Coast & Country - January 2019 by Sun Media

Meet 29-year-old Cameron Barrie, who works as a rural contractor in the Waikato. He has a passion for machinery, and an instinct for the art of haymaking – just as retirees Jim Martin and Tom Smith did back in their heyday. So what’s changed in 70 years? Nowadays silage and haylage have overtaken hay in popularity, but Cameron says it’s still an important part of a rural contractor’s year. Read more on pages 38-39. Photo: Slatzcon Photography.

A&P Shows PAGE 12-13

Dairy PAGE 14-17

Farm Vehicles PAGE 21-23

Country Living PAGE 25-27

Avocados PAGE 31-33

Fertiliser PAGE 34-35

Forestry PAGE 40-41

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Roping in livestock rustling a must Livestock rustling has been happening in our rural communities for as long as I can remember – and it’s high time more was done to deter would-be thieves.

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Growing up on a dairy farm we had stock go missing, so did the neighbours – but as much as landowners tried to find out what happened to their high-value assets, including getting Police involved, many cases didn’t go much further. It was as if you had to accept ‘lost’ stock as a part of farming. Just last month, leading up to Christmas, I had an interviewee tell me he’d seen three beef stock, which had just been delivered to his yards, disappear overnight. Rightly so, he was not happy about it. News of the Coalition Government introducing a Supplementary Order Paper on the Crimes Amendment Bill to crack down on livestock rustling will be welcomed by farmers nationwide. Federated Farmers estimates the cost of theft of livestock to the farming community is more than $120 million every year, and a survey indicates about one-quarter of their members had stock stolen in the last five years. Justice Minister Andrew Little says the SOP proposes two new offences be added to the Crimes Act. The first is theft of livestock, or other animal, carrying a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment.

The second new offence is unlawful entry to land used for agricultural purposes, where the offender intends to steal livestock or act unlawfully against speciﬁed things, such as buildings or machinery, on that land. This offence carries up to 10 years’ imprisonment. The Primary Production Committee – particularly National’s Ian McKelvie and Labour’s Kieran McAnulty – provided bipartisan assistance to government in addressing the issue, says Andrew. And he’s grateful “that every party has indicated they will support that procedural motion”. Ian, Rangitikei’s MP, is pleased his bill has been adopted by government as an SOP. “More recently, the risk to farms of Mycoplasma bovis spreading through stock theft has added strength to the call to take action.” Ian says livestock rustling also creates a risk to people’s safety in rural NZ, as rustlers are often armed and equipped with tools to assist them. “Farming families can also suffer psychological effects from stock thefts, and it can even lead to mistrust among fellow locals.” Ian wants rural New Zealanders to feel safe and says: “this law change sends a strong message to potential rustlers that these acts are abhorrent, and that if caught, you can expect the full treatment”. Let’s hope those who think they can get away with such an act get the message – loud and clear. Merle Foster

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Page 3

Overseer needs transparency – report Councils can continue using tool but must be wary of its limitations PCE report highlights many shortcomings with Overseer – particularly for use as a regulatory tool – pinpointing issues FF “has been raising for some time”. “Even for types of farming systems and geography within models that have been calibrated, actual results for nitrogen losses can be 25-30 per cent off the mark – in either direction. Outside these calibration ranges, results can be up to 50 per cent inaccurate. “The signiﬁcant inherent inaccuracies in the Overseer model means that is very unfair when the model is used

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If Overseer is to be suitable for use in regulation to help clean up New Zealand’s rivers and lakes then a large measure of transparency is needed, says Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Simon Upton.

to regulate farming activity central to farmers’ livelihoods, and even more importantly to mount prosecutions. “FF agrees with the PCE that Overseer needs more government investment, third-party peer review, greater transparency; and most particularly Overseer should not be used to assign absolute limits to discharges on farm activities, that can then be traded.” Reaction to the report has been mostly supportive of the PCE recommendations. See page 28 for more on this topic.

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are not open for review, and some gaps and shortcomings need to be addressed. Hence, Peter recommends that if the Government wants to see Overseer used as a regulatory tool, then it needs to address a number of issues. These include: commissioning a comprehensive evaluation to ensure the Overseer model is independently peer reviewed, and is subject to sensitivity and uncertainty analysis; providing greater transparency Delivering his report ‘Overseer and Regulatory around how the model works; aligning Overseer’s Oversight’ on the widely-used tool last month, Peter ownership, governance and funding arrangements advised: “It is time to open up Overseer”. with the transparency required for it to be used as a Originally developed as a farm management tool regulatory tool; and providing official guidance on to calculate nutrient loss, Overseer is increasingly how Overseer should be used by regional councils. Fertiliser being used by councils in regulation, due to excessive Functional FederatedFunctional Farmers is backing the Fertiliser call from the PCE to nutrient run-off from farms impacting on the health full nutrient improve thesupplies accuracy and transparency of Overseer. supplies full nutrient of waterways. FF environment spokesperson Chris Allen says the Functional Fertiliser packages based on on packages based Peter says to ensure cleaner water, farmers and supplies full nutrient Terms and conditions apply. Genuine Kubota loader Functional® Fertiliser regional councils need to be confident that Overseer’s ® only and cannot be swapped for extra discount. packages based on supplies full nutrient Tractor and loader must be purchased in a single outputs are reliable. “To help build confidence there transaction. Tokyo 2019 draw conditions and entry packages®based on needs to be more transparency around how the model criteria apply. Applies to purchases from 21st September 2018 through until 31st December 2018 ® operates. Any model operates with a measure of Terms and conditions apply. Genuine Kubota loader or while stocks last. only and cannot be swapped for extra discount. uncertainty. That’s normal. The question is whether For For application bymustby Tractor and loader be purchased in a single application the level of uncertainty is an acceptable one? transaction. Tokyo 2019 draw conditions and entry For application groundspreader orby aerial criteria apply. Applies to purchases from 21st groundspreader or aerial “Confidence in Overseer can only be improved by groundspreader or2018 aerial September through until application by31st December 2018 Functional Fertiliser For opening up its workings to greater scrutiny.” or while stocks last. groundspreader or aerial Peter says it will take time to improve Overseer and supplies full nutrient packages based on provide transparency around how it operates. ® TE PUKE TE PUKE “In the meantime, regional councils can continue to Te Puke Highway Te Puke Highway www.functionalfertiliser.co.nz use it but they need to be aware of its limitations.” www.functionalfertiliser.co.nz www.functionalfertiliser.co.nz Ph9107 (07) 573 9107 Ph (07) 573 The report found important elements of the model The Future of Farming The Future of Farming

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AUCTION

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 5

Kiwis will know origin of single-food items Within 18 months Kiwi consumers will know where all fresh food on sale in New Zealand comes from, after the Country of Origin of Food Bill passed into law in Parliament in late-November 2018. Foods covered under the Bill – which introduces mandatory labelling to provide information about the country of origin of foods – will include fresh or frozen fruit, vegetables, ﬁsh, seafood and meat, including cured pork products.

the new requirements and whether foods need to be added or excluded. The Bill requires the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to make regulations within 18 months. Horticulture NZ chief executive Mike Chapman says growers have been asking for mandatory Country of Origin Labelling for fruit and vegetables in NZ from successive governments for more than 10 years. “We commend the work done by the Green Party and that they didn’t give up on this important law. Sue Kedgley started

required to display a country-of-origin label.” Jessica says mandatory labelling is required because relying on retailers to voluntarily label products had failed to give consumers the information they needed. Green MP Gareth Hughes says

they’ve established people have a right to know where their food comes from. “Kiwi consumers will now have greater information so they can exercise their consumer power and choice. It’s a good day for NZers and for NZ producers.”

One ingredient

Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi says the labelling scheme will enable consumers to make more informed decisions at the supermarket, by telling them where their food comes from. “NZ consumers want to be well informed so we’re pleased to have been able to make this Bill proceed. Some members of the food industry have also been asking for country of origin labelling, which helps them to fairly identify foods produced in NZ and levels the playing ﬁeld for producers.” Food Safety Minister Damien O’Connor says the scheme is designed to be easy and cheap to set up and run. “That’s why the requirements apply only to foods with one ingredient and that are fresh, frozen, unprocessed or minimally processed – for example, cut, ﬁlleted or minced meat. “However, the Bill has to be useful for industry in future so allows for the extension of country of origin labelling to other foods if needed at some later stage.” Kris will consult further on how to implement

the journey when her member’s bill was drawn from the ballot in 2006. Steffan Browning took up the mantle; now Gareth Hughes has secured the numbers needed to make this law. This is a good day for horticulture,” says Mike. “Our research shows more than 70 per cent of NZers want mandatory Country of Origin Labelling for fruit and vegetables, so it’s great to see them ﬁnally getting what they want.”

First step

Consumer NZ head of research Jessica Wilson says the law change is a much-needed ﬁrst step towards better country-of-origin labelling. Jessica says the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs has the power to require labelling of other foods. “We’ll be pushing for that to happen. At a minimum, all single-ingredient foods should be

New Fixed Milk Price for Fonterra farmers Fonterra will introduce a new financial tool to help farmers gain more certainty of what they’ll be paid for their milk for the season. The new Fixed Milk Price can help them budget, plan, and manage on-farm profitability. FMP joins seven financial tools to assist farmers in sharing up and investing in their farms, including the Share-up Over Time Contract, Invest as You Earn, Dividend Reinvestment Plan, Strike Price Contract, Contract Fee for Units and Farm Source’s Reward Dollars for Shares and Smart Finance. Farm Source COO Robert Spurway says as a cooperative owned by 10,000 farming families, Fonterra is committed to making a difference for its farmers “and providing flexible options will help them share up, invest on farm, and manage financial exposure”. “This season reminds us of the volatility in the global marketplace and the impact it can have on the milk price. While the co-op manages this volatility as best it can when selling our products, we recognise it’s farmers

who feel the brunt of it,” says Robert. “In addition to providing farmers with the opportunity to get more price certainty, the FMP will also provide the co-op with certainty on margins it can achieve on a portion of milk supplied. It’s a win-win.” All Fonterra farmers will have opportunity to participate on a monthly basis, except January and February.

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ANIMAL HEALTH

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January 2019 Coast & Country News

Flystrike – prevention far better than cure While many will be hoping for a fine summer, for sheep farmers the weather can prove a conflict between getting enough rain to keep the grass growing, but also trying to dodge the flystrike bullet. Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health NZ’s technical vet adviser Richard Sides says now is the ideal time to consider the value of flystrike insurance, with prevention far better than the cure after a flystrike outbreak has taken place. “Last summer proved to be challenging for a number of farmers around Hawke’s Bay and the East Coast region,” says Richard. “After a few summers with not too many problems due to prevention strategies

appearing to work; well they suddenly found their flocks hit quite hard by flystrike outbreak in what were wetter, more humid conditions than they had experienced the summers before. “The higher level of fly challenge pushed hard on chemicals and applications that previously had been fine.”

Active approach

Richard likens taking an active, thoughtful approach to ﬂystrike control, timing and application as valuable insurance that should be taken out every summer. “While we may advocate for adjusting drench routines according to egg counts and parasite challenge, when it comes to ﬂystrike the issues are quite different to internal parasites. “Delaying treatment, or applying a low-

challenge dip method, means you can face a real animal welfare issues with flystrike that you don’t want to see in your stock.” His advocacy for timely and effective control is reinforced by a survey conducted by AgResearch during 2010-2011, examining how susceptible the recently-arrived Australian green blowfly was to common treatment chemicals triflumuron and dicyclanil. The study was prompted by reports of flystrike treatments not proving effective in humid, damp regions, including Waikato-King Country.

BIAH NZ vet adviser Richard Sides says now is the time to consider the value of flystrike insurance. The study not only revealed widespread resistance to the flystrike active triflumuron in common blowflies, but also resistant Australian green blowfly maggots. It also confirmed the spread from further north of the Australian blowfly. With such traditional actives under threat of resistance, Richard points to an “oldie but a goodie” active that is a valued option for farmers in the seasonal battle against flies and maggots. “Cyromazine-based treatments as Insect Growth Regulators have been around for 30 years and there are no documented cases of resistance to it in flies here in NZ. It has outlived that usual 10-15 year cycle where resistance develops.”

Enhanced product

The long-acting 14 weeks nature of the active has proven itself over the years controlling flies. As with all dip chemicals, however, weather conditions can challenge how long it works for. Recently Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health enhanced its cyromazine-based product Cyrazin, by adding ivermectin, sold as Cyrazin KO. “While ivermectin has been around for internal parasites for many years, it is also a highly effective active against fly maggots, including the largest ‘third stage’ ones which are the most difficult to kill. “So Cyrazin KO offers a complete one-stop solution at the start of the season, eliminating any early maggots and preventing fly strike going forward into those warm, wet months. “It is a case of ‘do it once, do it right’,” says Richard. The use of Cyromazine active has added benefit of not being a toxic organo-phosphate based treatment, meaning it is user-friendly not only to the sheep, but the farmer or dipping contractor using it. “The advantage is also being able to make a quick decision on the spot to use it, knowing you are dealing with all stages of fly development, rather than having to go and find a second chemical to mix in with it.” Richard maintains there would be very few parts of the country now that don’t face some seasonal flystrike risk, particularly now the Australian blow fly has penetrated the country the way it has.

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Warmer – and sometimes wetter – means he’s advising more farmers to review their traditional treatment patterns and talk to their vet about setting up improved animal health treatment programmes. “We have had a number of farmers who have questioned their traditional shearing routine. “They are now considering shearing earlier, and bringing their animals through for treatment a few weeks later, to ensure they cover the whole risk period. Just because a programme has worked for so many years in the past, does not mean it will continue to into the future. “Part of any complete animal health plan should also incorporate internal parasite control that can have a strong interplay with ﬂy-maggot infestations,” says Richard. “You need to consider an effective internal parasite control that will result in less dags, which are in many cases a precursor to maggot infestations. “Talking to your vet and making a complete plan sooner rather than later will certainly save some grief as summer unfolds.”

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

KIWIFRUIT

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Page 9

New leaders for Hort NZ Long-time kiwifruit grower and industry leader Barry O’Neil becomes Horticulture New Zealand’s president and chair this month, replacing Julian Raine who has stood down to pursue business interests.

Horticulture NZ’s board elected Barry for the role last month, also selecting Bernadine Guilleux to be vice-president. Julian says Barry has an impressive background and is well placed to lead the extraordinary growth in horticulture “that is not without the challenges of access to land, water and people to enable that growth”. “He’ll be well supported by Bernadine. Barry’s knowledge about biosecurity globally will also be an asset to growers.” Julian, who has been president and chairman for six years and has made a significant contribution to horticultur for NZ, says the leadership role has been “fantastic, interesting, challenging and rewarding”. “And I know it will be the same for Barry. I want to thank the industry and all our stakeholders for the support they have shown me,” says Julian. Barry has been a grower since 1984, when he did all the work on his kiwifruit and avocado orchard in Whakamarama. Since 2003, he’s been growing kiwifruit in Katikati, also in the Bay of Plenty. Between orchards he held a number of government roles including NZ Trade Counsellor to the European Union and chief veterinary officer fo the Ministry of Agriculture. He lobbied for, and in 2005 led, the first entity wanting to achieve a integrated approach to biosecurity for Aotearoa New Zealand, Biosecurity NZ. He was chief executive of Kiwifruit Vine Health for six years, driving the industry recovery from Psa-v, and has

held a number of board positions including being deputy chair of Scion, chair of Tomatoes NZ, and chair of the kauri dieback review panel.

Outgoing Hort NZ president Julian Raine (above), newcomer Barry O’Neil and vice president Bernadine Guilleux.

He’s been an independent director on the Horticulture NZ board since April 2015, but with his appointment as chair he’ll now stand as a grower-elected director at the 2019 director elections. Barry says these are exciting times for horticulture “as the world catches on to our vision of ‘healthy food for all forever’”. “While I have a strong background in governance, government and as a grower, I’m excited about working with growers to find a better future – for bot us and our grandchildren.” Bernadine, a grower representative on Horticulture NZ’s board, has a strong marketing background in NZ and Europe, and will use these skills to help tell NZ’s unique horticulture story. She’s a member of the Balle family and grew up in Pukekohe. According to Horticulture NZ’s rules a person appointed to fill a vacancy ca only be appointed until the next elections, so both will have to secure their roles via appointment at the AGM this July.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

A lifetime of military preservation Rotorua community stalwart Phyllis Sturmfels, aged 92, who wrote fetchingly about the world war service of her father and husband, recently died just several weeks after the publication launch of those war experiences. Phyllis – known as Phyl – wrote concisely about both men who had polar opposite memories of both wars. Her inﬂuence was wider, if understated. For Phyl, like spilt petrol, was everywhere – disporting her time with the local hospital auxiliary where she knitted layettes for newborns or around Rotorua every Anzac Day selling poppies, along with services at the local Friends of the Library, where she was made a life member. She was also involved with Red Cross. Phyl’s recent chapter in a well-received local book ‘Touched by War’, launched on November 10 – one day before the 100th year anniversary of the signing of the Armistice – was taut and concise. Phyllis’ great-grandfather Jim Huston was a military man at Windsor Castle, with the Royal Horse Guards, serving in the Boer War and in India and Malta, winning brevet promotions. Her father, St/Sgt Jim Huston served in both world wars, ﬁrst as a 16-year-old WW1 Naval cadet and later with the RAF. In 1942, he lunched at the Waverley

Hotel in Auckland, now recognised as one of the celebrated ‘Old Contemptibles’, an epithet grudgingly termed by German Kaiser. Her father’s war record unconscionably committed the new Mrs Sturmfels to a lifetime of military preservation through her own diaries of conversations, and to deﬂect sneers she had married into a family of Germanic origin. While noting ‘shocking losses’, particularly of horses used as trains and vehicles of war, grandfather Jim Huston deferred mainly to the esprit de corps of the men alongside whom he served. Her father St/Sgt J W Huston was rather less sanguine. He kept diaries of combat horrors, which Phyl retyped and sent to Waiouru Museum for preservation. Injured in 1941, the Hustons received notices J W Huston had been killed; though he sent a letter and cable conﬁrming his existence, neither reached the NZ address. Phyl’s husband Jack Sturmfels, a shearer since he was a lad in rural NZ, was reticent about his war experience. A pilot, Jack Sturmfels gained his wings in Canada, and in 1944 served in England. Through a rehab loan, Jack and Phyl bought a farm in Rerewhakaaitu, where they became respected pillars of the community. While Jack plied the land, Phyl ensured posterity in preserving his and her family’s military histories.

Phyllis Sturmfels.

Until recently, Phyl was active with Friends of the Library, which has raised thousands of dollars in sales for discretionary use by the library. Two years ago, after being the ﬁrst customer to walk through the Rotorua Library on Haupapa St 25 years earlier, she was accorded a guided tour of a temporary library by director Jane Gilbert. Phil Campbell

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increase for primary The value of NZ’s sector export earnings primary sector exports for the year ending June is set to grow by $505 2019 to $44.3 billion. million to a new record “There’s a lot to be posihigh this year, says Agritive about when strong culture Minister Damien consumer demand for O’Connor. high-value produce and The Ministry for Primary Fertiliser Functional Functional good Fertiliser growing conditions Industries’ latest Situasupplies nutrient just the last three tion and Outlook report fullhave, supplies fullinnutrient Functional Fertiliser months, nudged up forepackages based on on forecasts a 3.8 per cent packages based supplies full nutrient Functional ®Fertiliser ® packages basedfull onnutrient supplies packages®based on

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casts by an extra $500m.” Damien says this is set to be the fourth-year-ina-row dairy export returns have risen following 2015’s downturn “and this is why it’s vital we add value to every litre of milk produced in NZ”. “Horticulturists are beneﬁting from strong consumer demand for sought-after produce, and foresters have had a strong ﬁrst quarter for log and sawn timber exports. “The results are promising but there are uncertainties in the global marketplace such as the US and China trade dispute and Brexit, meaning instability across commodity prices, exchange rates and equities.”

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A&P SHOWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

A passion for Welsh ponies Ninety-year-old Marian Lusby has only just hung up her boots as the In Hand Welsh Section Convenor for the Cambridge A & P Show. For more than two decades, Marian organised the pure and part bred classes for Welsh ponies. Latterly that included arranging sponsorship and prize money for the classes. “It was never just me, I always had a good team of fellow Welsh breeders helping on show day,” says Marian. As a child during the 1930s, Marian’s only real horse contact was riding the five miles to school from the family farm in Waihi. In July 1948, Marian married the late Roy Lusby, and the couple were dairy farmers in Waihi, Galatea and then Karapiro. They established the Treeways Jersey Stud and the interest in showing cows began. Roy “wasn’t keen on having horses mucking up his dairy pasture”, but in 1962 Marian wanted to buy a pony for their two children, Wayne and Judy. The family went out to buy two Shetland ponies, and came home with five – one a stallion. Marian loved these small horses and bred them for some years, until Welsh ponies caught her eye at the NZ Agricultural Show in Canterbury. She acquired her first stallion, Chawton Cherub, in 1968. While searching for a suitable purebred mare, Marian realised her husband was well and truly on board with the ponies. “When we couldn’t find a suitable mare in NZ, he suggested we imported one from overseas. “Within a short time I was on a plane to the UK to meet a Mrs Hambleton in Wales, who bred Welsh ponies.” As a result of the trip, an in-foal mare, Stoatley Minx Again, was flown home to NZ. The first purebred colt for the Lusby’s newly-established Ascot Stud, was

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Marian Lusby at the Cambridge A & P Show in 2017. Photo: Vicky Maclean. Ascot Jolly. He went on to sire many lovely Section A ponies for the stud. Marian and Roy had considerable success breeding Section A Welsh ponies. “My husband asked me one day how many we had, and let’s say – it was rather a lot!” Mrs Hambleton became a lifelong friend, and was the ﬁrst judge for the Welsh section when it started at the 1972 Cambridge A & P Show. The long-running Cambridge show has classes for Section A, B, C and Cob Welsh ponies and there’s wide interest in the breed. The Welsh Pony and Cob Society was established more than 50 years ago, and there are now many Welsh Pony studs throughout NZ. Marian still owns two of her stud mares, Ascot Primrose, 21, and Ascot Precocious, 32, spending time with them most days, close to her Cambridge home. Catherine Fry

18/12/18 8:42 AM

A&P SHOWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Page 13

A traditional show day with a touch of new attractions

Katikati A&P Show is about community bringing the town and country together one day each year for a wonderful event, says show president Louellen Davies.

Claymark Mill Katikati.” Strongmen will compete four times on the day, with hourly competitions. Wood-chopping displays, sponsored by Avoco, will start mid-morning and happen every half-hour. The bar under the oak tree will be manned by Katikati Wrestling Club – so you can watch beach wrestling while sipping a beer – or have a go yourself. The cattle competitions area will this year be filled with four tiny homes to view, plus vintage machinery and cars. Horse events will run throughout the day. “Our Show Hunter Jumping has a great points prize – the winner receives a sash, trophy and $150 thanks to Aongatete Coolstores Ltd and Waihi A&P Association.” The Avoco Avocado Expo will have everything from Vintage tractors avocado racing cars to avocado beer. See page 31 for are always a drawcard more details on the expo. Dancing groups and local bands will perform, trade at the Katikati A&P Show. sites will cover everything imaginable, “The Kati Kati A&P Show was first children’s entertainment and pony held on March 13, 1913, on a Thursrides will keep littlies happy – as will day to enable the boat from Tauranga a lolly scramble at 12.15pm in the to have a favourable tide. pony ring. “Although no show was held during In the pavilion, the home industhe war, here we are only a few years tries section will display cooking and away from our 100th show.” crafts. “Why not enter? Entries will Today there’s different challenges – be taken Saturday morning,” says the incursion of Mycoplasma Bovis Louellen. in NZ requires Katikati’s show to go The show’s popular photography without its traditional cattle sections section also returns. ‘Don’t forget you Equestrian events will run can enter this too.” this year. “But we’re looking forward throughout the day. to those sections returning in the near And one show-goer will win $100 future,” says Louellen. cash – donated by Farmlands Te Puna and FMG InsurThis year’s show – on Sunday, February 3, from ance – from their gate ticket. 9am-3.30pm at the Uretara Domain – will offer an “This year’s raffle winner will take home a Daikin impressive lineup of entertainment, competitions, Air Purifier, sponsored by Katikati Refrigeration & Air trade sites, and country fun for all. Conditioning. Raffle tickets will be for sale at the main “This year we have the Strongman competition gate, with it being drawn on the day.” final. This competition is held throughout NZ with Entry costs: adults $5, school children $2, under-fives the championship at our show, kindly sponsored by gain free entry. Gates open 9am.

All the fun of ‘country meets city’ Tauranga A&P Lifestyle Show kicks off the local show series on Sunday, January 13, 2019, at the Tauranga Racecourse on Cameron Rd, Greerton. With all the fun of ‘country meets city’, the public are encourage to come along and enjoy getting up close to horses, goats, llama, sheep and other animals in a great petting zoo. “Because of the problems with Mycoplasma Bovis – and efforts underway to eradicate the disease – this year we have no cattle competition,” says Tauranga A&P Show president David Harricks. “There will, however, be some new animals including chooks on display, and opportu- Competitors show off their skills in an axemen’s event at a past Tauranga A&P Lifestyle Show.

nity to learn about rescued greyhounds in a hands-on way.” David says show-goers can also watch the world’s best sheep shearing competitors as they get in some practice at the Tauranga show ahead of the Golden Shears in Masterton in February. “We’re always lucky to have the best shearers in the world at our back door. They all come to Tauranga and provide a wonderful spectacle.” Equestrian events this year will include Harness, Mounted riders, a Cowboy challenge and all the traditional pony club ring events.

A petting zoo, pony rides, carnival rides and vintage tractors will be on show for those big and small – “and sheep racing is back too”. “Plus our expert axemen will show just how skilled they are with a very sharp axe. The strongmen will be next door – and some of NZ’s strongest men will compete in the strength events, lifting weights and boulders in a time trial.” The “always popular” home industry and gardening section will display some great skills in the home – “so if you have some skills to display, come and compete,” says David. Food and drink vendors will be bountiful around the showgrounds to keep people fed and watered – plus there’s ice cream to cool off! Tauranga A&P Lifestyle Show is on Sunday, January 13, 2019, from 10am-4pm at Tauranga Racecourse, Cameron Rd, Greerton. Gate tickets cost $10 per adult, children under 12 years enter for free. Gates open 10am. For information, including entry forms to competitions, see: https://taurangashow.co.nz

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January 2019 Coast & Country News

Inventing a footwear biosecurity system for farms Hamilton husband-and-wife team Rusty Knutson and Jacqui Humm have invented a compact, portable system to clean and disinfect footwear before entering farms, orchards and nurseries.

Above: Rusty Knutson and Jacqui Humm with their Mondiale Innovation Award from the 2018 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards. Photo: Catherine Fry. The idea came from Rusty’s 15 years of international travel “where I had the opportunity to observe the differences in biosecurity in a range of farming systems all over the world”. From New Zealand, while supporting a team in the UK, he observed the 2001 Foot and Mouth outbreak. The emotional and ﬁnancial devastation experienced by the affected communities left a lasting impression on him. In 2016, Rusty’s work required him to visit more than 10 farms a day. He was very aware of the potential risk he posed to biosecurity.

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The Government’s new biosecurity campaign strategy ‘Ko T˜tou This Is Us’ is to recruit all 4.75 million New Zealanders to work together to protect us from biosecurity risks. “That’s a lot of people to get on board, so we reckon NZ’s 2000 rural professionals can show leadership and set the example for primary industry businesses,” says Jacqui. “Using the cube is a visible and quick ﬁrst step, setting the tone from the start of a farm visit, taking away any awkwardness of expectations surrounding biosecurity on both sides. “We also import a German product, enabling farmers to provide another washing system on the farm for visitors to use before leaving, effectively leaving a farm’s contaminants contained on that farm,” says Rusty. The message is clear: ‘Clean on. Clean off. Every time’ – and Jacqui and Rusty believe their invention will help NZ be ready and resilient to biosecurity threats. Catherine Fry

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“I was using a ﬁsh bin, hand sprayer and a brush, which was difﬁcult, awkward, and after a while, dirty,” says Rusty. This inspired him to look for something better, and when his research provided no solutions the couple decided to make their own. The invention draws on Jacqui’s communications and marketing background, and Rusty’s extensive experience in agriculture-related businesses domestically and overseas. Recently the couple won the Mondiale Innovation Award at the 2018 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards, for their footwear biosecurity system, named the Jacson Cube. The couple says the Jacson Cube is a compact, portable system to clean and disinfect footwear before entering farms, orchards and nurseries. It considers health and safety requirements, and helps minimise the risk of spreading pests, diseases and weed seeds between properties. “New Zealand has a strong biosecurity border, but as risks increase all land-based businesses will need a border too. We need at least two layers of defence,” says Jacqui.

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January 2019 Coast & Country News

Page 15

Time to assess our own game plans The weather has certainly been challenging us. Farmers are probably laughing all the way to the bank – but maybe not after the forecasted drop in their payout. They’re certainly growing some grass as moisture levels and grass growth rates are above normal for this time of year so there’s a lot of feed around, which is a Christmas bonus for them, plus silage is being made when we can get it done between the rain. Maize in low-lying areas is looking awfully sick and yellow, due to too much rain and sitting in water with no air. It’s not like rice that you can grow in water. It’s been pretty challenging for us growers with some germination being down, now low areas being waterlogged. We’ve put extra nitrogen on our low-lying crops to hopefully help them bounce back when it dries out. We’ve finished spreading and weed spraying, now we just need some fine weather to get more hay done. We’ve just had the only four straight days of fine weather we’ve had in a while. So we’re hanging out for sunshine to get some work done before Christmas.

Grass growth

With this grass growth farmers need to ensure they keep on top of their residuals, as they won’t want to go into summer with residuals lying around – especially if there is moisture about with the eczema spores. So they need to monitor eczema spore levels very closely. Don’t let them get too high. You can help residuals by topping or putting young stock on now to clear paddocks. Farmers will also need to spray their summer crops – they’re growing frantically, weeds included. Turnip crops may need a second follow-up spray and an insecticide as well, to take care of white butterﬂy. Also keep monitoring crops for weeds – because if wet ideal growing continues on their winter crops, a third spray may be required. Looking back on 2018, it’s been challenging once again. The All Blacks’ loss to Ireland shows us we aren’t invincible and we have to continue to work hard at our game plan as our strategies don’t change – but our tactics may have to, to achieve our goals. Losing can be a good thing sometimes as it makes us reﬂect on what we’re doing – the same applies to our businesses. There’s nothing like experiencing a setback to make us more focused and keep our eye back on the ball. This time of the year can be a good time to assess our own game plans and goals to ensure we’re on track. Then there was the outbreak of Mycoplasma Bovis, which has got the whole industry and country on high

alert as the cost to farmers and the country as a whole is huge. But fortunately so far we haven’t got it in the Bay of Plenty, so let’s hope this continues. We all need to do our bit to keep it out! If it was to get in the BOP it would be a game-changer for all concerned from farmers to businesses associated within the rural industry. So let’s do our part to keep our farms free from unwanted diseases and pest and stay vigilant and focused on our future – for ourselves and our future generations. On a brighter note this spring was a lot kinder to us weather-wise after such a wet winter. It was good to have a relatively dry September-October so all our maize is planted, sprayed and side-dressed, which is a lot earlier than usual. With recent rain it is all looking good, other than some of our maize affected by low germination which has affected a few crops in the area.

The payout

Fortunately, it seems to be only our early-planted maize and not all of it, so hopefully our yields won’t be too badly affected. With the higher-than-expected milk-take unfortunately putting pressure on the payout, let’s hope it remains above the $6 mark and that the Dairy Global Actions start improving this year. I’ve heard of other countries dropping back production, so that might help with our higher yields. Hopefully our farmers get the returns from this extra milk they’re producing and • Dairy Shed installations and upgrades come out alright at the • Service and parts for all types end of the day. of milking machines We have some top qual• Drench pumps, teat spray systems, ity grass silage and a bit hoses and supplies of maize silage available • Machine Testing but supply is limited. • Effluent and Irrigation Supplies We’re taking orders now for hay and straw for this • Pumps & Water fittings season – so order now to – Galvanised, PVC and Alkathene save money by purchasing • Rubberware direct from the paddock. • Stainless Steel manufacture and repair Doing this is the most • Trenching cost-effective way to get your feed requirements ﬁlled. Happy New Year, from the team at Bill Webb Feed Solutions.

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January 2019 Coast & Country News

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The tests were taken prior to the introduction of a biologically-based soil fertility programme, and comparative tests ﬁve years later. A farmer in attendance objected on the basis that the data was misleading. His concern was around the Olsen P tests results. The initial test showed an Olsen P of 4, the subsequent test showed an Olsen P of 7. The property is primarily used for lamb ﬁnishing and the performance of the stock is carefully monitored and the results have been, and still are, as good as those achieved anywhere. Photographs from the block showed masses of both red and white clover, along with plantain and chicory. Grasses are not planted but appear of their own accord, we assume from seed that has accumulated in the soil over many years.

Phosphorus

In my visits to the property since 2012, along with the reports of pasture and animal production, at no time has a capital input of phosphorus been seriously required or considered. There are historic long-term measures, or trials, that show maximum pasture production from sites with an Olsen P of 10 or slightly lower. It is this data that brought about the rule-of-thumb that clover survival requires an Olsen P of 10. The signiﬁcance of this is that because clovers require higher levels of plant-available nutrient than grasses, where clovers thrive the same conditions are suitable for high fertility grasses. It is only where clover is the provider of nitrogen that Olsen P levels are of serious consideration. The question that requires answering is why have recommended Olsen P levels been steadily ratcheted up during the last 30 years? Having been involved in the phosphorus industry for more than 10 years the answer is no-one actually asks for supporting data, and because everyone believes that their

neighbours and colleagues properties have higher Olsen P levels, it’s an easy sell. There is a secret to maximising both crop and pasture yield with low Olsen P levels, and inputs, which only a very few highly successful operators understand. This allows them to apply approximately half of the ‘normally recommended’ phosphorus and never be concerned about performance.

ROC

At the meeting mentioned earlier, photographs of the knee-high crops of clover were shown, and it was obvious to all, including those from Lincoln, there was no obvious phosphorus deﬁciency. There are three letters that all students of soil fertility understand the signiﬁcance of and they are ‘ROC’, the abbreviation for Rapid Organic Cycle. It is the speed at which phosphorus cycles that is more important than the amount contained in the soil. And the key to increasing the speed of phosphorus cycling is having outstanding physical soil structures. Soils should ideally contain 25 per cent air, and 25 per cent moisture. Under the pressure exerted by feet during intensive grazing soils compress. It is when the soil does not rapidly regain its ideal structure after animals are removed

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Compacted soils grow less total feed in a season although during periods when all conditions are favourable exceptional growth is possible. Desired plant populations decrease rapidly after establishment and renewal is necessary within five years. Feed quality is compromised due to plants photosynthesising less efficiently, which means feed is less palatable and animal performance suffers. The ability of soils to maintain their ideal structures is dictated by the amount of biological activity taking place; this to a large degree is related to the calcium content of the soils. It’s been long-known that earthworm numbers increase after application of lime; and where earthworms thrive other beneficial soil dwellers also flourish. Functional Fertiliser specialises in calcium-rich total-nutrient programmes that provide outstanding performance on all soil types throughout NZ. As the pressure mounts on farmers to reduce fertiliser costs and become more efficient, these programmes are poised for much wider acceptance. For more information, contact Peter on 0800 843 809.

January 2019 Coast & Country News

DAIRY

Page 17

NZ primary industries expert to chair Landcorp New Zealand’s largest farming enterprise Landcorp – which has its core business in pastoral farming including dairy, sheep, beef and deer – has a new director and chair.

“We are lucky to have someone of Dr Parker’s experience and ability to take over the chair’s role at Landcorp,” says Grant. The Government’s state-owned enterprise is NZ’s largest agricultural enterprise. Its core business is pastoral farming, running 1.5 million stock units Dr Warren – sheep, deer, Parker, a former beef and dairy chief executive of cattle – on 126 Scion – the NZ properties totalling Forest Research 372,115ha under Institute – management. and Landcare State-Owned Research, and Enterprises a previous chief Minister Shane operating ofﬁcer Jones says effecof AgResearch, tive stewardship of has been appointed Landcorp is vitally to the role. important. He currently “This company Dr Warren Parker is Landcorp’s holds a number of plays a signiﬁcant new chair. board roles includrole in NZ agriing on Predator culture and our regions. Dr Parker’s Free 2050 Ltd, Farmlands Cooperaexperience across a wide range of tive Society, Genomics Aotearoa and primary industries will give him the is chair of the Forestry Ministerial ability to look across all the work of Advisory Group. Until recently he Landcorp and ensure the shareholder was chair of the NZ Conservation is receiving value for money from our Authority. investment,” says Shane. Announcing the appointment, Dr Parker has a PhD in Animal SciFinance Grant Robertson says Dr ence and was previously a Professor of Parker is one of the most experienced Agribusiness and Resource Manageexperts in NZ’s primary industries, ment at Massey University, where he operating at the most senior levels spent 18 years in various roles, includacross sectors as a scientist, teacher, ing supervising a 9000-strong stock manager and, most recently, in govunit Riverside Farm in ernance roles. the Wairarapa.

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LIFESTYLE FARMING

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Operations, veges and tasks change in 100 years One hundred years ago small family-owned market gardens made up most of the Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association’s membership roll.

Today, while family-owned businesses are still a big part of the vegetable growing industry the scale of operations has changed a lot, says Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association president Pravin Hari. “Today there are a lot fewer growers, typically with much bigger operations.” The association, which began in 1918, has been celebrating 100 years of existence as a grower organisation, now representing 230 growers from Northland to Taupo. In years gone by the onions and potatoes that were grown in and around Pukekohe tended to be consumed by locals. Today, as well as supplying much of the vegetables eaten by Aucklanders and other regions of New Zealand, a lot of produce is exported. “There is also a more diverse range of vegetables grown today,” says Pravin, with the association’s members producing a full range of root vegetables as

A team of Maori girls at Patumahoe State Gardens packing potatoes into wooden crates to feed the American and NZ troops stationed in the Solomon Islands during World War II. Photo credit: Patumahoe History Group.

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well as salad greens. Pravin says the association came about back in 1918 to help growers secure the best price for their produce – and while this hasn’t changed in 100 years, the issues facing growers have. “Pest and disease control, land availability, environmental issues, biosecurity and food safety are all very important. We have to manage these things if we want to stay in the game,” says Pravin. Today the association advocates for growers through lobbying, making submissions on relevant legislation, The Pukekohe Vegetab and also undertakes research and development in le Gr Association executive com owers relevant areas, says Pravin. mittee. “The association is proud of its work to champion and promote best practice guidelines for the sustainable management of the natural and physical resources of the district among commercial vegetable growers.” The Franklin Sustainability Project for environmental care, led by the association, won the prestigious Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Award in 2000. A gala dinner in September to celebrate the association’s centenary attracted 580 members and industry representatives, where old agricultural machinery and photographs were on display. Pravin says the centenary has also Functional Fertiliser Functional Fertiliser been celebrated with road signage, PVGAsupplies president and third-generation full nutrient supplies full nutrient grower Pravin Hari with produce grown banners in Pukekohe’s main streets Functionalbased Fertiliser packages on on and local events including sponsoron his family-run commercial garden. packages based supplies full nutrient ship of the upcoming Functional® Fertiliser ® packages based on Pukekohe Santa Parade. supplies full nutrient “One of the highlights packages®based on is the video we compiled ® with local growers talking For For application by by about their experiences application For application by of growing today and in groundspreader or aerial groundspreader or aerial groundspreader or aerial years gone by. Functional Fertiliser For application by “We’re still deciding supplies full nutrient groundspreader or aerial how we’re going to use the packages based on video, but it was great for ® those at the gala to be able www.functionalfertiliser.co.nz www.functionalfertiliser.co.nz to see it,” says Pravin. www.functionalfertiliser.co.nz 0800 843 809

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January 2019 Coast & Country News

Page 19

Rescuing, raising and showing chickens at school Going to school usually doesn’t involve rescuing, raising and showing rehab chickens – but it does at Kaharoa School near Rotorua. The school has even introduced ex-battery hens to its traditional ag day – an idea hatched by the school’s PTA members Celia Grant and Leigh Alaenia, who became aware of ex-battery hens from Kelly Phelps and her Free as a Bird Rescue organisation. “Kelly visited the school and did a presentation on conditions in the battery farms; the children were quite shocked,” says Celia. Afterwards almost every child in the 200strong school went home begging to rescue chickens, and families stepped up to take some from the next rescue. With full support of principal Warwick Moyle, chicken classes were added to the 2017 school ag day. And due to Mycoplasma bovis risk, the school decided to focus on lambs, kids and

chickens at its 2018 ag day. Last year Aisha Lichtwark took over as Free as a Bird facilitator from Kelly – one of her ﬁrst ‘chicken runs’ was to Kaharoa School. “Eight weeks before ag day, about 70 shattered and featherless hens were delivered into the loving care of a school community eager to help them.” They were dispersed to families and the children began to care for them. Twenty-two hens entered in the chicken section on ag day. Classes included Presentation, General Knowledge, and Most Recovered, with questions geared to the age of the ‘owner’. Aisha was a judge.

Student Mila Alaeinia with ex-battery hen Bobo the day the rescue chickens arrived at Kaharoa School.

Protect stock from flystrike this summer Already this summer period we’re seeing cases of fly infestations on livestock, and at times even our companion animals. The main culprit is the Australian blow fly, Chrysomya megacephala, which lays eggs that develop quickly into larvae and constitute the majority of maggots found in damaged skin and underlying tissue. Areas commonly affected by flystrike are around the tail, on the backline, on the flanks of the belly and around the pizzle in males. They can also be found at the pole, between the ears of rams from fighting, and between the toes following footrot. Shearing is helpful to deter infestation for a few weeks, though shearing cuts and other wounds will attract flies. Affected animals may nibble their wool, stamp their feet and twitch their tails prior to becoming depressed and succumbing to the infection. Dark patches may also be seen on white

fleece. Maggots can be difficult to see, so wool should be parted and checked. Prevention and treatment of flyblown stock should be done in a timely manner. In the case of sheep six weeks post-shearing is ideal for uptake of chemical. Insect Growth Regulators such as Cyrex generally give up to 12 weeks’ protection when applied properly and are safe to use. IGRs act on maggot stages so adult flies will die out naturally in a few weeks. Cyrex also kills maggots quickly, with the dual combination of active ingredients stopping the active feeding of maggots within minutes of contact and dead maggots moving off wounds within hours. Cyrex is available in 250ml bottles, which must be diluted at a ratio of 10ml concentrate to 5L water. Treatment of flyblown animals should also involve clipping of wool from around the affected area close to the skin and disposing of the clippings. Where clipping or shedding of wooled areas over the back occurs, the exposed skin is prone to sunburn and may become inflamed and infected. Protection of this skin should be with a zinc-based product such as the antibacterial containing cream Filta Bac.

“Each child and their hen had been photographed before, and again on the day. “The difference in just those few weeks is so rewarding. Many had started laying again, and they had grown back their feathers. Good food, care and being allowed to be chickens has totally transformed these chickens lives. “And what is so touching, when you consider the awful life they had before, is the gentle affection they display. They make great pets and love being cuddled and carried around.” The school now has its own eight hens. They live on the school grounds. Year 8 children in Room Totara feed the chickens, check their water daily, and collect eggs, which sold to staff for $6 per dozen. The money raised goes back into buying chicken feed. Catherine Fry

Page 20

SOUTH & EAST WAIKATO FOCUS

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Above: Bradley van Rooyen, 19, completing the Holstein/Friesian Association NZ cow classiﬁcation assessment, with assessor Danyel Hosto.

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Right: Rebecca Bramley, 23, completing the Car Skills assessment.

NZ Young Farmers Contest Waipa/King Country District Convenor Amelia Grifﬁn.

January 2019 Coast & Country News

and farmClashes between those ﬁt, feisty ards and onw ss gre pro to ing-mad – hoping mer of the Far ng You G FM 9’s 201 in upwards tionNa ay. erw Year competition – are und and st nte Co t tric Dis l wide 20 entry-leve – with winners Skills Days are now complete ns this year. heading to regional competitio Westell Farm, of r, rke Wendy and Dave Ha t the Waipa/ hos to ted igh del e Kakepuku, wer Skills and King Country District Contest . Days Contest last month n, with District convenor Amelia Grifﬁ unteers vol b clu r’s me Far ng You of support ip, rsh nso spo ss and generous local busine s. ant test con 11 for s set up 10 skill test ngen won Twenty-two-year-old Emma Da llington We ine the competition, with Christ ngham nni Cu en placing second and Aid in the e pet com l wil ma Em taking third. ntest this Co al Waikato/Bay of Plenty Region rapher tog pho ws Ne year. Coast & Country on. acti the ed tur Catherine Fry cap

FARM VEHICLES & MACHINERY

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Page 21

A day of showing skills

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FARM VEHICLES & MACHINERY

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January 2019 Coast & Country News

National 4x4 trials to roar in the Waikato A sport of ﬁnesse and precision – and a true test of man and machine – is happening in Hamilton on February 9 when the fourth round of the 2018/2019 National 4x4 trial series roars into town. “Thousands of spectators are expected from the Hamilton and greater Waikato area,” says Waikato 4WD Club’s trial secretary Rachel Lobb. She says the annual series consists of six rounds held between October and April – where teams of two, a driver and navigator, attempt each hazard and are scored on the distance they get, rather than the time they take. “The aim is for a perfect score of zero. At the day’s end, the lowest score over the 30 hazards wins.” Rachel says 4x4 trials are great spectator events, with lots of mud, noisy engines and rollovers – and the February round, hosted by Waikato Four Wheel Drive Club, will be no different. “Competitors are split into classes based on modiﬁcations and engine size of their vehicles. “Many vehicles are now advanced spaceframe extremely competitive machines, featuring the latest in vehicle technology.

“Watching these trucks compete is very entertaining, as seen on TV3 programmes ‘Suzuki Extreme’ and ‘Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Cup’.” Three teams are competing in the National Trial Series this season from the Waikato Club, says Rachel. Greg and Chris McDell grew up as part of the club with their father who was a founding member. “Both have been involved in many forms of motorsport their whole lives and have followed their passion into the automotive industry. Greg and Chris have achieved podium placings nationally for the last few years.” Long-serving club member Brian Hall has been competing in the trials for many years, firstly in E class winning podium places and in more recent years in the Super Modified D class. “This year he’s teamed up with son Richard Hall, who is already very passionate about this sport,” says Rachel. Neville Mather and Richard Verner have rejoined this competition after some years off in a newly-built Nitro Customs LS2 powered trials truck. “Neville has been competing or has been an official during most of the last 20 years and won several podium places while in E class. “At the first trial this year they came third overall on debut in the new truck, which is an amazing feat against such an experienced field.” The 2018/2019 National 4x4 trial series February round is at Karakariki Rd, Whatawhata, off SH23. The event starts 8.30am. Tickets cost adults $10, and a family pass $25. See the ‘Porter Group 4x4 National Trial’ Facebook page for more information. Merle Foster

Scott Biggs and Martin Walton came ﬁrst nationally last season.

January 2019 Coast & Country News

FARM VEHICLES & MACHINERY

A fun day out set in grandad’s era Clydesdale horses, wagon rides, plus vintage cars, motorbikes and farm machinery will pull you back to yesteryear in Kawerau this month.

All proceeds go to the waterwheel. The project began in 1990 with Eastern BOP residents keen to preserve a vanishing history – the industrial archaeology of NZ. In 2006, the community company became charitable trust, The Waterwheel Historic Trust. “Today we’re based at Kawerau Life Konnect where we have a restoration group and a group looking after our extensive display, volunteers are welcome,” says Stephanie. So far volunteers have saved or restored donated machinery, vehicles and equipment worth in excess Coast & Country of $2 million, News’ Tractor many to workAttraction segment ing order. Daily has taken a break for diaries reﬂect this endeavour and protect the January. It will return knowledge of volunteers, some who have next edition. since passed away. To nominate a keen The project’s second phase is to establish owner or operator of and operate a live historic village and herit- a special engine, email age park in Kawerau. It will be a tourist contact details to: attraction, a place to learn, and one that merle@sunmedia.co.nz protects skills and heritage of times past. Other groups will be able to use the project to display their history and culture. The heritage park is to be named Waterwheel Heritage Park. For event information, see: www.waterwheel.nz To volunteer, phone: 0211054531.

What is this? Fi nd out at this month’s Fa rming like Grandad’ even t.

The Waterwheel Historic Trust is hosting its annual ‘Farming like Grandad’ fun day out for all on Sunday, January 28, on State Highway 30 opposite Military Rd. “So if your grandad farmed in the 1920s to 1960s this aims to replicate how it was done,” says trust co-chair Stephanie Johnson. “Think heavy horses demonstrating ploughing and wagon rides, old tractors with smoke pufﬁng from their exhausts and vintage farm machinery on display – from tractors to milking machines to sheep shearing equipment with a few sheep being shorn for good measure.” There’s also traditional crafts from spinning to weaving – hands-onfun includes a chance to use a Singer sewing machine, learn how to knit, and make butter – plus there’s games for all the ‘kids’ just like grandad used to play. “The great ‘tractor parade’ will give everyone an opportunity to see these machines in full working order and a tractor pulling competition will see teams of four competing to see how fast they can pull our old Fordson Major,” says Stephanie, who says to contact her for entry forms. There’s an animal petting corner on-site, and everyone is encouraged to dress in yesteryear theme – with prizes for best vintage costume. Music and food stalls with plenty of ice-cream will be on-site but event-goers can a picnic and sun umbrella along. Gates open 10am3pm on State Highway 30 Kawerau, opposite Military Rd. Entry is $5 for adults and no charge for children. Please leave dogs at home.

Merle Foster

Clydesdale horses will be ploughing ground at Kawerau this month as part of the ‘Farming like Grandad’ fun day out.

Page 23

COUNTRY LIVING

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Eliminate skin inflammation by changing what you eat

‘The Eczema Detox’, written by nutritionist Karen Fischer, offers a low-chemical diet for eliminating skin inﬂammation. It shows how to cut your total chemical load, love your liver and create healthy, clear skin from the inside out, drawing on Karen’s 15 years of professional experience. The book contains three effective programmes to suit a range of individuals from babies to adults with mild to severe skin rashes, including the following: eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, dandruff, hives (urticaria), red skin syndrome, topical steroid withdrawal, hidradenitis suppurativa, seborrheic dermatitis, rosacea, and more. The book also features insightful questionnaires, the itchy dozen worst foods for eczema, top 12 foods for eczema, skin disorder supplements, the dos and don’ts, and 50 delicious low-chemical recipes. Karen says she was prompted to research and write the book since her daughter suffered from severe eczema from infancy. Thanks to Exisle Publishing,

O U NT R

Caption this photo to be in to win.

N NIE

With New Year resolutions in full swing this month, many make goals to change their diets.

Page 24

‘The Eczema Detox’ is the book prize for January. Coast & Country News has a copy of ‘The Eczema Detox’ by Karen Fischer to give away. To be in to win, email captions for the photo above and send

with your name and address with Country Funnies as the subject line to: merle@sunmedia.co.nz Or put these details on the back of an envelope and post to Country Funnies, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3140 to arrive by January 21. The winner of the November Country Funnies caption is Jan Salmon of Hamilton for her caption: “Escapabull”. She wins a copy of the book ‘Minibeasts – True rulers of our world and the key to our survival’ by Alan Henderson.

January 2019 Coast & Country News

COUNTRY LIVING

Page 25

Going on a snapper hunt… Lately we’ve had nice spring ﬁsh conditions with lots of action on Blue Ocean Charters’ Te Kuia vessel.

his biggest Shane with weighing in er, ever snapp 25-30lb. d n u ro a

The weather is warming up finally and sea conditions have been pretty well perfect. Getting out on the ocean has been a pleasurable experience! The winter staple of tarakihi has been hit and miss, some days producing very good catches and the next the fishing has been decidedly difficult. Plenty of moves throughout the day have provided just a feed. Tom Mayne took a trip out the other day and with the weather looking great and just a small crew they made their way along Matakana for a bit of a snapper hunt. The water was full of krill. Even though there was some good fishing sign the fish had other ideas and were probably too well fed to take the bait. The only big one to break the surface was a large whale, which came to have a look at the anglers. This did not bode well for the fishing so they headed out to 40 metres in the hope of finding tarakihi. Results were consistent with a steady stream of fish coming over the rail. A group of keen anglers from C3 headed out to Mayor Island for an overnighter recently. There was selection of reef fish including snapper, tarakihi, golden snapper, pink maomao, porae and couple of kingfish caught in the evening and overnight. The catch of the night was Shane’s big snapper which weighed approximately 25-30lb. He’d only just baited up his hooks and was first with his line in the water. Suddenly he had a big hit and an ensuing tussle to get the biggest snapper he’s ever caught back to the boat. He took it very easy and gave it plenty of line so as not to risk it dropping the hook.

Walking access review The Ministry for Primary Industries is reviewing the Walking Access Act 2008 to see if it still provides the access needed to NZ’s outdoors – land, bush, mountains, rivers, coasts, and areas of cultural signiﬁcance. MPI director of environment and communities Charlotte Denny says the Act’s purpose is to provide the NZ public with free, certain, enduring, and practical walking access to the outdoors. The legislation also established the NZ Walking Access Commission. “Under the Act, a review must be undertaken after 10 years. Our review will look at whether the Act is ﬁt for the future, and what improvements are needed.” For details, email: walkingaccessreview@mpi.govt.nz

Above: Leon Fourie enjoys a day out on the water plus reeling in a ﬁsh too.

Right: A group of guys happy with their catches aboard a Blue Ocean Fishing charter.

Above: Jacob Corney with his catch.

COUNTRY LIVING

Page 26

January 2019 Coast & Country News

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A series of unfortunate events, or fortunate some might say, gave a Cambridge couple the push they needed to move forward with an artisan buttermaking business that they’d been contemplating for some time. Ex-Liverpudlians, Telecom engineer Steve Dolan and his wife Jan, an adult educator, were both made redundant unexpectedly within a week of each other. “The idea actually came from an Everton Football Club fan forum,” says Steve, a lifelong Everton supporter. “Someone posted A batch of fresh about their flavoured handmade butter. butter business, and big co-op, the couple we found no one in reverse the pasteuriNew Zealand was sation by adding a making it.” lactic culture and The name Bellefield fermenting it for 24 is a tribute to an Steve Dolan working the butter by hand. hours. The cream then old Everton trainripens for a week in the fridge, lowering the lactose ing ground, and the ‘belle’ meaning ‘beautiful’ – so levels. It is churned mechanically, but once the but‘beautiful field’ acknowledges the green pastures of termilk is drained off, the butter is hand-washed and the Waikato. patiently hand-worked by Steve. “Our pipe dream idea of perhaps running it from “The butter produced really evokes memories,” says a part-time kitchen was dashed very fast,” says Jan, “There were regulations galore to comply with, and I Steve. “We get comments that it tastes ‘just like my gran used to make’, from so many people.” had to write a 22,000-word Food Control Plan.” The operation is still small-scale; they sell at the Despite the steep learning curve, Bellefield Butter Waikato Farmer’s Markets, and supply several opened up for business in a brand new, customised Hamilton and Auckland restaurants. Restaurants also 20-foot shipping container, set up as a commercial eagerly take the buttermilk. kitchen, outside their house. There has been much interest in the butter, with It has its own Red Line, which Jan polices strictly. the Chilli and Lime flavour taking home a Silver This mini factory produces handmade, cultured at the Outstanding Food Producer Awards in butter in six flavours, including plain sea salt. association ‘Life and Leisure Magazine’, and the “We’re taking butter making back to the old days,” says Jan. “Pasteurisation kills the bacteria that eats up Pohutukawa Smoked flavour being a Runner Up in the Dairy Category of the National Farmer’s Markets lactose, and so many people are lactose intolerant.” Winter Food Awards. Although they bring in pasteurised cream from a Catherine Fry

January 2019 Coast & Country News

COUNTRY LIVING

Protect your gutters before autumn Now is the time to consider protecting your gutters against autumn leaf fall, as well as keeping out birds for next nesting season, warns NZ Gutter Protection owner-operator Martin Smith.

NZ Gutter Protection owner-operator Martin Smith on the job.

But for many people, climbing on to the roof to clear out gutters is risky or not practical. “Gutter protection means no more scrambling up a ladder to get to the gutters, risking a fall,” says Martin. Leaves can clog gutters, posing a significant flooding risk, while birds nesting in gutters and eaves are a noise and mess nuisance. Martin says birds can contaminate water collected from the house’s roof for drinking, and rats getting in through the eaves are often an issue as well. So getting ahead of the issues now can prevent headaches arising later. “Installing gutter protection gives peace of mind,” says Martin. “It eliminates these problems and will keep tank drinking water clean too. It will even keep out hail, which can cause a blockage in the gutters.” NZ Gutter Protection mesh is made from heavyduty polyethylene and comes in a range of colours. It can be installed on any type of roof and has a 15-year guarantee on materials and workmanship. Martin does most of the fitting himself so clients can rely on the continuity of working with the same person from quote to completion of work on their property. He’s been installing gutter protection on homes, farm buildings and commercial properties since 2005 and his service area covers the entire Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

A personal touch to controlling weeds “All weeds are nasty weeds – and, if not kept under control, can soon take control of pasture, causing lack of production,” says Jay Magee, owner-operator of Bay Wide Hand Gunning. Jay is fully-licensed and insured for handling chemicals used in weed spraying. He’s been the owner of Before. Bay Wide Hand Gunning for three years and prior to that worked in the agricultural dairy sector for 16 years. “Being the owneroperator means I offer that personal touch, as the client deals with me from when I ﬁrst go to look at a job through to completion,” says Jay. Jay is well equipped for all jobs large and small with a Toyota Hilux vehicle with a 600L tank and a retractable 200m hose so he can tackle anything agricultural. He also has a Ford Ranger with pump and reel for smaller residential and commercial moss kill treatments.

“With the hand gun and long hose I can get in to less accessible places, especially on steeper hill farms. Weed spraying can be undertaken year-round, although preferably in ﬁne weather,” says Jay. Some of the weeds he tackles are gorse, blackberry, thistles, ragwort; and spraying drains for easier water ﬂow is another service. If moss growing on the roof of a house or shed is a problem, Jay can deal to that too with a special treatment that is long-lasting. Baywide Hand Gunning covers Bay of Plenty, Waikato, and Hawke’s Bay including Gisborne; and along with farm and orchard weed spraying he can do residential or commercial areas.

After.

Helen Wilson

Page 27

Page 28

EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

January 2019 Coast & Country News

‘Time to open up Overseer’ The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has reviewed whether farm management tool Overseer is ﬁt for purpose in a regulatory context. Here, some of NZ’s science and water management experts give their views. Professor Jenny Webster-Brown, of the Waterways Centre for Freshwater Management, Lincoln University and University of Canterbury, says Overseer is an established, accessible, well-supported numerical model. “However, it is increasingly being used for

purposes other than those it was designed and validated for; mainly by modellers who do not have access to details of the modelling processes and their limitations,” says Jenny. “If Overseer is to be the model of choice for national and regional scale nutrient loss and load modelling, and widely accepted and adopted across multiple sectors, it needs to be openly reviewed and refined for its use in this context. The modelling process also needs to become transparent.” University of Otago legal and scientific researcher Dr Julie Everett-Hincks says with NZ facing significant issues in degraded water quality, the National Policy Statement for Freshwater has prompted some regional

councils to adopt Overseer as a tool to encourage compliance and enforce nitrogen limits on farmers. “Overseer would not likely withstand legal challenge, but more importantly is it right to burden farmers with regulatory compliance when the tool used cannot reasonably measure nutrient losses? “In its current form and governance structure, Overseer is not ﬁt to be a regulatory tool.” Julie says Overseer was never designed to estimate limits and enforce compliance. “Overseer has been adapted over the last four decades, both in its governance structure and its capacity to meet regional council demands.” Julie says the PCE recommends a comprehensive and well-resourced evalua-

tion of Overseer for it to be considered a regulatory tool – and recommends Overseer adopts an opensource model, which conﬂicts with the current business model. “To regulate water quality in Aotearoa, I believe a purpose-built model is required.”

Only model

Professor Troy Baisden, BOPRC chair in Lake and Freshwater Science, University of Waikato, says Overseer’s path from helpful calculator to regulatory tool “has been bumpy for both councils and farmers, and that is the issue the PCE has investigated”. “On the upside, Overseer is well used and reﬂects some of our farming systems well. That would be perfect if Overseer was still mainly a calculator to improve farm nutrient management. “But, when used to enforce regulation, Overseer lacks the openness and transparency needed for scientists to review model results or develop improvements. “The report concludes Overseer has achieved a safe monopoly on regulatory use. Overseer is the best model we have, because it’s the only model we have.”

Inevitable limitations

Dr Suzi Kerr, senior fellow, Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, says the report identifies and explores key fundamental issues such as governance, transparency and quality control; addressing these with some of the suggestions in the report could significantly improve quality and acceptability of the model. “At the same time it makes clear the inevitable limitations of any model, and hence our need to accept inaccuracy if we want to have flexible policy. “Reassuringly, many of the modelling challenges it identifies are specific to water quality where, for example, leaching rates depend heavily on local farm conditions so are data heavy and where the importance of leaching from a specific farm for water quality goals depends on catchment-wide processes.” Suzi believes creating a strong version of Overseer, or a similar tool, to estimate greenhouse gases is a significantly easier task “though one that is still in progress”.

Connect to FEPs

Our Land and Water National Science Challenge’s chief scientist Professor Richard McDowell says catchment water quality is driven by action at the farm scale. “Overseer is ‘good enough’ to model most complex farm systems and estimate nitrogen and phosphorus loss in response to farm practices. While parts of the model can be improved there’s a risk that focusing on uncertainty delays action on farms,” says Richard, who was one of the report’s reviewers and a contributor to the model’s development. “My opinion is the best use of Overseer is to connect it to Farm Environment Plans, and I’d like to have seen this included as a recommendation. “FEPs should fall under the same national guidance recommended by the Commissioner for Overseer, to ensure plans are effective. Currently, there is potential for signiﬁcant variation in quality between 16 regional councils. Richard says Overseer also needs to evolve so it’s able to map and target critical source areas of nutrient loss within a farm (spatial variation) and measure impact of day-to-day decisions on the farm (temporal variation). “The next step would see Overseer and other models used to help farmers/growers identify the most suitable land uses for areas most prone to nutrient loss.”

Clear path forward

University of Waikato’s Professor Louis Schipper says the model can be used in a regulatory fashion, where Overseer predicts nutrient losses based on farmer practices. “Consequently, Overseer can create operating boundaries for farmers and there is considerable interest in the model’s accuracy and transparency, which is the focus of the PCE report. Other countries are struggling with similar issues and have regulated inputs which, as the report suggests, may not be welcomed by NZ farmers as being more constraining. “In my opinion, the PCE’s overarching conclusions and recommendations provide a clear path forward and need to be addressed comprehensively and with urgency.”

EFFLUENT & IRRIGATION

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Page 29

Get stuck in to the New Year – just do it! The New Year is here – so my advice is ‘just do it now!’ Do it while you can. Do it while you are alive. Do it because you can. I’ve spent my whole business lifetime watching people procrastinate, be stuck, not prepared to spend any money, not being an early adopter, and so on. Procrastination means to postpone, put off doing something. Some real life examples might include the following.

Wills

If you haven’t got a will now – just do it. Trustees’ list of wishes – this is essential – don’t procrastinate or delay. It’s only a matter of calling your solicitor. Then sort out your money, property and Power of Attorney and health matters. And don’t forget forgiveness of debt to family. Don’t die leaving a mess please. Many, many do as they just don’t get around to doing it – too busy procrastinating – just do it now! Make a list – and tick the ‘just do it now’ jobs off. Then there’s settling family grievances. What is the point of going to your grave with an unresolved issue with someone who may have annoyed you over some trivial matter – normally money, I dare say. Go have a word with them. Settle it now, while you can.

Family holidays

Recently ﬂying back from Wellington I sat beside a bright young man and we got talking about what he remembered as special when he was much younger. “Oh,” he said. “Our

grandfather took the whole family to Asia for a week. We grandkids all wore T-shirts with ‘Poppas grandkids’ proudly showing and he wore one with ‘Poppa’ on it.” It was an absolute highlight of his life. If you can afford it, and are thinking of it – just do it.

Changing properties

Maybe downsizing, getting yourself in a stronger position by selling surplus assets and so on. My wife sold rural real estate and told me stories where we grumpy old fellas refused to make the necessary changes only to ﬁnd it was too late because ill health beat them.

Money

If you’re thinking of giving family ﬁnancial help with ‘limited’ guarantees – not unlimited guarantees – maybe assisting them into a property, then do it while you can. Do not keep putting it off. The caveat here is you must take good legal advice and with the world markets a bit shaky, decide if it is the best time to be buying and borrowing?

Play sport

Ride a bike, take a trip – New Zealand is an excellent place to start – read a book, introduce yourselves to the neighbours, make new friends, cook a new recipe, the

list goes on... Just do it and do it while you can.

Health issues

They are insidious, they just creep up on you and rob you of your ability to ‘just do it!’ And suddenly it is too late. Your health limits what you can do and robs you of the opportunities you had planned. How many people do you know like that? Make sure it is not you.

Get brave and have a conversation on how you might be able to emulate them. I remember as a young registered valuer, unsure of myself I went and asked a senior valuer if he could help. He was more than pleased to be asked and his wisdom made a huge improvement in my business and ability. So get a realist view of yourself and the

world, make a list of goals on what you want to do and take action! Disclaimer – These are the opinions of Don Fraser of Fraser Farm Finance. Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate professional assistance should be sought. Don Fraser is principal of Fraser Farm Finance and a consultant to the farming industry. Contact him on 0800 777 675 or 021 777 675. A disclosure document is available on request.

Leaders

We all look up to and admire those people who do a lot for everybody and their community. There is one fellow in the local Lions group here – in fact there are many – but he’s in everything, organises this and that and never says ‘no’. He has the attitude to ‘do it now, do it while you can’, and by the time others have procrastinated he’s it done.

Role models

Look for role models in your community and look at how they just get on with it. How they run businesses, families, travel and still have time to talk to you.

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Page 30

CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Bridging the gap at Longswamp The recent opening of a road bridge over a new section of the Waikato Expressway has enabled two communities, which were divided by State Highway 1, to be safely reconnected without needing to access the expressway. The Whangamarino Road Bridge overbridge is a key part of the 5.9km Longswamp section of the expressway, north of Te Kauwhata. Longswamp will open to four-lane trafﬁc this year but completion of the overbridge is a game-changer for residents living between Te Kauwhata and Hampton Downs. NZTA director regional relationships Parekawhia McLean says this is a big milestone for the Longswamp project team as well. The overbridge is 12.3m wide, 6.2m metres high, is made of 140 tonnes of steel and 850m3 of concrete, has six 1050mm diameter piles to a maximum depth of 45m, 20 precast beams – at 21 tonnes each and 15m long – and

The newly-opened Whangamarino Rd Bridge. displays culturally-designed patterns on its concrete abutment walls. “We’re really pleased to get these road extensions and the bridge open, especially to allow local people to travel with ease rather than using a detour.” The occasion was marked with a morning karakia (blessing) by local mana whenua Ngati Naho from Waikato-Tainui late last year. “Strengthening the local road network and connections via the bridge greatly improves safety for the local people,” says Parekawhia. On the eastern side, Whangamarino Rd has been extended south

to Paddy Rd and over the expressway to connect to Summertime Land and Rodda Rd on the western side. Meanwhile, Rodda Rd has been extended to connect the Te Kauwhata interchange. “The bridge isn’t just for vehicles, we have also created a wide footpath that allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross.” The Longswamp section is part of the 102km Waikato Expressway. It connects the completed Mercer-Meremere section to the north with the completed Rangiriri section to the south and involves widening the existing SH1.

Protecting small businesses against UDPs The Road Transport Forum is welcoming a reasonable timeframe.” Rick says late payers, especially big corporates, use the release of a Government discussion UDP as a means of exploiting small suppliers and document to consider additional protections transporters as a cheap source of finance. “It is an insidious practice that needs to be stamped against ‘unfair’ commercial practices. RTF Chief Executive Nick Leggett says his organisation – which represents the interests of road freight operators nationally – has lobbied Government ministers ever since they took office last year “to do something to protect small business against the pernicious creep of Unilateral Deferred Payment terms”. Nick says UDP terms, which see large companies extend payment times out to two or three months and longer, have a major impact on many small NZ businesses including a number of transport operators. “Typically, small businesses are not flush with cash and it is therefore critical that they are paid for their services within

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out and it is good to see the Government recognising that through the release of this discussion document. “RTF will be studying the various options carefully and talking to our members before submitting. We want to make sure that whatever option comes out of this process does not have an adverse impact on business,” says Nick. “We are wary of the frequent tendency that governments have of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut and do not want to see a swathe of unintended consequences when a simple solution such as extending the provisions of the Fair Trading Act would do the job.”

January 2019 Coast & Country News

AVOCADOS

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Expo offers avocado advice, food and fun! Show-goers wanting to learn more about avocados, to growers of the high-demand fruit wanting technical advice, can get some answers to their fruit-ﬁlled questions at the Avocado Expo at Katikati A&P Show next month. The expo, being sponsored by Avoco, is returning to the show on Sunday, February 3, 2019, offering some serious advice to those in the industry but also some fun-ﬁlled activities to attendees wanting to know more about the fruit. “The expo’s main aim this year is to promote Katikati recently claiming the title of being New Zealand’s avocado capital,” says committee spokesperson Linda Flegg. “And it is to inform people about the growing and servicing industry of avocados in the Bay of Plenty – and to promote the fruit itself as a nutritional product. “It’s also there for growers to come and socialise, meet fellow industry representatives and ask any technical questions of the industry businesses on-site.” The expo will be made up of a big marquee and wood-chopping demonstrations, also being sponsored by Avoco, along with trade sites highlighting avocado-related services and products.

“Here growers can talk with those industry representatives on all technical avocado topics – including 2018’s Young Grower of the Year Danni van der Heijden, who is part of Avoco’s technical team.” The other part of the expo is pure avocado fun – offering a range of competitions to join in or watch, and loads of activities for youngsters. “There will be a tug-o-war competition – and we’re encouraging packhouse workers to come along and participate,” says Linda. “For the kids, Katikati Open-Air Art is running colouring-in competitions, we’ve got avocado decorating – where children can decorate avocados and avocado 500 race cars to race down a racetrack – and we have avocado egg-andspoon races.” Linda says the expo is also an area where parents can have some downtime too while their children enjoy the activities – a new caterer will be cooking up avocado dishes for people to purchase, and the very-popular avocado beer – created and brewed by Rocky Knob Brewing Company owner and brewer Stu Marshall – will return for those interested in tasting it.

Rocky Knob Brewing Company owner and brewer Stu Marshall with Avoco’s Henry McIntosh, sampling some avocado beer when it was ﬁrst introduced to the expo in 2017.

Kyra brings more than expertise to new role Just Avocados growers can now call on the expertise of a new grower services representative in the Bay of Plenty. Kyra Fielden has joined the company, having spent more than two decades working in the horticulture industry. “I’ve predominately held sales roles spanning retail through to business-tobusiness and Just Avocados’ BOP grower dealing directly with services representative farmers and growKyra Fielden. ers,” says Kyra. “But I was keen to shift into a more avocado-focused role so I jumped at this opportunity with Just Avocados when it came up.” The 39-year-old is originally from Kaeo in Northland but has lived in Tauranga for many years. Most recently she’s worked at Grologic where she often helped Just Avocados growers improve their soil biology. Kyra has a special interest in this area and has completed a national certiﬁcate in organic crop production at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. “Regenerative growing is all about supporting orchard health and crop production by improving soil organic matter levels and activity, increasing biodiversity, enhancing ecosystems and building resilience in crops to better withstand environmental changes,” says Kyra. As the Bay’s new grower services representative, Kyra is looking forward to supporting and adding value to Just Avocados growers in the region. She’ll aim to identify new growers who are ready to take their orchards to the next level, and will work alongside the company’s production management team to enhance on-orchard practices and production.

Kyra plans to visit every Just Avocados grower in the Bay of Plenty in the coming months to personally introduce herself. “I’m really looking forward to getting out and meeting growers and supporting them throughout the year with all aspects of their orchards and improving communication with harvest and packing.”

“Plus committee member Anne Rowland will have loads of nutritional information and avocado recipes to give

away.” The Katikati Avocado Expo is at Katikati A&P Show at Uretara Domain, Sunday, February 3. Gates open 9am.

AVOCADOS

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January 2019 Coast & Country News

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From May 2019, New Zealand’s employment law will be very different from today – and unfortunately, there will be unintended consequences. There’ll be a greater emphasis on unions in the workplace. This is coming about through two employment law amendments. The Government’s goal is to better protect workers and to ensure they’re not exploited in the workforce. Plus, the Government has indicated there will be a signiﬁcant increase in the minimum wage that could be up around $1.75 an hour. This is a move away from letting the market determine conditions and minimum pay. The intended consequence of these changes is to improve workers’ employment conditions and wage rates.

Policy settings

Currently, NZ is experiencing high employment levels. To attract workers, employers are offering good conditions and wages, where the economies of their business permit this. Mandating further wage increases will not, in my opinion, change a great deal – other than make it more difﬁcult and expensive to employ workers. That’s where I think there’s an unintended consequence – these measures may result in

less unemployed New Zealanders being given the opportunity to enter the permanent workforce. I acknowledge 60-day trial periods will continue for small employers, but depending on how that is assessed, many horticulture operations may miss out on this. A better and probably more productive way forward would be to increase the support given to both the unemployed and to businesses to enable those unemployed people to start a career. The more difﬁcult this becomes, the less likely it will happen. Despite any law changes, our efforts will be focused on ﬁnding meaningful and long careers for unemployed New Zealanders. The key to success is getting the policy settings right to achieve this.

Different conditions

Another possibly unintended consequence will come from Multi-Employer Collective Agreements. Many of our farms, orchards and commercial gardens are family-run, intergenerational businesses that employ both permanent and seasonal workers, as well as family members. In many respects, these businesses are no different from urban small business operations. They’re collectively the engine room for NZ’s continued ﬁnancial vitality and greatly contribute to the social and cultural sustainability of our country. It is possible for busi-

nesses to opt out of MECAs on reasonable grounds. In horticulture there are about 4000 small businesses. There are also different work conditions and wage and salary payments dependent on the type of crop that is grown, and the size of operation. To have one MECA covering all 4000 businesses, without allowance for these multiple variations, would stiﬂe productivity.

Compelling case

I note there can be different schedules in a MECA with application to different size and type of business. But few small businesses have human resources specialist staff, so making compliance straightforward is the best way for it to be met. It’s also true of small businesses that their staff are one of their most important assets, so generally, they’re looked after. We therefore hope we can make a compelling case for many of our small businesses to be exempt from MECAs, so they can concentrate on the business of growing healthy food. The Bill requires an agreement be reached, but for 4000 very different small businesses, that may be impossible to achieve. This would mean getting them all to agree on one set of conditions – with, doubtless, a multiple number of variations. As these law changes are further developed we’ll engage with government, with the goal of making them as practical and as easy for our small businesses to adopt and implement so they can continue to grow NZ’s ﬁnancial viability.

Stand out

from the crowd at the 2019 Avocado Food & Wine Festival Do you have an avocado orchard that you are considering selling? List your avocado property with me and have it launched at the Katikati Avocado Food & Wine Festival on the 12th January. The Avocado Festival is a celebration of everything avocado, the event will attract over 5,000 avocado loving visitors, held in the heart of the avocado capital – Katikati. So make sure your property stands out from the crowd and have it launched at the 2019 festival! Specialised marketing campaign tailored for avocado orchards for any properties that list with me for the festival.

Contact Durrelle today for more details.

Durrelle Green - your avocado property specialist 027 949 3725 durrelle.green@eves.co.nz Licensed under the REAA 2008

January 2019 Coast & Country News

AVOCADOS

Page 33

Avocado orchardists’ daughter receives new scholarship Caitlin McCulloch is the inaugural recipient of the Avoco Tertiary Scholarship worth $5000. The daughter of Te Puke avocado growers, Caitlin has been studying for a Bachelor of Science with a major in horticulture at Lincoln University. The 20-year-old will complete her third and final year of advanced study at Guelph University in Ontario, Canada, where she’s looking forward to extending her knowledge. “Whereas Lincoln University has given me a strong science base, it unfortunately doesn’t give students the chance to major in horticulture,” says Caitlin. “Fortunately, I can do that at Guelph – which is a partner university of Lincoln and one that has a solid reputation for sustainability and the use of modern technology.” Her first semester courses start on January 7 when she will explore a full range of horticultural subjects, including propagation, apiculture, medicinal plant management and organic horticulture. “I’m really interested in pursuing integrated pest management and bio-control Caitlin McCulloch is to complete her third and final more,” says Caitlin. year of advanced study at Guelph University in “There’s a general push for a much greater Ontario, Canada, this year. understanding about how we can manage pests in our orchards in a more sustainable way. It can definitely see the benefits of how further scientific seems more people want to take a holistic view in research will support them becoming more producthe growing of crops.” tive in the long-run. Growing up on a Te Puke avocado orchard, “Naturally, Mum and Dad supported my study Caitlin was always hands-on with family, tagging choice and have always been interested to hear what along with parents Andrina and Greg to help when I’ve been learning; and I’ve enjoyed sharing with needed. Being surrounded by gardens and fruit trees them the science behind a lot of the practical stuff sparked an interest in horticulture but it was only that they do.” later at Lincoln that Caitlin seriously considered the idea of pursing it as a career option. “I attended two Grateful high schools and horticulture was offered but it was She’s incredibly grateful to Avoco and its communot taken seriously by students. Most of those who nity of growers for offering the scholarship, which took it were generally there to fool around. will help her complete her studies. “It’s exciting to “That put me off, but I’m a curious person and be the inaugural recipient and I can’t wait to just get the more I looked into plant sciences at Lincoln, stuck in to my studies.” the more I realised how many opportunities there With more than 800 growers, Avoco is NZ’s largest are to apply my interest in science to the horticulavocado export company. It launched the annual Terture industry. tiary Scholarship to encourage research into subjects “Horticulture suits me well because I enjoy the practical side of research and being able to apply the science in a very hands-on way to make a difference is something that really appeals.” Caitlin hopes the scholarship will open doors for her after she graduates and says a career in the avocado industry “is one that would tick lots of boxes”. “Definitely avocados are in my mind for a future career but I’d like to immerse myself in any one industry and get stuck in with all the practical stuff. “I like how the avocado industry is still growing and there are still opportunities to influence how it develops.” It also helps that she understands how avocado growers tick. Like many orchardists, Caitlin says her parents are hungry for knowledge about how to improve their orchard productivity. “They’ve always been open-minded to trying new things and they

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FERTILISER

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Get started on your Farm Environment Plan journey Farmers can kick-start their Farm Environment Plan by attending one of several workshops on offer via Beef+Lamb New Zealand in coming months around the midNorth Island. The B+LNZ workshops begin with a general overview of factors that need considering – land use, strengths and weaknesses of the land and soil, nutrient budgets and environment objectives – before getting down to speciﬁcs, says B+LNZ’s North Island extension manager Maria Shanks. “The focus isn’t on compliance, rather the workshops are about getting farmers started on their Farm Environment Plan journey.” Attendees bring their own farm maps, and with only 15 or so people at each workshop, it is really handson, says Maria. “Basically, farmers take a stocktake of the land classes on their property, soil and water resources, risk areas, and they will come away with the start of a written plan. “By the end of the day-long session, most people have 50-60 per cent of their plan done.” Katikati farmer Rick Burke has had an FEP for 20 years, and reckons its one of the best investments he’s made. “What turned a light on for me was when I saw the numbers around sediment from our property making its way out to the harbour. As a keen ﬁsherman and surfer, I’m passionate about clean waterways,” says Rick. Working in consultation with Bay of Plenty Regional Council, a plan was developed, which focused on infrastructure development like ripar-

ian planting, fencing waterways and protecting wetlands on the property. They got runs on the board quickly, and within three years, analysis showed sediment loss had reduced drastically, and there was also a positive effect on fish and invertebrate health in the farm’s waterways. The planning process identified that 20 per cent of the land wasn’t viable for farming, so it was retired and is now planted in production trees, natives and wetlands, says Rick. His FEP has also had a big impact on how fertiliser is used on the property he runs. “Before we were putting fertiliser on the whole farm, and now we just put it where it’s needed. We’re applying the same amount of fertiliser – just to a smaller area, and now we’re now growing an extra 3-4t DM/ha.” Rick believes the changes made to their farming system as a result of the FEP have made a huge contribution to the significant increase in profitability since 2000, when the economic farm surplus was around $300/ha, to around $1000/ha now. “The process isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. Twenty years on we are still making changes.” Bur Rick says plan provided the impetus to redesign how they did things, and has taken the farm to the next level. “An FEP plan unlocks opportunities to do things better.” Seven FEP workshops are planned in the mid-North Island, and more may be added depending on demand. They are: Te Kuiti on February 6, Wharepuhunga on February 13, Te Waitere on February 25, Raglan on March 5, Awakino on March 6, Coromandel on April 11 and Te Puke on April 12. For more information, see: https://beeflambnz.com/event Josephine Reader

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FERTILISER

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Proposed MPI regulation of organic standards Kiwi Fertiliser caters mostly to deeperthinking farmers and growers who want to produce a healthier, better quality product while increasing their profit. Most of the producers are termed biological, regenerative and sustainable. That is, they follow standard practices, but do it such a way as to minimise and eliminate noxious substances from their programmes, while adding other substances that increase diversity of vegetation and microbial populations. Stock health and performance has slowly improved and become less costly. Pasture growth has become more reliable. Chemical inputs have markedly declined. Most are increasing the carbon content of the soil. When they no longer need fertiliser, we have done our job properly. Some of our clients are certified organic producers. Submissions to the Ministry for Primary Industries regarding organic standards closed in June 2018. A summary of results has gone to Cabinet and if it is felt there is a need for mandatory regulation; that process will be begun. Hopefully, organic growers themselves will have a major say and not the distributors and supermarkets. The latter have already deceived us with free-range eggs. New Zealand is in an ideal position to supply some of the world’s organic food demand. Sadly, we have ignored that stance and just 0.75 per cent of our exported produce is organic. Worldwide only 1.1 per cent of agricultural land is classified as ‘organic’, according to Organic Worldwide Statistics in 2017.

World market

A counter argument to that is: “Subsidies are not permitted under free-trade agreements”. How many privatepublic partnerships have extracted millions of taxpayer dollars from the Government? The bigger the private business, the greater the rort. The Waimea irrigation and water storage scheme has now been approved for taxpayer and ratepayer subsidies.

Normal vs organic

When the ‘average’ farmers go about their daily business, they’re being subsidised by our environment and by our health and medical system. Ultimately, the taxpayer picks up the bill for bad practices. Statistically, the ‘normal’ farmer is degenerating the environment, while the ‘organic’ producer is sequestering carbon and not polluting water supplies. They are not getting any assistance or compensation to do so. The playing field is very, very slanted. Soil under pasture has five times the potential to sequester carbon than forestry, and three times more than the atmosphere. But the atmosphere is winning and has been for decades. Organic properties sequester two to eight times more carbon than those using ‘conventional’ farming methods. Regulations are needed in a helpful way to at least boost consumer confidence that they are getting value for their organic dollar. If that is case for a mere 0.75 per cent of our exported produce, it should follow that the other 99.25 per cent should also be closely scrutinised. Consumers need to know what has been sprayed on their food. They need to know what stock eat affects the quality of the meat and milk. They need to know a lot more than they are being told. Not so long ago, raw milk went under the microscope. Raw milk became easier to buy but harder to sell. The consumer could buy as much milk as they wanted, but the seller was in for an extra $10,000-$20,000 of largely unnecessary expenditure to upgrade their facilities. The small business operators, which were 0.001 per cent or less of the market, were obviously very threatening to big business. Are organically certified producers next in line?

The current world market is worth $116 billion. NZ organic production is worth just $500 million split between domestic and export. The chemical barons are, of course, aiming to integrate seed, chemicals, Genetic Engineering, food production and pharmaceuticals into their business models. They are succeeding. Part of the reason organics has languished is because of excessive and expensive red-tape. Another part is confusion and misconception about what fertilisers and other inputs can be used. In other words: ‘My production will suffer’. Never mind the mean organic premium stated is 30 per cent. Production is not necessarily a driver of proﬁt. The main determinant of proﬁt is carbon, according to a National Australia Bank study. But few farmers and their advisors recognise that fact. Another reason is lack of At least the birds and animals get it right. government support.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

FEED & PASTURE MANAGEMENT

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Page 37

We need to find different ways to feed our dairy cows Having written mainly about mostly grass dairy systems for years, I was astounded at the complexity of running a System 5 farm on my ﬁrst visit to one recently, which was demonstrating how they’ve been making a proﬁt by autumn calving and winter milking.

than Holstein/Friesian and Kiwi Cross breeds as the climate heats up, and the darker cows yield progressively less during summer. So, it doesn’t seem to matter how

If a farm’s dairy platform is only 53ha, and 10ha of that is growing maize silage and annuals, what do they feed 240 cows on? Well, grass only partly comes into it. The concrete feed pad can ﬁt the whole herd, with long mangers down each side, ﬁlled with an obviously palatable mixture of molasses, corn, canola, Palm Kernel Expeller, barley straw and hay, with the moisture provided by chopped potatoes. These come from a nearby spud farm as rejects at a very good tonnage price. There is also some in-shed feeding of pellets and corn-gluten pellets when needed. Fully fed is the mantra here. There’s some carefully grown ryegrass for spring grazing, but no weeds allowed, and the oversown clover wasn’t making much of an appearance. And winter grazing is minimal. However, they haven’t used urea in 10 years, and fertiliser consists of lime and trace elements, with some sulphate of ammonia spread in winter. The cropping soil obviously gets turned over regularly, and no mention was made about the pasture soil, but the ryegrass is renewed when needed.

Autumn calving

The dry and pregnant cows, Friesian-crosses, looked beautiful and were obviously used to people, as some of us standing in their paddock were being licked over and over. So, to date, autumn calving with a February 21 start and system 5 have worked well. But now one

you farm, and what you milk, life is going to get more complicated while farmers continue to strain for increased production, even if Fonterra moves to value rather than volume.

Sue Edmonds

or two problems have arisen externally. Initially beef-only sires had been used to maximise the return on autumn-born calves. But to keep the system going at peak, there has been quite a bit of buying empty cows, fattening them up and, if not producing enough to mate, selling them as prime. But Mycoplasma Bovis is putting a stop to being able to ﬁnd ‘safe’ cows to buy. And the hotter summers, due to climate change, are making largely black cows more subject to heat stress so they are now experimenting with ﬁnding a breed that copes with heat when pregnant, milks well, and gets in-calf.

Heat stress

DairyNZ people are now getting clued up on heat stress in cows, and it was interesting to ﬁnd the temperature differences between us and cows which causes stress. They feel it at lower temperatures than we do, and with streams fenced off, and often little in the way of shade plantings, hotter summers will probably mean lower milk yields, whenever calving is done. And they will drink a lot more too. High ﬁbre foods – such as poor pasture quality or silage quality, straw and hay – increase the heat in the rumen and the heat load on the cow. Humidity plays a part too, and Jersey cows may fare better

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FEED & PASTURE MANAGEMENT

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Making hay while the sun shines Haymaking was always an essential part of farming. A weather-dependent and oftenthwarted task, carried out by those with a passion for machinery and a love of the land. Nowadays other products such as silage and haylage have overtaken hay in popularity, but it is still an important part of a rural contractor’s year. Jim Martin, 76, a retired rural contractor, and Tom Smith, 84, a retired dairy farmer and school bus driver, were childhood friends in Manawaru in the 1940s, and vividly remember the haymaking methods of their youth. “Back then you were guaranteed a good six weeks of hot weather in January and February. Farmers grouped together, pooling machinery and manpower, and worked through all the farms in the group,” says Jim.

His family used horses right up until the 1950s, while Tom’s family had a tractor from the early1940s. The boys loved haymaking as everyone mucked in and they all got a day off school. “You have to remember back then that although horses pulled the mowers, tedders and rakes, there was still a lot more manpower involved,” says Tom. By the time it was cut, the grass was already quite dried out, and sometimes as high as a tractor’s wheel, often yielding 100 bales an acre. Up to two hectares could be cut on a good day.

Cameron Barrie, 29, a modern-day rural contractor. Photo: Slatzcon Photography.

Stacking

If good weather held, the whole haymaking process was sometimes completed in one day, with milking happening between each stage. At other times it took three or four days. “The mowers cut a ﬁve foot width and the tedders could turn two ﬁve-foot rows after mowing. “The rakes would put two rows back into one,

ready for either stacking or baling,” says Jim. Before balers were used, the hay had to be swept into large piles for stacking, an art that had to be taken seriously. Both Tom and Jim grin at the memory of many a hay stack ending up in ﬂames. “The stack had to be built right, and the hay had to be dry, as wet hay will combust,” says Tom. A stacker was used to pile the hay up, and the stack was normally built in the corner of a paddock so it was fenced on two sides. If built right, they lasted well, and only the very outside got wet in rain. “Early mechanical balers still needed around four men to operate them to produce the wire-bound bales, and there was a lot of stopping and starting,” says Jim.

Changing weather

Times have most certainly changed during the 70 years since the memories

of Jim and Tom. Cameron Barrie, 29, works as a rural contractor for Slattery Contractors in Matamata. Brought up on a dairy farm, this young man served two tours in the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment before returning to the land, this time fulﬁlling his passion for machinery. “Although hay is still popular, it’s getting increasingly harder to make due to changing weather patterns not giving dry, hot breaks when the hay is ready,” says Cameron. The process of mowing, tedding, raking and baling is still the same, but requires much less manpower and production is much quicker. “I sit in an air-conditioned tractor cab, listening to Spotify, and can mow 8-10ha an hour, for 14 hours a day.” When Cameron has mown one farm, he moves to the next – and his colleagues follow behind him with the other machines. Weather permitting, the stages are still carried out during ...continued

Catherine Fry

January 2019 Coast & Country News

FEED & PASTURE MANAGEMENT

Rural contracting then and now

Using a stacker and a horse to build a hay stack in the 1920s. Photo: Supplied by Gordon Malcolm. continued...

A team of men forking hay into the baler, with bales wire-tied by hand in the 1920s. Photo: Supplied by Gordon Malcolm.

a period of two or three days, but on a larger scale compared to the past. Modern mowers can cut a 9m width of grass in a pass, tedders have a 13m span, and rakes span 7-8m.

Bales

Bales have changed, with smaller landowners wanting conventional bales, but large rounds suiting dairy farmers with silage bale feeders. Large squares and multi-bales offer convenience for breaking off smaller pieces for equine establishments. Despite all that, haymaking is still an art requiring human instinct, says Cameron. “An experienced haymaker knows when to progress to the next stage. “It’s all about the colour, the look, the smell, and the feel. We know when it’s ready.” Even though there are bales nowadays, they still need to be stacked, and especially with conventional bales, there is an art to keep the stack from leaning over.

Jim Martin, 76, says his family used horses for haymaking right up to the 1950s. Photo: Catherine Fry. The camaraderie of yesteryear is still alive and well, with groups, clubs and charities wishing to fundraise often taking on the job of collecting bales from paddocks, and stacking them in the barns. Most farms nowadays use rural contractors for their haymaking as it is more cost-effective. For the men like Jim, Tom and Cameron, they all have one thing in common – a passion for the machinery available in their era, and an instinct for the art of haymaking. Catherine Fry

Tom Smith, 84, fondly remembers his days of haymaking in the 1940s. Photo: Catherine Fry.

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FORESTRY

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Forest owners to vote on industry levy Forest growers are gearing up for a March vote on whether the forest levy, which came into effect in 2014, should continue for another six years. Forest growers will vote on whether or not they want the levy, introduced to collectively fund initiatives to support the success of New Zealand forestry, to stay. If continuation for another six years is approved, they will also agree what range the levy will be set at. Currently the levy is 27c per tonne

of harvested wood, and the industry is being asked to approve a new levy range of 24c-33c. The levy started in 2014 and was set for six years. In 2018, the levy raised $9.5 million, up from $6.5 million the first year the levy was introduced. The levy is applied to a range of activities that benefit the industry, and in 2018 more than half of the available funds were spent on research and development. Forest Owners Association spokesperson Don Carson points to research and development on harvesting mechanisation as one of the many ways the levy has benefited the industry since

its inception. owner of 200ha of forest at several sites “Seven years ago, around one-quarter in South Taranaki and Wanganui, is a of trees were felled mechanically – today firm supporter of the levy. it’s around half, and it’s estimated that “It’s multi-pronged,” says Jeff, referthis work has reduced the cost ring to the fact that the levy funds a of harvesting by $8 per cubic metre,” range of activities including transporsays Don. tation initiatives, fire prevention and The programme to improve mechanimanagement, forest biosecurity projects, sation of tree felling has been funded by health and safety, training and environthe levy and the Government’s Primary mental programmes. Industry Growth Partnership Fund. “The holistic way the levy is applied Forest owners have had the opporis great and I’m happy to see a focus Forest Owners tunity to hear more about the levy at a on training. A lack of skilled labour is a Association series of 13 meetings up and down factor impacting the industry.” spokesperson New Zealand during October and Jeff says the other advantage is the levy Don Carson. November 2018. is applied at a stage when, generally, Attended largely by small woodlot owners, Don foresters are in a positive cashflow situation, which says while there were some challenging questions makes the levy easier to manage. and lots of ideas about how the levy could be The forest levy vote will take place in March-April spent, comments expressed at the meetings 2019, and forest owners that indicated broad support for continuaintend to harvest their trees from tion of it. late-2019 to 2025 are eligible Jeff Ashby, to vote. Josephine Reader

Gisborne’s erosion-prone land gets funding More than $7.6 million will be spent on 5079 hectares of erosion-prone land in the Gisborne district after a record number of applications to the Erosion Control Funding Programme were approved last year. Te Uru Rakau – Forestry New Zealand – approved the projects that will take place on 64 properties, which will closely linked to the implementation of the One Billion Trees programme. Ministry for Primary Industries director of investment programmes Steve Penno says MPI’s partner in managing the programme, the Gisborne District Council, has

worked hard with landowners to facilitate applications for land that needed this work. “This has resulted in almost three times the usual number of applications,” says Steve. “The council has put resource in and has done a great job ensuring the work continued to secure these projects, while also dealing with urgent pressures following the severe weather events.” The 2018 funding round opened in May and was extended until mid-July, following Queen’s Birthday storms that caused damage in affected areas, especially Tolaga Bay. “The criteria for these funding decisions links to our overarching aims for land management through the One Billion Trees programme – we need to get the right trees in the right places for the right purposes. “That means making decisions for the best sustainable land use for now, in ﬁve years’ time, and in 20 and 30 years’ time.” A small number of applications were approved with conditions, where the land is classiﬁed as red-zoned or very high risk under the National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry. These will be subject to resource consents to ensure the surrounding environment is protected. The Te Uru Rakau assessment process for applications includes Geographic Information System mapping and assessment of land eligibility and technical forestry assessment. A specialist assessment panel reviews each application to ensure the proposed treatment is suitable for the site and can be practically managed into the future. The Erosion Control Funding Programme was established in 1992 to achieve sustainable land management of the worst eroding land in the Gisborne district. To date, 42,000ha have been treated.

FORESTRY

January 2019 Coast & Country News

A team of logging specialists ready to tackle your tree removal Tree Removal BOP lives up to its name. Peter Cook with his wife Kelly are the owners of this company based at Pyes Pa and covering the Bay of Plenty. “We are logging specialists and can take care of your wood lot, from cutting and removing to marketing the end product,” says Peter. “Although pine is the most popular timber we take care of all species, including eucalypts and poplar trees. We can even organise the replanting if desired. “We mainly concentrate on smaller lots and we can tackle steep terrain to a certain extent,” says Peter. With 20 years’ experience, a professional job is guaranteed. Peter says as trees get older and bigger they often become dangerous and the best way to remove them is to get in the specialists. “Quite often these trees can shade orchards, are leaning over buildings, near power lines or roads. It’s the same with shelterbelts that have grown too tall. We can safely remove them without leaving a mess by stump grinding and mulching. “The mulch is often used by orchardists to put around avocado trees,” says Peter. He has a gang of four who have completed training and are qualified in the safe removal of trees. The company is Occupational Health & Safety-certified and is working towards Tree Removal BOP being Safetree-certified. Safetree is a proowner-operator Peter Cook. fessional forest worker certification and

More 3D mapping for land use The Provincial Growth Fund is investing in an expansion of 3D mapping to support major development projects and improve land use management in the regions. Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones has announced up to $19 million in co-funding to increase the national coverage of LiDAR data – precise measurements of the earth’s surface done from the air and used for creating 3D maps to manage land use. “The funding will expand LiDAR coverage, so that councils facing cost pressures can take part in the Government’s programme to collect and make this valuable data available nationwide,” says Shane. “LiDAR enables smarter planning and investment in forestry planting operations, greater agricultural productivity and more efﬁcient infrastructure development. “This data is also essential for better

ﬂood risk mapping, understanding the impacts of climate change, and improved environmental management.” Land Information Minister Eugenie Sage is welcoming the initiative. “The funding will ensure that LiDAR mapping is available to regional sectors, such as forestry, farming, and infrastructure development,” says Eugenie. “The LiDAR dataset and the Digital Elevation Model are an invaluable resource. They help councils and different sectors of the economy better understand the impacts of natural hazards such as ﬂooding and sea level rise. “Geospatial information helps inform good land use decisions which protect communities and assets.” Councils will need to apply for the co-funding from the Provincial Growth Fund. Land Information New Zealand will assist the Provincial Development Unit by providing coordination and technical support for all programmes to ensure national consistency and open data access.

Tree Removal BOP’s 23 tonne excavator. recognises the company and workers’ skills are up-to-date. “We audit ourselves every month to make sure systems are up-to-date and are audited every six months by WorkSafe to make sure we are compliant,” says Peter.

Page 41

For all your Drainage, Excavation & Transporting Requirements

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Page 42

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December 1-March 3 The Garden Party, Waikato Museum, Hamilton, free. New exhibition to mark the opening of the Katherine Mansﬁeld Garden at Hamilton Gardens.

Waihi Beach Summer Fair, 10am-4pm, Wilson

January 13

Katikati’s Twilight Concert

Racecourse, 1383 Cameron Rd, Tauranga.

Park, $2. See: www. waihibeachsummerfair.com

email your listing to: elaine@thesun.co.nz with ‘Rural Event’ in the subject line.

‘The Hipstamatics vintage funk and soul’. Haiku Reserve, Main St, Katikati. Gates open 5pm. Show starts 6pm. See: www.katikaticoncerts.co.nz

January 12

Avocado Food & Wine

Festival, Uretara Domain, Katikati. See: katikatiavofest. weebly.com

January 5

Food & Wine Festival, 9am-4pm,

Paeroa A&P Show,

Kerepehi Domain, Kerepehi. See: www.facebook.com/ kerepehidomain/

Tairua School. See: tairuawineandfood. co.nz

Tauranga A&P Show, Tauranga

January 18

Waihi Dahlia Show,

Memorial Hall, Waihi, noon-3.30pm. Ph Jennifer 07 863 7563.

January 19

Looking at the Good Life,

10am-5pm, near Tirau, $120. Animals, orchards and gardens. See: www.lals.nz

January 20

Mud Dog Run. TECT

All Terrain Park, SH36, near Tauranga. See: www. mytauranga.co.nz/whats-on

January 26 Rotorua A&P Show, Riverdale

Park, 141 Western Rd, Ngongotaha. See: www. rotoruashow.co.nz

Home Composting

Workshop, 1.30pm, Taupo Community Gardens, free but registration essential. See: tinyurl.com/ycnl6x6n

Home Composting

Workshop, 1.30pm, near Turangi, free but registration essential. See: tinyurl.com/ycnl6x6n

January 27

Koanga Institute Tour

1pm-4pm, Wairoa area, $25. See: tinyurl.com/yd2er67m

January 28 Dahlia Show, Hamilton Gardens, 11.30am-3.30pm. Ph Jennifer: 07 863 7563.

Farming like Grandad, fun day out for all with horses, vintage cars, tractors and farm machinery, 10am-3pm at SH30, Kawerau, opposite Military Rd. See: www.waterwheel.nz

February 3 Katikati A&P show, Uretara Domain, SH2 Katikati. Details: www.katchkatikati.org.nz

Plant-based recipes for simple summer eating More than 100 delicious plant-based recipes feature in Anna Valentine’s new cookbook ‘The Veggie Tree Spring & Summer Cookbook’. The Veggie Tree Cook School creator has created the book to share her plant-based recipes that focus on using nutritious, seasonal ingredients.

BER TR TIM E

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PEPP ER

classiﬁed listings

LIST YOUR RURAL EVENT HERE!

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Anna grew up in a family of welltravelled foodies, became a devoted vegetarian at 12, and trained as a chef upon leaving school. She spent 10 years in the industry working in top restaurants and cafes, and started a couple of catering and market ventures in NZ and overseas before creating NZ’s ﬁrst commercially available kumara chips ‘The Original Kumara Chips’. In 2016 The Veggie Tree was born at her home at Kaeo in the Far North and is made up of cook schools, recipe sharing, blogging and seasonal cookbooks. Originally from Wellington, Anna has been living in the Far North with her husband and two daughters for more than 10 years. “We adore the amazing, locally grown, seasonal produce available here all year,” says Anna. Her cooking school draws keen cooks from all over the country and is a great testing ground for her recipes. Catering for all plant-based diets, most of the recipes in the new cookbook provide vegan alternatives as well as gluten-free or dairy-free options. “Plenty of the recipes are perfect for simple summer eating, as well as being

Author Anna Valentine. a great resource for foodies who wish to create memorable special-occasion meals.” Coast & Country News has a copy of ‘The Veggie Tree Spring & Summer Cookbook’ by Anna Valentine to give away to one reader. To be in to win, email your answer to the following question, with your name and address with ‘Book Giveaway’ as the subject line to: merle@sunmedia.co.nz Question: What type of chip did Anna create which became a commercial ﬁrst in NZ? Or put your answer on the back of an envelope and post to Coast & Country News, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3140 to arrive by January 21, 2019. The winner will be announced in our February edition.

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Page 43

MASSEY FERGUSSON GLOBAL TRACTOR RANGE With the new Global Series, Massey Ferguson has taken the concept of a utility tractor and re-engineered it from the ground up to meet the needs of present and future farming. On offer in this power bracket is an array of build specifications, options and accessories, all designed to help tailor your machine exactly the way you need for your farming operation

4700

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6711, 6712 & 6713 ROPS & Cab versions 112-122 & 132HP 12F X 12R Synchro shutt transmission 92lpm Hyd flow • 5200kg rear lift

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5710 • 100HP

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TD Series 3 point linkage tedders Working widths 5.2 & 6.6m

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RK Series Mounted Rakes Working widths 3.6 & 4.5m

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1840 Coventional Baler (center feed)

RB Series Round Balers RB4160V Patented Constant Pressure System (CPS) Hyrdroflex control (HFC) on drop floor Std with 13 knives Large greasable bearings Variable chamber up to 1.6m

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Bale size 356 x 457

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Full Range of Quality Farm Machinery I www.piakotractors.co.nz

Page 44

Winne

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

January 2019 Coast & Country News

Tilly, age 4, growling at the horse ‘Murphy’ for eating her hair in Taumarunui. Zoe is loving the orphan lambs at Nana & Pop’s farm in Rangitoto. Braden, age 3, with his goat ‘Gabby’ in Morrinsville.

BS! A R G R O F P U E IZ R P (high resolution jpgs) to Box 240, details can be emailed PO

Pictures and to Coast & Country, ry entry. untry Camera” or posted eve kathy@thesun.co.nz “Co e a name, address and phone number with Tauranga. Please includ

Thomas testing out stage 1 of the new treehouse at his grandparents’ Awhitu farm in Waiuku.

Olivia, 15 months old, out on the farm checking on the cows in Whakatane.