Coast & Country News - April 2022

Coast & Country News catches up with the two Waikato finalists in the AgResearch Emerging Achiever category of the 2022 Beef + Lamb Awards - farmers Estee Browne on page 10-11 and Luke Foster on page 24-25. Photo: Catherine Fry.

L iv ing with lav ender PG 6-7

Bay of Plenty Focus PG 12-13

Cartage & Earthworks PG 16

The road to M arokopa PG 26

D airy Awards PG 33-36

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Tractor Attraction PG 42-43

Env ironment Awards PG 44-45

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Ploughing through the tough times Kia ora and welcome to the April edition of Coast & Country News.

It’s tough work out there weathering the fallout from two huge global events – Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine.

It seems just about everything is in short supply for farmers, and rising in price like never before.

On the flip side it does shine a light on the importance of the primary sector to the rest of the country. There is no doubt Kiwis feel a lot safer in the knowledge that we have such a robust food and fibre sector to keep us all fed.

Those involved at the grass roots level are having to be creative and plan like never before to get ahead of what seems like a relentless tide of new problems to deal with.

Our columnists have lined up a smorgasbord of good advice and tips for readers to feast on and we also catch up with some of the best in the business, with the primary sector awards season well underway.

This month’s cover story features some emerging

talent and the motivation for their success.

In addition to the Beef+Lamb Awards, we also feature some of the entrants in the Balance Farm Environment Awards on pages 44-45 and of course the Dairy Industry Awards regional finalists which are featured on pages 33-36.

With the postponement of the big farming event of the year – Fieldays 2022 – until late November and early December, more than 100,000 people are going to have to find something else to do in June this year.

We also have some colour in the form of the interesting lavender farm in Waihi – perhaps something others could replicate on their own properties. We are always keen to find out what interesting things people are up to on their farms so let us know what you are up to so we can let others in on the secret. Our contact details are in the ad at the top of this page.

So, from everyone involved, we hope you enjoy your April edition of Coast & Country News.

Dan Hutchinson

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 3

Devil in the detail for small water supplies Many small water suppliers in the region will be caught up in the proposed changes to standards of drinking water, says Waikato Regional Council.

In its submission on the proposed amendments to the National Environmental Standards for Sources of Human Drinking Water (NESDW) and the Improving the Protection of Drinking-Water sources discussion document, the council has asked the Government to engage with communities and suppliers, so they are fully aware of compliance requirements.

At the council’s Strategy and Policy meeting last month, there was robust conversation around what the proposed amendments would mean for small water suppliers, including farmers,

Farm operations that supply water to multiple farmhouses could get caught up in new drinking water regulations.

bach owners and those on small community supplies.

The amendments seek to correct gaps in the activities that pose a risk to source water and provide adequate protection to water supplies serving less than 500 people. That means there will be more registered ‘water suppliers’.

The proposals will also require

regional councils to map the default source water risk management areas (SWRMA) for all registered drinking water supplies in their region.

Strategy and policy chair Pamela Storey says the committee approves of the proposed amendments in principle, however more

information is needed, and that information needs to be shared with those impacted.

“We want safe drinking water for everyone – we feel very strongly about the need to provide for the health and wellbeing of our communities.

“But we’re concerned about how this will work in practice. There are many suppliers who will be caught up in this. Many farms in this region supply water to farmhouses, and that means they will need to treat those supplies and follow the standards.

“We don’t want this to be

over-complicated for our rural communities or costs to be too prohibitive, otherwise we will see wholesale noncompliance of a system that is set up to fail.”

She says there will be a cost to the council, to map the water areas and amend plans to align with the proposed amendments.

“This cost is inevitably handed down to our ratepayers.”

“We want more tools in the toolkit to identify what constitutes a water supplier, and central government needs to connect closely with communities on this.”

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we have and the continued disruption Covid-19 is imposing on our global supply chain.

“The labour shortage will place significant pressure on the industry and it will challenge our ability to get all of the crop picked. Our focus remains on looking after our people and doing The MV Solent Star left port on March 17 and everything we can to safely pick, pack and ship as is the first of a planned 72 ships set to deliver a much fruit as possible. crop estimated to be more than 190 million trays “This will include working closely with our (or 680,000 tonnes) of fruit to long-term shipping partners Zespri’s global markets. to navigate the congestion Zespri chief global supply we’re seeing amongst global officer Alastair Hulbert says shipping networks.” they are looking at exporting Alastair says that in more than 115 million trays total, Zespri expects to of SunGold Kiwifruit and undertake four charter about 70 million trays of sailings to North Europe, Green in 2022.

12 to the Mediterranean, This season also marks the six to the US West Coast first commercial volumes of and 50 to Zespri’s Asian Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit markets, and to send which will be available to about 20,000 containers of consumers in New Zealand, The first kiwifruit ship of the season – the kiwifruit this season.

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MV Solent Star – takes on fruit at the “The continued use of He says that while global Port of Tauranga. charter vessels will be demand for kiwifruit remains important in our ability to avoid much of the strong, the industry is facing a number of congestion we’re seeing at container ports, and headwinds this season given the ongoing impact we’re also looking at new options this season such Covid-19 is having on labour availability. as partnering with T&G Global to co-ship fruit to “We know this season is going to be particularly North America.” challenging given the significant labour shortage

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 4

Everything works out in the end – well nearly I just thought this premise was worth exploring.

Many people spend their lives fearing fear itself - everything is against them and does not work out for them.

Of course, that results in them being risk averse and not taking onboard anything that could fail.

The current government probably wants to make all your decisions for you rather than you considering your

risks and making your own decisions.

In my own life, most of the things I have feared have not materialised. Things that I feared just did not happen.

Now that is not to say I have not had some substantial challenges either, and I have, but by and large most things have worked out.

If you take the current Covid situation, a heap of fear was imposed on us, we thought the world was going to end, but by and large it has

all worked out and Covid will be another facet of life we have to work with.

I also remember my heady days as a dairy farmer.

There were numerous challenges, not to mention the ‘87 crash when the New Zealand Dairy Group wanted us to stop producing and would pay us $10,000 as compensation as I recall.

Within a month they wanted all we could produce. It all worked out in the end.

If you take the current payout by Fonterra, a few years ago dairying was in the doldrums and now they are talking north of a $9 pay-out. Wow!

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I guess what I am saying is that nothing is hopeless.

Kiwis are known for their ingenuity and risk-taking.

We are a nation of farmers and small businesses.

All of those have a high level of risk and nothing is easy, but we need to believe it will all work out in the end, otherwise we would not do anything.

Occasionally when it does fly to bits, and it does not work out in the end, it is how you react to that situation that counts.

Be solution driven and keep away from entanglement and litigation and move forward or on as fast as you can.

It is that ability to get through

a setback that sets the winners apart from the losers.

So, back to the start. In life we find that most things work out in the end.

We need to remind ourselves constantly that they will; and when they don’t, the ability and agility to correct and redirect is the thing that makes the difference.

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 still contact him on 021 777 675

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 5

Making every post a winner The Hauraki District Council is now collecting soft plastics and sending them off to be turned into fence posts.

“It’s good to see that plastic from the district is now contributing to this. FuturePost is happy to keep having the support of the soft plastic scheme, its members and the public.”

Every time one soft plastics collection bin is emptied, that’s one fencepost, bollard or vegetable garden post.”

“How cool is that?” says Toby.

Once the bins are emptied by the council, the plastic is put into bales at the Paeroa Refuse Transfer Station and then stored at AgriSea before being transported to FuturePost in Waiuku.

“We encourage shoppers to get into the habit of popping their clean, dry, used soft plastics into the reusable bag they take grocery shopping, and emptying it into the Deputy Mayor Paul Milner pops the first soft collection bin as they head plastic bag into one of the council’s new collection into the store,” says Toby. bins. The orange bins will be at the council’s And the good news Refuse Transfer Stations and the see through ones doesn’t stop there. will be placed at the various grocery stores.

Thanks to funding from the Ministry for Hauraki District Council mayor Toby Adams says the initiative is made the Environment, the council’s kerbside collections contractor now possible by a collaboration between local businesses passionate about has equipment that can sort rigid recycling and the “brilliant innovation” number 5 plastics automatically, of Kiwi company FuturePost. so they can now go into kerbside Soft plastics include bags for bread recycling wheelie bins and Council’s and fresh produce, wrappers for Refuse Transfer Station bins. toilet paper, cereals, snack foods, Rigid number 5 plastics include dairy products, courier packs, bubble ice cream tubs, margarine tubs, wrap, lightly foiled bags for chip packets and confectionery, garden potting mix bags and dry pet food bags.

Soft plastics can be taken to one of six locations around the district for recycling; Ngatea Foursquare, Waihi New World, Hauraki Repair and Reuse Centre, the council’s two Refuse Transfer Stations and Countdown in Paeroa.

FuturePost managing director Jerome Wenzlick says they supply a lot of posts to farmers Posts are loaded up and sent on their in the Hauraki area. way to a new customer.

yoghurt tubs and pottles, take-out containers (not polystyrene) and prescription bottles. The sorting equipment can’t take loose bottle tops as they are too small and can cause blockages.

“We’ve made a big commitment with our communities to reduce waste to landfill by 41 per cent in the next six years. Getting soft plastics and rigid number 5 plastics out of landfill rubbish bags and into recycling again is a very exciting first step.

“We say a huge thanks to all the businesses that are collaborating with us to make this mahi possible”, Toby says.

Lyn Mayes from The Soft Plastics Recycling Scheme sitting on vegetable bed surround made from recycled soft plastic.

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Page 6

Turning their patch into a purple paradise Strolling through a field of purple flowing gently over an undulating hill is a feast for the senses.

Tony Kang is the man behind Waihī Lavender Farm.

Using all of his property development and management skills he has turned 1.14 hectares of land leased from the Waihī Academy into a sustainable lavender farm.

The 63-year-old was looking for something Tony Kang prepares bundles of lavender in the shop. All Photos: John Borren.

that’s more than a hobby, and admits he doesn’t have much of a horticultural background.

“I’ve spent my entire life doing project management and contracting, and when I was almost 60 I started thinking I would change direction,” Tony says.

Arriving from Taiwan in 1991 at the age of 33 after 30 years in project management, Tony welcomed the change.

“This country has treated me

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very nice, and now I can do something good for the community.”

Using the land better “I quite like the programme called Country Calendar and I admire those farmers that have the opportunity to stay outside.”

He approached the Waihī Academy to discuss ideas, as he knew they wanted to find multiple purposes for their land.

“They have quite a lot of land

which they wish to be better utilised. They are surrounded by agriculture with dairy and beef farming, and they wished their land could be used for other things.”

After discussion, an agreement was reached for Tony to do some research and run a trial, growing lavender on about 300 square meters.

Along with his wife Mei, he embarked on the trial in 2018, growing three different lavender.

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Above: Bees get busy creating lavender flavoured honey.

Left: Rosie White and Georgia White age 3. continued...

“I chose lavender because you don’t have to replant it every year. After doing the research, and also watching a lot of YouTube and searching Google, I decided to choose three different varieties of lavender that produce essential oils – Super, Grosso and Pacific Blue.”

Many uses for lavender

Lavender is a herb native to northern Africa and the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean. It is also grown for the production of its essential oil, which comes from the distillation of the flower spikes of certain lavender species.

The oil has cosmetic uses, and is also believed to have some medicinal uses.

The Waihī climate was one of the factors Tony considered during his initial research years.

“Waihī has a slightly higher rainfall than what lavender needs. Also, we are close to the coastline so sometimes the wind is strong, but the good thing here is the temperature.”

Tony says lavender doesn’t need much water, and by raising the flower bed and providing a weed mat, he was able to create a suitable environment for the plant.

In 2019, after discussing the results of the trail, the decision was made for Tony to continue, resulting in close to 9000 lavender being planted. The large area comprises nearly 5000 Super, 3000 Grosso and

Specialising in

• • • • • •

1000 of the Pacific Blue.

Grosso produces the most oil, Super slightly less, and the Pacific Blue produces a soft sweet fragrance and a bright purple flower.

In 2020 a building went up on site, and in 2021, after more research and competitive analysis of the global market for lavender, the focus shifted into product development.

Another episode of Country Calendar led Tony to the right people to talk to about distillation, with Paul Greaves from Dunedin spending time at the Waihī Lavender Farm training him on how to use the equipment.

Essential oils, soaps, skincare and candles are now produced on-site and are only made from natural ingredients.

Over the summer, thousands of people flocked to the farm to experience the fields of colour while the lavender was in bloom.

facility for holding meetings.

This year Tony will experiment with other plants such as chamomile, geranium, calendula and lemon balm, to enrich their product range. Even the shelter belt of Japanese cedar will be utilised, as the leaves can be collected and put into the still to create essential oil and floral water.

With a 12-year lease, careful market research and a clear business plan, the Waihī Lavender Farm looks set to be a summer favourite for those looking to capture photos of themselves amongst the sea of purple and indulge in lavender blueberry ice cream on a hot summer day.

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

A sneak peek

“From December 1 to January 15, we had more than 10,000 people visit the farm.

“That number is based on the transactions, and is not counting the people that just come to see the flowers. We don’t count them as we didn’t charge an entrance fee.”

The farm was closed to the public during harvest in late January, but Tony says they may open once a week over the non-flowering period for community groups to utilise their

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 8

The sun sets over the Kaimai Range.

The magnificent Kaimai Mamaku ranges form a backdrop for the Bay of Plenty and Waikato regions.

Unless marvelling at spectacular red skies as the sun sets behind the peaks from the Bay or welcoming the sunrise over the Waikato, most of us take the ranges for granted.

Not so the Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust. These passionate people are determined to restore this taonga to its former glory as a sustainable life force from the mountains to the sea.

Since 2009, when the original

Kaimai Catchment Forum was formed, Rural Women New Zealand has been behind the mission to restore the 240,000ha conservation park.

Over a decade later RWNZ is excited to share the news that $19.4 million is starting to be distributed to approved projects throughout the five districts the ranges cover.

The welcome financial boost to MKM resulted from the successful application to the Jobs for Nature fund by local iwi and hapu with Te Papa Atawhai- Department of Conservation. In 2019 MKMT was formed after the Kaimai Mamaku Catchment Forum identified the

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need for a unified entity of Kaimai kaitiaki under one umbrella organisation to apply for funding for restoration projects.

Stakeholders include community conservation groups, iwi, hapu, farmers, landowners, recreation groups, Department of Conservation, Waikato and Bay of Plenty Regional Councils as well as the five districts councils.

Considering that the rugged volcanic range stretches 70km from the Karangahake Gorge to the Mamaku Plateau near Lake Rotorua this was no mean feat.

The new MMKT website has the latest technology that allows live updates from stakeholders who can record the removal of pests, etc as they happen.

The organisation also has a new CEO, Louise Saunders, with 25 years of experience in ecological restoration.

“This founding role is an opportunity to make a significant difference to conservation on a scale rarely seen,” Louise says.

The ranges are the natural home of endangered natives such as whio, kaka, kokako, kiwi, karearea/New Zealand falcon, whitehead, bats, skinks, the Hochstetter’s frog and the Mount Te Aroha stag beetle.

Except in the areas where intensive pest control is being undertaken, predators like stoats, cats and rats are decimating this wildlife.

The park marks the northern limit of trees such as kamahi, red and silver beech and the southern limit of the mighty kauri.

This unusual meeting of northern and southern species as well as the combination of semi-coastal and montane plants make the forest composition unique.

Goats, deer, pigs and possums are eating so many native plants on the forest floor that the majestic canopy trees are not being replaced, plant pests are taking over and the mauri of the forest is dying. The exception to this is where intensive pest control is occurring.

For most of us, the Kaimai Mamaku ranges are our local forest-ngahere to go on multi-day tramps or short walks in, to be at one with nature.

We can all play a part, however big or small, to make sure the sun never sets completely on the forest and the fauna that calls the ranges home.

The opportunities to be a part of this vision are varied and numerous.

The Bay Conservation Alliance is accepting applications for Jobs for Nature cadets for those wanting to be environmental guardians.

The Trust is calling for volunteers to sit and listen for kiwi calls for an upcoming kiwi survey, Predator Free BOP are offering rat traps to set in your backyard, the Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust need help to protect kiwi and kokako in the area and the Kokako Ecosystem Expansion Programme is on an exciting mission to create a pest-free corridor between the Otanewainuku and the Kaharoa forest enabling these birds to connect.

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 9

Dr Bert Quin

when “she was made to”.

The family farm was originally a 570-hectare sheep and beef farm which has expanded to include a dairy farm with a sharemilker in 2013, and a sheep dairy in 2020.

The former St Peter’s school student was more interested in sport than farming.

“I rowed all through school and got a rowing scholarship to university in Bert Quin West Virginia, where I studied sports DrDrBert Quin psychology and nutrition.”

Estee grew up on her family’s farm in Cambridge and admits to only working on the farm as a child

Dr Bert Quin

Estee with one of her polo ponies on her family’s Cambridge farm. All Photos: Catherine Fry.

Using their own genetics

...continued

The Brownes were all on the same page as far as the sheep they would use and decided to concentrate on breeding their own dairy sheep.

“We’ve used our knowledge of how sheep are on our land, the conditions they have to deal with

“I had no idea what to do next, so I worked on the farm chipping thistles and then got involved in our livestock trading business. I spent three years buying and selling large numbers of livestock for the family and working on the farm.”

Once she got into it, Estee realised she really enjoyed farming and was introduced to sheep dairying when a friend asked her along to a Maui Milk open day.

“The idea of starting a sheep dairy venture really appealed as we are already sheep people.”

Estee and her parents, Toni and Allan Browne, decided to go ahead with the venture, with Estee managing the dairy.

“It’s a manageable role for me, I can flip over a sheep, and I am used to working with them.”

Unfortunately, she injured herself early on in her American experience and after two years of being unable to row, came home when she was 21.

Flipping sheep

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Out of the boat and into the farm NEW FROM Twenty-six-year-old Estee Browne was entered into the 2021 Beef + Lamb New Zealand Awards by one of her friends.

She was surprised and excited to find out that she was one of the three finalists in the AgResearch Emerging Achiever Award.

Fact 1. The overuse of soluble P fertiliser is by far the largest cause of P run-off and leaching, and therefore of the decline in the quality of Kiwi waterways.

Fact 1.

Ten Fertiliser Facts You Must Know and to Meet 2025ofWater Quality Fact 2.Basic Once you have levels that are more than a third theAdopt P retention (ASC), application additional soluble P Limits: is very prone to loss to the Fact 2.DrOnce you have Olsen P levels that areOlsen more Pthan a third of the P retention (ASC),ofapplication of additional soluble P is very prone to loss to the Bert Quin

LK0108681©

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS Page 10

Fact 5. Following 1-4 above will greatly reduce P run-off and leaching. This should be done before anything else, and the situation reassessed before spending

environment.

Fact 1. environment.

3.up If you you want upthat your P in an aenvironmentally-protective way, simply apply RPR. It does get leached 2. Once have P levels aresoil more than thirdway, of the P retention application of additional soluble P isnot very prone to lossortolost thedirectly in run-off, but releases P Fact 3.

If you wantFact toFact build your soilOlsen Ptoinbuild an environmentally-protective simply apply(ASC), R Dr Bert Quin environment. in a sustained fashion for plants. in a sustained fashion for plants.

Fact 3. If you want to build up your soiland P in an environmentally-protective way,fertilisers simply apply Fact 4.

There is nothing totolose everything to gain. areReven cheaper than super-based products as well! Added sulphur bentonite Fact 4. There is nothing to lose and everything gain.

RPR-based fertilisers areRPR-based even cheaper than super-based products as well!

Added sulphur bentonite in a(sulphur sustained90) fashion plants.efficient than the excess sulphate in super. is farformore Fact 4. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain. RPR-based fertilisers are even cheaper than super-based products as well! Added sulphur bentonite

Bert Quin DrDrBert Quin

Fact 7. in any case simple fenced-off 3-metre wide grass riparian strips are essentially as effective and vastly cheaper than more complex strips. Both reduce

Fact 7. bacterial and sediment losses. Neither will have any significant long-term beneficial effect (on a whole -farm basis) on soluble P and nitrate-N loss. But grass

For more info, email Bert Quin on bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz, or phone 021 427 572, or visit www.quinfert.co.nz

strips can be harvested in summer to be fed out, to improve P and cycling. strips can be harvested in summer to be fed Nout, to improve P and N cycling. strips can be harvested in summer to be fed out, to improve PRPR/Boucraa and N cycling.mix please!) can be used. Just check the Cd content. For low fertility Fact 8. In a nutshell, for maintenance of P levels any genuine (not an Fact 8.a In a nutshell, for maintenance ofRPR P levels any genuine RPR (not an RPR/Boucraa mix please!) can be used. Just check the Cd content. For low fertility Fact 8. In nutshell, maintenance of P levels any genuine situations or low rainfall, use a blendfor of RPR and high-analysis soluble P. RPR (not an RPR/Boucraa mix please!) can be used. Just check the Cd content. For low fertility situations or low rainfall, use a of RPR and high-analysis situations or low rainfall, a blend ofblend RPR and high-analysis soluble P. soluble P. Fact 9. For N, rather than granular urea, use use prilled urea, sprayed immediately prior to, orimmediately during, the spreading with ureasethe inhibitor.

Use of N can be literally Fact 9.

For N, rather than granular urea, use prilled urea, sprayed priorthe to,spreading or during, spreading with Fact 9. For N, rather than granular urea, use prilled urea, sprayed immediately prior to, or during, with urease inhibitor.

Useurease of N caninhibitor. be literallyUse of N can be literally cut in half with bigcut savings. in half withwith big savings. cut in half big savings.

Fact 10.

Fact 10.

Fact 10. Potash is more efficient, and must less likely to cause metabolic problems, if applied in small doses 4 times a year, adding up to 50-60% of the total annual amount you are using now. to mix with your prilled urea. Leaching of Leaching anions like nitratelike will be minimised as well. as well. annual amount youEasy are using Easy to mix with prilledyour urea. of anions will be minimised annual amount you are now. using now.

Easy to your mix021 with Leachingnitrate of anions like nitrate will be minimised as well.

For more info, email bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz, or phone 572,prilled or 427 visiturea. www.quinfert.co.nz ForBert moreQuin info, on email Bert Quin on bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz, or427 phone 021 572, or visit www.quinfert.co.nz

Fact 7.

huge amounts of Fact money! huge 5. amounts of money!

Fact 6. It is nonsensical to give in to pressure install expensive mitigations riparian strips, excessively large wetlands and ‘phosphorus walls’ when you have no walls’ when you have no Fact 6.

It is nonsensical to give in to pressure to install expensive mitigations riparian strips, excessively large wetlands and ‘phosphorus huge amounts of money!

Fact 6. Itof is nonsensical to give in to pressureand to install expensive mitigations excessively large wetlands and ‘phosphorus walls’ when you haveRPR no is all you need to do! idea their long-term effectiveness maintenance costs, and riparian before strips, you have established whether changing to sustained-release

Fact 5.

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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

continued...

Page 11

Estee amongst the dairy sheep that she has bred herself.

and how our land works.

“We haven’t got a nice flat, consistent dairy platform for the dairy sheep to use. We need them to graze on higher ground and work in with the rest of the farm stock.”

Using Coopworth and East Friesian ewes with Lacaune rams, Estee took charge of breeding the farm’s first milking sheep in the 2019 breeding season.

“I had been looking for suitable ewes at the sale yards all year and we had carefully handpicked ewes to keep from our own.”

Ewes that had two strong healthy lambs and were clearly good milk producers were singled out on the farm. Other characteristics including good udder conformation, good alignment and good feet were part of the selection.

“Good feet are important as the sheep may have to walk a fair way to the shed on our farm. Pure bred dairy sheep are also prone to sunburn and hate heat.”

Estee will continue to selectively breed each season

until she finds the perfect balance between high milk production combined with a hardiness for New Zealand conditions.

“We’ve cut back on our meat sheep breeding as we need to rear all our lambs by hand for sheep milking, but we fatten the males for meat.”

Estee keeps careful records of the breeding and waits until January before selecting which lambs to keep. They are reviewed again as hoggets, and she only breeds from the top cut.

All the sheep are tagged and scanned, and programs are used to track their genetics, health, treatments and what is due for each animal.

Sharing the load

In the 2020/2021 season, 1400 ewes produced 2800 lambs, which all had to be reared in a shed. Estee and her mum Toni did this on their own with a little help from friends.

The flock is split into three mobs, and they are mustered

for milking as three mobs. Estee has three workers who milk and muster. Estee milks herself when required and regularly helps with the mustering for the 5.30am and 5.30pm milkings.

Not just about the milk

The family aren’t in a rush to increase the numbers of milking sheep, they are taking their time to get it right. They have the stability of the other farm ventures to lever off.

“Dad and I see breeding the same way. It’s not just about the milk.”

Estee would love her own farm one day but with sheep milking being such a new industry, it’s too early to say whether it will be sheep milking.

The Browne family work hard but also play together. All of them are involved in polo and train and play during their precious time off. They have 12 ponies between them.

“When I showed an interest in polo Dad laughed and said my bank balance would always be zero.”

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BAY OF PLENTY FOCUS

Page 12

For the love of the land Caroline Boyle knows it’s a privilege to still be farming land that’s been in her family for five generations.

As she takes in the expansive view, which stretches from White Island to Mount Maunganui, she explains the Pongakawa property’s history and how it’s now just shy of 300ha.

“I think it’s really special. I love it here and am grateful to still be on the farm today.”

Her great-grandfather Albert originally bought a small block of land in 1905 which was then passed onto her grandparents Trevor and Helen Benner. Their sons Rex and Vernon later took over and developed it into a dairy farm and orange orchard respectively.

Fast-forward to the 1970s and a plucky hard-working farmer named Keith Boyle and his brother moved in just up the road from the Benner family.

Rex and Margaret’s daughter Caroline was 17 at the time and didn’t make the best first impression.

“My horse pooed on his front lawn. I didn’t have time to clean it up so he then wrapped it up in brown paper with string, stamps and my school friend’s return address and left it in our letterbox!”

Keith Bolye with his grandchildren, Mac, 5, and Katie, 3.

Mac and Katie help on the farm.

S O U T HE RN DRONE S E RVI C E S

Four years later Keith, whom Caroline affectionately calls ‘KB’, attended a farm talk at the Benner’s place and romance soon bloomed.

Within a year they were wed and the young couple, along with Caroline’s parents, bought a neighbouring dry stock farm and split it between them.

Keith also bought out most of his brother’s share of the property they owned together, and two farms eventually emerged along Maniatutu Rd – Four Oaks, and Willowdene.

When Caroline’s parents retired in 2001, the Boyles purchased Four Oaks from them and bought their son, Jonathon, in to manage it.

A 5.2ha block of kiwifruit was for sale a year later

and was rolled into the family business which now comprises 600 dairy cows and 900 avocado trees as well as the kiwifruit.

“We added the avocados and kiwifruit to diversify risk,” Caroline explains.

“We’ve lived through some big dairy downturns and droughts and learned you can’t have all your eggs in one basket.”

Keith says the family has taken opportunities to buy land and expand the farm as they’ve come along. The timing has sometimes been stressful, particularly when interest rates hit an ...continued eye-watering 22 per cent.

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BAY OF PLENTY FOCUS farm when he returned home from his OE and a farm exchange in Denmark in 2002.

“Someone’s got to take it over and it certainly was a good opportunity.”

But it does feel special to know he’s continuing the family legacy and most days he’s happy he’s stuck with it.

The Government’s moves to reduce carbon emissions has spurred Jonathon into retiring 15 per cent of the farm (30ha). By the time he’s finished, 300,000 native trees will have been planted and extensive wetlands created. Jonathon’s partner Debbie specialises in growing native plants and has contributed a lot of knowledge and hard work to the project.

“I suppose my grandfather would

The Boyle family, from left, includes Jamie, Debbie, Jonathon, Keith, Caroline, Margaret and Libby. Grandkids Kate and Mac are in front. continued...

“Even though some of this land has been handed Caroline raises replacement calves most years down through five generations, nothing is free. You with her assistant Ben and acknowledges the have to buy it yourself. We have had discussions tremendous help they’ve receive from staff to run around succession. These are major the farm over many decades. decisions and can be very hard, especially “My sister and I always used to help as this place is so entwined.”

Mum and Dad by feeding the calves,” Jonathon now manages Four Oaks she recalls. and Willowdene which have been “Dad used to bring sick calves home converted into one farm since 2019. and lay them in front of our furnace to A new milking shed with a keep warm. I remember one lying there 45-a-side herringbone operation gasping for breath while we ate dinner.” was built that year to replace ageing Jonathon’s sister Libby owns a share infrastructure and meet new milk of the family’s kiwifruit and avocado Albert Benner. chilling and effluent requirements. block and puts her HR skills to good Keith’s main focus is now the avocado use when hiring staff. Her two children, orchard. At age 73, he’s trying to shift his work/life Mac, 5 and Kate, 3, love to visit their grandparents balance but shows no signs of slowing down. and help on the farm.

“What else would I do?” he shrugs.

Jonathon admits feeling obliged to join the

ADDLINE TRANSPORT LTD

Page 13 be turning in his grave because he spent his life cutting trees down and I’m spending my time putting them in! But the green movement is coming whether we like it or not. I was lucky I got in early while Government funding was still available. It’s definitely harder to get the plants now but we’ll keep chipping away at it.”

With Jonathon’s own daughters, Olivia, 19, and Ewa, 15, living in Poland and Libby’s children still very young, it remains to be seen whether a sixth generation of the Boyle/Benner clan will one day take over the farm. For now, the family continue to work hard and treasure both the land and each other.

Jo-Marie Baker

PASTURE RENOVATION

Page 14

Getting more from the nitrogen Waikato dairy farmer Mitchell Coombe will host an on-farm field day this month for farmers to hear about his experience of lowering his nitrogen use this past season.

Donaghy’s and the Agribusiness Group are running field days on farms that have been using N-Boost over the past season.

“The aim is to demonstrate how N-Boost is working on a high

A IN &

performing dairy farm, as well as understand practical tips from farmers so other dairy farmers can seriously consider this as an option when putting together next season’s fertiliser plan,” says Tim O’Sullivan Donaghys GM crop protection and export.

Mitchell Coombe started using N-Boost this season as he was determined to lower nitrogen inputs in-line with N-cap regulations and wanted to see what other options were out there.

SEED DRESSI

ID G E CRSEEDS

GR

NG

QUA LITY PASTURE SEED

“We have had good results from years and has had more than 370 scientific N-Boost this season. I was looking trials, there’s still nothing like seeing it in for an option that could lower our action on a local farm.” nitrogen use while looking at ways “This is a very topical area as with to maintain our production.

Urea hitting $1190 a tonne, the “We are trying this on one average 233ha dairy farm is now of our farms and it has been paying $95,000 more for urea per very successful. We’ve had season than it was only 12 months feed available during a tough ago. World events will likely see January. Going into rounds this go higher next season too. with strong covers with good “The field days will be of interest clover content where we’ve used to farmers who are looking at N-Boost has been excellent.” options for next season, especially as Mitchell Coombe.

“There are things we’ve learned they look ahead to rapidly rising costs about foliar application that we can for urea.” pass on to others who are looking at how Farmers can also look into the impact of it may work in their situation.”

N-cap restrictions and N-Boost on their farms Tim says the Agribusiness group has been using the Donaghy’s nitrogen use calculator at: following the progress of five farms in the www.n-boost.com Waikato, Canterbury and Otago Southland and The field day is on Thursday, April 7, from providing analysis back to the farmers around the 11am-1pm, followed by a barbecue lunch. It is at impact on their farm systems and farm financials.

Allen Road Dairy, 191 Wilton Road, Morrinsville, “While N-Boost has been on the market for 10 Tatua Supply #58.

Book processor space early The Farm to Processor Animal Welfare Forum is urging farmers to plan ahead for disruption at processors due to Covid-19.

Forum chair Dr Lindsay Burton said it is critical that farmers book space at meat processors well in advance and be prepared to hold stock on farm for longer.

“We have seen overseas the disruption that Omicron can cause to supply chains - particularly meat processing. It is important that farmers talk to their stock agents, processors and transporters if they aren’t already, and have a plan for what they would do if they need to hold onto stock for longer.

“Make sure you consider this in your feed planning and talk to your levy body or a farm adviser if you need support.”

The Forum is also reminding farmers to ensure their stock are fit for transport.

“Animal welfare during transport should remain a focus. Transport is stressful, and it is important that animals are prepared well for the journey,” Dr Burton says.

“Lactating cows, in particular, need careful preparation and management. Stand them off pasture for four to 12 hours before transport, and provide water and dry feed, supplemented with calcium (lime flour).”

Dr Burton encourages farmers to be aware of where their stock is going, especially as Covid19 may mean they’re transported to different processing plants than usual.

“Farmers nationwide should be prepared for their animals to have extended journeys, or for collection times to change.”

PASTURE RENOVATION

Page 15

Costs rise as a result of Covid and war Rising costs, and shortages of everything from feed to labour means farmers will need to do some serious planning over autumn.

There is huge disruption to supplies and labour, affecting everything from the hairdresser to trucking companies.

I don’t know what is going on at the freezing works but there is a five to six week delay in getting stock in, probably staff shortages. I hear that at present there are factories with only 10 per cent of their work force available due to Covid.

Planning in advance is essential. We did 14 days in a row of maize harvest because we were worried about Covid19 making its way into our team and causing major disruption.

We had a good maize crop, but it had dried down a bit more than expected.

We didn’t realise how much damage that dry wind from Cyclone Cody had caused during February. It has been dry too.

Tauranga had just 1mm of rain for the first 18 days of March and 32mm in Te Puke. Te Puke had 229mm for the year to March 18, compared with 337mm for the same period last year.

At the time of writing the article we are just over 100mm behind this time last year over that three month period for Te Puke. Tauranga is even worse than that.

farmers might want to look closely at that. Look at buying some more in or growing some of your own.

If you are looking at 55 cents per kilo for palm kernel, maize is about two-thirds of that price and then you know you have got it available when you need it. Comparing the net returns on palm kernel, maize and grass silage would be a good idea. Growing on the farm is probably half the current cost of palm kernel.

The advantage of buying New Zealand grown is that you know what you have got and it’s good at taking up dairy effluent and nitrogen when you are putting it in. And it is better for the environment.

New Zealand should grow more wheat and barley because of the Ukrainian shortage, for milling flour and that sort of thing.

Who knows how long the war will go for but those guys are not going to be planting any time soon so we need to be more self-sufficient.

Australia could possibly increase its output; but in either case there is importance in reducing the lag between planning and harvest to avoid feed shortages later.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused financial turmoil worldwide and only time will tell to what extent. “Be prepared” is all I can say. To say nothing of the huge personal cost for the Ukranians.

The squeeze on feed

New pasture underway

The roll-on effect of the war in Ukraine is, among other things, having a big impact on the supply of grain. This in turn is having a knock-on effect for palm kernel which is going up in price, sometimes by $10-$15 a day. It got to $530 + freight + GST per tonne on March 11 compared with March last year where it was sitting around $230-$350 per tonne on the spot market Demand is high, especially in Europe and some other countries, and supply is low so there is going to be more price rises; everything is going up.

Because palm kernel is very expensive farmers should be looking for other feed and they should be looking ahead because, as I often say, ‘proper planning prevents poor performance’. Farmers will need to secure feed now or look at the option of reducing stock numbers so they can grow some maize for silage on farm or at a run-off.

Maize is certainly good bang for your buck so

Regrassing is well underway now although we are only halfway through our farm because we have been waiting for the rain.

Six weeks after sowing, farmers need to give new grass a light graze then a side dress of nitrogen and spray their weeds so new pastures aren’t having to compete with them. Again, planning is required, there are huge fertiliser and chemical costs at the moment. Glyphosate has gone up three and half times its usual price and as mentioned before, things are getting hard to get hold of.

We are seeing an increased demand for dairy grazing. Grazing rates are going to have to go up to cover increased costs and labour costs but for the farmers it’s still worth it to maintain and improve condition of the stock.

Note that we still have some good quality milking silage and also hay and some straw available The dairy payout is still looking like being a

record payment. An ASB economist advisor is saying next season could be a record as well as there is still a shortage of product on the world market. So there could be two record payouts in a row, especially with

the Ukranian situation. With ever increasing input costs of the three Fs (feed, fert’ and fuel), farmers need to keep a close eye on their base costs; but recognise that they are all necessary to keep production up.

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Page 16

CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS

Colin Amrein CONTRACTING Ltd

Accolades flow for Kaituna project

The Kaituna River re-diversion project restores a large area of wetlands.

Partnership and collaboration have won Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council and consultancy firm WSP a silver in the General Category at the 2021 Association of Consulting and Engineering Awards.

The award — for the Kaituna River Re-diversion and Te Awa o Ngatoroirangi/Maketu Estuary Enhancement Project — was announced at an online awards ceremony on February 22.

The team also won a Special Award acknowledging outstanding collaboration leading to exceptional outcomes.

Collaboration is the key

Bay of Plenty Regional Council coastal catchments manager Pim De Monchy says WSP was brought in by the council to undertake the consenting and support stakeholder engagement.

“The local community had been calling for this project to happen for generations, so we knew we needed a pretty special team of people to get the best possible outcome for all parties involved.”

WSP technical principal of planning, Steph Brown says the ability for the project team to collaborate with stakeholders to understand any potential concerns and then work with them on solutions was first and foremost.

“This included working with Maketu Coastguard, commercial fishermen, Maketu

Ongatoro Wetland Society, landowners and of course collaborating with tangata whenua to ensure the project was implemented and managed with a culturally sensitive and holistic view of the environment.”

“The success of the project demonstrates that applying sound engineering practice, supported by scientific knowledge and tangata whenua and community input can achieve great things.

“The project is a major step toward addressing past modifications that have led to the declining health of the estuary over time.”

Bringing back nature

For the tangata whenua of Te Tumu, Te Tumu Cut where the Kaituna River meets the sea was a wound that never healed. In 1956, the ‘cut’ diverted the river away from its natural outlet to be drained and turned into farmland.

The health of the estuary collapsed due to the loss of freshwater flows and 90 per cent of wetlands were lost. Populations of finfish and shellfish plummeted, and along with environmental damage, traditional practices and generations of cultural knowledge were lost.

Since completing the project up to 20 per cent of the Kaituna River’s freshwater flows into the estuary have been restored. As well as the re-creation of a 20 hectares wetland around the estuary margin, which helps filter nutrients and creates breeding areas for birds and fish.

CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS

Page 17

Heavy vehicle industry desperate for drivers

021 215 8704

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett is sending out an SOS to all truck drivers that are currently not working.

An SOS - save our supply chain - call is going out to truck drivers to get them back behind the wheel as New Zealand battles staff shortages, says Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett.

“This campaign takes that out to a wider audience so we can ensure New Zealanders don’t actually have to face an empty fridge or fight over the toilet paper,” Nick says.

Look out for the campaign at careers: www.hainesattract.co.nz/pages/transporting-nz

“We have launched a recruitment campaign with HainesAttract and we think it is eye-catching enough to get the attention of people who can drive a truck, but for whatever reason they aren’t at the moment.

“The campaign taps into the current pain in the supply chain - empty fridges, empty supermarket shelves, empty mailboxes, and the last piece of toilet paper on the roll.

“While there is a bit of humour, it is really no laughing matter for those trying to keep the supply chain operating under difficult circumstances. Hence the SOS.

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand (Transporting New Zealand) provides unified national representation for the trucking industry.

It represents about 1200 individual road transport companies which in turn, operate about 14,000 trucks involved in road freight transport, as well as companies that provide services allied to road freight transport.

The road freight transport industry employs 32,868 people which is two per cent of the workforce, has a gross annual turnover of $6 billion, and transports 93 per cent of the total tonnes of freight moved in New Zealand.

Shortages even before omicron

“We know there are drivers out there with a Class 2, 4 or 5 licence, suitable for a heavy vehicle, who are currently not working as truck drivers and we need to encourage them to help save our supply chain and get back in the driver’s seat.

“As you will be seeing everywhere, staff shortages as a result of either Omicron illness or household contact isolation are hitting businesses throughout New Zealand.

“Now, more than ever, we need every available truck on the road delivering to supermarkets, pharmacists, hospitals, doctors, and everyone else who requires goods to get through this challenging time.

“Since January this year, we have been collecting details of drivers who might be able to cover a shift or two here and there, or who might want to get back into a truck on a more permanent basis. We had a shortage of truck drivers long before Covid hit.

“We have been working with the Ministry of Social Development Industry Partnerships team to recruit drivers and MSD is helping fund this work.

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Page 18

FORESTRY

Exotic forests out of favour A new proposal to better manage carbon farming could see future permanent plantings of exotic forests like radiata pine excluded from the Emissions Trading Scheme.

Forestry Minister Stuart Nash and Climate Change Minister James Shaw have released a public discussion document that seeks feedback on

ideas to better manage afforestation.

“Climate change is a challenge we cannot postpone. The government wants to encourage afforestation to help meet our climate change targets, offset carbon emissions, and also help farmers, landowners and investors diversify their income streams,” says Nash.

Exotics excluded from ETS

“We want to balance the risks created by new permanent exotic forests which are not intended for harvest. We have a window to build safeguards into the system, prior to a new ETS framework coming into force on January 1, 2023.

“From 2023, under current rules, a new permanent forest category of the ETS would allow both exotic and indigenous forests to be registered in the ETS and earn New Zealand Units. We are now proposing to exclude exotic species from the permanent forest category.

“We want to encourage the right tree, in the right place, for the right reason.

“We intend to balance the need for afforestation with wider needs of local communities, regional economies, and the environment.

“Increased plantings of exotic forests are being driven by rising carbon prices as landowners and investors seek higher returns. The NZU price has more than doubled over the past year, from around $35 in late 2020 to more than $80 in February 2022.

“Permanent exotic forests like radiata pine have potential environmental and ecological risks. These include pests,

fire, damaged habitats for native species, biodiversity threats, and a relatively short lifespan compared to well-managed, mixed indigenous forests.

“Later this year, we will also consult on proposals which could give local councils more powers to decide under the Resource Management Act where exotic forests are planted in their areas,” Nash says.

Reduced reliance of forestry

Climate Change Minister James Shaw says planting more trees can help us meet our climate goals, but it is important to make sure all types of afforestation are well-managed through the ETS and the planning process.

“Aotearoa was once blanketed with native forests, home to indigenous birds, insects and other wildlife. Today much of those ancient forests are gone, but what remains is still a vital carbon sink,” Shaw says.

“In its advice to Government, the Climate Change Commission said we need to increase both indigenous and exotic tree planting to meet our e missions targets.

“But they also warned we need to reduce our overall reliance on forestry offsets, and better manage the impacts of afforestation.

“For example, a proliferation of permanent exotic forestry could result in lower long-term carbon prices and potentially limit investment in lowcarbon technologies. At the same time, an increase in native forestry will require

additional management efforts to eliminate pests that feed on native trees.

“This consultation is an opportunity for anyone with an interest in the future of forestry to have their say. We particularly want to hear from Māori landowners.

“Iwi-Māori have significant interests in permanent forestry and we want to ensure they are not unfairly impacted.”

The decisions we take now will be felt decades into the future, so it’s really important we get this right,” says Shaw.

Find out more and have your say at: www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations/ managing-exotic-afforestation-incentives Public submissions can be made until April 22, 2022.

Wynyard wins again An emotional Jason Wynyard has cut his first step towards claiming a 10th world title by winning the 2022 New Zealand Stihl Timbersports National Championships in Auckland in March.

The victory means Wynyard has earned the right to represent New Zealand at the Stihl Timbersports World Championships in Sweden in October – a tournament he last won five years ago.

Since 2017 Wynyard has battled debilitating arthritis in his hip. Now, following nearly three years away from full-time competition - involving stem cell treatment and a hip replacement - the nine-times Stihl Timbersports world champion is on the comeback at the age of 48!

“I had this goal to try and qualify for the World Champs for some time now since hip replacement and stem cell treatment and it’s pretty cool to take that next step and qualify, but I realise that there’s a lot of work ahead of me,” Wynyard says.

FERTILISER

Page 19

Reduce nitrogen and increase profit To get free nitrogen from the air where there are 74,000 tonnes above every hectare, the soil must have correct calcium and magnesium; available phosphate and iron; cobalt and molybdenum.

But it is more complicated than that.

Besides other nutrients being involved, microbes rule the roost. Many farm practices are counterproductive when it comes to supporting soil biology.

Bacteria and fungi produce organic acids.

These acids react with insoluble carbohydrates, phosphates and silicates making them at least partly soluble.

The reactions release calcium from carbonates and phosphates from aluminium or iron complexes where they are non-productive.

The microorganisms need energy.

This energy may come from already available P and K. The amount of energy available and N fixation is correlated with bacterial numbers and the amount of plant growth.

Liming can reduce Al and Mn toxicity and increase plant availability of N, P and Mo.

Plant growth can be increased by more than 50 per cent when lime and N are applied together. This is not just a pH response but supplies bacteria with calcium.

Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas will not thrive when P is withheld. It only takes a tiny amount to reverse that.

Statistically, P is over twice as high as necessary on arable land. Plant uptake of N, P, K, Cu, Mn, and Zn are greatly enhanced by mycorrhizal fungi (VAM).

This is even more evident for N when plants are subject to water stress.

Leaching of N is reduced

by VAM. Protozoa can increase N uptake in plants by 75 per cent or more.

VAM has taken a hiding from unbuffered fertilisers, chemicals in general and cultivation.

Some plants reject VAM if they are too well supplied with P. In the absence of host plants some can survive to fruition with the assistance of certain bacteria. They do better with iodine, Mn, and Co. Others, along with certain bacteria, reduce fungal diseases such as Pythium, Phytophthora, Fusarium, and Rhizoctonia.

Some fungi destroy insect larvae.

VAM can be the difference between a poor crop or a good one. VAM can

a Req uest p m le ! f re e s a

obtain up to four times more N for plants if allowed to. They respond to the plant’s needs.

Similar results relate to Ca, Mg and K, particularly if P is low.

Certain soil conditions create free radicals that cause stress in plants. This includes application of N in wet soil conditions.

Plants may produce antioxidant enzymes as a defence. Such enzymes are more likely to occur in the presence of Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn, and Se.

Some trace elements are not recognised as essential for plants but are for animals, and these microbes (animals) are critical for plant health. Feed the soil; let the soil feed the plant.

Think holistically.

More than 50 per cent of applied N can be lost to the atmosphere and to ground water, causing long term effects.

Up to 90 per cent of applied P can be precipitated by soil Al and Fe complexes.

The way to minimise such losses and to enhance plant growth and health is through microbiology.

Biology may need to be added along with food sources.

Kiwi Fertiliser can supply advice and products that enhance the chemical-physical-biological interactions improving nitrogen uptake. This will lead to reduced N, reduced animal health costs and increased pasture growth and increased profit.

FERTILISER

Page 20

The real value of soil tests Recently I was shown some soil tests by a farmer.

They related to a property he had just purchased and were taken by the previous owner, prior to listing it.

This can be a dangerous trap for intending purchasers as I have had clients purchase properties where recent soil test results have been included in the promo material. It appeared they must have been taken from fertile areas like stock camps. Soil tests taken after the deal showed a completely different picture.

When looking at soil test data it is important to see who took the samples, what time of year they were taken, and also see when previous fertiliser applications

Robin Boom

CPAg MBSPC

Independent Agronomy & Soil Fertility Consultant

and quantities were applied, so that there will have been no contamination.

The right skills

Generally most experienced fertiliser reps should take soil tests properly, and avoid fertile spots. If the samples were taken by a Ballance or Ravensdown rep, they should correctly reflect the true fertility status.

These tests did not have any particular fertiliser company rep or person named as the sampler, but there were certain indicators that they had been independently sampled. Even though the phosphorus and potassium levels were reasonable, there were other elements tested which are not normally included by many reps such as aluminium and molybdenum which needed attention.

This particular farmer was also going to get their local fertiliser rep to look at the test results and give them a recommendation.

As the lab used was not one that this particular fertiliser company used, there was a lot more information that they would not have been familiar with.

This particular rep was fairly new to the industry and was unlikely to have been taught all of the intricacies of micronutrient deficiencies and toxicities.

Looking beyond the soil pH, Olsen P test levels and MAF Quicktests would have been beyond the scope of this person’s knowledge.

It is unlikely they would have picked up the aluminium toxicity or the molybdenum deficiency, both indicators of a need for lime, in spite of only marginally low pH levels.

It is one thing to get a whole lot of soil and

herbage test data from a laboratory, but interpreting the figures correctly and using them to devise a fertiliser plan is where it is easy to become unstuck.

There are certain emphases that different consultants and reps place on particular elements and their importance as far as the fertiliser budget goes. For example the trace elements cobalt and selenium are commonly recommended at standard amounts even though they have not been tested for to see if they are needed or not.

Conversely other elements like manganese, copper and boron are often not recommended, yet soil or herbage tests might show critically low levels, as it is not that particular fertiliser company’s policy to apply them to the soil.

Escalating prices

Some consultants and reps will avoid applying much potassium, as they believe it is bad for the soil or for animal health, not realising potassium is a major production driver and that plants need a lot more potassium than phosphorus.

Another farmer recently had an autumn recommendation from his local rep to apply some Phased N as a nitrogen source, which contains a high level of elemental sulphur.

This farm was on a volcanic ash soil which is naturally high in sulphur. Straight urea was a much cheaper nitrogen source for him.

With the escalation in fertiliser prices, particularly nitrogen based products, the cost per kg of synthetic nitrogen has jumped from $1/kg to around $2.50/kg, so the economics of N, particularly when there are other glaring deficiencies needs to be questioned.

It is far better for the farmer to focus their fertiliser budget on applying other nutrients which will help clovers perform and fix nitrogen out of the atmosphere for free.

Soil test figures can vary from year to year, depending on sampling lines, seasonal differences, grazing times, etc. It is the trends over time that count.

The real value of soil and herbage test data is in determining what elements are most limiting productivity, so that the fertiliser budget can focus on these. Sometimes I have seen soil test results a particular rep has taken, and yet their recommendations have not reflected the results in any shape or form.

It has been just a repeat of the previous year’s mix or perhaps flavour of the month for that company and its particular product.

Millions of dollars are wasted on elements that farmers and growers don’t need, while other nutrients are completely neglected which are desperately low.

Soil and herbage tests taken correctly are the best tools in the toolbox for diagnosing what the fertiliser budget should focus on.

Finding the best advice once from someone with good training, experience, knowledge and impartiality is more important.

FERTILISER

Page 21

Foliar-fed fertiliser is the future The story began in 1975 when a veterinary scientist Dr Peter Kauzal invented Nitrosol, a foliar-fed fertiliser.

Nitrosol works in harmony with the soil and environment.

He identified that the soil, and therefore pasture, plants and crops were lacking vital nutrients, trace elements and minerals.

Nitrosol, applied as a fertiliser, rectified this situation and created sustainable growing environments, achieving healthier soils, plants, and animals.

For many years conventional synthetic chemical fertiliser was applied in abundance to soils, creating over fertilisation and soil health decline.

Nutrients are essential for all soil and plant life but if over-used or poorly applied, they can lead to an imbalance.

Nitrosol’s philosophy is to apply fertiliser more often, in smaller doses directly to the plant foliage for rapid absorption, less wastage and leaching.

The traditional, heavy application of solid fertiliser to the soil, twice a year, often results in losses through surface water washing the fertiliser particles into waterways.

Water is essential to all life forms and needs to be protected.

Nitrosol is a complete, balanced, one-step liquid colloidal biological fertiliser. It is designed as a fertiliser with real measurable nutrients and a balanced N.P.K

The Steady N Journey The Steady N Journey started when a small group of soil scientists and farmers considered the potential of humates to improve the quality of soil and the possible flow-on effects on pasture growth.

The group came with the knowledge the majority of New Zealand soils have been leached of their nutrients over the years through applications of superphosphates, intensive farming and compaction of the upper soil layer.

Understanding the importance of stimulating microbial activity to improve pasture growth and combining the significance of two bioactive stimulants - humic and fulvic acid - resulted in a move to investigate the response to pasture growth when humates are included with urea and across a range of other fertiliser compositions.

A four-year field trial commenced in Southland in October 2014 to evaluate the effect on pasture growth through the addition of Southern Humate to urea and was assessed every month until March 2015.

Humate addition consistently increased pasture

production compared to urea throughout the 2014–15 growing season.

In November, one month after initial fertiliser application, 20 per cent humate addition to urea gave the greatest increase in pasture production, 20 per cent more than in unfertilised pasture.

In March, there was a similar response; urea increased production by 39 per cent, with maximum yield occurring with 20 per cent humate, 68 per cent greater than unfertilised pasture.

The effectiveness of a fertiliser is measured by how it increases pasture yield compared with pasture without any fertiliser application.

It was these positive results which prompted, Malcolm Sinclair of Southern Humates, to continue investing in the field trials over an extended period and at the same time to look to the opportunity to apply for a patent on the composition of humate and urea to increase pasture production.

The application has been through a rigorous review process over the past four and a half years and was accepted in February 2022.

of 11.5.7, rich in amino acids with all the essential trace elements and minerals for plant and animal health.

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FERTILISER

Ten farms join in five year

A unique partnership of food producers Synlait Milk and Danone, science provider AgResearch, and the Ministry of Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, has launched a five-year project to study soil health.

Ten participating farms across the country, including two in the Waikato, will be determining the impact of changes in soil health on production, farm resilience and the environment, including climate change.

The project will be comparing

Waikato dairy farmers Samantha and Warren Beck with Synlait sustainability area manager, Lizzie Gurnell. All Photos: Catherine Fry.

conventional and regenerative farming practices.

Regenerative agriculture is a biodiversitydriven management system. It seeks to promote ecological synergies between components of the agroecosystem from the ground up, by building soil health, increasing plant and animal nutritive quality, reducing stresses on stock animals, and reducing dependence on agricultural chemicals.

Practices being targeted include hyper diverse pastures and reducing nitrogen application.

“Although regenerative farming goes far beyond minimising nitrogen fertilisers and sowing hyper diverse pastures, the project is being carried out on commercial farms - living and dynamic ecosystems with constantly changing parameters.

“It was necessary to simplify and focus on some key practices, to allow us to compare in a scientifically robust way,” says the AgResearch scientist behind the project, Dr Nicole Schon.

Participating Waikato farm

Warren and Samantha Beck have been with Synlait since they moved to their current Te Awamutu farm in June 2019. They are Gold Plus certified suppliers under the Synlait Lead With Pride programme. They currently winter 300 A2 predominantly Jersey cows and were approached

by Synlait to take part in the soil health project.

“We’ve previously farmed organically and were interested in developing the soil health on this property. So, we were willing to be part of

Worm abundant soil on the Beck’s farm.

something where the data gathered will help others and also be informative for us,” Warren says.

“We’re keen to look at all the options out there and adopt whichever sustainable practice works for our land,” Samantha says.

The Becks have set aside two paddocks that are due for re-sowing, covering about four hectares in total. In autumn 2022, one paddock will be sown with annual rye grass and clover, and the other with a mix containing 17 species including herbs, ...continued legumes, and grasses.

FERTILISER

Page 23

soil health research project continued...

Each paddock will be further split in two with an average Waikato nitrogen application used on one side and a low application of nitrogen on the other side.

Once the pasture is established, the paddocks will return to the grazing rotation for the Beck’s herd.

“It will just be managed how we would all the other paddocks, apart from the residual level. They are quite precise for the project and slightly longer than usual,” Samantha says.

“Our farm has areas that dry out very quickly and more clay-based areas which are wetter in the winter so it will be really interesting to see our farm’s results,” Warren says.

Collecting the data

“There is a lot of anecdotal evidence around the impact of regenerative practices, and a lot of discussion on this topic.

“Part of the research will look at how regenerative practices impact soil health.

“We will gain a deeper understanding of the nature and extent of some regenerative management practices (ie lower synthetic nitrogen fertilisers and hyper diverse pasture species) on soil health which will help farmers as well as guiding future research questions,” Dr Schon says.

Soil samples from these farms will be analysed

regularly by AgResearch scientists and results compared in terms of soil fertility, organic matter, physical properties, and biological activity. Modelling tools will also be used to understand the impact between changes in soil health and the farm’s wider economic and environmental performance.

Synlait Milk, along with Danone share a similar vision of sustainability and both see an opportunity in backing the regenerative movement with more scientific evidence.

“A focus on soil health will be a key part of our industry’s journey to keep making milk in the most sustainable way. We are proud to have six Synlait farmers working alongside their industry peers to innovate, experiment and lead our sector to explore the benefits of regenerative practices,” says Synlait director for sustainability, brand, beverages and cream, Hamish Reid.

Soils underpin New Zealand’s food and fibre sector and managing for healthy soil improves the natural capacity of soil to sustain plants, animals and humans.

Comprehensive assessments of soil health on farms are not routinely performed in New Zealand, so practical tools are needed to help farmers understand the detailed state of the soils and how best to manage them.

Synlait sustainability area manager, Lizzie Gurnell with Waikato dairy farmers Samantha and Warren Beck.

As well as on-farm production and performance, improved soil health is expected to benefit the wider environment with improved fresh water and nutrient outcomes, support for biodiversity, enhanced

soil carbon storage and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The results of the project will be shared with the public in 2026, with the aim of supporting farmers looking at their soil health.

Catherine Fry

Page 24

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WWW.BIOROCK.CO.NZ Luke Foster is farm manager at Hangawera Station. All Photos: Catherine Fry.

It was suggested by Virginia Tocher from Primary ITO, that Waikato drystock farm manager, Luke Foster, 26, enter the AgResearch Emerging Achiever Award in the 2021 Beef + Lamb Awards. He was surprised to get through but can really see the value in being a part of awards such as this.

Luke was raised on a beef farm in the Huntly area, and his grandfather had also farmed.

A former head boy at Te Kauwhata College, he loved helping out on the farm as he grew up and always knew he wanted a career in farming.

“When it came to tertiary education, I looked at practical farming options, but I already knew that side from growing up on a farm, so I decided on an agricultural commerce degree at Massey, majoring in Agribusiness.”

He feels that this was a good move for him and has already paid dividends, especially the business side of his knowledge.

“It’s good to have a piece of paper to your name.”

Luke started his career as a shepherd on a Romney sheep stud in Matamata before moving to Hangawera Station, Tauhei as shepherd general in 2018.

By the end of 2019 he was the farm manager.

The 800 hectare (530 hectares effective) rolling to hill country sheep and beef property is one of several farms in the area under Tainui Group Holdings Ltd.

Farm management

Luke works alone on the property, but the farms within the group work together during key events like docking and weaning the lambs.

“We’ve got about 130 hectares of retired land in

native bush and a 75-hectare pine forestry block. Once that is harvested, the plan is to replant with natives.”

Rushes are an issue on the farm and work is being carried out to reduce and if possible, eradicate them using mulching and cropping to develop the paddocks back to pasture.

The farms winter 600 cattle, 1150 ewes and 300 hogget replacements. In April each year, the farm is divided into a cell block grazing system, with half to one-hectare cells. During winter the farm has enough grass to supply the stock numbers and the grazing rotation varies between 50 to 70 days.

“The cattle are bought in as either weaner dairy/ beef bulls/steers or rising twos. The dairy bulls are Friesians or Hereford cross, but the steers are a mixture of beef breeds. We finish about 500 to 600 cattle a year.”

The sheep are Coopworth breeding flock, and terminal sires are now used each year. The replacements are bred on the other sheep and beef block. Most ewes have two lambs and scanning has been at 170 per cent for the past four years.

“We grow 15 to 20 hectares of rape as a summer crop and finish around 2000 to 2500 lambs on that through the summer.”

Luke grows grass silage as supplement for the farm and feeding out starts around the end of January, depending on how dry it is, and goes through until April. Excess feed is sold either internally or externally.

Networking opportunities

Luke has the support of his partner Brooke Harris, a teacher at Matamata Intermediate.

“She grew up on a sheep and beef farm, and we talk about the farm together. I wouldn’t be where I am today without her support and input.

...continued

Page 25

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She puts on a pair of gumboots and helps out when she’s not at work.”

Currently Luke is studying for his Primary ITO Level 5 production management course, “I think it’s invaluable to keep learning and have these courses on your CV. Networking with like-minded people and getting to know your peers is what opens doors.

“The Level 5 course looks at your production systems and operations and uses benchmarking tools that indicate where you sit within the industry and farms of similar characteristics.

“It really helps teach you what is and isn’t working and how to change/develop things.”

Previously he completed Primary ITO’s Level 4 sheep and beef breeding course and says that has already been of use to him.

The farm was part of a Red Meat Profit Partnership discussion group for farm managers within the Waikato/King Country.

“Where we are now is mainly surrounded by dairy farms so that was a good opportunity to mix with others experiencing what we do.”

Luke tries to keep to a Monday to Friday working life if the calendar events allow unless he’s feeding out. He enjoys dirt bike riding and doing cross country and trail rides with his mates, and playing rugby, golf and tennis.

“It’s all about balancing work and ensuring we look after our mental health.”

Luke and Brooke would like to own a farm of their own or be part of an equity partnership or share farming option one day. They are currently looking for a lease block to get that goal underway. His family have sold up their farms so there is no family farm to pass down.

Never shying away from a good networking opportunity and seeing different systems in action, Luke’s ultimate goal is to become a farm consultant and help others with their farming journeys.

“By going farming and running a farm I believe it will give me the practical knowledge for me to offer relatable recommendations to farmers.

“I get real joy from helping others, you can’t beat Catherine Fry that to be fair.”

Luke Foster, 26, takes time out to talk about being an Emerging Achiever finalist in the 2021 Beef + Lamb Awards.

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The road to The mere mention of the King Country settlement of Waitomo, immediately conjures up visions of stalagmites and stalactites, glow worm studded caves, and black water rafting or cave climbing.

By allowing a little more time and exploring further along the road from Waitomo to the rural, west coast settlement of Marokopa, the area offers several spectacular above ground wonders of the natural world.

The turn for State Highway 37 to Waitomo is just south of Otorohanga, where the 47-kilometre road to Marokopa starts and the adventure begins. Dogs are not permitted on the DOC land in this area.

The spectacular 17-metre-high Mangapohue Natural Arch. the area. After your caving adventure, follow the winding, sealed Te Anga Road out to Marokopa. Ensure your petrol tank is full and take all your food and drink as there is no store.

The beautiful bush setting of Marokopa Falls.

All Photos: Catherine Fry.

If you’ve never experienced the world-famous Waitomo Caves, now is the time to do it!

The area has suffered hugely with the borders closed to international visitors, and Covid-19 lockdowns slowing down domestic visitors.

Information on which cave tours are available and when, can be found at: www.waitomocaves.com along with accommodation and restaurant options in

Ancient fossils

Stop one of this scenic drive is a 700-metre, 20-minute loop walk along a track and boardwalk to the Mangapohue Natural Bridge. This stunning 17-metrehigh limestone arch is all that remains of an ancient cave system.

Steps to viewpoints, and an extended farmland walk reveal further limestone outcrops embedded with 25-million-year-old fossilised oysters.

Inside one of Waitomo’s famous caves.

Cascading river

Stop two is an easy 300 metre walk, which includes steps, into the Piripiri Cave, one of the few free caves in the area. Bring a torch as the kids will love exploring.

Stop three is the beautiful Marokopa Falls.

Accessed via a 600-metre return track, this 20-minute bush walk takes you down to a viewing platform to see the Marokopa River cascading down from 35 metres over undercut greywacke basement rock.

After the falls, the road follows the Marokopa River through farmland to Marokopa, which offers a wild, west coast black sand beach with majestic, layered cliffs.

The estuary is popular with surf casters and is relatively safe for a swim.

A further 15-minute drive down Mangatoa Road takes you to the windswept Kiritehere Beach, where fossil hunting is the ‘thing’ and the kids are likely to find 200-million-year-old marine fossils embedded in the rocks.

If you can time the drive back to Marokopa at sunset, Mangatoa Road has breath taking, elevated views of the Marokopa township, with the sun setting over the Tasman Sea. The perfect end to a busy day.

Catherine Fry

Page 27

The miracle of your There are two main parts to your immune system: the non-specific (innate) and specific (adaptive) immune responses.

system (Part 1)

they can do their job. Secondly these stimulate our natural killer cells, the most potent aspect of our non-specific immunity.

What does this mean?

Those concerned about their immunity should supplement with vitamin D and a good multi

Non-specific immunity

These include barriers like your skin, sinuses and mucous membrane and cells (phagocytes) that literally ‘eat’ pathogens that come through the barriers. Natural killer cells attack anything that is not genetically marked as self (you!)

With a viral attack like Covid-19, the non-specific system launches into full gear with inflammation which starts to make life uncomfortable for the virus and unfortunately uncomfortable for the infected person.

However, this is just a holding pattern till our specific immune system kicks into gear and our B cells start making antibodies that our T cells can identify.

Those that are immunised have the advantage of vaccine-generated antibodies. More on this in the next edition.

Nutrients have a significant impact on our initial immune responses to attack. Vitamin D benefits most immune cells and helps them to do their job protecting you from pathogens like viruses.

Vitamin D also influences the effectiveness of virus-killing compounds. I generally recommend 1000-2000IU daily in summer and 2000-4000IU in winter.

Our non-specific immunity is also affected by micronutrients including zinc, selenium, iron, copper, manganese that help make potent antioxidant enzymes to defend against viral attack.

Polyphenol antioxidants such as OPC, Curcumin and those in green tea, beta-carotene, vitamins A, C, and E, and folic acid are also very important.

They protect immune cells against the infection so

Bee losses compare favourably Biosecurity New Zealand’s annual Winter Colony Loss survey show encouraging results.

Senior scientist Richard Hall says this year’s survey showed that 13.6 per cent of beehives were lost over winter 2021.

The increase of 2.3 per cent on 2020’s results is closely attributed

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As a result of the survey findings, Biosecurity New Zealand has begun a collaborative education campaign with the beekeeping industry, to raise awareness on how to tackle varroa mites and other biosecurity threats.

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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

DAIRY

Page 28

Meet New Zealand’s coolest cows It’s been a hot summer and we’re not the only ones feeling the heat.

As temperatures rise globally, heat stress is becoming more common in

the national dairy herd too.

Fortunately, Kiwi scientists are one step closer to enabling farmers to breed more heat tolerant cows after a trial found that dairy cows with the ‘slick’ gene are less affected by heat

for animals. For dairy cows it can also impact feed intake, milk production, fertility and calf birthweight.”

Heat tolerant dairy herds

LIC chief scientist, Richard Spelman, inspects dairy cows with the ‘slick’ gene.

stress compared to their non-slick counterparts.

Back in 2014, herd improvement and agritech co-op LIC was the first to discover the slick gene in cattle, which produces a short hair coat and improves heat tolerance.

Ironically, this gene to keep cows cool was only discovered after LIC scientists first identified a genetic variation that made cows very hairy.

Realising that an opposite gene likely exists resulted in the discovery of the slick gene.

LIC chief scientist Richard Spelman says the slick gene could be a hugely valuable tool for improving the overall wellbeing of New Zealand dairy cows.

“Heat stress has significant welfare implications

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As the slick gene was originally found in a Caribbean-based beef breed named Senepol, Spelman says LIC has been working on a breeding programme to incorporate it into elite New Zealand dairy animals.

“Over the past seven years we’ve been crossing Senepol beef sires with New Zealand dairy cows to breed slick bulls that could potentially produce a more heat tolerant dairy herd in the future.”

LIC scientist Esther Donkersloot led the trial to see the impact of the slick gene in dairy cows.

She monitored 18 dairy cows, nine with the slick gene and nine without, at LIC’s dairy farm on the outskirts of Hamilton.

It’s only going to get hotter

The trial found cows with the slick gene had lower rumen temperatures (0.5-1.0degC) compared to their non-slick counterparts when the Temperature Humidity Index (THI) exceeds 73 (around an ambient temperature of 26degC and a humidity of 60 per cent).

“In cattle the rumen generates a lot of heat when processing food and adds to their internal heat load. Although a one-degree temperature decrease doesn’t sound significant, it goes a long way to helping cows feel cooler overall.

“Temperatures in parts of New Zealand already reach uncomfortable peaks for cows in the summer and they’re going to increase if we keep up with current global warming.”

Modelling by Niwa shows that by 2040 Waikato can expect to have around 38 days a year which reach over 25degC, compared to the current 24.

“Introducing the slick gene into New Zealand’s dairy herd could allow for a significant improvement in dairy cow performance in hotter temperatures in the long term,” Esther says.

Richard says the trial findings are a step in the right direction but increasing the slick animals’ genetic merit and milk production will take time; the trial showed slick heifers (which are 87.5 per cent dairy) produced about 18 per cent less milk than high genetic merit dairy heifers without the slick variation.

“Genetics is a long-term game. Before we offer heat tolerant genetics to farmers we want to make sure cows that have the slick coat also have high genetic merit and milk production expected of New Zealand dairy cows.

“If the breeding programme continues to progress as expected, Kiwi farmers will be able to breed heat tolerant cows by 2029.”

DAIRY

Page 29

Dairy farmer Peter Groenendijk with MilktechNZ CEO, Gustavo Garza.

The team at MilktechNZ has a strong focus on research and development and can see the challenges with older style dairy sheds.

They want to make technology more accessible for dairy farmers with older gear.

“We knew there were sheds built around 25 years ago that were due for some upgrades but there weren’t many suitable options on the market,” says MilktechNZ founder Gustavo Garza.

“We wanted to create a product to upgrade existing systems, without having to remove a lot of the hardware, basically just replacing old manual parts for electronics.”

MilktechNZ started with the CR-1 electronic cup removers – an entire upgrade cup remover system supporting efficiencies on farm where farmers can monitor and adjust milking

parameters from any smart device.

“The pressure on farmers for labour efficiencies has become immense and it’s an area banks have been willing to support,” Gustavo says.

“Farmers want things that are easy to install, easy to service, modestly priced and robust, and we can design and build what the New Zealand market wants, which is different from where technology usually comes from. We are strong on innovation and sales and always keep it New Zealand centric.”

From the CR-1 electronic cup removers, MilktechNZ has also developed an in-bail teat sprayer, cluster washers, a milking cluster, a pulsator, and they are working on a lighter cluster design to be released this year.

MilktechNZ has also evolved from supplying the domestic market, to now exporting to Australia, the United Kingdom and South America.

For an in depth discussion give us a call

DAIRY

Page 30

Dolomite – standing the test of time

• Ideal for Cattle Troughs • High Flow • Side/Bottom Mount • Detatches to Clean • Compact/Robust

• Ideal for Cattle Troughs • High Flow • Side/Bottom Mount • Detatches to Clean • Compact/Robust

The first time I recall dolomite being mentioned was in the first season spent on a dairy farm in 1979.

The farm owner and I were kneeling in mud in semidarkness behind a hedge treating a cow unable to stand.

She wasn’t the first and we became well practised in finding a vein and injecting a bag containing calcium and glucose.

Even with the best outcome, where she was able to regain her feet and get to the shed, considerable muscle damage had already occurred and full milk production The correct amount of Dolomite is a highly for the season was already lost. effective way offor minimising It was always a dilemma of whether to • Ideal •calcium/ Id C magnesium-related issues in spring. treat cows immediately or get the herd • Hig to the shed and milked before the tanker• low in magnesium…”.

Side/Bo • arrived and go back later.

Even soils naturally rich in magnesium • Detatch • become deficient due to regular applications • Compa Unintended consequences of potassium in the form of muriate of Either way there was valuable time potash and nitrogen in the form of urea, spent, cost incurred, and the frustration of which over time are increasingly severe. starting the day on the back foot.

The daily grind of dusting pastures with The owner made mention of the fact that these issues magnesium oxide can be a useful component of a were relatively new and had only become common magnesium programme however, because it’s impossible since they stopped applying dolomite. to spread evenly, animal intake varies and wet weather Further discussion provided the reason. To develop often means a significant amount is washed off prior land and increase much needed overseas income a to grazing. freight subsidy had been introduced by the government which meant fertiliser for remote regions was a An ancient seabed deposit negligible cost.

Interestingly soil tests from farms where magnesium Farmers responded, land was developed, production oxide has been spread as well as used in a drench show steadily grew and farmers were rightfully known as the little if any increase in soil held magnesium. backbone of the country.

It’s often a daily battle over spring, particularly during Dolomite however, the only deposit being close to wet cold conditions when every task takes twice as Collingwood, became suddenly more expensive when long. Animal demand is higher, fewer sunshine hours subsidies ended and sales languished. mean less magnesium in every mouthful of feed, It wasn’t until 10 years later that dolomite again and low energy availability increases the number and became a topic of interest when the then Swiss owners severity of metabolic disorders. of the mine were funding the early shipments of In more than 30 years of supplying dolomite to Kossier phosphate rock. hundreds of dairy farms throughout the country a They provided a sheet headed, Dolomite a first single annual application of 250kg of dolomite per class source of magnesium, by Tom Walker, Emeritus hectare has proven to be a highly effective way of Professor of Soil Science at Lincoln University. minimising calcium/magnesium-related issues in It contained the following, “…individual farmers spring. In well-fed pasture situations farmers report, will have to make their own calculations, but in my at worst, a handful of animals requiring assistance view dolomite is the ideal material to use on acid soils with animals becoming wobbly well in advance and responding rapidly to treatment.

Our experience is that the 29kg of magnesium/ha annually, the amount applied in 250kg of dolomite results in a steady lift in soil test figures.

There’s also something quite special about dolomite that doesn’t come with serpentine or any other form of magnesium.

Dolomite is an ancient seabed deposit containing a wide range of trace minerals, which originally came from the land millions of years ago, and where dolomite is also made available in bins for free access it is the only magnesium product required.

For a price on bulk dolomite delivered to farm phone: 0800 4Dolomite (0800 436 566).

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DAIRY

Page 31

Field days to show the bio-circle Long before Total Replacement Therapy was established, the foundation of my work as a biological farm consultant could be abbreviated to a simple but rarely understood concept: the Bio-Circle.

Every farm is a Bio-Circle. Each key area flows in and out of other key areas. What’s in the soil goes into the grass; what’s in the grass goes into the cow; what’s in the cow goes into the effluent pond; what’s in the pond goes into the soil, and the circle continues.

A farm with a balanced Bio-Circle works in sync. The soil environment enables the biological inhabitants to function properly, converting and transporting nutrients and suppressing disease-causing organisms.

Grass is more nutrient-rich, tasting sweeter to cows and encouraging better feeding.

Cows are healthier, with more efficient digestion and therefore greater milk production and effluent ponds are dominated with good bacteria, digesting solids and preventing a crust from forming.

Although this concept is the foundation to working with your farm’s biology, we needed to go deeper, and Total Replacement Therapy was born to give more focus to each part of the farm management plan.

The eight steps that make up Total Replacement Therapy are an expansion of the Bio-Circle, from step one: Set up a production and financial comparative monitoring plan to step eight: Develop and phase in a strategic seasonal pasture management plan.

After balancing the soil with solid fertiliser relevant to soil audits, biology is added. It is then enhanced with special brews of liquids

sprayed on to pasture. From this point, the clover establishes itself in perfect soil conditions - the same in which biology thrives.

When clover and biology work together, organic nitrogen is taken out of the atmosphere, reducing the need for synthetic nitrogen.

Within eight months the first few steps lead to farmers seeing less need for the application of urea and other

This diagram illustrates that everything on the farm affects something else. forms of synthetic nitrogen.

Farmers have specifically asked for support at this time because of their addiction to a chemical fertiliser practice.

Specific “cluster groups” are giving farmers this support, delivering a higher level of excitement as they discuss and move through the eight-step plan.

Reducing synthetic nitrogen has been our teams’ initial focus, to reduce nitrate

leaching and pollution into waterways.

Farmers are generally measuring a reduction of 60 per cent to 70 per cent use of synthetic nitrogen.

Next, we activate an animal health plan, including specific trace elements, then focus turns to growing a diverse pasture sward that is harmonious to the enhanced biological soil ecosystem.

Participants in the programme are using different approaches to pasture species available, and our support groups give comparisons.

We bring in experts to give the most up-to-date data on all aspects of the programme. This is where Dr Lucy Waldron steps in - our keynote speaker at the Kiwi Fertiliser field days to be held in Waikato (April 6) and Bay of Plenty (April 7).

Dr Waldron, PhD in Animal Nutrition from Harper Adams University College in England will speak about how farmers can manipulate feed to reduce emissions.

Balancing animal nutrition is a key part of ensuring all management aspects work together to ensure the best possible outcome, making sure we get the most out of the feed we have worked so hard to grow.

At the field days, Dr Waldron will be joined

by Waikaitu Ltd’s Brett Halliday, who will speak about biological enhancement in the soil, and Paul Daly of EMNZ, who will speak about the importance and activity of microbiology.

Kiwi Fertiliser managing director Ron McLean will discuss the importance of soil audits and why we prefer to use Perry Labs to carry out our tests in the United States.

Email: david@forwardfarming.co.nz or ronmac@kiwifertiliser.co.nz to register.

DR LUCY WALDRON Specialising in biological feed balancing and methane reduction BRETT HALLIDAY, WAIKAITU LTD Soil Biological Enhancement PAUL DALY, EMNZ The importance and activity of microbiology

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DAIRY

Page 32

Breeding strong cow families Morrinsville dairy farmer Shayne Caird says he never really grew out of Calf Club.

But in addition to a love for showing Holstein Friesian cattle that has never waned, Shayne has also developed a passion for breeding that is becoming apparent in his fourth year 50/50 sharemilking.

Lots of success

Milking 215 cows on 72 hectares at Morrinsville with partner Scott Duncan, about 80 per cent of the Shaydoc Ltd herd is Holstein Friesian, with production averaging 424kgMS/cow.

With a philosophy of

concentrating on breeding strong cow families to achieve consistency, Shayne already has several high-achieving cows in his herd, including 2018born Shaydoc Cinderdoor Daana VG86.

Daana won the title of Maughlin Storm – Two-Year-Old Cow New Zealand Champion in the 2021 HFNZ-Semex NZ Ltd On-Farm Competition and was also the heifer with which Shayne won first equal in the 2021 Broomfield Senior Youth Heifer Competition, scoring 93 overall points.

She also placed first in the Dairy All Breeds Heifer twoyear-old in milk at the 2020 Stratford A&P Show, as well as

third in the Holstein Friesian two-year-old in milk category.

“Daana did it all last season,” Shayne says.

Shayne also saw success in the 2020 HFNZ De Laval All NZ Photo Competition – All NZ Heifer Calf: Shaydoc Twizzle Tamika placed third and Shaydoc VLY Wylani S2F placed fifth.

Shayne was born and bred in Morrinsville, from a long line of dairy farmers. His parents’ pedigree Holstein Friesian stud – Dandy View Farm Ltd – was the foundation of his love for the Holstein Friesian breed.

As dairy farmers, Shayne’s family moved around a bit; Friesian champion Sue Pembridge of it was when he met Holstein Uhuru Holsteins that he got “hooked on showing”.

The call of the farm

One of Shayne’s Calf Club calves, SRC Dandy-View Magley Daffy, went on to do particularly well.

Born in the 1980s, Daffy placed first in the 2001 Youth Paraders Photo Competition and was the winner of numerous junior championships. She also averaged more than 500kgMS over five lactations.

Shayne attended Lincoln University and studied a Bachelor of Commerce and Agriculture, and after his study was complete, the call of the farm returned.

“I went to a sale and bought two cows without telling Mum and Dad – until I had to call them to ask for their NAIT number,” he laughs.

“I went on to buy a couple of cows each year, and when I had 15 cows, I went sharemilking.”

Shayne moved back to Morrinsville this season to milk 215 cows.

The farm’s pasture-based system is supplemented with maize and pasture silage made on farm, and in-shed meal feeding.

When it comes to breeding, Shayne’s target is taller animals to help offset the shallow milking pits.

“I want a big, capacious-uddered, Canadian-style cow,” Shayne says.

“All of the overseas genetics we use are Canadian and US. We also aim

Shayne Caird and Rau Roa Solomon Patsy VG88.

for corrective mating; we pick bulls that will work well over the herd and will fix any faults that may exist.”

Shayne ABs for 5.5 weeks, before tailing with DNA-profiled bulls.

Calving starts on July 5 for heifers, and July 12 for cows; Shayne is looking to push calving forward to around July 1 in order to get more days in milk. He has a 22 per cent replacement rate – which equates to about 50 calves - and the surplus are sold on the local market.

Good, productive cows

Shayne is happy with the way his breeding programme is evolving.

He has bought a few descendants of Stookey Elm Park Blackrose and has ‘dabbled’ in the Tahora and Lesdale cow families.

“We will continue to breed for high type and good, productive cows.

“You need to keep the job enjoyable enough to want to get out of bed in the morning.”

He says after herd testing in May 2021, he couldn’t be happier with how the cows performed last season.

“They have pushed past barriers I didn’t think I would be able to achieve so quickly in herd ownership.”

Penistone Lin Rival EX2 was Shayne’s first 10,000 litre cow, with 666kgMS, and Daana was top two-year-old, producing 7,712l and 600kgMS. Shayne says his goal is to move to a bigger sharemilking job of around 300 cows and purchase a house and a block of land.

DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS - CENTRAL PLATEAU

Page 33

Lifestyle choice leads to success helplessness and felt it was such a waste of healthy and well-reared animals.”

Todd and Renee became first-time jersey herd owners when they purchased their existing herd and consider their cows one of the strengths of their business.

“We pride ourselves on our simple farming system with minimal manual labour on a predominantly grass-based system.”

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Renee and Todd Halliday accept the 2022 Central Plateau Share Farmer of the Year title.

A former Auckland sales and marketing executive and a former adventure tourism guide and boutique lodge manager have won the 2022 Central Plateau Share Farmer of the Year title.

Todd and Renee Halliday are the winners of the region’s Share Farmer of the Year category.

The other big winners were Satveer Singh, who was named the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year, and Zoe Bryson, Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Todd was born and bred in Auckland city and had never set foot on a farm until he met Renee, who is a dairy farmer’s daughter.

The couple spent five years in the hospitality sector managing boutique lodges together before entering the dairy industry in 2009.

Even the busiest times are great

Todd initially spent two years as a farm assistant in Reporoa before progressing to a management role for a further two years.

He and Renee then spent seven years in Mid Canterbury before returning to Reporoa where they now contract milk and are equity partners with Phil and Diane Herdman, on a 153ha Reporoa property, milking 520 cows.

“Ultimately, what drove our desire to get into farming was the lifestyle it could provide,” Renee says.

Todd holds a Bachelor Degree in Business and Diploma in Agribusiness Management and enjoys using his business skills to run their business, as well as the physical challenges of farming.

“We love that even in the busiest of times we still get to spend time with our four children, Henry, 12, Charlotte, 9, Olive, 7, and Florence, 3.”

The low-point is losing their young stock to Mycoplasma Bovis due to association with an infected herd. “We experienced the sickening feeling of

The awards are sponsored by DeLaval, Ecolab, Federated Farmers, Fonterra, Honda, LIC, Meridian Energy and Ravensdown along with industry partners DairyNZ and MediaWorks.

Runners-up in the Central Plateau Share Farmer of the Year competition are Thomas and Therese Earls.

Winner of the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year competition, Satveer Satveer Singh wins Central Singh, comes from a Plateau Dairy Manager farming background in of the Year. The award is India, where his father is accepted by his an organic farmer with wife Sumreet.

Sahiwal cows.

He works on Rob Stantiall’s Tokoroa 255ha property, milking 700 cows.

Mamaku Farm manager Marara Singh placed second and third place in the category went to Gavin Humphrey who is farm manager on the Wairarapa Moana Inc 337ha Mangakino property.

Central Plateau Dairy Trainee of the Year, Zoe Bryson, is a first-time entrant. She is herd manager for Central Plateau Share Farmer Runners up, Thomas and Therese Earl.

Runner-up is Anthony Foy, herd manager on Kath and Ali Imlig’s 280ha, 650-cow farm.

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Page 34

DAIRY INDUSTRY AWARDS - BOP

Boundless opportunities The major winners in the 2022 Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards, Scott and Rebecca O’Brien, are passionate about their business and the dairy industry and believe there are endless opportunities at all levels.

The couple were announced winners of the region’s Share Farmer of the Year category at the Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards annual awards dinner held at the Awakeri Events Centre on March 11.

The other big winners were Hayden Purvis who was named the region’s Dairy Manager of the Year, and Thomas Lundman, Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Scott, 39, and Rebecca, 41, are 50/50 sharemilking over two farms - Rory & Susan Gordon’s 260ha Galatea 650-cow property, and Peter & Cathy Brown’s 100ha, 250-cow property.

They won $9,800 and four merit awards.

Bay of Plenty Share Farmers of the Year

Scott grew up on a dairy farm, and when it was sold when he was 13, he knew the journey hadn’t ended for him.

“I just love working with animals and the diverse day-to-day tasks of being a farmer.

“We love the leadership we offer to our staff and the lifestyle it provides for our family. The knowledge that we are feeding the world gives us immense satisfaction in what we are doing.”

The O’Briens see themselves growing into governance and leadership roles.

“This will enable us to give back to the industry that has given so much to us.”

Goal setting

The FARMit team are proud to be a sponsor of the 2020 NZ Dairy Industry Awards. A great opportunity for entrants to learn and grow, along with encouraging best practice within the Dairy Farming industry.

Scott says entering the awards gives them the opportunity to look at what they are doing and set future goals. “Through goal-setting during the awards process, we purchased a rental property which enabled us to purchase cows for our current sharemilking positions.”

The couple are proud to have achieved herd ownership of 900 cows four years into sharemilking,

Rebecca and Scott O’Brien.

while maintaining and enhancing relationships with everyone that has been on the journey with them.

Future farming goals include farm ownership by 2027.

“Once ownership is achieved, we plan to provide contract milking or sharemilking opportunities to someone who is on a similar career path we are on now.”

Rebecca and Scott would like to see a change in negative views towards the dairy industry.

“Most dairy farmers are doing the right thing.

“If we can continue to treat our people right, care for our animals and land in the right way, be as sustainable as possible whilst learning and developing in an everchanging industry, then it’s going 2 1 0 to continue to do so much more 2 0 1 7 -2 than feed the world, which inGaitself rde ols n Po wer To is exciting.”

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Challenges the couple have faced and overcome include the loss of stock due to natural disaster and facial eczema in their second year ...continued of sharemilking.

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“A multi-layered approach in conjunction with our vets around facial eczema has been key to overcoming this challenge,” say the couple.

Scott and Rebecca recognise the importance of a work/life balance and keeping physically fit and healthy.

“Having that balance enables us to be present and in the zone when we are working, while also showing our children Hunter, 12, Summer, 10, and Piper, 8, that hard work has the rewards of a good lifestyle.”

The couple identify the culture and strong, respectful relationships with all members of their team as a strength of their business, along with running their business sustainably.

Specialist Rural Accountants Xero and Figured experts Part of your farming team Farm owner Tania 2022 Dairy Manag Akehurst accepts the er of th behalf of winner H e Year award on ayden Purvis.

motivation to get up in the morning during challenging times.

“I know that a rural upbringing is what I want for my kids, so even when it’s raining, cold and wet outside, I know that my family admires me for being out there, working on the farm for them and us as a family unit.”

Hayden wants to ensure he is continuing to challenge himself and reach his full potential in the industry, so is moving to an 800-cow farm in the Waikato next season.

Quinn Morgan is the runner-up in the 2022 Bay of Plenty Dairy Manager category. He is farm manager for Shona Pedersen on their 95ha, 280cow property at Galatea.

Thomas Lundman is the 2022 Bay of Plenty Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Share Farmer runner-ups Th omas, 24, grew up on a dairy farm and is Runners-up in the Bay of Plenty Share Farmer in his second season in the dairy industry, of the Year category was Alvaro Borghi and working as a nature guide in Fiordland for five Natalia Zefferino. years previously.

The couple are contract milking on Roger and He is currently Farm Assistant for Michael and Lexie McCosh’s 205ha Te Puke farm, milking Linda Mexted on their 140ha Whakatane farm 650 cows. milking 550 cows.

Chance and Racheal Church placed third in the Runner-up in the Dairy Trainee category was Share Farmer category.

Niamh Mark, who works for Peter Mark on his The couple are contract milkers for Brendan Gaskill, milking 300 cows on their 130ha property. 100ha, 280-cow Te Puke property as Trainee Farm Manager.

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Page 36

Judges add value to winning ways The major winners in the 2022 Waikato Dairy Industry Awards are a young couple who believe that progression is possible and your limits are only what you perceive.

Brian Basi and Rachel Bunnik are the region’s Share Farmer of the Year.

The other big winners were Andrew Macky, who became the 2022 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year, and Edward Roskam, the 2022 Waikato Dairy Trainee of the Year.

Brian and Rachel have been contract milkers for Dick and Liz Johnson on their 72ha, 230-cow Putaruru property for the past two seasons. They won $14,828 in prizes and four merit awards.

Brian placed in the top five in the same category last year and believes judges analysing their overall farming business and performance was a key benefit of the awards programme.

“The judges’ feedback was very helpful for my self-development

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which has helped us for the future of our business, focusing on areas for improvement and being a lot more critical about our business.”

Age is ‘just a number’ Brian, 25, and Rachel, 23, both grew up on family farms and have worked their way up in the industry, with Rachel also training to become an AB technician while Brian is studying toward Primary ITO Level 5 Production Management.

“Last season we contract milked two different jobs, with Brian working where we currently are and I contract milked with my brother, joining Brian this season,” Rachel says.

“We’ve increased production with no other changes to the system, having achieved record production on our current farm as well as farms in the past. When we put the results in front of farm owners, we prove age is just a number.”

Sisters Aleisha Broomfield and Stephanie Kay were runner-up and third Placegetter in the Share Farmer category respectively.

the Dairy Manager section. He works on Alan and Briar Roger’s 205ha, 570-cow property.

Farm manager Sam Guise placed third. He placed third in the same category last year and was runner-up in 2020. Sam works on Kevin and Gillian Monks 240ha, 870-cow farm at Cambridge.

Farm manager

Dairy trainee

This year’s Waikato Share Farmers of the Year Rachel Bunnik and Brian Basi.

The 2022 Waikato Dairy Trainee of the Year is The winner of the 2022 Waikato Dairy Manager Edward Roskam who entered the Awards as soon of the Year category is the as he was old enough to do so. fourth generation of his family Edward left school at 16 to to farm the land he currently begin working as a farm assistant manages and would love to own on JT Torrens Ltd 65ha property it one day and put his stamp on at Okauia, milking 230 cows. it for future generations.

He won $6500 in prizes and Andrew Macky is farm two merit awards. manager for William and Fiona “I tried a lot of different Macky on their 98ha Ohaupo careers through the Gateway farm, milking 320 cows. programme at school.

After gaining his Diploma “My parents didn’t really want in Farm Management from me to leave school but I had a Lincoln University in 2011 big passion for dairy farming Andrew went shepherding on large farms for three years, The 2022 Waikato Dairy Manager and decided that’s what I wanted as my career.” giving him experience in of the Year Andrew Macky.

Runner-up in the Dairy working with staff and a good Trainee category was Annie Gill understanding of how to handle who is farm assistant for Alan all types of stock such as sheep, and Briar Rogers on their 195ha, cattle and deer.

600-cow Otorohanga property.

Currently in his fourth season Third place went to 22-yeardairy farming and loving it, old herd manager/farm assistant Andrew spent time in New Hannah Jackson who works for Zealand and the American Emmaline Trust’s 158ha, 500Midwest as an agricultural cow Kaipaki farm. contractor and on a dairy farm The Waikato Dairy Industry in Scotland for six months.

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Shaun Muller was runner-up in of the Year award.

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KIWIFRUIT

The new Pathway Management Plan for the kiwifruit industry has been approved by the government and is now in place.

Kiwifruit Vine Health confirmed the news in early March, completing a process that started in November 2019 and has since gone through several consultation phases.

A spokesperson for KVH says the new plan will better manage biosecurity risk for all the kiwifruit.

“It’s the first National Pathway Management Plan implemented under the Biosecurity Act, demonstrating the continued biosecurity proactiveness of our industry and an important step forward in the way we manage the risk of unwanted threats.”

A consistent approach

Kiwifruit is grown across multiple growing regions in both the North and South Islands. Young kiwifruit vines are produced by nurseries in parts of the South Island that are remote from kiwifruit growing regions.

“While individual and group actions in specific areas can help manage risk, the coordinated and consistent national approach

provided by the plan means we all have a united goal and set of objectives and measures that manage pathway risks across the country.”

The new Plan is equivalent to the current National Psa-V Pest Management Plan, but the key difference is it doesn’t focus on a single pest, allowing for management of a broader range of threats to the kiwifruit industry.

This makes it is more likely anything new can be detected quickly enough to stop its spread, limit impacts, and aim for eradication.

2022 and replaces the existing levy for the Psa-V NPMP which will cease to be collected as of March 31, 2022, with activity of the Psa-V NPMP ending in May 2023 once reserves have been utilised.

“This means that KVH will effectively swap the NPMP levy for that of the Pathway Plan next year and keep KVH’s total

Making a plan

It will replace the current NPMP as it retains the important elements needed for Psa protection – such as controlling movements associated with high-risk pathways to the South Island - and provides much wider benefits, including streamlining and simplifying rules and regulations so they are more pragmatic, and deliver greater value for money.

The Pathway Management Plan will be funded by a levy under the Biosecurity Act 1993, with an initial rate of 0.4 cents per tray and a maximum rate of 0.7 cents per tray of kiwifruit.

The levy commenced on April 1,

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Page 37

levy collection from growers fiscally neutral and within the current total of 1.6 cents per tray of kiwifruit.

“As we lead up to implementation from April 1, KVH will provide regular updates on new resources and longer-term projects underway that will make it increasingly easy and pragmatic

to undertake best biosecurity practice and ensure a resilient kiwifruit industry.”

Growers, or the person in charge of an orchard must have a plan that covers the steps that are taken to identify and manage biosecurity risk on-orchard.

There is a template on the: www.kvh.org.nz website to help orchardists make a plan.

Page 38

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Page 39

Kiwfruit industry eyes backpackers The New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated group is leading the call for overseas visitors to help pick and pack the nation’s fruit now the borders are reopening to backpackers.

Working Holiday Visas are now available again across several nations, including Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, following two years of stagnation amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry requires 24,000 seasonal workers for picking and packing roles.

Backpackers traditionally make up about one-quarter of the workforce.

This year a record crop of more than 190 million trays is forecast to be picked. Each tray has about 30 pieces of kiwifruit, meaning the industry needs all the help it can get.

“I strongly encourage everyone to roll up their sleeves and join the team,” says NZKGI CEO Colin Bond.

“Picking is a great opportunity for those who like to be in the outdoors, while the packhouse is suited to those who like to have fun in larger teams indoors”.

Kiwifruit orchards start at the tip of the North Island and run all the way down the country to the top of the South Island so it’s a great opportunity for those who want to work and travel.

Many of those orchards can be found in the Bay of Plenty, especially in Te Puke, the kiwifruit capital of the world.

NZKGI says that most packhouses have committed to paying at least the living wage of $22.75 per hour.

Kiwifruit picking is also expected to exceed New Zealand’s living wage with an average of $27 per hour paid last year when the minimum wage was $20.

Those who wish to travel to New Zealand on their newly granted or extended Working Holiday Visas can enter until September 13, 2022.

Visas are valid for 12 months from the date of first entry.

Before Covid-19, working holidaymakers accounted for about 50,000 of New Zealand’s international visitors each year.

The kiwifruit industry is one of New Zealand’s horticultural success stories, accounting for more than $2.6 billion in export earnings in 2020/21 – the largest horticultural earner and rivalling other key primary produce exports.

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TRADE MARKET

Cash back for crush protection Safer Farms is reinforcing the value of crush protection devices (CPDs) on quad bikes and urging farmers to take advantage of a cash back offer.

Quad bikes contribute significantly to on-farm fatalities. A CPD is specially designed to reduce the chance of serious injury or death in the event of a roll over.

Safer Farms is launching ‘Control the Roll’ — a new campaign to raise awareness for the lifesaving cash back initiative currently available via ACC.

A CPD creates a gap when it rolls over and meets the ground, taking the impact of the bike and keeping it off the operator laying underneath it.

This increases the chance of a positive outcome for the operator in the event the quad bike rolls over. The ACC cash back offer allows farmers to receive $180 (plus GST) cash back on up to two devices, including the Quadbar, Quadbar Flexi, and ATV Lifeguard CPDs. To learn more, or apply for the ACC cash back go to: www.acc.co.nz/cpdcashback

The 2021 Fieldays event attracted almost 133,000 people to the site at Mystery Creek.

Fieldays 2022 is being postponed until later in the year.

The New Zealand National Fieldays Society will now run the event from Wednesday November 30 to Saturday December 3, 2022.

The popular four-day agricultural event was scheduled to run from June 15-18.

Chief executive of the New Zealand National Fieldays Society, Peter Nation, says the decision did not come lightly, but will ensure the Fieldays event can operate to its full potential.

“We believe this decision will give all attendees, exhibitors, and stakeholders involved some breathing room and confidence during these uncertain times.

“The feedback we have had from our customers is they really want the event to run. It creates much-needed economic stimulus and reconnection that an event the size and scale of Fieldays provides.”

‘Resourcing’ a big issue

Peter says there is a multitude of factors that brought the organisation to the postponement decision.

“The current Omicron outbreak has meant that resourcing has become a huge issue, with employee absenteeism due to isolation periods and a tight labour market having an impact on all stakeholders involved.

“Plus, the ongoing impact of a delayed global supply chain is having an impact on exhibitors, who are struggling to achieve requisite stock levels for their existing sales, let alone display stock or any new innovations.

“While we could assume or hope an orange traffic light system will have arrived by June, many don’t realise that the build of Fieldays commences in April.

“Around 13,000 contractors come and go in the lead up to the event, building the small city that is Fieldays, which is just not possible under the red traffic light setting.”

Peter says he hopes the postponement to the end of the year will ensure the best outcome after a turbulent start to 2022.

“Our aim is to run a safe, secure, and successful event, ensuring Kiwis can come together and reconnect, enjoying the best of what Aotearoa’s primary sector has to offer.”

About Fieldays

Fieldays is based on an 114ha site at Mystery Creek, 10 minutes from Hamilton and is the largest agricultural event in the Southern Hemisphere.

Fieldays draws people from around the globe – both as exhibitors and visitors. Fieldays Online, launched in 2020 as a world first during Covid19, attracted 90,455 total visitors and viewership from more than 75 different countries.

Fieldays 2021 saw 132,776 people visit the event, becoming the second biggest in the event’s 53-year history.

Fieldays is run by New Zealand National Fieldays Society, a charitable organisation founded in 1968 for the purpose of advancing the primary industries.

The New Zealand National Fieldays Society thanks key partners Hyundai, Farmlands, and Vodafone.

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Utes in demand ahead of new fees Ford Ranger (1111 units), followed by the Toyota Hilux (890 units) with the Mitsubishi Triton in third place (855 units).

Toyota remains the overall market leader with 16 per cent market share (1,972 units), followed by Mitsubishi with 15 per cent (1927 units) and Ford in third spot with 11 per cent market share (1400 units).

There were 684 light vehicle and 5 heavy vehicle full battery electric vehicles registered in February. The top selling models were the Tesla Model 3 (351 units) followed by the

Commercial vehicle sales showed a marked increase in the early part of the year as people look to avoid new fees for bigger vehicles.

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Overall, February 2022 registrations of 12,551 vehicles were up 0.5 per cent (63 units) on the same month in 2021.

There were 689 pure electric vehicles, 388 PHEV’s and 1020 hybrid vehicles sold for the month.

Registration of 7680 passenger and SUVs for February 2022 were down 11.8 per cent (1032 units) on February 2021.

Commercial vehicle registrations of 4871 were up a whopping 29.0 per cent (1095 units) compared to February 2021.

The top three models for the month of February were the

Hyundai Kona (54 units) and the Kia Niro (35 units).

There were 388 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles registered in February. The top selling models were the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (228 units) followed by the MG HS (57 units) and then the Mitsubishi Outlander (25 units).

There were 1020 hybrids registered in the month of January, with the top selling models being the Toyota RAV4 (187 units) followed by the Honda Jazz (143 units) and the Toyota Yaris (126 units).

M ade

pending changes to the Clean Car Discount scheme from April 1, there has been a shift in sales patterns ahead of the full feebate coming into effect.

“Sales of passenger cars and SUVs has softened slightly whereas sales of light commercial vehicles, most of which will pay a fee from April 1 onwards, have strengthened.

“This is expected and will likely to be repeated in March sales. Once the full Clean Car Discount - the feebate side of the scheme - comes into effect on 1 April it is anticipated sales of light commercial vehicles will soften”.

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Motor Industry Association chief executive David Crawford says the February 2022 figures are the strongest for the month of February ever.

Registrations of 12,551 were 0.5 per cent up on February 2021. Year-to-date the market is down 1.2 per cent (316 units) compared to the first two months of 2021.

“As anticipated with the

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Perfect for tractor trekking South Island born Ronald Badman came to the Waikato to milk with his brother in the 1970s and “never left”. He moved into contracting and has been driving tractors ever since.

Even though he’s in his seventies, he’s still doing “age-appropriate hours” for the company he’s worked with for many years.

“I keep saying I should retire back down south where all my family is, but I’m just helping out still as we’re so short of drivers in New Zealand at the moment.”

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Ronald has had an interest in farm machinery for most of his life and was a member of the Otorohanga Vintage Machinery Club Inc., even before he had a machine himself.

He was out there looking for his own tractor though and when he was working down in Taumarunui one day, crushing metal, he spotted an old Farmall BM sitting in a paddock.

“The owner was very reluctant to sell at first, it was probably his firstever tractor and it had been used to

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“The valves were stuck so we went back with a loader and brought it back home to Otorohanga.”

This Farmall was a 1951, fourcylinder petrol engine with five forward gears and one reverse.

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Page 43

Ronald Badman reacquaints himself with the 1951 Farmall BM. All Photos: Catherine Fry.

The Farmall BM Cast iron wheel centres make the Farmall BM heavier and more stable. continued...

The BM means British Made and it would have been imported into New Zealand as new. It has a wide front axle rather than cropping wheels, which from Ronald’s point of view makes it “perfect for tractor trekking”.

It’s a heavy machine with cast iron wheel centres and compared to modern machines very uncomplicated to run. It would have been used for discing, cultivation, harrowing, feeding out in winter and sowing.

“In those days everything was heavy work with these little 30HP tractors. Nowadays the work is carried out by 200HP machines!”

Ronald stripped it all back so it could be cleaned and painted, but everything is still very much in original condition.

The Farmall has been on many tractor treks, some quite challenging and over a long distance. Ronald enjoys the social side of the Vintage Machinery Club very much.

“I’ve won a few certificates for tractor pulling over the years and I still enjoy entering those competitions.”

The relatively uncomplicated Farmall BM engine.

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EFFLUENT & ENVIRONMENT

Environment comes first for award entrants The 2022 Ballance Farm Environment Awards Entrants for the Bay of Plenty and East Coast Regions have been announced.

NZFET chair, Joanne van Polanen says that despite all of the disruptions to business and life in general, farmers and growers across New Zealand are committed to environmentally sustainable practices.

The regional awards events, due to start in March, have been postponed until June and July 2022.

Bay of Penty

Hunting possums, dagging sheep, fencing and selling firewood are just some of the ways he made money while transforming Kiwi Outback into a profitable business.

Today, a large portion of the property is leased out for dairy grazing, with Winston supplementing his income by fencing and selling firewood.

Winston started fencing off native bush in 1987 and will soon have 35 areas of reserves, 10 of which are covered by QEII Covenants.

In addition, most of the carefully designed paddocks boast shade from native forest.

Seven large water tanks and almost 120 concrete water troughs have also been installed.

Possums have almost been eliminated thanks to careful pest management, while reducing waste is another focus as Winston continues to develop the property.

After years of share milking, Steve and Paula Holdem purchased the farm – now called Holdem Farm – in 2017, in partnership with Steve’s parents, Jeff and Glenys, and have realised their vision of making their farm environmentally and financially sustainable.

The first few years were tough but fun as they tackled significant infrastructure upgrades across the 308ha property, including pastures, houses, effluent and cowshed upgrades.

The updated and easier to manage

Steve and Paula Holdem have progressed a number of big infrastructure projects on their dairy farm.

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layout is enhanced by the use of science and technology – tools and data that are enabling production to exceed targets while reducing nitrogen leaching.

The Holdems have planted a significant amount of stock shelter and are continually planting native species, with plans to install detainment bunds to help with phosphorus runoff.

The team spring-calves about 700 cows, with all young stock grazed off. For six weeks, 200 cows are wintered off-farm, while re-grassing is done by under-sowing with annual grasses and plantain.

Other BOP entrants

Other entrants include Dell, Ross and Roger Bawden from Oceanview Orchard Ltd. They farm kiwifruit, beef and lamb.

John and Margaret Scrimgeour have also entered Nikau Trust, with its dairy, avocado, kiwifruit and forestry ventures.

Helen Scott, orchard manager for Whiritoa Organic and Whiritoa Gold, Kiwifruit has also entered.

East Coast

Kim Goodwin from Kawerau Ltd has farmed this semi-intensive bull farm for almost 40 years, implementing an excellent stocking policy that is tailored to the dry, variable climate.

Winston Fleming Trust In 2020, about 365 bulls were sold and replaced Winston took over this Rotorua farm from his with 300 Autumn-born dairy bull calves. Calves father in the 1980s and since then has expanded and are bought from the same supplier each year, ...continued developed it into the 210ha property it is today.

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continued...

Winston Fleming has been hunting possums, dagging sheep, fencing and selling firewood to fund Kiwi Outback.

enhancing biosecurity and helping secure supply.

Kawerau uses a simple, pasture-based system that is flexible and poses less drought risk – guaranteeing a good income regardless of the weather and with careful planning and execution, operates as a minimal-input, low-emission farm.

Significant time and effort has gone into planting and protecting native trees for shade, shelter and biodiversity.

Trees have been planted along the property’s stream all the way to a lake at the back of the property that is protected by a QEII National Trust Covenant. Around the lake, willows are continually being cut out and replaced with native trees and oaks, attracting a wide range of bird species.

Alcuin Station

Working as a team, Jane and Mark Johnson have made numerous improvements to the 1500ha sheep and cattle farm where they run 4400 ewes, 2200 trade lambs and just over 1800 cattle.

Together with their valued staff, they’ve developed the farm so it’s in much better shape than when they arrived – in terms of both the environment and financial performance.

Pasture management has been a top priority resulting in highly productive stock which provides essential income for future development.

Infrastructure improvements include more fencing, water reticulation systems and the major development of building a bridge across the Mōtū River.

They’ve also fenced the river off and created a large wetland. As paddocks have been developed, they’ve started using a direct drill which is saving the team time and money.

More native planting is planned along the Mōtū River which will also provide more shelter for stock.

Glenalvon

Page 45

Willie Lyons and Timothy Fairweather have entered this sheep and beef farm.

It has been in the family for more than 100 years,

with Willie taking over the reins in 2020 with the help of farm manager Tim Fairweather.

The team runs 65 per cent beef and 35 per cent sheep with a flexible stocking policy, allowing the business to work with nature rather than against it.

Every aspect of the business aligns to the seasons, recognising the fact that the area is notoriously dry.

Investment in quality water infrastructure has been a priority and the stock water system has been redeveloped and the paddock layout redesigned meaning they can now fence off waterways and streams.

There has been a vast improvement in the management of pasture, including a change of grazing style and an increase in water troughs and electric fencing.

The biodiversity of soils and pasture has benefited from this shift.

Forde Ltd

Tim and Cathie Forde have entered this sheep, beef and forestry operation.

The core business at the Havelock North property is finishing about 210 bulls each year.

They also have a small breeding flock of about 100 sheep and lambs.

Almost 90 per cent of their income comes from beef and sheep, with the balance split between forestry consulting, and timber and nursery sales.

The Fordes believe they’ve developed a working farm that balances most aspects of land stewardship and stock management and have numerous sustainability initiatives underway and are actively planning more.

This includes the creation of a wetland called Lake Rotohirawa which they’re continually developing through plantings and water management.

Other highlights include providing ample shelter for stock and using the leaf fall for grazing to boost nutrient value as well as improving the farm’s soil and pasture, through careful management and by implementing run-off catchments and silt traps.

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AVOCADO

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Market development in Asia a long game Having decided to leave the marketing collaboration AVANZA in 2015, seven years later we are seeing the benefits of backing ourselves to deliver on a specific and unique strategy as we pay a first pool OGR of over $10 per tray.

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Just Avocados is building brand value in Asian markets.

It will be remembered as one of the most challenging years the NZ avocado industry has ever experienced.

Just Avocados/Darling Group represent 37 per cent of the total industry volume, including both export and domestic crop.

Of our total export volume, Just Avocados placed more than 66 per cent into Asian markets, compared with the industry average of just 28 per cent.

We do face challenges in terms of the time it takes to get fruit to many of our markets, and the rate at which dry matter rises and can, if not managed appropriately, influence fruit quality.

For these reasons, if we want to optimise the opportunity in Asia, we need to go hard early.

We also have a strong philosophy that this strategy helps longterm, consistent orchard production.

One positive from this season is the need to review the commerce.

What is clear is hanging crops late is not viable.

The two manageable factors for a grower are production and production cost. Assuming a $15+ per export tray OGR over a long-run average, growers need to be producing 20 tonnes per hectare at a 65 per cent export pack-out or greater to give a sustainable profitable outcome.

Big upside for China exports

However, altering the production or packout below these points starts to put a question mark over the viability of the grower going forward.

A real success for the Darling Group has been our China programme.

Just Avocados represented 55 per cent of the total industry volume exported to China this season.

With China being the big driver in the Asia space going forward, we have set a good base to continue the growth.

Across all our key tier-one markets in Asia, we represented an average of 37.5 per cent market share.

Our total volume into Asia exceeded 390,000 trays, a 400 per cent increase from last season.

A big part of the success out of NZ is Darling Group’s wider 12-month supply strategy, built around ensuring we have relevance in the marketplace.

Darling Group has been sourcing product through international partners for many years and we can now deliver our brand into key markets 365 days a year.

Adding value ‘outside the obvious’

When considering NZ’s avocado export volume to Asia this year only represented 6.2 per cent of Asia’s total consumption, the need for relevance in these markets is critical.

We have an optimistic goal of building a brand that holds value in the eye of our trade partners and the consumers across our tier-one markets in Asia.

To push the price in the right direction, we must add value outside of the obvious, which has been driven by how we tell our story.

Engaging with brand ambassadors in market, delivering a range of point-of-sale material, and utilisation of QR codes across all our marketing material are just some examples of what has been put together over the last few seasons.

Outside of our market development strategy, our focus is also on increasing both harvesting and packing capacity.

With Covid-19 highlighting the importance of an efficient supply chain, it only helps sharpen the focus on what we can control in New Zealand going forward.

With one of the more difficult seasons behind us, we are excited about what the next 12 months has in store.

Strategically we will likely remain unchanged in our view of the coming season, with a clear vision backed by the commercial imperative of profitability.

Jacob Darling

AVOCADO

Page 47

Staff are the number one priority I know you’ll all be saying ‘another Covid related story’. Well, yes and maybe not.

Yes Covid is having an impact.

Firstly it’s our ability to get labour to do jobs on the orchards and secondly it’s our ability to retain a daily workforce to undertake the work.

Both have impacted our horticultural industry dramatically. I never thought it would impact us and to such an extent.

Labour issues likely to stay

I have been working on a project involving the building industry and it has astonished me the difficulties that industry is facing to get jobs done with shortages of labour, goods and

There has been no leadership from the industry on the labour issues.

As a support business to the avocado growing industry for more than 18 years we have seen very little development in the industry around labour, health and safety and skills development.

We don’t have an accredited system of training. We don’t have an accredited system of compliance and we don’t have a system for recognising those with skills and experience at the workface - like a driver’s licence. We are unable to use RSE’s on the machines so we rely on the seasonal travellers and the available NZ workforce.

As growers we need to take responsibility and support contractors to train new staff on our orchards. They need to be blended into the existing and experienced picking teams. They need to work alongside experienced staff.

That may mean a lower pick volume but it will ensure your pickers get through their crop commitments.

Getting the best out of fewer staff

products. It’s become very piecemeal and very costly.

I see that in our own workforce.

While I applaud the living wage concept, it and fuel prices will push our production costs up.

That, combined with the difficult financial returns are a major challenge.

At Aongatete Avocados Ltd we used to have 25 pickers daily, harvesting around 150,000 pieces of fruit daily.

This workforce has reduced. We have consolidated as labour availability has become in short supply.

As I look forward I see the current labour challenges continuing.

I too am pulling out of tasks as I focus my limited time on my main priority. That’s the AAL staff.

I want to make sure they enjoy their work, that they get real benefit out of their jobs and that we, as a team, support our growers by doing our best.

I don’t believe that in the 18 years I have been harvesting avocados we have seen such a challenging labour market.

For growers now, if you want pickers to turn up, you need to ensure that it’s straightforward for them, that there are the required services, health and safety is up to standard, teams have good working environments and you have fair and reasonable expectations.

I also want to stress that flexibility with pickers is very important.

Pickers, like all people, have their own lives to lead and sometimes their personal and work lives

cross. It impacts daily on the picking teams we can put onto orchards.

We now focus on getting the best out of our pickers by making sure we can better meet their needs, that there’s a better match and that it’s a

win-win-win for all the parties.

So when you come around to planning your next pick consider the pressure these harvest crews are under and that they also need to enjoy their work and their working environment.

AVOCADO

Page 48

Precision is the future of farming Agri Technovation believes that

technology and innovation is the formula for the future.

A spokesperson for Agri Technovation Beatrix Galloway says the people at Agri Technovation all have a passion for precision farming.

AGRI TECHNOVATION CROP PERFORMANCE FUELLED BY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Agri Technovation is both a manufacturer of tailored agricultural products and a provider of specialised precision farming services. All captured data is uploaded onto our cloud-based MYFARMWEB™ data platform.

Our infield services include ITEST™ CARBOHYDRATES, a world first, that aims to provide key information to assist producers to detect and effectively manage alternate bearing in crops. ITEST™ LEAF is the interpretation of leaf (tissue) analyses, including ratios between nutrients and corrective recommendations.

MYSOIL CLASSIFICATION™ finds solutions for areas and executes the best management to minimise risk and improve your yield. The ITEST™ SOIL analyses provide answers to producers before the start of a season regarding their soil’s nutrient status as well as opportunities and risks.

Agri Technovation is goal driven to accurately help assess your farm’s nutrient and soil moisture content. With trustworthy data, we can develop a holistic nutrient management strategy that is most suited for your avocado orchards.

Agri Technovation

The science behind production.

decision-making.

Qualified professionals collaborate with producers on their unique journey towards farming as effectively and sustainably as possible.

“By following this focussed

yet holistic approach, scientific farming principles are adapted for each instance to achieve full potential. We are passionate about Bringing AT-ness to every farmer.”

Grove Avocado Oil purchases Fressure Foods

Bringing AT-ness to every Farmer agritechnovation

The team has specialists in the fields of horticulture, agronomy, soil science, microbiology, geographic information systems, chemistry, and process and production engineering.

“We deliver sustainable solutions for profitable farming, based on the synergy between agriculture, science, technology and local knowledge to make a difference on your farm.”

Agri Technovation is both a manufacturer of tailored agricultural products and a provider of specialised precision farming services.

A proprietary basket of biostimulant plant nutrition and soil health products is designed to improve yields and quality in an eco-friendly manner.

“Our infield services, as well as the interpretation of case specific data captured, provide actionable crop production solution recommendations and soil management guides.”

All captured data is uploaded onto the cloud-based MYFARMWEB platform, where it can be compared and considered to assist the producer in best practice

09 954 5411 info@agritechnovation.co.nz www.agritechnovation.co.nz

Bay of Plenty-based Grove Avocado Oil has purchased Fressure Foods from New Zealand food service produce supplier, Fresh Technologies.

The product created by the Fressure Foods arm of the business is High Pressure Processing treated guacamole.

THINGS DON'T SEEM SO IMPOSSIBLE...

WHEN YOU KNOW AN EXPERTS GOT YOUR BACK AAL is a large scale independent operator of orchard management, growing, harvesting and packing.

We supply a full range of services and equipment as well as a reliable, experienced team with exceptional customer service.

AAL is equipped to handle the jobs you can't do... right through to the jobs you just don't want to do.

If you need advice or management of your orchard, find out more by contacting our team on 07 549 1809 or visit www.aaltd.co.nz

AAU

AONGATETE AVOCADOS LTD.

The purpose of the acquisition is to increase Grove’s product output by utilising part of the avocado which was previously discarded in the avocado oil making process - the flesh.

Grove Avocado Oil general manager James Greenlees says the purchase is perfectly aligned with Grove’s existing operation.

“Fressure is a great fit, and produces delicious guacamole from our suppliers’ quality New Zealand avocados which will align with our strategy to add value to that raw material.

“We believe that Kiwis will enjoy a 100 per cent natural product with New Zealand origin option over similar products that are imported from Mexico and Peru.”

Grove will relocate the new guacamole processing plant from the existing Pukekohe site to Grove’s own Te Puna-based avocado processing facilities over the next six months.

New staff will be employed to help run the increased operation, which will mean the company will be in a position to meet all New Zealand food service guacamole demands.

“Thanks to our flavourful, locally-grown avocados, we will be supplying high quality products at a competitive price.

“As a team, we’re really excited to enter the guacamole market, and we believe this is a positive step for the New Zealand avocado industry,” James says.

AVOCADO

Page 49

Property offers endless opportunities 29,090 trays in the 2027 season.

Overlooking the property is a designer built, executive style fourbedroom/two bathroom open-plan homestead with a separate study/ office, triple car garaging, and expansive outdoor areas.

Capital investment This Northland property is transitioning to orchards and is currently for sale.

A block of productive rural land transitioning from traditional livestock grazing and feed production activities into more lucrative avocado orcharding has been placed on the market for sale.

The property at Maungatapere just west of Whangarei has 47 hectares of grazing and cropping paddocks, alongside a burgeoning eight-hectare avocado orchard planted last year.

High density orchard

The property mainly consists of volcanic soils with some clay loam, and flat to gentle sloping contour.

Farm records show the property has sustained between 100-130 cattle over winter, and between 50-70 cattle during summer.

Concurrently, the farm has produced about 300 bales of baleage annually, along with 20-hectares of maize which has been grown on lease for about $1000 per hectare. Annual ryegrass is sown in Autumn following the maize

harvest for winter and spring grazing.

Meanwhile, the avocado orchard has some 2,500 Hass on SR1, Dusa and Bounty clonal rootstock, divided across nine blocks surrounded by pinus radiata shelter belts.

The trees are planted at high density of six by four-metre spacings, with Ettinger, Zutano and Bacon pollinator trees interspersed throughout all blocks.

The high density planting will achieve full production in half the timeframe compared to the traditional conventional spacings.

The newly developed avocado blocks are fully watered by pressure compensated irrigation sprinklers – with irrigation on the property supplied from a consented bore.

The bore has capacity to irrigate a further 4ha of avocados, or an alternative crop such as kiwifruit.

The property’s avocado plantings were planted at the beginning of last year.

Crop harvests are forecast to produce 3,636 trays in the 2023 production year, doubling in the 2024 season, and reaching full production capacity of

“specialists in local market avocado marketing”

Bayleys Whangarei salesperson and Northland horticulture specialist Vinni Bhula says the property’s split land usage offers multiple future use options.

“Over the past two years considerable capital investment has been put into establishing the fundamentals of the avocado orchard – from ground preparation and planting through to installation of the irrigation system.

“Obviously, there is the option of continuing the farm in its current split-use model – deriving income from stock grazing and cropping, with avocado production coming on stream from next year and growing steadily after that.

“Conversely, there is the option

4

of increasing avocado production through conversion of the grazing and cropping land – either gradually over a number of years, or on a larger-scale over a shorter term.

“For those potential owners seeking more of a lifestyleorientated rural landholding, the orchard could sustain a contract management arrangement to carry out orcharding activities.

“There are several avocado orcharding companies in the area offering this service.”

2

2

3

Auction (unless sold prior) 1pm, Wednesday 4th May 2022 84 Walton Street, Whangarei, New Zealand Vinni Bhula +64 22 632 0630 vinni.bhula@bayleys.co.nz MACKYS REAL ESTATE LTD, BAYLEYS, LICENSED UNDER THE REA ACT 2008

P: 027 597 4726 | E: glen@zeafruit.co.nz | www.zeafruit.co.nz

“specialists in local market avocado marketing”

P: 027 597 4726 | E: glen@zeafruit.co.nz | www.zeafruit.co.nz

bayleys.co.nz/1050701

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 50

April 22-24

Waikato-BOP Tree

Climbing Champs, Lake Karapiro Domain. See: tinyurl.com/5ujxzfkm

April 23

April 6 Predator Free

Coromandel to Kaimai’s. See: echowalkfest.org.nz

Workshop, 1.30pm, Turangi & Taupō, free.

See: tinyurl. com/yygxfnju

April 10

April 28

April 9-24

Echo Walking Festival,

Hamilton, 10-11am, 188 Commerce St, Hamilton, free but koha appreciated.

Learn to build a rat trap. See: tinyurl.com/ yckmnuup

Tauranga Racecourse, $15. See: tinyurl.com/mr9j5cxm

April 7

April 14

from ‘Great Dixter’, 7.30pm, $10. Hosted by the NZ Alpine Garden Society.

See: nzags.com

7pm, Wesley Church Hall, 13th Ave, Tauranga, $3. See: tinyurl.

Talk by Fergus Garrett

April 9

Gardening with Māori

Tikanga webinar, 10.30am-12.30pm, free but registration essential. See: tinyurl.com/2p9duac5

Plant Fest, 9am-3pm,

Flower Essences Talk,

com/2p9b4xep

April 16-18

Raglan Arts Weekend, 10am-5pm, Raglan.

About 30 artists with studio visits. See: raglanartsweekend.nz

classified listings curriculum vitae

CV’s THAT STAND OUT. Don’t let your C.V. get lost amongst all the others. Get the WOW factor. A C.V. For You can provide you with a personal and professional touch.

From scratch or update existing ones. Check out samples on www. facebook.com/acvforyou or Ph/text on 021 27 27 912.

Home Composting

Perennials: Waikato Horticultural Society, 7.30pm, Gate 2, Hamilton Gardens, $5 non-members. Ph Carmel 07 855 3404.

May 4

Predator Free

Hamilton, 10-11am, 188 Commerce St, Hamilton, free but koha appreciated. Learn to build a rat trap. See: tinyurl.com/yckmnuup

May 7

Crop Swap, 9.30am -10.30am, 45 Beach Rd, Katikati.

Ph: 07 549 2337.

Matahui One-Day School magic Since the mid 1980s students at Matahui School have learnt with a little Matahui Magic.

This magic nurtures children, boosts selfesteem and self-confidence. It benefits them academically, socially and emotionally, creates students who are resilient and ready to face the future.

Now, for the first time, Matahui is offering this magic as a One-Day School in both its Forest School and Visual and Performing Arts programmes.

The Arts programme is taught on the Matahui School site and Forest school is taught in Matahui’s dedicated Emily Salaita adds some forest block close flora to the forest. by. Both classes are open for enrolments and will start Term Two at the beginning of May. The Forest School programme will be under the guidance of Matahui’s experienced and qualified Forest School teacher.

Students engage in experiential play-based learning, developing self-esteem and responsibility for themselves and others.

This is done through challenge and managed risk-taking to develop social, co-operative and creative problem solving skills.

The Arts School programme is an extended immersion in music, drama, dance and visual arts, designed by expert teachers to build students’ confidence through creative expression.

There will also be Mahe Turnwald opportunities to experiments with a participate in concerts rock sculpture beside and student productions. a stream.

The programmes follow Matahui’s core, student-led, holistic approach to education, and will provide a stable learning environment in small classes where students can socialise with other like-minded children with similar interests and needs.

Being a whole-day programme it allows for more in-depth learning and so greater opportunities for academic and personal growth.

Matahui School is an independent school nestled in a rural setting, close to Katikati in the Western Bay of Plenty, providing a stimulating learning environment where learning is fun and engaging.

More information about Matahui School and the One-Day School programme can be found on the School’s website matahui.school.nz

professional services

for sale

PULLETS HY-LINE BROWN, great layers. Phone 07 824 1762 www.eurekapoultryfarm.weebly.com

* your listing *

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.

business opportunity

Matahui School One-Day School 2 Options available Forest School and Performing and Visual Arts School See our website for more details www.matahui.school.nz

Nuturing the potential in every child

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Page 51

FARMERS

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Terms and conditions apply. ** 4 year or 2000 hour power train warranty.

TE AWAMUTU

07 870 2411

TAURANGA

07 543 0021

ROTORUA

07 349 6528

GISBORNE

06 868 8908

Page 52

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS

Phoenix, Grandma, Charlie and Huckleberry petting the friendly chickens in the morning, still in their PJs in Katikati.

Jones Elliott with Zola in Ramarama.

Rach, Fleur and Cooper (in the back pack) enjoying a day hiking in the countryside in Cambridge.

Lexi leads Dad with the inaugural mow with the ride-on in Reporoa.

FARM BUILDING SPECIALISTS.

CONTACT US

07 889 6314 or 021 775 310 info@oneillengineering.co.nz www.oneillengineering.co.nz 73 Thames St, Morrinsville

c1902kwO’neill

GABLE & CIRCULAR BUILDINGS.