Taranaki Farming Lifestyles, December 2021 by Integrity Community Media

December 2021 edition

Hooked from first flight Pages 4–5

Exploring ageing through art

A buzzing business

The recipe for a thriving town

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December 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

EXPLORING

The Taranaki Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by Integrity Community Media, a privately owned NZ company. Phone: 0800 466 793 Email: info@integrity.nz General Manager: Deb Wright | d eb.wright@integrity.nz | 021 639 696 Editorial: Ann van Engelen, Denise Gunn Advertising: Braxton Epere 027 525 8217 Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts Website: www.farminglifestyles.co.nz

AGEING THROUGH ART BY DENISE GUNN A solo exhibition by Taranaki award-winning textile artist Jeanette Verster provides an insight into the challenges of growing older.

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Artwork in this exhibition provides insight to the challenges of ageing

eanette said the idea for her latest works began in the early hours of morning. “The inspiration for My Last ABC came one sleepless night in those early hours of the morning, between sleep and awake when the brain makes funny connections that sometimes lead to good ideas. “My interest in ABC books is an extension of my interest in typography. There are countless versions of alphabet books, but of course, most are aimed at young children just beginning to read.” With so many ‘first’ alphabet books available, Jeanette thought, why not create a ‘last’ one for the older generation. “The following day, I made my first ageing ABC list, but this so much resembled an index of a handbook on geriatric ailments that I almost abandoned the idea.” During the following months, Jeanette frequently returned to her list with new words and imagery, continuously adding and editing. “For some letters, there were many contenders. My selection of words reflects personal experiences, interests and fears, and that is the reason why some more obvious words were not chosen. If I had to start again, the selection would most likely be quite different.” Raised in Namibia, Jeanette grew up in a community with a thriving art and music scene. “I remember attending countless exhibitions, concerts, theatre and opera with my parents and super-talented siblings. “At school, I have enjoyed both art, music and science subjects, so it is not too surprising that I have attended a Conservatoire for Music after finishing school.” After immigrating to New Zealand, Jeanette gained teaching qualifications

Award-winning Taranaki artist Jeanette Verster

and registration as a performing arts teacher. However, her interest in visual art remained, so she took up teaching arts and crafts workshops. Following her move to New Plymouth four years ago, Jeanette has had more time to explore the creative ideas previously kept in the background. The piece fronting Jeanette’s collection states: Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many. This choice of words expresses the thoughts behind each work, using an imaginative variety of materials. Jeanette said the exhibition feedback received has been really positive. “It’s really interesting to see how people relate to images and see themselves. I tried to get a balance about the good and not so good about ageing.” She is already working towards her next exhibition, which will be held at the Lysaght Watt Gallery in Hawera from April 4–20 2022. Jeanette’s current exhibition, titled I Have Not Lost My Marbles (Yet), will continue at From Out of the Blue studio in Opunake until Wednesday, December 22.

TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

A WEEKEND OF COUNTRY MUSIC

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The Topp Twins performed at last year’s Egmont Country Music Festival

Country music artists James Davy and Bevan Gardiner will perform at the upcoming Egmont Country Music Festival

“Now, sadly, with having lost one of my sisters and ill health with another, we now have a team of local people who work beside me to form a team to bring this festival to Taranaki.” Due to Covid-19, the 2022 festival will move to 39 Ninia Road, Bell Block. “We made this change this year to keep it safer for our artists and audience. At the racecourse in 2021, we also had L.A.B. at the Bowl of Brooklands, which was fine. However, given the foot traffic we had moving through the racecourse

after the show, and knowing L.A.B. will return in January at the same time, we thought we would be safer to move our venue.” The Ninia Road venue is also a petfriendly park over property for motorhomes and caravans. Entry to the park over property opens up on Thursday, January 6 at noon, with motorhome parking $20 for each van for four days. There is plenty of room for car parking too. The festival costs $50 for each person for the entire weekend, or $20 for Friday night, $35 for Saturday and $10 for Sunday. Food and drinks will be available. “While Taranaki has the orange light, we can open this festival up. Covid rules will apply. Should we turn to red light, we do have to limit numbers, so get in quick to be sure you have your spot booked.” Bookings can be made by contacting countrygirl50@primowireless.co.nz or call 0273 496 824. “If Covid closes this festival, refunds will be given,” said Lynn. The festival finishes on Sunday, January 9 2022, at 4pm.

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he festival, which gets underway on Friday, January 7, starts with a meet and greet evening from 5pm. Organiser Lynn Crawford-Putt said there would also be opportunities during the evening for anyone to take the stage. An open mic on Saturday morning will provide the audience with another chance to perform. “Saturday afternoon, the talent steps to another level. We invite artists from all around the country to entertain. Then moving into Saturday night, the level goes up again.” Top country music guest artists lined up to perform, include Chris Welson, Susanne Taylor, Mark Corbett and Robbin Durban. Lynn said these performers would be followed by Cooper’s Run. “Bevan Gardiner and James Davy from Dunedin will take the night out. Sunday is a free-for-all to sing. Some of our guests may reappear before they have to start their travel home.” Four years ago, Lynn and her three sisters got together to organise the inaugural Egmont Country Music Festival. The first event was held at the Tikorangi Rugby Club before moving to the New Plymouth Racecourse. “Over that time, we have had appearances at the festival by Laura Downing from Australia and the Topp Twins in 2021. Dennis Marsh, Marian Burns, Annette and Kim, Denver and Beyond, Cooper’s Run, Cliff Whitemore, all from New Zealand, have joined us over this time.

Country music fans will be treated to a weekend of live music at the Egmont Country Music Festival in early January.

December 2021

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December 2021 TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

HOOKED FROM FIRST

FLIGHT BY DENISE GUNN

Paul McBrearty vividly remembers his first flight in a helicopter, and from that moment on, he was hooked on flying.

“I

remember that all I ever wanted to do was fly helicopters. It was a bug I had and never wanted to do anything else,” he said. Growing up on his parents’ sheep and beef farm in the Mokau area, Paul never gave up his goal to fly helicopters. “I left school at 15 and did various things. I also had my own business at 19, running a floor-sanding business in Auckland and Nelson.” It was while living in Nelson Paul started working towards his pilot’s licence. He completed all the theory subjects and started training with Garden City Helicopters in Nelson. “They had a base there with one instructor. I did my licence there over 12 months or so.” Paul’s wife, Rebecca, supported him all the way. “It took a lot of investment to get a licence,” said Paul.

When a job opportunity came up in Otago, Paul moved to Mosgiel, working as a loadmaster for five years. The hard yards put in as loadmaster paid off with a job offer to work for Matt Newtown of Precision Helicopters Limited (PHL). Matt and his wife Tammy are co-founders and co-owners of PHL. “I knew Matt from a young age. He offered me a job, and he’s one of the nicest guys you could meet in the industry.” Paul moved back to Taranaki, and his dream to become a fully-fledged ag-pilot started to take shape. “Sooner or later, your work gets recognised. Those five years on the ground makes you a better ag-pilot, and it gives you a huge insight into the workload, chemicals, rates and accuracy. “When I was first starting out, Matt would instil confidence in me. He believed in me and put so much training into me. That goes a long way.”

Paul was been hooked on ﬂying from a young age

Now Paul is PHL’s lead pilot and base manager at the New Plymouth Airport head office. Four other team members, two office staff and two ground crew work

alongside him. One of the ground crew is a trainee pilot who does some flying too. “We cover all of Taranaki for ag work,” he said.

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Weather determines the type of work lined up each day

December 2021

Applying fertiliser by helicopter

Growing up on his parents’ Mokau sheep and beef farm, Paul never gave up on his dream to ﬂy helicopters

Flying a Hughes 500 helicopter is one of Paul’s job highlights, fulfilling another childhood dream. “A Hughes 500 was the helicopter I wanted to fly when I was a kid. I grew up dreaming about it.” Paul now flies an AF350 Squirrel helicopter. “It’s such a nice machine that makes you not want to fly anything else. The Squirrels are good maintenance-wise. They are a very good helicopter for what we do. They lift well and take a good load, safety-wise.” Weather presents the biggest challenge and is the main factor determining what type of work is undertaken each day. “The ag work we try and do on the fine days. We try and cram as much as possible into the weather opportunities we get in Taranaki. We try not to have a backlog.

“On windy days, we do pipeline surveys and any lifting work. We put fertiliser on in the rain. When the weather is rough, we fix gear. The boys are really good at fixing stuff and building stuff. There is always something to do.” Paul said the PHL team, from the office staff to the ground crew, put in a huge effort. “Without this team, you can’t do this work or do it efficiently.” Flying over the region, Paul can view the results of his work, gaining satisfaction in a job well done. “When you get a nice day, and the helicopter does what you want it to do. It’s like being on a magic carpet floating through the air. It still brings a smile to my face. There is nothing more pleasurable than when it goes smoothly. “Every day is a pleasure going to work.”

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A NATURAL PATH TO ORGANICS BY DENISE GUNN

The decision to convert Shortland Farms to organics has reaped plenty of rewards for Kenneth and Rachel Short.

he couple, in an equity partnership with Rachel’s parents Louis and Barbara Kuriger, owns two family farms near Opunake. Since forming their Shortland Farm Limited Partnership in 2010, Rachel and Kenneth’s dairy farming journey has seen them win numerous dairy industry awards. Rachel grew up on the family farm and, after finishing secondary school, spent 12 months on an AFS exchange in Canada. On her return to New Zealand, Rachel considered a hotel management career, gaining qualifications in that area. However, the call back to the land was stronger, and Rachel worked for a year as a farm assistant on the family’s home farm.

Kenneth was raised in New Plymouth, completing a building apprenticeship in 2005. Overseas travel beckoned the following year, and the couple headed to London to work for six months. They travelled through the United Kingdom and Europe before returning to Taranaki. Kenneth joined Rachel to work on the farm while continuing to work part-time in the building industry for two years. Rachel said the decision to convert the two farms to organics was inspired by some of the organic farmers in coastal Taranaki. “We were a self-contained system one farm, which was relatively close to organic.”

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Since converting the farms to organic, the couple has seen signiﬁcant improvements to soil, pasture and animal health

In 2015, the three-year conversion to organics process began on the smaller 68ha-effective Shortland Farm Number Two. Shortland Farm Number One, which covers 168ha effective, followed in 2016.

Rachel said Shortland Farm Number One dropped from peak milking 450 cows to 400. “Shortland Farm Number Two kept the same stocking rate but also converted to a full season, once-a-day in 2016.”

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December 2021

The couple formed Shortland Farm Limited Partnership with Rachel’s parents in 2010

Rachel and Kenneth with their sons Zak and Max

The Shorts operate Shortland Farm Number One with the help of one fulltime assistant. Kenneth manages farm and machinery maintenance, cropping, harvesting and effluent while Rachel takes care of the day-to-day running of the farm, livestock, pastures, administration and financial work. They both manage health and safety aspects. “Milking is twice a day from calving until the first day of the Christmas school holidays, then once a day. Our system is based around our family. Calving due date is the first day of term three and once a day from the first day of the Christmas school holidays.” The same stocking rate was maintained on Shortland Farm Number Two during

the conversion to a full season, once-aday milking. A variable order sharemilker milks 190 cows on the property. Hay is made and young stock is raised on both farms. Rachel and Kenneth contracted a soil consultant to make changes to the farms through regenerative practices. Soil, herbage and microbial testing were completed, as well as visual soil assessments. “We apply a biological soil stimulant made up of fish hydrolysate, seaweed and humates. We have also added multiple species pasture mixes to our existing pastures.” As a result, the Shorts have seen massive improvements to the soil, pasture root depth, worm numbers and water infiltration rates.

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Rachel said gaining organic certification was an absolute highlight. “With soil health, to pastures looking like a salad bowl, healthy animals and just not having to stress over the compliance currently coming at farmers, we are already achieving such a high level of compliance and being profitable all at the same time.” This past season, Shortland Farm Number One’s production figures reached 133,122kgMS. Shortland Farm Number Two produced 60,156kgMS.

Four years ago, the Shorts travelled to the US for an organic study tour, building up a network of organic farmers there and in New Zealand. They plan to continue adding diversity to their farms’ pastures and plant hedges for shelter and fodder. Rachel said the dairy farm is a great place to raise their two sons, Zak, 13, and Max, 10. “Long-term, we would like to increase our shareholding in the equity partnership, with the end goal of full farm ownership.”

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December 2021 TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

A BUZZING

BUSINESS BY DENISE GUNN A long-held interest in beekeeping, along with the purchase of two hives, set a successful business in motion for Stephen and Fiona Black.

eekeeping was, at first, primarily a hobby. However, as the number of hives grew to 140, the couple established Bees-R-Us. Stephen and Fiona joined the Taranaki Bee Club and attended as many conferences, workshops and field days as possible. They also furthered their knowledge through reading books on the topic and talking to other beekeepers. As Stephen continued working five days a week as an industrial electrician, he tended to the bees every weekend and evening. Fiona bought herself a bee suit too and enjoyed learning more about bees. After a request to give a talk about bees to a local horticultural society, Fiona received more invitations to talk to schools and social groups.

“I got some beehive parts together to make a demonstration hive and made a costume to make it a bit more interesting,” said Fiona. In 2008, with 1,000 hives located around Taranaki, the couple gave up their outside employment to run their business full-time. Stephen and Fiona found the bees provided an ideal lifestyle while raising their young family. After building their own honey house in Uruti, the couple continued to add more equipment. They also opened a small shop in New Plymouth to process orders, later moving into a larger warehouse. An assistant was employed to help Stephen with the beekeeping and another to help in the shop. In 2016, Stephen and Fiona sold their Uruti property and bought six acres of

Stephen and Fiona Black turned their beekeeping hobby into a business

bare land at Okato. A house was built in Cambridge and transported to the site in July that year. “We felt we needed to be closer to town for the children’s high school, after school activities and the increase in our online/ retail sales,” said Fiona.

“We were in the process of building a new honey house and workshop when we had a wet season, and there was no honey. Stephen returned to work as an industrial electrician to help with business costs, which we thought was a temporary situation.”

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In addition to beekeeping, Fiona also takes on bookkeeping for small businesses

The following season was very hot and dry with another year of limited honey flow, so the couple implemented their plan to move their business home to reduce expenses. The new property now has the Black’s honey house, honey-packing and beekeeping altogether. “We also have a new workshop where our son, Calum, repairs our equipment and fixes up tractors in his spare time.” Hive numbers have been reduced to 700 to consolidate the business. As staff moved on, Fiona took up more of the physical roles. “Stephen is still working full-time as an industrial electrician, but we both look

after the bees at the weekends and any spare evenings.” Fiona continues to take care of extraction, packing, selling and administration. She also does part-time bookkeeping for small businesses. “The current low wholesale price of honey, which is lower than the cost of production, has meant that it is important that we have other means of income. We have enough honey on the hives so the bees can support themselves through the winter, and we can ensure that the main tasks are completed. “If the honey price increases and it becomes profitable again, then we are in a good position to easily grow and expand.”

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The couple runs Bees-RUs from their Okato property

Bees-R-Us sell honey and other products mainly through online sales, but Fiona also attends various markets around the region. A range of honey, beeswax blocks and pollen are available, along with a stock of Apicare products. “We do have a limited supply of speciality honey, like Macadamia Orchard, but this depends on the season.

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Fiona’s working day is spent taking care of extraction, packing, selling and administration

“We are planting kiwifruit, avocados and blueberries, to name but a few, with a plan to add to our range of things to sell at the markets and diversify,” said Fiona. Hosting tours in the future for visitors to view how honey is produced from hive to pot is also a possibility.

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Getting into hot water

Hot water costs in the dairy shed can top $50 a day, even for a moderately sized herd, once washdown of the milk plant, vat and accessories are all accounted for. Here are some options to knock that down to size. Old-fashioned electric resistance elements, like the one in your kitchen kettle, work by sending a current through a metal coil that resists the flow. This resistance makes heat, and hence, your water boils. It’s the second oldest way of creating hot water, after lighting a fire under a cauldron and it’s a robust if relatively expensive technology. The big question is, how to replace or augment it for the best results? How about a heat exchanger? Products exist that can transfer the heat from your excess wash-down water through to freshwater, and some even take the warmth of milk in the vat and do double duty, helping chill the milk and preheat the water at the same time. Even the most efficient of these systems will not bring cold water up to 80 degrees Celsius, but taking the water from its ground state to a middling temperature still slices away a hefty chunk of your power bill. The benefits include possible gains to the milk cooling cycle, cheap operation and simple maintenance, but these are offset by the

Replacing the old boiler is a great way to save money around the milking shed, and a combination of technologies may present the best option for year-round hot water

fact that a secondary heating source is definitely still required. Heat pump technology is ubiquitous in our living rooms, but it’s only just becoming the preferred option for hot water heating. That is because early hot water heat pumps tended to be large industrial-sized models to handle institutional laundry or commercial dishwashing, hotel showers or swimming pool heating. Smaller, more

efficient units are now out there to provide an alternative for the home, and medium sized machines can assist in the milking shed to heat washdown water. The bonus? Lower power bills and greater efficiency. The only downside is a higher investment cost to install over old electric resistance elements. Heat pumps work best between 4 and 32 degrees Celsius. A heat pump unit may be driven, at least in part, by photovoltaic solar panels. That brings us to the ultimate form of free energy, the sun. Solar hot water heating systems range from simple coils of black pipe through to advanced panels using similar technology to photovoltaic arrays, but using the sun’s power to heat cold water to near boiling point. These systems work best in direct sunlight, but pack a surprising thermal punch even on cloudy days. The bonus? Tiny operation costs, just for pumping water to the roof. The downside? These systems can be costly to install and really do require some backup when it’s cold, dreary and dark.

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December 2021

WAT ER M AT T ERS

by Andy Bryenton

From science to solution

Water use on dairy farms has come under the microscope in recent years, and dry summers across much of the nation have done their part to make agricultural researchers seek a better method of managing water. A number of changes are being considered to the preferred option initially put forward in the consultation booklet in May, including adjusting the proposed minimum shareholding requirement for farmers and enabling sharemilkers and contract milkers to own shares. “It’s a good time for the board to step back and reflect on the feedback as most farmers will now be busy with calving,” says chairman Peter McBride. “Once they have come through this particularly busy time of the season, we will be ready to consult on the updated proposal.” Consultation has been extensive to date. Since May 6, directors have held 90 farmer meetings, attended events such as the My Connect conference and Fieldays®, as well as leading seven online webinars and speaking with many farmers directly. More than 5,000 farmers have directly engaged through feedback channels, in addition to discussing the options with each other. Members of Fonterra’s board and management have also talked with other groups such as the Co-operative Council, formerly the Shareholders’ Council, the Fonterra Shareholders’ Fund, the government, major banks and

The science of separating water from solids has led to a big advancement in dairy industry water saving, as well as helping manage slurry application and holding volumes

rural professionals. This engagement will continue as the consultation progresses. “We would like to thank our farmer owners for getting involved and approaching the consultation with open minds. “We also want to acknowledge the uncertainty that comes along with us considering changes to our capital structure and the significant

challenges that it’s creating for some farmers. The best way to give certainty is to ensure we have a full discussion as a co-op and get to a quality outcome. “The board maintains its belief that, in a flat or potentially declining milk environment, making changes early will put us in the best position to provide farmers with more flexibility while protecting

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farmer ownership and strengthening our co-op’s financial sustainability.” Many farmers said that additional information on the co-op’s business strategy and future performance would help them form a clearer view of capital structure. Further information is available at fonterra.com/capitalstructure.

December 2021 TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS ADVERTORIAL

ADVERTORIAL

Do I need a nutritional supplement? by John Arts

It is not hard to motivate someone in pain to do things that will relieve pain. We make more of our Bettaflex joint support supplement than any other. It is harder to motivate healthy people to adopt measures that will keep them healthy. Today, we look at the benefits of nutritional supplements. During the past 25 years, I have seen thousands improve their quality of life with high-grade nutritional supplements. I consider a well-formulated multimineral/vitamin/antioxidant formula is one of the best health investments we can make. Three words summarise the reasons to use nutritional supplements: deficiency, suboptimum and optimum. There are some nutrients lacking to the point where a deficiency causes disease. For example, vitamin D deficiency will cause the bone disease rickets. We thought rickets was a third world problem, but an excellent study (Wheeler et al., 2015) commented that vitamin D deficiencies in NZ children are again causing rickets. Blood levels below 50 nmol/L are considered a deficiency. We then move to sub-optimum nutrition. That is where nutrient levels are above deficiency levels but below

what is really needed. The results are not so obvious, but over time, a range of health problems emerge. Again, choosing vitamin D, sub-optimum levels increase the risk of respiratory problems, immune system disorders, learning difficulties and mental health issues, and many cancers. I consider 50–100 nmol/L is sub-optimum. Then, we have optimum levels. For vitamin D, I consider that above 100 nmol/L is ideal and means your body will have plenty of vitamin D. Adding a well-formulated multi-mineral/ vitamin/antioxidant will firstly prevent deficiencies. More importantly, it will lift nutrient levels to the point that our cells can function at their best. It is optimal function. John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice, contact John on 0800 423 559 or email john@ abundant.co.nz. Join his all-new newsletter at abundant.co.nz.

John Arts recommends

Two decades of top insurance service The team at The HTL Group celebrated 20 years of service to Taranaki last month, and since forming in 2001, they’ve firmly established an insurance brokerage firm that’s here to stay.

The HTL Group team celebrated 20 years in business last month

The team, now totalling 18 staff including an investment arm, is based across New Plymouth, Inglewood and Stratford. Whilst they spend a good amount of time at the office, a part of the role they love most is getting out and seeing people. “About a third of our general insurance business is farms, so we know how busy they get and what it takes to look after them,” says Lyall Bunn, a senior adviser and director at HTL. “Visiting their farms in person saves them the trip into town and helps us properly understand their business, their people and their assets.” During the last two decades, the business has grown and changed a lot, with the addition of more insurer options for clients, the creation of the investment business, and the addition of many staff.

The goal of The HTL Group, however, has remained the same; to provide quality and accessible financial advice to the people and businesses of Taranaki and beyond. “Some of our clients have been looked after by this team and earlier advisers since the 1960s,” says Mel Cook. The next stage of growth is focussed on continuing to service current clients and finding new people, farms, and businesses to work with. “We’re fully aware that insurance isn’t a set-andforget process; it takes maintenance,” says Kim Dunlop-Roberts. “We’re in it for the long haul.” If you’re keen to meet with an insurance adviser from The HTL Group, call 0508 267 267 or email enquiries@thehtlgroup.co.nz.

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“Cell-X has all the essential minerals needed for the thousands of enzymes that make our body function. If we have insufficient minerals and vitamins this can cause disease and prevent healing of established problems. Damage from free radicals causes many health problems. Cell-X contains some of nature’s most potent antioxidants to help build your antioxidant defences against free radical damage to body tissues. Try Cell-X for 3 months and see what you have been missing. Call me to see if Cell-X is right for you.”

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Rural insurance brokers

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How can Cell-X help you? Protects joints against free radical damage

Supports heart health and circulation

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THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING LOCAL

We're currently accepting new clients, so book a time for us to come visit your farm

0508 267 267 | enquiries@thehtlgroup.co.nz

TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2021

SHOP LOCAL – SUPPORT LOCAL MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR

The recipe for a thriving town

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The shop local message was always a good one, but it has taken the response to Covid to see the truth and power of how it works

locally is worth ten that go out of the area. Now we know it’s true. The people you pay become your customers, and the people you support become your supporters, keeping jobs and cash local when we think local. Put in the seeds for future success. Who will train the next generation so that there’s always a plumber, an electrician, a mechanic or engineer at your grandchildrens’ service? The businesses you support today will, and they’ll make sure those jobs go to local youth, keeping families together. Combine, and watch something exceptional rise. By supporting the people on these pages, you’re helping make your home town stronger. That makes them more capable of helping you. Start a positive spiral of mutual respect and growth, and the sky’s the limit.

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We now know that the shop local recipe works. Last year’s post lockdown surge didn’t just silence naysayers who predicted a lasting recession; it blew expectations of local tourism and local spending out of the water. Now we know; let’s do it again for summer. It feels odd to thank Covid and its attendant lockdowns for anything. The nasty virus has few silver linings, but one of them has got to be the newfound realisation that we can create prosperity by shopping, dining and exploring locally. The proof is in the fact that unemployment is down, tourism was up all last summer with only Kiwis able to visit, consumer spending swung back hard, and there’s a new appreciation for local enterprise’s contribution to society. Here’s the recipe. Take a blend of vital local services and knowledge. That means a mix of trusted names who have served generations and who know their customers by name, blended with professionals who know the local conditions and what local people want and need. Supporting local business means keeping skills, service and success in town, cutting out long commutes for specialist help and making sure competent, qualified and trusty experts are just down the street. Add a helping of community strength. The names around the goalposts and on the kids’ uniforms at sports events. The raffle prize givers, the charity supporters, the food bank shelf fillers and the names behind arts, crafts, culture and music in your town; many of them are local businesses. Supporting them helps them support the thing we love. Stir through a generous amount of finance. We’d all heard that a dollar spent

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Stunning Christmas Gifts Selection PH: 06 278 8035 158 High St, Hawera Mon – Sat

at Hawera’s Beautiful Baby Boutique SEE OUR LOVELY SUMMER CLOTHING FROM BABY TO 6 YEARS Peter Rabbit range and gorgeous soft toys Superb wooden toys, puzzles, buzzy bees, John Deere farm toys, many muslins, bibs, snugglys, blankets, All Black bodysuits, tee shirts and much more all Christmas wrapped for you!

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December 2021 TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

SHOP LOCAL – SUPPORT LOCAL Friends care for town’s gardens by Denise Gunn

Since its formation in 2007, volunteers involved with The Friends of Hāwera Parks have spent hundreds of hours replanting, weeding and revamping areas around the town. President Miranda Cullen said the charitable trust initially formed as people were keen to ensure Naumai Park did not fall into disrepair. “The group formed to protect the special features of the park, and this grew to other parks in town.” The Friends of Hāwera Parks has grown to a membership of around 40 volunteers from all walks of life. A committee of 11 oversees the projects. The biggest project the group has so far undertaken is revamping and sorting a concrete block shelter in Naumai Park. Part

Fencing, decking, retaining and everything landscaping

of the work involved a nature mural painted by Dennis Latimer on the side of the building. Currently, the group is replanting the Gladstone Street walkway to Nolantown, on the eastern side of Hāwera. Miranda said the walkway was formed many years ago but had not been maintained and wasn’t a very welcoming area. “We took it on to replant it and make it more of an attractive area, so people will be encouraged to use it.” Volunteers have been busy replanting the walkway, mostly with native plants.

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Friends of Hāwera Parks continue to plant and fill up spaces at the Hāwera Cemetery

A mural, painted by Dennis Latimer, brightens up the side of a building in Naumai Park

“We are completing the walkway route following the natural contour of the land. One part is a gully, which is the bit we’re trying to plant. “The walkway connects the town. Longterm, you will be able to walk through various walkways and parks as a loop joining up,” said Miranda. When one of the group’s members saw the gardening efforts that volunteers were doing in New Plymouth’s Te Henui Cemetery, The Friends of Hāwera Parks began similar work at Hāwera Cemetery. Te Henui Cemetery, established in 1861, is the oldest graveyard in New Plymouth. Dedicated volunteers have cared for the graves and grounds for several years. The Friends of Hāwera Parks have since continued to plant and fill up spaces at

Hāwera Cemetery with compost and mulch, cottage garden plants and native plants. Monthly events are held for the volunteers with guest speakers and demonstrations on a wide range of gardening topics. Some of the subject areas have covered rose pruning, tool sharpening, beekeeping and orchid growing. Guided walks with curators around King Edward Park and Naumai Park are popular outings too. The group of volunteers gather together to weed gardens in Hāwera’s parks once a week. When they aren’t out weeding, they are potting up plants and seedlings at home for planting out. “Every year, we hold an annual plant sale of donated and potted up plants. The fundraising keeps us going. Everyone is welcome,” Miranda said.

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TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2021

SHOP LOCAL – SUPPORT LOCAL Da r r yl G o bl e

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For an appointment phone Darryl 06 765 6383 ❖ 027 628 5858 ❖ Stratford

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• Kitchens • Stairways • Vanities • Lounge Units • Bench Tops • And more

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All of our products are made at our factory outside Stratford in Taranaki, New Zealand using a unique process (no chrome or allium). So you know that you are getting the best product while making an environmental difference.

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THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING LOCAL

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TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2021

SHOP LOCAL – SUPPORT LOCAL Shop local for better giving by Deb Wright

Supporting local businesses is the most important thing we can do right now, both for the prospects of our region and for a merrier Christmas. Making our communities strong comes from employment; employment comes from strong business. Strong businesses come from us buying and thus generating wages that can be spent locally, too. What doesn’t help local is a trend for chasing the cheap knock-offs online. Where’s the fun, and indeed, the festivity, of buying everyone the same presents? Ones that everyone knows the price tag and provenance of because they’ve seen them in the big-box megastores and clearance websites? Face reality. December is here, Christmas is coming, and the likelihood of a globalised, possibly wrong-sized, almost definitely not-as-photographed parcel of imitation brand-name export goods turning up on time is dwindling by the hour. It’s time to make giving more fun than receiving again by hunting down things that reflect the personalities of your loved ones locally. We’re spoiled for choice if you take a peek at what’s on offer; no need to visit the Internet, either, when the essence of

what’s hot this Christmas is — unique and handmade. Now, some of us have the craft and art skills suitable for kindergarten, but this whole country is bursting with creative talent. Local art, local design, local fashion, handmade jewellery, delicious gourmet treats, wines, cheeses, chocolates, books and decor are everywhere, and no two items are the same. If you’ve got people who (bless them anyway) are super hard to buy for, most of our little owner-operated stores will happily give you a voucher, as will places like restaurants and cinemas. Think of it this way. You’ll be giving yourself a more interesting shopping experience amid country scenery and just next door to some brilliant little cafes and eateries. You might find a thing or two for yourself. You’ll be able to give your family and friends something different that speaks about your understanding of their character. Last but not least, you’ll be doing a favour for the local economy, which is sure to repay you with the kind of karma that comes from strong communities.

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December 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Tuia Taitonga

Southlink

He karere tā te Kaunihera ō Taranaki ki te Tonga News from the South Taranaki District Council

Summer water restrictions the new normal unless we conserve For the first �me in many years parts of South Taranaki will likely see water restric�ons this summer, largely due to new regula�ons and a storm affected river catchment. South Taranaki District Council Group Manager of Community and Infrastructure Services Fiona Aitken says severe weather events on the maunga during spring resulted in significant erosion and sil�ng of the Waiaua river catchment which feeds the Ōpunakē water supply. “With heavy rainfall the river quickly becomes laden with debris and silt which clogs the intake to the water treatment plant and puts severe strain on our ability to treat and process the water.” Aitken says the Council is working on plans to stabilise the area around the intake, however these won’t be complete for some �me, so the only op�on is to conserve water or introduce restric�ons. In other parts of the District, new consent condi�ons

also mean water restric�ons are more likely. “We had to renew our consent for taking water from the Waingongoro River for the Eltham Water Supply. As part of our consent condi�ons if the river drops to a certain level we must introduce water restric�ons too we don’t have any op�on.” Aitken says these new condi�ons are all part of the government’s freshwater reforms which have a greater focus on preserving the health and vitality of our streams and rivers than previously. “We need to appreciate that this is the new normal, not just for South Taranaki but the whole of New Zealand,” says Aitken. “We are fortunate in that we’ve got enough water to go around, but not enough to waste. We just need people to conserve, ﬁx leaks, use water wisely and not be wasteful. If we can do that, we can protect the health of our streams and rivers and get through summer without needing widespread restric�ons.“

WE NEED TO CONSERVE WATER NOW TO AVOID RESTRICTIONS • • • • • •

How can we help? If you think you have a leak, the easiest way to check is to have a look at your water meter at night when there should be li�le to no water running through the meter. If your meter is s�ll increas ing, it is likely you have a leak.

Not too sure what to do?

Conserving water on your dairy farm

Check your meter regularly. If your consump�on seems higher than usual, you could have a leak that is was�ng water and cos�ng you money. Check that ball cocks on troughs are set correctly and have not been damaged. If a ball cock is set too high it could spill water during windy condi�ons or overflow constantly. Re-use the pre-cooler water that chills down milk. Use wash down water for irriga�on. Capture rainwater and use it wherever possible. Use correct pump and pipe sizes. If your pipes are too small, they will restrict the flow of water. By using the appropriate pipe size, you can actually get more pressure with less flow.

You can always ring Council on 0800 111 323 for assistance and advice for how to track your leak, we can also put you in touch with some leak detec�on services.

Giving you a heads up Over the next month, we’ll be doing night reads of those proper�es using the smart Opito meters and le�ng those with possible leaks and high water consump�on know.

Stock trough with ball cock set too high

The easiest way to stay up-to-date The fastest and easiest way of hearing about water restric�ons, or any other Council news, is by downloading the free mobile app Antenno. Antenno sends you alerts and no�ﬁca�ons, about places and topics you care about. It doesn’t ask for any personal informa�on or log in details, so it’s a nice easy way to stay informed. There are two ways you can use Antenno; to receive no�ﬁca�ons from Council about the places you have marked Call us 24/7 0800 111 323

as important to you, or repor�ng back to Council on issues or feedback. Other ways to stay up-to-date is by • liking and following our Facebook page. Simply log in to www.facebook.com and search for ‘South Taranaki District Council’. • Heading to our website www.southtaranaki.com

www.southtaranaki.com

www.facebook.com/ SouthTaranakiDistrictCouncil

TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2021

DAIRY AND LIVESTOCK

A short game bird season

A limited hunting season opens up for paradise shelduck in Taranaki in February when farmland adjacent to large moult gatherings can experience pasture damage, and flocks are sometimes slow to disperse. Allen Stancliff of Taranaki Fish and Game says the paradise shelduck is a native NZ species that was originally confined mostly to the lowland tussock grasslands of the eastern South Island and Wairarapa. “Since European settlement, the conversion of forest to pasture and the creation of stock watering ponds have provided large areas of new habitat for colonisation and paradise shelduck have increased in abundance and expanded their range,” he says. “The species is now common in most parts of New Zealand and is the second most important game bird after the Mallard. In the Taranaki Fish and Game Region, paradise shelduck makes up about 35% of the total waterfowl harvest, with around 10,000 birds harvested each season. “Between late December and February each year, they congregate on ponds or river bends to moult and replace their flight feathers. Afterwards, they return to their home territories. “Non-breeding and juvenile birds that have accompanied their parents to the

“Paradise shelducks respond well to gasoperated scare guns.”

Paradise shelduck, a native NZ species

moult site often form flocks and range widely over farmland after the moult, targeting chicory crops and the new grass of recovering hay paddocks. “Fortunately, paradise shelducks respond well to gas-operated scare guns. Taranaki Fish and Game has a limited supply of these for hire at $40 plus GST and can also put farmers in touch with a reputable supplier. “There is also a two-weekend summer hunting season for paradise shelduck scheduled for late February 2022, which will allow hunters who have obtained a permit to participate in the dispersal process.”

ADVERTORIAL

The effluent experts Kay Consulting has renewed its Farm Dairy Effluent system design accreditation. It has been providing Taranaki dairy farmers with agricultural engineering and resource consenting advice since 2012. The Dairy Industry Code of Practice seeks to ensure that dairy farmers have systems that can achieve dairy industry, regulatory and wider community expectations for the land application of dairy effluent. The objectives of the Design Code of Practice include:  To keep all untreated effluent out of surface and groundwater.  To keep the nutrients from landapplied effluent in the root zone to capture the nutrient and economic value  To ensure all systems are compliant 365 days a year Accredited designers are required to design dairy effluent systems using the Farm Dairy Effluent Design Standards and Code of Practice. When we design an effluent system, we must take into account:  Climate including rainfall and evaporation  Soil type and paddock slope  Amount and type of effluent produced while cows are in yards and dairy shed

“We provide independent and impartial advice.”  Amount of cleaning and wash water used in yards and the dairy shed  Amount of rainfall falling on yards and ponds  Regional and central government’s rules and regulations Designers then select the appropriate storage pond, tank or bladder and effluent equipment that, when operated correctly, will comply with rules and regulations and allow the pasture and crops in the effluent block to maximise the fertiliser value of the dairy effluent. Kay Consulting provides independent and impartial advice and can either work with your preferred machinery supplier or provide you with sufficient information for you to go to a competitive tender.

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Freight free anywhere in NZ • Buy 10 receive 12 and 2x service kits

• 3 models available – all the one price • Nearly indestructible • Only NZ Manufacturer providing lifetime guarantee on the body of the ballcock

E: mark@grandpasfeeders.co.nz P: 07 552 5225 | M: 027 276 9794 www.grandpasfeeders.co.nz

www.sisballcock.co.nz | 0800 175 720 Only available direct from manufacturer

December 2021 TARANAKI FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

FREE PICKUP & DELIVERY UNTIL THE END OF 2021*

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Taranaki owned and operated family business More than 20 years in the powersports industry Can-Am and Sea-Doo specialist dealership Manufacturer certified Platinum Dealer “best of the best” Friendly and knowledgeable staff Well-stocked retail showroom Fully equipped workshop Qualified and experienced service technicians Extensive stock of spare parts and accessories No-obligation 3-day ATV and SSV demos* Farmlands discount available on all ATV and SSV models* Loan bikes available* *Offer applies to standard servicing of Can-Am ATV and side-by-side vehicles only in the Taranaki region. Farmlands discount available to Farmlands account holders only. Demo units subject to availability.

337 Broadway, Stratford 06 765 6942 or 021 478 558 www.canamtaranaki.co.nz ®

WE’RE BUILT FOR THIS.