Waikato Farming Lifestyles, July 2023

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Fixing the infrastructure deficit

by Barbara Kuriger, MP for Taranaki-King Country

We rely on it to enhance our lives and boost productivity, which in turn, drives economic growth; right now, New Zealand has a gaping deficit. The infrastructure momentum of the last National government was stopped short in 2017.

Our National Roads of Significance programme, which delivered the Waikato Expressway, Tauranga Eastern Link, Kapiti Expressway and Christchurch motorways projects, was set to construct even more. It wasn’t only roads.

National had also rolled out New Zealand’s ultra-fast broadband network, a project that ran on time was under budget and gave the country access to world-class broadband, including many rural communities and their schools.

Rural NZ knows what it means to have resilient networks for getting products and people where they need to go. As food producers or suppliers of goods and services to agribusinesses, first-rate infrastructure is essential. Delivering that

BarbaraKuriger MP forTaranaki-King Countr y

InglewoodOffice ∙ 80 Rata St, PO Box124,

is at the heart of a new five-point plan under the next National government.

Our first priority is to expand Crown Infrastructure Partners into a National Infrastructure Agency to coordinate the various funds that exist, and secondly, make use of innovative funding and financing tools to boost investment.

Third is the development of national, city and regional deals, so the central government can partner with local government to create long-term conduits for regional projects.

Alongside these will be a fast-track consents process to make it building infrastructure easier, and finally, developing a 30-year plan for long-term certainty, effective planning, and in turn, reducing project costs. Building infrastructure is key to a strong economy. Only then can we reduce the cost of living and interest rates, lift incomes and afford the public services we deserve.

Authorised by B Kuriger, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

High-quality, modern, resilient infrastructure is the foundation of a successful economy.

Barbara Kuriger — MP for Taranaki-King Country

Shearing world records challenged

by Paul Campbelll

A champion King Country shearer is turning her focus to a challenge for a world record according to an application received by the World Sheep Shearing Records Society with Catherine Mullooly targeting the solo women’s eight-hour strong wool ewes record of 370, established by English shearer Marie Prebble.

Her record bid is one of seven so far confirmed amid a major post-pandemic lockdowns assault on men’s and women’s records and strong wool and fine wool marks this year.

Mullooly plans to make her attempt on January 10 next year, at Nukuhakari Station, at Waikawau, near the coast west of Te Kuiti. It will be her first attempt at a record. In 2014, as an intermediate in competition, Mullooly was the first female to finish a season as the number one ranked shearer in any of the grades since Shearing Sports New Zealand began its grade-by-grade acclamation 32 years earlier.

It didn’t stop there. Mullooly went on to win senior competition finals and women’s events in New Zealand and England, including the 2021 Women’s final at Te Kuiti’s New Zealand Shears. She was also

one of the five female shearers featured in first-time filmmaker Jack Nicol’s 2018 documentary She Shears.

Confirmed is English shearer Steve Rowberry’s August 4 attempt on Te Kuiti shearer Jack Fagan’s men’s solo eighthour strong wool lambs record of 754, shorn last December. Also confirmed was a Southland bid for the five-and eight-hour strong wool lambs record of 2,910, which was set in the King Country in January 2015.

Other world sheep shearing record bids notified for 2023–2024 are Friday, December 15, Megan Whitehead and Hannah McColl, two-stand and solo women’s eight-hour strong wool lambs.

Tuesday, December 19, Sacha Bond, women’s nine-hour strong wool lambs.

Saturday, December 23, Paerata Abraham

protect feed from bad weather and ensure your stock have feed when they need it.

and Chris Dickson, eight-hour two stand and solo strong wool lambs, and on

Wednesday, February 14, Sacha Bond, women’s nine-hour strong wool ewes.

Catherine Mullooly, King Country champion shearer

A FAMILY FARMING LEGACY

BY AMY FIFITA

After returning to New Zealand, Nigel and Merrin Upchurch began managing a generational farm where they run beef cattle and breed Berkshire and Devon pigs.

“Igrew up in Mount Eden and met Merrin when she was working as a Department of Conservation ranger,” Nigel says.

“My wife and her family lived on Great Barrier Island until she was four years old before moving to the property and taking charge of it in the 1980s. We came back from Europe at the end of 2014 and started to get involved with the property in 2015, moving here in 2017.

“In Europe, Merrin studied for her master’s and doctorate degrees in freshwater ecology at the University of Amsterdam while I was working as an animator. We knew that there

was a block of land that needed to be looked after back home, and it was always the plan to give it a go when we came back from Europe. It was a substantial change.

“Judy Bischoff, Merrin’s mother, lives on the farm too. She bred pigs before we moved home, and we have continued that, meaning the property has been pig breeding for about 20 years.

“The farm is 48 hectares. Just above 30 hectares are in pasture, and the remainder is a mixture of native bush, riparian planting and orchard space.

“There is quite a bit of orchard space that’s not really commercially viable for

harvesting. We have a mixture of fruit and nut trees, including walnut, chestnut, apples and stone fruit. As a hobby, we make our

great place for them.

own cider with the autumn apple harvest. The pigs hoover up the autumn excess, and the orchards are a

Nigel says that each litter displays different behavioural characteristics

“We have Berkshires, Devon and Kunekune pigs. We run them in areas where we can’t easily run cattle and that are not well enough fenced for sheep. It was a process of elimination to a large extent, but the autumn windfall of fruit and nuts was definitely a factor.

“Pigs are charismatic animals that really enjoy life. Our two pork breeds are both dark-skinned — the Berkshire and the Devon, also known as Large Blacks. The Berkshires have white socks and a splash across the snout. Both are hardy outdoor breeds, not prone to sunburn, which is something you have to worry about with the free-range Large Whites.

“Berkshires are known as Kurobuta in Japan and are the pork equivalent of Wagyu beef because the meat has a light marbling. Devons are a traditional English bacon breed and are excellent mothers with large litters.”

Nigel and Merrin look for good conformation, straight jaw and teeth, a broad and level back, good rump cover and a gentle temperament when choosing a boar.

“Our Berkshires are limited to a purebred breeding pool, so we look at the genetic lines that are available to make sure they are not getting a little turned in. It is a danger for purebred species, and there isn’t a big genetic pool in New Zealand.

“We don’t artificially inseminate. When we are on the lookout for breeding stock, we often bring them up from around the country. We sourced our current boar from the Wairarapa, but there are breeders scattered across New Zealand.

“The temperament variation across litters is interesting. Some litters are skittish; others decide not to eat a

particular vegetable, while the next ones will eat everything — the differences are distinguishable. Another fun fact is their gestation period of three months, three weeks and three days.

“The easiest way to start pig farming is to begin growing on a couple of weaner piglets.

“It is great to have come back from Europe and not be in front of a computer all day, every day. We enjoy the Franklin area. There are lots of lowland native bush blocks scattered around, and we were excited to discover there is a high native bat population in the area too.”

Devon pigs are also referred to as Large Blacks and are a traditional English bacon breed

physical characteristics of the Berkshire breed is the white socks on their feet and snout

and Nigel Upchurch, alongside their canine companion Phoebe, manage the family farm

INNOVATION FUELS FARMING FUTURE

BY PAUL CAMPBELL

Some potentially high-impact advancements could be on the cards for the country’s primary sector in the coming years in the wake of the Fieldays 2023 Innovation Awards, which saw Waikato entrepreneurs punching above their weight.

The awards have a reputation for turning ideas of all shapes and sizes into marketable products to benefit the primary industry. This year, Waikato Milking Systems, a company that produces rotary platforms and milking systems, won the Prototype Award for its ErgoPOD — a product hoping to revolutionise efficiency and safety in the milking shed.

Project specialist Tom Morris and his team worked on research and development for four years to advance this project through to the prototype stage, and plan to complete the final stages of development over the next 18 months so they can go to market.

WMS executive Jamie Mikkelson accepted the award saying, “We started on this journey with this crazy idea to become the most admired company

globally for milking efficiency. If a single operator could milk a thousand cows in an hour, it would be a game changer, and we believe we are on our way to achieving that with this machine.

“Winning this has been a massive pat on the back for the team, who deserve the accolade after having worked hard over the past few years to deliver a fresh take on a milking system that tackles the current limitations of traditional and robotic ones. We plan to return to the 2024 Fieldays Innovation Awards in the Early-Stage category with a further developed product.”

This year’s winner of the Early-Stage Award was eClean Envirotech, led by founder Ngārie Scartozzi. The company partnered with an engineering firm early on to be able to manufacture its low-cost

water filtration system from the start, and has already reached early commercial success in NZ.

Ngārie previously worked at an Australian aquaculture company

helping design filters for use in fish holding tanks. “That role ignited my passion for water quality, control, and restoration of our global waterways,” says Ngārie.

eClean: (from left) Tourley Munro, Ngārie Scartozzi and Simon Jones

She had been thinking about the technology behind her bioreactors. It was only when she returned to New Zealand and discovered water quality in the region had deteriorated that she conceptualised them in their current form.

The bioreactors use microbes to remove nitrates, phosphates, and other contaminants from water. They are intended for use in low-flow environments such as farm drainage channels, streams and lakes and can potentially help dairy farmers comply with nutrient limits, allowing them to maintain herd numbers and farm more sustainably.

eClean’s technology is currently showcased in several research projects

targeting nitrates, E coli and heavy metals using biological filtration.

Wilderlab, a newcomer to the competition, received the Growth and Scale Award for their new ecological health index, which utilises the power of environmental DNA (eDNA) technology. Their taxon-independent community index (TICI) incorporates DNA sequence information from fish, insects, plants, mammals, birds and microorganisms living in an area to provide a score to gauge ecological health and track small shifts in condition.

“By using a comprehensive panel of tests, we can capture a picture of the larger ecosystem, not just the species

we can find and identify visually,” says science lead Amy Gault.

“The simplicity of the eDNA kits, requiring the user to filter a few cups of water, means it’s accessible to everyone, from ecologists to school children. A timely example of Wilderlab’s product in action is the tracking of the highly invasive golden clam, Corbicula fluminea in the Waikato River.”

A group of high school students at St Paul’s Collegiate School in Hamilton took out this year’s Young Innovator of the Year Award for their Capra Skin Goat’s Milk lip balm.

The group comprising Lucy O’Meeghan, Emma Lobb, Mackenzie

Lenton and Lochie Mouat, are in year 13, taking Agribusiness as a subject. They identified a need and formulated steps and iterations to develop a final skincare product.

“We want our customers to feel exceptional when using our product. We envision our product’s story expanding beyond just lip balm and encompassing other skincare items in the future,” they say.

Chris Foot, the Agribusiness teacher at St Paul’s Collegiate, said: “They did well and put up convincing arguments under very difficult and nerve-wracking conditions. Their ideas were innovative, original and clever.”

Wilderlab: (from left) Susan Welsh, Cari Bendersky, Amy Gault and Shaun Wilkinson (founder)

St Paul’s Collegiate School: (from left) Mackenzie Lenton and Lucy O’Meeghan

A RACING MILESTONE CELEBRATED

BY PAUL CAMPBELL

The amalgamation was endorsed by the clubs at special general meetings and designed to bring extensive benefits to the racing region of Waikato in a ‘super club’ taking effect on August 1.

The overwhelming majority of members believe that ‘this formation will give rise to robust and well-resourced racing in the country’s New Zealand’s largest thoroughbred racing and breeding region.’

“Collectively, the merger of the three clubs places the newly formed club in a significantly better position to accomplish our primary objectives,” said WTR Working Group chair John Elstob. “The merged club will have improved scale and strength, as well as the flexibility to advance its racing and training operations.”

The new era for Waikato is a major milestone in a sport, which has flourished since the days of early settlement when picnic outings often saw working farm horses racing on beaches before the sport graduated to military garrison steeds, and then as fortunes grew, to imported stud animals and for the formalisation of racing.

The first horses to be landed in New Zealand were thought to be shipped from Australia by the Reverend Samuel Marsden to the Bay of Islands in 1814 as a gift from New South Wales governor Macquarie. The first acknowledged thoroughbred horse arrived in Wellington some years later. Race meetings soon became important social and sporting events. In 1841 the citizens of Auckland and Manukau held a meeting at Epsom,

the principal event being the Auckland Town Plate.

From 1842 to 1849, the races at Auckland were controlled by ‘The Committee’, comprising mainly officers of

the militia. Interest in these early meetings was heightened by owners very often riding their own horses. Edward William Stafford, one of the early premiers, was among those who did this.

Bets are on and racing underway before a packed grandstand

A new revitalised racing institution has emerged in Waikato after merging three clubs to form Waikato Thoroughbred Racing (WTR), which now combines the former Waikato Racing Club, Cambridge Jockey Club and Waipa Racing Club.

Studying form on the day of the race

When gold was discovered in the South Island, new-found wealth meant that Otago became the strongest racing centre in New Zealand. The celebrations on the first anniversary of the Canterbury settlement on December 16 1851, included four horse races over a course in Hagley Park facing the road running from the Riccarton Hotel to the Fendalton Bridge. The course was native tussock.

The first attempts to introduce some form of unified control over the burgeoning sport were made in the main centres, the fledgling Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

In 1876, at the Canterbury Jockey Club, it was decided to establish ‘a New Zealand Jockey Club, to frame rules and make a scale of weights to be used by all clubs running under the rules’.

There were myriad developments in the years to come, with much discussion and planning over many drinks in

racecourse beer tents and elsewhere, even in Parliament Buildings. It wasn’t until the registration of all racing clubs was enforced in 1900 that benefits like an accident fund for trainers, jockeys and stablehands were established, and the activities of bookmakers were scrutinised.

When the first world war broke out, there was pressure to stop all racing and then to reduce the number of race days. Following the lead given in England, racing continued. In 1917 a special committee agreed with the government to reduce race days by a third. The racing clubs were soon active contributors to the various war funds, and a number of courses were taken over for military purposes.

Racing went into a marked decline as stock markets crashed and jobless numbers skyrocketed in the Depression of the 1930s. The Racing Conference was faced with many difficulties because of the plight of some of

the smaller country clubs. Some became defunct, and their permits were taken up by other clubs. Race days were again reduced during the second world war, and many racecourses were taken over by the military.

In 1953. racing had returned in greater popularity, particularly in the Waikato district, with the increase of population there. The thoroughbred industry grew in leaps and bounds.

With Waikato Thoroughbred Racing, the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing CEO, Bruce Sharrock, endorsed the union and the benefits it has on the domestic racing industry.

“I would like to acknowledge the chairs of the respective clubs for their vision, leadership and hard work in executing this merger,” he said. “This is another very significant step forward for the industry in gaining efficiencies and better utilising assets as a collective.”

Council moves on water strategy

by Paul Campbell

While the Three Waters policy may finally depend on election outcomes in a couple of months, Waikato has moved to improve water security in the region.

It has been developed by Waikato Regional Council and is a key step to safeguarding sustainable access to quality freshwater into the future in a draft strategy and development of an implementation plan.

WRC chair Pamela Storey said concerns about the security of freshwater for the region had been raised by regional councillors and the previous mayoral forum.

“This strategy is a first step to providing a detailed understanding of the current state and confirms the need for a smart, integrated plan to manage the scale, severity and impact of water security issues for the Waikato region,” Cr Storey said.

The strategy builds on national and local water security initiatives to identify a roadmap for a coordinated regional response to changing water security.

It recommends the development of a collaborative, multi-stakeholder and regional-scale Water Security Implementation Plan to identify roles and responsibilities in addressing the significant water security challenges facing the region and to establish partnerships to implement appropriate solutions.

The 30-year plan has already been identified as one of the council’s three goals for success in its strategic direction adopted earlier this year and expected to be completed by 2025.

The strategy also recommends the development of a more detailed water accounting system for the Waikato that can provide timely and robust information on water availability and demand, including better information on actual use to communities.

Author of the strategy, Waikato Regional Council science manager Dr Mike Scarsbrook, said the regional economy and people’s wellbeing are dependent on the availability of water.

“Quite rightly, Waikato communities are increasingly concerned about climaterelated reductions in water availability and the implications for freshwater ecosystems, urban and industrial water supply/demand, ongoing delivery of electricity generation, primary sector productivity and future growth.

“At the heart of the problem are the impacts of a prolonged period of reduced rainfall on water resource supply and an increase in demand in parts of our region,” Dr Scarsbrook said. “The effects of climate change are likely to exacerbate constraints on water availability and increase demand, and this, in turn, can impact quality.

“On top of this, water allocations are approaching or exceeding limits in several major catchments, such as the Piako and Whangamarino. It’s likely that further resource limits set through the

government’s national policy statement for freshwater management will reduce water availability in order to improve environmental outcomes. This will increase competition among water users,” Dr Scarsbrook said.

The strategy will support and provide leadership in conversations on regional and local water security issues and identify potential solutions. The strategy can be found on the Waikato Regional Council website.

Pamela Storey, Waikato Regional Council chair

Are you taking a joint supplement?

(Part One)

by John Arts

They say death and taxes are the only certainties, but osteoarthritis must be close to this list. The sales of worldwide joint and bone supplements are a staggering US$11.7 billion and are expected to grow by another 50% in the next ve years.

The majority use joint supplements to treat joint problems, most for osteoarthritis, with about 40% of developing knee osteoarthritis alone. Pain is a great motivator, and people turn to joint supplements for relief — but do they help?

There has been signi cant research into compounds found in joint supplements, especially glucosamine, chondroitin, and turmeric. It comes as no surprise that studies come to differing conclusions ranging from poor to excellent results.

While studies and research can be helpful, my criteria for assessing osteoarthritis supplements is simple. I assess the effectiveness of my supplements solely by whether they help. An important part of my discipline of nutritional medicine is regularly reviewing progress. When someone commences my joint supplements, I contact them after six weeks, then again at three months, to see how they are doing. The measure of assessment is again simple; is it working?

When someone purchases my joint products, I offer a joint health

OPINION ‘Time for a change’?

by Paul Campbell

“Gidday there Trev, are you on yer way to town mate? I’m just fixing this hinge on the road gate, and saw yer coming up the line. That quad bike’s blowing a bit of smoke eh?”

Trev pulled off the road and stepped off to roll a smoke. “Yep, Bob, off to the doc’s again to see if they can fix me hip. It’s giving me gip with this weather. Rain, rain an’ more rain eh? An’ gotta check the oil at the garage too.”

“I know what ya mean Trev. But I thought ya would have had that hip sorted by now?”

“Chance’d be a fine thing Bob. I was at the hospital and there was a line a mile long to see the doc. Nurses flat out trying to look after people. It took me a couple of hours, and then he said I’d have to go on a long list to get some surgery.”

assessment which the majority adopts. I ask questions about the problem, including its diagnosis, treatment and symptoms and a description of limitations in mobility. At the sixweekly review, we then compare progress to the initial assessment and modify the programme as needed.

One thing I can say for certain if people do not get a tangible bene t, they will stop taking them. Results are my sole measure whether a supplement is helping.

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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“It’s pretty rugged in the health department these days, Trev. Lookin’ at the elections coming up in a couple of months, I reckon health is going to be a big question coming voting time.”

Trev rolled another smoke. “I’m going with the party that’s gonna fix things up.” He reached back and got the paper. “Look at this mate. An 81-year-old lady has been waiting a year for surgery to be told it was cancelled because the hospital was too busy.”

“Well then, there you go Bob. If it is not good enough it needs to be fixed and the best thing we can do is vote for someone that;s going to fix this mess.”

Bob swung the gate closed and the pair leant on the top rail. “But it’s not just the

busted health system mate. I had a look at what the current lot in parliament are doing with the Resource Management Act. From what I can see, we’re gonna have people with no idea telling us what we can and can’t do on our own farms. Not even the council, which we elect, can say anything. We better look at what the candidates have got to say.”

“You are right there,” said Trev. “They’ve taken the subsidy off petrol, but kept cheap bus fares. Well, whoop-de-do, when did you last catch a bus from the farm into town? And the way things are, I’ll have to get a bank loan to pay for the groceries. You are darn right Bob, I am gonna make a list and vote for the general election lot who will make a change. And I tell you what — we’ll make them keep their words too.”

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THE BEST SOLUTION FOR YOUR DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACING

Now there is an extremely cost effective and easy to use product that will bring back your damaged concrete floors to an approved standard.

COLOURCRETE DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACER has been specially formulated for the repair of worn or damaged concrete in the dairy industry. Dairy Floor Resurfacer is a two pack system combining a Portland cement, fine aggregate based micro concrete and sophisticated binders that provide superior, compressive, tensile and flexural strength as well as a very high level of abrasion resistance and adhesion. This product is suitable for repairing worn or pitted areas or to provide a non-slip surface where necessary.

A two pot clear epoxy sealer can be supplied to reduce the wearing effects of milk and acid.

COLOURCRETE DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACER can be supplied as a ‘do it yourself kit’ and delivered anywhere in New Zealand or applied, in most areas, by contractors.

COLOURCRETE DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACER

Part A is supplied in 20kg bags and covers approximately 3m square. Part B modifier is supplied in both 10litre and 20litre containers and approximately 4litres per 20kg bag would be required. After trowelling, the surface can be broomed or sponge finished.

“I assess the effectiveness of my supplements solely by whether they help.”

Rural Building/sheds & shelters

The bathroom’s new associate

by Andy Bryenton

Better hygiene, a huge saving on your grocery bill and a boost for the environment combine to make the convenience of the bathroom’s ‘other convenience’ a serious consideration for renovators.

Since 1975 it’s been a mandatory part of bathrooms in places like Italy and Portugal. Despite being popular, since before the French Revolution, the concept of the bidet is only just becoming a bathroom trend in

New Zealand. Whether it’s a stand-alone unit like those you may have seen in hotels or on your foreign travels, or a device replacing your usual lavatory seat, people are switching on to the benefits.

People from cultures which swear by the bidet, places like France, Italy, Argentina, Egypt and Spain, for example, insist that it’s just a matter of cleanliness. If you wash your hands with water, they would opine, washing elsewhere with water, especially if it’s warm and soothing, is common sense. They may have a point. Studies prove that the bidet does work better than the toilet paper it replaces.

Then there’s the impact on the environment. Each usage expends only about half a litre of water, less than the amount used to cultivate the amount of paper necessary for the same operation. Scientific American magazine crunched the numbers and estimated that a switch to bidets by the majority of US citizens would save 15 million trees each year. Bidets would also get rid of wet wipe towelettes flushed into the sewers. Those who like the extra cleanliness and comfort of the wipes are natural bidet adopters in any case.

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• Non slip epoxy coating, providing safe walkways in the workplace.

• Acid washes and chemical treatments to remove grime and dirt build up.

• Moss and mould treatment $300

• Chem wash $7m2

• Ability to work in between milkings.

• Treat and repair rusted steel in dairy sheds or buildings.

• Interior and Exterior Plastering/Rendering from $23m2

• Painting –Spray roller brush systems available.

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The big benefit of the bidet comes from its ease of use. Older folks, especially those with mobility or balance issues in later life, can be self-reliant for much longer with the assistance of this kind of technology. Gerontologists recommend the fitment of an add-on bidet for many of their patients to enable them to live at home longer.

The French may have invented the bidet, but it’s the Japanese who have

brought the device to the forefront of technology. While the option to install a heated replacement lavatory seat unit or a stand-alone porcelain fixture is the limit of your options in New Zealand, in Japan, bathroom science has delivered conveniences that play music, automatically perfume the air, and give options for cleansing sprays at different temperatures, with a range of scents, or even a follow-up puff of talcum powder.

Push button convenience — a bidet refit like this turns any lavatory into a Japanese-style auto-washing bidet with warm water on command

Washing your way

by Amy Fifita

It is often the smaller details that make a home which is why it is smart to consider

in your design plans.

You can select various styles of tapware to add a splash of your desired style and give your home a personal feel. Fittings are often available in various colours, looks, design features and functions.

A dual showerhead could be a luxurious addition to your bathroom. There will be no rush to keep warm while you are hosing off the suds because the broader showerhead will have you covered. A similar feature is a rain head above your regular shower.

For those on tank water, conserving water and sustainability are often considerations. A low-flow showerhead offers efficiency; many of them work without sacrificing water pressure.

There are even options for the children, especially those who have an aversion to showering. Make washing fun by getting a light-up shower head. It offers a great distraction, and many come with various colours to choose from for each use.

Another consideration is tap fixtures. Some people prefer mixer taps, while others would rather have two separate taps and various other water fixture capabilities. There are also various taps depending on the water pressure in your home.

In the kitchen, it might be ideal to have a spring tap to create ease when washing fruits, vegetables and dishes. It is a functional addition to a workstation sink.

Once you have chosen the function of your tap, you can move on to selecting the style and aesthetic design you would

Consider what you want from your taps, from the way they function to what style you like, such as a spring tap that adds ease to washing vegetables and dishes love in your home. It is something that you will constantly see, so decide what is appealing to you.

There are various styles trending for 2023. Mixed metals are popular at the moment, and it adds different pops of colour and adds ease to the deciding process because you get to choose two. Matte blacks offer contrast

THANK

for the other colours in your bathroom or kitchen.

STEEL

Rural Building/sheds & shelters

People in glass houses

by Andy Bryenton

An ailing emperor, a king’s taste for oranges as a political statement, and a glass palace made for a queen all add up to the formula for the modern garden’s greenhouse.

South Waikato Garage Doors

changeable, sometimes chilly conditions of our maritime climate. With moneysaving home veggie gardens a fresh trend and composting food scraps for the garden a great way to reduce household waste, they are popping up in greater numbers, with new designs to fit into our generally smaller modern outdoor spaces.

The first ever greenhouses came from Rome, where emperor Tiberius was advised by his doctors to eat a cucumber a day to stave off sickness. The emperor demanded the seasonal veggies yearround, prompting his architects to build a structure with laminated cloth sails for a roof, like the great awnings over the Colosseum. Tiberius got his cukes, and an idea was born.

By the 1680s, wealthy lords in Europe had adapted the concept of the greenhouse to grow tropical and unseasonal fruits for their tables, a show of great power and wealth. Items like pineapples and bananas were seen as displays of excess when served to guests, especially in winter. This was because greenhouses required lots of

maintenance and lots of very expensive hand-made glass.

King Louis of France popularised them by cultivating oranges year-round at the Palace of Versailles. His reason for eating the fruit was twofold; they came from Spain, his biggest Catholic ally, and they represented a political pun. Louis hated William of Orange, the prince of Holland and later king of England, and by slicing, chopping, juicing and devouring oranges he made a satirical point about his wishes for William.

Greenhouse design changed with the ability to mass-produce glass and with

the iron-and-glass architecture movement of the middle Victorian age. This saw its height with the construction of the socalled Crystal Palace in 1851. Queen Victoria’s showcase for science and culture was housed under a huge ironframed glass structure, which was to be replicated by other monarchs, botanical gardens, zoos and railway stations all over the world. In a smaller form, this method of attaching glass panels to a metal frame became the template for the much smaller greenhouses set up in ordinary gardens.

The invention of inexpensive glass panels brought a whole new aspect to home gardening

Rural Building/sheds & shelters

Is your home up to code?

by Andy Bryenton

There are strict rules in place to ensure that homes rented out to tenants meet certain health standards, but many privately owned homes may not stack up. How about yours?

Health department research shows a link between cold, damp and mouldy homes and adverse health outcomes, particularly for illnesses such as asthma and cardiovascular conditions. It isn’t controversial or new science. It’s so well established that private landlords have been compelled to comply with specific standards since 2021. For the rest of us, those standards provide a good baseline to see if our own homes are ready to face winter.

Heating — The Healthy Homes standard states that every home must have one or more fixed heat sources, with a minimum of one in the living room. Portable heaters, or unhealthy or inefficient ones don’t count. For most homes, a heat pump is a common choice, though in rural areas, a wood-burning fire, gas fire or pellet heater is also popular. It means that primarily heating your home with small fan heaters, gas bottle heaters, electric fires or oil column heaters is not advised; save small heaters for smaller rooms.

Insulation — Rental homes must have underfloor insulation, if it can be installed,

and ceiling insulation with a resistance value of at least 2.9. Even with advanced new materials, this usually means roof insulation at least 12cm thick or more. If your ceiling insulation has crumbled or shrunk below this limit, your home may not be getting the protection it needs to be considered healthy.

Ventilation — The rules state that every room must have a window that opens to the outdoors, but, more importantly, all bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens must have a powerful fan extraction system.

Drainage and drips — There’s no tolerance for leaks, leaky gutters or lack of stormwater drainage in the Healthy Homes code. Water getting in can cause rot, mould, fungus and illness, and weathertightness is an absolute dealbreaker for a home to be considered healthy.

Draughts — Understandably, any gap that produces a noticeable draught must be blocked, whether under a door, through a cracked window or even via a disused fireplace.

Taking care of your home means taking care of your own good health, especially when winter chills come knocking

call the professionals in to help cure those winter ills. Doing so could save both your health and that of your home in the long run.

$19,980

Opening gateways to the future

Thousands of New Zealand dairy farmers use Novel Ways’ Batt-Latch portable gate release timer.

It opens the paddock gateway and lets the herd move happily along a race, unaided, toward the milking shed or feedpad. It’s a key product coming out of the Taupo facility, which handles the manufacturing, sales and repairs of the timer units. The Batt-Latch has been shown to reduce lameness and stress on the animals, save labour costs and time, improve feed utilisation knocking hours off your working week and raise productivity with a quick payback period.

Overseas exports represent 60% of total annual sales. Most Australasian, UK or European uses are for dairy or dry stock applications, for example, cell or mob-grazing, known as TechnoGrazing in NZ. In Scandinavia, the Batt-Latch timers are increasingly used for feeding and releasing horses to new areas — great for absentee owners.

Essentially, the Batt-Latch holds a spring gate shut under tension. At a pre-programmed time, the electronics activate a gearbox which releases the gate so the stock can leave the eatenout area or make their way to the dairy platform. You don’t have to chase the animals, and pugging damage to pasture is lessened. The modem timer option means that control is also by text

command — useful if you are off the land or a change to the routine is needed. Other applications prompted by users include:

• trapping feral deer in a deerfenced pre-fed paddock by

shutting the gate in the middle of the night

• using a three-spring gateway and the Batt-Latch timer to hold a mob of sheep back until their next unattended break, or

• feeding seed or grain to domestic chickens or to encourage game bird presence

Visit novel.co.nz to see the full range of products for lifestyle and pastoral farming applications.

Photo Credit — Laurilee McMichael

Graham Lynch (left) and Duncan Piesse of Novel Ways Limited

Emissions Trading Scheme options

by Andy Bryenton

The government has proposed four Emissions Trading Scheme alternatives to make it less attractive for farmers to sell up and convert land to carbon-credit forestry.

The proposals come as farmers are being asked to make submissions on the ETS scheme, and industry advocacy groups call for mechanisms to slow or prevent the conversion of productive land into carbon forests. Both they and the political opposition are vehement that the system needs to change, with acknowledgement of on-farm CO 2 sequestration being a key principle.

“Farmers are part of the solution, not the problem,” says Todd McClay, National’s spokesperson on agriculture, speaking in Dargaville last week.

“If you can measure carbon, then we should be able to give money for carbon being sequestered on farms. This is already happening overseas but isn’t recognised by the government here. There is a role for forestry to play, but we are seeing an increase in forestry land, so we need clearer long-term rules for this industry.”

“Many farmers are very concerned about the number of whole farms being sold for exotic forestry as a result of the carbon price and the effects on rural communities,” said Beef and Lamb New Zealand CEO Sam McIvor.

The four possible changes to deter carbon forestry and encourage polluters to invest instead in technology to reduce

their emissions are as follows. Firstly, the government could ‘decouple’ incentives for emissions reductions, and incentives to offset emissions. That is seen as the most drastic option, creating two different carbon credit markets.

The second option is for the government to directly affect the rules around how many forestry-generated carbon credits can be used by each ETS user. Credits generated by carbon forestry could be restricted or artificially given a lower value to manipulate the market.

The final two options are variations on this theme; one would increase the price of carbon credit units by increasing demand for credits generated by means

other than forest planting, while the other would reduce the amount of credits offered by the government via auction.

All of these options are an aboutface from the current regime, in which New Zealand is one of only two nations on earth allowing 100 per cent of CO2 emissions to be offset via forestry. The other is Kazakhstan.

The government states no changes will be enacted until after the October general election, which may see a change of administration with a radically different ETS policy. However, farmers have been urged to engage and make their feelings known via the Ministry for the Environment’s website.

Green Party leader James Shaw has been instrumental in the progress of the Emissions Trading Scheme, which now faces changes to curb the afforestation of arable land

“Many farmers are very concerned about the number of whole farms being sold for exotic forestry.”

20 years in the trade, we know

thing or two about

delivery systems and farm productivity.

bulk molasses throughout the country, and will be pleased to discuss your requirements at any time.

Topping a dairy farm’s grazing pastures can produce advantageous outcomes to your bottom line.

Typically done during mid-spring through mid-summer when pasture growth is most abundant, topping paddocks make the quality control process manageable and achievable.

Pre-graze topping can remove dense weed canopies, allowing grass a chance to recover and thrive in otherwise overrun areas, while also removing seed heads, allowing for more palatable growth to ourish. Post-grazing mowing clears uneaten grass clumps and spreads dung to promote uniform regrowth.

Other bene ts to mowing or topping to the desired residuals, as opposed to grazing, ensure a clean, sharp cut on the leaf of the grass, which contributes to healthy and robust regrowth. The regrowth is more nutritious for the cows in that over 80% of leafy new grass growth can be effectively processed by grazing animals. In contrast, less than 50% of mature or dead plant material is nutritionally bene cial.

A study by the New Zealand Grasslands Association concluded that mowing or topping grazing pastures could lead to improvements in milk solid production and live weight gain,

a statistic backed by Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, indicating an increase in milk yields of up to 2kg/cow/day.

Commercial mowing and topping equipment manufacturer Trimax Mowing Systems suggest several points need to be considered when selecting a machine.

Looking at the nish, aim for a clean cut, good dispersal of the clippings across the full width of the machine and the ability to travel over contours without scalping. It also notes the need to factor in some adjustability, aiming to use it for topping or mowing, meaning it needs to offer a wide range of cutting heights.

Obviously, machine size will be dictated by tractor availability on the farm. Clever purchasers will also be on the lookout for machines that require minimal maintenance; if anything does go wrong, good service and parts support from their local dealer.

Trimax mowers has just released its new Topper S3, with the factory

claiming it cuts better, is more practical and easier to maintain. Looking at the machine in more detail, an automatic belt tensioner maintains constant tension on the belt, resulting in a better cut in heavy conditions and reducing belt wear, extending their working life.

For ease of maintenance, the latest machines offer improved access to roller-bearing grease nipples. Externally, new stand-on covers allow operators to access the rear of the tractor more easily when coupling the mower, while the improved latch system also makes accessing the drive area system a lot easier for maintenance purposes.

Your specialists in towbars, trailers, accessories and custom built trailers to suit your needs.

Napier, 4110 06 842 2257 | info@tableautowbars.co.nz

SIDE-BY-SIDE TRAILER

Trimax has just released its new Topper S3, with improved cutting and easy maintenance features

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VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Driving into agricultural history

by Andy Bryenton

The iconic red tractor that mechanised a vast swathe of Kiwi farmlands turns 100 this year, and Farmall fans, owners and collectors are celebrating, along with the brand owner Case IH.

It’s fair to say that in the race to mechanise agriculture and feed a growing population, the invention of International Harvester engineer Bert Benjamin was literally groundbreaking. That’s because breaking in new ground with harrows, ploughs and other implements was a task that the simple, dependable machine excelled at.

Bert penned the original Farmall in 1923 and followed it up with the bigger, beefier F series, perfect for larger farms. It was instrumental in the development of bigger implements, covering more ground, and ultimately feeding more people. Raymond Loewy gave the farmall a redesign in 1939, and during the second world war, production was high, as Farmalls toiled to feed allied soldiers, sailors and pilots. By 1947, one million had rolled off the assembly line.

From that time until the present day, there have been some big numbers and bigger accolades for the brand. The 560 model became the best-selling tractor in US history, for example, while the 1965 edition was the first to deliver more than 100 horsepower to row-cropping farmers. By 1974, five million Farmalls had been sold. More importantly, a huge number of those were still fully operational, even as they became vintage and collectable machines.

“The Farmall is a much-loved tractor right around the world, including Australia and New Zealand, where it fulfils a range of tasks in so many different farming operations,” said Seamus McCarthy, Case IH’s Australia and New Zealand product manager for mid-horsepower and compact tractors.

“Whether it’s a utility tractor for a broadacre operation, or the principal tractor for a small horticulture business, its importance and relevance across so

Anything… Anywhere… Anytime!

many decades are really unmatched for any other tractor model.”

The Farmall is not just a respected working machine. It’s also, thanks to its heritage and legacy, a favourite of collectors. Dargaville’s Kaipara Heritage Machinery Club boast examples in their collection, while private owners all over New Zealand maintain a large historic fleet, with the same dedication

hot rod owners lavish on their Cadillacs and Mercuries.

As we wish the Farmall a happy centennial, the range of tractors which have evolved from that first design remains popular.

There are currently 30 Farmalls to choose from, with new innovations keeping the classic brand fresh and highly relevant.

Tractor collector, restorer and Farmall fan Tom Horwood has 40 working examples of the classic red machines, including a prized 1920s survivor