Regional development agency, Te Puna Umanga/Venture Taranaki, has put out a call to Taranaki landowners to apply for participation in upcoming Branching Out growing trials.
Now in its second phase, the agency’s Branching Out project aims to foster an environment that allows value chain diversification opportunities to be investigated, adopted and flourish in the region. The growing trials will begin in spring this year.
Branching Out project lead Michelle Bauer said the project has reached a milestone where the focus will narrow to a select range of crops identified as having high potential to succeed in Taranaki.
“A vital component in this next phase is growing trials where we look to prove that diversification is possible and that landowners can benefit economically, environmentally and socially.”
The list of crops identified includes angelica (gin botanicals), ashwagandha (medicinal plants), echinacea (medicinal plants), hemp for fibre production, hops, liquorice (gin botanicals), and sustainable crop rotation: high-value grains, legumes and vegetables.
“We are seeking to work with growers and landowners from around the region to test recommendations and methods relating to growing, harvesting and processing. Through the trials, we’ll also document the challenges, benefits and opportunities, and lessons learned
as the growers and grower groups in Taranaki prepare to commercialise their efforts.”
A minimum of three trial sites for each crop is required to be successful. The trial will need to run across at least two growing cycles.
Venture Taranaki has engaged with experts to ensure the trials follow industry best practice. On-the-ground guidance will be provided by a field agronomist who will collate trial results and undertake an analysis of performance.
“We need up to 30 trial sites from around the region, and while we’ve had several interested parties, we still need more sites to get involved. Landowners and growers who participate will only need to commit to one growing cycle and will benefit from de-risked knowledge and experience from growing high-value crops on their land, potential profit from successful trial yields and the option to continue growing commercially beyond trials,” Michelle said.
The project is guided by a steering group that will be involved in the final selection of sites. Venture Taranaki will accept applications until the end of April and welcomes all enquiries at branchingout@venture.org.nz.
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The inaugural PredARTor Free Showcase, featuring an exhibition by New Zealand artists, will run at Pukeiti this month alongside a series of events providing insights into Taranaki’s predatorfree journey.
Council Environment Services manager Steve Ellis said the showcase will shine a spotlight on the country’s Predator Free 2050 goal and predator control work across Taranaki, inspiring more people to get involved.
The showcase is a collaboration between Pukeiti and Towards PredatorFree Taranaki. Works by 50 artists feature in the predator-free themed exhibition, which is curated by Anna Scott. There will also be a display by local artists ages 5–18.
Anna said the exhibition is shaping up to be something quite special. All the artists are committed to the predator-free principle and jumped at the opportunity to be involved.
“Art has the power to spark conversation, create a movement and to inspire positive change,” said Anna.
The exhibition includes various mediums, with artists drawing on their personal connection to the environment and nature.
Taranaki artist Maryanne Shearman has her painting, Reo o te Kūkupa, featuring kererū flying over native bush, on display during the showcase. Kūkupa, meaning dove, is another name for the kererū, and for Maryanne, it is a symbol of peace and hope for the future.
“It’s a prayer for healing for the bush, the land and then in turn, the people.”
Maryanne said it’s a privilege to be part of the exhibition, and it was an easy yes when she was invited to take part.
Taranaki Kiwi Trust has commissioned a piece by Geoff Noble, with profits from the sale going towards protecting kiwi in Taranaki. Geoff has created a reproduction of a western brown kiwi and the complex colours of their feathers and native Taranaki bush.
A programme of conservation and predator-free events will run each Sunday
The inaugural PredARTor Free Showcase is held at Pukeiti this month during the event, complementing the art. Highlights include guest speakers and guided walks. Registration is required for these events at trc.govt.nz/pukeiti.
Taranaki Regional Council regional gardens manager Stuart Robertson said it is an honour to have such incredible art on display at Pukeiti, shining the spotlight on an important issue.
“The showcase is a great chance for locals to come and enjoy some beautiful art, soak up the magic of Pukeiti and stick around for the cool events on offer.”
The PredARTor Free exhibition is open every day between 10am to 3pm until Sunday, April 30 2023. Entry is free, and artwork will be available for purchase.
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SMALL HERD MAKES BIG RECORDS
Cliff Shearer’s dairy farm may be small in size compared to others, but his pedigree Jersey cows have set New Zealand and international records for milk production.
s a child growing up on his family’s Normandy dairy farm, Cliff only ever wanted to be a dairy farmer. In 1982, he bought a third of the family’s property, naming his farm Glenbrook.
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The lease land was used to grow hay and silage, as well as grazing youngstock, but three years ago, that lease was lost. Heifers are now grazed out, calves run onfarm until May 1, and hay is brought in from other farms.
Cliff bought his first pedigree Jersey cow, Lamorna Sultans Minerva, at the annual Lamorna sale in 1979. “Lamorna Rovers Brenda, the founder of my ‘C’
family, was purchased at the Lamorna annual sale in 1980,” said Cliff.
He said 95% of the Glenbrook herd is still from his ‘C’ family; all descending from Brenda. The Glenbrook herd has been intensively line-bred back to the ‘C’ family, which has helped intensify the herd’s continuing high production.
The 35-acre property, which includes a 20-acre milking platform, has increased at times with land leased from the South Taranaki District Council.Cliff said this is unique as his herd is line-bred to a cow, rather than to a bull, which most line-bred herds are.
“Brenda had eight natural heifer calves, all of whom were milked here, which was a great start to building this family in my herd.”
In 2021, the small Glenbrook herd was recognised by Jersey NZ as the highestproducing herd in New Zealand, with 667kgMS a cow. Starview May Alison S3J
EX was the second highest-producing cow in New Zealand with 906kgMS. Last year, the Glenbrook herd averaged 681kgMS.
“Glenbrook Clannard Ceylon produced 809kgMS as a heifer, which is the fourthhighest milk solid production from a Jersey heifer in New Zealand history. In the current season, Glenbrook is on track to produce over 700kgMS per cow at the factory and over 2,750kgMS per hectare from the milking platform.”
The herd has now been recorded as the highest-producing Jersey herd in New Zealand 14 times and holds the current herd average record of 701kgMS a cow.
“Glenbrook Final Cosma gave 12,747 litres, and that’s still the New Zealand record for litres. Glenbrook Hans Charlotte gave 9,017 litres as a heifer, and that’s the current heifer record for milk in New Zealand.”
Cliff’s stud cows have previously made Australasia’s top five overall breeds for milk solids production. He also had
the highest Jersey herd average in the southern hemisphere. “I enjoy recording all sorts of records and keeping track of them.”
One of Cliff’s farming passions is seeing how much his cows can produce and breaking production records.
“Herd testing is my favourite day of the month or, more accurately, getting the test results. I get out of bed to break records.
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“I love to see the next generation of heifers to see how good they are and how well the bulls are breeding. Because of this, I rear 100% of my heifer calves, and I bring 100% of my heifers into the herd each year.
“That means I have a very young herd, as I have to remove half the herd each year to make room for the next crop of heifers.”
Now in his 12th season collecting semen from some of his bulls and marketing them as Glenbrook Golden Genetics, Cliff regularly receives photos and information about their progeny. “A highlight is selling straws to the USA and Australia, and seeing how they work overseas.”
Cliff said his life revolves around his farm, which has always been too small to employ labour. “So I have had to work through all sorts of health issues at times. I have just passed 9,500 milkings in a row without missing one. Twice a day milking for 365 days a year for just over 13 years now.”
When he’s not out on the farm, Cliff uses Facebook to keep a personal photographic diary of his farm, herd and life, which has gained interest internationally.
“The opportunity to talk to just about all the top Jersey breeders around the world, almost instantly, is just awesome.”
Enviroschools and Dairy Trust Taranaki have teamed up to encourage future farmers through a series of on-farm learning experiences.
Through Enviroschools Taranaki Ag + Hort programme, school students are visiting Dairy Trust Taranaki’s research farms to view demonstrations. The field trips cover various topics, including soil health, reducing emissions and sustainable land use options.
Enviroschools regional coordinator Lauree Jones said the educational farm visits for primary and secondary school students follows an earlier project called Soil Your Undies, funded by Curious Minds.
“The project helped students investigate the soil health around their schools and across various land use businesses. We wanted to take these learnings further in 2023, so I met with Dairy Trust’s Jason Rolfe to plan out some educational on-farm experiences for primary schools through to high schools.”
Towards the end of last year, Taranaki Enviroschools secured a grant of $44,100 through the LA Alexander Agricultural College Trust Board. This grant will give students, from around the region opportunities to learn first-hand about innovative farming practices.
Lauree said the first field trip saw the Enviroschools team take 50 students from Stratford Primary and Stratford High School to Dairy Trust’s 51ha farm near Stratford.
Students and teachers learnt about nitrate leaching in pastoral farming and a current farm trial using a technology called Spikey.
“The students were really engaged and seemed to enjoy it. They were especially fascinated by the senior spikes on the Spikey machine, which detect where A good
Stratford Primary students check out the Spikey trailer Students enjoyed learning about the technical details the urine patches are in the pasture. “A perfect mix of technology, science and farming.”
The following visit to Kavanagh Farm looked at net zero emissions. Two more field trips, to Gibson Farm and Waimate West Farm, will focus on reducing methane output and regenerative farming practices. Schools can register to attend these.
“Schools are able to pick and choose what suits their learning and focus. For this, you don’t need to be an Enviroschool to take part. Any Taranaki school or homeschool group can connect in with us to attend. We welcome and support all learners.”
Lauree said Enviroschools Taranaki supports schools to attend these field trips by offering money towards teacher
release and transport costs to help eliminate barriers due to the geographical distance of the farms.
“This whole programme has been sponsored by LA Alexander Trust and Taranaki Regional Council, as well as our community partners like Dairy Trust Taranaki. Without this sort of help, we wouldn’t be able to offer this great opportunity for our future farmers and interested land users.”
Taranaki Regional Council coordinates the Enviroschools programme in the region, alongside regional partners. At the beginning of this year, 48 schools and 25 kindergartens, with 9,000 students in Taranaki, were registered as Enviroschool programme participants.
Dairy Trust’s general manager of operations Jason Rolfe emphasises the importance of the trust’s mission to educate and ensure the future viability of farming in Taranaki.
“A key part of our business is providing opportunities for tamariki to visit our farms and learn about the trials we are running. Here at Dairy Trust Taranaki, growing the next generation of farmers, scientists and rural professionals is a key strategic goal of the trust.
“The questions asked and ideas shared by the tamariki were fantastic and provided a different perspective that we often don’t hear enough from.”
Lauree said with the whole region moving towards a more sustainable tomorrow, the Enviroschools Ag + Hort programme is helping to make that happen.
“We all have a part to play, and each of us can contribute in our individual and collective ways. There are so many awesome agricultural and horticultural practices, trials, experiments and future-focused actions happening in Taranaki. Enviroschools is happy to be a conduit to connect youth with these opportunities.”
“The long-term plan of all this is to encourage Taranaki tamariki to be innovative, future-focussed and great
Bike for Blokes has just completed a second year cycling the length of New Zealand, raising funds to support men’s health.
Founders and friends Bruce Cotterill and Paul Muir completed last year’s inaugural ride, raising $200,000 for Farmstrong and the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry.
The core cycling team increased to six cyclists this year, including Bruce’s wife, Rose. Other cyclists joined in at various stages to support the cause along the 2,600km route. A total of $250,000 was raised during the journey, but donations can still be made at bikeforblokes.co.nz.
On Monday, February 20, the cyclists set off from Cape Reinga to arrive in Bluff just over three weeks later on Thursday, March 16. The group took just three rest days during the journey.
Bruce said this year’s route was slightly different to keep things interesting, and the support along the way was amazing.
“We already had momentum and credibility from last year, so there was more awareness out there about what we were doing and trying to achieve.
“We are really pleased with the amount we’ve raised, and donations can still be made at the Bike for Blokes website.”
Due to the adverse weather events in the North Island, the team was unsure whether to proceed with the ride as many people had been badly affected and were struggling.
“We talked to some people about whether the timing was OK, and a decision was made to go ahead. I’m so glad we did because people were so glad to see us, and we had a wonderful reception.”
The team found the state of some roads challenging at times and had to take detours due to damage from floods and Cyclone Gabrielle. The first four days of the journey were tough as the team tackled hills, heat and road conditions. However, those initial days prepared the cyclists for the remainder of the trip.
Bruce said cycling is the perfect way to see the country and meet people. “The
scenery was spectacular, and when you look at your speed, walking is too slow and being in a car is too fast. So cycling is the perfect speed to really see things and meet people.”
“It was hard yakka and full on but such an incredible thing to do. We were tired at
the end, but we didn’t have any injuries, and we all got to Bluff safely, which was awesome.”
Bruce said Bike for Blokes is delighted to be supporting Farmstrong. “We love the work they do and working with them to support farmers’ wellbeing. “
Elected in 2014, Barbara Kuriger is now in her third term bringing experience, enthusiasm, drive and direction to her role as MP for Taranaki-King Country.
She always wanted to be able to give more back to the communities she’d moved in and those beyond. Barbara says being an MP allows her to do so in many rewarding ways.
A lifelong dairy farmer, Barbara remains a shareholder in two family-owned farming businesses and is dedicated to achieving better policy outcomes for rural New Zealand. She believes rural New Zealand is often forgotten in the policymaking processes of Wellington. Barbara has a proven track record advocating for better rural services and continues to fight for rural proofing in practice, not just on paper.
“Barbara is highly regarded in the agricultural industry and rural sector and is always seeking more opportunities to collaborate with other industries to promote regional growth.”
Having lived all of her life in Taranaki, she understands the contribution of New Zealand’s leading resource region. As she travels one of the largest electorates in the country, she knows only too well the necessity for well-developed and
maintained transport routes. Routes rural communities and urban centres need to conduct business efficiently and effectively across the nation.
Barbara splits her time between her Taranaki-King Country electorate and Wellington, as well as other parts of the country, as the demands of her responsibilities require. It is a rural electorate, and she enjoys being grounded in her rural communities. She was named the 2012 Dairy Woman of the Year and has been a member of the Boards of DairyNZ, Primary ITO Board, Taratahi, Dairy Women’s Network, and New Zealand Young Farmers.
She has completed an Institute for Strategic Leadership MBA and is a past scholarship recipient of the Food and Agribusiness Mark Experience (FAME). In 2014, she became a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors. She’s currently studying for PGCert in Public Policy. She’s also a judge of the Rural Games Trust awards.
Barbara is a strategic thinker and enjoys a challenge. She is driven to support others to fulfil their aspirations. She is highly regarded in the agricultural industry and rural sector and is always seeking more opportunities to collaborate
with other industries to promote regional growth.
She has held many former roles within parliament. She has worked on a broad range of political issues, ensuring she has a wealth of experience to bring to any parliamentary role. In 2020 alone, Barbara was the chairperson of Governance and Administration, lasting until 2021. She was also the chairperson of Primary Production in 2020.
Barbara has also been a member of business, finance and expenditure,
officers of parliament, and privileges. During her time in parliament, she has also been a spokesperson for agriculture, biosecurity, energy and resources, food safety, rural communities, transport and women.
“Barbara has held many former roles within parliament. She has worked in a broad range of political issues, ensuring she has a wealth of experience to bring to any parliamentary role.”
Get in touch with Barbara at barbarakuriger.org.nz.
The Agribusiness in Schools programme, teaching future farmers about the most up-to-the-minute skills and technology in the rural sector, has marked a decade of success this month.
The scheme was piloted at Hamilton’s St Paul’s College in 2013 and has since grown to encompass 120 schools nationwide, with 4,000 students participating in the course last year alone. Educators have teamed up with industry leadership bodies to ensure that the programme produces graduates with cutting-edge knowledge of agribusiness and farming science. Beef and Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) and DairyNZ are both heavily involved in partnership, for example.
“It has been a game-changer, equipping students to be involved in the food and fibre industry and helping teachers promote our sector and its many possibilities,” says B+LNZ’s national extension programme manager Olivia Weatherburn.
“Due to its widespread success, the programme has not only shown rural students what careers they can have within the industry, but it has also helped to positively change both school and community perceptions of the primary sector.”
The Agribusiness in Schools programme was sparked by a survey of parents at St Paul’s, a Waikato school with a strong link to the farming community. The survey indicated that parents wanted stronger support for its rural students in encouraging them to consider pathways into the primary sector. Soon it became apparent that this concern was shared across rural New Zealand, and steps were taken to formulate a course of studies to equip future farmers.
It grew into an academic agribusiness in schools course offered at NCEA levels two and three. It aims to expose students to the wide range of skills required on the farm and the opportunities available in the primary sector beyond the farm gate.
“What is great about this initiative is that it is in partnership with the Ministry of Education, NZQA and the primary industries to ensure we equip our future sector workers with the right skills,” says Olivia Weatherburn.
The Women’s Health Study is one of the most in uential medical studies; it followed nearly 30,000 Female Health professionals over 45.
It is still going now after 30 years. One of the many observations was the relationship between magnesium and hypertension (high blood pressure). The study showed that magnesium intake was inversely related to hypertension; those with low levels had much higher chances of developing hypertension.
Indeed, it seems as if magnesium can help many conditions, including cramp, heart rhythm, mood, sleeping and many more. That should not be a surprise because of the special role of magnesium in governing muscles and nerves. Calcium is the mineral that causes muscles to work and nerves to carry impulses. Magnesium helps return muscles and nerves to a resting state.
How does magnesium help hypertension? Our blood vessels have a special type of muscle called smooth muscle. Just as a de ciency can cause cramp or tightness in our skeletal muscles, so low it causes smooth muscle to lose its natural suppleness. That can impede blood ow and forces the heart to pump harder to circulate blood.
blockers. It allows the smooth muscle in blood vessels to relax, thus allowing for enhanced blood ow.
The challenge is to get the right forms of magnesium in the right doses. My preference is to use three different forms of magnesium: natural marine magnesium from seawater is well-proven, magnesium citrate, and probably the most effective, magnesium glycinate. We then need to get the right doses. That is where once-a-day supplements can be dif cult, as you cannot modify the dose. My magnesium has a dosage range of one to four capsules, so it can be customised to a person’s needs.
The programme has also developed resources to support teachers who wish to bring agribusiness studies into their other non-dedicated classes. In addition, regional hubs for the programme have brought together educators who have come on board with agribusiness in schools, with tailored and ongoing mentoring for teachers by leaders in farming. Ten years in, the knowledge base developed by this method is extensive and continues to evolve.
“Overall, the programme is increasing trainee teacher numbers and teacher capability across agribusiness, which is a win-win for our sector and the food and fibre industry as a whole,” says Ms Weatherburn.
The main mechanism is that magnesium is a powerful calcium channel blocker; many hypertension medications are calcium channel
John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv. Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423 559 or email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his newsletter at abundant.co.nz.
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“The challenge is to get the right forms of magnesium in the right doses.”
Built thanks to a fortune founded on asphalt, the stately riverside gardens at Tūpare are exactly the opposite of a flat and featureless road surface.
Today, the sprawling heritage gardens surrounding the old Matthews homestead near New Plymouth are owned and operated by the Taranaki Regional Council, free for all to enjoy. During the years, they have grown from the initial vision of architect and designer James ChapmanTaylor into a varied public space, hosting everything from summertime barbecues to literary and horticultural events.
Russell Matthews, who made this garden possible, was an early roading entrepreneur, born and raised in New Plymouth. He made a name for himself and set the path toward fortune, and
a membership of the Order of the British Empire, through bitumen. In 1913 Matthews gained the contract to reseal Currie Street, and turned to the new roading material for a solution. He designed his own spreader wagon and laid down a solid surface that would last for more than 15 years. After serving in the first world war he studied road engineering in London, then came back to become a partner in Sherwood Bellam and Company, the firm which tarsealed Auckland.
His heart was still in New Plymouth, however, and when he married Elizabeth
Famed for its specimen trees and rolling hillside views, Tūpare is the legacy of a leading New Plymouth businessman and philanthropist Brodie in 1932 the couple bought eight acres of land beside the Waiwhakaiho River. They had to wait 18 months for Chapman-Taylor to design and build their new home, and during this period, the roading magnate lived with his wife in a tin shed.
The house was grand, but the gardens were a wonder. Matthews was a keen botanist and gardener, and the vistas and spaces envisioned for Tūpare reflected its name, which means a garland of flowers in te reo Māori. While Tūpare was inspired by the stately gardens of English country houses, it was also a product of its New Zealand environment. Over the years, the trees matured to provide shade and shelter, and a walk through its hillside paths down to the banks of
the Waiwhakaiho reveals a kaleidoscope of carefully constructed views and visual surprises.
Russell Matthews didn’t just help plan and manage his gardens at home. He also helped establish rhododendron gardens at Carrington Road, New Plymouth. He and his family didn’t just stroll in the gardens; they helped work to keep them beautiful, enjoying a closeness to nature.
With Tūpare now open to the public, he and his family’s vision of rural splendour is everybody’s to enjoy. As a philanthropist of note, who was a life member of the St John Ambulance Association and Outward Bound Trust, and a patron of the New Plymouth Repertory Society, it’s certain that he would enjoy the sight of visitors and guests enjoying his labour of love in the present day.
The TSB Theatre in New Plymouth will showcase the verbatim play, The Haka Party Incident, written by local-born playwright Katie Wolfe on Wednesday, June 28.
Katie was born and grew up in New Plymouth and descends from Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Tama.
“I went to Central School, Highlands Intermediate and New Plymouth Girls High School. I belonged to the surf club and did plays at the New Plymouth Operatic Society, Repertory Society and Little Theatre,” Katie says.
“My mother was born in Pukearuhe in northern Taranaki. My grandmother was from Pukearuhe, too, and lost her language as she was part of that generation that got hit at school for speaking Māori. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents on their farm, catching whitebait on the side of the Mimi River.”
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Katie says that she likes how her hometown has developed with the new walkway and that everything is close to the beach.
“All my whānau still live in Taranaki, so I get to see everyone when I go home and for events at my marae in Urenui.
“I have recently bought my first home in New Plymouth in the Devonport apartments. I like the Westend Precinct with all its cool cafes, bars and art galleries. I love the city’s art scene — the Len Lye Gallery and all the amazing festivals.”
Katie went on to become an actress, starring in television and film roles, including Mercy Peak, Marlin Bay and Shortland Street. Later in her career, she branched out into becoming a director, producer and playwright.
“I have learnt to speak Māori as an adult, and it was really hard. My children went to Kura Kaupapa, and they are fluent. Whenever I create work that celebrates the Māori language, I do it for my nana Ivy.
“I was interested in verbatim theatre, and this story seemed a perfect fit. The Auckland Theatre Company commissioned me to write The Haka Party Incident and supported me through the five-year process of finding everyone involved and doing the interviews.
“The play inspires people to talk about our history where all experiences are valued and explored to get away from the blame game.”
For further information or to book your ticket, go online to premier.ticketek.co.nz.
Duck season opens on May 6 across Taranaki and much of the North Island, with hunters anticipating a good season’s shooting following a damp, cool summer.
Shooters are permitted to bag 15 mallards or grey ducks on opening weekend, with a limit of 10 throughout the rest of the season. Interestingly, Taranaki has just come out of a special paradise shelduck season, which added additional hunting days through the early months of 2023. These ducks will also still be on the menu all the way through until July 2.
The all-important long-range forecast for opening weekend in Taranaki predicts that things could go either way. There’s a strong chance of misty rain on Saturday, which duck hunters always pay fervently for. However, those heading out to the maimais should not discount the possibility of a rogue cold snap with clear skies and frost.
While it’s hard to predict the weather, other forms of preparedness are easier to take care of. Fish and Game reminds all duck hunters to secure their licence early and to check out the new rules regarding shotgun magazine sizes if they are travelling away from home to shoot. Waikato and Hawke’s Bay hunters will be restricted to a three-shot capacity this season, to give the ducks a more sporting chance.
It echoes the early rules surrounding semi-automatic shotguns upon their introduction. While Taranaki remains
in line with firearms law in allowing for a five-cartridge magazine in semi-autos and pump shotguns, hunters will need a restrictor plug if they travel to areas enforcing the three-shot rule.
While seasoned duck hunting veterans are understandably eager to greet the dawn on May 6, there are others concerned with bringing young people into the sport and preserving it for future generations. Fish and Game is trialling a new system in Otago this year, which allows young people to have their own ballot, determining good spots on ponds and wetlands.
“Young hunters are usually introduced to the sport by parents, other relatives or older friends,” Fish & Game officer Steve Dixon said.
“These outdoor experiences can grow bonds of family and friendship, often creating lifetime memories. While harvesting game for the table, they’re also learning to appreciate our wetlands and rivers.”
By incentivising young people to get outdoors and hunt, the tradition of opening weekend will be in good hands for years to come. If the Otago trial goes well, other regions may follow suit.
“We’re always keen to see more young people getting into duck hunting,” said
Mr Dixon. “To help them along, we’ve launched a junior and novice hunters’ ballot for access on some of our wetlands during the first nine days of the duck season.”
“These outdoor experiences can grow bonds of family and friendship, often creating lifetime memories.”
SHORT DROP
by Andy Bryenton
When winter comes, your homes should be a haven of warmth and comfort against the weather and low temperatures of the season.
The only trouble is, there are others who’d love to share in the war and dry conditions you have spent so much time and money perfecting. These pests are unwelcome at the best of times. Still, insects and rodents can make their presence felt when the outdoors becomes inhospitable.
Those with pet cats may have already noticed a new crop of rats and mice brought in by proud little hunters. As the mornings and evenings turn cold there is less to forage outdoors, and the allure of a warm space with lots of treats to steal is rodent heaven. Those without a feline force in defence, or one of the small dogs which can do an equally good job, should look at a solid exclusion policy, checking for places where rats and mice can get
in. Seal up everything in your pantry, too, and make sure outside rubbish bins have a tight snap-on lid.
Some insect pests tend to fade away in autumn; mosquitos and flies may reduce in numbers as the cold weather bites. However, other types of crawling critters can find the cold weather a good excuse to come inside. Cockroaches are a prime example. Unlike the city ‘roaches depicted on most overseas television shows, New Zealand has a mix of species, some of which should be gainfully employed in the leaf litter of the forest. They hate light, and clean surfaces, but a real infestation is best dealt with by pest control professionals.
Winter is also prime time for moths, as it’s common practice to bring out heavier
From spiders in the basement to possums in the attic, winter chills can send pests scurrying for the warm, dry comfort of your home seasonal blankets, curtains and clothes from storage and tuck away summer-weight fabrics. Moths love to infest stored fabrics, so plan to repel them before you store them.
Bed bugs, ironically, love winter. They don’t just live in bed, either. These pests can be stopped by washing bedding and soft furnishings at high temperatures. Still, the fact that they often give beds a miss means that sometimes people afflicted with these unwanted guests take care of just the bed and leave rugs, curtains and cushions as a perfect hiding place.
Perhaps the winter visitors with the worst reputation and the least real threat
are spiders. While the white-tailed spider, an Aussie import, can indeed give a nasty bite, many other spiders come in from the cold and seek out food. That food is usually made up of insects you don’t want in your home, so they could be doing you a favour. While some of our native spiders are large and intimidating, most are harmless to humans and are best handled by simply throwing them out the window.
If pests become a big problem this autumn, call in the professionals to make your home secure before winter makes the issue worse.
Egmont Industrial Supply Ltd is a New Zealand-owned and operated steel stockist of new and used steel with more than 55 years of combined experience in the steel products industry.
Located in Egmont Village, under Mt Taranaki, this small team of eight provides a wide range of steel products to clients from different industries and sectors around New Zealand.
Over time, the company has established a strong reputation as a reliable supplier of various products such as new and used: steel pipe, casing, culvert, walkway grating, steel mesh, plate, steel sections and sheet piles.
Specialising in large diameter and heavy wall pipe in particular, it has become renowned for its expertise and cut-to-length and fabrication service on its wide range of stock.
Egmont Industrial Supply Ltd has three key unique selling points:
An experienced and knowledgeable team who work closely with customers to understand their needs and provide tailored solutions to their requirements, whether it is a custom order shipped from overseas or a small piece of surplus steel cut to length
Ability to provide timely and ef cient delivery of products to clients, understanding the importance of prompt delivery. Working with freight companies nationwide, providing a quick turnaround from the rst day of contact to goods being dispatched
A range of used/surplus steel. Giving it another lease of life, while at the
same time being able to pass on the savings to the client
Having built a strong reputation for its excellent customer service, quality products, and timely delivery, they have a loyal customer base that spans across industries, such as engineering, civil
Off-the-grid living doesn’t mean having to revert to the old ways when it comes
history by a range of clever ideas.
Even the successor to the ‘thunder shed’ of olden times has passed into history, with new septic and wastewater systems refining the concept of natural waste processing into an art. As living off
the grid becomes a lifestyle goal instead of a frontier test of fortitude, some of these ideas are crossing over with other concepts to enhance the self-contained nature of the true eco-dwelling.
First up is the ability to use solar energy to run the pumps and controllers of a modern wastewater system. While these systems harness the power of microorganisms to digest and purify, some require pumps and filters to get the resulting water to where it needs to go. Using solar energy to help with this process makes for a self-contained, gridfree result. Certain wastewater systems also utilise the water they produce to irrigate plants, instead of soaking into a wide expanse of paddock. Enterprising homeowners have adapted this to irrigate species that support bees and native fauna.
Another more radical idea, involves turning waste into biogas, which could conceivably power electrical appliances. It’s a concept being developed very seriously in metropolitan South Korea, where Cho Jae-weon, an urban and
environmental engineering professor at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, has invented a system to turn flushables into voltage.
The mathematics of the BeeVi biobathroom are as follows; every person produces, on average, 50 litres of methane gas daily via fishable wastes. If this is collected, after the waste is processed in an organic ‘digester’, it could generate enough electricity to power an electric car for 1.5 kilometres. That seems small, but multiply it by the population of
an entire apartment block, and you can see why populous nations like South Korea are very interested.
On a smaller scale, treatment systems exist which turn methane from the biobreakdown of waste into cooking gas. These can cost as little as a couple of thousand dollars to buy and promise utterly hygienic gas for the kitchen without any comical smells. It’s all thanks to anaerobic bacteria and the way they deal with effluent.
In a way, off-the-grid septic systems are an evolution to a world where each household is responsible for its own footprint, and some good can be made from a substance that’s traditionally been seen as bad. In another, they are a return to older ways of thinking about waste; in pre-modern times, many of the substances we flush away were collected for various industries and utilised. We can do away with the smell and make the process cleaner and greener with technology, making it possible to live closer to nature without damaging the environment as we do so.
If you’re a firearms licence holder, you’ll need to know about changes to the storage and transport rules for firearms and ammunition, and changes to the seven rules of firearms safety.
Regulations were updated in February 2022, and to help Kiwis make sense of those changes, Te Tari Pūreke, the new firearms regulator, published a Secure Storage and Transport Guide.
You can download a copy of the Secure Storage and Transport Guide from www. firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/firearms-safety
Transportation
If you’re driving to a hunting location, your firearm needs to be inoperable during your travel and, ideally, concealed from view. This means removing the bolt or an essential part (or if that’s not possible, applying a trigger or cable lock), or transporting the firearm in a locked carry case.
The ammunition needs to be separately and securely stored in a locked glove box or similar storage area, if practical.
And please, whatever you do, once you’ve finished using your firearm, lock it away. Never leave any firearms in your ute, shed, home or vehicle unsecured at any time.
The only exceptions to the firearms and ammunition transport rules are if you’re using the firearm on a farm for farm-related activities, or you’re doing legally-authorised hunting or pest control (such as a regional council employed pest controller) and the licence holder is in the vehicle or the immediately vicinity of the vehicle with the firearms in it.
Make sure you read or download a free copy of the storage and transport guide to keep up to date with the details of the changes: www.firearmssafetyauthority. govt.nz/firearms-safety/storagetransportation
Rule 1
Rule 2
Rule 3
Rule 4
Rule 5
Rule 6
Rule 7
Ammunition
All ammunition must now be stored in a locked container. You can now only store ammunition with firearms in a gun safe that has a separate lockable compartment with a different key than the key for the gun safe. You must keep these keys separate.
If your safe doesn’t have a separate lockable compartment, you need to store ammunition in its own secure storage container with a key, combination, or padlock, or in a stout locked cupboard.
Taking a break when you’re travelling with firearms
For those who travel with firearms to hunt locations, your inoperable and secured firearm can be left in your vehicle unattended, for example during a break in a journey, for up to 60 minutes. But you need to lock your vehicle and stay within the immediate area or vicinity of the vehicle and meet other conditions.
Read the storage and transport guide for full details: www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz/ firearms-safety/storage-transportation.
Under no circumstances can firearms, ammunition or other arms items be left in a vehicle overnight.
Treat every firearm as loaded
Always point firearms in a safe direction
Chamber a cartridge only when ready to fire
Identify your target beyond all doubt
Check your firing zone
Store and transport firearms and ammunition safely
Avoid alcohol or drugs when handling firearms
Get ahead of the changes to firearms safety rules with the Firearms Safety Code. Buy the book from www. firearmssafetyauthority. govt.nz/firearms-safety and have it shipped to your door or download a PDF copy for free.
Apply for a firearms licence and update your contact details online using MyFirearms: a secure, online portal available at www.firearmssafetyauthority.govt.nz
There will be no charge to registering your firearms.
We want to enable the legitimate use of firearms for feeding our whānau, conservation, farming and recreation while keeping our communities safe. This involves making sure firearms licence holders are fit and proper to possess firearms and are meeting the obligations of their licence. New Zealand will have a firearms registry from 24 June 2023. The Registry is one of the ways we are strengthening how firearms are managed in New Zealand.
