Coast & Country News - Fieldays 2021 by Sun Media

˜°˜˛ Fieldays 2021 Fieldays Lift Out

All of the Fieldays action returns on June 16, including competitions like Tractor Pull, pictured.

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Roll up for Fieldays tickets

Tickets are on sale for the Southern Hemisphere’s largest agricultural event.

expected to be their biggest event to date. The building process of the Fieldays is well underway, with around 10,000 contractors and exhibitors being inducted into Mystery Creek in the lead up to

For the first time since 2019, Fieldays will be back on site from June 16 to 19, 2021, for what is a iN &

SEED DrESSi

ID G E CRSEEDS

qua lity paSturE SEED

The Fieldays site build is well underway at Mystery Creek.

the event. National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation says the contractors that build Fieldays from scratch are pivotal to making Fieldays a world class event. “They put their blood, sweat, and tears into creating an event the size of a small city. “For contractors across New Zealand, Fieldays provides a massive injection to their cash flows following the year 2020 when the events industry came to a grinding halt. “With around 130,000 people attending our 2019 event, and more than 90,000 tuning into Fieldays Online last year, there are a lot of people that value Fieldays as a platform to reconnect.”

What to expect

The entries for the 2021 Fieldays Innovation Awards are in, and an abundance of revolutionary and sophisticated inventions have been put forward to stake a claim to a $50,000 prize pool. Fieldays innovations event manager Gail Hendricks observed distinct themes surfacing in this year’s entries with a particular focus on robotics, digital programmes, apps and machine learning. “Wide-spread issues in the primary sector, such as the shortage of labour due to Covid-19, have

sparked innovations focused around helping farmers and growers make their lives easier by streamlining their processes.” To view the Innovation Award entries and catch a glimpse into the future of the primary sector, visitors can head to the Fieldays Innovation Hub. As an extension of the physical event, Fieldays Online will virtually host exhibitor sites and stream an engaging mix of content via Fieldays TV. Live Fieldays TV content will be filmed in a glass studio based in the heart of the event, highly visible to passers-by and in a convenient location for live crosses to exhibitor sites. After the gates close at the end of the day, visitors can tune into Fieldays TV on demand. Fieldays TV will run different series that shine a spotlight on the people that drive the New Zealand primary sector forward. For example, the Our Working Life series will showcase young professionals making it across a variety of jobs. For those wondering what jobs and study options are on offer, the Careers and Education Hub is a must-visit. Whether you’re coming to Fieldays to learn, score a good deal or to catch the action at competitions, there’s something for everyone.

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Beer and tractors

Competitors will be going head-to-head once again in the pinnacle events of New Zealand agriculture at the Fieldays this month.

This year, Fieldays visitors can head to the riverside to catch all of the action, as tractor pull, fencing and excavator competitions are being held in the same location. The Fieldays tractor pull is a crowd favourite that’s been revving since 1975. Returning to the event for 2021 is organiser Daniel Reymer, who couldn’t be more keen to compete after the national event couldn’t go ahead last year. He’s also excited to catch up with his friends and fellow competitors. “I generally know everyone there, it’s always the same scene: we have a big catch up and a good yarn, then we go out on the track to try and beat each other.” The weight adjusted class is the one to watch at tractor pull. It is generally only run at Fieldays and is where speed fanatics can get their fix. “The weight adjusted is more like drag racing, it gets the nerves going as you’re watching the other person racing beside you,

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people watching because of the unusual tasks the competitors have to complete under tight time constraints,” says Nicki. Also returning to the event are New Zealand’s top fencers, who will compete in a match of speed, skill, and perseverance.

Down to the wire

Digging in to the Fielday’s fencing competition.

instead of waiting until the end to see who went the furthest.”

Unusual scenes

The Civil Contractors New Zealand excavator competition is a challenging test of skill and precision, as the competitors are required to complete tasks that are a bit out of the ordinary, says Civil Contractors Waikato branch secretary Nicki Carson. Between opening beer bottles and transferring a manhole lid, balancing a glass of wine, to painting and carefully placing a wire through a hoop, the competitors must demonstrate great skill to accomplish each activity. “We normally get lots of

New Zealand Fencing Competitions events coordinator Debbie White says the fencing competitions are a showcase of industry best practice. The judging standards for fencing are set very high on a world stage, as they had to develop to keep up with the quality workmanship of the competitors. “At times, the judging process can come down to the judges bringing out a ruler and measuring the difference of a couple millimetres to distinguish between the fences,” says Debbie. The Golden Pliers by Wiremark, the national singles title held on the Thursday, is a true endurance event. Competitors only have six-and-a-half hours to build 50 metres of nine-wire fence with three battens and hang a gate, with only a chainsaw and a post hole borer for mechanical support. The doubles Silver Spades competition will be held on the Friday.

The excavator competition.

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Making all the difference

John and Sandra Shewan from Gordonton, Waikato milk 520 cows in peak season on 159ha in a 50 bail rotary shed. “Our plant was starting to break down all the time so we were looking for something else,” says John. “At the same time, Craig from MilktechNZ came to see me. He showed me the MilktechNZ electronic cup removers which I was really impressed with, so we went ahead and had a really good look at it.” They decided to install the cup removers, with very positive results. “It has made everything a lot easier because we don’t have the constant breakdowns anymore, which means we can run the whole thing with just two people rather than three. It has freed us up to have people doing other things,” says John. “MilktechNZ is the third milking machine equipment we’ve put in during my career and it’s the only one we haven’t had any commissioning problems with.” John and Sandra installed the new equipment in the middle of the season.

Waikato farmer John Shewan.

“We switched it over while we were actually milking and we had absolutely no problems at all. I was really impressed with just how well everything worked. It was very cool.” When John was asked the staff what they thought of the MilktechNZ cup removers, they said they loved it. “My son is one of them and the other guy has been with us for three years now. It is so much better than what we had.”

Funding for financial and risk management skills New investment by the Ministry for Primary Industries will help enhance farmers’ financial risk management skills and prevent business failure. MPI is funding the development of an innovative new programme, which will be piloted in six locations starting next month. The Agri-Women’s Development Trust has been allocated $331,000 to research,

design, and deliver the financial risk management training course. Up to 130 people are expected to take part in the training course. The AWDT’s general manager Lisa Sims says it will be piloted with sheep, beef, dairy, arable, and horticulture businesses in the Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. “The aim of the course is to

empower farmers and growers to understand the different types of risks facing their business, and give them the skills to develop plans to manage the financial and personal implications of those risks,” says Lisa. Funding for the programme is part of a $1.15 million commitment in the 2020-21 financial year to reduce the risk of primary producers getting into financial strife.

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Fieldays a year on from Covid-19 One year ago, New Zealand was dealing with a global pandemic that completely changed the way Kiwis lived, worked and played.

However, in the beginning of June 2020, people around the country got there first taste of normality after months of banana bread making, at-home workouts, Zoom calls and working from home. On June 8 last year, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told the nation that New Zealand was to move down to Alert Level 1. This meant no more social distancing, rightno more masks, and no limits on public gatherings. As we look back to this time, it’s hard to remember how it felt to line up at the local supermarket, and the thoughts that went through our heads as we waited patiently for the person in front of us to choose the right cut of chicken breast from the freezer. Do we approach the nearby chicken

breasts, or do we wait and hope another customer doesn’t swoop in before we have the chance? This life as we knew it suddenly ended, and with it, the new hobbies of knitting and watercolour painting began to gather dust as we hugged our friends and ate at local pubs. We soon forgot about the hardships of lockdown, and the good habits we planned to keep up once it ended. June was also the time for the biggest farming event of the year: Fieldays. On June 10, when the Fieldays gates were scheduled to open, attendees didn’t get on the road to Mystery Creek in the early hours of dawn. They didn’t rub their hands together to keep warm whilst waiting for a midmorning sausage in bread. They couldn’t smell the diesel or see the hundreds of plaid shirts parading around the venue. Fieldays went ahead virtually via Fieldays Online. Like many things in 2020, people watched, shopped, and interacted from the

Writer Jordan Boyd says reflecting on where the country was a year ago will help us appreciate the queues at this year’s Fieldays. Photo: Merle Cave.

comfort of their couches. A month prior to the online event, two women made a trip from Auckland to Wellington for a funeral. They tested positive for Covid-19, and the media went wild with questions about fuel stops, toilet breaks, and snack runs. Fears about another lockdown were felt around the country, and once again, thousands of people tuned in to hear Doctor Ashley Bloomfield speak at 1pm each day.

What’s new at TechniPharm With a year-long break from shows, the TechniPharm team had a good opportunity to evaluate the next step in their strategy to ‘make farming ezy’.

One of the traditional ways in which most companies exhibit is by using lots of gear, like you need to have the whole showroom shifted to Fieldays, says TechniPharm CEO Harmen Heesen. “But times have changed, everything anyone ever want to see is online and at: www.technipharm.co.nz all our information is freely accessible – you don’t have to leave any details or logins, so the shop is always open.” Additionally, TechniPharm has more than 25000 working applications on farm all over the

country, so if someone wants to see something working it’s never far away, and even better, you can see it in working action, says Harmen. “Exhibiting is also very costly, in both human resources and energy, lots of equipment moved from A to B, all at a cost and with a carbon loaded to a planet already under stress. “So a reset of a new way of doing things was on the cards and what better way to start our new journey at Fieldays 2021.” Technipharm will exhibit inside the main pavilion with its key innovations and offerings for food and fibre producers in the beef, dairy and sheep sectors. “Our expert team will be on hand to engage and share with you their ideas and experience to help you make your farming ‘ezy’. “We will have a number of demonstrable features of products and new concepts and product releases to show you. “And last but not least we will have some great offers to take advantage of during Fieldays. “We look forward seeing you at our site in the Main Pavilion at Fieldays 2021.”

DEPOTS NATIONWIDE

2020 was an interesting year for New Zealand, and although we persevered to be where we are today; we should also remember where we once were, and where many countries still are. This year at Fieldays, appreciate the queues for the car parks, and the long lines to get your sausage and bread. Breathe it all in, and take a look at your surroundings, because we worked hard for it. Jordan Boyd

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Designing quality farm gear for nearly 50 years Yamaha Wolverine RMAX, one of the many brands stocked by TRAX Equipment.

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But not everyone knows the team behind TRAX Equipment are the same innovators of the lifesaving ATV LifeGuard and QuadGuard. TRAX Equipment is a New Zealand owned and operated company and after nearly 50 years, it has rebranded with a new look that brings together of their three leading brands – ATV LifeGuard, QuadGuard and TRAX Equipment. “The TV Lifeguard is a roll bar or CPD (Crush Protection Device) that mounts on the rear carrier of a quad bike, providing space under an upturned quad in the event of a rollover,” says Agtech design and development manager Vernon Suckling. “The Life uard is an award-winning product and

a world first in quad bike safety – designed to sa e lives and prevent major injury.” After suggestions and inquiries from their customer base for a lighter and more affo dable alternative for rollover protection to the LifeGuard, TRAX Equipment developed the QuadGuard in early 2019. “Over the years, TRAX Equipment has created hundreds of new products for both ATVs and UTVs, while also becoming a New Zealand retailer for multiple international brands, stocking a range of imported accessories, in order to provide the best possible solution for customer requests,” says Vernon. “Aimed at a gap in the market for well-priced, high quality, practical and New Zealand made products, TRAX Equipment continues to provide the absolute best range on the market, helping customers get the most out of their gear.”

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Separating the The Vibra Screen in action.

A low maintenance, reliable screen for separating dairy eﬄuent is making life a lot easier for dairy farmers up and down the country. Rainer Irrigation has developed the Vibra Screen which removes solids from eﬄuent, right down to 1mm in size. The clever but simple design won the Irrigation NZ Innovation Award

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from the rest

“You can put the liquids through existing infrastructure without blocking nozzles and blocking sprinklers and things like that. When combined with some new technology you can then start to control how much you are putting on, when you are putting it on and where you

are putting it, all from your smart phone.” There is two models/sizes available to suit any operation, capable of processing large volumes of raw effluent. Lucas says the company “cut its teeth” on effluent spreaders and have been working within the effluent industry for more

than 30 years so they knew what needed to happen. “We have created a really cost effective, low maintenance, eﬄuent separator designed and built to withstand the New Zealand conditions.” Find out more visit Rainer Irrigation at Fieldays, or see the advertisement on this page.

two years ago and it is now proving its worth with more than 60 units now in use across the country. “Feedback is good and consistently references its reliability and low maintenance,” says Rainer Irrigation chief executive Lucas Cawte. Separating the solids from dairy eﬄuent increases the intervals between cleaning out storage ponds and gives greater flexibility around dispersal options. AGRICULTURE

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products on show The team at BE ressure Supply are excited to get back to Fieldays this year and will be exhibiting some new products at this year’s show.

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“We’ll be showing people the new hot water 4013C-HE Pressure Washer, which comes with a GX390 13HP electric start Honda motor, Comet Italian pump that runs at 4000PSI at 15LPM direct drive,” says BE Pressure Supply’s Victoria Lahman. “We also have two new generators available; the HOT4013C-HE G7500I-LE Pressure Washer. inverter generator that comes with Bluetooth control smart app, USB charging, one 32Amp and two 15AMP weatherproof outlets and a 15HP motor. “Then the e’s the G3800M-HST 3.8kVa Commercial Plus Trade Generator. This come with a Honda GX200 6.5HP Motor, a high quality Mecc/Alte Italian alternator providing clean stable power, waterproof trade spec IP66 outlets with RCD, galvanised roll frame with handle and wheels for easy movability.”

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And Victoria assures Fieldays visitors that their famous log splitter display will still be back this year. “It’ll be out the front where you can see our machines in action!” BE Pressure Supply’s stock of imported products are complemented by a range of locally designed and manufactured machines, built to satisfy more specific equirements. “Our production facility gives us the flexibility to custom build machines to meet the needs of our customers,” says Victoria. Feel free to ask the team at Fieldays about any questions you may have, or visit the website at: www.bep.kiwi

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FIELDAYS ®

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Providing avo trees and expertise Lynwood Avocado Nursery is more than just a nursery supplying trees – the team have the expertise and experience to help you through their avocado journey, from selecting the right site, to advice on how to plant and look after young trees. They are a supplier of seedling and clonal rootstock avocado trees for the retail sector as well as for commercial growers. “We also help growers with their orchard development process, helping them to select the right site, the right rootstock and the right varieties for their property,” says Lynwood Avocado Nursery’s customer and technical support Sarah Williamson. “We are more than just a nursery that supplies trees – we are growers ourselves and

have years of experience in growing avocados and developing orchard which we share with our customers. “We give guidance on planting and aftercare of young trees and we’re always looking to the future.” Sarah says Lynwood Avocado Nursery has different trials running both in the nursery and in their production blocks to help growers. “One of the trials we have in our orchard blocks at the moment is regenerative plantings where we are trying to enhance soil heath and minimise herbicide use. “We showcase our trials through an annual field day at Lynwood around November each year.” For more information, visit: www.lynwoodavocado.co.nz

Lasting rust protection Prolan’s new lanolin Extreme product is proving to be a successful natural rust protection solution for some of the toughest testing grounds around.

“At the same time, it ticks the boxes for environmentally friendliness.” Prolan shuts off the supply of oxygen to a surface. It can be used on areas where existing rust is present and prevents it going any further. The Extreme is “The preparation manufactured in time is minimal, the New Zealand using surface just needs sheep’s wool lanolin to be clean and and protects dry. For example, a equipment and used vehicle chassis machinery exposed may require a quick to fertiliser, sand, waterblast and wire salt and mud. brush over flaky rust “It’s fantastic,” and then Prolan can says Darren Green Rusty chassis are no match be applied straight from Ashburton for Prolan’s Extreme. over the surface. fertiliser company, “Th e product is easily applied using Green Fertiliser Spreading. a trigger pack, airless spray gun or “I always had an A+ rating at the vehicle testing station without it. Now, garden sprayer, and for smaller areas, it is available in an aerosol form. they want to give me a higher rating.” “One litre of Prolan covers eight to Prolan’s Extreme was initially 10 square metres – a four litre tin will developed for the Danish offshore cater for a five metre truck chassis.” turbine windmill industry as a longMurray says Prolan Extreme term natural rust protection with a is a perfect coating for vehicle less tacky finish. chassis, including 4WDs, trucks, “The Extreme has proved itself motorhomes, loaders, fertiliser – it stays on and protects in spreaders; horticultural tractors harsh environments, reducing spray equipment, bridges or maintenance costs,” says Prolan marine applications. director Murray Shaw.

Lynwood Avocado Nursery’s Alli Snell tends to new season avocado plants.

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Keeping Mystery Creek The Fieldays Society has teamed up with PredatorFree Hamilton and Cambridge to create the Predator Free Mystery Creek Community Hub. The hub will bring together local neighbours, iwi, businesses and schools, to educate, inspire and provide support for their own biodiversity and predator

control efforts. Fieldays has secured funding from the Waikato Regional Council Environmental Initiatives Fund to run the hub for two years. “As a Community Hub, we will provide predator traps for our neighbours and will offer ongoing support and training days,” says National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation. “We would like to see this as a

place where in the future, schools can visit and learn more, with a focus on science and innovation in the environmental space. “Critically endangered long tail bats and long finned eels reside at Mystery Creek, and on neighbouring properties, and kaka often visit too. “The hub is designed not only to

New business approach pays dividends

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“We have been Williams Engineering involved in the project Limited, based on management of more the Hauraki Plains, than 100 effluent storage is an agricultural ponds. The ponds are manufacturing business lined with HDPE which that has been producing are lined by Agruline high quality, practical whom we have been and cost-effective farm Williams Engineering is constantly improving in its working with for nearly quest for the best performing effluent storage ponds. eight years. machinery for the travelling irrigators was not compliant “From the pond, we past 40 years. in some high risk soil types so we had precast and install our own concrete Over the past decade, to go away and work hard on how we panels to do sand traps, bunkers, Williams Engineering were going to develop our irrigators to weeping walls etc. We spec’ the right have developed their meet the requirements. pumps, agitators, mainline systems, business approach, “Over the past five years adequate hydrants, right to the irrigator.” completing training in effluent storage has been a big part of The team at Williams Engineering farm dairy effluent system the business.” have the experience to provide an design and management The team starts by visiting the site to efficient and cost-effective turnkey in conjunction with do a farm specific plan. solution for your farm. Dairy NZ. Seven years ago, BUY LOCAL Williams Engineering A D E M became Farm Dairy NZ Effluent Design COME AND SEE US AT: accredited. As an FDE Z E A L A Rural Living Marquee, design accredited Site RM94 company, they can • Extra-large capacity – 4 times standard 70mm wide Get more done, design and install a wheelbarrow. rubber tyre fully compliant effluent in less time, • Removable end panels to carry long loads. system from start • Ideal for firewood, hay bales, buckets of calf feed, etc. with less effort. to finish. • Ergonomically engineered for lightweight, This has been the Bernie’s Barrow easy and comfortable handling. key to their product • Two large wheels roll easily even with heavy loads and is the ultimate development and no more flat tyres! company growth after extra-large wheel noticing some faults • Tool-less conversion to a ride-on mower trailer (optional). during the accreditation barrow, engineered • Flat deck accessory tray (optional). Converts your process, says Williams Bernie’s Barrow to a mobile workbench. to last, with a Engineering owner • Caddy (optional) clips to either side of your Andrew Williams. 5 Year Guarantee. Bernie’s Barrow. “We discovered that www.berniesbarrow.co.nz Phone: 04 566 2361 part of our range of

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protect these species, but also to encourage the wider community to get involved in predator trapping. “The society is well connected with extensive networks. This initiative will give us the opportunity to leverage these relationships to champion conservation and protection in the greater Waikato region.”

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FIELDAYS ®

the Duke at Fieldays The Duke of Edinburgh has left behind a long legacy of public service, and a small part of that history is New Zealand’s very own Fieldays. The second-ever Fieldays event in 1970 was brought forward to coincide with a Royal visit featuring the Duke, the Queen and two of their children, Prince Charles and Princess Anne, who were aged 22 and 20 at the time. The Duke’s sharp wit certainly didn’t skip the visit. When introduced to the royal couple in the days before Fieldays, founding Society member Ossie James accidentally crushed the Queen’s fingers when shaking her hand. As accounted in Fieldays’ fifty-year celebration book, called ‘Mystery Creek Magic: Fifty Years,’ the Queen didn’t murmur – but was heard whispering: “here comes the chap with the handshake,” the next time she saw Ossie approaching the receiving line. The Duke didn’t mess around with niceties. “You’re not milking the bloody cows now, mate,” he said as he shook feeling back into his fingers. New Zealand National Fieldays Society founding member, Doug Baldwin, remembers the visit well.

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The Duke at the second ever Fieldays in 1970.

Members were each assigned a royal to show around the Te Rapa Racecourse to see the competitions, stalls, and atmosphere that made Fieldays the success it is today. Doug was assigned Princess Anne, which he recalls as a very pleasant experience. “She had definitely read through the perspectives, because she asked really intelligent questions and seemed genuinely interested.” Doug left the visit thinking it went well, so he was rather surprised when he became the subject of a royal scandal for his attire. A photo of Doug wearing shorts while accompanying Princess Anne was published in the British tabloids alongside ‘shocked’ reports that someone “had the cheek to wear shorts when he met royalty”. Doug still laughs about it today.

...continued

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A versatile, simple effluent system

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Numedic’s self-priming H series pump.

When it comes to your eﬄuent system, installing equipment that is reliable, versatile and simple to operate, while not breaking the bank, is essential. Numedic’s specialist team is being kept busy with designing, installing and supplying various high quality systems around the country. The recent addition to the famous Numedic pump range, the shore mounted self-priming H series pumps, are a very popular choice due to their reliability, technical qualities, and competitive price. “The pump easily handles solids up to 35mm in diameter with a suction lift of up to eight metres, making it the perfect pump to handle the toughest conditions,” says Numedic director Marina Millar. “This pump comes in a range of sizes and is

suitable for irrigation or transfer. “The Numedic team is proud to provide farmers with absolute confidence in their effluent systems. “Farmers need equipment that can withstand various conditions and provide a dependable solution every day, and that is exactly what Numedic does best.” Numedic is a Farm Dairy Effluent System Accredited designer. They can provide expert, no-nonsense advice regarding a total effluent system or an improvement on your current system. “The Numedic team is looking forward to discussing your needs at Fieldays, along with presenting you with their high-quality products and special deals.” For more information, come and see the Numedic team at Site D77 at Fieldays or see the advertisement on this page.

A quintessentially Kiwi welcome

continued...

“Shorts and socks – that’s what we wore during a New Zealand summer in those days. “At least it gave Fieldays some international publicity.” Mystery Creek Magic accounts Princess Anne stopping to talk to Rotorua fencer, Bill Dawson, while he was competing. He was a little short with her. “Sorry ma’am, can’t stop to talk now. There’s $350 at stake here.” The Royal Family didn’t seem phased by the casual Kiwi version of royal etiquette – the Queen and the Duke returned to the Builders Fieldays, an offshoot of the major event, in 1977.

New Zealand National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation took Mystery Creek Magic with him to Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth Conference in Canada in 2018, and had the opportunity to show the book to Princess Anne. “She told Peter that she still remembers their trip to Te Rapa,” says Doug. “She asked him if it would be possible to have another copy ‘to take home to show mummy’ – as in the Queen. “We were delighted to hear that. The ‘controversial’ photo of Doug Baldwin and Princess Anne “It really shows the sort of picked up by British tabloids. person she is.” MacKenzie Dyer

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FIELDAYS ®

Protecting farm gear made easy Waterproofing electrics and electronics is a key task on today’s farm. It can be simple, fast and low cost with just one spray of red label CorrosionX.

The wide range of CorrosionX products.

Only four micron thick, it does not attract dust and can be applied to even live (35 volt) and already corroded switches, PCB’s and fuse boxes, says CorrosionX director Tom Mueller. “CorrosionX is typically The wide range of CorrosionX products. testing to 39 volt dielectric strength at less than 0.1 moving rail lubrications. Ohm resistance.” “All three products share an aviation and The slightly thicker CorrosionX XD, packed military heritage. So, they have an incredible in orange labels, offers a much longer life span resistance to sulphur, methane and salt, making in exposed places like fertiliser hoppers, boat them incredible rust stoppers and Dulux NZ trailers, farm bikes and chassis. certified,” says Tom. Packed in green labels, the thick fluid “CorrosionX products offer the fastest CorrosionX Heavy Duty is perfect for leaf penetration into stuck fasteners, with lubrication springs, drive chains, three-point linkages and almost twice as good as a PTFE grease.”

Custom outdoor gear for animals When it comes to the outdoors, keeping our animals warm and dry can be just as important as doing it for ourselves. BagEm Collection can help. Specialising in high-quality, handmade outdoor gear, the team at BagEm Collection know the importance of durable gear that’s made to last. Whether you need a jacket for your working dog or want to get covers for your calves, BagEm Collection has something for everyone. They have a wide range of products available, from dog collars to calf covers, waterproof beds to coats for working dogs and pampered pooches. Their extensive dog jacket range has options for hi-vis, lined and unlined, water proof and more, with different levels of comfortable extras

available, including wool, fleece and Sherpa lining. The ladies in the BagEm team specialise in customised jackets and beds to suit your exact needs and measurements. Their range also includes hunting and fishing accessories designed and made by Kiwis for Kiwis. Visit them online at: www.bagem.co.nz or at Fieldays, stand RL36, for specials on their working dog coats as well as waterproof beds.

Bagem Collection can custom make to suit your requirements.

FIELDAYS ®

Page 15

plants grown tough The porowhita, or circle of life, is complete at Minginui which is surrounded by the pre-historic Whirinaki Te Pua a Tane conservation park.

Minginui is situated near New Zealand’s largest native forest, in the southernmost reaches of Bay of Plenty and it started off as a native timber milling town. Native logging was stopped abruptly in the 1980s, preserving the forest for future generations but it had a huge impact on the livelihoods of locals. Minginui Nursery has been catalyst for change, and now 33 people are employed to grow native plants, eco sourced from the rohe, and sent far and wide across the North Island. Local iwi Ngati Whare set up the nursery to provide employment in the area and now, the 6ha site is able to produce one million seedlings each year. Manager Matt Jackman says they are very busy providing a range of native plants to farmers, lifestyle block owners and smaller customers. There is huge demand for the hardy natives for riparian plantings to protect waterways for native regeneration projects, wetland planting and amenity planting. Plants can be sent anywhere in the North Island using the nursery’s own truck and nursery trolley system and couriers are used

It’s all about nature’s bounty at Mininui Nursery.

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for smaller orders. Matt says the relatively cold climate of Minginui ensures plants are “hardy and tough” so they can go into a number of environments. “That is probably one of the

real strengths of the nursery is the environment the plants are grown in.” To check out the full range, purchase plants and hear more about the story of Minginui Nursery head to: www.minginuinursery.co.nz.

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done early morning on a sunny day when the bees are most active. Orchardist David Horwood wanted his own pollen applicator rather than rely on a contractor to turn up at the optimum time when everyone else was also vying to get their orchards done. It wasn’t something he could afford to leave out of his control. The other issue was the cost of pollen. He approached Wilco Klein Ovink of The Wrangler and asked him to make him one that not only put pollen up, but puffed it to the canopy multiple times to increase the chance of pollination four

Page 17

fold, and then to catch and recycle back and reuse and much of the pollen not on flowers. He says the invention worked brilliantly, giving record Orchard Gate Returns to growers, and going on to win the illustrious Fieldays Innovation Award for 2016. Not only did it give large fruit, frequent pollination meant each flower was pollinated at the perfect time leading to uniform size and therefore lower thinning costs and labour. PollenSmart is produced in Whakatane by The Wrangler Ltd. It will be on display at Fieldays site G73-75 and orders are being taken now for spring.

The PollenSmart dry pollen applicator.

Winter grazing resources available

“

Farmers preparing to graze livestock on fodder crops this winter are being encouraged to use a new checklist and other practical resources now available sector-wide.

“

A new wintering checklist and winter grazing plans designed to help farmers make practical written plans for winter are available from DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand and Federated Farmers. A comprehensive winter grazing plan is also available through MPI. Plans are recommended to support good management and farmers can utilise an industry or MPI plan. The sector has also recently launched a wintering hotline for any concerns or complaints. If anyone sees something that doesn’t look right, they can call the wintering hotline on: 0800 FARMING. The hotline is supported by Federated Farmers, Beef + Lamb New Zealand and DairyNZ and calls are confidential.

“

The better pollinated a flower is the more seeds it has, the heavier and better shaped the fruit is.

Trials with PollenSmart dry pollen applicator have shown that multiple applications at a light rate achieve the best results and can give near ‘perfect pollination’. The pollen then also draws bees to the kiwifruit who further distribute it to the female flowers. Ideally then this should be

“

Pollination is the key to a great kiwifruit crop, and with this season coming to close it’s time for growers to get set for spring.

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Simple solutions for utilising dairy effluent The Clean Green Eﬄuent System has a unique distribution system that is designed for all soil types. Owner and designer Lindsay Lewis says the systems super low rate/low depth application system (0.255mm, or a quarter of a millimetre)

can apply eﬄuent to any soil type without the risk of leaching or run off. “This totally automated system removes any risk of over application when soil conditions are not suitable for standard systems,” says Lindsay. “Farm dairy eﬄuent can be applied virtually all year round and therefore required storage is minimal.

Clean Green Eﬄuent owner and designer Lindsay Lewis with just some of the System’s awards.

“The Clean Green Eﬄuent system utilises 33,000 litres of water for total storage – this exceeds the requirement of the Massey University pond calendar. AgResearch testing has indicated that this low rate, low depth application system will cause no environmental ill effects, even in the winter.” The removal of open ponds reduces the rainwater footprint and the overall liquid from farm dairy eﬄuent storage having to be applied to land, says Lindsay. “Rainwater catchment with conventional ponds can contribute to millions of litres per year.

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“This liquid has to be dealt with via your distribution system. Rainwater contribution in open ponds can equate to more liquid than is produced in the dairy shed. “Pond water is normally anaerobic and not plant acceptable until converted back into aerobic.” The Clean Green system is fully automated and only requires about three hours work per month to maintain. For more information about this low running cost, problem free eﬄuent system, see the advertisement on this page.

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Page 19

help for your business needs EFFECTIVE RETRACTING COVER SYSTEMS  Keeps feed or fertiliser dry  Winch system for easy access  Canvas or steel cladding options  Save time and cut waste Te Puke based company Splash Direct.

Splash also service and build Te Puke based company Splash 0800 262 788 industrial waterblasting equipment Direct Ltd is a small New for the local industry. Zealand business servicing info@slidingroofs.co.nz “We are proud of custom-build the horticultural, farming and www.slidingroofs.co.nz work we recently did for Kiwi Rail,” says Craig. industry sector with spray Splash has made customised truck pumps, orchard spray and wash equipment for three local St waterblasting equipment. John Ambulance buildings. “We

Owner Craig Bell has been in the industry for more than 35 years and has great knowledge on all things ‘spray and waterblasting related’. “Our workshop is always busy with service work, building new gear for our many and varied client base,” says Craig. “We also service the equipment we sell, with a full range of parts and accessories available. “We usually have what you need on the floor or usually by the next day. “A lot of our regulars who book in for yearly WOF on their spray gear in there down-time. Splash direct also build Croplands Kiwiliners and Avoliners onsite.

service a lot of truck wash stations around the Bay of Plenty area. Splash Direct have their new online shop in operation and there is an option for pick up for local customers as well. Craig is a registered spray calibrator, who not only can provide you with the nozzles, but can see any issues which can be impacting your spray application. Splash Direct also services most soft wash house cleaning mobile units. “We have a lot of our industrial waterblasters in many local industries,” says Craig. For more information, see their advertisement on this page.

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Fieldays has earned the Bronze Award at the 11th Global Eventex Awards’ Virtual Expo category for Fieldays Online. The Eventex Awards recognises excellence in the event industry. This year attracted more than 550 entries from 37 countries. Fieldays Online was created in just 108 days in 2020 when the physical event was cancelled due to Covid-19. National Fieldays Society chief executive Peter Nation says earning the Bronze Award is an impressive

feat in a challenging year. “This is huge recognition for us. “Fieldays Online has become an important part of the Fieldays brand.” Eventex Awards co-founder Ovanes Ovanessian says the award is tremendous recognition for Fieldays. “Every accolade is based entirely on merit and acknowledges the company’s fantastic creativity, flexibility, and drive for innovation. “So, huge congratulations to Fieldays!”

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Page 20

Golden crop calls for weighty investment Billy Singh is hoping to pick 20,000 trays per hectare this season. That’s a good crop but a large weight on his family’s Katikati orchard. Like other growers, Billy is short on pickers and the season is late, but that’s the least of Billy’s worries. What’s really keeping him awake at night is the prospect of his structure collapsing and the loss he could incur should more vines collapse under the weight of this year’s crop.

Built for growth Billy’s not alone with his concerns. His orchard was built for green and as he’s grafted to gold, the structures can’t handle the weight. According to Mike Posa, Key Account Manager for Ag-Steel, it’s a common problem among kiwifruit growers nationwide.

It’s been six years since the family trust bought the 15 hectares at Sandhu Farms in Katikati, but working beneath the vines isn’t anything new to him. Billy grew up on a kiwifruit orchard in Waihi and learnt the ropes under one of the best in the business, John Galloway.

“We see a lot of partially collapsed orchards, where the weight of the gold crop is just too great for the existing structures,” says Mike. “These large bays just can’t hold the weight produced from a SunGold™ crop. The best solution is the approach Billy is taking… to add an Ag-Tripost between existing posts and run Ag-Beam which reduces the bay size by half, relieving weight from the existing structure.”

“John taught me what to invest in – shelter, irrigation, frost protection and structures,” says Billy. “I’ve spent money on shelter and irrigation, but I hadn’t yet invested in structures and now I’m experiencing them collapse in front of me. I’ve just got to hope there isn’t a domino effect.”

Billy’s ordered over 2,000 Ag-Triposts to ensure his third gold crop next year is supported as he needs it to be. “You don’t know what you need until this type of thing happens, but it’s worth the investment, even if it just gives me a good night’s sleep.” Some might say Billy’s investment will be worth its weight in gold.

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