Waikato Farming Lifestyles, December 2023

December 2023 edition

A worthy cause Pages 6–7

Are your firearms safe

Harvesting joy annually

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December 2023 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

Recreation site monitoring

The Waikato Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by Integrity Community Media, a privately owned NZ company.

Phone: 0800 466 793

Waikato Regional Council has begun its weekly monitoring of water quality in Waikato lakes and rivers popular with recreational users has kicked off for the summer season.

Email: info@integrity.nz

Postal Address: PO Box 474, Dargaville

Physical Address: 107 River Road, Dargaville

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A Waikato Regional Council staff member monitoring the quality of water in the region

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The annual programme involves collecting and testing freshwater samples for levels of E coli and cyanobacteria.

E coli provides an estimate of faecal contamination, while cyanobacteria (bluegreen algae) can produce toxins harmful to people and animals.

Council staff, assisted by two summer student workers, are monitoring Lake Taupō and four other lakes, Puketirini, Kainui, Rotokauri and Ngāroto, the Waikato River, from Hamilton up to Tuakau, and other rivers in the region, including Kauaeranga, Waihou, and Waipā weekly, with the work continuing to the end of February.

Monthly monitoring of the hydro lakes, Karāpiro, Maraetai and Ohakuri, started in November and runs monthly through to April. Water monitoring data will be available on the Land Air Water Aotearoa (LAWA) website lawa.org.nz/explore-data/ swimming the day after its collection.

Waikato Regional Council water scientist, Dr Mafalda Baptista, says many freshwater sites graded poorly for E coli.

“As a rule of thumb, you should avoid swimming near potential sources of contamination, such as flocks of birds, stormwater or wastewater outlets. Avoid swimming for at least two to three days after heavy or prolonged rain, even for sites that have good water quality,” says Dr Baptista.

Algae occur naturally in our rivers, lakes and streams, and flourish during hot and fine conditions.

“Most algae are harmless, but cyanobacteria may be toxic, and blooms

may result in health warnings being issued. El Niño this summer will translate to warmer growing conditions in our lakes and rivers, and we are likely to see more occurrences of algal blooms.

“We encourage recreational water users to keep an eye on the LAWA website for the latest water quality data. Algae can accumulate rapidly, despite it being clear the last time we sampled. We also encourage water users to use their own judgement before getting into the water.

“If you see water that is bright green like pea soup, then it is safer to stay out.

Extra care should be taken with toddlers and dogs as they like to put things into their mouths, and even a small amount of cyanobacteria the size of a coin can be enough to cause serious harm if eaten.

Te Whatu Ora Waikato Medical Officer of Health Dr Richard Wall recommends that where health warnings are in place, waterways should not be used for any activity that involves contact with the affected water.

“If people still choose to use the lakes when warnings are in place, or any other lake where there are visible changes to water colour, they should shower and change their clothing as soon as possible afterwards, even if no symptoms are noticeable,” says Dr Wall.

“Scums are a particular risk and contact with them should be avoided.”

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Are your firearms safe

December 2023

Te Tari Pūreke — Firearms Safety Authority is reminding people it’s important to take time to consider how firearms and ammunition are transported, stored and used safely during the holiday season and beyond.

“Getting ready to head away for holidays can be a stressful time”, says director of partnerships Mike McIlraith. “If you’re looking to travel with firearms, or you’ll be leaving them at home while you’re away, start thinking about logistics before heading off on that well-earned summer break.”

A few top safety and security tips to have in mind include never leaving firearms in a vehicle overnight.

“If you pack the vehicle the night before, for an early start in the morning, leave time and space, and pack your firearm just before you travel. Firearms must be transported out of sight.

“Dedicate a spot in the vehicle where they can’t be seen if someone looks through the window. They must either be inoperable (bolt out or trigger lock in) or in a locked container when travelling. Do both where you can.

“Ammunition must be transported separately to the firearm and in a locked container if practical. This will make it more difficult to access both the firearm and ammunition if someone breaks into your vehicle, and firearms can only be left unattended in a locked vehicle for 60 minutes (while you’re nearby).

“Store firearms so they don’t get into the wrong hands. If you’re staying with friends and family who own firearms, ask to use their storage. If you use a regular hut or bach, install a gun safe, a firearm rack or secure cable system.

“Steel cables and padlocks can help secure your firearm to the framing of a building, pipes or built-in furniture and store vital parts and ammunition separately from your firearm.

“Keep firearms safe and secure at home while you’re away. Take the keys with you, cover gun safes and ammunition storage so they’re not easily visible. Hide other valuable items like tools or electronics.

“If you’re heading away for an extended period, think about the security of your firearms. Consider installing an alarm, security cameras or sensor lights. Put things in place to make it look like you’re home. Arrange for someone to mow your lawn, collect the mail, and have internal lights on a timer.

“Register your firearms before you go on holiday. If you do get burgled and your firearms are stolen, the registry will provide an accurate picture of which firearms were taken.

“Many of us like to have a few drinks over the Christmas holidays. It’s important to remember that alcohol and firearms don’t mix. If you want to have a drink when you get back from a hunt, lock your firearms up first. Gears before beers can stop an accident!

“If you’ve had a few beers and there’s a possum in the tree or a rabbit in the paddock, it will probably still be there tomorrow. It’s not worth risking something going wrong.”

Mike McIlraith, director of partnerships, Te Tari Pūreke — Firearms Safety Authority

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December 2023 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

HARVESTING JOY

ANNUALLY “W hen I was growing up, I used to get branches from trees and decorate them.

That was part of the fun. We would put it in water and stand it up,” said Kevin.

Vanessa remembers her mother always having an artificial wire tree, something that made her vow never to have one like that as an adult. Having the Christmas tree farm helped with those aspirations.

“I never thought I would be in the business of growing Christmas trees.

There was a Christmas tree farm operated

by Kevin Ormsby in Hamilton that ceased operating because the New Zealand Transport Agency bought it to build a new bypass,” says Vanessa.

“Ormsby commented on how sad it was that he was disappointing so many families because he had to shut his shop.

He had been operating for two decades and said if anyone wanted to take up the opportunity to do a Christmas tree farm, he would mentor them.”

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BY AMY FIFITA Vanessa and Kevin Clarke have been in the business of making families happy at least once a year from their Christmas tree farm.

Kevin says they started big but downsized slightly to maintain their crop sizes

The couple were dry stock farmers and working regular jobs. Kevin was an earthworks contractor and Vanessa worked in local government. Upon realising the niche in the market, Kevin and Vanessa thought about beginning their own festive pine farm. They were located opportunely between Dinsdale and the Mormon temple. Even today, they work their day jobs, but many weekends

and in December, they are on their Christmas tree farm.

“We are on a busy road frontage, so we gave it a go. We approached Kevin Ormsby, and he mentored us for the first year. In 2010, we planted our first rotation of trees. We have three rotations that we work here because the trees take two and a half years to mature before they are sale-ready,” said Vanessa.

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Kevin shapes the trees with a metre-long machete blade to give the pines a perfect pear appearance for the festive period

“During the year, we save our annual leave, so we can take the full month of December off and get straight to work. We tend to our ‘big garden’ most weekends so we can still work at our main jobs.

“Having a Christmas tree farm is like raising children. Planting one is the easy part, and then the real work begins. We have to care for them, do weeding and mowing, treat ailments, do pest control, feed them and apply fertiliser.

“There is the discipline of shearing the plants, and it goes on and on until

they are ready, and then you see your children leave home. They become family. For me, it is a bit hard to see them go out the gate because it takes more than a season to grow them to maturity.

“Being established for as long as we have, I get excited about the returning families that we’ve built relationships with across the years. For some, it becomes a family tradition, who come to a working Christmas tree farm annually.

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Kevin finds the experience of providing real trees exciting and says he enjoys seeing the final product the most

“I love getting ongoing compliments from people about how friendly our business is. We give chocolate out to all the children. Sometimes, I don’t know if they come for the trees or the treats.”

Kevin hand shears every single plant with a metre-long machete blade into a pear shape for it to be Christmas-ready.

He doesn’t allow anyone else to shear the pines.

“Ormsby was doing the same shape style as what I do. It is based on the American style of tree shearing. It is a

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beautiful and clean way of shaping the tree. Throughout the year, I shape them to get the perfect pear shape for families,” Kevin says.

“One highlight for me is seeing our commercial four-year-old pines in shopping malls, Sky City Casino and special events. We have donated some to Christmas parades. It is exciting to see our good-looking shaped tree, which is real, on display. We enjoy the end products and love making people happy.”

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Y H T R CAUSE O W

December 2023 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

A

A WORTHY

E S U CA

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

As an ambassador of the farmer-led charity Meat The Need NZ, North Waikato dairy farmer Colin Hickey thumbed his way from Auckland to Christchurch to help people through the recent live rural telethon and food bank drive.

“T

he Meat The Need and the Feed Out fundraising drive do all they can to raise as many mince and milk meals as possible for more than 110 food banks nationwide,” says Colin.

Colin milks high-body-weight Jersey cows once a day.

“I’m a sixth-generation farmer with roots going back to Ireland. All of my uncles and aunts were farmers as well.

Initially, I started farming because it was what I knew, and then I had a break.

“I returned to farming when my wife Nicole and I had our children. Farming allows us to have a stable base and flexibility with family time, and that continues to be the main driver of why we do what we do because life isn’t a dress rehearsal.

“Northern Waikato can be winter wet and summer dry. Jersey are efficient converters of feed to milk and produce about 10 per cent milk solids. We calve in March for winter milk supplying Fonterra.”

Colin says being involved in the recent Big Feed telethon was fantastic.

“The 14-hour live telethon hosted by Dave Letele, Matt Chisholm and Wayne Langford was streamed online from 6am to 8pm from The Hub at Lincoln University.

I saw first-hand the sheer demand for food support during last year’s Big Feed telethon, and it blew me away. What I thought was a month’s supply of boxes was distributed in a day.

“The Hickey tour idea developed last year because I wanted to be at this year’s event. We joked about hitchhiking, and

As an ambassador for the Meat The Need charity, Colin Hickey hitchhiked from Auckland to Christchurch for the annual Big Feed telethon event

it actually morphed into a reality. I was nervous, but making my trip work was all part of the fun. It took seven cars, a

Fonterra tanker, and a Miraka milk tanker before being picked up by Harold the Giraffe and the Life Education Trust.

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The Big Feed telethon team were on hand taking phone calls for donations and helping to run the event

“The team at the Bellyful charity got me to Lincoln from Christchurch, where the Big Feed was being broadcast. It was terrifying, nerve-wracking and exciting, all at the same time. There was jubilation of being in a vehicle heading in the right direction as I got further down the country.

“Having breakfast at 7.30am meant being hungry for a good chunk of the trip. I didn’t eat until 4pm when Rabobank gave me a mince and cheese pie from a Z service station.

“There was an entire spectrum of emotions. I realised I was feeling how a lot of kids feel who don’t get breakfast. I took 13 photos, with statues and monuments and ANZCO honoured their agreement of giving us 1,000 kilograms of mince per landmark, giving us 13,000kg of mince.

That was an incredible $250,000 worth of meat donated by ANZCO. “Meat the Need is a fantastic cause.

Farmers donate meat and milk which is

processed and distributed for free. It’s so much better than giving food banks money because if you give them $1, they can only buy $1 worth of produce, which they may pay $20 a kilo for.

“If a farmer donates a cow, every penny goes to mince at less than wholesale. It’s an easy, efficient way to help charities help people, and they love it because their spend goes much further.

“I believe that no one should be hungry.

Every New Zealander should have access to the best protein in the world, which is what we produce, and it’s good to know that through this charity, they can.

“We’re a bit light on milk donations this year. Farmers can donate to Meat The Need by contacting their suppliers.

The supplier will collect and process it into milk powder and distribute it.

It comes up as an itemised line on the receipt.

December 2023

Dave Letele, Matt Chisholm and Wayne Langford were the hosts of the event

“It’s so bloody easy. All you have to do is go online, say how much you want to give, and it’s done. I’m brutally aware of how financially tough times are on farms right now, but firmly believe it’s the collective that makes a difference.

“It’s not the size of the donation. It’s the amount of people that can donate that makes a difference to what we can collectively achieve. If everyone gave a little of what we produce, we would all make a massive difference to hunger in New Zealand.

“You don’t realise the destitution some people are living in and the absolute need for such a service. I’m a producer of the best protein and dairy in the world. It makes sense to me that we look after our own first.

“Farmers can donate their own livestock or milk online at meattheneed. org, and anyone can also choose to donate a virtual animal.”

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SUPPORT LOCAL

by Ann van Engelen

Local supports local

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Businesses in your community are a good place to start enquiring about products or services you and your family may need, whether it’s vehicles, suit hire, a beautician or a special gift.

With the season for weddings and celebrations upon us, consider hiring a suit from your local menswear store if you don’t have one already or won’t use one again for some time.

Hiring such attire not only relieves the stress of storage and drycleaning, but no doubt, the staff will ensure the suit you choose fits correctly and give you a variety of choices.

Whether you work outdoors or indoors, have regular skincare routines or are new to the idea, remember your local skincare and beauty therapy clinics are the place to go.

Working rurally means your skin is exposed to not just the sun and wind but you can be exposed to sprays and harsh substances. Skin care therapists are trained in the products and services they use and, therefore, can advise what they believe is the solution for any concerns you may have. Don’t forget, facials, massages and other beauty services make great gifts for the people in your life.

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2023

11

SUPPORT LOCAL Greener pastures — the best medicine

by Andy Bryenton

There are many reasons why you might feel better living in the rural Waikato countryside, but less traffic, clean air, friendly neighbours and great scenery have now been joined by a new, superior benefit.

A recent study in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances suggests that if you have long-term exposure to more greenery where you live, you may add two and a half years to your life.

“Our study shows that being near green space caused biological or molecular changes that can be detected in our blood,” said Lifang Hou, a preventive medicine professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and the study’s principal investigator.

The study was undertaken for 20 years. It showed those who live closer to significant green spaces, even in developed areas with large parks, have actual physical differences in their blood and cells compared to those who live in starkly urbanised environments.

“We know the benefits of green space in reducing premature mortality,” said David Rojas-Rueda, an epidemiology professor at Colorado State University. He has studied the health benefits of vegetation but was not involved in the latest paper.

“This study explains how this could happen by describing how green spaces can modify how genes are expressed.”

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The study has led to many questions, and more research is planned to unlock the age-defying secrets of being among green and growing things. A possible contributing factor is the ability of the colour green itself to relieve stress. Advocates of forest bathing, a practice of being out amid wooded spaces and relaxing, point to the reduction in the stress chemical cortisol from being surrounded by shades of green.

The study published in Science Advances this year is supported by earlier research, such as a World Health Organisation-backed paper in the medical journal The Lancet in 2019. It got right

down to the numbers, showing that for every 0.1 per cent increase in green space within a kilometre radius of a person’s home, they enjoyed a four per cent reduction in the likelihood of premature mortality. It was not an isolated effect; the same numbers cropped up in data from the US, China, Spain, Australia, Italy, Canada and Switzerland.

Both of these studies looked closely at providing more green spaces, parks and trees in large cities. The alternative of moving out of an urban centre entirely and relocating to the countryside is a bigger dose of the same medicine.

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December 2023 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2023

13

ADVERTORIAL

Joint problems — dealing with the causes

BUILDING NEW OR RENOVATING?

(Part two)

by John Arts

Most people will experience Osteoarthritis (OA) in their lifetime. OA was referred to as ‘wear and tear arthritis’ or similar, which gave the impression that over time, cartilage ‘wears out’ like slowly rubbing sandpaper on wood.

The cause of cartilage loss is complex and is much more than cartilage wearing away. Cartilage is lost when the specialised cells that live in cartilage, called chondrocytes, are damaged. This damage can come from trauma or by a slow process of free radical damage to chondrocytes.

As chondrocytes die, they cannot maintain cartilage, which slowly disintegrates. It can be accelerated by certain enzymes (MMPs), which can be triggered by trauma.

The key to maintaining healthy cartilage is Chondroitin Sulfate (CS).

This is secreted by chondrocytes as they repair cartilage. Adding therapeutic levels of CS can help protect chondrocytes and further help to restore damaged cartilage.

Maintaining good levels of CS is critical for joint health as it helps to maintain both the strength (resistance) and flexibility.

Adding supplemental CS is, in my opinion, the single most effective method of preserving and maintaining cartilage health, even if the joint is showing signs of OA. That is supported by several international organisations,

“The key to maintaining healthy cartilage is Chondroitin Sulfate (CS).” and, more importantly, the European Medicine Agency has approved CS as a prescribed medicine in Europe.

My preference is for CS from avian (chicken) sources CS as its smaller molecular size allows for rapid accumulation within the joint capsule. While my standard longterm recommendation is 800mg daily, I usually commence therapy with 1,600mg and review every six weeks. For best results, look for supplements that combine CS with similar levels of glucosamine and a new generation 100% water-soluble curcumin (turmeric) extract to help reduce joint capsule inflammation.

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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December 2023 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

Avoca’s Agricultural Lime (AgLime) and Limestone are manufactured at our three lime quarries at Rarewa (Whangarei), Pokapu (Bay of Islands), and Port Albert (Wellsford). Both are also available at bulk stores in Dargaville and Te Kauwhata (Waikato). From all of these locations, we’re well placed to deliver Agricultural Lime products Northland and Waikato wide.

Avoca also provide soil fertility testing and consulting as well as lime and fertiliser products and custom mixes.

1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5

10 6 7 8 9 10 NORTHLAND LIMESTONE FOR RACES 5 NORTHLAND LIME

reasons to apply lime to your soils:

Increases nutrient availability; raising soil pH with lime to ~6.3-6.5 releases and balances soil nutrients for plant uptake, maximising return on your fertiliser spend.

Increases soil biological activity and diversity; key to nutrient availability, good soil structure & porosity, and ultimately pasture/crop yield.

Improves pasture yield. Trials have shown pasture production increases up to 68% and corresponding live weight gains.

Increases resilience to droughts, floods, and runoff/erosion, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and greater root penetration for pasture/crop growth by flocculating (loosening) your soil to improve soil structure and porosity

Reduces need for N-fertiliser; lime stimulates N-fixation by legumes, and N-release from organic matter into plant available forms.

Increases water holding capacity in the dry and water drainage in the wet.

Lime drives down magnesium in ‘tight, high Mg’ soils such as estuarine soils found in the Hauraki Plains.

Improves P availability through a ‘phosphate sparing effect’ - trials in Northland showed 50-60kg more P available consistent over 3 years after applying 5t/ha of lime to a pH 5.8 soil. Optimal P availability occurs when soils are limes to pH 6.3-6.5.

Reduces elemental toxicities evident at low pH levels, e.g. Al, preventing subsoil acidification and improving root growth, root development, and reduces P-fixation.

Improves pasture palatability allowing for more even grazing of pasture and better pasture utilisation

Provides calcium which is essential for both plant and animal growth and health

benefits of limestone races:

Improve cow flow and lower your costs related to lame cows; vet bills, lost production, mating issues and getting cows in calf, and the possibility of having to cull the cow. The cause of cow lameness is often as simple as poor or stoney race surfaces - smooth them out with Avoca’s race limestone!

Avoca’s race limestone is cost effective. Avoca screens its limestone to GAP30 & GAP40, giving you a consistent product size that will spread further as it can be applied more thinly.

The other advantage of screening to GAP30 and GAP40 is that there is an increased amount of fines as the larger stones are recirculated for crushing. These fines provide the glue to cement the larger pieces of lime stone together.

Avoca’s race limestone forms a hardwearing surface in high traffic areas.

Its natural cementing properties allows it to pack down to a durable surface with no sharp stones, as found with other rock types.

The smooth edges of Avoca’s limestone reduces stone bruises and hoof infections in your herd.

For more than 75 years, Avoca has been supplying Northland farmers with expert advice and top quality agricultural lime and fertilisers to ensure better crops and healthier livestock.

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2023

15

ADVERTORIAL

Avoca celebrates 75 years

by Ann van Engelen

As Christmas looms for 2023, Jim Manderson would be suitably proud of his legacy as the iconic Northland business Avoca Lime ticks past the 75-year mark.

Back in 1947, Jim, a 23-year-old Tangowahine farm boy seeing the need for bulk lime and fertiliser in farming, took a punt in establishing Avoca.

“Dad teamed up with Charlie Bickers for the first 10 years and then went out on his own in Tangowahine,” says son Bryce.

“At the time, farming was subsidised, and plenty of native bush and scrubland was being broken in privately and at government level through Lands and Survey. The land had a very low pH and phosphate level, and that’s where he spotted the opportunity for producing lime.

“Within a few years, he added road trucks, spreaders, a bulk store and mixing plant to original lime works to meet the demand for phosphate and other nutrients essential for major land development occurring after the second world war.

“He secured Kaikohe Topdressers, Kaikohe Bulk Store and Oue Lime Works to really ramp up the growth of the company. In the early 1980s, I joined the company fresh out of Lincoln College.

By then, Avoca had sites running in Dargaville, Kirikopuni, Kaikohe, Rawene, Moerewa and Waipapa.”

Jim passed away in 2010, and Bryce took over as managing director, with the business doubling in size since.

“There are now 30 full-time staff, and we’ve expanded beyond Northland with locations and fertiliser advisors around Port Albert, Pukekohe, Te Kauwhata, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty.

“I’m proud of the business growth and am thankful for the efforts of my staff and the support of our farmer client base.”

He has also become a voice for soil health and regenerative agriculture.

“Despite Avoca being a leading provider of lime and fertiliser mixes and constantly promoting the goodness of lime, I believe many landowners still underestimate its benefits.

“In my opinion, soil acidity is farming’s biggest problem. We need to get back to a less intensive farming system by reducing high levels of nitrogen and watersoluble phosphates.

“With fertiliser prices, farm inputs and living costs at an all-time high, it makes sense to ‘sweeten’ the soil by boosting pH levels through applying lime, which is also a much cheaper option than traditional fertilisers.

“Lime maximises returns from money spent on fertiliser by reducing soil acidity and significantly increases the availability of important plant nutrients

Jim Manderson (left) with his original business partner Charlie Bickers when Avoca began

like phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium and trace elements like boron and molybdenum.

“I see lime as something of a multipowered superhero because of its soil nutrient, soil structure and soil biology benefits. Farmers who use lime regularly

understand this, which is why they keep going back to it.

“Some might see lime as old school, but it works, and the old timers knew this.

Lime has certainly helped put Northland farming on the map over the decades, and I’m thankful for the legacy dad started.”

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December 2023 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2023

17

FROM THE GROUND UP A fence too far

by Andy Bryenton

Fencing may not be everyone’s favourite job on the farm, as breaks in the wire or toppled posts always seem to happen in the farthest-flung paddocks inhabited by the stroppiest animals.

However, it’s some consolation to know that the history of how we build fences is just as unnatural and frustrating as an electrified wire barrier is to an amorous bull in the springtime. The story of fencing and the unsung heroes who have headed out with swanndri and thermos to build them is the story of civilisation, and some big legal battles, too.

One of the earliest cultures to fence off crops from livestock was Egypt.

It’s little surprise, then, that one of the oldest written records ever discovered is a complaint about a broken fence, a hungry goat and a ruined crop that would have been turned into beer. That’s a tale as old as farming, and we assume the pharaoh ruled that he should barbecue the goat and drink the beer while the two farmers patched up the fence.

Wire fencing was invented in 1830,

by Thomas Malham of England or Jean Francois Martin, who was extremely French. The two inventors battled over the patent for fencing wire long and hard, spending a fortune on lawyers and, eventually, killing Malham through illness

A historic photo of the first time two blokes leaned on a fence and shared a jug of beer, establishing a fine old tradition still observed to this day

brought on by stress. His family made his tombstone entirely out of fencing wire as a final send-off, and the case was never settled.

A bit of legal action was nothing compared to the stoush over barbed

wire, invented in 1867, and heralded the end of the era of the cowboy.

Ranchers could now whip up a fence that cattle couldn’t cross, John Wayne types were fired in droves, and this led to cowboy protests. These were wire-cutting raids, cattle rustling and full-bore gun battles. Ranchers also grabbed land which was not theirs by putting barbed wire around it, and everyone from Native American tribes to city councils responded with bullets and arrows. President Grover Cleveland sent in the army to knock heads together and sort it out.

The stage was set for local man and farming hero Bill Gallagher to invent the electric fence in 1936, making outdoor urination a dicey proposition for farming blokes ever since but keeping generations of livestock under control. With wire fencing, barbed wire and electric fences in their arsenal, the ball was in the court of sneaky sheep, frisky stallions and belligerent cattle, who can still find a way to break free, it seems, no matter what humans devise.

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December 2023 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

FROM THE GROUND UP

by Andy Bryenton

New uses for an ancient resource

When the use of bamboo in buildings is mentioned, most people immediately turn their minds to the elegant structures designed using this fast-growing material in Eastern cultures rather than more modern architectural designs.

However, bamboo has become far more than simply a traditional resource used to craft structures and spaces specific to the cultures of Asia. Techniques pioneered by artisans in China, Thailand, India, Japan

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and other nations have been applied with a healthy dose of modern material technology to explore the limits of what this giant member of the grass family can achieve.

This serious look at bamboo began, some say, in Hong Kong, when the boom in skyscraper construction spurred a similar need for fast, efficient scaffolding.

With steel snapped up to build the towers, local workers made their scaffolds from bamboo, a local practice dating to antiquity.

Safety inspectors discovered that bamboo can be better than steel in some instances.

It sways and bends in earthquakes, as Japanese artisans have known for centuries, and even if some canes break, the scaffold is amazingly robust.

Bamboo’s single big drawback was discovered early on: it’s prone to rot and insect attack if untreated. However, methods to use raw bamboo as the core material for laminated products have changed the game, improving significantly on old-fashioned lacquering techniques.

It’s a good place to start; bamboo may be light, but it’s also terrifically strong.

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Bamboo could provide a boost for the building industry, in a number of novel ways

to steel reinforcement. Proponents say that bamboo can outperform concrete or brick.

There’s even talk of those materials joining forces. Steel rebar is commonly used to strengthen concrete structures, but researchers in Japan, Africa, and India have all conducted experiments and written scholarly papers on the engineering applications of bamboo inside concrete. The second international conference on emerging research in civil, aeronautical and mechanical engineering featured a symposium on the topic, which may transform how buildings are constructed in developing nations, making housing cheaper and easier to access.

Ecologically, bamboo makes sense.

It grows fast, up to a metre each day for some species. It can be harvested up to nine times yearly, and grows well everywhere except the sub-Arctic and Antarctica. Best of all, it has a negative carbon footprint, sequestering and breathing in carbon dioxide as it grows.

Currently, bamboo products are becoming commonplace in flooring, cladding, interior panelling and furniture. Those in the know say that a revolution in structural bamboo applications is quietly underway, with the potential of this ancient building material to cut costs and carbon well into the future.

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2023

19

FROM THE GROUND UP Three tech surprises to look forward to

by Andy Bryenton

Ideas for the modern home would seem to be harder and harder to invent, with a plethora of dizzying technology already available to make our internal spaces unique.

However, human inventiveness knows no bounds, and there are creative minds out there as we speak, musing on ways to make the houses of the future even more interesting and electronic than those depicted in the pop science magazines of the 1960s. Try these three concepts for size.

Bioluminescent and colourchanging wallpaper We’re used to our desktop wallpaper changing colour and design, as it’s just an image displayed on our computer screens.

However, real wallpapers that change colour and glow in the dark have been developed to make interior spaces change with the moods of the seasons and the time of day. E-ink utilises an advanced form of colour-changing tech copied from octopi and squid, meaning that it can be altered by electrical charges, like a very advanced version of a calculator’s LCD screen.

Heat-change paints have been around for decades, and you might remember them from the toy cars of your childhood, which could change colour in sunlight

or when plunged into ice-cold water.

A similar process allows houses to be covered in a wrap that slowly changes hue in the sunlight and then fades at night.

Some variants of this technology can even reveal patterns or words; one shop in Japan reveals its logos, opening hours and menu when the sun rises and turns to a mural of a sleepy countryside at night.

Rooftop veggies Homes with little space may still wish to become more self-sufficient in the future.

One way to make good use of the sun’s power is to give over roof space to solar panels and plants. If a solar array takes up part of the roof, a small amount of power from it can be used to pump rainwater through a drip irrigation system, feeding the roots of productive crops. As an added bonus, it’s a big chunk out of your carbon footprint and grocery bill. China already has artificial rice paddies situated on the top of some skyscrapers.

Guard-dog drones The sentinels of the modern home are likely to be small robots armed not with

This little fellow could deter future robbers and intruders, with the promise of high-definition video making its way to the law

weapons but with cameras and scanners.

Some are already available and take the form of small, rechargeable aerial drones that pop out of a hidden hutch when they detect intruders. With night vision optics and laser scanners that can map a

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December 2023 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

FROM THE GROUND UP

by Andy Bryenton

Gone by Christmas lunchtime

Many of the looming regulatory changes which undermined farming sector confidence have been signalled for the chop by the new coalition government, but where does that leave those making long-term plans for their rural land?

Don Brash coined the term ‘gone by lunchtime’ over his long-ago plans to scrap anti-nuclear accords. The coalition’s schemes to do away with the replacement of the Resource

Management Act, Significant Natural Areas, the National Policy Statement on Freshwater Management, and Three Waters-related legislation have met with more public support.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s going to go, and what that could mean.

Custom-built & eco-friendly ‘We will cease the implementation Transportable Buildings of new SNAs and seek advice on the Homes & Offices 10 - 100sqm operation of existing SNAs as part of the government’s programme to reform the RMA,’ says the wording of the coalition deal, which put a triumvirate of ACT, NZ First and National into power.

The SNA stoush has been longrunning, and farmers felt they would be penalised for protecting natural taonga /ecopod.co.nz Built for Life on their privately owned land. Many opined that expanding the existing QEII schemes already in operation would be superior to what was called a ‘land grab’ by opponents.

Live export bans are being lifted.

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The coalition government has put several contentious items of legislation under the axe, but what replaces them will not be known until 2024

improve animal welfare standards and hoping to resume the trade.

“We’ve done a lot of work on that, and the other concern is what happens to the animals when they arrive in the market, so we need to have a good discussion around how we can provide that information back so that people’s fears that animal welfare isn’t at the forefront are alleviated,” said Livestock Export New Zealand chairperson Mark Willis.

The clean car tax and so-called ute tax are consigned to the scrap heap meaning that those living in rural areas with little electric vehicle support or practicality will no longer subsidise wealthy city-dwellers into new EVs.

BEFORE

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The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management is perhaps the issue most worrying to farmers, eclipsing even the RMA reforms that will, according to the coalition, now be replaced by a streamlined building system designed around ‘enjoying property rights.’

The freshwater management plan will be replaced, but hopes among opponents of the NPS are that it will prove less restrictive. Some regional councils proposed its implementation would see mandatory one-metre setbacks from all waterways and a ban on farming on slopes above 20 degrees.

Nothing beats experience, and with more than 20 years industry experience serving the Central North Island we strive for our workmanship to always be excellent quality.

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We work on projects of all size, from small residential jobs to large commercial projects - and we’ve never turned a job down because it’s too small. So get in touch with the team at ASAP today for free, no obligations quote.

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• Dairy Shed & Asset Maintenance - No job too big or small.

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December 2023

WATER MATTERS Summer boating safety key

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With thousands of people expected to take to the water this summer, Waikato Regional Council maritime officers will be highly visible to promote boating safety focus during the Operation Neptune campaign.

“Operation Neptune is about providing a proactive presence on the water, with the emphasis on boating safety,” says Waikato Regional harbourmaster Chris Bredenbeck.

“We’ll be looking closely at whether boaties are following the rules, including around personal flotation devices (PFDs), speed limits and the need for towing with an observer in place.

“For example, people on vessels up to six metres need to wear their PFDs while the vessel is underway. Larger vessels are required to have a PFD for each person onboard, but they’re only required to be worn under certain circumstances. This is a different rule to some other regions.

“Boating rules are prominently displayed on signage at boat ramps around the Waikato, on Waikato Regional Council’s website and the MarineMate app.

“Boat skippers are encouraged to review the boating rules before they take to the water, helping to keep themselves and others safe.

21

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“Enforcement of these rules is a key part of Operation Neptune. Education ends at the boat ramp. It’s the skipper’s responsibility to ensure they know the rules and comply with them on the water.

“The annual Operation Neptune programme will run for about three weeks during the summer boating peak between

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“The Department of Health recommends for most tanks, yearly draining and scrubbing out.”

Boxing Day and January 14, 2024, covering popular coastal, lake and river boating areas across the Waikato region.”

Boating rules and safety information is available at waikatoregion.govt.nz/ maritime-services.

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December 2023

WATER MATTERS

23

Beating the summer dry

by Liz Clark

With summer temperatures rising nationwide, drought-proofing the garden is essential for the farm and lifestyle block.

Cover the soil Bare soil is a recipe for rapid moisture loss caused by prevailing winds and dry conditions, resulting in more watering to keep the vegetable and ornamental plants alive. Applying a five-centimetre deep layer of mulch, such as post peelings, pea straw, or even newspaper, will help retain moisture for longer periods of time.

Applying too much mulch could prevent air and water from getting into the soil and should be applied lightly. Before adding any mulch, add generous amounts of compost to the garden. It will help retain moisture in the soil for longer. Water everything well before adding the final mulch layer on top, avoiding trunks, stems and leaves.

Water conservation With most rural properties relying on tanks or bores, conserving water during extreme dry can be challenging. Deep watering in the early morning or evening, two or three times a week, will help send plant roots deeper into the soil. A good soaking rather than a short sprinkling is always the way to go.

Using a sprinkler system in the garden is one of the most inefficient ways to

water plants — 30–50 per cent moisture loss is common. The spray also will go where it’s not needed and result in unwanted weeds growing where they are not wanted. A drip irrigation system is the most effective way to deliver water directly to the root systems while saving water and time. Choosing a good-quality set-up will mean a long-lasting system without the issues associated with cheaper, more leak-prone products.

Drought-resistant plants New Zealand natives have become the first-choice option for many gardens.

Chosen for their attractive form and colour, many species are available at local nurseries. Try out the attractive pōhutukawa as a shelterbelt or a standalone specimen tree. Its deep crimson blooms in early summer provide a burst of colour and provide food for native birds, bees and butterflies. Also consider akeake, carex, Griselinia, Knightia, Poor Knights Lily, Olearia and many more. Other plants that love the dry include proteas, waratahs, leucadendrons, achillea, dianthus, gazania and lavender.

Choosing drought-resistant plants such as lavender will save water and time

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December 2023 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

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