Northern Farming Lifestyles, January 2014 by Integrity Community Media

Northern

Farming Lifestyles January 2014 Edition

33,400 copies DELIVERED FREE to every farm and rural delivery address from Albany to Cape Reinga

OVER THE CATTLE STOP Match the numbers to the ads See page 2 for details

See our advertisement and editorial

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Expansion for Northland Inc

The Northern Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by NorthSouth Multi Media Ltd, a privately owned New Zealand company. Phone: 09 439 6933 or 0800 466 793 • Fax: 09 439 6930 Email: info@thelifestyler.co.nz • Postal Address: PO Box 474, Dargaville Physical Address: Lifestyler House, 107 River Road, Dargaville

by Paul Campbell

General Manager: Deb Wright | 021 639 9633 Sales Director: Kelvin Green | kelving@nsmm.co.nz Editorial: Paul Campbell Andy Bryenton

Northern Farming Lifestyles Distribution area

Graphic Design: Gavin Bainbridge Jan Balcombe Paul Bakulich James Menzies Jessica Wright Greer Mackay

Advertising: Betty Willetts

Production: Brenda Ilton Accounts: Lesley Robinson | accounts@nsmm.co.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts Website: www.farminglifestyles.co.nz

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For $34 we can test a sample of your drinking water for E. Coli – bacteria that live in the gut of animals – and email a report to you within 24 hours. This test will show whether your water is safe, or if more investigation is needed. We can also test your water for chemicals. Contact us for more info.

Northland Regional Northland’s councils Council chairman Bill work collaboratively Shepherd says the to try to ensure those council — which owns programmes aren’t Northland Inc on behalf competing against of its ratepayers — wants each other. to expand its current Informal approaches three members to five to have already been capture a broader range made to the district of skills and experience. councils and letters He says Northland Inc formally inviting their Bill Shepherd currently has ‘a number involvement would of exciting projects under way’. be sent to the mayors of both the While many of the details surrounding Far North and Whangarei District these are currently confidential for Councils John Carter and Sheryl Mai commercial reasons, the projects and the chairman of commissioners involved traversed a number of key for the Kaipara District Council sectors in the regional economy including John Robertson. marine, wood processing, aquaculture, The district councils’ leaders will tourism and digital technologies. form part of an ad hoc group that Northland Inc was confident that shortlists applicants. collectively these projects would over “Shortlisted applicants will then be the next several years help to diversify interviewed by a four-member selection the regional economy and increase panel made up of the two mayors, Mr employment with potentially hundreds Robertson and myself.” of jobs at stake. The regional council hopes to see the Mr Shepherd added that both the Far two new directors in place early in 2014, North and Whangarei District Councils joining current chairman Colin Mitten, already have their own economic Karleen Everitt and Sarah Petersen on development initiatives and it’s important the board.

Over the cattle stop feature

Is your water safe to drink? If you collect your drinking water from rain off the roof, a spring, a stream, a bore or lake and people in your household are feeling offcolour, your water could be contaminated.

Two new directors are wanted for the board of economic development agency Northland Inc, with the leaders of the Far North, Whangarei and Kaipara District Councils offering input into the selection process.

For water testing information contact: Whangarei District Council Laboratory Address: Kioreroa Rd, Private Bag 9023, Whangarei, 0148

What’s happening over the cattle stop? As any farmer knows, the answer is — ‘everything!’ — as you can see in our light-hearted front page cartoon. This January the Northern Farming Lifestyles is a little different, as we’ve matched all of the

Over the cattle stop map key

Phone: 09 430 4220 Website: www.wdc.govt.nz Email:

(found under Water and Waste)

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4 5 6

If you need more information about how to prepare a sample of your water ring us, email us or read all about it on our website www.wdc.govt.nz. Go to water and waste.

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Septic/Effluent Heating, insulation, solar Water, drainage, storage, pools All vehicles eg. bikes, tractors Mechanical Repairs Farm Buildings eg. sheds, roofing, feedpads, cowsheds Builders eg. contractors, plumbers etc

9 10 11 12 13

Pasture Management Fertilisers, agri chemicals including applicators, orchardists Landscaping maintenance eg. tree trimmers Livestock Hunting and Fishing IT and Professional Services Fuel

Whangarei District Council operates an IANZ accredited water testing laboratory which is qualified to test your water. We have experienced, helpful and knowledgeable staff who can answer your water testing questions.

Whangarei District Council Laboratory

top agricultural support businesses between our covers with a bustling rural scene on page one. The aim of the game is to match the numbers next to each little image of Kiwi farm life to the businesses who exemplify them.

”

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

January milk payment up

by Paul Campbell

The farming outlook for Northland – and the country – for 2014 is buoyant, with agricultural commodity prices firm across international markets, and with Fonterra holding its forecast farmgate milk price at $8.30 per kilo of milk solids. dairy nutrition. “We are already doing this. Along with the approval of the new drier at Pahiatua, work is well underway on our new UHT plant at Waitoa and the new drier at Darfield has already produced more than 50,000 metric tonnes of whole milk powder since it was commissioned.”

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Fonterra is required to consider its farmgate price every quarter as a condition of the Dairy Industry Restructuring Act . The company says: — The Farmgate Milk Price will be maintained at its current level of $8.30 per kgms; — The estimated full year dividend will be 10 cents per share — delivering a forecast cash payout of $8.40; The company also approved an increase in the advance rate schedule of monthly payments to farmer shareholders and the December payment- to be paid this January — will be increased by 30 cents to $5.80.

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

ADVOCADOS

a lifestyle choice

in Grieve an early interest in avocados. Growing up in South Africa gave Rob Zealand that interest was on the But for many years after moving to New a dairy farmer. backburner as he pursued a career as

owever, 12 years ago he and his wife Rosemary bought a 15-hectare block at Poroti, 20km west of Whangarei, and decided to get into avocado growing. The land had free draining soils, an important prerequisite for avocados.

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The area’s sub-tropical climate was ideal, as was the fact the block was on the north side of a mountain, providing warmth and protection from cool southerly winds. Robin planted his orchard with 1,500 trees. “Once you plant trees they are i based, Whangare ed and operated n locally ow M THE

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very hard to shift. You make decisions that you can’t change later. So it’s important to seek advice.” Avocado trees originate from the tropical climates of Mexico and Central America, so they can be susceptible to cold weather and frosts. Fortunately, Northland’s sub-tropical climate appears to suit them well. They are fairly straightforward to grow, requiring a minimal amount of tending and pruning. However, it takes at least three years before trees produce any fruit, meaning that significant investments are required before there is any return. Robin says many banks don’t understand this. “Horticulture is not bank friendly,” he says. Most banks understand dairying when cows are milked every day, providing a continual income stream. But avocado growing, with years waiting for fruit to mature

followed by short harvesting seasons, does not provide a consistent cash flow. And if things are headed in the wrong direction, the evidence is often hidden — until it is too late. “Trees are different than grass. It’s easier to see grass growing. But with trees it’s harder to see what is really happening.” However, avocado trees are climatically resilient. During the 2012/13 summer Northland experienced a prolonged drought. But Robin says avocados coped well, whereas many ex-colleagues in dairying suffered from significantly reduced milk yields. Avocados can be picked anytime from August to March. But timing is critical. “If you pick earlier there’s less money. But in the last two years we’ve had cold Octobers, which can affect the quantity of fruit in future years.” There always has to be a customer. While the avocados can be chilled

SAFETY FIRST ON THE FARM 7

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

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Ph: Ben Matheson The Grieve family’s land near Poroti is just right for Avocados, with free-draining soil and lots of vital sunshine to cultivate bumper crops

to extend their shelf life, that is not indefinite. “There’s no point in picking your fruit when you want to. There’s got to be someone to come and buy it.” Robin says his fruit is processed at pack houses for local consumption or export but the exchange rate means export earnings can differ substantially country to country. The United States market is currently not good, almost entirely due to the high exchange rate between the Kiwi and the US dollar. “I go to markets where I get the best returns. Australia pays the most. Then there’s Asia.” Compared to dairying where cows have to be milked twice a day without fail, avocado growing has significant lifestyle advantages. ‘I see it as semi-retirement,” says Robin. “”It enables me to do other things. Your mind is free to ponder other things because you are not fully engaged.”

However, he is keen to point out avocado growing is not all beer and skittles. There is always the threat of disease, especially Phytophthora, a fungal disease that attacks the roots of avocado trees. “It’s similar to Kauri dieback,” says Robin. “I’ve got some areas of the orchard that are affected. But we manage it.” Then there’s the weather. Three storms in successive Julys from 2007 to 2009 ripped trees from the ground and caused much of his crop to be lost. “That was terrible. You get sick to the stomach when you drive around and see trees on the ground.” But the solution was simple. Robin replanted trees that died and staked those that could be saved. He was quickly back in business and has not looked back since.

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Covered feed pad a boon for all seasons by Joanne Speechly

Building a covered feed pad on the Ruawai flats has eased headaches for John and Jan Bellamy, providing a solution for wet winters and extended dry summers on the predominantly Kaipara clay soil.

he couple started farming in Ruawai 23 years ago on an 87 hectare property and have been increasing farm size every three to five years. They are currently milking on 222 hectares and have a further 126 hectares of support country, which is used to grow maize and graze replacement and beef stock. The herd has increased to 600 Friesian cows with a breeding worth (BW) of 134 and a production worth (PW) 147. With the increase in herd size, a new rotary cowshed was built in 2005, giving way for the opportunity to set up an in-shed feeding system. The focus was to provide better nutrition for the herd and increase production, which has now been

achieved, through feeding PKE (palm kernel) and molasses at each milking. There has also been a noticeable decrease in the number of empty cows at the end of each season. John and Jan felt that they could increase production further, so they investigated cow houses and eventually built a covered concrete feed pad. Prior to this, they were using two old wintering barns, which only catered for 200 head of cattle. Feeding the stock was labour intensive, as only small conventional hay bales could be fed, and any additional cows were fed on limestone pads. The new covered feed pad, built by Barfoote Construction, has a dimension of 30 by 114 metres. It houses the entire herd and protects the pasture from

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Cory, John, Danielle and Jan Bellamy. Cory, 18, has recently finished studying at Ruawai College and Danielle, 23, works in Auckland

pugging in the winter and overgrazing in the summer and autumn months. It also provides better utilisation of supplements. The feed pad is divided in two, with a runway to allow easy access for the tractor and feed wagon. All up, the pad is an impressive 342,089 square metres. Rubber matting covers the concrete floor to provide cow comfort and also protection from hoof damage. The pad is cleaned daily using a flood-wash with green water, which is recycled water going through a weepwall system.

Additionally, a three-metre De-Crap-It, attached to a quad bike, is used to remove any solid waste that remains after the water wash. During the winter and spring months, the cows go to their paddock but are allowed access back to the pad. Generally, they are only too happy to return to their feed of baleage and hay, and a warm, comfortable house. Over the summer and autumn period, cows are brought into the pad in the afternoon and fed maize and grass silage.

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

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There are 12 water troughs on the pad, providing cool water from a bore 60 metres away and the covered pad is approximately five to seven degrees cooler than the temperature outside. Each season, John and Jan aim to consistently achieve 400 milk solids per cow, regardless of seasonal variations. During the 2011/12 season, the herd averaged 435 milk solids per cow. Last season (2012/13), with the feed pad operating and despite experiencing one of the worst nationwide droughts on record, the herd still averaged 390

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

RANGIHAMAMA DRAWS TOP FARM MANGER by Cynthia Matthews

BACK TO THE NORTH

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The Omapere — Rangihamama Trust is a significant land owner In the Mid-North with 3,000 shareholders and 1991 hectares held in two blocks, one at Lake Omapere to the north of Kaikohe and the other, Rangihamama, to the south.

he land was individually or whanau owned until the 1950s after which ownership was amalgamated. The two blocks were joined administratively under the Trust in the 1980s. Lloyd Brennan is the new ORT farm manager. With a stock manager and two shepherds his role at Rangihamama is plenty of observation, organising and supervision, with hands-on when needed. The farm is currently undergoing dairy conversion. Situated on Kaikohe’s fertile volcanic soil, Rangihamama was historically used for horticulture. Now an agreement has been signed off with Fonterra. A new shed and yards will be completed by end of year. Lloyd explains that non productive areas around the dairy platform are being

Wide-open spaces and rolling green pastureland are the perfect home for growing cattle

sown in maize to eventually be re-sown in perennial rye grass, thereby increasing winter grazing. The Omapere Block is on a moderate rise off the lake with extensive flats. “My main aim here is consolidating the already grazed areas towards increased

production,” Lloyd explains. Omapere Tairaire E is a grass system with all stock raised and fattened on pasture. There are some 120 beef cows and around 600 Friesian bulls. “Bulls are the priority. They do well, especially on the volcanic soil areas.” Young bulls have been bought

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working on big properties and for Iwi land owners throughout the North Island. Wife Pauline is a principal registered nurse employed locally. The Brennans have their place in the Hokianga where Lloyd can get away to go fishing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; kahawai being the favourite catch.

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22nd & 23rd February 2014 The land near Lake Omapere has been improved to foster better liveweight gains in stock

in during autumn and will be finished on the property. They are grazed on flats fenced with â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;hotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wires into one hectare cells to control and conserve grass. The pasture has been planted in fescue and is dressed with urea towards the animals making good liveweight gains. The cows are presently in the other main grazing block nearer the lake. ORT uses Angus bulls but this year brought in a Hereford. The heifers generally calve at two years old when they reach their optimum weight for breeding. In late spring the rams are being crutched in one of the two woolsheds at Omapere. A thousand lambs were weaned earlier in the week. ORT runs 2,000 Romney ewes on the more undeveloped areas of the block. Lloyd plans to introduce Perendale or Cheviot rams for a season with his belief in hybrid vigour in crossbred offspring. The Omapere block draws some water from the lakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outflow and also has a

spring at the foot of Putahi [mountain] supplying the two main grazing areas. Sharing a margin with Northlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest lake has meant extensive conservation measures. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re continuing to fence off waterways and put in flax and plant totara and poplar, which we can also utilise for shade,â&#x20AC;? says Lloyd. As well, around 65ha of regenerating native bush have been fenced off. 352ha of the Trustâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land is planted in pine, gaining carbon credits, while a forestry block at Omapere has been harvested and will be replanted this winter. The ORT farms have another important role in local education. The Trust has signed a memorandum of understanding with Taratahi Ag towards extending nearby Northland Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agriculture training. The ORT land and farm systems provide further opportunity for students, many of them local iwi, to gain and advance farm skills. Lloyd is enjoying being back in the North after years of

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

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Massey Fergusons keep getting better says patriarch Bill O’Neill and Massey Fergusson go back a long way. About 55 years ago Bill bought his first Fergie. Since then about 35 MFs have been part of his busy life. This means he has been driving red tractors since he worked a dairy farm, ran a hay and silage contracting business, and farmed Te Wera Station. Te Wera Station is a 681ha sheep and beef operation at Matawai, half way between Opotiki and Gisborne and the O’Neill family has owned if for the past 18 years. Bill has started a contracting and MF family dynasty. One of his sons runs David O’Neill Contracting in Omarama, Central Otago and he has six Massey Fergusons. Bill, his wife Carmel and their son Mark own Te Wera Station. Bill is in charge of the tractor work. Recently he regrassed 10ha, replacing the green oats that was winter feed for cattle. “Often we break in a piece that’s never seen a tractor before. That land has just been grazed since the bush was cut in the 1930s and it’s full of stumps and logs. “I've been breaking in land all my life. We’ve done the easy stuff. Now we’re getting into the steeper and rougher ground.” Te Wera Station starts at 650m elevation and goes up to around 950m. Bill says it’s fairly steep but includes some easier country too. That’s where his latest Massey Ferguson comes in. It is an MF 7614, and Bill says “it can out-climb anything he has had before. “I don't know if it’s because of the additional power,

or better gearing but it’s marvellous on hills, up or down.” The MF 7614 has a 140hp, 6.0 litre, sixcylinder engine. It has a Dyna-4 transmission, which gives four ranges of gears and a total of 16 forward and 16 reverse. In the old days Bill had up to five tractors at a time. Now the 7614 is the only tractor he owns and it does everything. He still uses it to do some contracting as well, mainly power harrowing and drilling. “I try not to but neighbours keep asking,” he says. Bill notices the difference with the MF 7614 when he’s pulling the 2.4m power harrow. “It’s really too small for this tractor but it means it doesn’t get thrown around. With the old one, on the side of a hill the tractor rocked when you lifted the power harrows. This one sits there solid. It’s got a bit more length and weight.” He can also tell the difference with the oil flow to the hydraulics. The tip trailer goes up far quicker than in the older tractor. The MF 7614 is a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) machine, which means AdBlue urea is added to cut down the emissions of nitrogen oxides. Bill says the Ad-Blue is not a hassle. “There’s nothing to it. It’s the same as filling the diesel tank and checking the oil.” He’s used about 30 litres of Ad-Blue over 250 hours of running.

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“It’s nothing really. It’s made a difference to fuel efficiency. It uses about four litres less diesel per hour than the older one, with the rotor-spike harrow in hard going.” Bill got his new tractor in March from Mike Rogers at Piako Tractors in Rotorua. Bill’s been dealing with them for the last five to six years. “They’ve treated me well. If I ever have problems they send over parts and explain

what I need to do, or for a bigger job they come over,” he says. In the early days Bill bought a couple of second-hand tractors. Now he always buys new. “I take full advantage of the warranty and the interest doesn’t worry me, because if I can’t pay cash, then I don't buy them.” For more information: AGCO NZ manager Peter Scott at 272 708 027 or Peter.Scott@ agcocorp.com.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Wool Perspective From Rob Cochrane GM, Procurement, PGG Wrightson Wool

Wool exporters draw breath after feverish battle 6

attributable to the ‘demand outweighing supply situation’ during our spring months plus the integrity of exporters to b a r n s s h e d s honour forward sales with their customers. g a r a g e s By the end of the second week in December prices for www.theshedco.co.nz 0 9 4 2 0 4 4 4 1 1 9 5 R a p s o n R d R D 1 K a u k a p a k a p a almost all crossbred adult body wools were covered within the 520 to 550 cents per clean kilogram range, except for a We build to your requirements few shorter second-shear types which were fetching prices - Any Size some 20 to 30 cents behind fleece prices, however much was All designs can WORKSHOPS GARAGES QUAKER BARNS dependent on evenness of length, vm content and micron. be converted to live in Oddment price was dictated mainly by washing colour Best quality, ability, particularly for the shorter types, whilst a few bulky best price, best service oddment lines received prices just below fleece levels. A large CU S TOM B U I LT H OM E S FA R M S H E D S A M E R I CA N B A R N S number of lines of crossbred fleece showed a distinct break in the staple and included a few soft cotts. As quality fell an expectation that prices would be quite subdued seemed appropriate, however in comparison to the better quality wools many of the poorer styles sold well. 4 Solid demand continued for good style, good character, well-bred Corriedale and halfbred wools, and although the offerings of these types were relatively small, buyers showed wide-spread interest. Merino prices were mixed, as the season proper drew to a close for those wools, but a handful of very good adult wools drew a positive response from the export trade. The earlier trend of very limited demand for super-fine and ultrafine merino types continued. What makes Can-am Outlander the superior quad bike for farmers It would appear that to create an over • TRI MODE DYNAMIC POWER STEERING supply of ‘average’ extra-fine merino • DOUBLE A-ARM AND TTI SUSPENSION wool types has been too easy, and now MECHANICAL ENGINE BRAKING • • NEW WELDED STEEL CHASIS as many growers both in New Zealand • POWERED BY ROTAX and Australia have swung towards • “PERFORMANCE KEY” AND SAFETY “WORK KEY” producing such wool types, the market • VISCO-LOK FOR TRUE 4WD Find out why our ATV’s are chosen by Farmers appears unable to accommodate Come and see for yourself by test driving one today! acceptable (to growers) prices. Ph: (09) 423 7788 343 Rodney St, Wellsford In reflection of the 2013 calendar 8

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year in regard to wool production, prices and trends, it has been another ‘testing’ one. Focus on dairy along with incredible development in irrigation has continued to replace sheep as an option for many farmers within the South Island which has had, and will continue to have, a dramatically negative effect on wool production. Also the dramatic improvement in crossbred wool prices throughout the year brought smiles to the faces of growers who were able to take advantage, however for many it came too late and following an ‘ordinary’ year for lamb meat returns, did little to improve sheep farmers’ attitudes towards sustainability. On a more positive note the PGG Wrightson wool team delivered a wide range of forward contracts to growers, enabling participants to lock-in price certainty for a portion of their wool clip. To get up-to-date information on current lamb’s wool and second-shear contracts for delivery through June 2014, call one of the PGG Wrightson wool reps listed in the accompanying advertisement. Finally, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2014. That’s my view.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

Call to beat freshwater pests

by Andy Bryenton

The Northland Regional Council is urging visitors to the pristine Kai Iwi Lakes to be on guard against the spread of freshwater pest species this summer. Don McKenzie, the NRC’s Biosecurity Senior Programme Manager, says that the tourist hot spot is a key area for the council’s current ‘Check Clean Dry’ campaign against invasive aquatic nasties. Mr McKenzie says checking, cleaning and drying equipment between waterways is a simple yet effective way to stop unwanted freshwater pests like hornwort, oxygen weeds and koi carp from reaching our lakes, rivers and streams.“The problem with these is that once they’re in a waterway, they are

incredibly difficult — if not impossible — to remove. They often spread rapidly and can destroy our waterways’ environmental and recreational values.” The ‘Check, Clean Dry’ campaign urges users of the lakes and other waterways in the North to check their sports equipment, kayaks, flippers, and boating gear for traces of weeds or plant matter as they pack up. Clean every surface with dishwashing liquid and water, then dry before using equipment in another location.

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Training for a bright future One year ago, Arlene Sangster was struggling to find work. Today, the Whangarei 19-year-old is living her dream — she has a fulltime job that she loves — as farm assistant on Ken and Mary Finlayson’s 1000 herd dairy farm in Kamo — and last month she not only received her Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre National Certificate in Farming Skills Work Ready (Level 3) certificate, but she was also named Top Taratahi Student Whangarei 2013. Arlene was one of 61 Northland students who received their graduation certificates at ceremonies held at Taratahi’s training farms in Tauhoa, Rodney, Titoki and Whangarei. Taratahi CEO Dr Donovan Wearing, Board chair David Nelson, Education Partnerships manager Rebekah Dinwoodie and Marketing and Communications manager Yvonne Way joined Northland Regional Manager Ceres Sharp, staff and tutors to help celebrate the students’ success. Mr Nelson said agriculture’s future remains strong, with a 40-year quarterly high in the balance of payments recorded this year — primarily driven by the agriculture industry. “Three thousand new people enter the agriculture industry every year and that number only represents people leaving the industry due to retirement and other reasons and doesn’t take into account new growth,” he said. The importance of gaining qualifications is not lost

on Arlene who admits she wouldn’t have got her current job if she had not enrolled on the Taratahi programme. “If you do the programme and do it well, the tutors will do all they can to find a job if you really want it,” she said. Of the 10 graduating work ready students in Whangarei, seven have already found employment. Several have signed up for Taratahi’s National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4) programme 2014, effectively ‘earning while they are learning’. Taratahi has been training students in agriculture since 1919, with 2500 students graduating from its campuses nationwide this year. In partnership with NorthTec, Taratahi delivers a range of programmes throughout Northland — from its National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 2) programme, which offers an introduction to farming skills, through to its National Certificate in Agriculture (Level 4). It also delivers STAR/Gateway and the Primary Industries Trades Academy (PITA) programme in Northland schools. The refreshed Massey Diploma in Agriculture is also offered through its Masterton and Taranaki campuses. For more information on programmes starting in February 2014, ph: 0800GOFARM, email: northland@taratahi.ac.nz; Taratahi in Northland, www.taratahi.ac.nz

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Fertiliser

40 things I’ve learned Whakatane supervisor of two dairy farms of 500ha, also running horses emus goats poultry and drystock, has learned 40 things about fertiliser, soil and organic principles and he runs his land on these. He says he thinks this is the only answer for a sustainable future.

THERE are 74,000 tonnes of free nitrogen above every hectare. This can be sequestered in the soil by having a 7:1 Ca:Mg ratio, available phosphorus, iron, cobalt and molybdenum. If one of these five requirements is missing, you may have to import nitrogen.

DR LINUS Pauling, winner of two Nobel Prizes, stated: “In my opinion, one can trace every sickness, every disease and every ailment to a mineral deficiency.” If you accept this statement, then:

Stock health problems are caused by poor fertiliser practices. Insect problems are a symptom of poor fertiliser programmes. Fungal and bacterial diseases are a symptom of poor fertiliser programmes. Fruit and vegetables that rot and do not store have been grown with incorrect fertiliser programmes. If you are dipping, dagging and drenching, your fertiliser programme is not working. If you have to constantly re-grass areas of your farm, your fertiliser is failing you.

MOST people confuse symptoms with causes. This is deeply ingrained in our lives. The disease itself is not the cause, it is a symptom of an already failing and deficient

system. Once you accept that, you will have control over whether you and your property will be susceptible to disease or not.

SILICON is abundant in the soil, but not necessarily available. Available silicon in plants will thwart penetration by fungal hyphae and will cause dehydration and death in insects.

ORGANIC matter (OM) is the single most important factor determining profit, yet just one kilogram of excess nitrogen will account for a loss of 100kg of soil carbon so organic matter will decline slowly but surely.

SIMILARLY, we have been brainwashed into believing we need x units of this and y units of that. This is the Balance sheet theory and it is incorrect. If you subscribe to that view, you will have to purchase fertiliser ad infi nitum.

MOST farm soils being “fed” by chemical fertilisers are losing organic matter and the ability to hold nutrients and moisture. They are becoming more drought-prone, and pasture growth rates are decreasing, even with applied chemical nitrogen.

OVER time, correct fertiliser policies substantially drought-proof the soil, build organic matter and improve health. 29SOIL with one percent of organic matter (OM) will contain about 5900kg carbon. Carbon holds four times its weight in water, so 1% OM soil can only hold 5900 x 4 = 59,000kg/ha, or 5900 litres, or the equivalent of 6mm rain before the water runs off. But go up to 5% OM and the soil can hold 30mm of rain. If soil does not have good levels of organic matter, it will not store enough water to feed rivers over summer, which is why summer river flows are decreasing.

ABOUT 75% of soluble phosphate products complex (tie up) with aluminium, calcium, manganese and iron within six weeks of application.

PHOSPHORUS, along with nitrogen, is responsible for eutrophication of our water supplies. Eutrophication is increased algal growth and decreased oxygen levels of drains, rivers and lakes, owing to chemical phosphorus and nitrogen reaching waterways. One kilogram of phosphorus can grow 350-700kg of algae.

NPK does not build fertility or organic matter — only carbon, calcium and microbes do. The higher the organic matter, the greater the ability of the soil to hold nutrients and moisture.

HYBRID maize is called “dent” maize. The dent in the kernel is carbohydrate collapse caused by lack of phosphorus and represents a considerable loss of yield. You cannot eliminate the dent by using soluble phosphate products, but you can by using good quality guano.

LACK of VAM leads to soil erosion and leaching. New Zealand’s rates of soil erosion and leaching are very high.

SOIL scientists claim 16 elements are required to support life. However, some geneticists maintain that at least 64 nutrients are required for healthy life. If one or more minor element is missing, another can substitute, but it cannot carry out the same function as the missing nutrients, so disease will follow.

POTASSIUM chloride (KCl) kills microbes: just 2ppm (4kg/ha) of chlorine is enough to cause harm and the net effect of this is a rock-hard soil. KCl also encourages certain weed growth.

AVAILABLE (not soluble) phosphorus translates into better stock growth rates and weight gain. Replacing soluble phosphorus with alternative fertilisers and increasing calcium levels will cause elevated aluminium and iron levels to fall as the soil comes into balance. Weed pressure will also reduce.

IN general, the more NPK applied, the higher the yield, but the lower the mineral content, health & quality of that product.

NPK has grown grass and is growing grass, but the decline of organic matter (or transfer of carbon to the atmosphere) is not sustainable or acceptable & must be addressed if farming is to be sustainable in the long term.

AGRISSENTIALS “Rok Solid” is the only single product on the market I know of that comes close to addressing the above issues. It is made of ground paramagnetic basalt rock, with fish, seaweed, humates and microbes added. To fi nd out more about Agrissentials best on fertilisers phone 0800 THE KEY that’s 0800 843 539 today for a FREE INFO PACK or you can contact your friendly representative Ray Holland on 021 669 059 to fi nd out how we can make your farm more successful.

PART TWO OF TWO

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

ADVERTORIAL

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The first company in the North to offer comprehensive home insulation, Pilkington Insulation Ltd has now expanded their services. “Homes I have visited over the last seven years have had many different problems, with the homeowners needing to find solutions,” says director, Richard Pilkington. “We offer the service of assessing the state of your insulation, removing any old or damp material, fitting new, or ‘top up’ ceiling insulation and the retrofitting of homes that do not have any wall, or under-floor coverage. We are the distributor and installer for Qumulus and Cosywall insulation products.

“Our services include free home energy assessment, measurement and quotation; removal of old tired ceiling insulation; ceiling insulation using Qmulus mineral wool; existing wall insulation using Cosywall dry fibre and underfloor insulation using Warmafloor polyester blanket.” Richard adds that if a home suffers from cold and damp issues in the winter months and is possibly too hot in the summer. It’s a sure sign it may not be well insulated.

“We can help you solve this to create a healthy, comfortable and energy efficient home. You will feel the difference, and see the difference in your power bill.” Contact Richard and Beth Pilkington 09 431 5223 or refer to www. pilkingtoninsulation.co.nz.

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operating effectively and not endangering you or your family’s health. What is Septi-Cure™ Septi-Cure™ is a concentrated mixture of selected naturally occurring microorganisms. These harmless tiny organisms live and multiply by feeding on waste material. When introduced to your septic tank system, they go to work straight away digesting waste material, reducing solids and scum, allowing your septic system to start operating to its maximum efficiency. As they progress through to your irrigation field they feed on the slimes that prevent seepage and evaporation. When seepage and evaporation return to normal, you have reduced the risk of contaminating groundwater and the environment as well as reducing the chances of infection for you and your family. Eventually, they get washed out of the system and have to be replaced to continue their work.This is why you introduce SeptiCure™ to your septic system every six months for maximum efficiency. A satisfied customer in Hamilton has been using Septi-Cure™ for three years. He says this allows them to have an odour-free septic tank with low maintenance costs. He also says that his service person is amazed at how well Septi-Cure™ works, keeping their tank in very good condition. Problematic septic tanks – treat with Septi-Cure™. Prevent septic system problems – treat with Septi-Cure™. For Septi-Cure™ - Call: 0800-109-202 Website: www.ecoworld.co.nz Also Available at

January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

This land will grow anything by Brian Eastwood

The first dairy factory is now derelict on SH 12, about two kilometres south of Ruawai. Still to be seen under this end gable are the words ‘Ruawai Co-op Dairy Coy 1915’

‘The whole of the Ruawai Flats, or practically the whole of the land, could be farmed in very small sections, the land being rich and able to grow anything'.

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hose almost prophetic words, offered to a reporter from the Auckland Star newspaper, were the opinion of an unnamed early Ruawai landowner. It was May 1923. At first named Raupo Swamp or sometimes Toka Toka Swamp, the land lies 30 kilometres south of Dargaville. The newspaper article, headlined ‘Land of Possibilities’, told how for countless ages the tidal waters of the Northern Wairoa River had fertilised the land. With draining and stop banking by the Government at the turn of the century, it had become one of the top dairy lands in New Zealand. It was said that settlers who first took up the land were content to just reap a reward from dairy farming. But land was now exchanging hands for £80 an acre with newcomers farming with more vigour and production going up.

All were doing well on the rich land that was ‘capable of growing anything’. But concern was being felt that scientific methods were being ignored. Like the inter viewed Ruawai landowner, some thought that holdings were too big with farms of three and four hundred acres. It was reckoned better to have easier to handle, smaller farms of 50 or 100 acres. Because of home separation the creamery in Raupo South, as Ruawai was then known, closed down in 1914 but converted to cheese making in July the same year. Then in September tenders were called to build a dairy factory and it started operations in July 1915. They produced 160 tons of cheese in the first year with just fifteen suppliers. Five years later butter making also began and 10 tons, together with 300 tons of cheese, was produced in that

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The second dairy factory was built in Ruawai township on Jellicoe Road. It is now headquarters for Kaipara Kumara Ltd

first season. By 1922 suppliers had increased to ninety with 450 tons of cheese and 119 tons of butter coming from the factory. It was an average of five and a half tons per farm. The farmer interviewed by the newspaper told how he started with 90 acres and milked 40 cows. He thought he could have milked 80 cows, 'but it was not necessary. Last fall I put in a crop of oats. In November I put in a crop of maize, which grew to thirteen feet in height, and I also fed that to my herd. And understand I did not put in an ounce of manure. 'I find that the more I plough my land the better it is. Many settlers merely skim the surface with the plough. I use a swamp plough and turn the soil in about eight inches and bring up the alluvial

deposit again. I will never exhaust it in my time'. As proof of his theories, some of the land use began to slowly change. In the 1940s on the Naumai section of the Ruawai Flats, Bill Evans began growing kumara commercially. Now his son Melvyn has been growing kumara for thirty years. In 1970 Gary Blundell and his family started up their Ruawai firm, Greenhill Gardens Ltd, specialising in mushrooms and crown pumpkins supplying Foodtown. It was renamed in 2002 to today’s well known firm, Kaipara Kumara Ltd and includes shareholders that are suppliers/growers in the district. Mushroom growing was discontinued in 1980. Out of the districts’ total

area of about 12,000 hectares there are now 300 hectares being used for kumara growing by Kaipara Kumara’s suppliers, with gardens ranging from five to 100 hectares. Their total annual

output is 6,000 tonnes and they employ a permanent staff of 30. Perhaps that Ruawai farmer (was he a Finlayson?) who made those predictions ninety years ago had a crystal ball.

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Grasslandz a unique event A new event on the pastoral and agricultural calendar, Grasslandz is set to take place at Hamilton on Thursday and Friday, January 30 and 31, and it is an event with unique points of difference over other field day static shows. There will be live demonstrations of all manner of agricultural machinery, from hay and silage gear, drilling and cultivation, as well as earthmoving and

stacking, across 24 demonstration sites ranging in size from 0.5ha to 4ha, and a site covering 65ha. Organisers say the key advantage for ag machinery

New hope for long-term back pain sufferers Inversion Therapy has been steadily gaining a reputation for success in New Zealand with long-term sufferers of back pain. A recent study by one of the United Kingdom’s leading neurosurgeons found that the Teeter Hang-Ups reduced the need for spinal surgery for sciatica by 78% compared to standard methods of treatment. Inversion New Zealand was started six years ago by Dave and Nancy Hare. Dave had suffered over twenty years of back pain from degenerated discs and had basically given up and decided to just live with it. "To me surgery was never an option" he says "As long as I still could walk, there was hope.” While on an overseas trip seven years ago, Dave discovered the Teeter Hang-Ups. The first time he tried it, the pain disappeared and he was completely pain free for about 30 minutes. “Nothing else had done that" he says. Dave never believed it would ‘fix him’, as too many specialists had told him his condition was irreversible — he just bought it for some pain relief. To Dave's surprise the more he used the table the longer the pain stayed away, until after nearly three months he was completely pain free.

“I couldn’t believe it! I had spent large amounts of money on every form of treatment available and here was something I had never heard of sorting it out for me in a relatively short period of time.” It was then Dave decided to introduce Teeter into New Zealand and Inversion NZ was born. Over the years INZ have helped thousands of people and have seen results in not only backs, but hips, knees, necks, posture, circulation, increased height, blood pressure and lots more. “We have testimonials from people with over fifty years of back problems and even have them in a number of schools in New Zealand for their special needs children,” says Dave. “The blood to the brain helps these kids and the results are excellent.” What this means for the ageing population is that it maintains the health of the brain as we all get older. Both Dave and Nancy will be attending the shows. Dave told me that he realised that had he not tried the Teeter for himself he would still be suffering, “that is why we do the shows, people need to try it for themselves — we let the tables do the talking."

BACK or NECK PAIN? If you suffer from Back or Neck Pain then come along to our stand at the Kaikohe A&P Show on the 11th January, the Ngapuhi Festival on the 28th and 29th January or the North Kaipara A&P Show on the 1st February. In 2006, a three and a half year medical study using the Teeter Hang-Ups was completed in the Regional Neuroscience Centre at Newcastle General Hospital. It was conducted by one of the UK’s leading Neurosurgeons and authorities on back care and it was found that Inversion Therapy reduced the need for spinal surgery for Sciatica by 77% compared to 22% with traditional methods of treatment.

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manufacturers and impor ters is the concentration of a target audience. The January dates have been chosen as they line up perfectly with the Northern hemisphere indent ordering cycle. For the bulk of New Zealand’s machinery to arrive on a dealer’s doorstep ready for spring delivery, early autumn is when most manufacturers require orders to be placed. Grasslandz is an opportunity to show off product to potential customers and get orders placed in time. Event manager Andrew Reymer, was born and raised on a dairy farm in the Waikato and has been around the industry all his life. He has been involved with the New Zealand Fieldays on the ag and tractor pull committee — as chairman for six years — for over 20 years. 31 January 2014 With a centrally located site — only 10 minutes from Hamilton International Airport, 10 minutes to the centre of Hamilton where multi-level hotels and conference facilities await, central to many of New Zealand’s large machinery importers and manufacturers based in Hamilton, Morrinsville and Cambridge — the Grasslandz venue is ideally situated. “This is an event that a number of large machinery businesses have been

waiting for to come back, and they have been very supportive,” says Mr Reymer. “After the last event we held here ‘Ag in Action 2011’, we knew the concept was right, and the importers and New Zealand manufacturers were keen for a followon event. There’s nothing like seeing it working in front of your eyes. The large demonstration plots were snapped up quickly by major machinery importers and manufacturers who instantly saw the value in getting their machines moving. “The machinery buyers are becoming more discerning and overseas shows such as Grasslands and Muck in the United Kingdom have proven that buyers want to see it working before making the decision to buy.” As well as demonstration plots the site will feature an AgTrader Alley where companies who fit the criteria will gain access to buyers and sellers at the show, uniting people who can do business together. Site sales have been strong and organizers expect a flurry of sales after the Christmas break. For more details visit www.grasslandz.co.nz or give Andrew a call on 027 498 8496.

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We will set the table to the relaxing angle of 20 degrees, which gently relieves the pressure on your spine and leaves you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. After over six years in NZ there are now enough people using the Teeter Hang-Ups to dispel the last of any doubts that these really do work if you suffer from Back or Neck Pain or simply just want to age healthily, bring this ad along for a free 10 minute treatment. “I promise that you will be pleasantly surprised!”

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

Hoof Print with Fred Hoekstra

HOOF TRIMMING SERVICES, EQUIPMENT & TRAINING

Last month I was talking about knives and made a start on talking about sharpening knives. I want to stress again that a knife should never be sharpened on the back side because you tend to cut into the hoof rather than taking a slice off. If you use a bench grinder with either a linishing belt or a rubber disc, you will need to be careful not to overheat the knife. If the knife goes blue while you are sharpening it the steel will soften because it cools down too slowly. Having a knife with a soft steel blade will go blunt very quickly so you ruin the knife when you do that. Have a cup of water next to your grinder and dip the knife in the water on a regular basis. You can’t overcool it but it is easy to overheat. When the blade of the knife is sharp, and you can see that there is a burr along the full length of the blade, you can sharpen the hook. This can be done on the outside or on the inside if you have a rubber disc. We use a rubber disc with a groove in the side about 5mm from the edge. This groove is there especially for the hook of the knife. Because this disc is made of rubber it is important to have the disc turning away from the operator. You can achieve this by just turning the grinder around so that the start is at the back. If you don’t do that you will damage your knife, your disc and possibly yourself. Once the hook has been sharpened you can take the burr off. We use a cotton disc on our bench grinder for that. Burn some paste into the cotton disc as it is rotating. Just hold the paste against the disc as it spins around. Without the paste the disc is too smooth and it will take a long time to polish the burr of the knife. So every now and again when the cotton disc doesn’t perform very well you just burn some more paste into the disc. The cotton disc is another reason why you have to have the disc rotating away from yourself. If you have followed this procedure properly you will have a knife that is sharp enough to shave yourself with, however a safer way to test it out would be by trying to cut a normal piece of paper by holding it up in mid-air with

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one hand and cutting it with the knife in your other hand. It should be sharp enough to slice through the paper by itself — just about! Most people don’t have a bench grinder with the right discs on it and we would be happy to discuss the options available to you. There are sharpening pens on the market. They may get your knife reasonably sharp but it will never do as good a job as a bench grinder. However it can be handy to use a sharpening pen while you are trimming to get the dents out of the edge of the knife if you hit a stone. Using the backside of another knife is very effective for this as well. One more thing I would like to mention concerns the use of doubleedged knives. If you use the proper technique you should be able to trim a cow with one knife. The problem with double-edged knives is that you end up with quite a wide blade which makes it hard to steer your way out of the hoof when you are going too deep, and it is for this reason that I would not recommend them.

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Northland Field Days brings big benefits

Finding a good multi supplement Those who oppose supplements rightly state that most New Zealanders do not have outright nutrient deficiencies. What many experts miss is that the human body performs best with optimal levels of key micro-nutrients. We may only need 30mg of vitamin C to prevent scurvy but the body works best with at least 500mg each day, more if you are unwell and even more if you smoke. Our levels of selenium are well below international guidelines. While this may increase the risk of many cancers and other diseases we generally seem to survive on lower levels. Only by using well formulated supplements can you guarantee that you body is getting the right amounts of all 20+ essential minerals, all the vitamins and then the wide range of biologically active antioxidants that have significant protective benefits. A full B complex is important but 200-400IU of natural vitamin E and 1000IU of vitamin D are even more important. Beta carotene is the safer option for vitamin A as your body only converts this A as needed. A good multi should also be a comprehensive multiantioxidant. My favourite general purpose antioxidant is a patented grape seed extract (OPC) ActiVin™. You can read about this at www.activin.com. To this I like to include lutein for eyes, lycopene for prostate, hesperidin, bilberry and goji for circulation and immune support plus other synergistic compounds. When selecting a product your first check should be the formula. Secondly ask about the quality of the actual ingredients and thirdly whether the company is really interested in your health or just selling you products. See whether the company is able and willing to give you personalised advice and cares enough to track your progress to ensure you are reaching your goals. Give me a call for further information. To join my weekly email newsletter go to www.johnarts.co.nz. John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. Contact John on 0800 423559 or email john@johnarts.co.nz. For product information visit www.abundant.co.nz.

When in 1985 the Dargaville Jaycees decided to organise an event to bring farmers and townies together, few could have envisaged how much it would grow.

More than 80 exhibitors came to the Dargaville Race Course for the event. Despite pouring rain, the event was declared a roaring success and a decision made to repeat it the following year. Now almost 29 years later, the Dargaville Jaycees are no more. But the Northland Field Days have gone from strength to strength. The 2014 Field Days will take place at Awakino Point from February 27 to March 1 and are expected to attract 25,000 spectators throughout the three days. The Northland Field Days have grown to such an extent it is now the second largest agricultural show in the country, only bettered by the National Field Days at Hamilton’s Mystery Creek. Businesses from up and down the country will descend on Dargaville to show their wares and sell their products, mostly — but not exclusively — to farmers. More than 550

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exhibitors — many from out of town — are expected to display their wares during the three-day event. With so many exhibitors and spectators descending on Dargaville, the town’s hotels, motels, guest houses, caravan parks and camp grounds have been booked out for months. While there have been no studies to confirm it, Northland Field Days are probably worth millions to the region every year. Event administrator Meagan Edmonds says bookings for the 2014 Field Days sites are ‘really good’. Community groups will be on hand during the events to help with parking. Ms Edmonds says the Field Days website is being updated so patrons can find out before they come what is happening and where. People can also book tickets online helping them avoid long queues at the front gate.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

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Bill Guest, Farmers of New Zealand Membership Services: 09 439 5219 09 430 3758 Email: newzealandfarmers@xtra.co.nz

While our farms are drying up due to the hot, dry weather it is making the stock feed supply decline and recently harvested supplements are already being fed out by farmers. Last week we met our legal consultants in Auckland who specialise in dealing with banks. It is surprising the number of actions that are currently against the banks, taken by individuals who claim that they have been wronged. Some of these claims now amount to some millions and there has been some success in actions that have been taken, where banks have not followed the due process that is required of them, when lending out their money. Bank clients do have the right to seek a review as to whether the bank has followed due process, in their particular borrowings. We all know there have been a significant number of farms coming on the market and are being sold at less than the bank’s mortgage. While we accept that people should be prudent in their borrowings and seek the appropriate advice that they can afford to borrow the money, there have been cases where bank lending personnel have processed the loans without acquiring the independent

valuations and the projected income streams have been overly optimistic. There is case law that shows that Banks can be liable where it has been proven that they have not followed due process in their lending and have become a contributing factor, in setting up clients to fail. If you are being pressured by your lender and you feel that you are being unfairly treated and wish to seek further information as to what options you can take in having a review of your position, you are most welcome to contact Farmers of New Zealand Inc. The big news this week was the 24 year prison sentence that was dealt to Allan Titford following a recent court hearing dealing with a multitude of charges. I personally was involved in seeking a settlement package for Allan Titford and the Aranga farmers who were affected by the Waitangi Tribunal recommendation that their land be returned to Maori claimants. It came as a big surprise to me, the actions of Allan Titford and the charges

that were laid against him, but I concede that Allan was a very complex individual. I found Mrs Titford to be a very quiet person. She was a prolific record keeper. Every time I met her, she was always writing copious amounts of paperwork concerning Allan’s view of the claim. I was directly involved in persuading the Hon. Doug Graham the Minister of the Waitangi Tribunal in settling Titford for the sum of $3.8 million. Prior to this, the then government had resolved not to deal with him due to the fact that they claimed that he had made threats against the Prime Minister of the time. At the time I maintained that Allan Titford’s behaviour resulted from the pressure that he was placed under, due to what we all believed was a threat against his property rights. When one looks at the charges that he has been convicted of, I can only say that I hope that Mrs Titford and her family receive the necessary support that they deserve. Her apology to the Te Roroa people says it all.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

From the Minister

Nathan Guy, Minister for Primary Industries

Trade deals helping to drive our economy There has been good news for our exporters in the last couple of weeks as two important markets have expanded their access to New Zealand. On December 1 our economic agreement with Chinese Taipei came into effect, immediately wiping off tariffs on milk powder, cheese, butter, apple, cherry and wine exports. This will mean tariff savings of nearly $40 million on current trade, and will increase to at least $75 million over the next 12 years. Tariffs on beef will be eliminated in two years, and tariffs on

kiwifruit in three. In four years, sheep, honey and most fish product tariffs will be eliminated and 99% of New Zealand trade to Chinese Taipei will be tariff-free. Chinese Taipei is our 6th largest market for agricultural products and our 11th largest overall export market. It has a population of $23 million and is a prosperous country with an appetite for high quality New Zealand products. This month we’ve also announced access for New Zealand meat exports to enter Peru. Peruvian authority SENASA

has approved the listing of all New Zealand exporters currently interested in exporting beef, sheep meat and offal into the country. This is great news for the meat industry, giving them access to a market with a value of at least US$19 million. Latin America is a fast growing region with major potential for more trade growth, which is why I’ve made two visits to the region this year. Opening up new markets for our exporters is a major priority. This is why we also have free trade negotiations underway with South Korea, India and Russia. As I write this, negotiations on the Trans Pacific Partnership are progressing. This involves very important markets such as the United States and Japan, and could have major benefits to New Zealand. Our terms of trade are now at a 40-year high, thanks to the primary industries — dairy, meat, horticulture, fisheries, forestry and viticulture.

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The OECD is now predicting New Zealand will be among the strongest developed economies in the world next year with 3.6% growth. Westpac are predicting growth close to 4%, and unemployment has fallen to 6.2%. The regions are leading the economic recovery. Year-on-year economic growth accelerated in 12 of the 13 regions, with overall growth the strongest reported since December 2004. Business and consumer confidence is booming and the Government books are likely to be back in surplus next year, which many other countries around the world can only dream about. All of this is a huge achievement given what we faced five years ago with a global recession, rising debt and the devastating Canterbury earthquakes. I’m proud that we have come through these challenges in such good shape. The hard work of our farmers continues to be the backbone of our economy.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

New technology dominates the waves

by Andy Bryenton

They say that you should never try to re-invent the wheel when coming up with a new year’s model range — but what if the machine you’re looking to overhaul simply doesn’t have any? Jokes aside, whoever said that going back to the drawing board was a bad idea must not have emailed the memo to Yamaha, who have stripped down their 2014 Waverunner jetskis to first principles, and built them back up again using some very new technology indeed. Take the hull, for example. Generations of jet powered watercraft have employed fiberglass, plastic and carbon to create a floating platform in which to tuck away raw horsepower. Yamaha have decided to up the stakes in the tech race, deploying honest-togoodness nanotechnology (manipulating materials at a molecular or even atomic level) to shed over 30 kilos of ‘body fat’, making their 2014 VX and FZ models some of the best in the power-to-weight

ratio game. Not satisfied with carving off a chunk of excess weight which would make Ferrari and Lotus engineers green with envy, Yamaha decided to follow the full ‘Ariel Atom’ formula to the hilt, adding more power as well. “This is a huge year for Yamaha WaveRunners with the introduction of the most powerful, highest performing engine we’ve ever placed in a WaveRunner,” says Scott Watkins, Yamaha’s product manager. “And we didn’t just stop at the engine. We enhanced every single performance component surrounding this new engine to get the absolute most performance and dialed in handling we could get. The models featuring our new SVHO engine deliver race ready performance right out of the box.”

That SHVO acronym stands for something awe-inspiringly named, and as manly as a hand grenade sandwich. Super Vortex High Output may sound like something from Captain Kirk’s garage, but in reality it refers to an 1800cc, supercharged and intercooled four stroke, four cylinder mill able to crank out staggering new levels of power. Couple this to a 160mm 8-vane jet pump and thrills are guaranteed.

“We are pushing new boundaries with this lineup in 2014,” says Bryan Seti, Yamaha’s national marketing manager. “We are upping what was already the largest displacement engine in the industry, and taking it to a whole new level. And with nanotech engineered hulls and decks on our VX models, entry level buyers will have amazing experiences on the water.”

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Soil Matters with Peter Burton

Building something better takes effort It’s easy to criticise people, organisations and systems but it takes time and real effort to build something better. The superphosphate industry has been heavily criticised for producing crude outdated product, the performance of which has required the short term prop of regularly applied nitrogen. Its continued survival is justified not by performance but by the claim of lowest cost per unit of nutrient, with the argument being that the soil doesn’t know or care in what form nutrient is

delivered as long as it’s delivered. The same philosophy has been used in human nutrition and it’s taken time for the consequences to become fully apparent. High quality fruit, vegetables, and meat may be analysed and the essential elements provided in manufactured products however the long term health and performance of people fed in this

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way is always inferior. The difference between butter made from top quality milk and competing manufactured products containing a range of similar elements may appear subtle but the differences are real, which is why there is a growing demand for high quality fresh unprocessed food. Quality nearly always costs more initially, however those that have made the change to buying true high quality food have found that less is required to satisfy their needs. Their performance is better in all respects and with less illness and fewer visits to the doctor the purchase cost is relatively unimportant. Truly high quality food can only be grown on well-structured, biologically active soil. From the 56th edition of the Yates Garden Guide, ‘Soils which lack humus are unproductive because they contain no helpful bacteria, which aid in the releasing of all plant foods to the roots. Where humus is present in generous quantities, the land has a loamy fibrous texture and will conserve moisture over a longer period’. The principles of successful pastoral farming whether extensive or intensive are the same as those of home gardening. The dependence on regular applications of nitrogen fertiliser throughout the growing season at worst destroys humus and at best limits the speed at which it develops. Performance measures of CalciZest and DoloZest-

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based total nutrient programmes over ten years have shown that they increase the speed at which humus is built, resulting in higher and steadily increasing annual pasture production. The quality of the feed grown is also better with a recent independent report showing that 21% less feed is consumed to produce a kilogram of milk solids. Due to the higher energy and actual protein content of the pasture the overall quality of the milk and meat produced is superior resulting in higher farm income, and with improved animal health the money left after paying all costs steadily increases. One of the keys to the superior performance is the inclusion of a selected range of beneficial fungi and bacteria. Just as the making of cheese and bread is dependent on the addition of the necessary microbes so too is the building of humus. Humus development takes place of its own accord provided the amount of air and moisture is adequate — however the addition of the right mix of microbes along with the nutrients that support their activity enhances the process. Humus is the ‘glue’ in soil and soil rich in humus has the ability to hold more moisture and nutrient and release them to the plant as required. A humus based system is both more effective and efficient. Nature always sides with the truth and ongoing testing of nitrate nitrogen from a longterm client’s property shows that even where annual pasture performance exceeds district average by 30% the loss of nitrates is low and meets the Ministry for the Environment’s standards. For more information contact Peter on 0800 843 809.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

Healthy respect for the sea is vital Every year Kiwi sailors, anglers and boaties head out into the unknown, braving some of the most changeable and treacherous maritime conditions in the world. Every year, there are a sad minority who never return. Water Safety New Zealand, the Police force, the Coast Guard and other marine safety organisations repeat the same warning each summer, reminding us that each drowning represents many lives torn apart. But behind the warning to respect the power of the ocean is a simple message — a little bit of preparation and common sense can save a lot of heartache and loss. Water Safety New Zealand break it down into four simple steps. By following these guidelines you have a much higher chance of coming home alive, even if mother nature turns nasty. The first — the use of lifejackets — has become a mantra for smart boaties ever ywhere. Make sure there are enough for everyone on board, and that they are in good repair before heading out on the water. Lifejackets have saved so many lives over the years that their benefit is undeniable, but they are no good left behind. Secondly, be aware of the weather before you head out. Check w w w. m e t s e r v i c e . com or the radio marine forecast, and be prepared to come back into safe

harbour if the weather turns ugly. Better to miss catching the big one than to become fish food yourself! Communications are also vital when you’re out at sea. Along with the trusty old marine radio, boaties can now access satellite networks with devices such as GPS equipped distress beacons. If the worst happens, having a working, fully charged GPS locator, flares and a radio will allow rescue teams to swing into action sooner. Just as important is telling those on shore where you’re headed. In a

crisis situation, this will allow rescuers to narrow down their search. Finally, maritime authorities remind skippers that they are responsible for the safety of their crew — a moral and a legal obligation. You can visit www. watersafety.org.nz and click through to Skipper responsibility to find out more, and how to get educated in running a ‘ship shape’ ship for a safer summer on the water.

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Detroit legend rides again

by Andy Bryenton

When the first Ford Mustang rolled off the production line in 1964 there were some who thought that a ‘compact’ sports coupe would never succeed in America. History dealt that opinion a crushing blow, as by 1965 the Mustang had proven as big a hit as the Ford Model A. It’s since eclipsed even the legendary Model T as the definitive Ford vehicle, and in its sixth official iteration it’s set to ignite a new passion for the ‘running stallion’ badge. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, of course. That’s why a roll-call of the top classic cars in United States history fairly bristles with machines inspired by the ‘64 and ‘65 Mustang. The

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Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Firebird, AMC Javelin and more make up the ‘pony car’ stable, typified by long hoods, sloping rear windows, big V8 power and straight-line performance. The new Mustang, revealed this year for release in 2014–15, cleaves to this original template in a way which many other ‘pony car’ reboots will surely envy. Design critics have been wowed by its departure from the ‘square edged’ fifthgeneration aesthetic, and the adoption of lines which have been compared to those of the ultra-slick Aston Martin One-77. A hint around the front grille, and a definite suggestion in that double crease along the doors, perhaps — but the rest of this car is all Mustang cues, like those three-barred tail lights, and the low, menacing stance which highlights its flared wheel arches and pared-down glasshouse. Under the hood the new Mustang will pack a range of engines, from the seemingly sacrilegious introduction

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The classic 1965 Mustang is the inspiration for Ford’s latest, 420 horsepower ‘pony car’, appearing here next year. The sixth generation Mustang finally replaces the marque’s live rear axle system

of an ecoboost four-pot pumping out a respectable 300hp to the ineffably satisfying rumble of the top-of-the-range 5 litre V8. Shelby, famed tweakers and tuners of Mustangs past, are hinted to be reviving the GT350 badge for a hot version of the 2014 ’stang, swapping out the GT500’s monster 662 hp mill for something a little tamer, but sharpening up handling and suspension components. Ford themselves have taken this route with the new Mustang, concentrating on beating the Germans at their own game on the road and track. Gone is the live rear axle which made the original ‘pony car’ a drag strip hero (though a special drag edition with

a 9" live axle is hinted at), replaced with modern independent suspension technology and a new, smoother ride. So — it looks great, sounds awesome, goes like the proverbial haunted outhouse and costs less than most of its rivals by a long chalk. The best news of all is that this latest Mustang is set to arrive on the forecourts of Kiwi dealers next to the Ranger and Focus later next year — not as an import, but as part of the range. After generations of muscle car fans having to import the iconic vehicle (and sometimes swap it from left hand drive as well), it will be great to have a Mustang we can truly call our own here in New Zealand.

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Poisonous pasture weed invading Northland by Bob Cathcart, Land Management Specialist, Northland Regional Council

Gravel groundsel — a hard-to-kill, yellow-flowered South African weed — is rapidly invading pastures in the Far North but is also a threat throughout Northland. While this pasture weed is not new here, it has spread further and is growing in more dense infestations than ever before. It’s a similar pattern to that seen in Australia where gravel groundsel has invaded coastal and tableland pastures from Victoria to Queensland, and is expected to spread much further. Recent years’ droughts in Northland are partly to blame for this pest’s increasing spread, as it establishes quickly in weakened pastures after drought-breaking rain. Gravel groundsel’s ability to grow during winter means it can out-compete summer-dominant pastures like kikuyu and paspalum. While livestock learn to avoid this poisonous weed (enabling it to quickly dominate paddocks), they may be forced to eat it when there’s insufficient pasture or it’s contained in hay or silage. Like ragwort, it contains alkaloids that are toxic to cattle and horses and attack the liver. Animals may not die immediately but their production is affected and they may collapse later when subjected to stress in winter or

during pregnancy. As with any invasive weed, prevention is better than cure. You can reduce the risk of it establishing by maintaining fertility levels and avoiding pugging, ensuring healthy pasture year round. Early recognition and control is very important, enabling control with less toxic chemicals and before seed sets. Individual plants can be pulled and burned. Make sure all plants are treated — including those on wasteland, roadsides, races and under fence lines — as each plant produces thousands of wind-blown seeds. Re-seed areas of pasture damaged by pugging or drought and top-dress to promote rapid pasture growth and complete ground cover. Also re-seed bare land around gateways, water troughs and areas where shelterbelts have been removed. Check that groundsel has not germinated in or near recently logged forestry blocks. Be sure not to spread gravel groundsel in hay, either imported onto or exported from your farm. Ensure machinery coming onto or leaving your place is clear of dust and dirt that may contain weed seeds and check that

DRIVE TO THE CONDITIONS 1

roading aggregate or other material imported onto your property is from a ‘clean site’. If you have a yellow-flowered weed you haven’t seen before or suspect could be gravel groundsel, contact a biosecurity officer at your nearest Northland Regional Council office on freephone 0800 002 004. They will be able to identify the plant for you and discuss control measures.

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January 2014

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

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Phone: 09 439 6933 Fax: 09 439 6930 Free Phone: 0800 466 793 P.O. Box 474, Dargaville Email: bettyw@thelifestyler.co.nz

Wishing you all a very happy and prosperous year ahead...

My sincere thanks on behalf of us here at the Northern Farming Lifestyles for your wonderful support during 2013. Last year saw the rural sector go through some tough times and I admire how resilient you all are - that can do kiwi attitude is certainly alive and well! As account manager and advertising consultant I speak to a lot of different people that service the rural community. I have made lot of friends and look forward to making many more this year. Call me if you need any advice or direction with your marketing this year I will be very happy to help along with the rest of the team. With our best wishes for 2014!

Betty Willetts

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

RURAL WOMEN

Beetroot and Potato Salad A simple and tasty salad for the summer season Ingredients 2 beetroot 6 baby roaster potatoes 5 garlic cloves 1 red onion handful of cherry tomatoes 2 sirloin steak 2 handfuls of spinach Olive oil Salt Balsamic Vinegar ½ tsp horseradish handful of mint leaves

Method: 1. Preheat oven to 180oC. 2. Chop beetroot, red onion, and potatoes to all the same size, baby potatoes probably won’t need to be cut, everything needs to be the same size. Drizzle over olive oil and sprinkle over salt. Roast with the garlic cloves until the beetroot and potato are tender. 3. Once, beetroot and potatoes are tender, throw in the cherry tomatoes for the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Heat a frypan, add a drizzle of oil, and fry off your meat. (I cut mine into slices, you could do it after you’ve cooked it if you want) Once the meat is cooked, add the beetroot, onion, potato, garlic and tomato to the pan. 4. Take off the heat and add the mint leaves. 5. Mix through spinach leaves, and drizzle over balsamic to serve.

If you wanted, you could add couscous to this salad to blow it out and feed more people. 1 cup of couscous to 1 cup of liquid, using a beef stock would suit this well, then toss through the vegetables. If not, it’s delicious as is. Enjoy your summer season and the loads of fresh produce that’s available at the moment.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

January 2014

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Andy Payne

• Pile Driving & Drilling • Farm & Rural Bridges • Dams • Retaining Walls • Earthmoving • Drain Cleaning • House Sites • Races & Driveways • 12 T & 5 T Diggers • 6 Wheel Tipper • Bulldozer & Sheepsfoot We dig your dirt

Pump water on your farm or to your house 4 Models 24/7 NO Electricity Bills. Spec i Also Available 15-2 al Price f $850 5mm Mo or Solar Water Pumps del .0 (No Batteries) until 0 Inc . 31/0 G S 1/20 14. T Enquiries: harrisons@actrix.co.nz,

Ph 027 483 9996 John or 022 059 5166

ATS

ProPerty Maintenance & rePair

AGRICULTURAL & FENCING

Ph/Fax Andy 09 423 7339 or 0274 956 674

Bouquets on Broadway Fresh Flower Bouquets and gift ideas • Jewellery / Greenstone • Cake and Wedding accessories • Balloons, cards & soft toys • Venue dressing • Daily deliveries

• Fences & Repairs • Flooring Repairs • Decks • Kitchen/Bathroom Fit Outs • Wet Wall Lining • Water Blasting & Chemical Washes • Windows & Latches • Plus Much More

027 543 7244

email: anlynpiling@value.net.nz After hours & Fax 09 436 2982

BRADLEY

No jobRing tooAndrew small

Covering the Kaipara! Cell 0274 557 750

p. 09 401 1706 | bobflorist@xtra.co.nz 107 Broadway Kaikohe | www.bouquetsonbroadway.co.nz

FOR ALL YOUR

TreeGuyz LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED IN WHANGAREI FOR 31 YEARS • Chipping / Mulch • Tree Removal • Free Quote • Tree Felling • Insurance Cover • Trimming • Crown Reduction / Lifting “We just love your tree to bits!” Phone ALAN 09 435 0399 or 09 434 6946 Mobile 027 227 5095 Email: bradleyts@ihug.co.nz www.bradleytreeguyz.co.nz

HOUSEHOLD

take that

first step

WATER DELIVERIES

AROUND THE WHANGAREI AREA

Call us today and let’s discuss how we can turn your dreams into reality!

CALL STEVE 0274 966 799

0800 40 61 61

OR 09 436 0104

email info@dawsondesign.co.nz

HEALTH BOARD APPROVED

www.dawsondesign.co.nz

NOW AVAILABLE

Grader aNd aNd 12TONNe 12TONNe dIGGer dIGG IGGer er

More Milk

ALSO AVAILABLE

WOOd CHIP aNd SaWdUST FOr aNIMaL BeddING

Less Metabolics

110HP 4WD Tractor and Slasher.

Dempster Digger s Ltd

Phone now for pricing and bookings.

PH: 027 262 1848 A/H: 09 433 7325 www.dempsterdiggers.co.nz

LANDWORKS

Bevan Harper

0274 965 277 elementlandworks@outlook.com NORTHLAND

-Mulching & Slashing -Tree & Stump removal -Cattle race works -Site clearing -Rock gardens/walls -Farm work -Tip truck hire -Metal

Neil Johnson P: (09) 438 4273

-House sites -Retaining walls -Driveways -Cartage -Demolition -Landscapes -Horse arenas -All bobcat work

Available from CRT, PGG Wrightson, Farmlands UV Protected Polycarbonate. Fits on any container with a flat surface. Instructions supplied with the fitting.

$20 plus p&p

GORDYS FLYTRAP FITTING 21 LITCHFIELD ST, BLENHEIM

Email: elaine.gordon@xtra.co.nz www.gordys-flytrap-fitting.com Patented in New Zealand/Australia

BLOCK MOWING EARThWORKs DIGGERs TRuCKs BOBCATs +more

phone 0800 4 DOLOMITE 0800 436 566 Bio-Gro certified

Free parking and we don’t run late

GORDYS FLYTRAP FITTING®

ELEMENT

& PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

• Lifestyle blocks • Homes & subdivisions

Bruce 021 557 344 | Jan 021 407 305 | 09 407 3033 jjscontracting@xtra.co.nz

Better Health

LANDCARE SERVICES • LANDSCAPING • POLE HOLES • 4 IN 1 BUCKET • ROTARY HOE • COMPACT ROLLING • TRENCHER

Dave Hyndman KAIWAKA P: 09 431 2302 M: 021 431 238

IES CONSTRUCTION LTD. CONCRETE AND TILT SLAB CONSTRUCTION • • • •

Bridges Farm buildings Feed pads Bins

PO Box 448, Kerikeri, 0245 • PHONE: 09 407 8784 FAX: 09 407 8770 • EMAIL: ies@concrete.net.nz

FARMERS – How clean is your water?

Would you drink the water out of your troughs? Now is your best time to service your water system… Give us a call and let’s check it out.

PHONE 09 438 9103 (24HRS) CALL FREE 0800 McQUINN

0800 627 8466 148 Lower Dent Street, Whangarei

www.mcquinnpumps.co.nz

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES January 2014

Northern Rural Marketplace Make Your Life easier! use our services now!

• Pipe & Steel Supplies • LTNZ Approved Workshop • General, Agricultural & Structural Engineering • Mobile Welding Services • General Repairs & Maintenance • 2 Ton Gantry Crane • Plate Roller, Profile Cutter & Press Brake • de-CRAP-it®, Landplane®, Serious Incinerator® • Field Rollers, Water Carts • Kumara Gear

Doug Wilson Manager Phone: Fax: Mobile: Email:

Newman Engineering (2004) LTD Ph 09 439 5065 Dargaville www.newmanengineering.co.nz

Neil Carter Trading as

www.animalherbs.co.nz — We courier to your door!

Subsurface Drainage Specialists (Nth)

EARTHWORKS ○ PIPELINES ○ FARM EFFLUENT SYSTEMS OLD & NEW HOUSE SITE SEWAGE SYSTEMS ○ FARM WATER SYSTEMS

A big range of Health Solutions for you, your family and animals

• Solutions for control of fleas, ticks • Himalayan Salt Lick with and worms with WashBar products, 80+ minerals Diatomaceous Earth and Flee Flea • Orijen Organic Dog and Cat • Herbal and Homeopathic remedies Food — no grains for you and your animals

All Services & Maintenance Available PO Box 1174, Whangarei Ph 09 434 7741 • Mobile 027 273 6865

Ph 09 432 0820

1279 S/H 14, MAUNGATAPERE

Specialising in Fertiliser and Metal cartage. 30 Tonne units available. We cover your country!

MARGARET & JOHN BISHOP

Pat’s Healing Centre

Northland Laser Drainage Ltd

09 430 2934 09 430 2936 0274 302 934 dougw@nrh.co.nz

WE COVER ALL OF NORTHLAND FROM KAITAIA TO WHANGAREI SOUTH!

REGISTERED DRAINLAYER

PHONE ADAM GARDINER 021 747 248 AFTER HOURS • Kerikeri 09 407 9649 • Whangarei 09 434 7666

Visit our Waipu clinic and shop, or website to buy online

www.pipeitdrainit.co.nz

TOPUNI

HOMEKILL NZFSA REGISTERED

BEEF SHEEP PIGS DEER BACON, HAM, SAUSAGES, SALAMI

QUALITY • INTEGRITY

ROOFING S P E CIA LIS TS

021 026 322 86 • jim@toproofer.co.nz

Please phone to discuss your requirements PHN 09 431 2271 • MOB 021 984 886

topunihomekill@farmside.co.nz

NORTHERN FARMING CLASSIFIEDS Reach 33,300 Rural Homes — Phone 0800 466 793

For Sale

ATV MATS from $89 — Come in & see us at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi. Phone 0800 963 636. www.atvtyres.co.nz. Be quick offer ends 31/1/14.

NEW YAMAHA FARM ATVs — 5.9% interest & 3 year warranty. Only at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi — phone 0800 963 636 & Yamaha MC Whangarei. Phone 09 438 0804. Offer ends 31/1/14.

ATV SAFETY HELMETS — from $119 accessories from $15. The law has changed! Have you got yours? Come & see us at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi. Phone 0800 963 636. www.atvtyres.co.nz. Subject to availability.

PLYWOOD 19MM H3 treated 2.4x1.2m $69 incl gst. Scooters Plywood, 43 Commerce St, Whangarei. We stock a wide range of plywood including 2nds, marine, claddings for sheds. Cutting service. Phone 09 438 6565 or sales@scootersply.co.nz.

BACK 2 Wood Demolition. We buy & sell renovation materials. Servicing Northland — Auckland. Specialising in Windows, Doors, Ranchsliders, Kitchens, Vanities, Roofing and More! Check out our website back2wood.co.nz or Phone 0800 10 98 77. BOAT TRAILERS, full range to suit 12ft to 27ft boats, very competitive prices and immediate delivery for most models now. Call us to discuss free on 0800 162 500 Xpress Trailers. BOX TRAILERS, single and tandem axle trailers at very competitive prices, full range of sizes, 7x4 $1895, 8x4 $2195, 8x5 tandem $2895, 8x5 single $2295, 10x5 tandem $3495, 10x6 tandem $3895 Ph 0800 162 500 Xpress Trailers. CHAIN & SPROCKET KITS DIRT OR FARM BIKE. SAVE 10% off RRP If you get them fitted at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi. Phone 0800 963 636. www.atvtyres.co.nz. Be quick — offer ends 31/1/14. DOG TRAINING Products – SportDOG remote trainers, Anti-Bark Collars and Containment systems. Trainers with up to 1.6 kms range and can work up to 6 collars. Completely waterproof and rechargeable. Call 0800 872 546. website www.innotek.co.nz NEED NEW ATV TYRES? GET 20% OFF RRP & FREE FITTING at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi. Phone 0800 963 636. www.atvtyres.co.nz. Be quick — offer ends 31/1/14.

SINTERED BRAKE PADS — for MX and FarmBikes — from $39 at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi. Phone 0800 963 636. www.atvtyres.co.nz WEED EATERS & CHAINSAWS — GET 10% OFF STOCKED ITEMS at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi. Phone 0800 963 636. www.atvtyres.co.nz. Be quick — offer ends 31/1/14. WINDMILL WATER pumps by Ferguson Windmills Company. Phone 09 412 8655. www.windmills.co.nz. sales@windmills.co.nz

ATV FARM BIKE MX SPARES INTRODUCTORY OFFER New Customers Receive 7.5% discount off RRP for all stocked items with this voucher at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street, Hikurangi. Phone 0800 963 636 www.atvtyres.co.nz

For Sale

ATV SERVICE Receive 10% discount off RRP for standard service parts* with this voucher when you get your ATV serviced at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street Hikurangi Phone 0800 963 636 | www.atvtyres.co.nz. *Conditions apply, offer ends 31/1/14.

MX FARM BIKE SERVICE Receive 7.5% discount off RRP for standard service parts* with this voucher when you get your MX / Farm Bike serviced at Rouse Motorcycles, King Street Hikurangi. Phone 0800 963 636. www.atvtyres.co.nz *Conditions apply, offer ends 31/1 /14

Chickens For Sale HYLINE PULLETS and chickens for sale. Guaranteed hens, fantastic layers. Very similar to brown shavers and bred to lay more eggs and well known for this. Also known for their quiet temperament and curious nature e.g. following you round the garden. To order ring or text 021 825 174. Bookings up to 2 months in advance. Located in Kerikeri.

Travel

Health Products

NORFOLK ISLAND Country Music Festival. Escorted tour 18-25 May 2014. Incl fares, accom, rental car, five concerts and more. Skylark Tours 09 432 8065. www.skylarktours.co.nz.

LOSE WEIGHT. New Years Resolution. Unicity Balance. Make a 3 month commitment and receive $50 saving. Dr recommended. Ph Helen 09 433 8411 or 027 293 7157.

SPRINGTIME IN NEPAL. Escorted tour 23 March to 9 April 2014. 3-day trek, rafting, wildlife safari, Kathmandu Valley sights. Skylark Tours 09 432 8065. www.skylarktours.co.nz.

Be quick – offer ends 31/1/14. Conditions apply.

Nurseries & Plants SUBTROPICA NURSERY. A wide range of subtropical fruiting and ornamental plants by courier throughout NZ. Bananas, cherimoya, casimiroa, kava, lucuma, pineapples and much, much more. Visit www.subtropica.co.nz or catalogue $5 from Subtropica, Massey Rd, R.D.2, Waipu.

Rural Services FARM BRIDGES Phone Pat now 0800 222 189, visit www.bridgeitnz.co.nz. Bridge It NZ Ltd. FURNITURE MOVING Around NZ or around the world. Single items or house lots. Pro Packing, moving, insurance. Via trucks, containers, shared loads. Ph 0800 496 753 www.worldmoving.co.nz. “Experience & Advice You Can Trust”. STOLEN QUAD-BIKES? — You won’t find any listed here, but you can pre-empt this kind of thing happening and protect your fuel too. Visit www.parabeam.co.nz or call 0508 727 223 for more information.

Water Tank Cleaning Services PROFESSIONAL WATER Tank cleaning and sanitising - recommended every 3 to 5 years. Also for all your water treatment and water filtration systems, call Dave at Aqua Filter Products on 022 402 1964.

Energy Efficiency DO YOU LIVE IN A WINDY SPOT? 3 phase wind turbines starting at $2,200 includes 450 watt turbine, 6m pole, charge controller and inverter, Batteries not included. Ring Colin at Windpower Waikato Phone 0274 831 041 A/H 07 843 7983 Email colin@windpowerwaikato.co.nz

SAFETY FIRST ON THE FARM LOOK OUT FOR YOUR WORK MATES

January 2014 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

WORK HARD. RIDE SMOOTH. $10,430 SAVE $1500

EX GST

KG 165/680 ROLLED INDEPENDENT REAR SUSPENSION

ON-DEMAND TRUE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE

ACTIVE DESCENT CONTROL AND ENGINE BRAKING SYSTEM

ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION

TOP CARRYING / TOWING

*Offer ends 31/1/14 or earlier if stocks run out. Only available at participating Polaris dealers. Not valid with any other offer. Excludes fl eet clients.

POLARIS FINANCE OFFERS

ONLY 6.99%P.A OVER 24 MONTHS

1/3 UPFRONT 1/3 IN 12 MONTHS 1/3 IN 24 MONTHS Subject to credit approval, fees, terms and conditions apply. Based on a 24 month Hire Purchase Contract. To approved Registered GST No Holders for business purposes only on applications for Polaris Ranger 800 Crew, Ranger 800 6x6, Ranger 900 XP, Ranger 900 Diesel, Ranger 900 Diesel Crew Ranger 400, Ranger 500 models. Offer expires 31/1/2014. Polaris Finance is a program operated by De Lage Landen Ltd Company No: 135515. Overseas Model Shown with optional accessories.

RZR 170

$ 5, 604 EX GST

• Parent-Adjustable Speed Limiter • 2-Wheel Drive • Adjustable Drivers Seat

SAVE $500

OUTLAW 90

$ 3,039EX GST SAVE $500

• Automatic Transmission • 89cc 4-stoke engine • Reverse Gear

OUTLAW 50 • Automatic Transmission • 49cc 4-stoke engine • Adjustable Footwell Height

$ 2, 169 EX GST SAVE $500

*Offer ends 31/1/14 or earlier if stocks run out. Only available at participating Polaris dealers. Not valid with any other offer. Excludes fleet clients.

ROUSE MOTORCYCLES LTD 1 KING STREET, HIKURANGI. PH: 0800 96 36 36

MAUNGATUROTO MOTORCYCLES LTD

117 HURNDALL ST, MAUNGATUROTO. PH: (09) 431 8555

www.polaris.co.nz

KUMEU CHAINSAWS & MOWERS LTD MAIN ROAD, HUAPAI. PH: (09) 412 8109

CA MOTORCYCLES LTD

725 POUTU ROAD, DARGAVILLE. PH: (09) 439 0170