intake is blocked and burns out the motor — it is too late for regrets.

“The end result of installing the Dam Weed Guard to filter water to the farm trough is worth the minimal expense involved.”

See us at the Northland Field Days on site H3 alongside Advantage Feeders.

The Dam Weed Guard is built for longevity

“In farm or lifestyle block — this invention will work for you.”

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS 2023 – MAP & SITE LISTINGS

LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT HOUSE FOR YOUR FARM OR HOLIDAY DESTINATION?

We have a fantastic range of top quality transportable family homes, farm workers accommodation and holiday homes. If you want a home within a reduced timeframe, we have prebuilt and pre-consented homes available for faster delivery. We have been delivering our homes to happy New Zealanders nationwide since 1938. We still offer fixed price contracts and every house comes with a personal guarantee.

To find out more visit us at Northland Field days Rural Pavilion 512 or call today 0800 KEITH HAY

NORTHLAND FIELD DAYS 2023 – MAP & SITE LISTINGS

What all the symbols mean on this map:

D8 & D9

Nutrakawa NZ LTD LP213

Nutrinza G1

Nutritional Services Ltd RP422

NZ Fudge Farm LP124

NZ Tamarillo Cooperative Ltd LP121

NZ Wagyu Corporation Limited D16a

NZPORTABLES L17

O – OKO NZ Ltd LP315

Ombro leather wallets and belts E18a

OMC Power Equipment K10

OmniEye New Zealand Ltd RP424

Ospri RP401

Our Land and Water National RP404

Science Challenge

Oxley’s Furniture NZ LP105, LP106, LP107 & LP108

P – PGG Wrightson Ltd G18,

F A R M R E S I L I E N C E W O R K S H O P S

with Jono Frew & Greer Manderson from Natural Performance Ltd

Learn the WHAT, WHY, and HOW of farm health, resilience, and regeneration. Our 2-day workshops have an emphasis on practical tools, and you'll learn heaps of useful information, meet like minded people, and leave inspired to regenerate your soil and boost the resilience of your operation Wherever you’re at on your farming journey, we are committed to delivering what you need to make powerful, positive changes on your property.

How to start relying less on inputs, and create resilient, profitable, regenerating and functional agroecosystems.

An understanding of the functions and processes at play above and beneath the soil, so you can enable regeneration of your soil and surrounding ecosystem.

A perspective shift to help you identify and observe the limiting factors and changes on your property, and the tools you'll need to address those limiting factors

Be empowered to move forward to deliver positive outcomes for your land, people and business.

Morrinsville: 22 & 23 March, 2023 @ Morrinsville Rugby & Sports Club

www.naturalperformance.co.nz/shop/p/farm-resilience-workshop-morrinsville-march-2023

Click here for more info & tickets

Whangarei: 29 & 30 March, 2023 @ Barge Showgrounds Events Centre

www.naturalperformance.co.nz/shop/p/farm-resilience-workshop-whangarei-march-2023

Click here for more info & tickets

Challenging avocado export season ends

by Midge Munro, Darling Group

Final export avocado volumes for Just Avocados and Darling Group growers will be loaded out this month, ending another challenging season.

During the 2022–23 season, Darling Group placed 66% of its volume in Australia and 34% in Asia. A strategy Jacob Darling, Darling Group’s chief operations officer, says is slightly different to the industry overall.

“The industry split is likely 72% of export volume into Australia and 28% into Asia. Asian markets performed well in the early part of the season, and volumes at this time were focussed as much as possible to this region.”

Support of Asia with early volumes of quality fruit is key to Darling Group’s strategy of developing this market for the future.

“Although our volume into Asia has been back from last year, we remain New Zealand industry leaders in this space, with all key markets representing a weighted average of 30% or more supplied from Just Avocados.”

In Australia, the slowing economy had a significant effect on demand and caused weaker-than-anticipated values in the wholesale market. However, Darling Group’s exposure to the wholesale market was mitigated.

“Darling Group is fortunate that 90% of our volume shipped to Australia goes to retail. The gap between retail and wholesale in Australia this season was

from AUD $8 to $12, which was far greater than previous seasons.”

The Australian food service and processing market has also been positive for Darling Group. Harvesting conditions this season were impacted strongly by record rainfall. Quality and shipping issues also hampered supply.

“In the Bay of Plenty, 45% of our available harvest days were lost due to rain, and our Class 1 pack out was 14% lower on average than last season. Shipping services this season were the worst we have

seen with inconsistent services meaning what were supposed to be weekly services sometimes were up to four weeks apart.”

Jacob says the inconsistency of the supply chain cost their growers and customers, but their business model shielded them from the worst of the outcomes. This season has highlighted

STEEL FRAMED KITSET BUILDINGS

Darling Avocado branded fruit supplied by Just Avocados’ growers on sale in premium stores in Hong Kong

the importance of growers maximising production and pack out and the Darling Group team selling all grades at value.

HORTICULTURE PRODUCTS & SERVICES

A land of plenty took time

by Paul Campbell Kūmara,

corn, peanuts, grapes, strawberries, kiwifruit and avocados — the list of Northland horticultural output is ever expanding, with irrigation ventures underway that will add to the varied produce of the region.

Citrus is popular in the middle of the Far North District, and raspberries and blueberries are relatively new. The region is also starting to explore tropical fruit growing with pineapple and banana in the ground.

Growing food goes back in time to when the Māori brought edible plants from their homeland, including kūmara, yam and taro. Native bush and its wild ferns, vines, palms, fungi, berries, fruit and seeds became important foods, but soon, Māori embraced the new foods the European settlers brought, and began cultivating them — wheat, potatoes, maize, carrots, cabbage and other vegetables.

The country which supported woodland or bush was the most fertile and prized by the settlers as after being cleared, often by fire and under the plough, the soil proved rich.

An early letter to the New Zealand Company stated: “My confidence in the success of this settlement rests in no slight degree on the vigour with which many gentlemen are now employed in raising stock, and in farming operations.

Even inferior land has produced some excellent wheat and barley.’ William Deans wrote in 1840 in a tone of surprise:

‘The climate is beautiful and the soil most luxuriant, but it will require a great deal of clearing.’

The settlers found that until they could make the land productive and harvest crops, they were living in real danger of deprivation and often were helped out with imported flour and potatoes that the local Māori might sell them. The average diet consisted of bread, salt pork and potatoes. Vegetable gardens and orchards were a necessity.

Missionaries in the Bay of Islands played a part, and Samuel Marsden introduced exotic trees and other plants. ‘Fruit trees of various kinds have also been sent over by Mr Marsden. The settlers have peaches in perfection. He thinks vines will succeed, and will send plants of different sorts in order for the future benefit.’

Within a few years of visiting New Zealand and setting up his missions at Kerikeri and Waimata, Marsden had improved the lives of the people. Food was more plentiful, and want noticeably decreased, and the stage was set for today’s cornucopia.

Get organised now

Stellar Machinery is family-owned Kiwi business providing forklift solutions to New Zealanders since 1984.

We specialise in rough terrain 4x4 and all terrain diff lock forklifts for all markets across New Zealand.

Rohit Lingham 027 497 1615 www.stellarmachinery.co.nz

When Corrosion Protection is MISSION CRITICAL

CorrosionX is a super fast penetrant on corroded parts. On reassembly it acts as long-lasting protection and stops electrolysis.

CorrosionX proudly supplying New Zealand’s farmers on a daily basis.

CorrosionX waterproofs old and new electronics/ electrics in all machinery, trucks and installations. Safe on rubber, insulation,neoprene and all plastics. Safe to 39,000V.

CorrosionX Heavy Duty forms a dripless, dynamic, non-hardening, self-healing film that stubbornly resists erosion by splash or spray. Find your Northland stockist at www.corrosionx.org

0800 NO RUST | info@corrosionx.co.nz | www.corrosionx.co.nz

Still a staple today — potatoes from Northland soil

ADVERTORIAL

Optimum pest control solutions

Northpest provides complete pest control services

The business is 100% Kiwi owned by husband-and-wife partnership Brandon and Cheryl Smith and their team of highly qualified and vastly experienced technicians. Northpest prides itself on providing a service you can trust, from initial contact to the completion of all jobs.

“We are passionate about providing exceptional customer service, achieving optimum results and implementing the right solutions to your needs.

“Our focus is on delivering the best pest control solutions to each individual situation, at a realistic and costeffective price.

“Our strength is the knowledge and experience that we have behind us, combined with the professionalism, honesty and integrity that we bring to each and every job.”

What we most commonly do:

RESIDENTIAL

• General domestic pest control such as flies, spiders, cockroaches, fleas, ants, wasps, borer, rats and mice

COMMERCIAL

• Spider/insect control to commercial/ retail buildings, hotels, motels, schools, etc

• Insect and rodent control services to restaurants, cafes and other food related premises, food

Northland-wide to residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

manufacturing plants, retirement villages, rental properties, holiday homes, retail shops, offices, etc

INDUSTRIAL

• Insect and rodent control to industrial premises, warehouses, pack houses, etc

• Stored product pest control

• Thermal fogging to pack houses and cool stores

• Pest control carried out to auditing standards

DIY

If you prefer to do it yourself, we provide the best DIY pest products on the market, and they come with free advice. We have an online pest control

store so products can be viewed and purchased from the comfort of your own home.

We also have commercial premises at 3/56 Rewa Rewa Road, Whangarei, if you prefer to visit in person. Visit the online store at northpest.co.nz and click on the Products tab to view our range of products.

Residential,

Cheryl and Brandon Smith from Northpest

The men who circled the square

by Andy Bryenton

Round bales in pastel green wraps are a feature of the rural landscape in modern times, but it took more than half a century for the concept to cotton and replace the square bales many still think of when hay is mentioned.

While the humble haystack was supplanted by a clever invention commercialised by Cyrus McCormick in 1874, round balers never caught the public eye until they went large. A round baler powered by steam was shown off in Paris in the late 1800s, but it didn’t offer any kind of big advantage over the square bale concept.

A production baler that rolled and compacted hay went into production after the second world war, with Allis-Chalmers making a go of the concept until 1960. However, it was just after this that the big innovation in round baling came about as part of a farming student’s dream in Iowa.

Virgil Haverdink didn’t just have a great name for an inventor. He also had a burning need to come up with something special to use for his master’s thesis on mechanised agriculture. Stuck for a project that could earn him his degree, Virgil paid a visit to Professor Wesley Buchele, who was a local authority in farming engineering. Whether or not the professor’s name, which rhymes with ‘bushel’ gave them inspiration is lost

to history. What we do know is that the master instructed the student to think laterally on round baling and why it had never taken off.

What Virgil came up with led to a group of other students and their professor disrupting the whole baling process. They thought beyond the feat of parcelling up hay and considered what happened next. The group realised that a round bale of considerable size could be handled by a tractor with the right implements and that it would be easy to wrap and feed out with machines. The days of small bales slung by hand would be over.

Australia was all over the concept, with the Econ Fodder Roller Baler debuting there in 1969. Later that year, as the world was rocked by Woodstock, an Iowa machinery company, Hawkbilt, talked to the team led by Haverdink and Buchele, and secured the plans for their invention. The Australians had beaten them to the punch. Still, the final word would go to another Iowan who gave the concept its final twist. Gary Vermeer switched up the machinery with belts to compact the

hay, hashing out the design in chalk on his shed floor. Thanks to him, the first truly modern baler was created, debuting in 1972.

It wasn’t long before tractor drivers worldwide were learning to handle a bale

spike or a set of grips, to tote the new round bales about the farm. Packing the equivalent of 40 small square bales, a single one of these compacted masses of hay can feed 20 to 30 cattle each day, making for more efficient farming.

Gary Vermeer took an Iowan invention and made it a worldwide success with some clever additions and on-farm acumen in 1972

Technology for changing times

by Andy Bryenton

While Northland Field Days is huge, it and all other farming shows are dwarfed by the ‘mother of them all’, Hanover’s vast Agritechnica, held biannually to showcase the best in farming technology.

The next of these massive events occur at the end of this year, and registrations are already set to close as the mammoth undertaking of staging the show gets up to speed. The theme for the next of these colossal events resonates with our field days this year; seamless green productivity through uncertain times.

“We expect the world’s leading trade fair to provide answers to the question of how a seamless supply of food is possible in light of current events,” said Tilmann Köller, a spokesperson for machinery heavyweight John Deere. “With its innovative technological solutions, the agricultural machinery industry is making a significant contribution to this.”

Mechanisation and automation have played a key role in making it possible to feed a growing world population effectively. Through the destabilising times of the Covid-19 pandemic, farming was one sector that proved resilient and remained productive.

Agritechnica has seen the debut of many new technologies, from satellite navigation for fertiliser spreaders to undersowing with added precision and even hydrogen power for tractors. Now, the organisers are taking the show on the road to explore automation for other environments, above and beyond the pasture and croplands of Europe, which are only partially replicated in New Zealand.

While we have a lot in common with European automated farming practices, there are crops and environments in New

Zealand that share similarities with places closer to home in the Asia-Pacific region. Hence why all eyes were on the first-ever Agritechnica hosted in Vietnam late last year.

“It is necessary to boost mechanisation in agricultural production, apply smart and environmentally friendly technologies towards digitalisation and automation to increase labour productivity,” said Vietnam’s Agriculture Minister Le Minh Hoan. Everything from rice-planting aerial drones to specialist tractors for steep hillside orchards was rolled out in the city of Can Tho to a packed audience.

“Our demonstrations of the efficient irrigation systems for saving water while achieving higher yields resulted in many new ideas coming from our discussions

with decision-makers and farmers,” commented Mr Klaus Ferk, Sales Director Asia, Australia and New Zealand at Röhren- und Pumpenwerk Bauer. His company, like many others on the global stage, includes New Zealand in the Asia-Pacific bloc, and innovations made for the conditions of some other nations in this sphere are applicable to niche crop and farming practices taking hold in parts of our own country. Northland, currently the site of large investments in dambased irrigation for cropping of exotic new

fruits and vegetables, is one area which could well benefit from modular, off-grid water saving and deployment insights.

With advanced mechanisation, the driving force behind local agricultural contracting businesses, all eyes are on the world’s biggest showcase of new, greener tech, both at home in Hanover and now in the east.

Phone Nick 022 083 3579 or Julie 027 324 4431

Agricultural machinery innovation is seen as the best way to increase farming productivity, and shows such as Agritechnica and the Northland Field Days deliver the cutting edge

ADVERTORIAL

Opportunities abound in booming fencing industry

As the rural fencing sector continues to grow and diversify, projects such as pest control, water protection and regeneration projects are creating an increased demand for skilled rural fencing contractors.

Additionally, the residential fencing sector is seeing significant growth as customers recognise the importance of engaging specialist fencing contractors.

“Skilled fencers are in demand, and the fencing industry is experiencing a skills shortage, which means there is a lot of opportunity for workers to enter the industry and be well supported by their employers,” says Phil Cornelius, Fencing Contractors NZ president, the industry body for fencing contractors.

Fencing contractors come from a variety of backgrounds, and there is no ‘right way’ to move into the industry. Many grow up in rural areas and are drawn to the trade, while school leavers often come straight from secondary school and start as general labourers within fencing crews while they learn the trade.

The Level 3 and Level 4 Certificate in Fencing, provided by NorthTec—

Te Pukenga provides graduates with practical skills and knowledge that are highly valued by employers. It is an excellent way to gain a solid understanding of the theory of rural fencing and on-site, hands-on training.

Often fencing contractors have come from other careers, choosing to change to a career that allows them an enjoyable lifestyle with good remuneration. Whatever route is taken the rewards are considerable.

Ask any fencing contractor why they chose fencing as a career, and the reply almost always includes the good pay level, unrivalled working conditions with a different view most days, weekends generally free for family or hunting/other pursuits, and the satisfaction of looking back on your workmanship and a job well done.

While no fencing contractor will ever claim that the work is easy, the variety of

locations and the reasons for the fences make the physicality of the job even more enjoyable. In fact, there are very few other careers in which you can see the end result taking shape so quickly —

an aspect that is of huge satisfaction to many fencing contractors.

To find a fencing contractor in your area or learn more about FCANZ visit fcanz.co.nz.

The Level 3 and Level 4 Certificate in Fencing, provides graduates with practical skills and knowledge

Rolling into the future

by Andy Bryenton

Tyre tech is more important to tractor and machinery operation than many outside the agricultural industry know, with its impact on soil compaction, fuel usage and pasture management.

Recent years have seen major advances in tyre design, with increased flexion, smart technologies to manage internal air pressure on the fly, and even tread patterns designed to mimic evolved grip ideas from nature. Where the rubber meets the turf is a vital zone. The more science tells us about the importance of the biota just beneath the surface of our fertile fields, the more tyre technology adapts to let heavier, more powerful machines make a lighter footprint.

There’s some irony to the fact that innovators at the cutting edge of tyre manufacture envision a full circle of the ‘wheel of ideas’, back to an era when inflatable tyres are missing from the machinery shed. Of course, in earlier times, tractors were fitted out with cleated steel wheels, providing excellent grip but no cushioning for the soil or the posterior of the operator either.

A new generation of airless tyres has been posited by companies like Bridgestone and Michelin, which have been working on the concept for roughly a decade now. While it seems counterintuitive to move away from recent advancements in flexion, strength and durability in air-filled tyres, the engineers behind this new, airless concept have some good points in their favour.

Bridgestone, for example, says that as well as eliminating the possibility of a flat, its concept airless tyres will provide reduced carbon emissions, as close to 90 per cent of rolling resistance in conventional tyres comes for the repeated deformation of the tyre’s shape as it rolls. It is exacerbated by heavier machines, so Bridgestone hopes that it can slash overall CO2 by taking the air out of tyres.

Michelin has taken things a step further with a series of airless tyres for zero-turn mowers. While these are not the same weight class as big agricultural machines, lessons learned in this arena are transferable. It has found that air-free tyres mean a far more even cut, a steadier, smoother ride, and importantly, for future farm innovations, the ability to ride smoothly over stubble. With new cultivars of forage and food crops bred to have former stalks, stubble resistance is something farmers are looking for in their machinery tyres today.

Computer modelling and even AI design may be the key to developing airless tyres that are strong and reliable enough to cut it in the world of agriculture. When that time comes, current tyre manufacturers and local installers will no doubt lead the way, tackling the new challenges associated with the shift toward a whole new way of rolling.

Airless tyres are already appearing on some heavy equipment and ride-on mowers; how long before this tech can catch up with the latest knowledge on soil compaction in agriculture?

Biofuel mandate up in smoke

by Andy Bryenton

The government’s planned biofuels mandate is set for the political scrapheap, with some calling the decision literally ‘cheap and dirty’, while others praise its pragmatism and the end of a possible new cost for farmers.

Prime minister Chris Hipkins admitted that scrapping the biofuels mandate would leave a hole in the nation’s carbon budget, which would have to be ‘plugged’ by other means.

“We’ve got work to do to identify how we fill a hole that’s created by the decision around biofuels, and we will do that with haste,” Hipkins said.

“The mandate would have increased the price of fuel, and given the pressure on households, that’s not something I’m prepared to do,” he said in making the announcement.

The rural sector in New Zealand uses more than 295 million litres of diesel each year, at a cost approaching $1 billion. Even a small percentage point lift in perlitre costs could equate to major expenses

for farmers. That’s aside from the possible need to tune, alter or otherwise upgrade machines to run smoothly on the new mix.

Conventional bioethanol can be costcompetitive with petrol on a per-litre basis, but its energy content is about 50% lower than mineral petrol, according to the Ministry of Transport. In the United States, the retail price of biodiesel in neat form is about 20 cents higher per litre than that

of mineral diesel. The energy content of biodiesel is about 90% that of mineral diesel. It would all contribute to a higher cost of operations for diesel-powered machinery and vehicles, which would place additional pressure on a rural sector already hit by regulation and compliance costs for environmental reforms.

Those costs may have been exacerbated by the need to import fuels thanks to the closure of Marsden Point oil refinery. Biofuels are not a major crop for New Zealand; hence these, too, would be subject to import and the whim of global markets.

The Motor Trade Association submitted against the Biofuels Obligation Bill last month. It said in a statement following the prime minister’s announcement that they had foreshadowed major price hikes. However, they admitted that measures still must be taken against climate change.

The biofuels mandate would have reduced carbon emissions by one million tonnes by 2025, with a further 7 million tonnes in the following decade. Now, all eyes are on whether or not the scrapping of the bill, backed not just by Labour but also by Greens leader James Shaw, will lead to a further tranche of alternative taxes and fees to offset carbon.

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Prime minister Chris Hipkins has axed a new biofuels mandate, which is good news for anyone who must use diesel to power their fleet

Yellow is the new green for JCB

by Andy Bryenton

It’s world-famous for making big construction machines, but JCB is a force to be reckoned with in farming, taking out the coveted title of Sustainable Tractor of the Year in the 2023 international awards.

While the Tractor of the Year award has a decades-long pedigree, the top prize for a sustainable tractor is only four years deep. Previous winners have included machines designed to run on methane and others which squeeze every drop of power from diesel. This time around, JCB’s Fastrac iCON won praise as much for its interaction with the soil as for its innovative twin-turbo common railinjected engine.

Fabio Zammaretti, chair of the panel which awards the prize, says that while the six-cylinder, 335 horsepower plant was impressive and frugal, the Sustainable Tractor of the Year is not just about fuel economy.

“This is not an award to the greenest tractor. It’s all about how new technologies are making tractors more connected, more efficient, more reliable, safer, more effective on soil protection and less polluting,” said Mr Zammaretti.

The whole picture was taken into account, not the least part of which was the light tread of such a big and capable machine.

“Despite the generous dimension JCB Fastrac iCON is very agile thanks to the numerous steering options, including the ‘crab mode’ that makes this tractor gentile on soil,” said the judges.

Also noted were the advanced GPS systems, and integrated connectivity services such as fleet management and predictive maintenance, which judges described as ‘a new level’ of quality. JCB is happy to fully customise a Fastrac iCON for its customers’ needs. That allows for a very versatile platform, seeing the big yellow tractors deployed across a multitude of farming roles.

“Creating a fully customisable experience was a top priority for JCB with the Fastrac iCON,” says Shane Coates, vice president of agricultural sales for JCB.

“In addition, our engineering team worked hard to integrate electronics technology such as ISOBUS and GPS guidance along with refining the driving comfort that the Fastrac offers.”

Last but not least, the maximum speed on-road was noted. With the ability to traverse from field to field at up to 60km/h, operators can spend less time en route and more on the job.

Shane’s team are not resting on their laurels. Less than a month ago, the company unveiled plans for hydrogen technology following the successful launch of a specialist hydrogen refuelling vehicle that could revolutionise construction sites and farms in the near future.

JCB’s range of machines for agriculture is available in New Zealand. This latest big win has cast a halo on the entire product

range, making them a very attractive proposition for those looking to upgrade their fleet.

Been thinking about studying this year but haven’t got your application in yet?

There’s still time to enrol for study with us at NorthTec | Te Pūkenga for Semester 1, 2023 and take the next step on your learning journey.

We understand that it’s not always easy to make time for study around our lives, jobs, and whanau. That’s why NorthTec | Te Pūkenga offers full-time, part-time, or paper-by-paper study so you can fit your learning around your life, in a way that works for you.

We also offer a range of learning locations. Online learning can be done anytime, anywhere, as long as you have a stable internet connection, and with a great range of courses, there’s something for everyone. On-the-job learning is great for those already in work, who want to gain the qualifications they need to progress, we can work with your employer to make sure your training won’t impact your job, and vice versa. We also have campuses across Te Tai Tokerau, offering on-campus study for those courses that need to be held in person, so you can stay close to home while learning what you need to go far in your career.

No matter if you’re fresh out of high school or are looking to retrain, want to increase your skills in your current career, or are simply interested in learning something new, we have a course to help you achieve your goals.

Semester 1 starts on the 13th of February so get in quick!

 0800 162 100

 study@northtec.ac.nz

 northtec.ac.nz

Kaitaia Kerikeri Ngāwhā Whangārei Auckland

Dargaville

It’s not too late to enrol!

Washdown water savings

by Andy Bryenton

Water use on dairy farms has come under the microscope in recent years, and dry summers across much of the nation have done their part to make agricultural researchers seek a better water management method.

One core area where a breakthrough was needed was in the treatment of farm dairy effluent (FDE). Washing down yards and sheds is a large water cost; 70 litres each cow a day is the accepted average. The resulting FDE is 99% water, with a load of only one per cent solid waste material. If a way could be found to recycle the water while separating the waste, massive gains could be realised.

Enter a scholarly paper from 2018 by Keith C Cameron and Hong J Di. These researchers hit upon a solution; flocculation. In layman’s language, this term means making the solid matter clump up and settle to the bottom of a tank via gravity. By using a coagulant, a substance that promotes this process, solid waste in FDE could be encouraged to ‘floc together’.

To say that experiments on this idea using polyferric sulfate, safe for human consumption, were successful is an understatement.

“The new method of treating FDE was highly successful in removing the colloidal material and producing clarified water that can be recycled to wash the farmyard,” say Cameron and Di.

Turbidity in the treated FDE was reduced by 97%, and the presence of

up areas where cattle have congregated may be more economical in the future, with the application of a Kiwi concept in water recycling E coli was slashed by 99%. Effectively, FDE was converted to settled, solid sediment and reusable water ready for further washdowns.

Ag company Ravensdown then asked a pertinent question about turning this science into a practical system. What if FDE water could be treated and reused without fear of contamination or risk to the environment? The difference would amount to a potential total

reduction in freshwater use on dairy farms of up to 42 billion litres a year. Working alongside Lincoln University, they developed a system called Clear Tech to make this technology available to farmers.

A field test at Greenpark dairy farm in the South Island delivered real-world figures. A Clear Tech system reduced freshwater consumption by 2,885,700 litres a year, recycling 66% of FDE. Could

this breakthrough in science, converted to a practical system, be the future of water-saving for the dairy sector? If so, it’s a homegrown idea that could change the world.

• Avoid costly penalties

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Cleaning

Protect your machinery with Lanolin

A small investment to stop rust will lengthen the life of farm machinery like quad bikes, ATVs, trucks, loaders and fertiliser spreaders, just to name a few.

The protection comes from Prolan, an iconic by-product of New Zealand’s sheep industry — lanolin. Prolan makes natural, environmentally friendly lubricants and corrosion inhibitors, which are getting noticed on the other side of the world.

Prolan owners Murray and Julie Shaw now export their product to Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, UK, Netherlands, Canada and even Guam. Prolan is used for wind turbines and cranes as

well as by pump manufacturers and trucking firms.

Prolan NZ Director, Murray Shaw, said the company has an extensive range of products made from lanolin (wool grease) which is secreted by sheep to protect their fleece in harsh conditions. We’ve replicated that action to protect a range of surfaces. “We spent a lot of money researching how to take the lanolin and blend it with natural products to make industrial lubricants,”

says Murray. “I’m so proud of the ground we’ve made in our export markets. We’re well ahead of our competitors. It’s solid progress and it’s exciting.

“Prolan’s rust treatment more than doubles the life of farm machinery. A quad bike, for example, costs around $20,000 and often only has a life of four to five years on a dairy farm. Washing and drying that bike and applying a coating of Prolan will prevent the chassis of that bike (or any other farm implement) from developing rust — effectively doubling or tripling its life.”

The Prolan can simply be applied by a compressed air paint system and, once dried to a waxy surface, will withstand water-blasting.

“Where paint hardens and cracks as the implement flexes under use, the Prolan coating remains flexible, preventing any ingress of moisture,” Murray said.

“It’s so versatile — everyone should have a can. We live in a coastal country, so anyone with a motorhome, a boat, a trailer or a quad bike would benefit from the anticorrosive properties.

“Even small jobs like a squeaky door hinge or a sticky shower door are an easy fix with Prolan.”

It’s also environmentally friendly — taken from nature to protect nature! See us at the Northland Agricultural Field Days — Dargaville Site E12B.

Vehicle chassis coated with Prolan Extreme

The latest gear for watersports

Karl Roberts was in Noosa, Australia, in 2005 when he spotted a guy stand-up paddleboarding with his dog. He was intrigued and so went about bringing the sport to Northland.

“I thought, ‘that looks unreal’, but when I came back to New Zealand in 2006, I couldn’t buy one, so I found an old windsurfer and used that as a board and made the paddle.”

He continued improvising while awaiting the arrival of a paddleboard he’d imported. When it arrived, Karl received multiple envious compliments, so he ordered several more for his mates before deciding to sell them himself.

Karl, who is the manager of Riverside Drive Marina in Whangarei, set up Watermans World in the Riverside Drive Marina business hub on the Hatea Loop

around 12 years ago. It stocks top-of-theline surfboards, stand-up paddleboards and foiling gear. It shares a space with Kafe, a popular feature of the Hatea Loop walk, where you can grab a coffee and snack while you check out the highquality gear in-store. Karl is around to provide expert advice to newbie SUPers and experienced paddlers alike. Since becoming one of the first to stand on water in Northland, Karl has seen the sport take off and go crazy. While its popularity slowed for a while, during the two years of Covid, it experienced a resurgence as people

stayed at home and played on the water again in Northland.

Every Tuesday evening at the Town Basin, there is a race/cruise open to all. It starts at the Canopy Bridge, passes under Te Mataua Pohe bridge and back with different start groups to suit paddlers of all ability levels. The largest group is the 50–70-year-olds, proving that the

sport has no age barrier. Tuesday night sessions happen all year round, and sometimes even need to make use of a flashing strobe light as winter’s shortest day arrives. All you need is your board, paddle and leg rope to join the fun. For more information, you can contact Karl at Watermans World on 09 438 2248.

Growing the sector

by Amy Fifita

The Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau scholarship recipients are starting the academic year to better their knowledge and opportunities in the forestry industry.

“The scholarship programme, in its fifth year, provides another pathway into the industry that widens access to tertiary study for Kiwis interested in professional forestry degree programmes,” says Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service director, forestry engagement and advice, Alex Wilson.

Ngā Karahipi Uru Rākau is a forestry scholarship programme that assists aspiring young people in reaching their goals in the forestry industry.

“The forestry and wood processing sector is one of New Zealand’s fastestgrowing industries and offers great careers for people of all ages and abilities.”

Seven applicants were chosen at the end of last year from across the country to take part in the programme. The 2023 recipients are Charlotte Talbot, Jasmine Hagan, Jean Morton, Maggie Crawford, Mataia Cotterill, Rauiri Moorhead and Tuawhio Porima.

The new intakes are studying forestry science or forest engineering at the School of Forestry — Kura Ngahere, at the University of Canterbury.

“Forestry involves much more than growing and harvesting plantation forests. It also employs skilled professionals that care for the forest environment, plan and manage forests, manage people and resources,

The new entrants will join other recipients from previous years to gain forestry-related qualifications.

“By taking up careers in forestry and wood-processing, these students will be an important part of a future forestry workforce that delivers for the climate, nature, people and economic outcomes.”

In 2022 the first intake of scholarship recipients graduated. “We were excited to see our first cohort of students graduate last year and welcome them to the workforce.”

Alex

– New Zealand Forest Service director, forestry engagement and advice work with modern technology, and operate multimillion-dollar machines and equipment.

“Our industry is ever-evolving, and for modern forestry to thrive, we need to grow

capability and diversity in the workforce by investing in and employing more people from a diverse range of backgrounds with a broad range of skills.”

The scholarship covers female Māori citizens or permanent residents currently working in the industry and school leavers who want a tertiary education in the field and includes a paid 10-week internship. The valid qualifications are a Bachelor of Forestry Science and Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Forestry Engineering at the University of Canterbury and a Diploma in Forest Management at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology.

» Thinning to waste

» Release spraying » Manual Fertilising

» Scrub Cutting » Regen Pulling » Tree Pruning ALERT: Whether you are considering planting natives or Pines in 2023, Now is the time to cement a contractor. Call today !!

Wilson, Te Uru Rākau

“Forestry involves more than growing and harvesting plantation forests.”

ADVERTORIAL

Sharp, tough and ready

by Andy Bryenton

Yamaha’s new Wolverine X2 is an all-rounder combining

those long days of work on the farm.

In an attempt to create a machine which fi ts all kinds of niches, the research team at Yamaha has been careful to ensure that their new machine is not a ‘master of none’; there are many strands of the company’s legendary track record of on and off-road performance which have been combined to craft the Wolverine into a side-by-side ROV worthy of its super namesake.

First up, there’s the beating heart of the Wolverine, an 847cc twincylinder engine with a 270-degree crankshaft design and super-lightweight construction. Yamaha is, of course, renowned for its engine tech, not only in its own range of blisteringly fast sports bikes but also in a range of prestigious road and race cars.

Lighter and more nimble by far, there’s a lot more in common here with Yamaha’s motocross offerings. Suspension professional KYB has been called in to provide specialist shocks. The chassis and handling have been tweaked and tuned to enable a smooth ride over even the choppiest terrain. Fourwheel drive is engaged on demand, with proper locking diffs like a rock-crawling

performance off-roader. You won’t find this on all competitors.

Where the Wolverine shines is in its versatility and being suited to many tasks. While it’s a blast on the trails and would make a fine hunting or camping

companion, it’s kitted out for hard work, with a tilting cargo bed, plenty of stowage and hauling space, and more than 900kg of towing capacity. This input hasn’t come from other parts of the Yamaha empire but from feedback

from farmers and off-roaders in the real world. Those customers have also suggested a suite of custom upgrades and accessories, all available to tailor the Wolverine X2 to any role.

The latest and greatest is the Wolverine X2 Utility. It was built with New Zealand farms and farmers in mind. This unit takes the Wolverine X2 and builds on its functionality, including a pallet-sized tilt tray, speed management system and standard front over-fenders, just to name but a few.

Check out this tough and tenacious offering from Yamaha at your local dealership. You’ll be impressed by its all-round competence and its ability to deliver a comfortable day behind the wheel, even when that day is filled with hard work and tough terrain.

off-roading abilities, trailblazing power, and reliable, dependable performance for

Yamaha’s Wolverine X2 is a versatile off-road machine complementing both work and leisure

“Yamaha is renowned for its engine tech, not only in fast sports bikes but also in road and race cars.”

VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Who pays for pothole pain?

by Andy Bryenton

Should the people who fix our roads have to pay for pothole damage? It’s a question other countries address in different ways.

In the famously litigious US, the liability for pothole damage varies from state to state and city to city. New York transport authorities will pay out if they were told in writing about a pothole and failed to fill it within 15 days. Meanwhile, Chicago residents need an insurance claim and two quotes to fix the damage before they can file for just half of the cost.

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The British Automobile Association advises drivers that they should make a claim with their local council, but councils don’t have to pay out if they didn’t know the pothole was there. It’s the same in Australia, where under the Civil Liberties Act 2002, councils cannot be held liable for damage caused as a result of road failure or a pothole, unless the pothole resulted from council negligence.

It provides a neat double loophole; if you reported the pothole but then later on were damaged by it, why didn’t you avoid it? Additionally, potholes caused by rain, floods, subsidence or other ‘acts of God’ are not (strictly speaking) there due to ‘negligence’. Despite this weasally argument, the British government shelled out UK£2.5 million on pothole repairs to private cars last year.

So much for the rest of the world; what about New Zealand? Waka Kotahi has a website which allows you to file a claim for pothole damage on state highways. They say you should contact your insurer first and that they will only consider a claim if they haven’t taken ‘reasonable care’ to repair the road. Legal sources say this means you could indeed get some justice.

“Waka Kotahi is charged under the Land Transportation Management Act with the responsibility for maintaining

roads,” said lawyer Angela Parlane, speaking on television about the issue late last year.

“I would argue that they do have a duty of care to keep that maintenance going and ensure users of the road do not sustain damage while doing so. In my understanding of the law, they would be liable.”

That’s just one legal expert’s opinion. Still, there’s a big caveat. Making a claim means fighting a huge government bureaucracy at what could be a hefty expense and taking months out of your life

to do so. Excuses also seem to be a valid reason for denying claims. One claimant received a letter in 2021 which argued that Waka Kotahi was ‘constrained by available funding and resources’.

“We do our best but do not guarantee that the entire network will be in perfect condition at all times,” said the missive.

Would this argument work for a dangerous lawn mower or fire-prone washing machine? One rule for all the services we pay for would be nice, especially considering the cost of car repairs in the age of inflation.

www.warkworthtoyota.co.nz

Gone to pot — if a pothole damages your car, there is the hope of compensation from those who fix the roads, but it’s a hard road to get there, say lawyers

Kia goes large with EV expansion

by Andy Bryenton

Kia’s EV6 took home the European Car of the Year title for 2022, and the GT version of the same all-electric SUV offers the blistering performance to match a supercar.

Now the South Korean innovator is set to disrupt a new segment of the market as it prepares a new, bigger EV9 for its debut early this year. The concept versions of the EV9 showed a slab-sided machine with the proportions and classic, utilitarian lines of the old classic Range Rover, rendered in futuristic materials and a bright shade of blue.

While the spy shots of the EV9 going through its paces ahead of launch indicate that it may have lost many of the more outrageous design elements on that blue-sky model, it’s still set to shake up the concept of large SUV practicality. Kia says that the EV9 will revolutionise the segment, even without the tri-blade wheels and full-body dual doors of its motor show forerunner.

The EV9 was pushed to the limits of durability at Kia’s global Namyang research centre in Korea, where a punishing proving ground tested the mettle of the three-row, seven-seater EV. Trials included a 4WD climbing hill and a rough terrain track, as well as a deepwater wading test, to ensure maximum reliability even in the most challenging conditions. The dreaded ‘Belgian road’ was also deployed to test the suspension of the EV9, which will have to carry seven people in comfort, and a hefty load of electric batteries to give it the range and power people demand in the SUV.

For Kia, this may well be their ‘LS400 moment’. The LS400 was the flagship Lexus, which took on the mighty Mercedes S-Class sedan in its own niche, and established the brand as a luxury and engineering powerhouse. Ironically, the target for Kia to beat is made by the same people as the LS400.

The big, tough, seemingly unassailable Land Cruiser is the king of the SUVs

worldwide. While it’s definitively a petrol or diesel machine, it reigns from the Aussie outback to the deserts of Africa and the arctic tundra. Replacing it with an electric SUV would be a feat worthy of titans. For the record, Toyota has indeed developed an electric SUV, the BZ, but it’s a much more sleek and small unit than the big EV9.

Kia’s big sports utility made a big impression at the late 2022 Los Angeles

motor show, where it was hinted that prices of $50,000 US were to be expected. That translates to a lot of machine for your money, even with exchange rates taken into account. The final figures are yet to be confirmed. Those in the big SUV segment care about towing capacity, loading and power and range. If the EV6 is anything to go by, that promised revolution could be here.

Kia’s EV6 has swept the European Car of the Year awards, while its ‘big brother’ the EV9 is in testing now

VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT A van with a plan

by Andy Bryenton

The modern caravan is a rolling palace compared to the somewhat spartan trailer-borne holiday cribs of yesteryear and a world away from the old-fashioned origins of the caravanning holiday itself.

The term ‘caravan’ comes from the very ancient Persian word ‘karwan’, meaning a group of travellers banded together for safety in numbers. In olden times, crossing the desert or setting out on the silk road for trade meant dealing with harsh weather, wild animals and bandits, so a cart containing the comforts of home and a few handy weapons was seen as a necessity.

The first caravan holidays were popularised by the British nobility and

their counterparts in France during the 1600s. It was an era when vagabonds, or people not tied down to a parish church or peasant village, were the subject of socalled ‘romances’, or cheap novels filled with irreverent pranks, drunkenness and bawdy jokes. The heroes often lived on the road and were associated with the Romany people, Europe’s travelling folk.

The holiday caravan took off in postwar England and the US, with many

USED TRACTORS & MACHINERY

saying it reached its high point with the Airstream. This all-aluminium ‘silver bullet’ camper is a US icon and the longest-tenured recreation vehicle in production. The tendency to go large soon took over, with US companies soon giving us giant land yachts like the Winnebago and the concept of the converted bus.

Here in New Zealand, a caravan holiday fits perfectly with our egalitarian ideal of a frugal summer holiday, spent out in nature and preferably near the beach. Towed by a fleet of Holdens, Fords and Valiants, the caravans of yesteryear were boxy and simple. Yet, all can evoke memories of sunscreen, sausage sizzles and long summer evenings playing cricket on the sand.

A caravan holiday has become a fairly high-tech exercise compared to the charcoal grill and stubby shorts summer adventures of the 1980s

Ten years of growth

Kamo Mowers and Chainsaws director Ken MacLean, a born and bred Whangarei local, has plenty on offer at his business.

“This business has been in Kamo for more than 40 years, and it has been in our ownership for 10 years,” Ken says.

“Kamo Mowers and Chainsaws has grown tenfold since we began owning it, and the shop has doubled in size. We have taken it from being a service business to a full sales, supply and service business and relocated it to where we are now at 376 Kamo Road, Kamo.

“We have many lifetime customers, and one of the highlights of my job is dealing with people and creating and establishing long-lasting relationships with my clients. We have a wide knowledge base across our six-person team and share that between ourselves to create an efficient service for our customers.

“Our workshop team works together with diagnosing and repairing issues. The frontline staff in our showroom strive for customer satisfaction.”

Kamo Mowers and Chainsaws will have an exhibit at the Northland Field Days showcasing various brands, such as Stiga and Victa ride-on mowers and the Hustler brand.

“We have been attending the field days for many years. The range of brands we carry allows our clients to make an informed choice, and I enjoy the opportunity to exhibit our products at the event.

“Hustler mowers is a world leader in its field and internationally recognised as a well-constructed machine that stands the test of time.

It is a premier brand that suits New

Zealand conditions. Hustler has mowers for a wide spectrum to suit different markets — homeowners, lifestyle block owners, farmers and agriculturalists.

“We appreciate the customer support and patience with the supply chain disruption. We are looking forward to the situation improving and being more consistent.”

Kamo Mowers and Chainsaws will have an exhibit at the upcoming Northland Field Days

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