The Stubbs family have been farming sheep and beef on their 664ha land in Waitomo since 1915. In the late 1970s, the family decided to reserve areas of bush during a time when the government encouraged clearing to expand productive farming land. The family’s sustainable mindset has passed down four generations to Ben and Bex Stubbs, pictured, who currently run the farm. Read more on page 20-21. Photo: Catherine Fry.
Kiwifruit PG 8-9
Avocado PG 10-13
E ffluent & E nvironment PG 14-17
Country Lifestyle PG 19-25
Fertiliser PG 26-29
Farm V ehicles PG 31-33
Dairy PG 36-39
Page 2
COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
A nervous dance with Delta At the time of writing, New Zealand’s Delta outbreak is in a much more positive position, especially when compared to where I was writing from for last month’s edition – locked down at home on the couch.
Community cases are dropping while vaccination rates rise, but the country, and the primary industries, are far from out of the woods. Currently, Auckland remains at Alert Level Three and 12 people are in hospital with the virus, including four in intensive care. As well as shipping and workforce woes, new challenges continue to arise – recently exemplified by a Covid-positive batch of Zespri kiwifruit being detected in a Chinese supermarket. It is highly unlikely that the fruit was infected in New Zealand, and a Zespri spokesperson says the company’s exports to China will not be affected by the incident, but it was a scare all the same. Another collective hold-your-breath moment came when an unknowingly infectious truck driver travelled from Auckland to the Waikato and Bay of Plenty for essential work. We look at what the transport sector got right to ensure this didn’t amount to a community outbreak in Covid-free regions on page 35.
The chronicles of regulations
Regulations on the primary sector continue to be rolled out, re-tweaked and rejected by the public. The forestry industry has been given a methyl
bromide reduction plan by the Environmental Protection Authority as an alternative to the full ban that was due last October. We hear an alternative fumigation advocate’s take on the ongoing methyl bromide saga on page 30. A second nationwide Groundswell NZ protest is planned for next month in response to government regulations, including freshwater policy, the ‘ute tax’, the Emmissions Trading Scheme and Significant Natural Areas (SNAs). Read more on page 3.
On the ground
As always, we catch up with the good work farmers are doing on their land. We visit two farms who have been ahead of the climate-friendly farming game for ages, both completing significant plantings way back in the 70s and 80s – meet Taupiri drystock farmers Phil Barton and Peter Levin on pages 14-15, and our cover story farmers Ben and Bex Stubbs on pages 20-21. Also ahead of her game is 12-year-old Joanna Frendrup, who is making leaps and bounds in distance horse riding. Read more on page 22. In other news, this will be my last paper with Coast & Country News. A big thank you to all of our contributors and interviewees who make Coast & Country News what it is, and who make this role a delight. We will have a new editor to introduce to you soon – watch this space. MacKenzie Dyer
COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
Page 3
Second Groundswell protest revs up After the success of the first Groundswell NZ protest in July, a second nationwide event objecting new government regulations on farming is set for November 21.
The format will remain the same for the second event, labelled ‘the mother of all protests’, with supporters driving their utes, tractors, trucks and cars to their nearest town centre. At 1:35pm a Groundswell statement will be broadcast on Newstalk ZB and supporters are encouraged to turn up the volume, turn off their engines, and wind down their windows so all can hear.
Sticking to the cause
Morrinsville organiser Peter Buckley says plans are underway for the rural town to be involved for a second time. “I don’t know what the message on Newstalk ZB will be exactly, but overall I know we all want to be a part of the decisions being made in our communities. “There are concerns from tradies, farmers, truckies and whole communities over the speed of decision making and the outcomes of these decisions. We want to be a part of the process going forward.” Peter says the first protest, which had thousands of participants nationwide, had a huge impact on the whole of New Zealand. “The turnout was great,” says Peter. “It really brought the whole community together, it was like one big street party. “It not only had an impact on rural communities but urban areas as well. It illustrated what the agricultural and rural sectors do for the country, and the resources that we need in order to keep doing what we do. “The impact showed how important these sectors are to the rest of New Zealand. “We want to see change as a matter that’s fit for
purpose. All of these rules and regulations are not actually fit for purpose.” Signs illustrating beliefs unrelated to the protest were a cause for concern at the first Groundswell event. Anti te reo Māori signs and conspiracy claims were displayed, and made headlines throughout the country. Peter says he doesn’t want any signs during this upcoming protest personalising anybody. “People can have their July’s Groundswell say, but as soon as it’s protest in Katikati. personalised towards Photos: Kerri Wheeler. particular people or beliefs that are inappropriate – that isn’t okay. “We’re trying to take steps to make sure that doesn’t happen this time around,” says Peter. The Groundswell website has a list of approved slogans for attendees to copy, including ‘no way CNA’ and ‘get our property rights out of your sights’.
More plans to come
Groundswell is also building momentum towards a ‘Groundswell Gathering’ outside Parliament, planned for February 2022. Peter says that although he has only heard rumours regarding this, he believes taking these issues onto Parliament grounds is a very effective way of making voices heard, as it has worked with other causes in the past. Groundswell protest organisers have been assigned throughout the country, including in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, King Country, Taranaki and Gisborne. To contact your local orgniser and for more information, visit: www.groundswellnz.co.nz Jordan Boyd
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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
Page 4
Look after yourself this calving season With calving in full swing, many farmers around the country still have plenty of work ahead.
Prioritising work over mental health becomes a way of life for many, however, South Waikato Young Farmers chair Olivia Wade is taking steps to insure this doesn’t happen within her farming community. Olivia, a South Waikato dairy
farmer on a 160 cow, 50ha farm, says one of the steps her group takes during the calving period is to communicate with members through social media. “We are communicating daily with our farmers through Snapchat,” says Olivia. “We use it to share what we’re getting up to in our group and to keep track of our competitions. “We’re currently running our calving competition to see who can
The South Waikato Young Farmers in action at the annual Reporoa raft race.
rear the biggest calf and we also have a photo competition going on. “Social media helps to get insight into what everyone is doing in the area.”
Opening up
Olivia says there has been an increase in farmers talking about mental health of late. She says there’s been a big push for people to open up within Young Farmers, as well as encouragement from education hub and social media page Farm for Life and rural mental health group Will to Live. “They’re coming out and doing heaps of wellbeing webinars during calving so everyone can attend from their seat on the couch and enjoy it. “It’s quite nice listening to different people’s ways around life and how they’ve overcome different situations and to get advice from them. “Some of our members are quite open about mental health, which is very helpful. “They say at every meeting that we’re here for each other. They’ve dealt with it in their past, so they’re happy to share with others.” Olivia’s advice during calving is to step back and
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enjoy what you do. “Even if it’s just watching the calves frolic, or sitting on a hill and watching the sun go down at the end of the day. “Enjoy the little moments that you do have.”
Get amongst it
Now that most of the country is back in Covid Alert Level Two, South Waikato Young Farmers are encouraging potluck dinners so people can socialise without the pressures of the current season. “The goal is to have a yarn, hang out and try to get the socialising going again because with lockdown and everyone being busy, it’s hard. “Our group is quite a young, social group with ages from 18 to 33. We range from farmers to mechanics to Four Square workers. “We’re quite heavily involved with the whole community and are a fun and social group for everyone. We’re really trying to push the boundaries so we’re open to everyone – not just the farmers.” For information, visit: www.facebook.com/ SouthWaikatoYF Jordan Boyd
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Avos and kiwis: a recipe for success “They trained people and put advisors out and some of them were the best in the world but not only that, they put out a whole lot of publications, which they don’t do today,” says Hugh. “There was a tremendous amount of knowledge and resources poured into the kiwifruit industry by the government. We commercialised
kiwifruit to the world.” He says there is nothing in the horticulture sector that compares with kiwifruit and avocados also have a bright future. “Avocados, they are going to have their ups and downs, but it is still a fruit the world wants, and I don’t see it waning or going away.” Daniel Hutchinson
The family behind KauriPak: Dorothy and Hugh Moore, centre, with daughters Linda Flegg, left, and Jenny Gilliver, right.
“All those things your father taught you or your Avocado packhouse KauriPak is celebrating friends taught you. You knew how to pull a tractor its 50th birthday and a change of ownership. The family-owned company has been part of the avocado and kiwifruit scene in the Bay of Plenty since the very early days of commercialisation. It has now merged with kiwifruit specialists Hume Pack ‘N Cool – another local company which celebrates its 30th year in business in 2021. KauriPak founders Dorothy and Hugh Moore retain a shareholding in the new joint venture but want to concentrate on their orchards, including 25ha of kiwifruit and 8ha of avocados. Hugh says there is “synergy” between the two companies and being able to have permanent staff who can move from avocados to kiwifruit, depending on the season, will be a huge benefit. The change of ownership took effect on July 1, but for customers, not too much will change. Everything operates out of the same buildings and the brands and company names remain the same. The family focus stays too. “Hume is basically the fundamentals of a family business, with grower shareholding,” says Hugh. “We were purely a family business, and we haven’t got any grandchildren or anything like that to carry on. “It would allow us to move out and recoup part of our assets and focus more on the farming and orcharding side of the business.”
to bits, you knew how to weld, you had to do everything. Whether you could do everything perfectly was another thing, but you knew how to do things.” When KauriPak first started out it was with onions and tamarillos and then the kiwifruit industry started expanding. In more recent years the packhouse has carved out a niche by specialising in packing avocados.
Early days
Hugh recalls the main kiwifruit drive that really got into top gear in about 1978. Farms in Katikati and Te Puke were sold up and turned into orchards. “Katikati went from a sleepy town that was losing the dairy company – the writing was on the wall, and it was going backwards – and then it flourished because so many people came to town. “We went from about 2000 to 4000 in a short period of time.” He says there was a steep learning curve in the kiwifruit industry, but the local fruit growers association ran field days on different orchards and the government was putting huge resources in.
Jack of all trades
The Hume’s and Moore’s go back a long way with John Hume of Katikati, an uncle of the current Hume owners, being a long-serving employee. “He retired and then worked for us for another 15 years. Just the character he was – full on, ‘she’ll be right’, and could do anything,” says Hugh. He says being “a jack of all trades and master of none” was an essential trait in the early days of the industry.
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Helping farmers stay ahead of the change Entries are open for the 2022 Ballance Farm Environment Awards and this year’s Waikato winners are encouraging farmers to embrace the opportunity to learn.
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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
Earlier this year the van Ras family of Morrinsville were named the 2021 Regional Supreme Winners of the Waikato Ballance Farm
Environment Awards. Johan van Ras says entering was a chance to have an honest look at where their Morrinsville dairy farm was at and seek the judges’ advice.
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“They are real experts and you can ask them anything,” says Johan. “How often do you get to have free advice like that? The awards are a great opportunity to learn and we all
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whole trees ping chip • Removal /Th e van Ras of family from Morrinsville were this year’s Regional Supreme Winners of the off padsBallance Farm Environment Awards. d Waikato • On site chipping for stan and see what they’ve done, which is really cool.” need to be in that mindset at the moment, with sale d chip • Woo The annual awards, run by the NZ Farm the way thingsfor are going environmentally around Environment Trust, help promote sustainability the world and customers’ perspectives, so why not ard shelter removal • Orch through good farming practice. get on the front foot?” All participants receive feedback to support p removal • Stum Recognising good practice them on their sustainability journey and this ies spec all tree g ofa perfect Johan saysmar there’s never time to enter ketin year entrants will also get free access to Farmax dlot • Woo
such competitions and the judging process is to analyse their greenhouse gas emissions and friendly and supportive. mitigation options. “It’s not intimidating and you get to compare yourself with other farmers who are similar minded New category This year the NZ Farm Environment Trust has launched a new Catchment Group Award nationwide in partnership with the NZ Landcare Trust. It is designed to showcase and celebrate the great work being done by catchment groups throughout the country. “The new Catchment Group Award recognises the efforts of a rural community working together to improve water quality in local rivers, streams, lakes and wetlands,” says NZ Farm Environment Trust Chair Joanne van Polanen. “This new initiative is designed to celebrate the efforts of catchment groups and help inspire other rural communities with examples of good practice.” The NZ Landcare Trust Catchment Group Award will be open to catchment groups from all 11 regions in which the Ballance Farm Environment Awards operate.
How to enter
Farmers, growers and catchment groups are encouraged to visit: www.nzfeawards.org.nz to find out more and enter the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Entries close in mid-October. Jo-Marie Baker
COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
Page 7
Where has my brain gone? Ruminations of an old fart!
It is clear that as we age our brain power seems to wane, and no more than in agriculture as we make a myriad of interconnecting decisions every day. At 75 years old, I realise that I am not as sharp as I used to be. About two years ago I was out on a farm in the Hauraki Plains faced with the usual issues around ownership structures, debt and what to do next concerns.
issues in farming, and now I am happy playing with the grandchildren or listening to the birds in the trees. I now go to presentations and meetings, listen intently and then struggle to understand the detail, so I have learnt to take younger people with me who still have the sharper brains.
Brain shrink
Changing state
Normally, I could work out debt servicing ratios, production figures, etc in my head. I had done it for decades, but when I looked inside my head, it was gone! I had to get the calculator on my mobile phone out, but it did not work that well either as it was not something I had to use often. Mr Google tells me that as we age our brains shrink in volume, particularly in the frontal cortex. Memory decline also occurs with ageing and brain activation becomes more bilateral for memory tasks. There are protective factors though, which always include a healthy diet, low alcohol intake and regular exercise. It also seems the rate of decline possibly increases over the age of 70! I used to ‘get-off’ on solving complex financial and structural
well established coffee and social networks like the fairer sex. Lacking these social connections, it follows that we find the loss of mental agility daunting and frightening.
Talk more
So, what does happen as we get older? It appears that the linkages in our brain start to drop off after years of overuse. On top of that put heart trouble and diabetes, health issues that seem to pervade our world and the brain is under constant pressure. I got bad concussion playing social rugby at university. Concussion apparently affects the part of the brain that helps us recognise people, something I am absolutely hopeless at. So don’t be surprised if I don’t recognise you on occasion. It feels that our brain, like our body, seems to continually recede. I find that many farmers often take a ‘lesser role’ or ‘back seat’ as they age. It does seem like a natural process, but something we don’t talk about and find hard to accept. We men particularly find growing older very difficult. We do not have
If it becomes a problem, there is help out there. We just need to learn to ask and look for it. I have discussed this many times previously – we men need to join social groups and talk more. So, in summary it seems like our brain power recedes as we age. We find it harder to recall information and facts. We notice it but do not talk about it. We are no longer ‘sharp as a tack’ and we then get grumpy and resistant when we are reminded of it. I guess we can therefore forgive ourselves for ‘wondering where our brain has gone’. Disclaimer – these are the opinions of Don Fraser (an old fart). Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate professional assistance should be sought. Don Fraser is the retired Principal of Fraser Farm Finance and was a consultant to the farming industry for many decades. You can contact him on: 021 777 675.
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Kiwifruit Breeding Centre announces chief executive The Board of the newly established Kiwifruit Breeding Centre has announced the appointment of Dr Matt Glenn as its inaugural chief executive officer.
The Kiwifruit Breeding Centre is a 50/50 joint venture between Plant & Food Research and Zespri. It has been established to drive greater innovation within kiwifruit breeding, and to create healthier, better tasting and more sustainability-focused varieties. Kiwifruit Breeding Centre Kiwifruit Breeding Centre chairman Michael Ahie says the CEO Dr Matt Glenn. appointment follows an extensive recruitment search, and the Board business management, which Zespri is pleased to secure a candidate with says will be a great asset to the centre Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this My Name is Neil Woodward. such strong leadership qualities asand it accelerates Zespri and Plant & combined with fully automated sprayer controllers andnozzle experience. I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run three rings enhances application efficiencyFood and Research’s world-leading new business, our team consists of three, being myself, my accuracy. “Dr Glenn really impressed the cultivar development programme. son and my brother. nota only hisstrip experience but Matt says he’s thrilled216 to Pongakawa join the Bush Road Weboard also use quad with bike for weed spray also his vision for how the Kiwifruit Kiwifruit Breeding Centre. Our organisation has been established for over 18 applications. Te Puke years. I have been involved in applying crop protection Breeding Centre can lead the world in “I’m looking forward to working hold all certificates needed to meet Globalgap programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966. Wekiwifruit with exceptional talent to accelerate compliance. breeding,” says Michael. To contact us: “We know Dr Glenn also brings New Zealand’s kiwifruit We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We Westrong look atleadership all challenges to help Phone: 021 907 621 have the equipment to spray orchards with our two from the ensure roles we protect breeding success,” he says. your crop with excellence. Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom he’s held previously, which include “We haveE-mail: a great opportunity to zcl@zanadu.co.nz Formula tractor which is also available for mulching executive and leadership roles at add to the history of innovation and mowing. Hill Laboratories, Robotics Plus and the industry is known for, and Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this Quayside Holdings – the commercial help contribute to the growth of My Name is Neil Woodward. combined with fully automated sprayer controllers and investment arm of the Bay of Plenty the kiwifruit industry within New I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run three nozzle rings enhances application efficiency and Regional Council. Zealand and to the value we create business, our team consists of three, being myself, my accuracy. “We’re really looking forward to for New Zealand. son and my brother. 216 Pongakawa Bush Road We also use a quad bike for strip weed spray working with Dr Glenn, and to “We’ve seen how the latest Our organisation has been established for over 18 applications. Te Puke begin work at the Kiwifruit Breeding red variety has encouraged new years. I have been involved in applying crop protection Centre on October 1.” customers to try kiwifruit, and we’re programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966. We hold all certificates needed to meet Globalgap compliance. contact us:Bay of Plenty MattTo is based in the looking forward to continuing to We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We and has a strong background in explore other new varieties in the We look at all challenges to help ensure we protect Phone: 021 907 621 have the equipment to spray orchards with our two your crop with excellence. science, technology and years ahead.” Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom E-mail: zcl@zanadu.co.nz
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Silver lining for RSE worker shortage Quarantine-free travel into New Zealand for RSE workers from the Pacific commences this month. Additional health measures will be in place to manage the risk of Covid19, including the requirement that workers are vaccinated. HortNZ chief executive, Nadine Tunley, says the announcement is a relief for both the New Zealand
horticulture industry as well as the Pasifika communities who have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic. “But even with the increased movement of RSE workers from the Pacific, the horticulture industry will still be short of seasonal workers. “That’s why the whole industry is behind additional programmes to attract more New Zealanders.”
KIWIFRUIT
Page 9
Primary industry groups hit the airwaves Many Kiwis are discovering a new pastime in the post-Covid world – listening to podcasts – and the primary sector is lining up to share interesting content with a new audience. Podcasts were growing in popularity before last year’s initial lockdown but the habit seems to have stuck. Popping in earbuds and going for a daily walk is now a great opportunity to learn, get motivated or just seek some light relief from the daily grind. NZ On Air’s July 2020 report ‘Where are the Audiences’ revealed that podcast listeners in New Zealand listen to one hour and 21 minutes of podcasts every day, and the audience had almost doubled from seven per cent in 2018 to 12 per cent in 2020. Another year on, that figure will no doubt have grown even larger.
Primary sector updates
Many primary sector organisations are now releasing podcasts on a wide variety of topics. New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated recently spoke with All Blacks mental skills coach Gilbert Enoka for an interview on stress and resilience under pressure. “The podcast contributes to NZKGI’s work in the pastoral care space and is particularly timely with the added stresses under Alert Levels three and four – although the tips given are useful for pressure situations outside of Covid-19 too,” explains NZKGI communications manager Dr Mike Murphy.
The free 30-minute podcast touches on the nature of stress during lockdown, resources versus resourcefulness, why structure is king, why your mindset is more important than your skillsets, how to build resilience using activities you enjoy, and quick tips to get things looking up from this moment on. Dairy NZ has a dedicated podcast called “Talking Dairy” which explores issues that are top of mind for dairy farmers. One recent episode entitled “better workplaces through flexible milking” examines a Methven’s farmer’s decision to change his milking schedule to 10 times in seven days in an effort to improve work-life balance and attract and retain skilled staff.
Looking to the future
Meanwhile Pure Advantage, a charity that promotes green economic initiatives, has a number of podcasts and ‘webisodes’ on their website. Renowned anthropologist and environmentalist, Dame Anne Salmond, is interviewed in the ‘envisioning the future’ webisode where she talks of her hopes for intelligent future land use in Aotearoa. “We have the chance to make a living with the land, with the rivers, with the sea. “It’s much more than having the right tree in the right place. The vision I have of our country is where we have this mosaic of land use – where we use productive land for productive purposes and we take land best suited for native bush for long-term carbon sequestration, so the birds sing again, our rivers run clean and clear and we have thriving communities.” Jo-Marie Baker
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AVOCADOS
Page 10
Crucial time to prepare for future seasons’ crops Spring is an important and busy period on the avocado orchard; harvest is underway as is the beginnings of flowering signalling the set of next season’s crop. Spreads lime, compost , manure
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The average avocado size is currently larger compared to this time last season, the Darling Group reports.
Andrew Cutfield, general manager of investor relations and supply for Darling Group, says the company’s New Zealand avocado supply arm, Just Avocados, encourages their growers to focus on harvest, pruning and nutrition strategies during spring in order to optimise flowering and fruit set. “Practices we see as contributing to success across high performing orchards are harvesting 60-70 per cent of the current season’s crop by the time of flowering to ensure resources are put into setting the next season’s crop, regular seasonal pruning to ensure better production and more consistent cropping, and the provision of nutrients at the right time to balance resource use and encourage adequate flush after flowering which becomes the following season’s flowering and fruiting wood.”
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crucial this year to avoid the depletion of resources within avocado trees. “Ensure your pruning strategy is in place and contractors are lined up to carry this out. Crop load management may be a significant factor
this year to ensure trees don’t get overloaded with the current season’s fruit as well as a heavy set for next season which can trigger poor flowering and fruitset in 2022.” There has been much communication among the New Zealand avocado industry about 202122 being a lower payout season, which Andrew says may encourage growers to hold out for the traditional late season value opportunities; however, he advises against this in the interest of the health of the orchard. “Just Avocados’ mantra is that orchard health should not be compromised because of what the market and returns are doing. It’s likely we have another good fruit set coming but we are looking at the following year now and we want our growers to ensure we have strong flower for spring 2022. “The practice we advocate is to get crop off, get the trees pruned and get repeatability of fruit set which is your best way to achieve sustainable longterm profitability.”
Bigger fruit
Andrew says average fruit size is currently larger compared to this time last season. “Of the Just Avocados’ supplier orchards that have completed picking so far this season, we are seeing on average a 27 per cent increase in actual bins picked versus estimates. This is largely linked to larger fruit size which is currently at 32 per cent for 28 count size and smaller whereas the industry was at 56.1 per cent for this size at this point in time last season.” Andrew says that select picking is an important consideration this season. “Pricing for small class two and three fruit (30 count size and smaller) will be marginal this season, and due to the higher volumes of larger fruit coming into the market, these prices will likely remain low. So, if select picking, focus on getting the exposed, class one fruit off for packing and then prune away small fruit.” Andrew says that pruning off the exposed and spent wood and smallest fruit as part of the follow up structural prune will likely pay dividends. “The value of a better resourced tree and better tree architecture for this spring and more importantly the following spring will strongly outweigh any revenue from this smaller fruit.”
AVOCADOS
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Adapting to the tough seasons have to take what you’re dealt. Getting a plan in place early gives you options early. Working through my list of spending I have listed where we spend money, put a priority of importance on these items and then assessed that list in order of long and short term impacts. Now I can form a plan on how to survive and make the best of this year. That sounds a lot but it’s not. We
Waiting for spring to arrive has been a wetter and cooler task than I expected. It’s always good to catch up on the rain but the cooler winds that arrived in late September seem to have had an impact. Despite saying this, the avocados are flowering, with panicle extensions racing ahead in midSeptember – until the chilly winds arrived. It is starting to look like a tough spring. Temperatures may well be rising but these cool winds will be having an impact. I suggest we haven’t factored in the wind chill and the speed that the wind moves across the flower.
Wind theories
Now there will be physics and maths and other such things that say speed is an action. Action uses energy (or displaces it) and therefore, in a similar way to making ice in frost fighting, releases energy that saves the young growth. Could wind chiller be helping prevent the flowers from cooling too much? I don’t support this theory, but am just putting it out there for speculation. I support that wind chill, as well as hot and warm winds have an impact. There’s no science in this statement just observation on my orchard. Hence why we grow
shelterbelts, spend money of artificial shelter and other things to lessen the wind’s effect. It has raised a few questions for me: Can we influence nature? What do we do when nature is tough on us? I see as we travel SH2 there are a couple of blocks with avocados growing under cover. The question is: does the cover change the local environmental conditions? Think about wind water nitrification and other biological processes. Do we have plans to modify or influence the impact?
Remaining optimistic
I believe this low priced season will impact our orchards. However, the degree of that impact will vary. Thinking in terms of a silver lining… we need to work out what that silver lining is, how can we get the best from it and what we need to do – what, why, when sort of thinking. This raises the same thread of thought I have been pushing for some time: have a plan. When nature comes calling, having a plan gives you options. Having no options means you
do this every day but in an informal sense. Writing it down early gives us more time to adjust the outcome. Early plans give us more time to take action. I’m still not sure what to do about the wind but I will be looking with optimism to see the success of those covered blocks. If it’s anything like kiwifruit covered blocks there are some great benefits and also some very real challenges.
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AVOCADOS
Page 12
Futureproofing and industry outlook Despite the current challenges for avocado growers with shipping disruptions due to Covid-19, Avoco is continually investing in people and its onshore and in-market business, the export marketing group says. Avoco has made technical and marketing appointments this year. The most recent hire is technical manager Richard Kok, who joined the ranks in May. Richard provides a variety of technical support, including fertiliser recommendations, and advice on best practice orchard management to Avoco’s growers within New Zealand aimed at lifting yield and profitability. He also communicates with avocado transporters, packers and shipping companies to ensure growers’ fruit preserves its premium quality as it moves through the supply chain from orchards to markets in Australia. Richard says he’s enjoying getting to know New Zealand growers whose priorities are similar to those of their peers in South Africa, where he is originally from.
Family legacy
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“New Zealand’s cooler, winter rain presents different climatic challenges but all the main issues are the same: nutrition and tree health, tree manipulation, disease control, quality management and picking strategies.” Tim Carroll, son of Avoco director John Carroll, joined the company earlier this year as an export marketing executive. His role will support the export team responsible for Australian retail and wholesale business, as well as AVANZA markets, predominately in Japan. Tim’s main childhood memories are of John fielding calls on family road trips and speaking at length whilst he and his siblings patiently waited
in the back of the car. “During family holidays to Australia, we always used to squeeze in a trip to the produce markets. “Little did I know these trips would be the start of something.” With a background in international sales involving fast-moving consumer goods and more recently, working as an export product manager for a company that exports apples, cherries and other blueberries, Tim has earned his industry stripes.
Challenging season
Richard Kok.
Marketing and communications manager Steve Trickett says that while the current export year is a test for all, with daily and sometimes hourly changes in vessel schedules and port arrival timings to shippings. “What we, as Avoco, established eight years ago works well and has delivered strong results for growers. “Southern Produce and Primor continue to invest in Avoco with experienced, quality people across the supply chain.” Tim Steve says this Carroll. depth of experience will help the business navigate what is shaping up to be the most challenging season for growers since 2003.
Well under way
“The current state of play is likely to be the norm throughout the season,” says Steve. “It will require flexibility, cooperation and patience by all participants. “This is an unprecedented challenge needing to be managed day by day, week by week.” Packing for Australia’s retail market got under way in August and the first shipments of New Zealand fruit were also sent to Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, India and Japan over successive weeks. Packing for Korea started at the end of September.
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Avocado and kiwifruit orchards are being planted in numbers not seen since 1988, when the devastation of Cyclone Bola forced many to convert to dairy. This growing amount of plantings is illustrated by the success of Venture Taranaki’s efforts to encourage horticulture business in the region, after research found that 200,000ha of Taranaki land was suitable for horticulture. “In terms of avocado, for example, we’ve got 6000 trees going into the ground this season and 10,000 next season, so that’s expanding quite significantly on the avocado presence we already have,” says Venture Taranaki chief executive Justine Gilliland. “And we’ve got a new kiwifruit orchard down in Waitōtara and there are other landowners exploring kiwifruit.” In addition, the price per hectare for pre-existing orchards is also increasing. Data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand shows the median price per hectare on horticulture farms rose 7.9 per cent from the three months ending in August 2020, compared to the same timeframe in 2021.
AVOCADOS
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Learn from the best at Lynwood field day
Attendees enjoying the field day.
The upcoming Lynwood Avocado Nursery field day is an opportunity to meet the Lynwood team, industry experts and other growers. The third annual Lynwood Avocado Nursery field day on November 12 is the largest avocado field day in New Zealand. The theme of this year’s field day is Growing for the Future and there are some exciting guest speakers lined up to talk about new management practices and technology. Jono Frew from Natural Performance Ltd will share
his specialist knowledge about techniques to support regenerative growing practices. Lynwood has undertaken a trial with a regenerative seed mix planted in one of the new blocks which will be shown to field day attendees. Ian Broadhurst has been growing avocados in the Far North for 30 years and will be sharing his thoughts on the efficiencies gained by growing avocados in high density orchards. Lynwood will also be officially launching the SR1 rootstock, a rootstock produced from plant material discovered locally in Whangarei.
This rootstock has shown to be an outstanding performer in soils with high Phytophthora pressure. It has also been showing excellent yields from a young age. Other presentations include rootstock production figures from Lynwood, CropX sensors for water management, GPS technology from Norwood for nutrient management, and water storage schemes being developed in Northland. This field day on November 12 is not to be missed. Please register your attendance by emailing: admin@lynwood.co.nz
Improving produce shelf life A new tracking device could extend the expiry date of fresh produce. According to FreshPlaza, the Blue Box tracker is being added to shipments across Australia, and follows the foodstuffs from farm to shelf. This new tech may
hold the key to reducing the billions of dollars of food thrown in the bin every year. Escavox created the tracker, which is placed in a box of produce and measures temperature, time and location along the supply chain. Escavox chief executive Luke Wood says food waste is a
‘huge’ issue. “In Australia alone, we measure it in billions [of dollars]. “Globally, trillions.”
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EFFLUENT & ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Early environment work pays off
From left, farm manager Phil Barton and owner Peter Levin by more recent planting. All Photos: Catherine Fry.
Thirty-six years on, Taupiri drystock farmers Peter and Gael Levin are reaping the benefits of the environmental work carried out on their 265ha property since its purchase in 1985. “It felt very bare when we bought it, with a few established trees, and around 5km of the meandering Komakorau stream as its southern boundary,” says Peter. The Levins moved the property from mixed use straight into Friesian bulls for beef. With 224ha effective the 94 paddocks are further divided in half during winter and the farm winters 470 cattle, half of which are rising yearlings and half rising two year olds. “The more stock we can winter, the more profitable the farm is,” says Peter. By late spring stock numbers have risen into the 900s, with the purchase of weaner calves in autumn and spring, plus yearling bulls in spring and/or autumn depending on the season.
Protecting pasture Farm manager, Phil Barton, has been with the Levins since 2002. He is the only worker on the farm, with 89-year-old Peter still very much involved in day to day operations. Friesian beef bulls on the farm.
The bulls are grass fed and the farm doesn’t conserve grass, buying in silage The farm drains the peat soils if required on a neighbouring property, during drought. with the water stained “We use the stock orange from iron oxide. as the management tool for the pasture, buying in more animals in the spring when grass is abundant, and looking to start slaughtering by Christmas as the grass growth slows,” says Phil. Peter describes the farm’s soil as “a real Waikato mixture of everything, but with relatively good drainage, needing 28 units of nitrogen per ha in August, with boosts through the summer”. “While stock numbers are lower than a high input farm, we minimise damage to our soils and pasture,” says Phil. In the late 1980s, the Levins embarked in substantial planting and natural regeneration of areas of the farm. The long, meandering Komakorau stream boundary was fenced in and allowed to regenerate naturally. “I believe in putting things back as they were,” says Peter. Some added planting of lower plants such as flax and ferns in front of the larger established trees has resulted in a dense farm boundary, with no pasture within 20m of the stream. Drains, gullies and smaller streams have all been fenced off and planted from scratch, and much of the 40ha of bush is QEII covenanted. Canopy trees planted 30 years ago, and established natives are now a peaceful sanctuary for native birds. Where there are native birds, there are predators. Peter maintains 20 bait stations on the property,
...continued
EFFLUENT & ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Peter Levin with a gully he planted in the late 80s in the background. continued...
placed in the bush near the food source of bird eggs and baby birds. “We mainly catch possums and wild cats, but we also want the rats to take the bait,” says Phil. Peter remembers 15 years ago when numbers were higher and “you could easily shoot five possums on a walk with a .22 and a foxy”.
Welfare led farming
Animal welfare is high on the farm’s agenda, with meticulous record keeping. “I’ve got records going back decades including demand on water, animal health, daily stock movement and production,” says Peter. One bore supplies all water requirements on the farm and is reticulated all 94 paddocks. In winter an 18-day round is expected, but in summer it stretches out to 24 to 28 days, as stock numbers are reduced. “We allow flexibility and it’s all managed around the animal welfare depending on the conditions,” says Phil. Farm records highlight the last few summers of drought, with a noticeable drop in live weight produced, from the expected 1000kg to sometimes as low as 700kg. In dry summers, the bought in calves are taken through to 20 months to reach finishing weight. Planting of a number of varieties of poplars back in the 80s means every paddock has an area
Farm manager Phil Barton with two of his 45 “hobby beehives”.
of shade available. These are carefully pruned to ensure there is shade movement throughout the day, mitigating nitrogen and urea hotspots occurring if the bulls are in one place for too long. Phil has always been a keen beekeeper, and brought a hive with him 19 years ago. This has expanded to 45 hives, with 20 to 25 kept on farm. “It’s important that I have an interest that’s outside the day to day work on the farm. But, it’s also beneficial to the farm as the bees pollinate the trees, pasture and home gardens, and the native bush supplies pollen and the food source for them in the autumn, winter and spring,” says Phil. When the Levins completed their Farm Environment Plan in early 2021, they were happy to find that their work 30 years ago left very little required to meet their Healthy Rivers legislation obligations, and they were advised to just continue Catherine Fry monitoring their land.
Page 15
EFFLUENT & ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
Page 16
Cows exceed toilet They called them crazy – but University of Auckland-affiliated researchers have successfully demonstrated that cows can be toilet trained.
Lindsay Matthews and Douglas Elliffe’s research with German colleagues could help reduce water contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. If cows could be trained to urinate in a “toilet” at least some of the time, nitrogen could be captured and dealt with before it pollutes water or turns into nitrous oxide gas. “We’ve shown proof of concept that we can train cows and train them easily,” says Douglas, a University of Auckland professor of psychology. “Cattle urine is a major cause of our nitrogen problem. Any reduction in that would make a difference.” “People’s reaction is ‘crazy scientists’ but actually, the building blocks are there,” says Lindsay, a University of Auckland honorary academic and director of an independent research company. “Cows have bigger urinations when they wake up in the morning, which demonstrates they have the ability to withhold urination. There’s nothing in their neurophysiology that radically differentiates them from animals, such as horses, monkeys and cats, which show latrine behaviour.”
Joke inspired
Lindsay has been around cows for a long time – he grew up on a dairy farm and did his PhD research on learning and preference in cows. In 2007, during a radio interview about the environmental impact of cattle excretion, the host suggested Lindsay should toilet train them. It was a joke – but it got Lindsay thinking. In 2015, Lindsay was working with Professor Lars Schrader at the Federal Research Institute for Animal Health in Germany when Schrader suggested toilet training to deal with ammonia emissions, which result from contact between faeces and urine. Previous international attempts to toilet train cows had seen little success, but Lindsay thought that with his deep expertise, he might be able to do better. He
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Voluntary latrine entry through one-way gate. Photos: Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology.
brought in Douglas, who has complementary skills in behavioural analysis, to help. With their German colleagues, Lindsay and Douglas worked with 16 calves at a farm operated by the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology in Germany. First, they demonstrated that most calves could be trained to “hold it.” If they began to urinate in the wrong place, the scientists would make their collars vibrate. While the vibration didn’t hurt them, most of the calves soon learned to walk a short distance to a latrine pen. Next, Lindsay and Douglas put the calves in the latrine pen, which was bright green to differentiate it from other pens, and rewarded them with a favoured food treat if they urinated there. “This is how some people train their children – they put them on the toilet, wait for them to pee, then reward them if they do it,” says Lindsay. “Turns out it works with calves too. In very short order, five or ten urinations for some animals, they demonstrated they understood the connection between the desired behaviour and the reward by going to the feeder as soon as they started urinating.” ...continued
EFFLUENT & ENVIRONMENT SERVICES
training expectations urinations, which the researchers say compares favourably to the toilettraining time for three and four-yearold children.
NZ context
The next step for Lindsay and Douglas is to bring their research to the New Zealand context, where being outdoors may make toilet training more of a challenge. Possible solutions are cows using the latrine while gathered at milking or on the feed pad. Voluntary latrine exit. continued... Installing latrines outdoors may be another The next progression was to possibility. The researchers say even increase the distance cows had to if these changes result in a lower walk to the latrine. success rate, reducing urine patches If “accidents” occurred in another would have significant benefits for part of the barn, scientists would the environment. squirt a little cold water at them. “If we could collect 10 or 20 per “Very quickly, within 15-20 cent of urinations, it would be urinations on average, the cows would self-initiate entry to the toilet. sufficient to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and nitrate leaching “This is very exciting because it significantly,” says Douglas. means they were paying attention Another challenge will be to scale to their bladder getting fuller,” up so it’s economically feasible to says Lindsay. train millions of animals. “By the end, three-quarters of the This could be accomplished by animals were doing three-quarters of using urination-detecting sensors and their urinations in the toilet.” automatic reward systems. Trained The calves received only 15 days of training and the majority learned cows could be transitioned into not expecting a food reward after every the full set of skills within 20-25
urination, the researchers say. With help from UniServices, Lindsay and Douglas have met with representatives of the New Zealand dairy industry, who are interested in the research as a potential way of avoiding the herd reductions that may otherwise be necessary to meet emissions targets. A further application of the research may be to extract and reuse nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, from the collected cow urine. At the University of Auckland and elsewhere, there are researchers in fields including chemistry and engineering working on closely related and similar problems. “This is new science, what we’ve done here, so there are many ways to push it,” says Lindsay.
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FINANCIAL SERVICES
A well set up season Farmers have headed into this season on the back of a financially strong year, meaning the 2020-21 season may be the perfect time to invest on-farm.
The DairyNZ 2019-20 Economic Survey shows farmer resilience to the challenges of Covid-19, price volatility and unpredictable weather, with a positive year for milk production and farm businesses. DairyNZ chief economist Dr Graeme Doole says operating profit, milksolids per cow and per ha were all up on previous years. “For the 2019-20 season we were fortunate to receive an above-average milk price of $7.05 per kg/milksolids, which has continued into this season,” says Graeme. “This enabled some farmers to catch-up on farm maintenance
and debt repayment, while continuing to invest in environmental improvement on-farm. “Farm costs also increased, with higher fertiliser and supplementary feed costs. “Although we saw a decrease in interest costs, this was not enough to offset increases in other areas of expenditure.” The annual survey shows that average operating profit was up 28 per cent on the previous season, at $2750 per ha for 2019-20, while milksolids per cow and ha were at their highest level to date. “This on-farm success results in a strong contribution to the New Zealand economy, delivering around $20 billion in export value, while employing around 50,000 people on and off farm,” says Graeme. “It is positive to see such a high operating profit for farms for 201920, compared to the 10-year average of $1645 per ha. Despite many farms nationwide being affected by a dry summer, production remained strong.” Operating expenses increased to $5.31 per kg/milksolids compared to 2018-19, which is above the previous high of $5.17 reported in 2013-14.
“Feed continues to be the largest cost on New Zealand dairy farms, which is important for farmers looking to control farm costs. “To build their resilience for periods when milk prices are lower, farmers should look at their overall cost structures on-farm and identify where they can trim costs.” Sharemilkers experienced a good year, recording a 35 per cent increase in operating profit on the previous season to $1050 per ha, while faced with similar cost changes, price volatility and weather conditions. Farmers are encouraged to analyse their individual performance and compare their results with similar farms through DairyNZ’s DairyBase and budget case studies. The case studies look at several top-performing farms nationwide for the current season, to help identify opportunities to reduce production costs. The annual DairyNZ Economic Survey analyses a representative sample of farmers, surveying 326 owner-operators and 124 herd-owning sharemilking farms (50:50 sharemilkers) across New Zealand for the 2019-20 season.
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“Our mission is to be the premier provider of superior financial solutions by earning people’s trust in the most friendly and professional manner possible,” says Gateway director and finance broker Bill Slater. “The best news is our clients tell their friends about their Gateway experience. Couple this with the fact that many professionals, accountants, lawyers, financial planners and advisers, including other mortgage advisors, recognise our skills and refer us because they know we are one of best in New Zealand at providing finance solutions. “We are proud of that reputation and do our best
Gateway director and finance broker Bill Slater.
to ensure that we at Gateway maintain a very high standard of service, with mutual trust and respect.” Gateway Finance Brokers specialise in all farm and horticultural finance. The business is also seeking
applications for commercial and business loans, personal finance, home loans and car finance. “This includes working capital and those more technically complex deals that require professional expertise to find the correct solution,” says Bill. “With loan sizes from $10,000 to $50,000,000, no project is too big or too small for Gateway. “Recent projects we have financed include farm finance, commercial development construction, hotel and motel purchases, commercial land subdivisions and residential home loans – just to name a few. “Having an open and frank conversation with Gateway might be possibly the best decision you will ever make.” For more information, see the advertisement on this page.
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Page 19
Calling out for
Rowan Elliot of RRR says foster carers are what makes their organisation tick. Photo: John Borren.
With kitten and puppy season on our doorsteps, animal rescues need foster carers more than ever. Rowan Elliott of Rescue Revive Rehome in the Bay of Plenty says they rely on
fosterers to look after most of the animals in their care because they don’t have a dedicated premises yet. “It’s a really big need, and we never have enough fosterers,” she says. RRR has upwards of 600
animals in care at any one time, ranging from felines and canines to horses, goats, calves and lambs – so they also need people with land for grazing. Rowan says raising an animal and bringing it back to good health so it can go to its forever home is amazing but it’s not always a glamorous job. Being a rescue organisation means the animals aren’t always in perfect health. “I don’t think people should glorify fostering because it’s hard work,” she says. “It’s really hard work, but it is such a rewarding job.” RRR provides all of the food and bedding needed to take care of the animals – the only thing people need to supply
themselves is cat litter or puppy training pads. The more foster carers the rescue has, the more animals they can help and they already have a waiting list of animals that need placement, says Rowan. “It’s a community effort, and we can’t be RRR without the community. “There are so many ways that people can get involved with the rescue to make a difference with us.” RRR are always in need of donations of food, bedding, toys and money that goes towards vet bills. For more information about fostering or to donate, visit: www.rrr.org.nz
Alisha Evans
Keep clear of horns - Cattle dehorning guidance
Several changes made in recent years in New Zealand are improving animal welfare across a range of species, in particular with significant surgical procedures for our stock.
For the past two years it’s a legal requirement that all cattle being disbudded/ dehorned will need ‘an appropriately placed and effective local anaesthetic that is authorised by a veterinarian for the purpose of the procedure’. This is true for all methods of horn tissue removal including hot iron cautery, scoop dehorning, amputation (guillotine) dehorning and caustic paste. Regardless of breed, age or size of horn, this intervention should be afforded to all cattle as a matter of course. Local injection when applied correctly, should alleviate pain as we would expect during a visit to the dentist. In addition to this, anyone disbudding/ dehorning must: be experienced with,
or have received training in, the correct use of the method being used; and be able to recognise early signs of significant distress, injury, or ill-health so that prompt remedial action is taken or seek advice. The three options available moving forward are: • Veterinary staff can perform the procedure (disbudding/dehorning), • Veterinary Operating Instructions can be provided for local anaesthetic for nonveterinary providers to proceed • Disbudding training and assessment for veterinarians to train non-veterinary/ farm personnel to effectively administer local anaesthetic, and disbud calves, ie: farmers who disbud their own calves will need to be trained by their veterinarian to administer a local anaesthetic block Pain relief is essential for disbudding and improves recovery. Training is required before administering local anaesthetic. The most common methods of administering local anaesthetic, are via cornual and ‘bleb’ nerve blocks. The process requires patience, technical
competence and practice to be consistently effective. Where the traditional cornual (aka horn) block has been used, the bleb block is an alternative method of achieving pain relief – it’s quicker and consistently effective. Local anaesthetics available in New Zealand last about two hours, so a non-steroidal antiinflammatory drug or long-acting topical anaesthetic can be used to extend pain control. Feel free to contact your local vet clinic for further details and assistance.
Page 20
Waitomo limestone Ben and Bex Stubbs, owners of Underleaf Farm in Waitomo. All Photos: Catherine Fry.
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800 dual-purpose ewes and 200 replacement ewe hoggets, with around 1200 to 1300 lambs born each season. They also run 40 breeding cattle and graze varying numbers of dairy and service bulls.
Early conservationists
Currently, close to half the farm is fenced off and protected under QEII covenants. These areas are made up of original native forest and broken limestone landscape. In the late 1970s, the family decided to reserve areas of bush during a time when government incentives were encouraging clearing to expand productive farming land. It was common practice at the time to winter cattle in the bush, this resulted in a shockingly high loss, with
the animals getting trapped in holes while searching for water. The family have always been fascinated with the flora, fauna and geology of the area and wanted to protect the dense native bush on the farm. “The sedimentary limestone rock has been thrust upwards by tectonic plate movement, and contains many fossils of ancient sea life. The caves hold bones of extinct birds, and the bush is home to many rare species – my father saw the value in that,” says Ben. Inspired and encouraged by fellow farmer and conservationist Gordon Stephenson, the Stubbs’ started covenanting areas of land under Stephenson’s brainchild, the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust. ...continued
Page 21 Ben and Bex Stubbs against the stunning backdrop of limestone karst landscape of their Waitomo farm.
continued...
“This was before the words sustainability and conservation were part of most farmers’ vocabulary.” The Mangapōhue, Marokopa, Moakurarua and Waitomo Streams have headwaters on the property, often disappearing underground in places. Ben and Bex believe strongly that they have a responsibility to the rest of the Waitomo Stream Catchment Group to keep their waterways clean. “It’s of massive benefit to the farm. We have cleaner waterways, and less than two per cent stock loss per annum to holes and waterways, compared to eight per cent previously.” Water is reticulated to all the farm paddocks, and stock kept safely away from the streams. Pest control of possums, rats, goats and pigs is maintained by shooting, or trapping using bait stations. Possum fur has been a big part of the family’s income over the years, with 15 possums producing 1kg of fur that sells for $100 per kilogram, compare this to sheep wool selling for $1 per kilogram at present. “To give you an idea of numbers, we’ve trapped more than 1000 possums so far this year, this is equal to twice our wool cheque. Possum numbers are dropping, and that’s a good sign for the bush. “Possum fur has supported us through some hard times,” says Bex.
Planting with local seed
The family have been infilling the retired areas with native planting since the 1980s. Collecting native seeds from the farm each season, and outsourcing the growing of them in the nursery of Jan Simmons, a committed conservationist. “This means the young plants we get back are from our land, with exactly the right genetics to thrive in the ecosystem of our forest,” says Bex.
Rare orchids and fungi have been found on the farm. The Stubbs family clearly love their land and want to allow it to heal, encouraging native species to come back. “The remains of moa, takahē, kākāpō, kōkako, kiwi, weka and giant geese have all been found in the caves, so we want to see the species that are still around come back to the land. We don’t want to lose anymore,” says Ben. Spotless crakes, whiteheads, falcons and rare fern birds have all been spotted on the farm. “We’ve got carnivorous slugs and rare peripatus, The majority of Underleaf Farm’s crystal-clear waterways are fenced off on QEII covenanted land.
a caterpillar-like invertebrate that is the missing link between worms and insects, and have been around for 500 million years,” says Bex. The couple actively encourage others to look at retiring land, believing the positives greatly outweigh the negatives. Thirteen new areas, covering 30ha, are scheduled to be covenanted over the next two years. “There’s money out there from many different sources, from
different groups and initiatives which have vested interests in waterways, or conservation of plant and animal species,” says Ben. Both enthusiastic cavers and conservationists themselves, Ben and Bex generously share their beloved land and all its wonders with climbers, cavers, trail runners, researchers, entomologists, school groups and nature walkers. Permission is required prior to entry. Catherine Fry
Page 22
Twelve-year-old distance rider Despite not coming from a particularly horsey family, Joanna Frendrup started riding at around five years old.
MARSHALL
Now the Matamata 12-year-old has found her niche in riding world and enjoys competing in distance riding. “When I was seven, we found Kiri
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at Navajo Horse Riding Adventures, and then let’s say, Elsie has a lot of gas in the tank!” I got to try all sorts of riding,” says Joanna. The pair clocked up their 250km After trying showjumping, and not badge together. enjoying it because Time and heart rate she didn’t have the Distance riding is a discipline “correct posture or where riders have a set amount confidence”, Kiri of time to complete a distance, suggested she tried but must finish with their Cowboy Challenge horse’s heart rate at or under with Gypsy, a 22-year64 bpm. The winner is the old, quarter horse. combination with the lowest “We practiced and heart rates, lag times and came second in a time faults. leading rein class, with The 2020 season was able Kiri leading me.” to go ahead after the In 2017, Joanna Covid-19 lockdown. progressed to riding Joanna says distance riding alone in the youth has really helped her gain a lot division and tried some of confidence, but Elsie is a cowboy challenges on little bit too old. another of Kiri’s horses, To match her aspirations for a 16-year-old red riding longer distances, she dunn, quarter horse now rides Jade, a 10-year-old, cross, called Elsie. red dunn, quarter horse. “We didn’t do With Natasha as a mentor, very well, Elsie was Joanna Frendrup, 12, plans plus Kiri’s training and kind very hesitant at the to compete in a 120 km distance ride sponsorship by letting her obstacles, and I with horse, Jade, in 2024. Photo: Catherine Fry. use Jade as her own dedicated didn’t have the horse, Joanna is going from strength to strength. confidence to ride her through them.” “We even tried some show jumping again, Joanna was introduced to distance riding in 2019 competing in 50, 70 and 80cm classes. when she met seasoned distance rider, Natasha “Jade is one in a million, and she exceeded what Guest, who regularly competes in the Distance was required.” Riding New Zealand circuit. She describes Jade as a bit cheeky, sometimes “She offered to accompany me on a 16km showing off like a prancing show pony. distance ride at Pukeatua, and Elsie and I loved it! “She’s got some attitude, and everyone ...continued “Soon after we did 30km, which we won, and
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Joanna Frendrup with horse, Jade, whose jumping exceeds expectation. Photo: Catherine Fry.
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says I have too, so we’re well-matched!” Joanna aims to acquire her 250km badge with Jade, and has plans in 2022 to complete a 60km ride split into 20km a day over three days.
Putting in the hours
To prepare for these longer events, Joanna rides four evenings a week after school, and then either rides or competes at the weekends. “As the horse does the main work in distance riding, we have to build their fitness up and get them used to distance.” Kiri has an 800 metre training track, and Joanna rides Jade four times around each way, several times a week. “We mainly walk and trot, but sometimes sneak in a canter.” Joanna’s goal is to compete in a 120km distance ride in 2024. “It takes three years to train a horse to complete a distance like that, so Jade and I are building up to it.”
Distance rider Natasha Guest with Joanna Frendrup riding horse, Elsie. Photo: Kerry Rowe Photography.
There is no shortage of experienced, older riders happy to chaperone Joanna on distance rides. Joanna has been all over the region, enjoying riding on beaches, in the bush, and through scenery inaccessible by road. Distance riding is fast becoming a popular sport in New Zealand. Catherine Fry
Page 24
Tour the high country The mystique of New Zealand’s high country is, in part, due to its remoteness but also to a rugged beauty that is celebrated around the world.
Traditionally the preserve of those privileged to manage this environment, it is now possible to join a personally escorted small group tours which take in some of the South Island’s most iconic stations, thanks to High Country Journeys. Owned and operated by John Mulholland, High Country Journeys has, for more than three decades, escorted hundreds of people, driving their own or hired 4WD vehicles, through the South Island high country. “We have a range of tours starting with our ‘Grand Slam’ tour which is a seven day eight night tour that starts in Blenheim and finishes
in Cardrona, Central Otago, taking in the iconic Molesworth Station as well as the stunning back country of Canterbury and Mackenzie Country. “The ‘Great Explorer’ is a five day six night tour that begins in the Ōmārama/Lake Ōhau area and ends in the Cardrona/Wānaka area taking in the Mackenzie Country, Lindis Pass, Central Otago and Northern Southland. “In response to demand, we are also soon launching a five day six night ‘Southern Explorer’ tour, which will visit some of Southland’s spectacular back country and landmarks,” says John. “Accommodation is of a very high standard and is a combination of iconic hotels, lodges and farmstays with all meals provided. “The Covid pandemic has meant more Kiwis are visiting their own backyard, and there’s nowhere more iconic than South Island’s high country.”
Tour pit-stop at Lammermoor Distillery.
Guard your gutters against birds With the arrival of spring, birds are moving in to gutters and eaves to build nests, says New Zealand Gutter Protection owner Martin Smith.
is left for long periods of time, it can cause the gutters to rust and disintegrate. “Gutter protection also means no more scrambling up a ladder to get to the gutters, risking a fall,” says Martin. NZ Gutter Protection “When birds nest in mesh is made from New Zealan d Gutter houses, they make a lot of Protect heavy-duty polyethylene ion owner noise and mess, as well as Martin Smith. and comes in a range contaminate tank water,” of colours. It can be says Martin. installed on any type of It’s not too late to prevent roof and has a 15-year this potential headache guarantee on materials for homeowners. and workmanship. Installing gutter protection “Our mesh is made is a permanent way to from similar material prevent bird nesting to farm water tanks, so problems, says Martin. it is very durable and “It also ensures leaves designed to withstand and hail don’t get into the New Zealand’s intense sun,” says Martin. gutters and pose a flooding risk. Martin has been the owner/operator of New “It will keep out rats and other pests, and keep Zealand Gutter Protection since 2005 and does tank water clean,” he says. most of the fitting himself. His service area covers “When leaves build up in gutters, the blockage can cause flooding into the house. If leaf buildup the entire Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
Page 25
The importance Dairy shed solutions of minerals There can be many problems with concrete in and around your dairy shed.
In the last edition I commented that most multi style supplements over promise but under deliver.
health. Just perhaps the issue is that unlike livestock humans do not have a productivity value. When I recently reformulated my Cell-X multi-nutritional supplement, I took great care to ensure that minerals, like selenium and zinc, were at levels that support optimal health. Our immune system, indeed the health of every cell, requires these minerals to produce powerful enzymes that protect our cells, including immune cells, from damage and disease. I offer you a challenge: take a good multi-nutritional supplement like Cell-X for three months and notice the difference. Most talk about more energy, better immunity especially in winter and just feeling well. John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423559 or email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his all new newsletter at www.abundant.co.nz.
or pit which can be prone to flaking and peeling because of hydro-static pressure, the five coat Terra Flake system we use comes in many colours, provides a water tight, gloss finish which is easy to hose off and keep clean. “We operate throughout the North Island all year round and are happy to work between stock movement on the yard or feed pad.” For more information see the advertisement on this page.
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This is because most are formulated as a ‘one-a-day’ supplement and are often filled with too many B vitamins yet lack the minerals and antioxidants we really need. Outright mineral deficiencies cause disease but of much greater importance is the number of diseases linked to sub-optimal minerals in our diet. Sub-optimal just means less than our bodies really need. If I could do an experiment it would be to give all New Zealanders a comprehensive multi mineral, multi vitamin and antioxidant and observe health patterns over a long period of time. I would not be surprised to see reductions in most chronic diseases. Farmers are very aware of the mineral deficiencies in our soil. I spoke to a farming client recently and he commented on the improvements to animal health when they added selenium and other minerals. He said the sheep went from being lethargic to full of energy. It is a real tragedy that we do not incorporate such advice into human
Pitting and aggregation due to acid washout, paint flaking off walls and cows falling in the yard. Rick Forsman from Forsman Building has been specialising in dairy shed concrete resurfacing and hygienic shed coatings for 12 years and has seen all of these. He has a solution to them too. “We started out resurfacing affected areas, then moved onto Terraflaking walls and then added the non-slip finishes to larger areas,” says Rick. “We basically cover all problems with concrete in your shed.” Aggregated or pitted areas can be smoothed out by concrete grinding, patching or resurfacing and yard and feed pads can be given a non-slip finish which will stop cows from falling. This gives a look like a non-slip grip deck tread and unlike grooving is easily cleaned. As an alternative to painting the walls in the shed
FERTILISER
Page 26
Reviewing expensive fertiliser programmes In the past month I have been emailed soil tests taken by different fertiliser reps, plus their recommendations, by two farmers who have been concerned that they are spending too much money and wanted an independent opinion.
The first one was a 200ha dairy farm up north on sedimentary clay soils whose annual fertiliser bill has been averaging $90,000 ($450/ha) for the past five years. The eight soil tests showed pH levels varying from 5.7-6.6, with an average of 6.1. The Olsen P levels ranged from 25-47, averaging 34; the MAF Quicktest potassium levels ranged from 8-22,
The biological optimum MAF Quicktest magnesium levels range from eight to 10, although for animal health purposes it can be raised to 25. All of this farm’s magnesium levels are high and again no magnesium needs to be applied for a number of years. The biological optimum sulphate sulphur level ranges from 10-15, so this farm needs to maintain sulphur, preferably elemental sulphur, as clay soils do not retain sulphur all that well. My recommendation was to apply lime on the parts of the farm with pH levels below six, some maintenance potassium on the two blocks with MAF K levels of eight, and 125 kg/ha Sulphur Gain 30 over the whole farm.
averaging 15; the MAF Quicktest magnesium levels ranged from 33-73, averaging 53, and Sulphate Sulphur levels ranged from 10-16, averaging 13. I could immediately tell this farmer had been taken for a ride, and was applying far more than he needed to.
Biological optimum
The biological optimum Olsen P level on sedimentary clay soils is 20. Biological optimum is defined as being the level in which 97 per cent of the potential production can be achieved for that particular element assuming all other elements are at the optimum. It has been argued that with extremely efficient dairy farms when all other possible nutrient limitations have been met, that you could aim for an Olsen P of 25 to get that last three per cent of potential production. As all of this farm’s phosphorus levels are above the biological optimum, there would be no production lost if he did not apply any phosphatic fertiliser for a year, and on much of his farm, he could apply no P for several years before he needs to start applying maintenance P, which for 1000 kg MS/ha is around 40 units. Liquid BioChar/Humus Builder The biological optimum MAF Quicktest potassium /Cal-Phos level ranges from seven to 10 for sedimentary clay Increase humus biological soils. Mostsoil of this farm and did not need potassium at all, activity from $15/ha could have no potassium and again,– like phosphorus, applied for several years without seeing any loss in Soil Force Maintenance potassium on sedimentary production. Biological Phosphate soils for 1000 kg MS/ha Fertiliser is around 75 kg/ha.
Major savings
All up my recommendation would cost around $15,000, which is one sixth of what they have been needlessly spending the past five years. The second farm I was asked to review is a dairy farm on a volcanic ash soil type. The biological optimum Olsen P on volcanic ash soils is 22, but again on extremely efficient dairy farms aiming for 25-30 for that extra three per cent production could be warranted. Recent soil tests on the milking platform showed pH levels range from 6.1-6.2, Olsen P levels range from 33-55, potassium MAF units range from 10-19, magnesium MAF units range from 39-44, and sulphate sulphur levels range from 11-20, so all elements are above the biological optimum and if no Re-Charge/Nano-Cal/Multi-Cal fertiliser was applied for a year or two, there would be Calcium-Carbon Fertilisers no drop in production. CPAg MBSPC What the fertiliser rep recommended, with their Stock Primer – Mineralised computer program using Overseer, was going to cost Carbon Drench Independent Agronomy & $400/ha as she wanted the farmer to maintain these Build immunity, suppress Soil Fertility Consultant high levels, which is not only a waste of money, but pathogens; e.g. Rotovirus & E.Coli also not good for the environment. It can also lead to for as little as 4¢ per cow per day metabolic problems in cows when there are imbalances between phosphorus and calcium, potassium and Humates/Humic Acid/Fulvic Acid magnesium, and potassium and sodium. Increased water retention Too often farmers are needlessly wasting their hard & nutrient release. earned money on fertilisers which are unnecessary, or an expensive way of applying nutrients, having Biological PSA New Biological Controls for managementconfidence their rep has their best interests at heart. Cricket, Cicada, Argentine options. ReamsThis may not be the case. With significant price Stem Weevil, Clover Flea – increases the past few months, it pays to shop around, Soil Testing, Home all added into solid and liquid and apply what it going to work on your property. Garden Fertiliser. fertiliser programmes. Robin Boom, member of the Institute of Professional Soil Scientists.
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Solid and Liquid Fertilisers Liquid BioChar/Humus Builder /Cal-Phos Increase soil humus and biological activity – from $15/ha Soil Force Biological Phosphate Fertiliser Re-Charge/Nano-Cal/Multi-Cal Calcium-Carbon Fertilisers Stock Primer – Mineralised Carbon Drench Build immunity, suppress pathogens; e.g. Rotovirus & E.Coli for as little as 4¢ per cow per day Humates/Humic Acid/Fulvic Acid Increased water retention & nutrient release. New Biological Controls for Cricket, Cicada, Argentine Stem Weevil, Clover Flea – all added into solid and liquid fertiliser programmes.
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Page 27
FERTILISER
Biochar and rock powder used together minimise nutrient and soil loss and maximise environmental benefits to people
EFFECTIVE RETRACTING COVER SYSTEMS following application. Rock powder and biochar are two Soil texture plays a key role in of the most powerful tools for Keepsthefeed orof fertiliser dry determining persistence reversing climate change, especially biochar carbon. Biochar becomes when used together. stabilised Winch for easy access in thesystem soil by interacting with soil particles. This article is partly based Clay particles have more on Dr. Thomas Goreau’s Canvas or steel cladding options surface area for biochar findings. Biochar and to interact and are rock powders can provide Save timewith and cut waste therefore more effective at major, cost-effective, stabilising biochar. atmospheric CO2 sinks All agricultural soils, even to reverse climate change sandy ones, have some through natural solutions. clay particles. The most effective use info@slidingroofs.co.nz Biochar and rock powder of each material is mixed combinations increase with the other to maximise www.slidingroofs.co.nz both the rate at which synergies for increasing soil climate and fertilisation productivity and reversing benefits occur, and the duration climate change. of those benefits for both plant In New Zealand, a country with nutrition, and carbon removal by inherently fertile topsoil, carbon recycling carbon and nutrients to losses are occurring at depth under accelerate production, biomass, NPK fertilised pastures, due to and biodiversity. the inhibition of the sequestration pathway. Alternative practices have For people and planet been either dismissed or ignored by The basic rock weathering chemical establishment science. reaction is: Biochar is a carbon store that holds CO2 + rock minerals = bicarbonate water and nutrients, and they must anions + cations (+ silica unless be added to it, so rock powder is a mineral is limestone). perfect complement. Biochar carbon will remain in Raw biochar is ineffective and the soil for a very long time, but can last perhaps 1000 years in the bicarbonate will not be stored in soil. Biochar-rock powder mixtures increase root growth and increase the soil unless climate is so dry that limestone nodules do not precipitate release of underground respiratory out of soil solutions. CO2 and organic acids, which Unused bicarbonate, cations, and further accelerate rock powder silica are dissolved and ultimately weathering that releases essential flushed into groundwater, rivers, nutrients, which Biochar stores and and the sea, which accumulates makes available to plants. bicarbonate until the carbon is removed biologically and stored as Carbon storing sedimentary organic carbon and While biochar does contain high limestone, which are the longlevels of carbon, there remains term sinks. uncertainty as to how long that Rock powder and treated Biochar carbon will persist in the soil
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Page 28
Expertise that works for you
On home ground These days it seems everyone has an opinion on what’s best for your farm - but opinions aren’t facts. Local knowledge and qualified expertise matter. Which is why your Ravensdown agronomist can add real value to the seed and agchem conversation for your farm. Besides, you know what they say about opinions...
Talk to your Ravensdown agronomists Julie Gaukrodger (Central North Island) on 021 900 436, and Caroline Kirk (Eastern North Island) on 021 2263 110.
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FERTILISER
Page 29
Airfarm has been top dressing for 14 years.
Airfarm has been providing all your aerial top dressing needs since 2007, and although ways of doing things have changed, one thing has stayed the same. Owners John and Janet Spence have kept people at the heart of what they do and always put their customers first. “There are farmers that came on board with us in 2008 and are still with us today,” says John. “In the past 14 years we have got to know you all. Spending time with you drinking tea and eating homemade treats, to having a picnic on the airstrip.” The pair want to thank all of their clients and strip owners for their support. John and Janet have been busy with maintenance of the Fletcher aircraft, which has
had a new engine installed. Slowly, all of Airfarm’s TK loaders are being retired from old age and replaced with newer models to ensure they run well into the future. Being the loader driver Janet says she misses the TK loaders. “I certainly have lots of memories, both good and bad.” John and Janet have worked together in aerial top dressing for nearly 30 years and say there has always been a plan. “To stay safe and run the business economically while providing the best value and service for customers,” says Janet. “We hope that agriculture is always number one in New Zealand.” For a quote for your fertiliser job, big or small give Airfarm a call. For more information, see the advertisement on this page.
a Req uest p m le ! f re e s a
Page 30
FORESTRY
The changing landscape of forestry fumigation While the journey has been long and somewhat tortuous, an advocate for alternative fumigation methods of New Zealand’s export logs has welcomed a reassessed “road map” on the future use of methyl bromide.
The Decision-Making Committee of the Environmental Protection Authority recently announced what it calls a “comprehensive suite” of new rules for the toxic and ozone-depleting substance. Kade McConville, group director of Melbourne-based Draslovka Services Group, says the outcomes of the EPA reassessment “are now based on science over grandfather rights, and have categorically changed the landscape of fumigation in New Zealand”.
Alternative option
Draslovka is seeking to have ethanedinitrile (EDN), an environmentally sustainable non-ozone depleting alternative to methyl bromide, registered with the EPA. EDN was discovered as a fumigant by The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation in Australia and is manufactured by Draslovka in the Czech Republic. Kade says he sees the EPA reassessment of methyl bromide as “justice for the environment and the communities which this substance has affected for decades”. Dr Chris Hill, general manager of the EPA’s Hazardous Substances Group, says the decision sets a roadmap to full recapture of methyl bromide. “It provides a clear and structured pathway for industry to reduce the amount of methyl bromide emitted.”
bromide, but this expired last October and has since been subject to a number of extensions. Chris says while methyl bromide use is being phased out globally, in New Zealand its use increased by 66 per cent between 2010 and 2019.“We are currently out of step with most other countries which are turning away from this ozone-depleting substance. “However, the combined Kade McConville. controls imposed by this decision will result in methyl bromide emissions being reduced significantly over the next five years. The aim is also to Behind the pack disincentivise the use of this fumigant. Kade says the new rules will make it “While the EPA would like to see methyl bromide use “increasingly difficult” to commercially phased out as soon as possible, we acknowledge that this use methyl bromide in New Zealand is the only biosecurity treatment that some key overseas for the treatment of timber and logs markets are prepared to accept,” says Chris. for export. The most prominent of these changes is around buffer zone requirements, which are tied to recapture Decisions to come efficiencies, and subsequently air Meanwhile, Kade believes an EPA decision on the emissions, he says. Draslovka registration of EDN may not come until “Any technically/chemically astute the end of the year. Following public consultation on individual can tell you that fumigant a science memo and EPA staff report, it is expected recapture in a fumigation scenario is the Decision-Making Committee will call another merely smoke and mirrors,” says Kade. public hearing on the matter, which is being dealt with The forestry industry had been given separately from the methyl bromide assessment. a 10 year deadline to stop using methyl Kade says the EDN application has been before the EPA for nearly four years, with Draslovka having spent $5 million in the registration process. The EPA staff report and science memo concluded that the risks of EDN to people and the environment are “considered negligible” with proposed controls and requirements from the EPA and WorkSafe in place. Kade says the “challenge” is to gain acceptance of the alternative treatment from New Zealand’s forestry trading partners, chiefly India and China. At present, India only accepts logs from overseas treated with methyl bromide. Kade says logs treated with EDN are already exported to China from the Czech Republic, so there are more factors in play here than merely biosecurity concerns, there is also politics in the mix. The Ministry for Primary Industries says New Zealand exported $3.81 billion of logs in 2019. About 22 per cent of these (nearly $840 million) were treated with methyl bromide for export. Fumigation of logs for export constitutes the bulk (92 per cent) of New Zealand’s methyl bromide use. New Zealand is a signatory to both the United Nations’ Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (1989) and the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1988) which are both committed to stopping depletion of the ozone layer. Under the provisions of these agreements, signatory nations have since 2005 either banned or severely restricted the use of methyl bromide. Kade says this country risks becoming the “laughing stock” of these agreements through its handling of the forestry fumigation issue. “In the end something needs to change,” he says. “You can’t put it off, it’s time for accountability and change” Steve Edwards Ship-hold fumigation will be banned from January 1, 2022. Chris says “stepped increases” will apply to the recapture of methyl bromide from containers and covered log stacks, starting from January 1, 2022. Revoking the approval for methyl bromide (banning it outright) was “not in the scope” of this reassessment, but Chris says the decision provides for far more stringent controls on its use.
FARM VEHICLES & MACHINERY
WorkSafe New Zealand is once again reminding businesses that regular servicing and proper maintenance of quad bikes can save lives. The reminder comes after the sentencing of two businesses in Timaru District Court in August. Dairy Holdings Limited and Coryston Limited were sentenced under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 following the death of their employee in September 2019. The employee, Stacey Rodgers, died as a result of crushing injuries that occurred during a quad bike roll-over. A WorkSafe investigation found that the condition of the quad bike was consistent with an ATV that had been in regular use but had not been serviced for a prolonged period. The quad bike’s brakes, steering, suspension and front bull bar/bumper were all in need of servicing/repair.
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The investigation concluded that the quad bike was not fit for use in a farming environment as it was in need of mechanical repair. “There are far too many preventable quad bike accidents happening across New Zealand,” says WorkSafe area investigation manager, Steve Kelly. “This is another tragic reminder
that farm vehicles such as quad bikes must be regularly serviced and adequately maintained.” On average, five people die in work related quad bike accidents each year and many more are injured. Most quad bike injuries and fatalities are caused by the quad bike rolling over.
Page 31
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FARM VEHICLES & MACHINERY
John Deere the choice for tractor Service technician Shawn Luxton has been competing in the Fieldays Tractor Pull competitions since 2008. Using a tractor of his own for the first time, he was the winner of the weight adjusted class competition at Fieldays 2021.
The weight adjusted competition is more like drag racing than the usual Tractor Pull, and is generally only run at Fieldays. The tractors are weighted with sledges according to horsepower (45kgs per kW), then it’s down to a sprint to the finish line. Shawn is a fountain of knowledge when it comes
Shawn Luxton and son Ryan, 3, in the cab of Shawn’s 1998 John Deere 7810. All Photos: Catherine Fry.
to tractors, especially John Deere ones, as he’s a service mechanic for a supplier in Cambridge.
Iconic tractor
He has long coveted a John Deere 7810, finally acquiring a 1998 model in April 2021. “They’re pretty iconic and prices are going up overseas, but mine’s done 15,000 hours and needed transmission work, so I got it for a good price,” says Shawn. In the 90s, New Zealanders considered the 7810 to be a
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Page 33
pull winner
continued...
Shawn’s 7810 needed a rebuild of its 20x20 PowerQuad transmission system, but with his mechanic skills, this didn’t faze him as it’s the cheapest and easiest type to work on. “It’s testament to the quality of John Deere machines, that a considerable number of parts or similar parts are still used in their machines today, and readily available.”
Improvements
For the Fieldays competition, Shawn borrowed 46 inch 480/80R46 tyres for the dual wheel bar axel system. Two 600/65R28 front tyres were also required to maintain the tractor’s 4WD ratio.
“I’ve since bought some 50 inch 480/80R50 tyres and the larger sidewall profile and flatter tyre is even better.” The tractor has a modified straight exhaust which Shawn and a friend fabricated themselves, and “it’s a little louder” than he had expected! After a little bit of painting was carried out on the bonnet and side, Shawn is happy with the condition of his 7810 – for now.
Catherine Fry
The grunty straight six-cylinder, 8.1L diesel engine, combined with the 8.5t weight, is ideal for tractor pulling.
Feds applaud funding boost for local roads The government shifting funding for local road maintenance back up a gear is heartening for rural families dismayed by potholed access and dilapidated bridges, says Federated Farmers. “What we need now is for district councils all over New Zealand to dedicate a significant portion of this increased funding to dealing with the backlog of repairs to rural roads and bridges,” says Federated Farmers vice-president and transport spokesperson Karen Williams. Earlier this year, when the nation’s district and city councils were finalising Long-Term Plan budgets, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency warned it was $420 million short for the local
road subsidies it had already indicatively approved. But now, in announcing final decisions on the 2021-24 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP), the government responded to the outcry this caused with an extra $2 billion for local road maintenance. This brings the total amount available for local road and state highway maintenance to $7 billion over the next three years. “Federated Farmers compliments the government for recognising that failing to do the necessary maintenance on local roads is false economy in the long run,” says Karen. “This should mean that councils can re-dedicate themselves to those roading projects that were under threat from the reduced Waka Kotahi subsidies.”
In putting together its submission on the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport last year, Federated Farmers heard from members in many districts lamenting slumping rural roads, crumbling asphalt and bridges with suspect decking and pools of water. “Urban folk can often choose public transport, or take a different route that might add five or 10 minutes to a journey,” says Karen. “But when a poorly maintained road in a more remote rural area becomes dangerous, or is closed for repairs, it can cause total upheaval for family life, farming business and getting stock and produce out and vital supplies in. “That’s disruption not just for those families and farm staff,
but also bad news for a pandemic-hit economy when we need every export dollar our primary sector earns.” How the transport funding will be allocated is yet to be announced.
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Page 34
CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS
A conceptual image of the completed Ōpōtiki Harbour Project. Photo: Tonkin & Taylor.
Construction of the Ōpōtiki Harbour Development Project, which aims to create a hub for aquaculture and other marine related industries, is making good progress. At the time of writing this, 40 per cent of the project was expected to be completed by the end of September. “We are very pleased with the progress of the project to date and the support and patience of the Ōpōtiki community with the changes, trucks and other disruption,” says Ōpōtiki Harbour Development project director John Galbraith. “We are on track to complete works and open the new channel in late 2023.”
New equipment Ōpōtiki Harbour Development project manager David Wyeth says a huge crane, which has been purchased to work on the harbour entrance, has been a great addition to the worksite. “The new crane is a Liebherr 895 with a lifting capacity of 200T. It has nearly 1000 horse power and can be rigged with a maximum of 80m of boom, although it has 42m of boom in its current setup,” says David. “The crane is a very versatile piece of equipment and can be used with grabs, drag buckets, diaphragm wall grabbers, oscillators as well as demolition and dynamic compaction equipment.” The crane’s dynamic compaction feature will be its primary purpose on the project, but it will also do sheet piling and place concrete hanbar units. “When Covid levels allow, we’d like to find a way for the community to suggest names for the crane so keep an eye out for more information on that soon.” The world demand for seafood is increasing
The delivery of a huge crane, transported in parts by several different trucks, turned heads in Ōpōtiki.
rapidly, with the World Bank predicting that aquaculture will supply more than 60 per cent of the fish people eat by 2030.
Meeting demand Ōpōtiki is poised to contribute, with 160km of coastline encompassing thousands of hectares of highly productive seawater that has the potential to support a sizable aquaculture industry. Large scale aquaculture requires a safe, accessible harbour for boats servicing and harvesting product from offshore marine farms, however, the existing Ōpōtiki harbour entrance is limited to smaller boats, which can only cross the bar in good conditions. The project is underpinned by a strong commitment from local community leaders, including iwi and council, to improve the community’s social and economic wellbeing by creating new jobs, increasing the average household income across the district, and adding millions to the economy.
CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS
Crossing the boundary
A truck driver who visited businesses in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato last month before testing positive for Covid-19 left many people around the country holding their breath. The driver, who works for food provision services, travelled across the Auckland border to Hamilton, Cambridge and Tauranga for essential deliveries and drop-offs, visiting local lunch spots and petrol stations in these areas. Auckland was in Alert Level Four, and the rest of the country was in Alert Level Two. Health officials announced that the driver was likely infectious during his trip. It was confirmed that he followed social distancing and mask wearing rules. The possibility of further cases seemed high, but in the end, nothing happened.
Dealing with Delta Waikato and Bay of Plenty were allowed to remain at Alert Level Two, as no community cases resulted from the Covid-positive truck driver. The Delta strain of the virus is known for its fast transmission rate and is extremely contagious, however, this case suggests the precautions essential travellers are taking are indeed working. The government still took further precautions following the scare. The day the positive case was identified, on September 16, the government announced new requirements for workers crossing the
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Alert Level boundary. The requirements state that most employers of workers who need to cross Alert Level boundaries must have a process in place to allow workers to be tested for Covid-19.
Updating the rules This includes allowing workers to undergo testing, medical examination, or both, during their work hours. This must take place in the seven days before they cross the Alert Level boundary. The majority of workers crossing the Alert Level boundary must carry evidence of their negative Covid19 test, or a medical certificate confirming they do not have Covid-19 symptoms and, for a particular physical or other reason, are unable to get a test. They must still carry evidence of their reason to cross the Alert Level boundary, for example the Business Travel Document, a work order or employer letter. Police checkpoints remain in place to stop unnecessary travel.
Doing their bit Even with these strict precautions in place, workers are still required to take regular breaks to ensure they are not fatigued and continue to fulfil the work time obligations set out for heavy vehicle drivers and operators. The positive case, who followed these requirements and guidelines while also taking a break when it was needed, shows how effective this process is and the effort and
risk essential workers take to keep the country moving. Jordan Boyd
Page 35
Page 36
DAIRY
The mahi and magic of Calf Day It’s spring and the time of year when our rural communities – and a few townies – come together for the annual School Calf Day.
Whatever you chose to call them, Calf/Ag/Pet Days are great fun but they don’t just happen by themselves. These events require a great deal of hard work by people, especially women, who volunteer their time toiling away behind the scenes. This year Rural Women New Zealand
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in the Western Bay of Plenty wants to acknowledge that mahi. Calf Club events have been a part of the New Zealand landscape since 1911 when the Boys and Girls Agriculture Group first began in Otago. But learning how to care for another living being has been a rite of passage for our rural children for almost 200 years when the first sheep and dairy farms began to appear in the early 1800s. It feels like almost 200 years ago that I had my first involvement in a Calf Day at the tender age
Being responsible for the care of an animal creates lasting memories and life skills.
of six. I remember spending months feeding, brushing and practising leading a gorgeous caramel coloured heifer I had named Bambi. I can still picture her enviable long dark lashes and big doe brown eyes that made your heart melt, just like her Disney namesake.
Lasting memories
When Calf Club Day dawned and the judge told me to head into the pen with my now considerably larger beast, I went one way and Bambi went the other. Nowadays I applaud strong-willed females who forge their own paths, but I was not a fan that day. Although my first experience ended in tears, I have fond memories of Calf Club Days and remember they were events the entire community looked forward to. More recently, I have been able to create lasting memories of Calf Days with my own children. Their experiences also installed in them the responsibility and commitment needed to raise an animal. Never before did the old cliché of
‘not truly appreciating your mother until you become a parent yourself ’ ring truer than when trying to get a child to go outside on a cold, wet morning to bottle feed an animal (you deserve a medal, Mum).
Keeping it going
I also followed in the footsteps of my parents in joining the small group of committed souls who give up hours of their time making sure Calf Day eventuated. Discovering what goes on behind the scenes of an event gives you immense respect for those who have done so before you and those who continue to do so after. Many members of RWNZ have been part of Calf/Ag/Pet Day organising. Over the following month, WBOP RWNZ will be acknowledging a few of these indispensable women by presenting gift baskets at some of our local rural schools. To find out the names of women who are making a positive difference in a rural community near you, visit RWNZTauranga on Facebook/ Twitter/Instagram.
DAIRY
Page 37
Can I subdivide my farm? your local council for approval. If you have an idea that subdivision is a possibility for you, due to activity in your area or have had a good steer from Council, I am happy to give you the time to discuss the full potential for
Subdivision in New Zealand is governed by the Resource Management Act and many council district plans, which are formulated under this legislation. Even though the RMA controls subdivisions, the council rules in every locality are different. This is largely due to past and present political influence and the unique natural resources of that district. One big consideration of district councils is protecting the ability of highly productive soils to support agricultural production for future generations. For this reason, you will see some councils restricting rural subdivision blocks to a minimum section size of 40ha. This is an area that was considered a minimum for a productive dairy unit many years back but is still being used today. Some councils use a ‘one size fits all’ approach to this minimum size. However, others will allow a limited number of smaller farm blocks and rural lifestyle blocks to be subdivided off farms. Examples of this are currently found in the Waikato, South Waikato and Matamata-Piako Districts, where some qualifying older titles are allowed to subdivide one or more small blocks off. In other rural areas, the council splits their district into zones with different development rules. They may create zones such as rural, lifestyle or rural residential with differing minimum section sizes and
compliance rules. Once it is clear that your farm qualifies for a subdivision based on size, it is time to carry out a detailed analysis against the rules. These rules are written to provide protection and control for both the owner and council. Each new section must have a stable building site that is free from flooding or slipping. These building sites are required to be located a certain distance from the boundary with adjoining properties and any intensive land uses such as poultry or pig farms. The road access to all new sections is critically assessed by council engineers to confirm public safety. The required separation distance of access crossings from the corners and other visibility constraints varies relative to the operating speed on that road. Beyond these aspects are a host of rules relating to servicing the new section with connections to the electricity network, managing stormwater on-site, and treatment and disposal of wastewater. At the end of the day, you want a section that you can sell to another person with a clear conscience, knowing that they can build their dream home without having to worry about any possible contamination of the site, instability of the building platform or unexpected effects from neighbours. You can be confident when dealing with a specialist subdivision company that all these aspects and more will be analysed before any application is put before
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your land. Feel free to give me a call and discuss your situation.
Brent Trail, managing director of Surveying Services, specialises in resource consent applications for subdivisions across the Waikato, Coromandel, Hauraki and Bay of Plenty. For further information, call: 027 4993 778 or email: btrail@surveyingservices.co.nz
DAIRY
Page 38
Machine learning gives insight into cows’ sleep AgResearch scientists have found a way to use machine learning to better understand cows’ quality of sleep – a topic researchers use to assess cows’ welfare.
heart rates, to compare with the gold standard EEG (electroencephalogram) for brain activity,” says Cheryl. “We took this muscle and heart rate data from six cows in both housed and pasture systems, and applied machine learning models The challenge has been measuring and to make predictions about what the muscle distinguishing between the important stages of and heart rate data means for the cows’ sleep in dairy cows, as it is impractical with the animals housed in the usual farm environments, different sleep stages.” says AgResearch animal behaviour and welfare The results show that machine learning science team leader Dr Cheryl O’Connor. models were able to accurately predict sleep “Between AgResearch and Scotland’s Rural stages from the gathered data and the accuracy College in Edinburgh, we used sensor devices was in a similar range to that for human placed on the cows to take measurements during computer models. their sleep such as their neck muscle activity and Now that this method appears to be a valid way of measuring and predicting the sleep stages of cows at a small scale, researchers want to apply it to a much larger number of animals NZ DISTRIBUTOR to validate the use of these methods. “We think the insights we can get from this Pond crust is caused by pathogenic bacteria in the could potentially tell us more about overall effluent that separate the effluent fibres and send them animal welfare,” says Cheryl. to the surface. “From that we may be able to build further How do you counter these bad bugs? With good bugs. That’s what on the research. We will be aiming to share NZ DISTRIBUTOR Slurry Bugs are – helpful bacteria that eat the pond crust. Literally. what we learn with farmers and the wider Not only do Slurry Bugs remove the crust, they transform the effluent industry, so they can potentially build that nutrients into organic forms that are easily used by plants. In other words, knowledge into what happens on farms to Pond crust is caused by pathogenic bacteria in the they liquefy your pond and turn it into an effective, spreadable fertiliser. effluent that separate the effluent fibres and send them provide the best life we can for our cows.” Using Chlorine will kill these good bugs! We
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Farmers urged to enable staff to get vaccinations
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This is the message from Federated Farmers employment spokesperson Chris Lewis. “I know dairy farms are flat tack with calving and workforce shortages have never been worse. “But there’s nothing more important than your family’s health, and that of your staff and their families.” Chris says it will certainly help if District Health Boards booked a hall in some smaller towns for well-advertised-in-advance day clinics. “If it’s possible to combine getting a jab with a trip into town for the next supermarket shop, or to pick up supplies from Farmlands or • Ide Wrightsons, try to make it happen. It’s part of being a good boss,” says Chris. “If your nearest urban centre has a • walk-in S vaccination centre, or a GP clinic is willing to • D take a short-notice booking, you might even send • in a staff member with a few dollars to pick up a morning or afternoon tea shout for the rest of the team.” Chris says the sooner everyone is doublevaccinated, the sooner steps can be taken to safely return to ‘normal’ pre-Covid life – travel events and all.
DAIRY
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A fertiliser revolution is underway It may take a year or two for the changes to become apparent, however pastoral soil fertility practices by 2025 will be markedly different to those of today. The demise of Overseer as the foundation on which the current water-soluble phosphorus and synthetic nitrogen programmes are based ushers in a new system, one which in time will prove to be superior in all respects. The questions asked will be: “why didn’t it work, and why did it take so long to be replaced?” The answer is that although Overseer evolved logically over time, the base was never sound.
The new system is based on the process of synthesis where the outcome is greater than the sum of the parts and therefore less rigid than the current prescriptive approach. It will provide scientists with endless projects working out why it works as well as it does, along with the understanding required to drive the system forward.
On-farm evidence
As to why it has taken so long for the flaw in the current synthetic N driven system to be exposed is probably best explained in the following piece from The Carbon Cycle by Ridzon and Walters. “Too many of our scientists make it life’s habit to lock their intellects into the airtight compartment called conventional wisdom. Flawed approach “Any discoveries they find have to be Overseer has been described as a commercial tool that was designed to help farmers made within the parameters of that system.” It’s not a criticism so much of individual make money by maximising the milk or meat they scientists as the system that provides their longgained from using artificial fertiliser. term employment. In the short term it delivered, but there was Currently capable committed researchers spend a fundamental flaw: the reliance on regular applications of synthetic N as the driver of pasture up to half their time crafting projects they hope will receive sufficient funding to pay their salaries growth steadily destroys soil carbon. for the coming year. Landcare Research has the research that shows Waiting for new findings is unnecessary as many that to be the case, however the real measure is farmers are already aware of others within their annual pasture growth and total farm performance. locality that are applying synthetic nitrogen at Carbon is the fundamental driver of growth lower rates than previously and also extending the and although there is probably a ceiling to intervals between applications. annual production of permanent grazed pastures, Bacteria on the nodules of clover as well as performance can become more resilient. organisms that fix nitrogen directly from the Where carbon is being continuously sequestered, atmosphere have the ability to provide more soils hold more moisture and nutrient which are nitrogen than is necessary for exceptional released steadily throughout the season. pasture performance. This means the difference in total growth in a The extra is stored with carbon providing a year where climatic conditions are favourable and reservoir that is drawn on during the times of the a season when rainfall is scarce, or too plentiful, year when clovers are not actively fixing. becomes less, and more easily managed. The shift from old to new can be made seamlessly. Pasture growth also tends to be more even with Functional Fertiliser has the products and dry frosty conditions having less impact on knowledge necessary to ensure up to double the winter performance. clover content of pastures over summer. Growth slows more gradually entering a dry For more information, contact Peter on: 0800 843 809. period and recovers more quickly when rain does arrive resulting in less supplement being required. In both situations, the period during which extra supplement is necessary is shortened reducing costs, labour inputs, and wear and tear on machinery.
Page 40
MAIZE, CROPPING & SPRING PLANTING
Maize starch a valuable resource The advantages of feeding maize silage have been well documented.
Many maize silage growers are now modifying their feed pads, by extending the use of concrete or covering current feeding facilities. Starch in grain provides the vital ingredient that optimises milk response. Maize as a grain is higher in energy density, along with starch content and has a slower rate of rumen fermentation than alternative grain options. Feeding ma-ize grain can assist New Zealand dairy farmers to achieve excellent per cow and per hectare milk production. Maize grain particle size is crucial in understanding the rate and extent of starch digestion in the rumen. For dry grain how much starch is lost in the manure is dependent on the extent the particle size is reduced during processing prior to feeding. Finely rolled maize has been found to provide improved digestibility when compared to coarsely rolled grain. In an Australian trial, either coarse (2.1 mm) or fine (1.3 mm) rolled maize-based concentrate was fed to early lactating cows at 6kg per cow per day, along with high quality pasture. The fine rolled maize gave a milk production advantage of 3L per cow per day when compared to the coarse rolled maize (according to: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/dairy/ feed/research-results/milling-maize). Maize grain can be used as a quality component (approximately 75 per cent starch) when mixed with PKE, which contains virtually no starch. Maize grain has an energy content at least 20 per cent higher than PKE. It is an excellent way of boosting the energy content without having a negative impact on the FEI index.
Strolling past healthy maize.
This is important because in a high payout season, getting an FEI grade can be very expensive. The comfort zone for a cow is 4-20°C. Hot weather reduces a cow’s appetite (or energy intake) reducing their ability to digest and absorb feed nutrients, which in turn requires them to burn more energy to keep cool. DairyNZ data suggests that cows in warmer parts of New Zealand may lose up to 7kgMS as a consequence of summer heat. The inclusion of maize grain as part of the daily intake of ME helps support milk production. VPMaxx provides the maize industry with seven hybrids across a mix of maturities, all capable of delivering high starch levels. Barry Smallridge, VPMaxx
MAIZE, CROPPING & SPRING PLANTING
The weather has been wet and dry, and the economic outlook is both good and bad – how’s that for confusing? Even though we seem to be getting some wet weather, the water tables are still down. We’re still in a deficit from way back and it’s still showing. Some areas were struggling to grow grass until we had this recent northerly rain, as the grass doesn’t grow too well in the colder westerly rain that we had before. We need the north easterly rain to warm soil temperatures up. Average temperatures have been similar to this time last year, but the soil temperature is lower. Some people are quite tight for feed, but things will change shortly with warmer rain on the way. There was 111mm of rain in August last year, and only 44mm this August – we were more than 50 per cent down. The slower grass growth in August reflects this. But we are making up for it in September – we had only 34mm in September last year, compared to 112mm for September 2021 to-date. Overall, we’ve had more rain this year from August 1 to September 23 – we had 145mm last year and 160mm in 2021. We’re spraying about 10 days later this year because of the weather and slow grass growth. If the weather plays ball, we’ll be planting in 10-15 days. It’s a funny ol’ season.
It just goes to show that things are forever evolving in farming. The dairy payout is showing quite a range. Fonterra are forecasting between $7.25 and $8.75, and the banks are saying $7.70 and $8.30. Even though costs have gone up dramatically this year, farmers are still able to make a profit. There was a great uptake of maize this year, which was a pleasant surprise. In saying that, you need around $6.50 payout at the moment just to break even, so it’s lucky that profits are high.
Incoming regulations
Currently councils are working on getting Three Waters sorted, as well as winter grazing solutions going forward. As part of winter grazing regulations, the government is talking about a maximum slope of 10 degrees for growing forage crops on as a blanket rule for the whole country. Not a lot of land around here would fall within that, other than the flat land. The irony is that the flat lowlands are the worst for pugging in the winter time, but they will be the only places we’ll be allowed to grow. It’s all a lot to keep up with, but I encourage farmers to meet with their local MP, councillors, Federated Farmers and other local representatives to help keep ahead of it. We still have a good supply of milking quality silage bales and have some maize silage available. We’re taking orders for next season, so get in touch.
Sign of the times
At the time of writing this, Auckland has recently moved from Alert Level Four to Alert Level Three. This lockdown is going to have another impact on deliveries and services as most things come out of Auckland – if you thought we had long wait times before, it’s probably only going to get worse. After the last lockdown purchasing was at an all-time high and nobody expected it – hence the high shipping costs we are paying now because there aren’t enough containers to keep up with demand. International shipping company Maersk has announced they have ordered eight new vessels that will be released from 2022-2024 to meet demand. And, they will be carbon neutral ships, running on carbon-neutral methanol. Speaking of being carbon neutral, a new oat milk advocate is on the scene. He says his alternative milk is the way of the future because it sucks carbon from the air, nitrogen from the soil and doesn’t burp, fart or urinate. So there you go: oat milk, watch out for it. Also, machinery manufacturer Vermeer has developed an automated robotic bale collector that can carry and transport about three bales at a time. A IN &
SEED DRESSI
ID G E CRSEEDS
GR
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QUA LITY PASTURE SEED
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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
Page 42
classified listings * sell sell sell *
DO YOU HAVE something to sell or looking to buy or promote your business? List it here for only $23 for up to 20 words. Email office@ thesun.co.nz or call 07 578 0030.
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professional services
LIST YOUR COMMUNITY EVENT HERE! email your listing to: merle@sunmedia.co.nz with ‘Rural Event’ in the subject line.
Oct 1-31 Katikati Festival of Arts. See:
Oct 10
Plant Sale, 10am-1pm, Te Puna Quarry Park, near Tauranga, cash only.
Bonsai Show, 9am-4pm, Hamilton Gardens, $5 (under-12 free). See: hamiltonbonsai.co.nz
Migration Day,
Nov 5
Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre, free. See: shorebirds.org.nz
Oct 16
Lake Okareka Mistletoe katikatifestivalofarts.org.nz Restoration Work Day, grade medium-hard but Oct 5 work will be found for Floral Demonstration all ages and abilities. by Francine Thomas, 1-3pm, Memorial Hall, Ph Paul: 027 650 7264.
Katikati, $10. See: katikatifestivalofarts.org.nz
Oct 28
Oct 5-7
Horticultural Society, 7.30pm, Wintec classroom, Gate 2, Hamilton Gardens, $5 non-members. Ph: 07 855 3404.
Pioneer Fundays,
Woodlands Estate, Taupiri near Hamilton, $2. See: www. woodlands.co.nz
Oct 30-31
Xanthe White: Waikato
Morrinsville Rose Show,
11.30am -3.30pm, Presbyterian Church Hall, Canada Street, Gold coin. Ph/txt: 027 788 6149.
welcome. Ph: 07 549 4522. Worm Composting Workshop, 1-3pm, Memorial Hall, Katikati, small fee. WBOPDC residents only. See: tinyurl. com/4x7jmcm6 Tauranga Rose Show, 11am, Wesley Hall, 13th Ave, Tauranga, $3. Includes plants for sale. Ph/txt: 027 222 6081.
Nov 6-7
Bromeliad Display &
Sales Day, 8am-noon, Matua Hall, Levers Rd, Tauranga. Ph: 07 576 7711. Crop Swap, 10am-11am, 14 Jocelyn St, Katikati. Veges, fruit, seeds, baking, books, eggs, etc all
11am-3pm, Hamilton Gardens, free.
Nov 12-14
Nov 12-14 NZ Iris Society
Poverty Bay Horticultural
Society Rose & Iris Show, 1.30-4pm (Sat), 9.30am-3pm (Sun),
Scarecrow Festival,
$49 (3 days), $25 (Friday only). See: rotoruagardens.org.nz
Ramble, 9am-5pm, Katikati area, wet or fine, $10. Tickets from Katikati Information Centre.
Nov 6-7
Nov 7
Rotorua Garden Festival,
Up the Garden Path
Nov 6
Showgrounds Events Centre, Gisborne, $5 (under-12 free). Ph Anne: 06 868 5245.
Convention, Tauranga, open to the public, includes garden visits, $32. See: tinyurl.com/ wbhf28e6
Community connection and kai A group of Cambridge volunteers are on a mission to unite the community, one delicious meal at a time.
The initiative, called Meet Eat Repeat, hosts a free three-course meal on the third Friday of every month and all are welcome. “It started from a vision I had to help our community feel connected,” says Meet Eat Repeat founder Ruth Aish. “This initiative is about people meeting people, and food is always a good icebreaker! “If you are feeling isolated or lonely, this will definitely help you make connections with others in our town, not to mention the amazing food.” Two dinners in, momentum for Meet Eat Repeat is building. Fifteen people attended their first event and 25 came to their second, while their Facebook group has more than 100 members. The dinners are run by about 12 volunteers. “We collaborate with Cambridge
Community House and Kete Kai, who has been our sponsor to date, but with the growth we are seeing, we may need to expand this. “I am part of Bridges Church, who let us use their amazing ground floor kitchen and café area. “Community gatherings like Meet Eat Repeat are vital to the wellbeing of our community as there has been increased anxiety due to Covid and changed circumstances for so many. “We want all to feel welcome, to make new connections and hopefully look forward to coming along each month.” Ruth’s message to locals is “come along, you are in for a treat”. “Everyone is so friendly and happy to be there. There is also transport available if this is an issue. “Our vision is to get to know our community and strengthen community wellbeing. Our values are Aroha, love, and a sense of family connection created through shared experiences. “We want to provide a sense of belonging, with respect, compassion,
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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
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Page 44
COAST & COUNTRY NEWS Keagen Boensma, 11, had fun ripping up the paddock on Dad’s bike during lockdown in Te Awamutu.
Xavier, 21 months, in Tokoroa sawing firewood just like Dad.
Hazel Blair, 8, and Fletcher Blair, 5, with lambs Rose and Mary in Whakamārama.
Amy loves putting her hands in her pet calf ’s mouth in Tūrangi.
A happy little Hereford enjoying the sun in Oropi.
FARM BUILDING SPECIALISTS.
CONTACT US
07 889 6314 or 021 775 310 info@oneillengineering.co.nz www.oneillengineering.co.nz 73 Thames St, Morrinsville
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