Waikato Farming Lifestyles, November 2022

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Abundant Health Ltd

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Ag Parts NZ 07 889 7107

Ag Worx Milk and Water Systems — Forsi innovations 07 888 7524

AgDrive 0508 243 7483

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Bax Contractors Ltd 027 495 3108

Bayleys Real Estate Head Office 09 309 6020

Beck Helicopters Ltd 0800 336 644

Branderson Homes Ltd 07 827 3901

Broadway Funeral Homes 07 888 8333 / 0800 862 273

Burwood Nurseries Limited 07 838 3900

Calder and Lawson Tours 07 857 0367

Central Motors 1991 Ltd 07 883 8272

Cridge Seeds Head Office 03 324 3951

Dave Rowe Painter & Decorator 07 873 9104

Dominator Garage Door Centre Waikato 07 847 5527

EcoWorld 0800 109 202

Ezi-flo Pitgates 0800 226 974

Fernleaf Rams 07 895 4847

Go Karts Direct www.gokartsdirect.co.nz / 027 480 7611

Green Jersey Explorer Tours 0800 2 397567

Hasqvarna 09 920 2410

Health 2000 Te Awamutu 07 871 3777

Heliska Agricultural 0508 435 424

Henrys Septic Tank Service 07 888 6132

Holmes and Chittick Contracting Ltd 021 302 610

James R Hill Funeral Directors 07 855 5541

Karaka Tree Motel 07 378 2432

Keppler Motors (Haval Motors New Zealand) 09 270 3509

King Country Supplies Ltd 027 316 9054

Kiwi Cattlestops NZ Ltd 021 438 855

Kiwispan NZ King Country — HCL Construction 07 878 8154

Les Harrison Transport Limited 07 847 2074

Lockwood Group 07 347 7691

Masada 0508 62 72 32

Northland Experiences Limited 0800 245 364

NZ Equipment Group Ltd/Central Group 09 526 9150

Otorohanga Agri Machinery Ltd 07 873 7457

Outback 4x4 and Light Commercial Spares Ltd 07 824 9555

Philippa Wright Wool Merchants 06 858 9434

Piako Tractors & Mitsubishi Morrinsville 07 889 7055

R&L Drainage Limited 07 873 7545

River Run Products 07 873 8332

Scary Sharp and SIS Ballcocks 06 278 4578

Shed It 0508 274 3348

Slates Handyman Services Ltd 07 873 9000

South Waikato Garage Doors Ltd 07 886 8412

Sunshade & Mike Atwood Canvas Ltd 0800 SUNSHADE

Tableau Towbars 06 842 2257

TankMate 0508 826 562

Total Concrete Products Ltd 027 512 4631

Trowel Trades Supa Centre 07 849 3659

Tuatara Machinery Limited 03 347 4956 / 027 477 0070

Turangi Marine 07 386 8474

Vowles Transport Ltd 07 889 7485

Waikato Aviation 07 843 5655

Wilco 2003 Ltd 0800 4 WILCO

Workable Farm Safety 027 755 6501

World of Tyres 07 847 0330

Wright Wool Merchants 06 858 9434

ZTR Mowers Ltd 07 543 2700

by Paul Campbell

“The help, support and love our family has received from Hospice Waikato have been immeasurable,” Keiran said. “We feel as though we will never be able to say thank you or express our gratitude enough so fundraising to help them continue their amazing services is the least I could do.”

He expects the 12,000km journey to take approximately four to five months, travelling at around 120km a day. He will head north up the west coast around the top of the North Island, down the east coast to Wellington. From Picton, he will cruise along the west coast south to Invercargill and back up the east Coast of the South Island.

Prepared for spending Christmas on the road and the isolation his journey would bring, Powell was also welcoming any cyclists to join him for a leg where they could. “It would be great to see a friendly face out there to help me get through a few kilometres along the journey,” he said.

He was also asking any businesses or people along the coast that would be willing to help with donation boxes, put a roof over his head or supply a warm drink to get in touch. “At the end of the day, this isn’t for me, so any help received would be greatly appreciated by not just myself but Hospice staff, patients in palliative care and their families.”

“As an essential service, Hospice relies on the generosity of the public to make up a shortfall of nearly $82 million a year that the government does not provide, so every dollar raised will go a long way.”

The sole owner and employee of KP Building, Kieran will be giving up his business to complete The Long Way Home and hopes to raise as much money as he can for Hospice. Anyone interested in supporting and following the journey can check The Long Way Home Aotearoa on Facebook. His journey will be live-tracked on maprogress.com.

Keiran Powell is riding for hospice

“It would be great to see a friendly face out there to help me get through a few kilometres along the journey.”

A CHILDHOOD INTEREST

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

grew up helping dad on his farm, and that turned into a passion for farming, and I knew this was the lifestyle I wanted when raising my tamariki one day,” says Rameka.

“When I left school, I wanted a trade and pursued engineering. I gained my qualifications in Level 4 Heavy Fabrication and worked in engineering for seven years. My wife Sidney and I have two children, Taimana and Ava. After we had Ava was when I felt the land calling me back and I wanted the farming lifestyle for my whānau.

“I landed a shepherding job with Peter and Linda Harper in Honikiwi on their

700ha farm, and I worked there for three years working alongside them. I often looked after the farm while they were away, which helped prepare me for my current role with Reon and Wendy.

“I managed to build a strong team of dogs and upskilled in animal husbandry, stockmanship, fencing, pasture and feed management. I regret going into farming earlier, but my engineering experience has been beneficial for a variety of farm and mechanical needs.”

Rameka now runs 50/50 sheep and beef and has a range of stock classes on the Verry’s hill country property.

“My role involves stock rotations, pasture management, crop management of chicory to fatten lambs and kale to winter breeding cows, and general work. I also organise contractors such as vets, shearers and stock agents.”

The property is home to 2,200 Coopworth ewes and other stock.

“Fifteen hundred of these go to a Kelso Gold FE tolerant Coopworth ram while the

older ewes go to a Primera terminal ram. We keep 700 hoggets as replacements, and all other lambs are fattened or sold.

“There are 200 dairy grazers on farm and 150 Friesian x beef cross breeding cows that are mated to a Charolais bull. Heifers are sold at 12 months, and bull calves are finished on-farm. Replacement heifers and another 80 Friesian bulls are brought in to be finished.

Rameka and Sidney love sharing farm life with their children Taimana and Ava

Rameka Edwards was born in Te Awamutu and raised on sheep and beef farms around the area, and is currently the manager of Reon and Wendy Verry’s 560ha farms, Puketitiri and Waitete.

“I also train a Growing Future Farmers student, who is on-farm for two years, and I manage summer students as well. We enjoy the GFF student programme and encouraging young farmers to turn their passion into a career. I am also part of a farm manager’s discussion group run by Perrin Ag.

“I have completed my Level 4 Sheep and Beef Farm Management through Primary ITO and am currently completing Level 5 Sheep and Beef Production Management. When I had finished level four, my training adviser asked if I would

be interested in entering the Ahuwhenua Awards. I did some research and thought it would be interesting, so I did, and got my entry in at 4.55pm on the cutoff day.

“From there, the judges came and interviewed Reon and me. I made the final three, but I didn’t win, which was a shame because I am not too old to compete again, but the experience was phenomenal.

“We met people at the open days, and Sidney and I had a week in Hawke’s Bay doing workshops, including accounting

and Primary ITO, and we attended a few field trips. We don’t get off farm much, and Ahuwhenua certainly got us out of our comfort zone. It was really encouraging and built our confidence.

“Sid grew up in town, but her grandparents had a farm, and she spent all her time there with her horses. She did really well with showjumping until we had Tamiana. She helps me on-farm with docking and in the yards, and on weekends, Taimana and Ava come with us. I was sick a little while ago, and Sidney

did my jobs for me, which was awesome. Taimana wants his first dog, and Ava is mad about farm life already.

“In the future, we would love to get our own place and work together, but that is a long way off, and for now, we will grow our manager’s role. Moving on from here would be to manage a bigger block or a sole charge position, but we are happy here and have good support from Reon and Wendy. I can bounce ideas and get advice off Reon — they are great to work alongside.”

• Village lifestyle on Lake Waikare

• Designed by award-winning architects

• Open plan living with indoor-outdoor flow

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Rameka has been passionate about farming since he was a child helping his dad on-farm

Sidney often steps up to help Rameka with chores on the farm when he needs extra help

FAMILY TRADITION CONTINUES

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

“Iam a third-generation cowboy,” says Rodney.

“I am a drystock farm manager of a 2,000-acre property and still like to ride my horse to get in the stock when possible.

“The Limmer family is a well-known name in the New Zealand rodeo circuit. I am a member of the Waikato Rodeo Association and have cousins and uncles riding. The girls in the family have their parts as well, and my two younger brothers help out with handling the horses and other chores.

“My grandfather Brian had a string of horses, and my father Lance was in the rodeo and then became a pick-up rider. They work in the arena, picking up the cowboys and taking them from the arena

safely after their eight seconds of riding. Some people expertly dismount, but others find it easier to get straight on to the pick-up horse.

“We are proven stock contractors for the New Zealand Rodeo, and I supply the correct horses and bulls for these events, keeping the animals as safe as possible. I teach my horses to tie up and lead so they are easy to handle, and any new stock that is introduced to an arena is trained through the special health and safety programme.

“Barrel racing is a lot of fun with time jackpots to win, and there is a lot of adrenaline rush. We do training and practice days and have a lot of younger

people enjoying the events now. Young people like to learn from the older experienced competitors so they can continue with the sport.”

Barrel racing is when horse and rider race around barrels set out on the course vying for the best time.

“The horses are well looked after and are hard fed through winter and get supplements and balayage from December to March for the rodeo season to keep them nice and healthy. I like everyone to have a chance to win and present my stock well.

Born in Cambridge, Rodney Limmer has lived on a dry stock farm all his life and is the third generation of his family to be involved with horses.

The horses are trained and ready for riders to use at events such as barrel racing

“Stock know their job and are there to put on a show like athletes. Like a runner, they need to feel their best, to do their best, to the best of their ability, and we want a fair playing field for all riders. When I arrive at an event, a vet inspects them along with an animal welfare officer from the association.

“We have saddle bronc, or bareback horses, and numbers go in a hat for each cowboy. Many get to know the horses if they ride often and get to know their moves from watching others as well. If a horse gets a victory, that is a bonus for him, and it puts a smile on mine.

“The younger horses coming through have to be proven to be open horses.

When I was competing, there were about 30 bareback and 30 saddle bronc riders, so a lot of us missed out on placings. You have to be pretty good to be in the top four contestants.

“There are not so many stock riders now, but people from other walks of life are competing and enjoying a good, family day out. People love watching the barrel racing and team roping times. It gives young people a good interest, and everybody becomes like family and helps each other out.

“If you need help, someone is there. They help each other gear up their animals even though they are competing against each other — they help each other to win.

Beginners can come a long way in a short period of time. They start at a slow pace and gradually move their speed up as they gain confidence.

“Older horses know what to do, but the younger start slow as well. On the day it doesn’t matter if you don’t place, it is only the first four scores and fastest time, but you never know which day it will be your turn to win.

“Barrel racing really is a fun sport with everyone competing for a title while racing around the barrels aiming to win the gold buckle for the saddle.

“I have had more success at winning horse awards than riding, and with the

season starting on Labour Weekend, the teams are gearing up for a good year. My ultimate goal is to win 10 bucking halters with horses. I am sitting at nine now, and then I want to retire, but people say that I won’t retire because I love my horses too much.”

LIME SWEETENS SOIL

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

“More than 40 years on from me joining the business, the demand for the pioneering legacy my father created continues to grow. We have seen big improvements in soils and the livelihoods of the farmers along with it.

“That is the same reason my father did this job, and I guess it’s in the genes. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree

“With

boosting pH levels through applying lime. It maximises returns from money spent on fertiliser, reduces soil acidity and significantly increases availability of important plant nutrients — a key benefit of liming.

“I liken lime to being like a multipowered superhero, fostering optimum availability of all other nutrients, so it provides great bang for your buck. You only have to talk to farmers who have a regular liming programme to understand the benefits.

“We enjoy teaching people about soil, things like understanding that finetextured soils with higher clay content require more calcium to loosen the soil, whilst coarse-textured soils, with a higher sand content, require more magnesium in order to tighten the soil.”

The science, in a nutshell, is that positivelycharged ions are cations; negatively-charged ones are anions. The most common soil cations are calcium, magnesium, potassium, ammonium, hydrogen and sodium.

“It is also important to note that any cation in sufficient quantities will fill the cation

exchange sites on soil particles, reducing the space for other cations to do the same and therefore be available for plant uptake.

“For soils that have magnesium levels greater than 10–20 per cent, high or frequent rates of liming are required.

“Ultimately, to have well-functioning soils, it is important to check your soils’ base saturation magnesium and calcium values, not just the pH values, and more often than not apply lime. This starts with soil tests to check your soil health, so you know where to start.

Bryce says over the years, they have seen vast improvements in soils and the livelihoods of the farmers

Jim Manderson began the Avoca Lime Company nearly 75 years ago, helping farmers to improve the health of their soil, and now his son Bryce cares for the company.

“Lime itself, calcium carbonate, provides calcium to soil and plants.

Calcium ensures efficient plant uptake of water and nutrients, carbohydrate storage in plant leaves, nodulation and nitrogen fixation in legumes, and encourages earthworm activity.

“If soils are too acid or alkaline, nutrients already existing in the soil, or have been added via fertilisers over the years, will not be available to plants.

Rainfall and plant-soil interactions naturally increase soil acidity. Agricultural landowners are further reducing their

soils’ pH through the abundant use of fertilisers, particularly nitrogen, phosphorous, or sulphur-based fertilisers.

“These factors steer our soil pH levels below what is required for optimal nutrient availability. Applying lime will increase the pH of your soils, creating conditions for greater nutrient availability, and therefore increased productivity.”

The cost of nitrogen fertilisers are only going up, and atmospheric nitrogen is abundant and free, so it makes sense to use it by applying lime to get those bacteria working.

“Remember, sulphur is required by plants in similar amounts to phosphorus,” says Greer.

“Liming not only increases soil pH to that which is optimal for sulphur availability to plants but increases microbial activity to release sulphur from organic matter, the major proportion of sulphur in most soils.

“I have been brought up knowing the importance of liming. Now I am passionate about getting messages across regarding the benefits of it, and I am proud of what my dad does and am grateful that we get to work together in the passions we share. Avoca will continue to help build healthy soils in the future.”

Do I contribute to climate change?

by Jane Gray

How many of us ask this question — or are we just blaming others?

Farmers are the main source of climate change if we are to believe everything we hear and see. However, they are also the primary source of most of our food.

Yes, I have a veggie garden, but I can’t grow meat in my backyard, and shock horror, I am a meat eater. I do not want to eat plant-based substitutes, so apparently, people like me have added to the problem.

I have quite a large section that I would like to run chickens on but won’t because of stray cats and dogs, and really, freerange chooks would run amuck in town, and free-range is the only way.

I have planted lots of trees, both native and exotic. Do they count toward carbon tax credits? I also plant to attract bees, much to my rather allergic partner’s dismay, but we all must make some sacrifices. So that must be a mark in my favour. On the flip side, I spray a little and use some slug bait in the veggie garden. That’s a negative.

I catch water to take care of my gardens during the summer. I also catch my grey water to do the same. Is that a tick in the good column? I do use air conditioning,

and I am not very good at recycling, so I guess that puts me on the ‘adding to global warming’ list.

I try to shop and avoid plastic as much as possible. I make a lot of my own clothes. That has to be a plus, although power is required to run the machine, so they probably cancelled each other out.

It would seem to me the best thing a townie like myself can do is support our rural industry. It’s the most efficient in the world, and it’s better if our milk, meat and veg come from here than countries that are more polluting or further off, so food has to travel, costing fuel. Perhaps if all the vegetation on farms was counted honestly, farmers take care of the environment better than most townies.

Support our local economy, which should drive competition and reduce imports.

Where is the Chondroitin?

(Part two)

by John Arts, Abundant Health

In the

last

edition,

I

asked why most

New Zealand-made

osteoarthritis support supplements have little or no chondroitin sulphate (CS).

The research in favour of CS is overwhelming. So much so, that CS is listed as a prescription medicine by the European Medical Agency. The daily dosage recommendation is 800mg, which is the dosage I use in my joint supplement, where I combine CS with 800mg of glucosamine and 100mg of curcumin extract (from turmeric).

Some experts suggest CS has more than 30 positive effects on joints. These are changes that create cartilage (anabolic) and those that prevent the destruction of cartilage (anti-catabolic). Cells called chondrocytes are responsible for repairing, maintaining, and secreting cartilage. They produce CS as it is an important part of joint capsule fluid (synovial fluid) and actual cartilage.

CS is critical as it helps chondrocytes to repair damaged cartilage. If these cells are damaged or die, the cartilage they maintain will eventually disintegrate. The second role of CS is preventing the loss of chondrocytes from

damage by destructive enzymes and free radicals.

That is all great in theory, but what are the impacts of adding therapeutic doses of CS in someone with advanced osteoarthritis?

Earlier this year, I was contacted by someone in her mid-70s with severe OA in one knee and moderately severe in the other. It affected her mobility, and was unable to walk any distance. I started her on my standard OA programme based on an intensive dose of my joint supplement and omega-3 fish oil to reduce inflammation.

After two months, she noticed her knees were more comfortable. Now, after six months, the pain has significantly reduced, and she can now walk freely. For more information, give me a call or email john@abundant.co.nz. You can read my newsletter at abundant. co.nz.

John Arts is a qualified nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health. Contact John on 0800 423 559. To read more go to sunlive.co.nz.

“Support our local economy, which should drive competition and reduce imports.”

Slow release rock provides strong option in sensitive catchments

rare consignment of Reactive Phosphate Rock (RPR), scheduled to arrive in New Zealand, for application between February and May next year, should receive a keen welcome from hill country sheep and beef farmers.

Ravensdown Fertiliser Manager Greg Costello said the product, sourced from mines in northern Peru offers particular benefits in sensitive localities.

“Early analysis has determined this as a superior quality product, providing a slow-release form of phosphorus. Expectations are for citric solubility of greater than 40 per cent, making Ravensdown’s RPR one of, if not the highest, citric solubility product in the market.”

“For adherence to Farm Environment Plans in sensitive catchments, RPR is particularly beneficial, minimising environmental impact. Its citric solubility reduces the potential risk of phosphorus leaching into waterways. For anyone following regenerative or organic farming principles, or otherwise looking for an effective natural alternative

to single superphosphate, RPR is a smart option, building resilience into the farming system,” he says.

Along with her husband Gundy, Lisa Anderson farms a 2720 hectare 7000 stock unit Bog Roy Station on the Ahuriri arm of Lake Benmore, near Omarama. As Lisa explains, their land use takes advantage of RPR.

Reduce Phosphate Runoff

A natural alternative for sensitive catchments.

Ravensdown RPR is a win-win for hill country farmers’ sustainability and productivity goals.

• Slow-release action reduces risk of P loss into waterways

• Market leading citric solubility

For more information about Ravensdown RPR, call our Customer Centre today.

“As we farm beside the lake, in a red zone catchment that has been capped for nitrogen and phosphate, to remain economically viable requires smart use of the best tools in the toolbox. We have been using RPR for the last four years. It helps reduce our environmental footprint.”

“While some were sceptical when we started using it, those misgivings proved unfounded, and our productivity has remained consistent. In a high rainfall area with acidic soils, a slow release phosphate works well, and we use it

on our irrigated paddocks. Some others in our district are required to use RPR to comply with the conditions of their meat processing contracts, so it is doubly beneficial for them.”

“Aside from the regulations, we enjoy taking our children to swim in the lake, so are motivated to protect the water quality for that reason. RPR is an excellent option for our farm, helping underpin our productivity without compromising the environment,” says Lisa.

We have been using RPR for the last four years. It helps reduce our environmental footprint.

David ‘Gundy’ and Lisa Anderson have been successfully using RPR.

A naturally better gift

All anyone wants for Christmas is a good night’s sleep, and what makes for a good night’s sleep? A healthy sleep environment that’s breathable, free from allergens and chemicals, and keeps us at a perfect temperature.

The Wright Wool Pillow is the perfect blend of luxury and practicality for a healthier sleep, home and planet.

The 100% renewable, recyclable and biodegradable New Zealand Joma Wool® pearl lling is scienti cally proven to help you fall asleep faster and for longer and absorbing harmful VOCs to improve indoor air quality for a healthier home.

It has been cleverly engineered through a unique crimping process to maintain its soft, bouncy shape and give added volume without weight, for the most comfortable sleep you can imagine.

Naturally hypoallergenic, the Wright Wool Pillow is perfect for allergy and

asthma sufferers, with many claiming their symptoms eased signi cantly after making the switch.

“I bought one of these pillows, and it’s fantastic. I am very sensitive to chemicals, and when you read what the average pillow is made of and where it’s made, it’s alarming. I love how you can take some of the wool out to get it exactly how you like it.” — C Murney, Veri ed Customer

“I am really impressed with the Wright Wool Pillow. It offers a sustainable product that delivers a comfortable and healthy night’s sleep.” — Dr Richard Laing, Respiratory and Sleep Physician

For a naturally better gift this Christmas, choose the Wright Wool Pillow.

For a naturally better gift this Christmas, choose the Wright Wool Pillow

A sustainable Kiwi Christmas

by Piper Robson

Don’t be an environmental Grinch this Christmas with these ideas for a low-impact holiday season.

December is looming, and so is the environmental tax brought on by Christmas festivities. Thankfully there’s no need to fear, as it’s now easier than ever to enjoy the holiday season without contributing to harmful over-consumption.

When it comes to gift-giving, sustainable alternatives can ease the stress of running around the mall or tediously wrapping items. Buying secondhand toys, games and gifts from your local op-shop or TradeMe can reduce the amount of plastic packaging that often comes with brand-new items.

If pre-loved isn’t for you, head out and support your local small businesses and Christmas markets for unique, quality gifts. Another environmentally friendly gift idea: consumables and experiences. Spa treatments, movie tickets, seasoned salt; you name it, there is something out there for everybody.

Since wrapping paper, sellotape and plastic ribbons can’t be recycled, gift wrapping is one of the most environmentally taxing aspects of the season. A great swap for wrapping can be scarves, reusable tote bags or bandanas. Jars and tins work wonders for smaller gifts, handmade items and baking.

Decking the halls can also be more sustainable. When decorating your Christmas tree, ditch the tinsel and glitter in favour of popcorn garlands, dried orange slices or flowers. Not only do these low-waste swaps look great, but the whole family can get involved with making decor that keeps them off the naughty list.

To tree or not to tree? If you own an artificial tree, don’t throw it out. Keep using and maintaining it every year, as they need to be used around 20 times before its impact is equal to the real thing. When buying real trees, it’s good to know how to dispose of them properly. Using the trees for mulch in the garden or replanting the tree altogether is a great way to reduce negative impact.

Everyone loves Christmas day lunch, but they don’t love adding to the 125,000 tonnes of plastic food wrappers discarded during Christmas. When preparing your Christmas spread, shop local and inseason produce to support your local farmers and lower the amount of travelling done to buy your ingredients.

Avoid single-use plates, glasses and cutlery on the table by offering the real thing. To avoid food waste, fight the urge to prepare a feast if it isn’t necessary. Lock down those RSVPs and your menu to lessen the size of the meal and the bill.

Be sustainable this Christmas by using decorations such as popcorn garlands as a way to decrease waste

“Since wrapping paper, sellotape and plastic ribbons can’t be recycled, gift wrapping is one of the most environmentally taxing aspects of the season.”

Explore the Loire by bike

Dear France, it has been a while. Escape the hustle and bustle of your normal

trip of a lifetime and explore the elegant, quiet side of life in the Loire Valley.

Famed for the Chateau juxtaposition against troglodyte caves, calm cycle paths and quiet country roads.

Kick off your adventure in tours — a university town between France’s Cher and Loire rivers. Meander through the historic quarter with its cobbled streets and half-timbered houses — don’t miss the bustling Place Plumereau. Visit the stunning Saint-Gatien Cathedral with its amboyant Gothic facade and the new Olivier Debré Contemporary Art Centre. For museum lovers, head to the quirky Musée du Compagnonnage. It’s the only one of its kind in the world, dedicated to trades guilds.

Roam alongside the magni cent Loire River, savouring the many châteaux and charming country manor houses along the way. The tranquillity of this great river, the longest in France, charms with its thickets, leafy hedgerows, elds and pastures, isolated hamlets and farms. The river is also an oasis for a large variety of maritime and continental birds that we can watch while grazing on a baguette with a glass of red wine.

The Bec du Cher signals the con uence of the Cher and Loire rivers. The Château

d’Ussé is known as the Sleeping Beauty. There is the option of visiting the château for those who aren’t frightened by fairy tales and legends.

Turquant is famous for its troglodyte caves. Some former mines and cave dwellings have been transformed into craftsman’s workshops, while others serve as wine cellars. Turquant is at the heart of the largest troglodyte network in the world, and we take ample time to explore.

Following the Maine upstream, we ride into the heart of Angers. Here we discover the old town and its château, the Maison d’Adam, a 15th-century half-timber house, and its spectacular cathedral Cathedrale Saint-Maurice d’Angers with its amazing leadlight windows.

Travel with Green Jersey Explorer Tours for seven days and seven nights, August 4–11 2023. You can choose to hop aboard for a week or combine it with a week in the heart of Burgundy or the French Alps.

Explore the Loire Valley with Green Jersey Explorer Tours

“The Bec du Cher signals the con uence of the Cher and Loire rivers.”

by

Junior motocross Christmas picks

With so many dirt bikes on the market for the children this festive season, Santa has some tough decisions to make.

When it comes to buying your little ones their first dirt bike, there’s a lot to take into consideration. You want to know that the machine you’re investing in will provide hours and hours of fun, and as few tears as possible. When approaching which bike to pick, two options unanimously agreed upon as the best bikes for your young ones.

A tried and true classic, the Yamaha PW50 is a peewee staple that has given many motocross riders their start in the sport. Introduced in the 1980s, the PW50 has seen very few changes throughout the years, making finding parts for it relatively easy. Boasting an automatic two-stroke engine and super low seat height, this bike is easy to maintain and even easier to ride.

The low weight of 40kg and throttle stop screws add to the machine’s safety, and the children will have an easy time figuring out the bike’s balance when starting out. The fully automatic two-speed transmission takes the distractions out of learning to ride the bike. A clear layout and lack of foot controls make it even easier to concentrate on driving without compromising overall safety. This bike is great for young and small riders just starting out.

Another classic bike, the Honda CRF50, has been a family favourite since 2004. Also largely unchanged during the last decade, this little bike is robust and reliable. The engine is 50cc with a key start ignition and adjustable throttle limiter, making it safe and easy to supervise.

The CRF50 has a smoother four-stroke motor than the PW50 and an automatic clutch. This bike is quiet and reliable and isn’t intimidating for young riders. The only drawback to the PW30 and the CRF50 is the kickstarter, which may be difficult for smaller riders to use. It does, however, come with the added bonus of not worrying about dead batteries as you would with electric start models.

This bike makes it easy to transition into more powerful bikes with front and rear brakes, front brake on the right handle and rear brake underfoot. These things are built to last, so even secondhand models are worth investing in this Christmas.

Both of these tried and true classic bikes strike a balance between safety, fun, and durability. They’re easy to use and make the perfect beginner bike for your first-time rider.

Piper Robson

The Yamaha PW50 is a classic beginner’s dirt bike

Young riders love the Honda CRF50

A rural Christmas

by Jane Gray

Christmas on the farm made for a very busy time leading up to Santa’s visit.

Getting ready to have a relaxed Christmas day with family and friends was a blasted lot of work leading up to the day.

Haymaking, for instance. In my day, it was conventional square bales and lots of manual labour to pick them up. Great fundraisers for rugby clubs and a lot of time for me in the kitchen making sure there was lots of food to keep the boys going (plus a cold one or two to finish off what was generally very hot afternoons).

Checking sheep for flystrike and dipping as required made me realise that maggots are bloody horrible little creatures. Pushing sheep into a shower dip did tend to cause a lot of expletives between myself and the dog, which never seemed to be where I wanted it at the time. I recall my husband laughing at the burst of anger radiating from me. It’s just as well he was on the other side of the dip running it; otherwise, he may have been pushed into the shower himself.

Having lambs ready for the Christmas market was a big job. I could never understand the need for lamb on the table at Christmas. But who was I to argue, especially when you got premium prices? Nevertheless, give me a hogget or ‘two-tooth’ any day of the week for flavour, and they are not as cute as a lamb.

Christmas day in the cowshed was probably my least favourite thing to do. You have to get up about the same time as

Santa is expected, and go and get the cows in, who, by the way, have no idea you just want everything to go smoothly, so you can get in and open presents with everyone and relax for the rest of the day. Evidently, it is the day that mayhem rules supreme.

One year, one of the cows was unhappy with her place in the row, so she thought she would move forward, which was not all right at all. We had cows pushed out into the pit and over the breast rail just so this one cow got to her desired position. It’s amazing how quickly she caused that amount of chaos, and let’s just say unhappy cows lead to a lot of effluent everywhere, and all I’m thinking about is the family that will be waking for breakfast, and I’m covered in cow poop, and the butt of the joke for the rest of the day, excuse the pun.

Another Christmas day came to find the bulls leaving their harem of girls to venture to the neighbour’s farm, ignoring the electric fence in the process to get to the object of their desire. The plus side was that we didn’t have anything they were interested in, but the downside was that the neighbour didn’t want them to be interested in his heifers, either. So there was not just the cost of a fence but a vet’s bill as well; a bloody expensive Christmas, that one.

Some of the things I did enjoy were memorable. One was my daughter yelling from the house to say ‘merry Christmas’

Come on ladies — it’s Christmas after all

and to hurry up. As she got older, she would come out to the shed all excited about the day ahead. The radio messages from everyone thanking those who had to work on Christmas day always made you feel part of something bigger. Another favourite was

Christmas carols on the radio. Being in the milking shed was the only time I got away with listening and joining in, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m not sure about the cows or the husband, but he suffered in silence; after all, it was Christmas.

anti-corrosion treatment; Equipped with 2WD/4WD, diff locks; Huge towing & carrying capacity; Equipped with a catalytic converter for low emission operation;

Poll says ‘put limits on carbon forests’

by Andy Bryenton

Beef + Lamb New Zealand and Federated Farmers have conducted their own extensive research and found that the majority of Kiwis want limits placed on carbon credit forestry.

The research commissioned by Federated Farmers (FF) and Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) found 54 per cent of New Zealanders support a limit on the amount of fossil fuel emissions that can be offset with new pine forests.

That figure covers not just rural citizens but those in large urban centres as well, the demographic most likely to not apprehend the magnitude of the economic crisis that carbon forestation could cause.

Almost two-thirds of Kiwis oppose foreign companies buying New Zealand farms to offset their emissions.

“The fundamental problem driving carbon afforestation is the current ETS settings and the Overseas Investment

Office’s special forestry test both of which desperately needs reviewing,” says FF Taranaki provincial president and national board member Mark Hooper.

“New Zealand is currently the only country in the world to allow 100 per cent offsetting of fossil fuel emissions within the ETS,” said Feds chief executive Andrew Hoggard.

“The European Union only allows 10 per cent and California eight per cent. Clearly, the New Zealand Government hasn’t woken up to this fact. We (FF and B+LNZ) also want to explore the introduction of further changes to the Overseas Investment Office, limits on whole farms being converted into exotics going into the permanent category of

the ETS, and changes to the Resource Management Act.”

It comes as another study, by Orme Associates, proves that New Zealand lawmakers have created a loophole that is being exploited to our detriment. A total of 52,000 hectares of land was purchased by forestry interests in 2021, a 36 per cent increase from the previous two years and up from 7,000 hectares in 2017. This land, if forested for carbon credits, becomes of no benefit to the local economy. Credits are traded by foreign interests and will often go to offset ongoing foreign pollution, which is therefore disincentivised to stop.

“It is not recommended at an international level to allow emitters to offset 100% of their emissions and it makes little sense to convert productive farmland into forestry for carbon harvesting creating land permanently lost to future food production,” says Mark.

It’s also much more than the 25,000 hectares a year of exotics that the Climate Change Commission has suggested are needed to achieve New Zealand’s climate change objectives.

“We have scope within our existing sheep and beef systems to plant strategically to allow farmers to generate the carbon credits.”

If limits were emplaced, carbon neutrality could still easily be reached, with forests planted where they could do actual good, for example, on erosionprone sloping land, the site of less than

one-fifth of current planting. Opponents of the government’s emissions trading scheme opine that Kiwi farms may already be carbon neutral. Current legislation deliberately leaves out most carbonsequestering flora grown on farms from its calculations, which has angered farmers.

Federated Farmers spokesperson Andrew Hoggard and his allies at Beef + Lamb New Zealand have released survey results which show public support for strict limits on carbon afforestation

Try ying with Waikato Aviation

The team at Waikato Aviation offers a vast variety of ying options, including scenic and aerobatic ights as well as starter packs for people wanting to take the controls.

“With summer now here, we would love to see people, including farmers, come and take a scenic ight and enjoy the views from above. They may nd they would be interested in learning to y too,” says training manager Kelsey McInnes.

Founded in 1933, Waikato Aviation (Waikato Aero Club) continues to provide air charter and ight training services, holding a front-row position at Hamilton International Airport.

“From aspiring pilots to those with a desire to explore the region’s skies with friends, family and for business, we have a heritage built on the pioneering spirit of our founders.

“We have a reputation for safety, reliability and service, with a vast range of opportunities for people to y in a light aircraft with our experienced pilots.

“I grew up on a dairy farm myself, and I know my dad hardly ever leaves the property, but I would encourage farmers to take a break and get up in the air on a scenic ight. It is a nice way to view your land. It is a different

perspective from above, and you get off farm, and can see your pasture, crops and stock from the air.

“I know a lot of farmers need a reason to take a day out, and if you y, you get to take the controls as well, giving you the opportunity to consider taking ying lessons yourself. It gives people a real thrill, especially over the summer period.

“Flights make great Christmas, birthday and thank you gifts too. The experience beats a pair of socks or jocks, and we will be running a few deals over the Christmas period, so keep an eye on our website waikatoaviation.co.nz, or keep up to date on our Facebook and Instagram pages.

“Post-Covid, the ying industry is ramping up again, and it is a nice time for people looking for a career change to consider aviation as an option. We cater for a variety of needs and requests, and all the options we have are on the website.

”We have a cafe on site as well, and if you ask me, a ight and then a coffee always works.”

Kelsey McInnes with a student learning to fly at Waikato Aviation

A present that’s timeless

by Andy Bryenton

When young people are asked about which toys they want for Christmas, the same answer comes up at the top of the list year after year.

While big US department stores take this kind of information very seriously indeed, they almost universally leave computer game systems off the list of true toys, perhaps because they are an electronics item or due to their popularity with grown-ups.

Year after year, even as certain action figures from hit movies and trends such as yo-yos, battle tops, trading cards and model cars come and go, the king of the Christmas tree is still the bicycle.

There are so many reasons for this that there are papers in child psychology written about the importance of bikes to youngsters. Some are so academic to be downright obscure. Other suggestions hit closer to home and fit with the memories many mums and dads have of their first bike.

It’s a big and unmistakable present, no matter how it’s wrapped. Just seeing that shape swathed in paper and ribbons is enough to spark excitement and bring back recollections of tearing the wrapping off a BMX or ten-speed back in the 1980s. Speaking of that decade and that style, the advent of the BMX, with all its attendant social cool, was the era when the bicycle first topped the Christmas charts. To have a bike like that,

or, in the 1970s, the banana-seated, tallhandlebar chopper, was to be a prince of the playground.

For many children, a bicycle means time spent with mum and dad, learning to ride and joining family excursions. There’s a lot of bonding and bravery in that inevitable moment when your parents put sticking plasters on your minor scrapes and urge you to get back on there and ride.

For others, it was the key to a first job, delivering papers like this one. A young person with paper-run pocket money could rule the ‘spacies’ arcade, and save up for the time when they wanted to trade that bike for a first car. The walk to school could become a quicker ride and adventures with friends could range further afield, especially in the days before mobile phones, when cycling home before the streetlights came on was a game in itself.

Ask any young person, no matter how old they’ve become, and you’ll hear that a bike is a bit of freedom and independence. Those psychology papers mentioned earlier even go so far as to suggest that it’s formative in teaching us that with the right tools looked after, we can go anywhere.

There’s a reason bicycles are the top gift year after year in polls of Santa’s ‘most wanted’

Technology has changed, and modern bikes for youngsters are more capable than ever. Still, choosing the right one is important, so when

you deliver the ultimate Christmas present (or Santa does it for your family), you are off to a safe and confident start.

by Amy Fifita

Sure, we have the cliched beach Christmas in New Zealand, but with agriculture being a massive push for our country’s economy, why not have a barnyard Christmas? Invite all your townie relatives out to your farm and show them, with pride, what country life is all about. It can give your mental health a boost too. With summer being the season of droughts, it is important to prepare, and stay positive and resilient. That way you don’t have to stress out, and focus on what you’re here for; family is one of them. Rid them of phones and tablets for a while so they can soak in the fresh air and allow them to explore a recall and wholesome way of life. Enjoy and revel in each other’s company, as opposed to ignoring each other in the same room because of the latest video of some pop icon or youtube figure. Bring them back to the good old days when life was simpler and enjoyable — the farm is perfect for that.

Get out the hay bales and allow your town guests and relatives have a blast in country style. The bonus of hosting outside or in a barn is that you don’t have to worry about the dignity of the carpet.

In the muggy heat of a Kiwi summer, a bit of shade and a breeze while eating your meals can be a saviour.

The benefit is that there is plenty of room for the children to play around without the caution of having precious or sentimental ornaments knocked off the shelves. They can always help feed the animals and get a chance to see where their food comes from — not from the supermarket shelves.

If you’re feeling generous, get the safety gear out for a spin on the quads or bikes. Make sure to supervise and educate them on safe usage. Younger ones might enjoy a tractor ride to marvel at the machinery or novelty of being on-farm. Give them a dose of the rural lifestyle. Everyone will hopefully enjoy the experience of having a wholesome day and being present together.

Plan now and have a happy rural Christmas surrounded by family

“Children get a chance to see where their food comes from — not from the supermarket shelves.”

by Andy Bryenton

Folklore is a funny thing, and the hodge-podge of myths, traditions and stories which have come down to us to create the character of Santa Claus contains a kernel of truth; Christmas is about celebrating farming.

While Saint Nicholas, a major part of the image of modern Santa, was the patron saint of sailors rather than those who work the land, a big part of the image of the jolly, portly chap in red comes from two of the old pre-Christian gods of Europe. In fact, the word ‘jolly’ references the festival which ties one of them to farming and the fertility of the land, Yule.

In olden times, Odin, the father of Thor, was depicted as Julnyr, the bringer of joy in midwinter. With a long white beard, fur-trimmed coat, and a flying horse, this mythic figure visited Norse and Germanic villages to deliver gifts of food. In the middle of winter, it was traditional to hold a big feast, ensuring the return of spring, and farmers in those latitudes took this very seriously.

The ‘gifts’ of Yule were really a contribution from the stores of each farmer to boost the morale of the whole village at a hard time. Most would have truly believed that by honouring Odin, they ensured that winter would end and their fields would grow again.

Farming was hard graft in France, Ireland and Britain too, and a Yule festival was part of the tradition in those lands. Their legendary figure, which has fed into

the Santa myth, is Cernunnos, the forest god, who makes a cheeky appearance in Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol as the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Like the old god of the Celts, who was revered as master of wild beasts and the woods, Dickens’ ghost is a huge, bearded man with a crown of oak leaves dressed in forest green. Later depictions called him the Green Man, but his other association is with the wild hunt, a supernatural event said to happen in midwinter, right on Christmas.

The real ‘wild hunt’ came from the tradition of farmers needing to put extra food on the table in a harsh winter. The menfolk of a village would ride out into the forest to seek game, and they appealed to Cernunnos for help and to apologise for taking wild animals out of season. It’s no wonder that when Celts and Norsemen intermingled, the hunter god and Odin became entwined. The idea of a big, bearded, fur-coated man delivering gifts of food in late December became part of our heritage.

Back then, as today, Christmas or Yuletide was about gathering with family and friends to have a feast. It’s just that then, feasting in the middle of an icy winter

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

eyer Gouda began when mum and dad visited a monastery in Postel, a tiny village in the South of the Netherlands, where monks produced handmade gouda cheese,” says general manager Miel.

“They found it inspiring, and dad enrolled in a gouda cheese course run by Dutch cheese master Mr G Elings. They decided to start a factory in the hay shed on my grandparents’ property where they lived. They made their very first young farmhouse gouda in July 1976 while they were still building the factory.

“Everything was done by hand, and every cent they earned went into the factory. Mr Elings often visited and discussed how cheese should taste, feel, and smell and how to make the best cheese and talk cheese.”

Ben and Sophia decided to apply to immigrate to New Zealand as many Dutch people were encouraged to.

“We arrived here in 1984. I was a baby and my siblings Geert and Fieke were four and two. Dad chose Waikato because it was the heart of the New Zealand dairy industry. He was well aware that the population spread was here, and it is the

trunk line from Auckland to Wellington, again reducing the cost for products to get to supermarkets.

“They settled on a five-acre block in Cambridge and quickly set up their cheese production. At first, they struggled

with the New Zealand milk because Kiwi dairy cows’ milk composition differed dramatically from the Netherlands.

“The first year, they produced some very bad cheeses, but a Dutch cheese maker in Mercer helped them sort out the issues.”

Meyer Gouda Cheese Ltd was established by Ben and Sophia Meyer when they came to New Zealand from the Netherlands in 1984, bringing their cheese-making talent with them.

Miel Meyer with his dad Ben at the NZ Specialist Cheesemakers Awards

To control their milk supply, the Meyers purchased their own farm five years later, a decision paramount to business today.

“Our parents are very focussed on animal welfare, and we run a share milking situation with the goal to be completely sustainable or a system one with a low stocking rate, moving away from controversial supplements and feeding off our own platform only. We source our goat and sheep milk elsewhere.

“Even eating turnips is a no-no because the flavour comes straight through the milk. We prefer predominantly rye grass with a good mix of herbs. We only focus on gouda rather than spreading our experience thin. We make 70 tonnes a year and what we send to market is the best we can do.

“Meyer Gouda Cheese is now one of the most awarded companies in New Zealand. I took over as manager when our parents retired in 2007. I was 24 years old and knew nothing about business.

“The one thing dad told me was to ‘focus on quality, and the other things would take care of themselves. Let people try an excellent product, and they will come back for more’, and that is true. In August 2011, my brother Geert returned from the Netherlands as our head cheese maker.

“All of our staff are instrumental in ensuring the cheese arrives at the quality level we expect. There is no secret except taking your time. Like bread and bacon, it is easy to make, but the ones that do it well take their time.

“We still make mistakes, but we have a deep understanding of milk composition. A tiny change with the touch, smell or feel of milk when it arrives is important. That is why a single source is important. We know the cows are not under stress, what they eat, and the condition of the farm.

“When I was young, I disliked working in the business because when my friends went to the beach, I had to turn cheese. Now

I have children and appreciate representing what my parents started in Holland, and when you have the same name as the business, pride comes with that.

“It is important our staff have an enjoyable future too, and we are planning on doubling our production floor to increase our growth and international product requests, so if anyone wants to be a cheese maker, give us a call.

“I still have lunch with my parents daily, we talk cheese, and they criticise me when necessary, and I love that because you can’t disregard their experience. They keep me grounded, and I am fully aware that I still have lots to learn.

“We are looking forward to progressing Meyer Gouda Cheese Ltd. Mum opened her cheese shop years ago, and we are now spread across 300 different stores nationwide. It hasn’t been easy, but nothing worth doing is easy.”

Our team of call out technicians are ready 24/7 to help you get back into action and for any maintenance requirements you may have.

“We don’t see problems, we see solutions.”

29 West Street Hamilton 07 846 6260 admin@megafluid.co.nz

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Arlo Meyer with his cousin Alex on the family farm with their pet cow Daisy

Ben and Sophia Meyer began making cheese in Holland before moving to New Zealand in 1983