Coast & Country News September

BEST ALL ROUND NEWSPAPER 2014 · BEST ALL ROUND NEWSPAPER 2014 · BEST ALL ROUND NEWSPAPER 2014 · BEST ALL ROUND NEWSPAPER 2014

EFFLUENT PAGE 15-20

DAIRY PAGE 21-30

SPRING FERTILISER PAGE 31-34

RURAL DRIVER PAGE 46-50

MAIZE PAGE 51-57

GARDENING PAGE 60

COUNTRY FUNNIES PAGE 69

September 2014 Issue No.169

Bay of Plenty & Waikato Farm, Orchard & Rural Lifestyle

Preserving their future Citrus growers Simon and Caroline Marriott have added value to their fruit by making a range of sweet and savoury preserves, including a marmalade which won silver at World’s Original Marmalade Awards in England. Read their story on pages 4-5. Photo by Elaine Fisher.

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COAST & COUNTRY

Page 2

New variety failures not unexpected Innovation is at the heart of every successful industry, but sometimes the latest model or variety fails to perform as expected.

In the car industry even the best have to occasionally recall vehicles that have developed faults, despite the best efforts of engineers, designers and manufacturers.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that one of Zespri’s new kiwifruit varieties called Charm (G9) has developed a fault – (see page 3) despite years of research and development and pre-commercial trials. However, unlike a motor vehicle, this problem can’t be fixed by taking the fruit back to the workshop for repairs.

Like the car company, Zespri must protect its brand reputation so as Charm goes wrinkly at room temperature and customers don’t

like the way it looks, its future is uncertain.

That’s tough on growers, the early adopters of the new variety, who took a carefully considered risk that it would be a profitable fruit. They are now faced with replacing it and losing more years with no production.

The only viable alternative is the other gold Zespri Sun Gold or (G3) but that’s also a highyielding variety, and takes careful management to achieve the taste the market desires.

Increasing production has some nervous about the industry’s ability to pick and store large volumes of fruit in a very short harvest period.

Zespri general manager grower and government relations Simon Limmer says the industry is tackling this issue.

“Suppliers have confirmed significant infrastructure develop-

ment, including new coolstores, by next season.

“Other industry initiatives to extend the packing window include an early start programme and technologies such as controlled atmosphere.”

Growers will be hoping they can deliver on those plans.

The costs, and risks, of doing business continue to raise for dairy farmers (see pages 11-12) as councils get tough on effluent systems. Significant research and development is going into managing increasing volumes of on-farm waste (see pages 15 to 20) which, while costly, will help ensure the continued right to farm.

Dairy goat farmers face the same stringent effluent requirements as conventional dairy farmers but with the added benefit of working with very affectionate animals – see the Goatland story pages 6-7.

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COAST & COUNTRY

Page 3

New gold fails to charm consumers It’s called Charm and although it tastes great, the new Zespri gold kiwifruit isn’t impressing consumers and may be phased out of commercial production.

future is uncertain because of market feedback from customers, wholesalers and retailers about Gold9 fruit deterioration.

The high-yielding sweet fruit has a problem with “shrivelling” of its skin at room temperature after cool storage and it is that appearance which is putting buyers off because they believe the fruit is deteriorating.

Zespri has offered growers $10,000 per hectare of Gold9 and a Gold3 licence at no cost to remove vines this season, but that was rejected by a majority of gold growers as insufficient to make up for their costs and losses in income.

While Zespri general manager grower and government relations Simon Limmer says no decision has been made about the commercial future of Gold9, many growers believe next season will be their last harvest of the fruit.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc president Neil Trebilco says the wrinkling is cosmetic and the fruit in fact tastes great, but Zespri’s marketing efforts have been unable to convince its customers and consumers that’s the case.

G9 was released commercially four years ago and about 1.7 million trays currently grow on 150 ha. The fruit can be grown in the Bay of Plenty without the use of the chemical Hi-Cane and it produces up to 24,575 trays per hectare of high-tasting fruit.

“Zespri has made it clear to Gold9 growers that the future of the variety is uncertain, due to inherent quality issues that have yet to be overcome.”

Should it be de-commercialised, growers will be entitled to the compensation outlined in their licence agreement with Zespri, he says.

All new varieties carry some risk with them and the issues apparent with Gold9 have been made very clear to

Pooled returns

Returns for G9 are pooled with the other new gold variety Zespri Sun Gold (G3), which means G9 returns are pegged to those of G3.

Neil says the industry needs to have a discussion before the end of the year on a proposal that G9 have its own payment pool, which would mean true profits and losses were sheeted home to growers.

“This needs to happen soon, as growers naturally don’t like uncertainty,” says Neil.

The current uncertainty around the future of G9 is tough on growers as re-grafting to another variety will mean loss of production and income before the vines come into production.

Tauranga G9 grower and chairman of the Green Growers Group, Mike Smith, says while he’s not happy about the decision, he supports Zespri because of the adverse impacts G9 could have on the brand.

Mike has notch-grafted his G9 vines to G3 and says next season will be the last harvest of the G9 fruit on his orchard.

“I think Zespri has tried to find answers to the

Compensation

The appeal of Zespri’s Charm variety is fading. shrivelling but hasn’t been successful and unless a novel solution is found I think they have done the right thing.

“We can look in the rear vision mirror, as to how G9 was released and why the shrivel problem didn’t show up sooner, but that’s not helpful.”

World’s best

One grower, who does not wish to be named, says he’s extremely upset at Zespri’s decision, as he believes G9 is the best-yielding and tasting gold fruit in the world.

“Someone somewhere will get its DNA and start producing it,” says the grower, who has reluctantly grafted his G9 vines to the other gold variety G3.

He believes the shrivelling issue could be overcome by improved cool storage and handling facilities in the markets and that the fruit should be sold in niche markets, not alongside G3.

At the Zespri AGM in July, CEO Lain Jager indicated the future of G9 may be in doubt.

“Ultimately we may need to consider whether this variety remains viable.

“Our strategy must be built from the market back through the rest of the supply chain. This means success is likely to be reflected by having relatively few, relatively large product categories, which each earn their own shelf space.

“In this environment we must avoid the temptation to allow the proliferation of small products in the market and have the courage to de-commercialise cultivars that do not have a clear role in the portfolio.”

Simon Limmer told Coast & Country the variety’s

growers throughout the commercialisation process, says Simon.

“Ultimately, growers make a decision about whether to invest in a new variety based on all the information put in front of them and on their own risk profile.”

All Gold9 fruit this year has been shipped and sold in the markets of Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea and Australia. Gold9 was not sold in Japan in 2014 or 2013.

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 4

From African savannah to valley’s green pastures Simon Marriott has created his own ‘wildlife reserve’ by damming a small wetland on the family farm.

Suffolk sheep are also bred on Simon and Caroline Marriot’s farm.

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Back then the couple lived among the spectacular landscapes of northern Kenya, where ‘livestock’ included rare black rhino and Grevy’s zebra.

The contrast between their secluded 12.4 hectares in Omahu Valley, near Thames, and Lewa – a 22,257.7ha Kenyan wildlife conservancy – couldn’t be more extreme.

Instead of green pastures there were savannah, wetlands and forests roamed by elephant, giraffe, buffalo, antelope, lion, cheetah and leopard.

In 1995, Simon, a former British Army officer became the privately-owned conservancy’s administrator. So together with wife Caroline, a physiotherapist, and children Clare, four, Sally, three, and Tom, 15 months, the family left England for Lewa.

“It was a huge step to leave England with such a young family, and another child, Emma, on the way; but it was a wonderful opportunity for our children to experience Kenya and the wildlife there,” says Caroline.

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lenging and exciting, and they loved it.

But they came to New Zealand in 1999 to further their children’s education, although the family retains close links with one of the most successful and innovative wildlife conservation projects on private land in eastern Africa, and perhaps worldwide.

Anna Merz

Simon says Lewa had its beginning thanks to English woman, the late Anna Merz, who was passionate about conservation of the critically endangered black rhino.

In the early 1980s Anna approached the Craig family, who owned a large cattle ranch in northern Kenya, to establish a rhino sanctuary on their land.

Ngare Sergoi Rhino Sanctuary thrived and became the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in 1995. Lewa’s strategic adviser Ian Craig, with Anna, and his late father David Craig, ran the sanctuary.

Ian also spearheaded formation of the Northern Rangelands Trust, an umbrella body supporting community conservancies in northern Kenya.

Simon’s role at Lewa included arming and training guards to protect wildlife

from poachers; and he was also involved in Lewa’s programmes to provide a sustainable future for the conservancy through tourism, and ensure the co-existence of wildlife and human populations in the area.

“We were able to demonstrate to local people the value of live animals, because of the tourists they attracted.”

Thanks to tourism and international donations, Lewa and the people within the area continue to benefit from improved roads, schools and income.

Perimeter fence

“The perimeter is fenced but there is 30 metre gap in the north side, which migratory game like elephants and antelope can pass through, but with a low wall that prevents rhino from crossing,” says Simon.

As the benefits of the conservancy were recognised by adjoining landowners and the government, Simon says the conservancy boundaries have grown.

Plus, even more ways of protecting wildlife have been found, including a highway underpass that allows elephants to follow their traditional migratory paths.

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 5

Omahu marmalade wins British award Caroline Marriott’s Omahu Valley Citrus Tangelo Marmalade won a silver award and its grapefruit marmalade was highly commended in the 9th World’s Original Marmalade Awards in England.

Caroline Marriott makes a wide range of sweet and savoury products from Omahu Valley’s orchard. because judges give detailed reports on each entry, whether it wins or not.

Silver award

“There were many sceptics that the elephant underpass wouldn’t work, but it did.”

It took just one bull elephant named Tony to walk through the underpass for it to become accepted by the herd.

Small farm

Buying a small farm wasn’t part of the plan when the Marriotts arrived in New Zealand but after the wide open spaces of Lewa, urban living didn’t appeal.

When they found the property in Omahu Valley Rd in 2000 it was love at first sight. Then came the realisation a small farm can be almost as much work as a big one, and it needed to pay its way.

Caroline and Simon employed a consultant for advice and decided to plant citrus trees – 900 of them during two years. There is about 0.6ha of Yen Ben lemons and the same area of Bearss Limes. Other citrus trees on the farm include tangelos, tangors, grapefruit, lemonade, mandarins and

various types of oranges.

The whole family planted most of the orchard and shelter trees.

Now Simon and Caroline manage the orchard themselves, pruning, fertilising, mowing, spraying and picking fruit. “The good thing about citrus is you don’t have to pick it all at once,” says Simon.

As well as running the orchard, Simon joined the Waikato Mounted Rifles as its commander.

For 11 years Caroline has worked as a physiotherapist at the Thames Hospital, while at the same time building up a small flock of pedigree Suffolk sheep and making marmalades, pickles and preserves from the orchard fruit.

Thames market

“I was selling fruit at the Thames Market when I inquired about selling homemade marmalade too, only to be told I needed a registered kitchen to be able to do that.”

Caroline and Simon didn’t want to go to the expense of build-

ing a commercial kitchen until they knew the business would be viable, so Caroline went to Thames-Coromandel District Council for advice.

“The Environmental Health Officer was very helpful, and after visiting my home kitchen, said it could be registered provided I followed strict food safety protocols using a Food Control Plan,” says Caroline.

She also attended a food-handling course and began producing a range of sweet and savoury products, all preservative-free with no artificial ingredients.

These are sold under the Omahu Valley Citrus label, using fruit from the orchard.

The popularity of her products at the market has grown and Caroline also supplies a number of retail outlets, including Farro Fresh Food in Auckland.

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“It’s a wonderful space to work in, bright and light; and having a separate and professional kitchen will greatly help to expand the business and increase production of the Omahu Valley Citrus range,” says Caroline.

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COAST & COUNTRY

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Goats are considerate kidders Goats keep quite civilised hours when it comes to kidding, according Kerry Averill of Goatland Farm at Morrinsville.

“They tend to kid between 11am and 7pm, which means you don’t have to stay up all night checking them,” says Kerry.

However, with 1300 milking goats producing twins and triplets at Goatland Farm those daytime ‘maternity’

hours are intense for Kerry and his wife Robyn and their staff.

“It’s full on during kidding and we need extra staff to cope with the kids and record-keeping,” says Kerry.

Kids stay with their mothers for the first 24 hours, to ensure they receive colostrum milk to help establish their natural immunity, and are then moved to small warm pens where they learn to feed from an “on-tap” milk feeder system.

Goats’ inquisitive nature means they are interested in anything happening around their barns.

“Kids learn really quickly; far faster than calves,” says Kerry.

Some kids will become replacements for the Goatland herd, some will be sold to other farmers; and bucks will be sold for meat.

However, despite demand for it, the goat meat industry is still relatively undeveloped in New Zealand, says Kerry.

Very demanding

Robyn and Kerry switched from cows to goats 10 years ago on their 50 hectare farm 10km from Morrinsville and have no regrets – despite the pressures of goat farming.

“Goat farming isn’t for everyone,” says Robyn.

“It’s very demanding and goats are completely different to handle than cows.”

Kerry agrees. “Goats are intelligent, inquisitive and affectionate animals.”

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 7

Linda Flynn and Mike Coop take time out from kidding to spend with young goats on Goatland Farm at Morrinsiville.

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Goatland Farm at Morrinsville has farmed milking goats for five years.

The Averill farm is part of the Dairy Goat Co-operative, which has limited membership, currently to 70 members milking between them 40,000 goats – and there’s a waiting list to join.

“The co-operative’s aim is to match supply with market demand, however it’s possible we may require up to 100 members in five years,” says Kerry.

The co-operative makes and cans infant milk formula from its Hamilton dairy factory, exporting it to more than 20 countries.

Part of the success of the infant formula is down to the on-farm ‘formula’ for caring for, feeding and milking the dairy goats.

Grass fed

Goatland’s goats are housed indoors year-round in large, light, airy pens and are fed grass and Lucerne grown on the farm, supplemented with New Zealand grown maize, canola and hay. No imported supplements, including PKE, are fed to the herd.

The goats – each of which are named – wear collars and ear tags as well as a leg tag, which is read when they enter the 100-bail iCONVEYERS rotary installed five years ago.

“I know what each goat is producing and when some are drying off – it’s not always visibly obvious because there can be little change in the udder appearance,” says Kerry.

The rotary is the same size as a 50-cow rotary, with smaller bails to accommodate the does, which produce between three-four litres of milk daily.

Because of the inquisitive nature of goats and their tendency to chew almost anything in their reach, the dairy had to be re-designed – and not just to accommodate their smaller size.

“We had to put the electronic equipment up high out of their reach,” says Kerry.

Environment rules

Milking takes about two-and-a-half hours in the morning and about one-and-a-half hours at night.

A cooling system lowers the milk temperature to seven degrees Celsius when it enters the vat, and down to four degrees Celsius shortly after. Milk is collected every two days.

Kerry has installed a lab in the dairy to test the milk, ensuring it meets high standards demanded by the co-operative.

While goats don’t produce the volume of effluent dairy cows do, farmers are under the same regional council environmental rules and scrutiny as their dairying counterparts.

On the Averill farm, liquid waste is sprayed onto pasture and bedding from the barns is used as compost for maize crops – and the family vegetable garden.

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NZ industry benefits from South African experiences There are no citrus orchards in this country as large as the 1300 hectares Keith Pyle once managed in Zimbabwe, but the lessons he learned there are now being put to good use in New Zealand.

Today Keith, who has a degree in agriculture with entomology, plant pathology and plant protection as the focus, is a member of the New Zealand Citrus Growers Inc research committee.

He’s a citrus grower too. In 1998 when Keith and wife Madeline immigrated to New Zealand, the two hectare citrus orchard they bought near

Katikati was considered by them to be small.

Today it’s one of the few remaining in the region, where most citrus orchards have been replaced by kiwifruit.

However, the citrus industry is strong in Northland and Gisborne – and Keith’s science background and years of experience on large commercial citrus orchards in Southern Africa was, and still is, in demand.

Keith grew up near Johannesburg in South Africa and was educated at Natal University.

His first job was in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), researching cotton pest problems.

An OE to the UK and time with Outward Bound followed – Keith is a keen hiker and mountaineer.

On his return Keith was involved in a programme to control tsetse fly, which transmits the protozoa causing sleeping sickness in humans, in some parts of Africa, and fever, weakness lethargy and even death in animals.

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“The aim was to control the fly in low-lying areas to prevent its spread to the higher areas where cattle were farmed,” says Keith.

Control involved Keith spending weeks in the outdoors managing hunting teams shooting bush buck, kudu, wart hog and buffalo – the main hosts in a corridor area.

The chemical DDT was also sprayed very selectively to kill flies in low-lying bush areas.

In 1974 Keith took a position on an estate north of Harare, owned by the Anglo-American corporation.

“The citrus orchard was initially 1300ha but we Hon Tony Ryall reduced that to 750ha and grew fruit mainly for the local market,” says Keith.

MP FOR FOR BAY BAY OF OF PLENTY PLENTY“There were 40ha of limes – and despite the interMP national sanctions against the country at the time, we Ph: 07 578 0175 exported lime juice to the UK for Rose’s Lime Juice.”

The estate also grew cotton, maize, soya bean and wheat. www.national.org.nz Plant protection was the focus of much of Keith’s

Katikati citrus grower Keith Pyle is a member of the New Zealand Citrus Growers Inc research committee. work. “There was a problem with citrus greening and scale insects, red scale in particular, which had developed resistance to organophosphate sprays.

“Spraying with hard chemicals had also almost wiped out the beneficial insects. We began using mineral oils instead.

“Within three years we were able to turn the situation around. The scale insects were controlled by the oils and the beneficial insects were back.”

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Keith and Madeline moved to Swaziland in 1981 where Keith managed a property with 800ha of citrus and 4000ha of sugar and a 25,000ha cattle/ game ranch.

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COAST & COUNTRY

Page 9

Offshore pests pose citrus threat

Damage to leaves, caused by the citrus flower moth.

In their 17 years on the property Keith says he eventually spent more time on administration and less on research and citrus management, which is when thoughts turned to a new life in New Zealand.

Keith was in contact with the citrus company Kati Kist in Katikati (now Zeafruit) and felt there were opportunities within the citrus industry for him in New Zealand.

After settling here and purchasing an orchard, Keith became involved in New Zealand Citrus Growers Inc’s research into integrated pest management, funded by the Sustainable Farming Fund.

He worked alongside Phillipa Stevens and others of HortResearch (now Plant & Food) running field and laboratory research, consulting with growers, and drawing on his South African experiences.

Keith is an advocate of pruning citrus trees to open them up to light and to allow better application of sprays.

“When I came to New Zealand not a lot of pruning was done and some of the trees were huge. Pruning also seems to have an influence on biennial bearing, making the trees fruit more consistently.”

The IPM research focused on control measures which didn’t destroy beneficial insects in orchards, but rather worked with them to control pests.

Today NZCGI research is co-ordinated

by NZCGI in Wellington and Keith is still part of the team.

White fly

“The newest problem citrus growers are facing is Australian citrus white fly, which was first discovered here in 2001,” says Keith.

“We believe it blew across the Tasman.”

The insect’s secretions cause black sooty mould to grow on citrus and attempts have been made to introduce a parasitic wasp from Australia to help in its control.

“So far attempts to get a colony of the insects established here have failed.”

However, spray programmes are currently controlling the insect, along with other pests including thrips, but Keith says those sprays costs about$1000 per hectare, which is a significant expense for growers.

Another pest is the citrus flower mouth with its larvae burrowing into citrus flowers and fruit, causing cosmetic marking on Yen

Keith Pyle is an advocate of pruning citrus trees, to open them up to light and to allow better application of sprays.

Ben lemons which means they can’t be sold as premium grade one fruit.

There are other threats offshore, which the New Zealand industry hopes won’t get here.

They include the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri, which has become a serious threat to California’s citrus industry.

Not only does it feed on plants, damaging leaves, the insect is also a vector of the bacterium CandidatusLiberibacter asiaticus, associated with the fatal citrus disease huanglongbing, also called citrus greening disease.

If the disease ever got to New Zealand it could be devastating for the citrus industry, says Keith.

In between his research and consultancy work, Keith and Madeline grow Yen Ben and Meyer lemons, early and late Navel oranges, tangelos and mandarins – including the new variety Afourer – in their Katikati orchard.

The couple employ backpackers to help with picking and enjoy meeting young people from around the world.

Most of the fruit goes to local market, but this season five bins of lemons were exported

By Elaine Fisher to China.

Page 10

COAST & COUNTRY

Geese essential part of wines’ success A disappointing pay offer, a hail storm and a flock of geese all played roles in the establishment of a Whakatane fruit winery.

When Tony and Jutta Firmin emigrated from England 58 years ago, Tony’s first job was as a company representative.

Soils

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Research wine “It was a great way to see the country making centre at “I did a wine making but at the end of 12 months I told Jutta course through AIT, much I would look for another job unless I Te Kawhata, where of it by correspondence,” the blueberries were was offered a one pound rise in salary,” made into a very says Tony. says Tony.

“I was the only fruit wine acceptable wine. So The offer was less than a pound so began White Goose maker, and probably the Tony got a farming job, milking in a oldest member of the class.” walk-through shed. winery.

The name Tony imported wine “I’d never milked a cow in my comes from the making equipment from life,” says Tony.

Plums from the Firmin Italy and Hawke’s Bay, and white geese that Later the couple went shareproperty at Awakeri are used 17 years ago was licensed to graze the grass miking at Opotiki, eventually to make plum wine. make and sell wine. buying their own small farm near beneath the plum and feijoa trees, from which All the wine making happens on-site in Awakeri 17 years ago.

Tony makes wine. “The geese Luxton Rd, near Awakeri, and when ready There Jutta and Tony grew for bottling is transported by Tony to Mills keep the grass down and fertilise blueberries until a severe hailthe trees at the same time.”

Reef Winery in Tauranga. storm one December destroyed White Goose Winery has won a number the crop.

Blueberries no longer grow on the 3.75ha property but there are of awards, including the best sparkling wine “I walked through the orchard 1900 feijoa and about 60 plum trophy at the 2012 National Fruit Wine looking at the damaged fruit and competition for its Sparkling Trinity Wine wondered if it could be used White Goose Sparkling trees, including three different made from boysenberries, strawberries varieties. to make wine,” says Tony.

Trinity won the best and plums. White Goose winery is open He took fruit to what was sparkling wine trophy at Fruit from the trees is sold most days for tastings, just off State then called the Department the 2012 National Fruit fresh as well as processed into Highway 30. of Scientific and Industrial wine, and other fruit is brought Wine competition.

By Elaine Fisher

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 11

Battle of the waterways: town versus country Fact: Urban streams are more degraded than rural streams. Yes, you read that correctly.

When talking with farmers recently, several have commented their waterways look healthier than those they see in town. And yes, it’s true. Rural streams often have better water quality, stream habitat and biodiversity.

But before you say: “We told you so”, read on to get the full story.

Every year, Auckland Council checks the health of streams around the region, with 23 in total. Council monitors five indicators of stream health, which are graded from A to F. The results show rural streams are a lot healthier than urban streams.

Auckland’s urban streams are severely degraded, with grades on average between D and E. The reasons for degradation include piping and channelisation, stormwater discharges, erosion, weeds, debris, and fish passage obstacles.

These problems are often difficult and very expensive to fix, and Auckland Council is devoting a lot of money to reversing them with projects for stream daylighting, re-naturalisation and enhancement.

Better grades

Auckland’s rural streams, on the other hand, have notably better grades – on average between B and C. Every indicator of stream health is better in rural streams than in urban streams. Auckland Council’s website notes rural waterway health has improved markedly in the last 10 years.

So what’s the catch? There are two.

First, Auckland is the only region in New Zealand where urban streams cover such a large proportion of the total stream catchment area.

Although urban streams in New Zealand’s towns and cities will show the same degradation to varying degrees, the total area impacted is relatively small.

In comparison, rural stream health is a concern almost everywhere and the total area impacted is very large.

Second, even though rural stream health is improving, it still falls within the ‘degraded’ part of the continuum.

In Auckland’s rural streams, the indicators that score worst are habitat and biodiversity, followed closely by water quality. Although regional councils report neutral or improving trends in water quality indicators, some indicators continue to get worse.

In the battle of the waterways, farmers have a distinct advantage. Unlike urban streams, improving rural stream health is not necessarily complicated or expensive.

While councils need to spend thousands of dollars per metre to restore urban streams, rural waterway health has the potential for dramatic improvement with simple good management.

There are effective and inexpensive actions you can take to solve a range of problems that not only improve waterways on-farm, but downstream too. And there are a range of benefits of enhancing streams you might not have thought of.

Auckland’s urban streams are severely degraded.

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Page 12

COAST & COUNTRY

Farmers allege ‘intimidation’ by compliance staff Intimidating and unfair is how a Kopu farming couple describe the way Waikato Regional Council compliance officers treated them during an investigation into environmental issues on their farm.

In July Judge Jeff Smith imposed a fine of $47,250 for offending which he says had “long term and insidious” effects on the environment.

The farm, which has been owned by the same family since 1932, had received no previous prosecutions for consent breaches The couple, who do not wish to be named for family and the incident which resulted in the court reasons, accept the Auckland District Court conviction action followed exceptionally heavy rain last of their Tuitahi Farm on four environmental offences, September, say the farm’s owners. but question why the case even went to court.

“We had 210mm of rain on the Wednesday and after that 70mm on Friday.

“The Thames council uses our farm and others around us as a flood plain to protect the town at times of high rainfall and they did that in September [2013].

“Sometimes we only have 20 minutes’ warning to get our stock to higher ground – which Specialising in on this flat farm is pretty much the cowshed Specialising in and feed pad,” says one of the owners.

• Removal / chipping of whole • Removal / chipping of whole trees “Wetrees Waikato Regional Council investigations were so busy looking after our stock • On site chipping for stand off pads manager Patrick Lynch says council staff are we did not initially realise the barrier ditch • On site chipping for stand off pads “very careful to ensure that an individual’s by the feed pad had over-topped.”

• Wood chip for sale • Wood chip for sale rights are respected at all times”.

Information gathering “The court has very strict expectations • Orchard shelter removal • Orchard shelter removal Shortly afterwards council staff flew over on how information is gathered. We follow • Stump removal the farm in a helicopter and noticed the best practice when gathering information, • Stump removal breach. The next day two officers arrived at particularly when interviewing parties who Woodlot marketing all the treefarm species • Woodlot• marketing of all tree of species and asked to speak to the husmay have some culpability for what is perband and wife separately. “I felt that was ceived by the court as serious offending.” intimidating and we refused to be sepaPatrick says when a case is considered for rated. Another two officers drove down the prosecution a host of factors are taken into road to talk to our farm worker, who quite consideration, including actual adverse rightly refused to talk to them.” effects on the environment; degree of due

This 2.3 million litre Kliptank and other improvements to the effluent system enabled Tuitahi Farms’ owners to continue milking their herd. care taken; efforts to remedy or mitigate the effects and repeat non-compliance or previous enforcement action for the same or similar situation.

Expired consent

In his sentencing Judge Smith says while the farm system had been consented, that consent expired in 2010. Solutions to remedy the situation were limited and council had concerns but “essentially accepted that if the system was operated as intended then it complied with permitted activity standards”.

Fallow’s fascination for author

Howard Egan has hunted big game in New Zealand and offshore, but it’s the Howard, better known smaller and often elusive as ‘granddad’ to his friends fallow deer which have on the FishnHunt internet become a life-long fascinaforum, has been involved tion. with acclimatisation socieHoward says he “became ties, deer stalkers, Ducks an avid deer hunter in Unlimited and served on 1957 and almost immedithe National Recreational ately fixated on fallow deer Hunting Advisory Comand trophy hunting”. mittee and was convener In the decades since he’s of the Clevedon Game Fair learned a lot about fallow, in 1989. and in his latest book ‘Son ‘Son of the Mist’ by Thanks to publishers of the Mist’ shares his Howard Egan is the Halcyon Press, Coast & knowledge with readers.

Coast & Country book Country has a copy of ‘Son “As a young man, already prize for September. of the Mist’ to give away. a keen fallow hunter, I To be in to win, email your name and received encouragement from an older address, with Book Prize as the subject, man. His 1957 hunt to the Greenstone to: elaine@thesun.co.nz Or put these Valley and the ‘Sons of the Mist’ introduced me to that glorious herd and a life details on the back of an envelope and post to: Coast & Country Book Prize, with fallow deer.

PO Box 240, Tauranga 3110, to arrive “I dedicate this book to the late no later than August 17.

Norman Douglas – author of the wellThe winner will be announced in established Douglas Score system,” Coast & Country’s September issue.

Howard writes.

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 13 A new holding pond with a weeping wall has been built to replace the sealed drain at the end of the feed pad.

$400,000

cost of remedying effluent system On of several new pumps installed as part of the new effluent system on Tuitahi Farm.

everything right, and more, and still got When council undertook fly-overs hammered by council,” the farmer says. and inspection of the farm its officers In his judgement, Judge Smith comJudge Smith says “found that efflumends the farmer on installing the ent had been leaving the barrier ditch, going down the farm drain and entering new systems, including the larger than required tank. natural water”.

“Nonetheless, that system should have Judge Smith also says washdown from been installed earlier,” he says. the milk shed, including milk products, The farmers say they were not aware went directly into a farm drain and then council intended to take a case to court to natural water with no treatment. He and it was not until March, two months also comments on the farm practice of after the Kliptank had been installed, excavating solid material from the barthat they were told. rier ditch and piling it on the ground to Patrick Lynch says once a case is dry. “This in itself has problems because there was no barrier between the ground authorised for prosecution by a panel of three managers the file goes to an indeand the solid effluent and accordingly, pendent law firm for them to consider spot concentrations of effluent were whether a released to prosecution the soils and is in the sub soils”. public The interest and farmer, who whether is the third the case has generation of evidential his family on sufficiency. the property, “A prosecuadmits he tion will not should have Tuitahi farm in September last year when it was be initiated done more flooded during heavy rain. without the work on support of the farm’s that independent legal opinion.” effluent systems some time ago, but At that hearing Judge Smith ordered what was in place was consented and Tuitahi Farms Limited “not to comdespite inspections by council staff and mence milking” until a new dairy Fonterra, he had not been instructed to effluent system was in operation on the upgrade anything.

Kopu farm. However, council officers gave the farm the go-ahead to milk, Effluent storage based on the system then in place.

After council staff visited the farm, The press release council circulated owners contacted the Tauranga company Kliptank to order an above ground about the court case has also been hurtful, the couple say, as they believe it 2.5 million litre effluent storage tank. paints them in an untrue and bad light When he saw the issues they were and has been widely published by media facing, Ian Jamieson of Kliptank throughout the country. brought in other experts to help address “It said we were discharging large volthe issues around milk vat waste and the umes of effluent into farm drains which barrier ditch by the feed pad. flowed a short distance to the Waihou “In all it has cost us around $400,000 River. The drain, or more correctly barto do everything we have done, and rier ditch, in question was closed at both that’s put us under considerable finanends and for us to discharge into the cial pressure. We feel we have done

Waihou River would require about three kilometres of pipeline which we certainly don’t have.”

The way council staff handled the case, the court appearance, publicity and the fine have put the couple under considerable financial and emotional stress, they say.

“We are not the only ones. We know of several other farmers feeling stressed by council actions, often for one-off breaches. It adds to the other stresses farmers

are under and I’m not surprised some are considering suicide.”

The couple accept council staff have an important role to play in protecting the environment but they also feel they should give consideration to farmers who are trying to do the right thing and who don’t have a history of breaking the rules.

“For some people it just becomes all too hard, and they give up farming.”

By Elaine Fisher

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BUSINESS

Page 14

Fat nest egg – or straws in the nest box I want to talk about the difference between capital and disposable income – in other words, looking after your money (capital) and spending the cash.

An aging client recently called me to say she wished to sell her commercial buildings, which had been netting her about $40,000 for many years. That, on top of her pension, would make a single 70-plus woman quite well off.

On further discussion it became apparent her accountant is suggesting she should sell and spend the money, the capital that is.

With an eight per cent capitalisation

rate, the building is probably worth say $500,000. That $500,000 divided by $40,000 spending per annum equals 12-and-a-bit years. Based on this calculation, at age 82-and-a-bit, she’s out of money.

Would she not be better to hold the buildings, even if she had to pay a property manager, because the $40,000 per annum would continue on?

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offshore purchasers or other New Zealand farmers.

You sell the property and the income flow ceases.

You have a sum of capital or cash in the bank, but you have no cashflow – and, because you don’t understand money, you start spending the cash.

Nest egg

A house in town, a world trip, a bit for each child and a new car you have always wanted, and suddenly the fat nest egg is looking like a few straws in the bottom of the nesting box.

The thrust of this argument or story is we must identify the difference between capital and cashflow.

Capital is what you invest to create cashflow. Cashflow should really only be spent to try and protect your capital for future cashflow.

I then pondered on who is, and who should be, advising people on how to manage their assets and capital versus cashflow.

We have all these new regulations in place, but the fact remains many advisors – some accountants and solicitors included – aren’t working towards protecting capital assets for cashflow for their clients.

The Institute of Directors is lifting its game,

INDUSTRIES

As many people who have a family trust will be aware – or should be – trust law is undergoing a number of significant changes.

My concern is many people, including farmers, are great at managing their businesses but as soon as the asset is sold they become confused with all the cash in the bank and how to manage it.

It seems to me there is a lack of understanding and professional support around the necessity to protect as much capital as possible, for production of disposable income for their future.

These are the opinions of Don Fraser of Fraser Farm Finance.

Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate professional assistance should be sought. Don Fraser is the principal of Fraser Farm Finance, and a consultant to the farming industry.

Contact him on 0800 777 675 or 021 777 675.

terested professional who isn’t legally qualified.

Running a trust properly requires a great deal of knowledge about ever-evolving trust law. Typically, lawyers keep up-to-date with changing trust law, whereas accountants or cousin Fred may not.

Using the independent trustee services provided by your lawyer and fully involving all trustees in all trust decisions can ensure that, when your trust is called upon to protect your most valuable assets, your trust will withstand an ‘attack’. This is what a trust is designed to do, and what the law allows.

A recent case highlighted an issue we often see in day-to-day practice. Agreements for sale and purchase of land are often prepared by a real estate agent.

And instead of recording all trustees as the vendor and/or purchaser, the agreement only refers to and is signed by Mr and Mrs – not by the independent trustee.

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Confused

Trusts – do it right or do it wrong

These changes have come about because of a number of court actions brought by frustrated trustees and beneficiaries, through the application of an outdated Trustee Act 1956 to modern trusts.

Just around the corner is a new Trusts Act. Government has decided a new act governing trusts is necessary, and is currently considering how the proposed legislation will interact with other legislation, such as the Property Law Act, Companies Act and Property (Relationships) Act. The new legislation aims to modernise the law of trusts, making it clearer and more user-friendly to non-professional trustees.

Trusts often fail because of the way they are managed, or mismanaged. Too often are trusts poorly managed by ‘passive’ independent trustees, whether those trustees are family relatives, an accountant or another disin-

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trying to get higher standards and registration in place for its members to give the public more qualified support.

It therefore seems to me there needs to be a profession who act as trustees and professional advisors to assist the public to hold and manage assets to provide cashflow for their clients – and don’t take the soft option of cashing up and putting the money in the bank, where it will depreciate and allow clients to spend capital too.

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An agreement signed in such a way is, as the recent judgment stated, unenforceable.

Quite simply, where a trust is the vendor and/or purchaser, all trustees must sign.

Anything less is not binding on the trust and is unenforceable.

The courts have confirmed an agreement must be signed by all trustees to be enforceable. To lawyers, this is obvious.

The basis of a trust is property is held by all trustees, on behalf of the beneficiaries. This basic principle is often overlooked by many trustees, including nonlegal professional trustees.

When undertaking something ‘legal’ with your trust, full involvement of all trustees is a must. Legal advice is always recommended when dealing with trust property to ensure the I’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed – and most importantly, to ensure your valuable assets remain protected.

EFFLUENT

Page 15

Tank answer to farmers’ effluent dilemma The installation of a 2.3 million litre Kliptank has enabled a Kopu farm to resume milking after a court order had prevented it from doing so.

The owners of Tuitahi Farms near Thames were prosecuted by Environment Waikato (see story pages 12-13) for environmental offences when their existing, and permitted effluent system overflowed during heavy rain.

“They were facing a real dilemma, as they needed an appropriate storage and management system suitable for their particular location to be installed as quickly as possible before the new season,” says Ian Jamieson of Kliptank.

But it wasn’t just a storage problem which faced the owners. A re-engineering of the drainage from the dairy shed and the feed pad was required to replace the existing barrier ditch and provision a new sand trap and pump sump to facilitate management of irrigation and storage tank diversion. Storage calculations and a compliant irrigation plan were also required with urgency.

Ian worked with Shane Carter, of Interface Chemistry, who designed the irrigation plan and worked out the storage requirements.

Williams Engineering was engaged to redesign the drainage and subsequently installed a sand-trap, pump sump and a collection sump and weeping wall at the end of the feed pad. The farm also installed two transfer pumps to link the sumps to the Kliptank and an irrigation pump at the tank to provide tank stirring and irrigation to the farm.

The owners said: “We’d seen Kliptanks at the Fieldays and we compared them with others on the market

before deciding a Kliptank was ideal for our needs.

“We were concerned about the safety of animals and children with a pond and the Kliptank was naturallyfenced, so it was nice and safe.

“We also didn’t want any structure that would be an eyesore on the landscape; the Kliptank just blends in, and finally we needed something which could be installed straight away. A Kliptank ticked all the boxes.”

An order for the tank, which measures 40 metres in diameter and is two metres high, was placed on October 24, 2013.

“Kliptank handled all aspects of the Building Consent, which was issued on November 6, and the tank was delivered on December 17 and the tank was installed in just three days.”

Ian says the Kliptank is the ideal solution for the farm, which has a soft marine clay soils.

Kliptanks are constructed directly on the ground and require nothing more than a level site and sand base with limited excavation and no base coarse, footings, concrete foundations or concrete floor, so there are no associated risks of concrete cracking due to soil settling.

The tanks are constructed of long-lasting UV inhibited HDPE panels and marine grade aluminium and the liner is a flexible polypropylene carrying a 20-year warranty.

“There are no steel panels to rust and the wire ropes are fitted with brass and stainless turnbuckles for strength and longevity,” says Ian. “The farmers now have peace of mind, knowing they have an additional 1000m3 more storage than was required for the 330-cow herd.

“This means the effluent can be stored during wet conditions, and used to irrigate the pasture when there is a soil moisture deficit.”

Kliptank’s Ian Jamieson, with a 2.3 million litre tank the company installed on a Kopu farm.

Effluent like ‘money in the bank’ The effluent stored in farmers’ ponds is like money in the bank – and now’s the time to withdraw it, says Graham McRobbie of Otakiri.

The Joskin slurry tanker has been a vital asset to the Te Teko racecourse, which is leased by Graham McRobbie Contracting, who has been able to inject cowshed effluent and effluent from Fonterra’s Edgecumbe factory – doubling the grass silage take and also doubling the number of cows for wintering.

“With maize planting season fast approaching it would be a great time to empty that effluent pond and place it on the paddock being put into maize,” says Graham.

This can either be sprayed on top of the ground or injected in with the sola disc.

With the Joskin Vacu slurry tanker being able to suck out 20,000 litres in two-and-a-half to three minutes, it’s a very economical option by doing two jobs for one cost.

Graham says if there are any trace elements required these can be added to effluent at the same time.

“The dairy effluent is a great source of nutrition for growing maize.

Paddocks that were done last season Graham McRobbie, with his Joskin Vacu slurry tanker that produced some good results.” can empty effluent ponds and apply it to maize paddocks.

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EFFLUENT

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EFFLUENT

Page 17

Finding cost-effective, innovative solutions Finding innovative, cost-effective solutions for the rural sector is what Hynds Rural prides itself on, says David Crake of Hynds Rural.

“Hynds has the ability to engineer solutions for individual clients, which ensures they end up with a robust asset, which performs as it should – and, because it is concrete, it will stand the test of time for future generations,” says David.

An example is the Hypond, a unique, siteassembled, precast effluent tank that comes in four standard sizes from 40,000 to 145,000 litre capacity.

However, for farms which need more storage, there’s the Megapond which comes in sizes from 500,000 litres to four million-litre capacity.

The company can facilitate the design-andbuild of a complete effluent storage system, from stone-traps to ponds and storage bunkers.

Hynds works with customers to understand their needs and local environmental regulations.

Underpasses, culverts and bridges are another speciality; and once engineering designs are complete and consents issued, these can be installed quickly, thanks to the pre-cast modular design of the components.

Ponds, underpasses and bridges are a significant investment. With this in mind at Hynds, they’re designed to relevant building and transport agency codes with an emphasis on seismic loadings to ensure compliance and asset insurance needs are met.

Overall, Hynds prides itself on providing solutions which asset owners can have faith in and be proud of.

Hynds’ Taupo branch manager Darryl Watson.

Reducing the loss of phosphorus and nitrogen Farm gateways with high phosphorus run-off issues need attention.

Nutrient runoff from paddocks and laneways are a source of pollution that impacts the integrity of waterways and the quality of critical water resources, says Leighton Whitfield of Winstone Gypsum.

“Given the importance of both a productive and reliable agricultural industry coupled with the need to safeguard high-quality water resources, research is being conducted into tools that will allow farmers to support their livelihoods while acting as responsible stewards of the land and waters their farms impact upon.”

Gypsum has shown potential to overcome some of the agronomic and environmental issues affecting the dairying industry, including fertilisers and animal manures which are important sources of the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus.

“It is very clear that attention to source areas of N and P and management of herd movements becomes critical. Farm laneways and gateways with high phosphorus run off issues are critical source areas for attention. Decisions can also be based on the physical condition of the track.”

For P mitigation gypsum application could be every three years at around three tonne per hectare in conjunction with other laneway base materials (potentially with higher rates for soils with high P availability and low Ca levels).

Since some of this application would be on pasture, the gypsum should probably be fine textured (like agricultural gypsum) so as to avoid significant consumption by cows particularly in the lead up to calving.

Leighton says, over time, effluent applications to pasture can also lead to increases in nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium and sodium and an undesirable microorganism load.

“Applying gypsum to effluent treated paddocks can result in a reduction in the surface runoff and drainage loss of both phosphorus and nitrogen.

“Soil structural improvement from gypsum application can include improved water infiltration (thus reducing potential for runoff ), soil aggregation, drainage and aeration with subsequent benefits for plant growth.”

Benefits to plant growth, including root condition,

dispersive clay present.

“Gypsum can also assist with addressing high soil potassium levels (a risk factor for dairy cow metabolic issues) that can result from regular effluent application.

“It seems very clear as one further management tool in the raft of considerations facing the farmer – that gypsum applications in varying parts of the business are not only relevant but clearly effective.”

may also result from the calcium and sulphur provided by gypsum, he says.

In the case of sodium build up which can result from some effluent types (dairy factory effluent in particular), there is a clear benefit from gypsum in assisting the leaching of sodium, further benefitting soil structure particularly where there is

apply gypsum now

The benefits of gypsum in soil treatment are well known, but its value goes well beyond this: • Helps mitigate the flow of nitrates and phosphorus in New Zealand waterways • Can be used to address the issue of sodium from applied effluent • Reduces surface run-off and drainage loss, reduces preferential flow of water run-off in soil • Can be applied by a number of different means to target risk zones • Assists with addressing high soil potassium levels Rates vary per farm and soil type. Applications can last for up to three years and can be used as a base layer in stand-off (loafing) pads.

For further information please contact your local fertiliser supplier, phone 0800 100 442, or visit our website at www.gypsum.co.nz

EFFLUENT

Page 18

Future-proofing effluent systems becoming a trend Sustainable dairy farming is driving a growing appetite for world class dairy effluent management systems, says Presco Group contracts manager Oliver Prestidge.

“Presco Group is noticing a growing number of progressive farmers making a distinct shift from low-cost,

short-term thinking to investing in future-proofed, professionally-designed and built effluent management systems,” says Oliver, who is a qualified farm dairy effluent system designer.

“The new focus is a marriage of maximising financial returns from this naturally-derived, nutrient-rich waste and achieving best practice environmental sustainability.”

The dairy industry has matured.

The circular walls and sloping floor design of a Prosump enhances stirring and minimises solids build-up.

The sayings “do it once, do it right” and “you get what you pay for” have never been as relevant as they are to Farm Dairy Effluent management today, says Oliver.

A dairy farmer recently recounted his saga with a traditional lined, in-ground pond to Presco Group.

The initial lower cost swayed him in favour of a lined pond.

However, once a stirrer cut though the liner without being detected, the cost of the subsequent pond draining, liner removal, earthwork remediation, and liner repair and re-fit, was more than a permanent concrete Prosump would have cost originally – and a whole lot more hassle.

“The Prosump is becoming New Zealand’s preferred dairy effluent

sump due to a number of unique features,” says Oliver.

Its vertical wall and special floor design delivers a smaller footprint in land-use than earthen ponds of the same volume.

It can be installed totally inground, aiding gravity flow, even in high water table areas.

And the circular walls and sloping floor design enhances stirring and minimises solids build-up.

“The most obvious benefit is the durable concrete construction, which will outlast any other option and requires zero maintenance.”

The Prosump is engineered for New Zealand conditions. The engineered design was produced by a leading Chartered Professional Engineer, who is involved

in rewriting design requirements to assist the Christchurch earthquake re-build.

This enables the Prosump to have a minimum 50-year buildlife guarantee.

“Presco Group provides a total-package solution to take the mystery out of FDE requirements,” says Oliver.

“Qualified consultants will calculate your long-term effluent collection and storage needs to meet and exceed council and dairy company requirements, provide a detailed project quotation, project-manage the entire installation from earthworks to construction, to final landscaping and finally commission the system – and provide a 100 per cent water-tight guarantee.”

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“This is achieved through the innovative use of propellers angled down at 45 degrees, and eight different stir positions.”

Cathryn says no longer will a metre or two of sludge be left at the bottom of the pond that cannot be pumped out.

“Superior mixing will utilise the entire area of the pond, not just the top 70 per cent. All of the original storage pond capacity is reclaimed.

“Multiple mixers are not required on a pond, or mixers that require to be run for long periods of time,” says Cathryn.

EFFLUENT

Page 19

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EFFLUENT

Page 20

Handling effluent with confidence

The Friston Stream before work commenced.

Reid & Harrison chief executive Keith Cooke, in the Reid & Harrison product courtyard.

Reliability of equipment is essential for anyone dealing with effluent as part of their farm or business operation, says Reid & Harrison Ltd chief executive Keith Cooke.

“I was speaking at a Rotary club meeting recently, when I was asked: ‘Why should I buy a Yardmaster pump?’ My answer was: ‘Because it is reliable and hardworking,’” says Keith.

With more than 50 years’ experi-

ence of designing and building effluent pumps, the Yardmaster pump brand is one of the strongest in the industry.

Designed specifically for New Zealand conditions, it’s built a reputation on its trouble-free design and application.

But Keith is also very quick to point out that having a great product is not enough.

“Having people that follow the characteristics of being hard-

working and reliable complete the picture.

“Yardmaster has agents throughout New Zealand, who with the support of the team at Reid & Harrison, are able to offer with confidence products that they know will work.

“One thing is for certain, when you are investing in an effluent system, confidence is not a bad thing to have on your side,” says Keith.

The Friston Stream after work was completed.

Farmer warns of RMA waterway issues An Otago farmer and contractor want to highlight the necessity of investigating all potential waterways, drains or streams before starting any kind of activity – no matter how insignificant the waterway might seem.

This follows prosecution over work they were carrying out in the Friston Stream in North Otago last October to repair flood damage from several months earlier, improve drainage, and replace culverts and irrigator crossings along 890 metres of river bed.

The Otago Regional Council learned of the work from a complaint by a member of the public. The council investigated and instructed the farmer and contractor to stop the work, claiming it breached the Resource Management Act and they didn’t hold any relevant resource consent.

The farmer and contractor, who don’t wish to be named, stopped the work as soon as they were advised they were in breach of the RMA. The council subsequently prosecuted the farmer, the contractor and their respective principals.

They now want to warn others who

might potentially be faced with a similar situation.

This includes ensuring what might appear to be a wholly artificial watercourse is not in fact a river or modified natural watercourse.

Even waterways that flow intermittently, or as a result of artificial discharges, may be considered rivers under the RMA. When working in water bodies, it is necessary not only to check whether the watercourse is a river, but to establish whether the intended activity is permitted or requires a resource consent.

Although regional planning has had recent updates, resource consent maybe required when rectifying flood damage. In this specific case, the costs the farmer and contractor have borne through the resulting charges far outweigh what a resource consent application would have cost.

The farmer has undertaken to carry out riparian planting along the length of stream that was cleared, as well as protecting the plantings and stream with electric fencing. # As well as the prosecution, the Otago Regional Council required the farmer and contractor to publicise the incident as a warning to others about the need to have relevant consents before working in waterways.

By Lois Natta

DAIRY DEVELOPMENTS - COQUEDALE

Page 21

New dairy built for 85-year-old Graham farm New Multi Function Dash New Multi Function Dash

For 85 years the Graham family has milked Powerful 420cc Engine cows on the Awakeri farm ElizabethPowerful and 420cc Engine Powerful 420cc Engine Joseph Graham bought in 1929.

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Powerful 420cc Engine Called Coquetdale for the area in Northumberland, New Multi Function Dash Powerful 420cc Engine Aggressive New Styling in northeast England, where they emigrated from, it Powerful 420cc Engine New Multi Function Dash began as 50 acres (19 hectares), growing with purAggressive New Styling New Multi Function Dash Powerful 420cc Engine chase of neighbouring land to 117ha.

New Multi Function Dash About 56 years ago their son Bill and his new wife Aggressive New 420cc Engine Aggressive New Styling Kaye (nee Saunders) took over the farm, andPowerful 50 years Aggressive New Styling ago the couple built a new herringbone shed.

Powerful 420cc Engine The Edgecumbe earthquake of 1987 caused some Powerful 420cc Engine Powerful minor damage but failed to destroy the building but 420cc Engine late last year plans were made for its demolition and replacement with a brand new dairy.

Work was underway when on February 24 this year Bill died, as Kaye says “with his boots on” rolling up an electric fence on the farm.

“It was a huge shock. Bill never got to see the new dairy finished,” says Kaye, who oversaw the rest of the project.

Brighter Headlights Adjustable Suspension Coquetdale is on fertile, low-lying peat soils. RichBrighter Headlights Adjustable Suspension ard Claydon, of Waiotahi Contractors,Enclosed says the Rearnew Axle Setup Brighter Headlights Adjus cowshed site had to be excavated to 2.6 metres, at Enclosed Rear Axle Setup Brighter Headlights Adjustable Suspension Brighter Headlights Adjustable Suspension which point a number of springs were uncovered.

Enclosed Rear Axle Setup All New StifferHeadlights Chassis Rear Axle Setup Brighter Adjus Pumps were employed to drain the Enclosed site,Enclosed which was All New Stiffer Chassis Rear Axle Setup Brighter Headlights Adjustable Suspensio then lined with geo-tech material and backfilled to Enclosed Rear Axle Setup All New Stiffer Chassis All New Stiffer Chassis build it up about one metre above ground level.

Brighter Headlights Adjustable Suspension All New Stiffer Chassis “Finding water wasn’t unexpected because of the Enclosed Rear Axle Setup Enclosed Rear Axle Setup TALK TO US ABOUT All New Stiffer ChassisSuspension Brighter Headlights Adjustable peat soil,” says Richard, who documented the project Brighter Headlights Adjustab FINANCE OPTIONS!* All New Stiffer Chassis in a series of photos showing how deep the excavaEnclosed Rear Axle Setup Enclosed Rear Axle Setup All New Stiffer Chassis tions were and the process of draining, lining and Brighter Headlights Adjustable Suspension re-filling the site. The project began mid-January and Brighter Headlights Adjustable Suspensio All New Stiffer Chassis Enclosedto Rear Axle Setup

by March the site was ready for the builders begin.

All New Stiffer Chassis

*Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges apply and are subject to change from time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Standard warranty conditions apply. *Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges apply and are subject to change time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Standard warranty conditions a

The Coquetdale Trust sign features an illustration of the Croquet River and the Graham family home in England.

*Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges a to time.

Finance products are only available approved Available allchange participating *Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and othertime eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and feesto and chargescustomers. apply and are subjectatto from authorised Honda Dealers time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Standard warranty conditions apply. *Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges apply and are subject to change from time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Standard warranty conditions apply. *Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges ap time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. S

*Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges apply and are subject to chan time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Standard warranty condition

Enclosed Rear Axle Setup

Bill’s Gate

“Fonterra also required an upgrade of the tanker entrance off State Highway 30, so we lengthened the cattle stop, formed a wider entranceway and applied two coats of chip seal,” says Richard.

Kaye Graham commissioned an attractive wrought iron fence and gate at the entrance to the Coquetdale farm, featuring the words ‘Bill’s Gate’ in memory of her late husband.

*Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges apply and are subject to change from time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Standard warranty conditions apply.

*Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges apply and are subject to change from *Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges apply a time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Standard warranty conditions appl time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Stand

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*Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges apply and are subject to change from time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Standard warranty conditions apply. *Terms and conditions apply. Credit, account opening and other eligibility criteria, terms and conditions and fees and charges apply and are subject to chang time to time. Finance products are only available to approved customers. Available at all participating authorised Honda Dealers. Standard warranty conditions

Page 22 DAIRY DEVELOPMENTS - COQUEDALE

Dairy ‘straightforward and functional’ Kaye decided it should become a suitable and lasting tribute to Bill, so had an attractive wrought iron and brick pillar fence built with a gate bearing the words ‘Bill’s Gate’. It complements the adjacent Coquetdale Trust sign, which features an illustration of the Croquet River and the Graham family home in England.

Waiotahi Contractors returned once the dairy shed was almost complete to form the new tanker track and turn-around area and tidy up the site. Waiotahi Contractors Limited is a privately-owned and operated company that has been servicing the Eastern Bay of Plenty and the greater area since 1957.

Waiotahi provides a wide range of construction services to the farming community, from mulching through to pumice, race rock, frost and effluent ponds, shelter barns, drainage piling and many other services, employing local staff and knowledge.

Non-slip

Tracks Concrete carried out the concrete work for the dairy and Kevin Dodds says this included using a new roller to create a “roughened” surface in the circular yard. “This is easier on the cow’s feet and is non-slip but still easy to clean.”

The long, narrow herringbone dairy required about 50 truckloads of concrete delivered and laid by the Tracks team. Tracks Concrete is a 25-yearold Whakatane-based company, which has a record of integrity, expertise and customer satisfaction, proven by the number of its returning clients. “Our

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clients value the relationship we build with them and recognize our commitment to quality, budget and schedule,” says Kevin.

Smith Builders constructed the compact, functional and attractive dairy to a design, which Stephen Smith says is tried and proven. “At just 20-aside the herringbone dairy is one of the smallest we have built in a while, but suits the site and works well. The project was pretty straight forward once the site preparation was finished.”

Straightforward

The dairy has a circular yard with backing gates which automatically wash the yard. The pit and milking area is covered by a wide span roof with water tanks, vat, ice banks, machinery room and store room adjacent to it. The long, narrow design of the dairy, which was built just metres from the original building, has enabled it to link with existing race systems for the movement of the herd.

“We like to build dairies which are straightforward and functional like this one,” says Stephen.

“All the contractors involved in the project worked well together and kept in touch to make sure we were all on the same page.”

DAIRY DEVELOPMENTS - COQUEDALE

Steve King and Iain Watson, of King Farm Services, installed the DeLaval MidiLine Milking System in the new Coquetdale dairy.

Page 23

The Coquetdale dairy replaces a herringbone shed built in the 1950s.

Significant excavation needed before building began The King Farm Services team of Iain Watson, Jason Makela and Graham Tebbutt installed the DeLaval MidiLine Milking System – which is designed to be operated by one person. Also assisting on the job were Will and Michael King, Rod Kennedy, Alex Knight and Jonathon Van Leeuwen.

Steve King says the system is simple and can be easily upgraded with automatic cup removers and full animal ID systems in the future. Clusters are positioned in the middle of the pit and swing over to serve both sides of the parlour, which is very efficient. “The dairy has automatic teat cup washers and all the pipework is stainless steel for longevity and appearance.”

Long association

Steve has been carrying out work on the Graham farm for at least 25 years – and in fact it was the late Bill Graham who was responsible for Steve beginning King Farm Services.

“I had been working for another company when I was made redundant. Bill rang up asking me to do a job for him and I said I no longer worked for that company,” says Steve.

“Bill said: ‘I don’t care who you work for, I want you to do the job’ so I did. And that got me my first job. It was 1987, when my wife Maria and myself started our own company. I’ve always been grateful to Bill for that,” says Steve.

Gordon Faber, of Independent Refrigeration and Electrical, says the brief for the new Graham dairy was to make it as energy-efficient as possible and to minimise electricity costs.

Heat recovery

With that in mind, the last project to be completed on the dairy is the installation of a heat recovery system from the ice bank, which will provide hot water for use in the dairy. The ice bank snap chills milk before it enters the vat via electronic expansion values, which control milk flow.

“This system works so fast there is an up to 30 per

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cent improvement in chilling efficiency. It is a little more expensive to start with but with improved milk quality and the savings in energy costs will pay for itself in 18 months,” says Gordon.

“We have installed LED lights in the dairy, which are also more energy efficient but provide excellent lighting.”

Justifiably proud

Kaye says the contractors involved in the project were tremendously supportive after she lost Bill, carrying on to complete a new dairy she’s justifiably proud of.

“Most of the decisions had already been made, but Stephen Smith did ring me with one more – what colour scheme did I want.”

Friends and neighbours in the close-knit Awakeri and Whakatane community also rallied to Kaye’s aid – including neighbour John Howard, who allowed the Graham herd to be milked in his dairy for three months.

Bill’s death was a double tragedy for the family.

Kaye and Bill’s son Allan had died the previous year.

Allan and his wife Margaret had been sharemilking on the family farm.

Today Cameron Peat is the farm’s 50/50 sharemilker, milking 235 cows.

Bill and Kaye are well-respected for their extensive involvement in the farming and wider community.

Bill was a life member of the Whakatane A&P Show Association, and of the Awakeri Events Centre. He was also a member of the plains water supply committee for many years.

Kaye’s many activities have included being treasurer for the Bay of Plenty Federated Farmers for 12 years, a member of the Women’s Division of Federated Farmers, and she’s an active member of its successor, Rural Women. She also chairs the Bay of Plenty Farm Education Trust, which awards scholarships to students studying agriculture-related

By Elaine Fisher subjects at university.

DAIRY

Page 24

Soil holds answer to healthy animals, less emissions Excessive nitrate in forage promotes growth of methanogen bacteria in a cow’s rumen.

This class of bacteria can digest high nitrate feed but isn’t ideal rumen microbes because it’s responsible for creating methane.

Cows must belch out the methane to reduce nitrate overload – and by doing this are tarred with the ‘nasty greenhouse gas producer’ brush.

Yet by nature ruminants don’t inherently pollute; it all depends on what they’re forced to eat.

Excess nitrate in the rumen

becomes ammonia and seeps into the blood through the rumen wall.

Ammonia is toxic to the animal. It reduces oxygen in the blood result-

ing in sick, underperforming cows.

With their livers overtaxed, they must pull lactose/sugar out of their systems to attempt to convert excess nitrate/nitrite/ ammonia back to urea, in order to excrete it by every conceivable means.

We’re feeding our animals unnaturally high levels of nitrate and we assume their frantic effort to get rid of the toxic

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excess is normal. But it’s not.

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Reduce emissions

Grazing cows can be a powerful source of soil regeneration but not when in nitrogen overload from our standard fertiliser practices.

If we took some of the hundreds of millions of dollars we spend on greenhouse gas research and used it for lime and trace element applications, we’d markedly reduce emissions and have healthier animals. We’d also get prompt humus formation, resulting in better infiltration and water-holding capacity and CO2 sequestration.

Since we assume a high crude protein nitrate level in pasture is good, we generally don’t compensate for it by feeding things like long-stem hay for more carbohydrate/dry matter and a good rumen mat; bentonite clay and humate powder for detox; and molasses for extra energy.

Eventually, as the cow’s liver can no longer cope with the demand to convert ammonia to pee-able urea, ammonia ends up circulating in the blood where it accumulates in the extremities contributing to lameness.

Converting ammonia in the liver to the less harmful urea requires lots of energy from the cow, prompting the negative energy balance and rapid loss of body condition we see post-calving – just when demands of high milk production coincide with lush, high nitrate, urea-fuelled spring grass.

Toxic ammonia

A cow losing condition in this negative energy balance is less likely to ovulate and sustain a pregnancy.

So we have non-cycling cows,

increased phantom pregnancies and an embarrassingly low first-mating conception rate of 48 per cent with overall fertilisation at only 67 per cent.

And we congratulate ourselves on having stalled the decline when we’re a long way from the 2016 goal of a 78 per cent fertilisation rate.

Even if the cow conceives, circulating ammonia is toxic, which could help explain the disappointing number of cows that test pregnant then lose the foetus and have to be bred again.

The number of lactations per cow is the most powerful factor in long-term dairy profit. Cows don’t hit peak production until five to seven years of age.

They used to last until 14-16. Nowadays, the majority are sent to the works before they’re five.

So now we have a pregnant cow eating a minerally-deprived diet, which leads to an impaired immune system.

She’s losing condition, so we purchase supplemental minerals to put in water or rations to compensate for what’s not supplied by pasture. But where are the soil minerals the cow’s system needs?

Either they weren’t adequately there in the first place, or they’re locked up and made less available by low soil pH created by urea and superphosphate applications. Or they’ve ended up in the rivers, having been pulled out of the soil profile by the nitrate leaching from heavy urea applications. Or they’re locked up by glyphosate residues in soil.

Our abuse of dairy cows for the sake of economic expediency means we’ve become accustomed to nutritionallycrippled cows. We can do much better – for the animals, production and profit – if we grow better quality pastures.

By Phyllis Tichinin, True Health general manager

DAIRY

Page 25

Production lift part of the mix Chopping, mixing and feeding dairy cows a carefully-prescribed diet of supplements can almost double their milk production, says Jon Kimber of Keenan NZ.

which ensures every animal receives the The business moved to new premises right rations. at 50A Kereone Rd, Morrinsville, in “It’s all in the mix and it’s important late-August. It includes offices, a fullyto remember a Keenan mixer equipped workshop and wagon is designed to a sales yard for new accurately blend and used Keenan feeds for optimum machines. ...mixers have animal perforSheamus Calincreased milk solids mance – it’s not lanan, a Keenan from about 350 just a transport nutritionist box for feeding from Ireland, kilograms of milk silage,” says Jon. will join the solids to 700 kg/ms “Keenan Mixers, team to offer among many other expert advice to benefits, can do small farmers on the nutriloads – of 350kg tional needs of their livestock, upwards – and have including dairy goats and cows. the ability to add “We look forward to bringing farmers the benefits of the Keenan System across your liquids first, which gives a more consistent mix.

New Zealand and joining more than “They empty out completely, so as not 31,000 other Keenan users worldwide,” to cause micro-toxins in the feed, and says Jon. have magnets which catch more than 80 “Keenan mixers are widely used in the per cent of foreign steel objects in feed, goat industry; and both dairy and goat which can cause hardware disease,” farmers are seeing the benefits of using the mixers to prepare rations in a way says Jon.

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Jon and Bernice Kimber own and operate JK Engineering, which has moved to new premises in Morrinsville.

“Some of our clients who operate Keenan ration mixers have increased milk solids from about 350 kilograms of milk solids to 700 kg/ms since they began using our machines,” says Jon. “That means they don’t have to increase herd size Only mixer in New Zealand with to lift producfeed-out tray magnets. tion; and they’re also feeding their cows a balanced, nutritious diet which helps keep them healthy.”

Jon and Bernice Kimber own and operate JK Engineering of Morrinsville, which has been the North Island Keenan Service and Repair agent for 15 years.

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DAIRY

Page 26

Concrete investment in environment these blocks out on farmers paddocks are slowly soaking up greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide,” says Andrew.

Counties Ready Mix has developed a range of three precast interlocking blocks: a small block, a standard and a large block. Each block positively interlocks with the one above, adding strength and speeding up installaAs an independent busiInterlocking blocks being installed by Counties tion. ness, Counties Ready Mix Ready Mix at Otahuhu.

“This system is has developed unique core basically a big version of kid’s building blocks. It’s fast, values. One of these values is reducing its environmensimple and very cost-effective. Each standard block is tal imprint. nearly one metre square of wall, so it doesn’t take long “Because we work and live locally, we care about the to put a structure together.” environment we live in. We have gone to great lengths Concrete producers have been manufacturing blocks to recycle all our water, we have developed an environof various descriptions for some time but Counties has mentally-friendly concrete that uses includes fly ash – a pozzolan from coal burning power stations – to reduce two full-time employees, ensuring quality control in a the cement content and carbon footprint of concrete,” purpose-made building.

The blocks have vertical voids that allow the blocks to says Andrew. be reinforced with steel continuously from the top of “But one of our major environmental reductions has the wall to the bottom, if required. come from taking our surplus concrete and recycling Main uses for the blocks so far have been retaining it into our interlocking precast blocks, rather than walls, temporary traffic barriers, dividing walls and feed finding its way into landfills. It’s also been proven that bins for farmers. concrete re-carbonates over time so it’s nice to know “Farmers have really adopted this system because they can easily extend or alter their feed bin as their needs require, or as their business grows,” says Andrew.

“Especially now that more intensive farming has demanded expensive quality feeds, so better storage systems are required.”

Counties Ready Mix is a dynamic ready mixed concrete supplier based in Drury, South Auckland.

The family-owned and operated business has experienced strong growth since its conception in 1999 due to its customer service and high level of quality control.

Andrew says they typically have plenty of stock during winter and sell out about February, so it pays to call them soon “if you think this could be the answer to your feed storage next summer”.

Farm structures made using environmentallyfriendly methods, which also soak up greenhouse gases, are finding favour with clients, says Counties Ready Mix managing director Andrew Payne.

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Page 27

Escape system improves safety of effluent ponds Escape system on its Scott Farm research pond.

Plus, Dairy NZ also has a pond safety link on its website under Effluent Pond Construction/Pond safety and advises all farmers to follow safety around pond guidelines.

The Pondco system is manufactured in NZ and made from blending polypropylene and polyethylene resins.

The Pondco Safety Escape System is designed so people can pull themselves out of danger from anywhere in the pond.

Falling into an effluent pond, then trying to swim out fullyclothed and possibly fighting the effects of the stirrer would make exiting extremely difficult, if not impossible, says Hamish Forbes of Pondco.

That’s why Pondco is promoting its Pondco Safety Escape System, designed so people can pull themselves out of danger from anywhere in the pond and prevent possible drowning.

Traditional systems use a ladder on one

side of the pond – but if a person falls into the pond on the opposite side from the ladder, they are in a very dangerous situation, says Hamish.

“The Pondco Safety Escape System is designed so that whatever side of the pond a fall may occur, there is always a rope close at hand.

“Our Safety Escape System is made of 100 per cent marine grade materials, and for most ponds only four corner posts are required.”

Hamish says all ropes are hand-spliced and assembled with a strong focus on quality and strength.

Dairy NZ has the Pondco Safety

If all else fails – don’t read instructions A blonde decides one day she is sick and tired of all these blonde jokes, and how all blondes are perceived as stupid. So, she decides to show her husband that blondes really are smart.

While her husband is off at work, she decides she’s going to paint a couple of rooms in the house. The next day, right after her husband leaves for work, she gets down to the task at hand.

Her husband arrives home at 5.30pm and notices the distinctive smell of paint.

He walks into the living room and finds his wife lying on the floor in a pool of sweat.

He notices she’s wearing a heavy parka and a leather jacket at the same time. He goes over and asks her if she if okay. She replies: “Yes”.

He asks what she is doing and she replies she wanted to prove to him that not all blonde women are dumb, and she wanted to do it by painting the house.

He then asks her why she has a parka over her leather jacket. She replies that she was reading the directions on the paint can and it said: “For best results, put on two coats”.

The materials are UV-stabilised to meet extreme UV conditions and 12mm ropes have a breaking load of 2654kg, with 16mm ropes have a breaking load of 4600kg.

The system includes 70mm high buoyancy floats, also manufactured in NZ from marine grade UV stabilised PVC, and seam-welded for maximum performance.

‘Egg floats’ at about every two metres keep the entire system vis-

ible and on the surface, and large corner buoys stabilise the entire system.

Hamish says these also allow the rope safety system to rise and fall with the level of the pond; therefore the system is always accessible on the surface.

Rot-resistant high-visibility yellow polypropylene anchor rope is used, and the black plastic climbing knots make exiting easier.

PRE-CAST CONCRETE & STEEL CONSTRUCTION SPECIALISTS

Page 28

DAIRY

Beef company wants more calves from dairy farmers

Firstlight Wagyu supply chain manager Peter Keeling, with two-week-old Wagyu-cross calves.

Strong global demand for premium Wagyu beef has created an opportunity for dairy farmers to share in the returns this spring.

Firstlight Wagyu managing director Gerard Hickey recently returned from visiting markets in United States and Europe, buoyed by positive feedback and strong sales figures his company’s grass-fed Wagyu is enjoying in both locations.

In response to positive market conditions, Firstlight Wagyu has ramped up its supply of bulls and semen for artificial breeding this spring.

The company has built a base of 70 beef farmers, who grow and finish the cattle – a breed renowned for marbled beef and a high quality eating experience.

Firstlight Wagyu supply chain manager Peter Keeling says every beef supply chain has to start with calves – “and we want to get more calves on the ground next spring to meet this growth in the market”.

“The dairy sector is an obvious and well-suited means to achieve that relatively quickly,” says Peter.

Wagyu calves typically have a lighter birth weight and offer cows easier calving than traditional beef breeds, bringing advantages for farmers seeking a low-stress, non-replacement breed to put over their cows or heifers.

Peter says this appeal also translates to the back pocket, given Firstlight Wagyu’s guaranteed premium and

contract to purchase both KiwiCrossWagyu and Friesian-Wagyu cross calves at four days old. Last year’s premium price averaged $100 a calf from AB mating. Indications suggest this year’s prices will be similar.

The premium price on calves opens up options for farmers who want to be selective about what cows they mate to dairy AB this spring, says Gerard.

“You get the chance to have your cake and eat it too with the Wagyu calves – you can focus on your dairy genetics and still have a non-replacement calf that’s of value for cows you may not want replacements from.

“This is something a KiwiCross dairy farmer may not have had available before.”

Synlait Farms has adopted the breed into its mating policy. This spring it has a herd of 800 lower-milk producing cows combined into one herd mated to Firstlight Wagyu AB genetics.

Using Wagyu bulls or AB genetics over first-mated heifers this spring is another option proving popular, with farmers wanting an option to lowvalue ‘bobbied’ calves; and easy calving attributes add to the appeal.

“Our experience has shown dairy breeds, including the KiwiCross, can produce high quality marbled beef – so mating them with Wagyu sires provides an excellent source of highmarbling beef,” says Gerard.

“It also gives dairy farmers a unique opportunity to be part of the Wagyu supply chain, and address calf wastage in the sector.”

Darryl Isaac Ltd

DAIRY

Fodder beet excellent supplement Fodder beet that’s correctly grown and harvested can provide a livestock supplement equal or superior in feed value to maize and palm kernel, says David ‘Paddy’ Paddock of Paddy’s Contracting.

Paddy, who has more than 25 years’ of experience growing and harvesting beet in the UK, says beet can have a dry matter as high as 26 per cent.

Seedbed preparation is the foundation of a healthy, high yielding crop, says Paddy.

That includes deep-ploughing and sub-soiling and paddocks

should be reasonably flat or gently sloping.

Soil sampling to indicate NPK indices and lime requirements is essential and the application of salt may be advisable, depending on soil type, to help retain seedbed moisture.

Planting should be in either 18 inch or 20 inch rows – or 46cm50cm – with plant population of around 112-115,000/ha. “We can offer a planting service,” says Paddy.

Paddy Contracting Ltd owns and operates the only self-propelled beet harvester in the North Island.

The harvester removes the leaf with a flail topper or it can be grazed off prior to lifting.

The beet is lifted, cleaned on

turbines and held in the tank or bin of the harvester.

The product is elevated on the harvester to trailers or trucks and transported to customers’ yards or feedlots, ideally to be fed in a complete diet feeder or feed-out wagon.

“Care should be taken introducing beet gradually into the diet to prevent acidosis. Young stock find the bite-sized chopped product easier to eat than grazing from the paddock, especially when they are changing teeth,” says Paddy.

Paddy’s business is based in Bulls but he’s prepared to travel anywhere in the North Island to harvest beet crops. “Ideally, there should be two to three day’s work in each area.”

Page 29

Page 30

DAIRY Dean and Lisa Hansen host their annual Hereford sale at Hukaroa Station this month.

Hereford sale also popular social event Hukaroa Station has a reputation for not only excellent Herefords, but excellent hospitality.

The annual September bull sale at the 520 hectare property near Te Kauwhata draws about 100 buyers and Hereford fans, who enjoy inspecting top quality bulls and spending time discussing the breed with like-minded people.

This year will be no exception when Dean and Lisa Hansen hold their bull sale on Friday, September 12, with 92 bulls to go under the auctioneer’s hammer.

Thirteen of the bulls are twoyear-olds; the rest are yearlings.

“We always enjoy sale day, with people arriving from about 10.30am to have a good look at the bulls before lunch and the auction. We have a barbecue afterwards too,” says Lisa.

She says despite a hot dry summer, Hukaroa’s bulls are in good condition.

It’s a feature of the breed, and

the animals the Hansens rear do well – even in tough conditions.

The farm is in the Hapuakohe Range, which Dean and Lisa describe as “very strong hill country, which is a great test of the durability and Hukaroa Station’s Hereford bulls are semen constitution of our and fertility tested before being sold. stock”.

Temperament is what they’re buying. ranked highly by Dean and Lisa “Our bulls are sold to all regions too. “Our animals have got to be of the country and they are quiet and easy to work with; both renowned for their ability to shift, for us and those who purchase breed and work well,” say Dean them.” and Lisa.

On sale day the bulls will be “Our mantra is to never comproin pens in the well set-up yards, mise quality for quantity. We are where potential purchasers are passionate about Hereford cattle welcome to walk among them for and it’s important to us to like the a close-up look. type of Herefords we breed here All the bulls on offer are from at Hukaroa, so we’re constantly registered cows and have been mindful of maintaining a sound semen and fertility tested, so base from our breeding herd to buyers can be confident in achieve this.”

Awards help bridge the urban-rural divide The Ballance Farm Environment Awards are about more than protecting the environment – they are also about protecting the right to farm.

In a time when farming is coming under increasing pressure and criticism over water quality and environmental issues, the awards are a chance for farmers to demonstrate what so many are doing to preserve and enhance the environment, and to run sustainable, enduring agri-businesses.

Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards chairman Jim Hitchcock says taking part in the awards is a chance to promote farming sustainability to the wider public.

“It helps bridge the understanding divide between urban and rural,” says Jim. “Entry for the 2015 awards is now open and I encourage farmers and horticulturalists – who are

using sustainable practices, have a strong environmental awareness and understanding, good business practices and social and community responsibility – to enter.”

The 2014 Bay of Plenty supreme winners Rick Burke and Jan Loney, of Katikati, agree there’s much to be gained from the awards.

“Entering is like putting on the handbrake and taking a long hard look at your farm and your business,” says Rick, who runs the 350ha drystock Pukekauri Farm.

“It’s a snapshot in time, looking at what has been achieved and opportunities for the future.

“Farmers are generally pretty humble and reluctant to put themselves forward in awards, but at the same time they are very proud to be farmers,” says Rick.

“I believe it is important for us to tell the good news stories about what is being done on farms.”

John Bourke, who has recently stepped down as a member of the Bay of Plenty Ballance Farm Environment Awards committee, says throughout the country farmers are investing millions of dollars to protect the environment in the form of effluent management on dairy farms and fencing out wetlands and waterway – but these activities are not widely recognised by the general public.

“It is important that farmers take leadership and step up to show people just what they are doing. It is also important we encourage farming practices which will still be sustainable in 100 years.”

Jim says entering and taking part in the awards is not onerous and anyone interested can take a ‘twominute tick test’ online to find out if they’re ready to enter – go to www.nzfeatrust.org.nz – which also has frequently asked questions about the awards.

Entry is open to anyone, no matter which businesses they purchase their goods or services from.

Entrants can be farm owners – or with the permission of the owners, managers, sharemilkers, trusts, partnerships, or corporates can enter too. Past entrants can also re-enter.

Anyone interested in entering can contact Ballance Farm Environment Awards Bay of Plenty coordinator Kirsten Winter on 0275 721 244, email: bop@bfea.org.nz or see www.bfea.org.nz

SPRING FERTILISER

Page 31

Foliar feeding improving profitability Foliar feeding, as a way of raising the efficiency and production levels of your farm with a lowered environmental footprint, is the name of the game.

Traditions are hard things to break, but if we want to move forward we need to consider new approaches to growing pastures, and looking after soils and ultimately our environment.

So why wait until legislation – from the Environment Protection Authority or local councils under the Resource Management Act – forces us to make this change?

The simple reason is if you do wait, you may need resource consent, which costs money, and you’ll be taxed through rates to support clean-up schemes – again more cash.

What can we learn from oversea research on foliar feeding?

Michigan University’s doctors Witter and Turkey report leaves lap up food like blotting paper.

“And it spreads in a few hours, from tip to root, and in many cases as much as 95 per cent of the food sprayed on the leaves is used immediately by the plant.

“Under some conditions, the roots take up no more than 10 per cent of the same amount placed in the soil” and “trials showed there was a 12-20 per cent increase in crop yields and plant health versus solid fertiliser applications, more than 90 per cent of the foliar fertiliser is utilised by the plant compared to only 10 per cent when soil applied”.

Louisiana State University’s Drs A L Bertrand and L L Rusoff say trace elements were used to ascertain conclusively that plants absorb nutrients through their foliage, fruit, flowers and twigs as well as their roots.

Leaf area

Agricultural Chemicals Magazine reports phosphorus availability studies have given a ratio of 20:1 in favour of foliar feeding over soil feeding.

There seems to be little doubt that where soil fixation exists – such as our volcanic ash soils here in NZ – foliar applications of nutrients constitute the most efficient method of fertiliser placement and with plants of sufficient leaf area.

So what’s the benefit of foliar feeding here in New Zealand to dairy farmers?

In 2004, I carried out a trial on a dairy farm in the

Bay of Plenty. We had cow condition of four, average cover of 1600kgDM/ha at June 1, and 200 conventional bales of hay in the barn – not much really.

I decided to follow an Anionic-Cationic Mineral Balance Programme using a monthly foliage mineral analysis from Hill Laboratories and sprayed these minerals along with urea 10kg/ha in front of the cows.

The end result was a 37 per cent increase in total milk solids – which compared to the best year the farm had ever done – and a further 17 per cent increase in year two.

This equals a total increase in milk solids of 54 per cent over and above the farm record, during the two years.

Dairy herd

The farm also had a three per cent empty rate in the dairy herd. The area average was 12-14 per cent. So this resulted in a saving of $10 000 per 100 cows per year due to the lowered requirement to rear replacement stock.

Also, the cull cows brought a $400 per head premium, as they were sold as replacement cows to neighbouring farms so they could maintain their stocking rates.

There is quite possibly a $15,000-$25,000 per year gain to be had per 100 cows milked if dairy farmers have a mineral management plan change.

Important factors when foliar spraying: 1. Use the finest possible nozzle as practical with the sprayer facing 90 degrees to the ground.

2. Make sure you use minerals in a chelated form, these are plant available. Other forms require more energy to be broken down to become plant available.

3. Ensure you have a Reams Soil Test calcium level greater than 2000kg/ha. This is to ensure a more reliable outcome from foliar feeding.

4. Get a comprehensive plant tissue test done, including trace minerals. Hill Laboratories can do this.

5. KISS: Keep it simple at the start. Don’t get too fancy with adding too many additives to your tank until you know what you’re doing.

6. A little and often is the trick: You don’t get breakfast/lunch and tea all-in-one feed do you?

7. Always add a carbon source to all foliar spays: The more diverse the carbon, the better the outcome.

For example, molasses/sucrose/glucose/CO2/char/ humic acid/fulvic acid.

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SPRING FERTILISER

Page 33

It’s carbo-loading time for pasture soils With dairy commodity prices on a downward spiral and the prediction of yet another summer drought, dairy farmers should be short-listing management options that best allow them to retain production levels, and at the same time, also minimise farming inputs says Paddy Shannon, independent soil scientist.

McDonald’s Aglime lime is Fertmark certified with a minimum 90 per cent calcium carbonate content.

”With those two key requirements in mind, loading the soil with carbonates – or carbo-loading the soil with McDonald’s AgLime to improve spring pasture - should be right at the top of their list.”

Paddy explains how carbo-loading works. Limestone is made of calcium carbonate. When finely ground limestone – McDonalds AgLime - is placed in or on the soil, the carbonate reacts with acid (H+) from the soil to form carbon dioxide and water. The calcium is released as Ca2+ to replace the H+ consumed by the reaction. The result of this process is a reduction of the amount of free acid in the soil, so the pH level increases.

“That improved pH is exactly what farmers should be looking for because it creates the ideal environment for the plant to up-take ions such as calcium and magnesium, over and above other less desirable nutrients.”

Dependent on the soil type, carbo-loading to reach a soil pH of 5.8 to 6.2 for mineral soils and 5.0 to 5.5 for peat soils, helps provide the environment that is vital for improved earthworm activity,

soil aeration, root development, soil structure and pasture growth.

“With the likelihood of drought on the horizon, it is well worth noting that carbo-loading also equips soils to retain moisture and withstand the impact of drought better. Additionally, it can also facilitate better pasture utilization and help reduce the fertiliser inputs needed to maintain your production.”

Other important benefits from carbo-loading of soil include: Better pasture quality promotes higher production options and improved animal health. This in turn can lead to reductions in feed supplement requirements and veterinary interventions.

McDonald’s Aglime lime is Fertmark certified with a minimum 90 per cent calcium carbonate content. Fineness of grinding means particles comply with industry standards and covered storage ensures that clients are not paying for excess water.

But it all starts with carbo-loading, says Paddy.

Organic matter’s role on continually-cropped ground Animal manures, such as chicken manure, goat manure, cowshed effluent and feed pad waste or manure from animal shelters, such has herd barns, are a valuable nutrient sources for maize crops.

The manures are also a good source of organic matter, which is particularly important on continually-cropped ground.

Composts can be useful on low organic matter soils, but these should be good quality and not full of wood chips and twigs. And they generally lack the additional fertiliser nutrient value of animal manures.

On soils depleted in organic matter, composts and vermicast will help retain moisture, be a food source for important soil micro-organisms and build soil structure, which is often destroyed through over-cropping.

A good quality compost has about $20-25 worth of fertiliser nutrients, whereas cow and goat manure have $30-40 worth, and chicken manure has up to $80 worth of nutrients.

As for the carbon value of these, on

low organic matter soils this will be considerable whereas it will be of little value on soils with good organic matter and humus levels.

Composts with too much woody material can induce a nitrogen deficiency in a crop, because soil microbes use up available nitrogen in the soil to help break down excess carbon before plants get access to it.

Maize magnesium requirements are often overlooked and are higher than what pasture plants require, and can be exacerbated by over-liming.

Magnesium is essential for chlorophyll formation in plants, and if deficient applying at least 50kg/ha of elemental magnesium should be considered.

Boron deficiency can result in the lack of kernel’s formation or browning at end of cobs.

But zinc deficiency will be rare on exdairy pasture, where levels are often high from years of zinc accumulation in the soil from facial eczema treatment.

But on continuous cropping ground zinc deficiencies can occur.

Copper and manganese deficiencies

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SPRING FERTILISER

NZ soil advisors to address US conference There’s a quiet revolution happening in the fertiliser industry in New Zealand.

The Albrecht-Kinsey model of soil fertility is gaining momentum, with new clients changing to the programme from traditional suppliers at a very steady rate, says Ron McLean of Tauranga’s Golden Bay Dolomite and Kiwi Fertiliser Company.

“A nationwide network of Kinsey-trained consultants report new business coming their way on a weekly basis.”

As a result of positive changes taking place during the last 10 years, Ron and Methven’s Top Soils soil fertility advisor Don Hart have been invited to the Annual Acres USA conference in Columbus Ohio.

From December 3-6, the pair will address the conference on New Zealand agriculture and the gains made in this country by adopting the Albrecht-Kin-

sey model of soil fertility.

The Acres USA conference is now taking registrations to attend. Generally it attracts 1500-1700 farmers and agri-people from many countries.

In May 2014 Neal Kinsey completed his fifth visit to NZ to deliver his three-day introductory soil fertility course in Blenheim to more than 65 delegates representing dairy, sheep and beef, cropping and viticulture industries.

Neal returns to NZ in June/July 2015 to an International Introductory II five-day soil fertility course in Cambridge and a three-day Introductory soil fertility course in Ashburton. Details will be announced soon.

“Each time Neal has visited he’s delivered his messages to full houses, as there is an air of optimism prevailing that we can change agriculture in NZ to produce more and healthier pasture, crops and food with less pollution and fewer toxins,” says Ron.

The importance of ‘nutrient efficiency’

Topsoil erosion due to heavy rains.

Winter and early spring are when nutrients – whether introduced as fertiliser or produced by stock – are most at risk of getting lost from farms.

This is due to seasonal and other factors such as high rainfall, reduced pasture growth, a huge amount of urine being produced, soil compaction and pugging.

To help farmers keep on top of the implications, for their property’s profitability and impact on the environment, a farm nutrient budget is a valuable indicator of the status of nutrients in a farm system.

It indicates where fertiliser applications are inadequate and leading to a decline in the soil nutrient status.

Conversely, it can indicate excessive inputs, which result in a nutrient surplus and greater potential for losses of contaminants to waterways and groundwater.

So the overall objective of nutrient management is to keep nutrients cycling within the farm system, to make them available for promoting growth, and to reduce the losses to a bare minimum to protect the environment.

Most farmers know some nutrients are more prone to loss than others, depending on the nature of the nutrient, soil type and climatic conditions.

Therefore, in making decisions about nutrient management, it’s crucial to take into account the channels where loss occurs and characteristics of the individual nutrients.

Nutrients budget

Besides produce, the channels where nutrients leave farms include atmospheric loss, run-off and leaching. Depending on the production levels and farm management, these figures can vary greatly between farms.

Nutrient budgets will provide this information in detail for individual properties.

Soluble nutrients, such as nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulphur, can particularly be lost by leaching when water washes them

through the root zone into deeper layers of the soil and they become inaccessible to plant roots. The leaching risk depends on factors, such as soil type, total rainfall, extreme events and the actual quantity of soluble nutrients in the soil.

Avoid oversupplying soil with these soluble nutrients, especially before and during winter, as there’s a very high risk of these getting washed out through the soil.

Nitrogen leaching to groundwater is one of the main environmental risks from intensive farming.

Generally speaking, there will be an increase in nitrate leaching the more fertiliser is used.

In one study, where 400 kilograms of nitrogen per hectare was used, the nitrate concentration in groundwater increased to an average value of almost twice the commonly-accepted recommended maximum for potable water of 11.3 parts per million.

It also revealed gaseous nitrogen losses to the atmosphere increased by about five times between zero and 400 kg/ha treatments.

Good practice

Phosphorus loss, on the other hand, mainly occurs from erosion and runoff. Research has revealed phosphorus losses will be high in soils with high Olsen-P levels and also on steep to rolling country.

Good practices, including preparing and implementing nutrient budgets, have clear potential to bring about substantial improvements in the quality of our water resources and profits.

Waikato Regional Council is working with other stakeholders to help farmers adopt these practices and strongly supports the use of voluntary guidelines and codes of practices developed by the farming industry, such as the Code of Practice for Nutrient Management, Fertmark and Spreadmark.

Bala Tikkisetty is a sustainable agriculture co-ordinator at Waikato Regional Council. bala.tikkisetty@waikatoregion.govt.nz or 0800 800 401.

By Bala Tikkisetty

AVOCADOS

Page 35

An intuitive approach to crop estimate pays off With a head for numbers, estimating the volume of her avocado crop is almost second nature to Maria Watchorn.

reveal there were more avocado trees planted than they originally realised.

“We bought it under the impression it was a block with gnarly old orange and mandarin trees taking over what we thought were about 140 avocado trees,” says Maria.

“In reality, we were starting out with 300 avocado trees.”

The former banker, who enjoyed 18 years in the industry before becoming a full-time mother and grower, says having packhouse managers to call on for advice is also beneficial to working Radical re-think out calculations.

After a radical re-think, the couple “I think it helps that we have a hisfocused their efforts on cutting out all tory on the orchard too. This is the of the citrus and planting about 70 eighth year we’ve produced a crop more avocado trees.

– and, because I live on the property, Primor’s Crop Estimator of the Year award Maria also undertook a major polI’m in tune with what’s going on with linator planting programme, with 10 winners Andrew and Maria Watchorn, with the trees,” says Maria. per cent of the orchard planted with AVOCO’s John Carroll. (Picture supplied).

“There are no mathematical equapollination-boosters, such as Zutano, tions involved – it’s more of an intuitive and visual thing, with Bacon and Ettinger, in the first 18 months.

“Pollination is important, so we did that to give bees a little bit some input from a few key people.” more opportunity to successfully cross-pollinate our orchard.”

Maria and husband Andrew Watchorn have recently been named The orchard produces fruit off 2.7 canopy hectares and through Primor’s Crop Estimators of the Year at the AVOCO awards in careful management, and Maria has been able to generate an export Auckland. crop every year.

The award recognises their accuracy at estimating their crop for She believes a combination of pruning, injecting, pest control and the 2013/2014 season. water management have been critical to her success.

The Omokoroa couple harvested 28 tonnes per canopy hectare, Maria expects their orchard will have its first pick in September, which is just one bin shy of their 300-bin crop estimation. with two or three more picks before the season is out.

Last season’s crop on their six-hectare Prole Rd property was their With bumper crops expected for best ever – and Maria’s estimation for the new season looks just as both New Zealand and Australia, promising. there is extra pressure on exporters like AVOCO, a joint partnership between Spring prune Primor Produce and Southern Produce, “The volumes are very similar to what they were last year,” says to uphold the value of its fruit.

Maria. “Like many people in the industry, we had another fantasBut Maria says she has every faith in tic fruit set. I thought we could have been excluded from that, due AVOCO to get the job done. to an extensive spring prune and heavy crop last year, so it has been “As growers, the flow plans are out of a bit surprising.” our hands.

The couple bought the property eight years ago with the inten“We simply need to focus on supplying tion of converting what was a rundown avocado and citrus orchard market-ready fruit and have faith in into kiwifruit. our packhouses and exporter to manage But their plans changed after the orchard was GPS mapped to the rest.”

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Page 36

AVOCADOS

Awakeri microclimate ideal for avocados There’s a small horticultural enclave surrounded by grazing and cropping farms just northeast of Awakeri – and that’s where Bruce and Lynne Baker grow avocados.

“There’s a great microclimate here – probably because it’s tucked under the hills,” says Bruce, who says all of his immediate neighbours are kiwifruit orchardists.

Twelve years ago, when the couple bought the land around their original acre, there was some shelter but it was undeveloped.

“We decided to grow avocados because the establishment costs for kiwifruit seemed just too high,” says Bruce, who until this year was teaching at local schools and working part-time on the orchard.

Under the guidance of Jack Crozier, the couple planted 5.5 hectares of avocado trees.

“The soils are loamy. Before stop banks were built this area probably flooded, so the top soil is very deep with sand underneath and it drains well.”

The Bakers are among a small number, maybe five or six, avocado growers in the Whakatane district – and despite the generally favourable

climate in Butler Rd, they are affected by frosts.

“Initially when the trees were young, the frost control system worked because I could get water to the top of the trees. That’s not the case anymore.”

Harsh frost

In late-July the orchard was hit by frosts, which caused about one-two per cent of the fruit to drop. Despite that, the orchard looks set to have a record harvest.

Bruce does the majority of the orchard work, including applying sprays when advised to do so by AvoGreen monitors from his packhouse.

“I used to do the monitoring but found I got distracted by other things that needed doing in the orchard, so would rather leave it to the experts.”

He and Lynne apply Avomix Fertiliser from FruitFed by hand to each tree and phytophora is controlled by Omnia Stem Caps, inserted in small drill holes in the trunks.

Consultant Jonathan Cutting, the orchard’s advisor, recommended a rather aggressive pruning regime for one block, which was carrying a smaller crop this season.

“The aim is to open up the canopy and gradually bring down the height of the trees. I’ll do the same kind of pruning, but maybe not so dramatic, with other blocks over time,” says Bruce.

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Page 37

The orchard enjoys excellent pollination thanks to the fact it’s used as a depot for hives by a local beekeeper, meaning bees from up to 100 hives visit flowers from early-October to late-November.

The packhouse organises the harvest, and advises Bruce on what pre-harvest sprays to use to ensure his fruit is not excluded from any markets. The fruit is exported through Primor Produce.

Bruce believes the avocado industry has a bright future, which is among the reasons he’s decided to work full-time on the orchard.

B&B hosts

Lynne and Bruce also run Baker’s B&B Homestay, hosting guests in the selfcontained cottage they originally built, and in their adjoining large home with its croquet lawn, spa pool and swimming pool.

“Guests enjoy the peace and quiet, and the birdlife here – and we like meeting new people,” says Bruce, who when he’s not hosting guests or working in the orchard, enjoys painting landscapes and playing croquet.

By Elaine Fisher

Exporting to itself gives company an edge Just Avocados will be exporting New Zealand avocados to itself in Australia this season, in a move designed to give the company more control in the market, says Just Avocados managing director Andrew Darling.

From teacher to full-time orchardist – Bruce Baker is enjoying the change.

Phytophora is controlled by Omnia Stem Caps, inserted in small drill holes in the trunks.

The new company called Global Fresh Australia Pty Ltd is led by experienced produce executive Ben Bartlett, who was appointed to the role in June.

“Having our own company in Australia means we can take control of avocado exports from the wharf in New Zealand to the customer in Australia,” says Andrew.

“We are, in effect, shipping to ourselves – not a third party – and as such changing the terms of trade and the way we deal with our customer base in Australia.”

Rather than sending fruit on consignment in shipping containers filled with sizes and pack types it’s hoped the market wants, Andrew says Global Fresh Australia will now deliver on fixed terms, what its customers want, when they want it.

The new arrangement should reduce grower costs and hopefully improve returns.

“It is difficult to quantify exact market returns at this stage in the season and in a year with such a large crop but our ultimate goal, with this new and unique supply chain model, will be to achieve a better outcome for growers,” says Andrew.

Best returns

Avocado orchardist Bruce Baker is also a talented artist, who enjoys painting landscapes.

Bruce Baker has embarked on a rather aggressive pruning regime for one avocado block.

“Having Ben in the market working closely with customers will be beneficial in achieving the best possible outcome; and be assured the customers themselves are motivated to deliver the best returns they can also.

“Ben has hit the ground running and is quickly establishing relationships with both our existing customers as well as identifying new receivers that provide value and distribution capability for our

expanding supply programmes.”

Just Avocados has about20 per cent of the New Zealand avocado crop, and is one of three major players in the industry.

“We are the smallest of the three, but work in close co-operation with the other two through Avanza to export fruit to all other markets outside of Australia.”

With a large New Zealand crop this season, Just Avocados and other Avanza partners are poised to send a significant supply of export fruit to the USA. “Avanza’s partner in the USA, Mission Produce, visited in early July and those growers able to get along to the grower meeting held at Mills Reef heard first-hand why this company provides us such a pivotal and enduring partnership – not only for USA destined exports but also through the strategic cooperation across customers in Japan and Asia,” says Andrew.

California exports

“Right now we are having discussions with Mission Produce on the optimum timing to conclude Californian exports into Asia, to make way for the commencement of New Zealand supply scheduled for market delivery early to midSeptember.”

Andrew says competition for crop is strong within the avocado industry – and coming on the back of a good returning season growers will be reasonably comfortable with their existing relationships – but Just Avocados is very happy with its market share and with this new initiative in Australia, which will be well poised to provide something fresh and exciting for its grower supplier base.

“Our focus is to offer growers a point of difference in what we can do for them and to provide better outcome.”

Just Avocados was established in 2010 by its parent company Global Fresh New Zealand, to provide a specialised service company dedicated only to avocados, offering orchard management, harvesting, packing and marketing functions.

Just Avocados operates a dedicated avocado post-harvest facility near Katikati. “Global Fresh Australia is an

enhancement to a one-stop shop philosophy that was the cornerstone of the establishment of Just Avocados.”

THE WORD IS SPREADING

Page 38

AVOCADOS

Industry challenged to increase yields Avocado growers are challenged to increase yields as part of the industry’s collective aim to grow its contribution to the nation’s export earnings, says Aongatete Avocados Ltd managing director Tony Bradley.

“There are still many orchards not achieving their full economic potential and this can be observed by the decreasing trend in on-orchard production, yet industry analysis shows some orchards are achieving superior yields,” says Tony.

Orchard performance can be measured by way of yield (tonnes per hectare) or economically as an orchard surplus ($/ Ha).

“There is significant difference in orchard performance between an average orchard and one that is in the industry’s

top five per cent for production.”

Tony says this suggests that sustaining superior yields may require additional inputs in relation to increased and more effective orchard tasks that support higher yield and inputs in relation to the time and effort it takes to execute them.

“If your orchard would benefit from additional inputs and you want to improve your orchard performance economically and financially there are a number of options available for you to consider.

These options may include bringing in new information sources and applying the learnings, recruiting someone to help the orchard achieve the improvements or letting someone else have a go.

The last two, says Tony, can be achieved through leasing or managing options.

“AAL has been undertaking orchard lease and management agreements with local orchard owners for more than a decade and in a couple of cases, for more than 15 years. Over the years, we have lifted their orchard performance.

“Orchard owners may find themselves time poor or simply have their focus on other priorities. An orchard requires regular good quality input to achieve high performance so this means doing the right job and doing it at the right time.

“The AAL management programme will help improve your on-orchard production and therefore improve your financial result,” Tony says.

This chart shows avocado tonnes/ha. (Source - AIC Annual Report 2014).

Try your hand at haiku Sharpen your pencils and focus your senses – the Katikati Haiku Contest is back and, as always, welcomes entries from throughout the community.

Haiku are short poems based on the turn of the seasons and are an art form ideally suited to people living with the rhythm of the land.

In New Zealand the Katikati Haiku Pathway contains 42 poems placed in a park alongside the Uretara Stream and around to The Landing, the site where the Ulster Irish settlers got the first glimpse of their new home, and a little beyond.

The Katikati Haiku Pathway Focus Committee helps manage the development of the reserve and every two years runs a haiku contest to fundraise for the project.

The contest runs in two sections – 17 and under, and 18 and over – and offers cash prizes totalling $175 in the senior section and $85 in the junior section, thanks to sponsors Kings Seeds.

There is also an award for the best haiku by a local writer. Entry fees go towards the Katikati Haiku Pathway project.

Entrants should send two copies of each haiku, with one only including their name, address, phone number (not mobile), email address and age, if entering the junior section.

Poems should be typewritten or clearly handwritten. Junior entrants should avoid decorating or illustrating their entry. Post haiku to Katikati Haiku Contest, PO Box 183, Katikati 3166.

Entry fees are: Senior: $5 for every 3 haiku or $2 for 1. Junior: $1 for every 2 haiku.

Entries close on September 26.

An information sheet on writing haiku is available by emailing nzhaiku@gmail.com

EARTHWORKS

Page 39

Earthworks winners highlight improvements Waikato Regional Council has introduced three new awards for environmentallysensitive earthworks, to recognise the industry’s improved effort in protecting water quality from effects of sediment.

The awards – presented at council’s Hamilton offices on August 13 – recognise Waikato Regional Council chairperson Paula the work of three Southgate with Base Civil managing director Paul businesses, on small, Robert, with his workplace winning an award for its medium and large work on a campground. sites. water clarity. This year the awards were Downey Designer Homes Limited expanded to four categories covering won the Small Site award, for its huge small, medium and large sites, as well as improvements in relation to sediment forestry-related developments. control on house-building sites within Hamilton City.

Holden Earthmoving Limited took the Greater effort Medium Site accolade, for consistently WRC land and soil programme manshowing a high standard of workmanager Grant Blackie says there’s been a ship in construction of erosion and greater effort recently, across the board, sediment controls, particularly works on by the earthworks industry to carry out the Otorohanga stopbanks upgrade. projects in an environmentally-sensitive The Large Site award went to Base way.

Civil Limited, for outstanding work “In the last financial year we issued controls on earthworks to establish a earthworks operators with about half the campground at The Church of Jesus number of fines and abatement notices Christ of Latter-day Saints on Tuhikara- that we did the previous year, even mea Rd. though overall consented earthworks WRC chairperson Paula Southgate activity increased,” says Grant. says while the regional council makes “We believe there’s a range of reasons the rules it can’t achieve anything withfor this better performance, including out the industry getting behind it. our education programmes and work “As an industry, you’re helping us with the industry.” protect our water quality and the productivity of our soils,” says Paula, who Focused programme presented the awards.

Grant says, for example, during the The council previously introduced a past decade the council’s had hundreds Site of the Year award, to highlight and of people through its earthworks workpromote environmental best practice shops. and innovation on earthworks projects.

“And during the last 12 months there The council’s rules are designed to has been a focused programme within prevent sediment from such projects the earthworks and building industries from running off into waterways, as to ensure adequate erosion and sediment it can seriously affect aquatic life and controls are installed and maintained

Students dig river’s restoration project Students from Te Whare Kura o Mauao School in Bethlehem have planted 450 native plants along Wairoa River in the first of 25 sessions scheduled with 10 schools along the riverbank in coming months.

It’s part of a partnership between Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council to support the restoration of two-and-ahalf kilometres of esplanade reserve adjacent to the Wairoa River.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council land management officer Paul Greenshields says the work fits with the councils’ joint efforts to keep Tauranga Harbour and its catchment healthy.

“Nearly 50,000 tonnes of sediment runs off the land and travels down the Wairoa River into the Tauranga Harbour each year,” says Paul.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council reserves and facilities manager Peter Watson says it’s been great to have the support of neighbouring landowners to protect the river’s edge.

“The work will be ongoing. Regional council estimates 92 per cent of the waterways in the Wairoa catchment are protected from stock access and runoff, but 130km of fencing and planting is still needed to bring that figure up to 100 per cent.”

throughout the duration of works on any development site. “So, by expanding our awards to cover four categories, we’re able to publicly recognise more of our high performers in the region and the better effort going in generally.

“All award winners and nominees have made a

fantastic effort to exceed compliance expectations in implementing best practice erosion and sediment controls for earthworks.”

Grants says all nominated sites were ones which consistently strived to achieve outstanding levels of compliance for earthworks.

RURAL BUILDINGS

Page 40

Old dairy factory now a restaurant Forta Leza Restaurant proudly displays its dairying heritage in the external architecture of the building and the sign on the façade, which reads ‘Kati Kati Co-Op Dairy Company Ltd’.

Today the former factory, built in 1902, is a restaurant owned and operated by the Belcher family who bought it in 1979.

Rob and Norma Belcher, with the help of her son Haydn and wife Mary, brought it back from a rundown business to an establishment which is today popular with locals and tourists.

They also honour the building’s 112-year history, with the story of its past on display in the restaurant.

That history begins in 1902, with Katikati’s Ulster settlers’ growing dairy industry.

Mervyn Stewart of Athenree, son of settlers Hugh and Adela, was a driving force behind the building of a dairy factory near the Waitekohe Stream.

It began as a small wooden building, which expanded as the number of suppliers and production increased.

A house was built for the factory manager in 1923 and a herd-testing service began for farmers. The company store was also added at this time to provide a single location for all trading operations.

Production was so great that in 1925, a tender for a new electric factory at £1825 was accepted. In the five years between 1922 and 1927, the factory doubled its output.

The company continued to grow slowly in spite of restrictions imposed by Word War II and competition from other companies.

In 1947 a new casein plant was established on the southern outskirts of Katikati.

The company considered further diversification into milk powders and added a powder plant to the casein factory in 1953.

In 1954 at an extraordinary general meeting, the company decided to move all operations to the casein plant site and called for tenders to build a new factory in 1957.

The old factory closed and finally in 1960 the factory store was moved into a new

building at the township site.

It was Gary Rand who rescued the neglected cheese and butter factory in the early 1970s and armed with a chainsaw and basic tools, converted it into a restaurant and country inn.

It was his vision and skills which created the distinctly old English and Spanish style interior, complete with exposed rough timber, stucco, archway fireplaces and arched windows.

For more information, visit: www.fortaleza.co.nz (History from Western Bay of Plenty District Council publication ‘Built Heritage’).

The former Kati Kati Co-Op Dairy Company Ltd is today the Forta Leza Restaurant.

Matamata builder region’s top apprentice Matamata carpentry apprentice Matthew Frost has been named the Waikato Bay of Plenty Registered Master Builders Carters 2014 Apprentice of the Year.

The 22-year-old, employed

by Gudsell Designer Homes in Matamata and trained through the BCITO, impressed judges, who say he’s an engaging apprentice with a well-rounded, solid skillset.

“It was evident from the start that Matthew is an apprentice with real ability to run a building site and have control over all facets of the build. All questions asked of him received answers that clearly demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of his industry,” say the judges.

“Matthew is well-liked by

his peers and the judges recognised his commitment to the trade.”

As well as the sought-after regional title, Matthew was awarded an array of prizes, including his choice of either a study grant worth $2,000 or $2000 to spend at Carters and a place at an Outward Bound Leadership Programme.

Second place in the Waikato Bay of Plenty Region was awarded to Hayden Gamble, 22, of Hamilton, employed by Mark Inia Building in Te Awamutu.

Third place went to Jesse Boreham, 22, of Hamilton, employed by Livingstone Building.

RMBA acting chief executive Brendon Ward says it’s gratifying to see a strong group of contenders putting themselves forward to be Apprentice of the Year Matthew Frost judged against their peers at and his employer Matt Gudsell, of this year’s Apprentice of the Gudsell Designer Homes.

Year competition.

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For dairy housing, one size doesn’t fit all

Page 41

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This 3D image of shows a dairy house structure ideally suited to the North Island warmer climates.

Farmers contemplating housing their dairy cows should obtain good advice and system support to ensure the new farm system will deliver the expected outcomes says Harmen Heesen group CEO of Technipharm and dairy housing specialist.

“The investment in dairy housing should always be a strategic decision and should not be based on a spur of the moment emotional trigger.”

When a dairy housing system is considered it’s actually not the housing which is the critical element, it’s the whole farm system which will change. The housing systems is just one part of that, says Harmen.

“Fully understanding the new farming model, both financially and operational is critical as a first step in the process.

“In my work with clients we spent a fair bit of time initially establishing the current system and identify

where the “leaks” are. From that base we create a new farm model which could take various shapes, one size certainly does not fit all.”

Financial models are created on long term payout levels of between $6 and $6.75 and need to stack up at these levels.

“I think it’s critical to understand the complete financial model around what these changes mean both from an investment perspective and the ongoing cost of operation perspective.

“Once a full system is agreed to, we prepare clear design and build specifications. These can then go to builders and contractors for pricing or a tender for the project. This way it’s assured that the build project meets the farm needs, rather than the builders needs in what is “nice and easy” or just lots of steel and concrete. Time lines and alignment of the total delivery is critical to meeting the financial objectives.

“After completion support and “mentoring” is provided to ensure all targets set are met,” says Harmen.

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INDUSTRIES

Page 42

Contact Cosio Industries Ltd ph (09) 820 0272, email : sales@cosio.co.nz. or call Vaughan on 021 280 7266 for more information on Firestone EPDM and your nearest installation contractor.

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Contact Cosio Industries says Ltd ph (09) 820 0272, email : sales@cosio.co.nz. or call Vaughan combination, Craig. driven the development of the new INDUSTRIES on 021 280 7266 for more information on Firestone EPDM and your nearest installation contractor.

EPDM liner Our focus has been on LowerCosio capital costLtdwas also aFirestone requiresprayer, he says.

Industries are official Building Products Australasian distributors measuring pasture growth rates and Nitrate N under ment. It needed to be easy to operate Croplands partnered with a South grazed pasture on intensive dairy properties applyKorean company called Hanseo to make and cheaper to run; both from an ing total nutrient programmes where fertiliser N for hourly rate perspective and serviceability the tractor, tank and chassis unit. the last 10 years has been almost entirely replaced by aspect.

Hanseo build more than 1000 selfSplash Direct owner Craig Bell, with the new increased beneficial fungi and bacteria activity.

Kiwiliner sprayers.

The measures show the two monitored properties grow about 30 per cent more total pasture than conThis was achieved by moving away from the hydroventional properties relying on regular applications static drive system commonly used in self-propelled of fertiliser nitrogen. sprayers and fitting a conventional, manual 10-speed The measures from the property monitored for gear box with a clutch, brake and throttle.

Nitrate N indicates losses are about 30 per cent – “The sprayer is pretty much like driving a car or tracor 70 per cent less – of those from a neighbouring tor, which makes the transition quick and simple for property regularly applying urea. The concentrations any operator. from the biological property are close to the accept“The cabin has good visibility, is heated and air conable Ministry for the EnvironmentINDUSTRIES standard. ditioned and also pressurised through a carbon filter An independent performance analysis of these for operator safety.” properties states: “Based on the 2011-2012 season, One of the key benefits is the turning radius and it appears the biological farm had an advantage over excellent tyre footprint. Larger than normal tyres the conventional farm in all areas analysed”. combined with the fact that the sprayer is only 2650kg The analysis goes onto say: “The biological farm when empty means low compaction and plenty of grip. had a lower stocking rate and grew more pasture per With an overall height of just less than 1400mm and hectare therefore had a reduced reliance on grazing a minimum ground clearance of 220mm, the Kiwiliner off and applying nitrogen”.

SP is lower than most trailed tractor and sprayer com“It also had a significantly smaller environmental binations and has much better ground clearance. footprint, in terms of nitrogen leached from the farm The spray components used are a direct crossover and nitrate concentration in groundwater. Nitrogen from the Croplands Kiwiliner 2000 litre trailed sprayer conversion efficiency was also elevated.” and include the very reliable brass Annovi-Reverberi Both properties produced in excess of 1300 pump, brass controls, auto spray-rate controller, KIWI kilograms of milk solids per hectare. The biological stainless steel front-entry fan, ceramic nozzles, and property grew 19,300kg DM/ha based on Overseer, wire-braided pressure hoses. The powerhouse end of while the conventional property grew 14,800kg the sprayer is the Croplands new FE front-entry stainDM/ha based on the same model. We’ve been told less steel Kiwi Fan. the Overseer figures for pasture grown aren’t accurate. However, with regular upgrades we’re confident they will be become increasingly precise.

INDUSTRIES Overseer was never developed as a regulatory tool, but with standards rapidly becoming tighter a useful

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With the refusal to be involved in that part of the exercise the decision to dismiss is sound, but what if there is something of value.

Our work during the last 30 years has been based on observation first and foremost, and reworking our understanding to incorporate fresh information before measuring to see if the effect is real.

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KIWIFRUIT

Page 43

Grower grabs title for BOP and Northland Grower 2014 - Graeme Hodges, orchard manager at Rutherglen Orchard, Havelock North.

The 2014 competition is the sixth run by Horticulture New Zealand and is supported by platinum sponsor NZ Horticentre Trust.

NZ Horticentre Trust trustee Tony

Patrick Malley has won the 2014 Young Grower of the Year competition.

A Northland grower who represented the Bay of Plenty in the finals of the 2014 Young Grower of the Year competition has scooped the national title.

Patrick Malley secured his place in the national competition after being named the Bay of Plenty Young Fruit Grower 2014 in June.

On August 14 he won the national title at Young Grower of the Year at the Rydges Latimer in Christchurch.

Patrick, who works for Onyx Capital kiwifruit and avocado orchard in Maungatapere, was eligible to enter the Bay contest because Northland doesn’t have a young grower event.

The final phase of the competition saw four regional champions go head-to-head in a series of practical and theoretical challenges that challenged their essential industry knowledge and skills.

Horticulture New Zealand president Julian Raine says the competition is a testament to the outstanding level of talent in the country.

“Year-on-year we are always blown away by the high standards of our finalists, and this year

was no different.

“Patrick was clearly able to demonstrate the strong skills and experience needed to succeed in this industry. He’s been clearly committed to this competition from the start – and his hard work has paid off.”

The challenges ranged from a budgeting exercise on orchard profitability to an irrigation test and assembly of a squash crate.

Competitors also had to participate in a leadership panel discussing the role of associate directors of grower boards to the industry, and present a three-minute speech on ‘What makes the best grower?’ to dinner guests.

Patrick, 30, says winning the national Young Grower of the Year 2014 title is a real privilege and he’s proud to have competed against other such talented competitors.

“I’m absolutely delighted to have won the competition. I am proud to take this award back to Northland and Bay of Plenty, but I really hope my success will encourage other young people from across New Zealand to get into this awesome industry,” says Patrick.

“The competition has been such a great experience and I have learned so many new skills, which

I will be using every day in my job.”

As the Young Grower of the Year 2014, Patrick wins $2000 cash and goes on to compete at the 2014 Young Horticulturalist of the Year competition in November.

Patrick was also named the Young Fruit Grower of the Year 2014, and wished to recognise and thank the supporters behind the competition.

“A lot of generous support makes Young Grower of the Year possible. It shows the value it adds for horticulture and why getting behind youth is essential to our industry’s success,” says Patrick.

He also won the Best Speech Award and Outstanding Leadership Award, while all finalists received $1000 towards personal development.

The three other competitors were: • Nelson Young Fruit Grower 2014 - Steve Thomas, kiwifruit new variety manager and coolstore manager for Thomas Bros, Riwaka.

• Young Vegetable Grower 2014 - Brett Parker, assistant crop manager for Hinemoa Quality Producers, Pukekawa.

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Ivicevich says his organisation is proud to support young leaders of the horticulture industry in competitions like Young Grower of the Year.

“It’s a great way for them to showcase their talent and aspirations as the future of horticulture in New Zealand.”

KIWIFRUIT

Page 44

Cementing industry’s wealth-creating ability Lace bug fights war against Last year the kiwifruit industry started a strategic review of the industry’s structures and strategies.

The review is based on more than 400 submissions received from within the industry.

Many of these submissions were joint submissions from groups of growers.

The review is being undertaken by an industry group made up of representatives from the grower entities, New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers and Zespri Board.

A series of proposals have been developed by this group and were circulated to industry for further consultation following the release of an industry vision document in August and a series of dedicated grower roadshows around the country.

The vision document outlines the results of considerations and recommendations of the project’s working groups and covers the industry’s structure, industry’s governance, Zespri ownership, marketing, supply chain effectiveness, innovation and Zespri’s funding.

Industry heart

With the support of independent experts, during the last seven months each of the groups have considered the in-depth issues raised by the submissions received prior to last Christmas.

The proposals are designed to

cement the long-term wealth-creating ability of the New Zealand kiwifruit industry for the benefit of New Zealand; and to reinforce the grower’s position at the heart of the industry.

The project is a unique opportunity for growers to proactively plan and implement an industry strategy that will be intergenerational in its outlook.

Underpinning the entire project is the following principle: “The New Zealand kiwifruit industry must act responsibly and ethically on all economic, sustainability, environmental, social and regulatory issues to the benefit of New Zealand kiwifruit growers and the wider New Zealand community”.

Grower vote

Based on this principle there are 13 interlinking principles that form the basis of the project covering the following aspects: the industry’s structure, industry governance, Zespri ownership, marketing, supply chain effectiveness, innovation and Zespri funding.

As the proposals for the future are further developed and refined, based on the feedback from the industry, a consolidated strategy for the foreseeable future will be developed.

The industry’s growers will be asked to vote on this consolidated strategy this November.

If it is accepted by the industry, implementation will commence by the end of the year.

In future articles I’ll discuss the outcomes of the current consultation process and outline the kiwifruit industry’s strategy for the future.

Agrizest

®

woolly nightshade Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s trials of using lace bugs to decimate the spread of woolly nightshade on properties in the region are producing promising results – especially for forest owners.

But BOPRC land management officer Andrew Blayney says traditional control of the pest plant is still needed, with the onus now being on BOP landowners to stump the full cost of controlling the invasive pest plant on their properties after a subsidy for the work was phased out by council.

“We can’t supply lace bugs for use on all properties in the Bay of Plenty, but once established in our worst-affected areas, they [lace bugs] should help reduce large weed infestations and will disperse naturally on to surrounding properties over time.

We’re one of the first regions to use the lace bug through the National Biocontrol Collective.”

Woolly nightshade is a problem weed because of its ability to grow in dense stands that crowd out more desirable pasture and forest plants.

It’s also covered in fine hairs, which can cause skin, eye, nose and throat irritations for people and stock who

come into contact with it.

The lace bugs feed on the leaves of woolly nightshade, drying them out and stunting the growth of the plant.

This prevents plant reproduction, reducing spread, and can eventually cause the plant to die, says Andrew.

“We’re getting better results from the lace bugs here than in other parts of the country.

“They’re doing especially well in shaded areas, such as under pine trees.

That’s a good sign because controlling woolly nightshade in pine blocks has been difficult to date.”

But Andrew says traditional control is still needed.

“Lace bug is originally from South America. We followed a really rigorous process before releasing it here – that included 10 years of research

by NZLR, consultation with iwi and approval by the Environmental Risk Management Authority,” says Andrew.

Andrew says the next release sites will be large pine blocks infested with woolly nightshade. Bay of Plenty land occupiers are legally responsible for controlling woolly nightshade on their own properties.

Information on controlling woolly nightshade and other weeds is available at www.boprc.govt.nz/pestplants or by calling a Land Management Officer on 0800 884 880.

KIWIFRUIT

Page 45

Clothing to cover up and keep safe Providing and wearing protective clothing is an essential part of a farm or orchard health and safety plan – and RCR International Ltd has a range of products to meet most safety needs.

RCR account manager Michael Boucher says the company specialises in gloves for a wide crosssection of work roles as well as

protective clothing, disposable coveralls and respirators.

The company, founded in Australia in 1952, has its New Zealand headquarters in Auckland where its staff are able to advise clients on the right product for their requirements.

“We encourage people to give our 0800 number a call to discuss what their needs are so we can make sure they receive the right product, at the right price,” says Michael.

The RCR glove range includes those designed for food handling, medical

Compliance encouraged in kiwifruit employment

use, orchard, farm and gardening, as well as for handling chemicals, fertilisers and sprays.

The Pro-Val range of Cut Resistant Gloves are designed to give hands maximum protection and minimise the risk of injury when handling sharp objects or working with sharp tools. Michael says the gloves are made from the types of fibres used in bulletproof vests and hip replacements.

“They are still dexterous and breath so can be worn all day without hands becoming sweaty,” says Michael.

RCR’s range of disposable coveralls and clothing saves the costs of washing, and the associated risk of contaminating other clothing or objects with anything which may be on the protective clothing, such as chemicals or sprays, says Michael.

Head-to-toe protective clothing for almost any situation is available from RCR International Ltd.

My Name is Neil Woodward.

I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run business, our team consists of three, being myself, my son and my brother.

Our organisation has been established for over 18 years. I have been involved in applying crop protection programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966.

We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We have the equipment to spray orchards with our two Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom Formula tractor which is also available for mulching and mowing.

My Name is Neil Woodward.

I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run business, our team consists of three, being myself, my son and my brother.

Our organisation has been established for over 18 years. I have been involved in applying crop protection programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966.

The kiwifruit industry has set up a working group with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to improve employment compliance following an operation which identified eight illegal workers and other compliance breaches.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc CEO Mike Chapman says the industry compliance strategy working group was established in May following the MBIE operation with Immigration New Zealand which resulted in 18 contractors facing enforcement action.

Labour inspectorate general manager George Mason says MBIE has issued 22 Improvement Notices for 39 minimum employment standard breaches.

George says the level of noncompliance identified during this operation is disappointing – “especially the lack of acceptable time records”.

“Failure to maintain accurate time, wage and leave records is a key focus for the Labour Inspectorate, with breaches subject to compliance action and potentially penalties too.”

Mike says given kiwifruit the industry employs 6000 people during harvesting, the breaches could be viewed as relatively minor, as most involved record-keeping.

“We don’t yet know the full details of the eight illegal workers.

“However, NZKGI always encourages total compliance – and creating a compliance culture in the industry that is self-regulating is why we have set up the Industry Compliance Strategy which is currently under development with MBIE’s compliance team.”

NZKGI has also put in place a number of labour initiatives to ensure the industry not only has sufficient staff to cope with growing fruit volumes, but also to assist “kiwifruit industry employers to be good employers who are able to attract and retain valued employees”.

The initiatives include the appointment of Ian Fryer as kiwifruit employment development manager to work with orchard owners, growers, contractors and iwi to develop full-time employment options in the kiwifruit industry for employees and potential employees.

A Zespri spokesperson says: “Zespri expects kiwifruit industry employers to comply with all employment laws and regulations, and supports NZKGI in its work with MBIE to ensure industry compliance”.

Another industry spokesperson, who didn’t want to be named, says the kiwifruit industry has made considerable improvements to employment standards during previous decades and those improvements are ongoing.

Today Recognised Seasonal Employer workers, mainly from the Pacific, make up just 20 per cent of the workforce, with New Zealanders making up the majority of employees.

By Elaine Fisher

We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We have the equipment to spray orchards with our two Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom Formula tractor which is also available for mulching and mowing.

Our Atom combined three noz accuracy.

We also u applicatio

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Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this combined with fully automated sprayer controllers and three nozzle rings enhances application efficiency and accuracy.

We also use a quad bike for strip weed spray applications.

We hold all certificates needed to meet Globalgap compliance.

We look at all challenges to help ensure we protect your crop with excellence.

Ph E-ma

ge Page &46 Classic

RURAL DRIVER

Vintage, classic cars on Paeroa streets

ar Show

Historic cars, military vehicles, a mock

y 13thbattle September 2014 and a retro fashion show are all part

of the Paeroa Rotary’s 9th Annual Vintage arf Street, Paeroa

& Classic Car Show takes place on Saturday September 13.

Held in the Antique Town of New Zealand, the event begins at 11am with a parade through town of stunning vintage and classic vehicles, setting off from Taylor Ave. “The parade will be chock full of the cars we all

grew up with or admired from afar. From vintage steam vehicles to the latest V8, says Jo Tilsley of Positive Paeroa.

“If you think your car is a classic, come along and enjoy the fun. A large contingent of military vehicles will also add to the mix, commemorating 100 years since WWI began.”

As part of the day, the Historical Reenactment Society will stage a WWII mock battle between the German and Allied forces and there will be military vehicles

and static displays on show for all to enjoy.

An old fashioned tea party, with Devonshire tea, sets the tone with a ‘best dressed’ competition along with rock n roll dancing from 10am in Wharf St. A mystery car ramble sets off from the Paeroa RSA at 1.30pm for an hour’s tour and then back to the RSA for refreshments.

“This event is the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your pride and joy so come along,

bring the family and help us celebrate New Zealand’s iconic antique town,” says Jo. “Why not stay on in Paeroa as the evening promises to be a beaut with a Retro Fashion Show? Make sure you come dressed to impress in your favourite outfit from days gone by. It’ll be a night to remember.”

For more information about either the Vintage & Classic Show or the Retro Fashion Show, contact Jo on 07 862 6999 or Viv on 027 533 4328 or go to www.paeroa.org.nz

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116 Hewletts Road Mount Maunganui, Tauranga City Tel: 07 578 6017 www.farmerautovillage.co.nz Follow us on Facebook

RURAL DRIVER

Toyota Hilux regains sales lead The Toyota Hilux was the top selling commercial model for June with 847 units sold, representing 21 per cent of the market share, according to the Motor Industry Association of New Zealand.

The Ford Ranger was the second best seller with 14 per cent market share, from 574 units.

This was followed by the Holden Colorado at nine per cent, with 359 units.

For the year to date the Toyota Hilux has regained the lead as the top selling commercial model with 16 per cent market share, with 2915 units, followed by the Ford Ranger, with 15 per cent market share, selling 2757 units.

MIA’s chief executive officer David Crawford says the strong New Zealand dollar, competitive pricing and Kiwis’ confidence the economy is heading in the right direction have all combined to help drive sales of new vehicles skywards as records continue to fall.

“June sales of 12,519 new passenger and commercial vehicles is up 17 per cent on June 2013, and 14 per cent on this time last year.

“Registrations of 4002 new commercial vehicles for the month of June is phenomenal, not only being the strongest June sales since the MIA began collecting records for commercial vehicles in 1981, but the strongest month of any monthly commercial sales.”

With 8517 passenger vehicles sold during June, the tally is up 975 units – about 13 per cent – on June 2013. Year to date registrations of passenger vehicles is 4550 units – 11 per cent ahead of 2013.

Commercial vehicle registrations of 4002 units were up 821 units, with 26 per cent, on June 2013.

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Toyota was the overall market leader for the month of June with 20 per cent market share, from 2555 units, with Ford second on 11 per cent, from 1361 units, and Holden a close third also with 11 per cent, from 1344 units.

Toyota was also the passenger car market leader for the month of June with 17 per cent share, from 1448 units, with Holden second on 11 per cent, from 960 units, and Hyundai a close third also with 11 per cent, from 940 units.

The Toyota RAV4 was the top selling passenger model with four per cent market share, from 371 units, followed by the Toyota Corolla also on four per cent, from 333 units and the Toyota Highlander at four per cent, from 308 units.

The sale of sports utility vehicles grew to 32 per cent of all vehicles sales in June, followed by pickups/chassis-cabs with 22 per cent and small passenger cars at 15 per cent.

“As a reflection of the strong demand for light commercial vehicles, the two top selling models for the month of June were light commercials” says David.

Page 47

Crash drives home real message to teens A head-on collision in which one teenager died, two others sustained critical injuries and another two minor injuries, was witnessed by 400 high school students in Thames.

The shocking part wasn’t that it happened at the scene of a crowded teen party – but that it was a realistic staged accident, which part of last month’s Drink Drive Die Expo at Thames Racecourse.

The expo, in its third year, is sponsored by the Thames-Coromandel Hauraki and Matamata-Piako District Council and attended by high school students from across those regions.

Its aim is to use realistic scenarios to demonstrate to teenagers the dangers of drink driving.

Emergency services including fire, ambulance and police took part in the event, ‘extracting’ and ‘caring’ for victims and interviewing witness.

After the demonstration, Morrinsville police sergeant Vic Sneddon spoke to the students about the dangers of drink driving and getting into a car with a driver who has been drinking.

Representatives of emergency services also talked about their own experiences attending crashes and the horror of dealing with the results of drink driving crashes.

Dale Kirk, from the drug education consultancy Methcon, spoke about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and how they affect driving responses, our brains and cause long term problems.

Page 48

RURAL DRIVER

The American-Italian Stallion

There’s a famous Indian saying: “There is no such thing as ‘partCherokee’. Either you’re Cherokee or you’re not. It isn’t the quantity of Cherokee blood in your veins that is important, but the quality of it… your pride in it…”.

We don’t think Chief Jim of the North Alabama Cherokee Tribe was actually talking about the latest Jeep, but his words are eerily fitting, considering the mixed blood of the 2014 Cherokee.

Howls of indignation billowed from the purist Jeep camp when word spread that Chrysler’s

116 Hewletts Road Mount Maunganui, Tauranga City Tel: 07 578 6017 www.farmerautovillage.co.nz Follow us on Facebook

shotgun marriage to the crazed Italians at Fiat had spawned a wild child – the iconic Cherokee taking on a radical, new, sleek and funky European styling and Italian refinement of the drive train. Almost as much outcry as the day Harley Davidson popped out an electric motorbike.

Some of the traditionalist Jeep fraternity complained bitterly that the white man ‘speaks with forked tongue’, when trying to pass off the stylish, curvaceous and slippery new design as a real Jeep.

After all, the original four-wheel-drives that helped win WWII were boxes with wheels on the corners, with all the aerodynamic qualities of a flying brick, and drive systems known less for their finesse rather than bulletproof reliability in extreme terrain.

And so it was that the Jeep Cherokee, a statelier sibling to the Wrangler, still had some fairly jaunty corners, proudly “robust” mechanics and that ‘Go anywhere’ badge of honour.

As a previous owners of a Wrangler and Cherokee, we were keen to see the result of the American-Italian mixed blood breeding programme. That chance came with the first batch of new-look Cherokee at Farmer AutoVillage in Hewletts Rd.

Nine speed auto

The range starts from the $45,000 mark with four petrol variants, from the Sport with a 2.4L four-cylinder engine; up to the Trailhawk, the full-on, off-road version with 3.2L V6 and a bevy of trailblazing bits. Diesel options are also due later in the year in 2L turbo.

All the new Cherokees have nine-speed auto with Electronic Range Select; halogen projector

headlamps and swanky “signature” daytime running LEDs, which help give it that swept-back new look. Electronic stability control and roll mitigation, hill start and trailer sway control are standard across the range.

They’re all five-star safety rated, with seven airbags – front and rear side curtain and front seat-mounted side air bags – and front seat active head restraints. The media centre/electronics provisions are impressive with storage compartments featuring power connections; touch screen stereo, voice command and the works.

Our test vehicle is the Longitude with 3.2L Pentastar V6, Active Drive 4WD system, which on top of all those features listed also boasts dual zone auto temperature control, body colour mirrors and door handles, and a stack of other refinements. The fold-flat passenger seat with in-seat storage seemed a very useful feature.

Once recovered from the awe of the striking, almost aggressive outward styling, I couldn’t wait to get behind the wheel.

RURAL DRIVER

Page 49

A new breed from mixed bloodlines

The fabric seats are snug and right? Corners are those annoying bendy bits encompassing; the best feel and adjustability that need going around, to get on with the of any of the mid-sized SUVs we’ve reviewed straights. Not so, the new Cherokee. The corlately. nering was delightful, balanced and even with a I wouldn’t rush into leather again; there’s bit of jandal, felt well-controlled. something reassuring about your lower regions There’s a slight acknowledgement of the gear firmly cocooned and not sliding off the rawchange down when coming out of a bend or hide. attacking a hill, when no doubt the Cherokee Controls and instruments were perfectly laid is dropping down not one gear but probably out and once we’d absorbed the sheer volume two or three in quick succession. The upshot of of information on hand, we realised it was all this is the vehicle seems to always be in exactly very logical, easy-to-find and use. It became a the right gear for optimum delivery of power. voyage of discovery.

We experimented with the manual shifter Fascination soon sets in, as I re-discover feaand found it very smooth; and it was great tures our older Cherokee had, such as constant to be able to select a perfect gear – it seemed tyre pressure readouts and every conceivable like a half-gear – for the task. This mid-size fuel management piece of data, plus many new SUV would be an ideal wagon for the Bay and delights.

Coromandel, and I look forward to the chance With controls at my fingertip on the steering to try that nine-speed gear range over Pumpkin wheel, after a few days I realise the Cherokee is Hill one day. an incredibly driver-friendly machine.

Interestingly the Cherokee didn’t seem to Eager to get out on the road and try this often get into top gear in auto, although it new-fangled nine-speed auto, which I admit was quite happy to push along the highway in to being a bit sceptical about, we took a quiet ninth in manual. cruise around town to settle in.

The Pentastar is lovely and smooth, quiet and Safe and solid has a tonne of pep on hand. The gear changes The highway cruising and the bend negotiaare virtually indiscernible, but you know there’s tion was surefooted and predictable, again, one a lot going on… a lot more than with a five or of the best handling experiences of any of the six-speed box.

SUVs we’ve reviewed recently.

Out on the expressway and a chance to give Claire was quite taken with the interior of the it a squirt, and the V6 auto is simply stunning.

Longitude and liked the classy stitching on the The wolf comes out of its sheep disguise, with dashboard leather trim and commented on the a lovely snarl and smooth delivery of power. feeling of “safe and solid” with doors that shut The Longitude can really boogie, and as a tow with a reassuring clunk. vehicle would have plenty of grunt.

She remarked on the perception of sure-footThe Pentastar is truly impressive, very willing ed handling and also approved of the V6 growl power on hand and a wide power band. It’s a EXTRA when it meant business. huge improvement on the old in-line six thatEXTRA Rear cup holders Being a mid-sized SUV it was easy to park colours our thinking from the earlier times Heated of Cherokee and Wrangler. (Although I stilldoor and manoeuvre in town, tight spots, narrow EXTRA tracks and driveways. The lock was sufficiently secretly hanker for the rumble of the Hemi). r and passenger tight to swing it around in some close places.

So too, is the fuel economy with the new genadjustment seats If I had to find a fault with this wagon it eration petrol engines. would the same complaint I have with so many However, it was the handling and cornering of the new generation SUVs. Rear visibility. that really surprised. This, after all, is a Jeep,

Reversing and backing trailers is hampered by the high rear doors and tailgates that obstruct the view. It seems visibility is sacrificed for the up-swept rear-end fashion designs. It’s mitigated partly by rear view cameras and the proximity warning systems, but it’s still not the same as the good old driver eyeball system.

Bending the light

The headlamp set-up is a very cool arrangement. The main lamps are lower down in the array, with fog lamps lower again, and very clever cornering lights that automatically follow the steering direction as you’re negotiating tight bends. We were taken aback at first, when pulling into the driveway, to find the letterbox and the gateposts lit up like a Christmas tree.

A brilliant feature on dark, twisty trails as well as tight city lanes.

So has Chrysler managed to swish up the Cherokee without losing the essence of quality Jeep bloodlines? Millions of dyed-in-the-wool Jeepsters will hate this, but I think they have.

Proof will be in the sales, and I predict Chrysler will reap the benefits of nailing a market gap with the new-look Cherokee.

After all, if you really yearn for unadulterated Jeepness, there’s always the iconic Wrangler – resplendent in stubborn squareness, flying brick aerodynamics, round headlights (as they should be) and the famous seven-slot grille.

Jeep has managed to completely re-design the Cherokee to better match the market demands for mod looks, smooth power, economy, off-road capability and on-road performance, while keeping enough of the Jeep heritage pumping in the background to hark back to Chief Jim’s ideals.

The new Cherokee probably shouldn’t have been called that, for it resembles little of the former models. But beneath the clever and sleek European looks and performance is still a core philosophy.

Deep down, you know you’re driving a Jeep.

By Brian Rogers,

“There is no such thing as ‘part-Cherokee.’ Either you’re Cherokee or you’re not. It isn’t the quantity of Cherokee blood in your veins that is important, but the quality of it . . . your pride in it. I have seen full-bloods who have virtually no idea of the great legacy entrusted to their care. Yet, I have seen people with as little as 1/500th blood quantum who inspire the spirits of their ancestors because they make being Cherokee a proud part of a their everyday life.”

~Jim Pell: Principal Chief of the North Alabama Cherokee Tribe ~

brian@thesun.co.nz

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Terms and Conditions: Offer available to approved applicants of Nissan Financial Services only and excludes all lease and some fleet purchasers. Units must be registered in August to qualify for the special finance offer. The 3.9% Finance offer applies to the new Navara ST-X LTD variants (D40LM02, D40LA02, D40MM02, D40MA02, and D40ZZ02). The 3.9% p.a.interest rate is available with zero deposit and 36 months term. Additional finance related fees, charges, and terms and conditions apply. Additional fees and on-road charges apply. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offers and is only available while stocks last. Offer must end Aug.31st 2014.

ved applicants of Nissan Financial Services only and excludes all lease and some fleet purchasers. Units must be registered er. The 3.9% Finance offer applies to the new Navara ST-X LTD variants (D40LM02, D40LA02, D40MM02, D40MA02, and able with zero deposit and 36 months term. Additional finance related fees, charges, and terms and conditions apply. Additional fees sed in conjunction with any other offers and is only available while stocks last. Offer must end Aug.31st 2014.

116 Hewletts Road Mount Maunganui, Tauranga City Tel: 07 578 6017 www.farmerautovillage.co.nz Follow us on Facebook

RURAL DRIVER

Page 50

New high performance machine defies classification Polaris has celebrated its 60th anniversary with the launch of a radical new Slingshot.

The three-wheeled Slingshot is drawn from Polaris’ high performance adrenalin stable that’s produced products which race the deserts of Dakar and snowfields of the Rocky Mountains.

The Slingshot offers acceleration with a 2.4 litre DOHC four-cylinder engine

age.co.nz

delivering 173 horsepower.

Boasting optimised weight distribution, sport-tuned double wishbone suspension, coil-over gas-filled shocks and sway bar, the Slingshot is made to charge corners at top speeds.

The combination of an open cockpit and truly dynamic performance make the Slingshot one of the most exhilarating driving experiences on the planet.

The pilot, or driver, commands the

distinctive machine with a power-assisted steering wheel and five-speed manual transmission. Sitting only 2.54cm off the ground, pilots are made to feel like they are surfing the asphalt.

Other features of this extreme machine include lateral weather-proof seating, electronic stability control, traction control and ABS brakes.

Polaris Australia and New Zealand managing director Peter Alexander says the Slingshot is a segment defining product “and just another example of Polaris’ constant innovation and product leadership”.

“The drive to create models and think outside the box means that models such as the Slingshot are created.”

In the last 12 months Polaris has launched new and innovative adrenalin-pumping products, including the RZR XP 1000 and Sportsman ACE. The RZR XP 1000 is the most powerful SXS sideby-side performance machine in the world, while the Sportsman ACE offers a unique single-cab design giving users a whole new off-road experience.

The ACE combines the size and nimble handling of the Sportsman All-Terrain Vehicle, and the confidence and comfort of the RANGER and RZR SXS.

Open: Monday-Friday 8.00am-5.30pm Saturday 9.00am-5.00pm Open: Monday-Friday 8.00am-5.30pm 116 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui.

Saturday 9.00am-5.00pm

Tel: 07 578 6017

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116 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui.

Tel: 07 578 6017

www.farmerautovillage.co.nz

“With the launch of the Sportsman ACE earlier this year it became Polaris’ 15th local model to offer ROPS as standard. “[This is] Interesting to note, given the uniqueness of the ACE the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries has yet to establish a proper classification for the segment that the model sits in,” says Peter.

“With the launch of Slingshot, should it come to Australia, we fear the confusion of classifying another unique model could prove even more problematic.

“The whole definition table needs to be thrown out, as we continue to define what the market will be, not how it was.”

Peter says watching the debate of FCAI classification will be a real giggle from Polaris’ perspective.

“No matter how they class it, the ongoing problem will be that the sales figures are unaudited, so who will ever really know how many sell.”

Peter says Polaris is interested to hear feedback from consumers about its latest jaw-dropping release “as we believe there will be a high demand in our local markets for the Slingshot”. We will work with regulators in regards to what it will take to bring the unique Slingshot to our marketplace.”

MAIZE

Page 51

National title to record Gisborne maize crop Poverty Bay grower Brian Amor is the national winner of the 2014 Pioneer brand seeds Maize for Grain Yield Competition with a yield of 21.16 tonnes per hectare.

Auckland Province and North: Shawn and Tracey Nichols, Northern Wairoa Flax Company, with a Pioneer brand P0021 yield of 17.19 t/ha.

Waikato: Lloyd Farms Ltd with

PIONEER® BRAND

MAIZE for grain

Since its inception in 1998, the competition has recognised grain growers throughout the country who achieve the highest yields with Pioneer brand maize hybrids in on-farm trials.

The competition is split into five regions: Auckland Province and North, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne/Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu/Rangitikei –and includes early, mid and late maturity hybrid groups.

All on-farm product advancement trial co-operators are automatically entered Pioneer National Yield Cup winner Brian Amor (centre), with guest into the competition and speaker at the awards TV3 news presenter Mike McRoberts and winners are announced at the Pioneer East Coast sales manager Simon Begley.

Pioneer Industry Get Togethers around the country. The National Yield Cup is awarded to the highest yielding McCarter says while winning the National Yield regional winner.

Cup four times in the last seven years is a fantastic This year’s win is Brian’s fourth time grabbing the achievement for Brian, this year’s result is even more National Yield Cup, with him also enjoying success notable. in 2008, 2010 and 2012.

“This is the first time we’ve recorded a yield of more He credits his high yields to attention to detail and than 21 tonnes of grain per hectare,” says Barry. doing the small things well “and at the right time”.

Right hybrid

That includes ground preparation, selecting the right hybrid and having the right contractors do the planting, says Brian.

The 76-year-old says he probably should be retired but enjoys the maize business and has no plans to give it up.

He takes particular pride in winning the national competition on behalf of the Gisborne region too.

The winning plot of Pioneer brand P1253 was planted on October 9, 2013, at a plant population of 96,000 plants per hectare and harvested on May 7, 2014.

The individual ears were not big, but there were lots of them. At this winning yield each ear had an estimated 225 grams of dry grain.

Pioneer brand seeds’ maize product manager Barry

Farms sought for trial Farms within the Waikato region are being sought to take part in a research programme dedicated to finding alternative pollinators for pasture and food crops to the honeybee.

As the honeybee is now under such threat from pests and diseases that other pollinators must be found, according to Plant & Food Research.

The research team is seeking farms within the Waikato region that would have a spare corner of accessible land to cultivate a 50m x 50m plot and plant with pak choi seed.

The seed would be sown in mid-October 2014 and researchers would return in December during flowering for regular assessments of pollinators, and would follow the plot through until seed harvest, approximately February 2015.

Leader of the Plant & Food Research-led research programme, Dr David Pattemore, says a wide range of insects visit crop flowers, and these species can make an important contribution to pollination.

University of Auckland PhD candidate Jamie Stavert says the aim of the project is to assess how the surrounding environment influences the range of pollinator species present in crops, “and how these differing pollinator communities work together to pollinate the crops”.

Waikato farmers interested in being involved in this study, are asked to contact Jamie Stavert (021 0235 6137 or jamie.stavert@gmail.com

a Pioneer brand P0891 yield of 18.51 t/ha.

Manawatu Rangitikei: Dennis Nitschke with a Pioneer brand P0021 yield of 18.92 t/ha.

P1253 high yields for bay of plenty P1253 compared to dkc57-83* 15.8 tDM/ha

p1253 dkc57-83

14.8 tDM/ha

39 trials over 4 seasons

yield significance local advantage to P1253

1.05 t/ha $354 profit/ha

Good season

“It’s a great example of what can be achieved with a high-yielding hybrid, excellent crop management techniques and a good growing season in Poverty Bay,” says Barry, who visited the trial as part of Pioneer’s annual inspection of research trials in March.

“It clearly was a crop that had been planted on time with excellent weed control and top fertility. Fertility is considered very important and is partly supplied by the application of chicken manure during the winter period.”

The weather wasn’t so kind in other districts, with a lack of rainfall throughout the North Island. But despite climatic challenges, the competition’s winning yields were generally high.

Regional winners for the 2014 season are: Bay of Plenty: Dovaston Family Trust with a Pioneer brand P1253 yield of 19.25 t/ha.

robin billett REGIONAL MANAGER call me 027 273 0497 rbillett@genetic.co.nz

PIONEER.co.nz *Source: Pioneer, New Zealand Research Programme. See www.pioneer.co.nz for more details.

Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchase, which are part of the labeling and purchase documents. ®, TM, SM, Trademarks and service marks of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

MAIZE

Page 52

There has also been a substantial increase in the number of products in our maize portfolio.

Al Park (left) and Wayne Ford inspecting the harvest of PAC 301.

Pacific Seeds product development programme is delivering big benefits to NZ maize growers. With more than 20 regional small plot trials in the programme the genetic gains being realised are world class, says Pacific Seeds territory manager Al Park.

“If you’re looking for maize hybrids that consistently deliver - whatever the conditions Pacific Seeds has got you covered.”

Ross Carter

“Since the appointment of our maize product development specialist Scott Shaw the last four years have seen genetic gains of up to two per cent per annum averaged across the portfolio.

“There has also been a substantial increase in the number of products in our maize portfolio, with a strong focus on dual purpose products that will deliver optimal and stable yields of both silage and grain.”

Advanced hybrids

Ngatea

We’ve grown Pacific Seeds hybrids for a number of seasons now and they have always performed really well, with high yields, big well filled cobs and ME levels that are always in excess of 11%.

TRIED, TESTED, PROVEN: Pacific Seeds maize hybrids are bred to deliver strong performance across the following:

Dry matter yields and grain yield/quality.

Yield stability across environments and seasons.

Standability, drought and disease resistance.

FULL SEASON PACIFIC SEEDS HYBRID OPTIONS SUITABLE FOR NORTHLAND, WAIKATO/BOP REGIONS. PAC 624

115 CRM

Silage only

Outstanding yields and quality

PAC 606

114 CRM

Silage only

Long harvest window, soft grain

DKC57-83

107 CRM

Grain pref.

Excellent drydown and standability

PAC0643-CC-RC

For our full hybrid range visit www.pacificseeds.co.nz

Barry Smallridge

Al Park

• Northland • Waikato • Bay of Plenty • Poverty Bay • South Island

• Southern Waikato • Hawkes Bay • Southern North Island

027 494 7706

027 287 8776

Maize hybrids bred to perform

www.pacificseeds.co.nz | 0800 PACMAIZE

Yield stability is a critical component of a superior hybrid and Pacific Seeds aims to provide growers with hybrids they can depend on. To enable this Scott has developed a research programme to comprehensively evaluate yield, quality and agronomic characteristics of the most advanced hybrids from global breeders.

These trials are conducted by a small team, using state-of-the-art equipment and some very smart systems. The impact to contractors/growers field operations is minimal and Al says the benefit to the growers is unrivalled.

“The Pacific Seeds’ programme is fully transparent with growers provided a full list of trial entries and a trial map so that they can walk the trial on their own, or with Scott during the grain filling period.”

This means that growers can be absolutely confident that the information they receive from the trial can be traced back to exactly what they saw in the field and there is no hiding behind “codes”.

“We need the feedback,” says Scott Shaw. “Because before a hybrid is considered for commercial release we want to know that it measures up in every way.”

Planting rates

All trial systems follow industry best practice to determine relative performance of the hybrids, utilising a three tier trialling system to accommodate new material entering the programme, as well as more advanced trial hybrids and competitor material.

Management trials including planting rates are also included.

“All our commercial hybrids have undergone at least three years of testing in over 30 trials across multiple regions targeted to their maturity. Results are independently analysed so growers can have the utmost confidence in their performance capabilities,” says Al. Hybrids PAC 624, PAC 606, DKC57 – 83, PAC 456 and PAC 301, which have all performed well for BOP/Waikato growers, have been developed under this exacting trial regime.

Scott is always looking for new trial opportunities and would like to encourage anybody interested in hosting a trial to contact him directly.

For further details phone Al Park 027 287 8776 or Barry Smallridge 027 494 7706. Full hybrid details are available @ www.pacificseeds.co.nz

MAIZE

Page 53

Peas and beans among future forage crops FAR staff member Tracey Wylie in a Faba bean crop.

FAR research and extension team leader Allister Holmes.

In future Waikato and Bay of Plenty farmers may be growing a wider range of forage crops, including peas and faba beans, according to the Foundation of Arable Research.

FAR research and extension team leader Allister Holmes says drought tolerance, feed quality and cost efficiency will be among the drivers influencing what crops are grown for both forage and supplements in future.

And, Allister says in addition to maize there are a number of possibilities.

FAR is researching these options, plus conducting trials to improve maize production on its 25 hectares research property at Tamahere near Cambridge.

Allister is FAR’s newest employee. He comes to the foundation from Pollen Plus, the innovative kiwifruit pollen company based at Te Puna.

However, Allister says his first love has always been cropping. When he graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Horticulture degree and Postgrad Diploma in Agricultural Science, his first job was with Corson Grain in Gisborne.

Later he joined Heinz Watties, also in Gisborne, working with cropping farmers on the East Coast. “Last year I went to Kansas and saw the broad acre crops there and fell in love with cropping all over again,” says Allister.

When the opportunity came up to join FAR as its research and extension team leader, based in the Waikato, Allister was keen to take it.

Annual clovers

“Maize is the main crop grown in the North Island but there is potential to grow others such as Lucerne, annual clovers, beans, miscanthus, peas and potatoes,” says Allister.

Miscanthus is a tropical grass, which has the ability to remove nutrients, including nitrogen, from effluent paddocks as well as possibly being a useful supplementary feed source.

Allister says crop rotation, using short sequence crops like oats, barley, peas, beans and sorghum can help reduce the time land is out of production.

Selecting drought-tolerant crops is also important, even though the regions haven’t traditionally had a history of frequent droughts.

“We have to be aware of the impacts

of more extreme weather in future; and crops which are water efficient will become more important, especially as irrigation is not widespread in the Waikato and BOP regions.”

While seed companies do extensive research and development on new varieties of maize for grain or silage, Allister says the success of each variety depends largely on how it’s grown – so FAR concentrates on finding the best techniques for sowing, growing, fertiliser and controlling pests and diseases in the crops.

Slug pests

“Among the problems facing farmers growing maize using no-till techniques are slugs, which can rapidly chew through young plants,” says Allister.

Work is underway to find a biological control to reduce the use of pesticide sprays.

“There is a nematode, which attacks slugs, and we’re trying to find it in several regions of New Zealand because if it is already widespread then we don’t have to go through the approval processes required to introduce a new organism to New Zealand.”

Farmers, as growers, play a vital role in FAR’s research and development, says Allister. “Some of the best discoveries or techniques often come from observation; like the farmer who noticed fewer insect pests on his crop, because they were being attracted away by a neighbouring crop of borage. That has led to some farmers planting borage around the perimeter of their crops.”

Field days

Regular field days, discussion groups, conferences, seminars, publications and newsletters are among the ways FAR’s research findings are made available to farmers.

Allister says he’s always keen to hear from farmers who have a particular issue they want to discuss.

As well as research undertaken in New Zealand, FAR, which has a branch in Australia, also has close links with similar organisations in the UK and the USA so is up-to-date with the latest overseas research. # The Foundation for Arable Research is an applied research and information transfer organisation responsible primarily to New Zealand arable growers. Funding comes from: a compulsory levy collected from arable growers; grants; co-operative research and information sales.

Every five years growers have opportunity to vote for the continuance of FAR, and currently FAR has more than 80 per cent support from farmers. For more information, see www.far.org.nz

By Elaine Fisher

A crop of Miscanthus and maize on right.

MAIZE

Page 54

Building farm systems that deliver every season Everyone knows the weather can make or break a farming season. The key challenge many farmers face is building systems that will consistently perform, even if the weather doesn’t play ball.

Maize is a drought-tolerant crop with a summer water-use efficiency of more than three times that of ryegrass. Its deep-rooting system allows it to access water which has dropped out of the root zone of shallow-rooted pasture species.

Cost effective

hectare of maize silage produces as much energy as more than six hectares of pasture silage.

No other crop can produce as much high quality, storable dry matter at such a low cost. Even when the cost of pasture forfeited during the maize-growing season is taken into consideration, home-grown maize silage is cheaper than most bought-in supplements. Most Bay of Plenty farmers can grow maize silage crops yielding 18-24 tDM/ha for 16-21 cents/kgDM.

There are a number of reasons why Dry summers are becoming more maize silage is an obvious choice for frequent. Climatologists forecast that livestock farmers who want to stabias temperatures continue to rise and lise their production and profit.

New Zealand heads towards a more Maize silage is cost effective.

One Mediterranean climate, the risk and frequency of long, dry spells will Table 1: Average on-farm cost of double by 2040.

This could cost farmers and the economy billions of dollars in lost production each year –unless farmers adjust their farming practices.

The solution every livestock farmer Cost with full fertiliser input (c/kgDM) should consider is to hold an onCost in a high fertility (e.g. dairy effluent farm buffer of home-grown maize paddock) (c/kgDM)3 silage.

home-grown maize silage Maize silage yield (tDM/ha in the stack) 18

20

22

24

21.2

19.0

17.3

15.9

15.9

14.4

13.0

12.0

Maize silage can be grown in high fertility paddocks, including effluent paddocks, without the need for additional fertiliser. This reduces the feed cost to just 12-16 cents/kgDM. See table one above.

Cheap insurance

ADDLINE TRANSPORT LTD

Keeping a stack of maize silage on-hand is cheap insurance against feed shortages. Maize silage, which is well-covered and sealed, will hold its quality longterm and provide quality feed when you need it most.

Maize silage can be fed to a range of livestock types and classes. Whether you’re running beef cattle, milking cows or even have sheep or deer, maize silage is an excellent supplementary feed choice supporting good liveweight gains or milk production levels.

• Milkers: Maize silage can be used to fill feed deficits and to extend lactation length.

• Dry cows: Energy from maize silage is used 50 per cent more efficiently for condition score gain than energy in autumn pasture.

• Heifers: Always having a stack of maize silage onhand can help guarantee they always meet mating and calving liveweight targets.

• Beef cattle: Maize silage can be used to stabilise weight gains so you can take advantage of scheduled premiums or protect your breeding stock during periods of low feed availability.

Growing and feeding maize can help improve pasture persistence. Maize is an ideal break crop helping farmers to establish new, higher-yielding pastures.

The cultivation process allows farmers to apply fertiliser, incorporate lime and address drainage issues that may have been negatively impacting pasture persistence.

Cropping removes the normal feed source for pasture pests, including black beetle. This interrupts their breeding cycle and reduces insect pressure on seedling plants during the pasture renewal process.

Growing and feeding maize silage can help reduce some of the environmental impacts of more intensive dairy farm systems.

Maize silage can be grown in high fertility dairy paddocks, including those with a history of dairyshed effluent application, usually without need for additional fertiliser to be applied.

The benefits are two-fold; a reduction in soil nutrient levels as well as high yields of low-cost maize silage.

Maize is a low crude protein feedstuff – with an average 7.5 per cent crude protein – so feeding maize silage reduces the amount of nitrogen in urine and can greatly reduce nitrogen-leaching losses.

Foot notes: Figures in this article assume a maize silage yield of 22tDM/ha, a pasture silage yield of 3.5tDM/ha and average maize silage and pasture silage energy values.

For more on information on the table, see Pioneer Maize Silage North Island catalogue 2014/2015 pages 33-34 or visit www.pioneer.co.nz for a comprehensive list of costs and assumptions. The table assumes no base, starter or sidedress fertiliser is required.

By Raewyn Densley, Pioneer brand products’ forage and nutrition specialist.

MAIZE

FOR SUSTAINABLE PROFIT

Page 55

Page 56

MAIZE

It’s what’s under the wrap that’s important Cows need a balanced diet to reach and retain their milking potential, and supplements are one way to achieve that – but only if the supplements are of high quality.

The problem with buying in wrapped supplements is all the bales look the same on the outside – but it’s what is inside that matters.

Good quality feed should have a metabolisable energy rating of about 12. A rate of 10 and below is too low. Last year Hills Laboratories reported the overall average ME of feeds it had tested from a number of growers was 9.6, which is clearly unsatisfactory.

Good grass silage should contain about 11MJ ME/kg DM but the weather, delaying harvesting or the desire to buy in bulk, can cause the realistic MEs to be 10MJ ME/kg DM. However, the average for our feeds was 11.5 ME. Neutral Detergent Fibre was 45.5 and digestible fibre was 72 per cent – the idea range is 62-75 per cent.

Farmers can, and I believe should, ask for the test results of the feed they’re buying because they may be paying the same for poor quality feed as they would for a high quality product.

Buying in cheap feed can be just as

bad, because it may not achieve the production levels required.

Farmers wouldn’t accept a load of fertiliser from the fert company without knowing what it contains – the same should be true of the supplements they buy.

Grass silage should be made at the right time – when the pasture is around Red Band height – not half way up to your waist. Look at a paddock and consider if stock would eat it out and milk on it, or just pick it over.

If they’d leave a lot behind, and if the grass is stalky and going to seed, it won’t make good silage. Once made, use inoculants to encourage good ensiling – because the longer it takes to ensile, the lower the quality.

With a reduced payout, farmers will be watching costs carefully. The cheapest food they have is still pasture and New Zealand-produced supplements.

They shouldn’t be relying on the ‘lollies’ fed to cows in the dairy shed to boost production at the expense of not fully utilising their pasture first.

Allowing it to go rank or to seed head will just compile the problem, due to the cows having filled up on expensive feed and not being made to clean pad-

docks out to a suitable residual.

According to a recent DairyNZ field day, the top performing farmers include those with high stocking rates so they are obviously feeding the stock good quality feed.

Fibre is an important part of the cows’ diet too. But fibre shouldn’t be used just to fill the animals up as fibre alone won’t help them milk well, which buying in cheaper low ME feed is doing, as this is just a source of fibre at a high cost.

We are preparing to get our spring crops in the ground – and, as always, won’t be taking any shortcuts with preparation, fertiliser or weed and pest control.

Forecasters are still predicting an El Nino summer, so we could be in for some dry conditions. With this in mind many of our clients are ordering supplements early, so they can have the peace of mind of knowing they can feed their cows if the weather turns bad.

We are taking orders now for grass and maize silage, and we can provide customers with a report on its feed value on most of the feed we supply.

MAIZE

Page 57

Tall bulky maize with wide harvest window ing grass silage, lucerne hay, threshed ryegrass and wheat and barley straw, is traded throughout the North Island.

Awarded several business awards, including 2004 New Zealand Agricultural Contractor of the Year, Bill tests crops every step of the way from preplanting to harvesting.

Soil types

This includes a comprehensive soil test to ensure the optimum pH levels and fertiliser

applications. After maize is harvested, annual ryegrass is planted for grazing dairy cows during winter. A cut of silage is then made before replanting in maize.

“We trial about five maize varieties every year to gauge which best suits our soil types and weather conditions,” says Bill.

Corson Maize Seed product development manager Neil Koevoet says Corson F1 is a hybrid developed in New Zea-

land using parent material from Canada and the United States.

Suitable for warmer northern regions, Corson F1 is a fullseason hybrid offering top-end performance.

It offers above-average, early growth developing into a tall bulky plant with large ears as well as excellent stay-green, which contributes to a wide harvest window. Corson F1 has a high grain content and above-average whole plant digestibility.

Bill Webb, of Bill Webb Feed Solutions, is impressed with the yield of Corson F1 maize.

Maize See

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yield

a nd

JORDAAN CONTRACTING LTD

Mobile: 021 244 9481 Office: 07 533 1828

on Cors nt

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staygreen and drought tolerance

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planting rates and seed price

Contact a Corson Maize Seed Agronomist on 0800 805 505

PWS1378

ive

...alongside your current hybrid this season to compare and see the difference for yourself.

g ra ss

“While Bay of Plenty had a better growing season this year, Corson F1 still produced the highest yield of any maize variety we planted. We are definitely growing it again this year and doubling the planting area.

“It is a tall plant and in trials it stands higher than other hybrids. It also has a good grain fill, as it is no good having a tall plant with a small cob. It is also a Tenderleafy variety.”

About 250ha of maize is grown by Bill Webb Feed Solutions on lease land for sale to dairy farmers in Bay of Plenty, Waikato and south to Taupo.

Other supplementary feed, includ-

Highest yield

ry e

As a result, Bill, of Te Puke-based Bill Webb Feed Solutions, is undertaking a more than four-fold increase in his planting of Corson F1 – a full-maturity silage hybrid developed in New Zealand by Corson Maize Seed.

“We trialled Corson F1 two years ago in one of our harsh blocks that doesn’t yield very well,” says Bill.

“Despite it being a drought year, it yielded better than other varieties we have grown on that block. So we gave it another go this year and it has certainly done well for us.”

About 40 hectares of Corson F1 was grown, including one paddock yielding

Plant a Corson Maize Seed hybrid...

al

more than 30 tonnes dry matter per hectare. As the crop was put over the scales, this was a weighed rather than an estimated figure and an exceptional result, says Bill.

pla

A maize silage hybrid’s nearrecord yields have caught the attention of Bay of Plenty grower and feed supplier Bill Webb.

*Full terms and conditions apply, go to www.corsonmaize.co.nz

PWS 1378 2014 Corson Press CC 280x150_ƒ.indd 1

8/14/14 10:42 AM

EQUINE

Page 58

International clinicians at Equidays This year’s Equidays will have a line-up of clinicians including experts from as far away as USA. Equidays 2014’s previously-announced clinicians – Bernie Traurig from USA and Warwick Schiller also from USA – will now be joined by international clinicians, Manuela McLean, who will be present alongside Kiwi clinicians, Sean Cubitt, Ben Longwell, Samantha van der Sande, Russell Higgins, Vicki Wilson, Rebecca Wylie, and Jo Evans.

International dressage rider, trainer and three-time Olympian Lone Joergensen from Australia will also be there.

Originally from Denmark, Lone has spent time riding in Germany and has

ridden several horses up to International Grand Prix level, winning countless numbers of international grand prix competitions.

Lone, who is also a two-time Danish Champion, has achieved highly at numerous competitions including at the 2004 Athens Olympics, 2005 Hagen European Championships, and the 2006 Aachen World Championships.

She now educates her horses in Australia, but with an international twist, following the classical riding method of Germany, “less is more”.

Also from Australia will be Manuela McLean, who has co-developed the Australian Equine Behaviour Centre training system. As an international coach for more than 30 years, Manuela

self-employed, training riders and horses in NZ from people learning to rise to the trot, to people winning World Cup and Grand Prix show jumping.

Sean will bring his experience from top riders in Germany, Holland, Belgium, Ireland and America to his Equidays Clinic.

“There is no one until now that I’ve trained that hasn’t improved and got better results with their horses, which for me is a great result,” says Sean.

Equidays’ core purpose is to advance the equine sector’s knowledge and maintain a strong balance between education and competitions.

Entering its fourth year, Equidays brings a full showcase of education, entertainment and competition, which gets better each year.

Equidays 2014 is on October 17-19, 2014, at Mystery Creek Events International dressage rider, trainer and three-time Olympian Lone Joergensen Centre, Hamilton. from Australia will be among the Equidays clinicans.

specialises in teaching pupils of all ages and levels, from children to para riders and competitive adults.

One of Manuela’s most recent achievements is coaching and training Joann Formosa and her stallion, Worldwide PB, to gold medal success at the London 2012 Paralympics.

Manuela is in great demand as a teacher, and will be an asset to Equidays as she brings her edu-

cational talents and acute eye for analysing both horse and rider.

Irish international, and now New Zealand resident show jump rider, Sean Cubitt has ridden for the Irish team since he was 15 years old, travelling the world riding at international shows and training with top trainers from a young age.

He was the first rider for Zangersheide stud Argentina, rider for Etter sport horses Switzerland and more. He’s now

‘Rec’ group restores riders’ confidence Sandy Rawlings is a gregarious person, who loves talking to people – even when she’s out riding her horse.

years of experience in handling, starting and showing horses – including 13 years at world championship facilities in Texas.

“He’s fantastic at teaching horsemanship and giving riders back their confidence,” says Sandy, who “It was while riding around Whatawhata and stophas recently opened a saddlery called Equigear at ping to chat to people in their gardens, or collecting Whatawhata. their mail, I began to realise there were a lot of people “We’re just getting started and locally who had horses but had the stock is growing daily.” lost the confidence to ride, or had The retail shops has grown from nowhere to ride.” the online business Sandy has So 18 month ago, she started operated for some time, and this Rec Riders. “It stands for Recreaevolved from her own frustrational Riders, but maybe also for tion at not being able to buy the the fact that quite a lot of us are Western Riding gear she wanted wrecks,” says Sandy. in New Zealand.

The semi-formal group has “I started sourcing it offshore about 400 members, who keep in and other riders began asking me touch mainly through Facebook. to bring in gear for them too.”

“Many of our members haven’t Sandy’s retail shop includes ridden for years and have lost rope tack made offshore to her confidence to ride alone, or they specifications – “but I’d love to have nowhere to ride other than Sandy Rawlings has recently opened a find someone in New Zealand their own property. to make them for me” – and the saddlery called Equigear at “We ride on a regular basis and Greedy Steed range of knotless it’s pretty relaxed. If people let us Whatawhata. slow feed haynets, which are know they might be late getting exclusive to her business. to the start point we wait for them.”

She also has new and secondhand gear, including Sandy says you don’t have to have the flashiest gear or clothing, “but we do insist on wearing helmets and the clothing, and is setting up a lounge area where clients can watch instructional videos and will have a great right foot wear”. range of feeds soon too.

“We have people of all ages, including children, and Sandy plans to make the arena behind the store riders who are happy to lead younger riders if their available for clients to use and will offer overnight parents are not confident to do so,” says Sandy.

Bryan Lowcay of Ridem Horsemanship offers regular accommodation for horses needing a break on long distance trips. riding lessons for Rec Riders members, drawing on 45

EQUINE

Page 59

Saddles handmade for horse and rider comfort Many of the world’s top dressage and jump riders choose County saddles and remain with the County brand for years and years.

“Why? You possibly need to ask them as each will have their own reasons,” says Linda Hawley, who is the County Saddlery agent for New Zealand and Australia.

“However, with design that is often copied, County riders and their horses experience the original. The old adage ‘there is nothing like the real thing’ is very true,” says Linda.

Resisting the trend toward cheaper production methods, which use foam rubber panels and plastic trees, County saddles continue

to be painstakingly handmade on laminated beechwood trees, covered in the world’s finest leather, and flocked with pure wool to maximise your horses’ comfort and fit, says Linda.

“As one of the few saddlery companies in the world which actually make their own trees, County sets the industry standard in design and innovation.

“Our traditional methods take longer and require a higher degree of craftsmanship – but once you sit in a County saddle, we know you will agree that the results are clearly worth it. “Although we custom-make saddles for many of the world’s leading riders, our commitment to quality and detail is reflected in every saddle we make, including the one we will make for you,” says Linda.

Cowboys and show jumping under lights at Equidays The Ride ‘em Cowboy Bonanza will be among the highlights of this year’s Equidays Night Shows at Mystery Creek in October.

It will feature Western wagons, showstopping stunts with liberty horses, and barrel racing.

Wayne McCormack and Amelia Cook of Equine Films will also deliver a starstudded performance.

Specialists in training horses for the New Zealand film industry, they will present a fantasy of film and a liberty and stunt horse display.

The company has provided liberty, trick, stunt and harness horses for films such as ‘Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon II’, ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘Mr Pip’.

The Equidays’ Friday Night Show will bring back a true Showjumping Extravaganza – Grand Prix Showjumping, which is one of the most dynamic equestrian events to watch and is best-described as a combination of horse racing and downhill skiing.

Course designer Gerrit Beker says the challenges posed to the riders in the Grand Prix will be in the height and

spread of the jumps – “assessing the distances between the related obstacles and adjusting the strides to arrive at the correct take-off point”.

“The course also needs to be completed within the time allowed,” says Gerrit.

For the first time at Equidays, some of New Zealand’s top jumping ponies will battle for honours in the inaugural Equidays Pony Grand Prix.

Up to 25 Under 17 riders will jump their ponies around the professionallydesigned course, with a cash prize up for grabs.

They will also share in the rare opportunity for ponies to jump indoors, which will heat up this competition.

The Equidays Pony Grand Prix will be followed by the Pel by Tru-Test Horse Grand Prix, where up to 25 horse and rider combinations will take on the challenge of about 15 fences, where the objective is to complete the course with no penalties.

Equidays 2014 is on October 17-19 at Mystery Creek Events Centre, Hamilton.

The two separate Night Shows will be on October 17-18, with entry from 6pm.

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GARDENING

Page 60

Spring time market at Quarry Park The Spring Fling at Te Puna Quarry Park is a chance for gardeners to speak directly to growers and plant specialists, some of whom are nationally renowned and all of whom are Western Bay of Plenty locals.

   

EMILIO’S TIMBERS EST1981

Spring Fling

When: Sunday, Se ptember 7, 10am 4pm.

What: Plant sales “The idea of the Spring Fling is to beautiful spring ga , demonstrations, rd celebrate the Quarry Park when the on site for Devon ens, scones baked shire teas and chilgardens are at their best,” says lead dren’s competitio ns organiser Athole Harvey. “Then we miniature garden – sand saucers and s. thought it was also a good chance Where: Te Puna Q to celebrate all the amazing growQuarry Rd, signp uarry Park, os ers that we have in this area.” of Tauranga. Shut ted off SH2 north tle buses will run The inaugural event last year from paddock pa rking to the park was such a success the Spring an back. The event w ill be cancelled on d Fling looks like becoming a staple for heavy rain. ly on the Quarry Park calendar, Entry: $2 per ad ult. complementing the popular More: From Atho QuarryFest held on the first 07 549 5202, or le Harvey, phone Jo Dawkins, phon Sunday in November. e 07 552 5789.

“The QuarryFest has more of a Christmas market atmosphere,” says Athole. “We thought there was room for something that was all about plants and gardeners.”

Among the stall-holders at the Spring Fling will be bulb expert Bill Dijk, fuchsia lovers Lorna and George Baldock, renowned plant breeder Ian Duncalf with clivias, bearded iris grower Cris Savage, plum tree specialist Brent Tennet and Kings Seeds, which has the country’s largest range of organically Te Puna Quarry Park is renowned certified seeds. for its spring orchid display.

Mary Parkinson, who established the out-to drum for the Tauranga Pipers park’s butterfly garden, will share her Club which is this time sending solo knowledge of creating garden habitats players. “Having to go and drum when for butterflies and hopes to have some there was a queue of people wanting teas frogs on display, there will be a hobby did get a bit stressful,” says Shona. beekeeper speaking, and floral art and The teas are served in the gallery orchid repotting demonstrations. building at the far end of the carpark, Shona Purves and her helpers last year which is also where visitors will find raised $900 for the volunteer-run park a display of entries in the competithrough the sale of Devonshire teas and tions for children – sand saucers, up to baked the scones on-site in the gallery’s 20cm in diameter, by youngsters aged kitchen so visitors were treated to warm up to seven, and miniature gardens, scones with jam and whipped cream.

“It was a bit of an undertaking – prob- up to 30cm in diameter, from eight to 13-year-olds. ably more so than I thought when I Entry to the competitions is free and offered to do it,” says Shona. “We were there are prizes in both categories. baking continually from the opening at Entries must be delivered to the gallery 10am and would have baked well over by midday on September 7.

200 scones through the day.”

This year Shona won’t be nipping

Spring Fling organisers, from left, Shona Purves, Elizabeth Bailey, Athole Harvey, Jo Dawkins and Dulcie Artus.

Clivia enthusiasts Judy Shapland of Apata and Ian Duncalf of Te Puna had a combined stand at last year’s Spring Fling and will be back for this year’s event.

COUNTRY LIVING

Page 61

East Coast project bridges more than river

Designing, building and installing a bridge in a remote East Coast location has won Bridge It NZ Ltd a major NZ Contractors Federation Award.

ically and logistically, which were overcome thanks great commitment from the team including Tiaki Design and Humes and Pollock cranes.”

Judges praised the design and construction of the 34m-long steel and concrete bridge, the way the company worked to minimise environmental impact and relationships it forged with local community.

The day the bridge Bridge It NZ Ltd operations manager Clark Mazey, Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, awards sponsor Hirepool’s Brian Stephen and Bridge It NZ was lifted into place, owner Pat Seuren at the awards presentation. the company hosted but in fact this has transformed and managed more happy client and the promotion the whole operation of our than 100 onlookers includof the industry to local school farm,” says Mark. ing children from three local children”.

The judges’ citation reads: schools, with some doing school Based out of their head office “Well done to Bridge It NZ for assignments on the project. in Katikati, Bridge It NZ has “We thought we were just get- the successful delivery of a chal- been on the scene for more ting a bridge that allowed access lenging job, ensuring a really than six years.

BINZ Ltd took the ‘Excellence in Construction’ win in the $0-$500,000 projects category for a 34m by 3.8m clear span bridge which crosses the historic Motu River in the remote Te Karaka area.

Named among the top five finalists, they fended off stiff opposition to win the category.

BINZ project manager Campbell Upperton says rigorous planning and communication with their client Mark and Jane Johnson and the greater team was critical to the project’s success.

“Throughout this project the BINZ team was faced with many challenges both geograph-

Festival plans blooming

Plans for November’s New Zealand Garden and Art Festival are in full bloom as developments begin on the event’s first-ever expo hub at The Lakes.

Now into its ninth year the festival on November 17-23 celebrates the diversity of Western Bay of Plenty’s gardens and the variety and creativity of the regions’ artists.

EastPack’s leader steps down

After 31 years at the helm of kiwifruit packhouse company EastPack, Tony Hawken is stepping down from his position as CEO at the end of this year.

The leader of the largest post-harvest operator in the industry – with bases in Edgecumbe, Opotiki, Te Puke, Katikati and Whangarei – has decided the time is right to pursue other interests.

Peninsula’s giant kauri

The efforts of a trust dedicated to planting kauri trees on the Coromandel Peninsula have just grown a new achievement – it’s 40,000th kauri planted since 1999.

The Kauri 2000 Trust founder Cliff Heraud says the trust’s success has gone far beyond what he ever imagined.

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COUNTRY LIVING

Page 62

Matamata’s A&P show is number 101 Dog trials, equestrian events and dairy goats as well as side show entertainment and lots of food will be among the attractions of the Matamata A&P Show on Saturday, October 4.

MATAMATA AGRICULTURAL & PASTORAL ASSOCIATION MATAMATA AGRICULTURAL & PASTORAL ASSOCIATION

101st 101stAnnual Annual

It’s the association’s 101st show and will be held at 129 Station Rd, Matamata, on the town boundary.

The show is also renowned for its dairy section with jersey, Friesian and Ayrshire breeds paraded before judges in the show ring. Budding young farmers also have the chance to demonstrate their animal rearing abilities in the show’s calf club section.

The Matamata A&P Show is an annual event which brings the country to town, and entries

for its events are open now. Some events accept late entries on the day. The schedule is available by emailing: matamataaandp@hotmail.co.nz

Matamata Matamata

Spring Spring Carnival Carnival

SHOW SHOW

Dog trials will be part of the action at the Matamata A&P Show on Saturday, October 4.

Copper needs a catalyst ENTERTAINMENT ENTERTAINMENT FOR FOR ALL ALL THE THE FAMILY FAMILY Saturday 4ththOctober 2014 at Station Road, Matamata Saturday 4 October 2014 at Station Road, Matamata Sections: Equestrian, Dairy Cattle & Goats, Calf Club, Pet Lambs & Goats, Sheep Dog Trial.

Sections: Equestrian, Cattle & Goats, Calf Club, or Petphone Lambs & Goats, 021 Sheep Trial.

For schedule email: Dairy matamataaandp@hotmail.co.nz kimberley 178Dog 4548 For schedule email: matamataaandp@hotmail.co.nz or phone kimberley 021 178 4548 New Amusements: For all ages from Ferris Wheels, Mini Hot Rod New Amusements: For all Bungy ages from Wheels, Mini Hot Rod and Jeeps, Vertical andFerris Inflatable Rides. and Jeeps, Vertical Bungy and Inflatable Rides.

Entertainment: From Singing, Fashion Show, Balloon and Magician Show, Sheep Shearing Entertainment: Singing, Fashion and sites Magician Show, Sheep Shearing and Racing Show,From Chelsea Marriner andShow, many Balloon more trade and yummy food stalls. and Racing Show, Chelsea Marriner and many more trade sites and yummy food stalls.

I’d like to offer the following information in response to Gavin Goble’s ‘Vet’s View’ column, ‘Copper poisoning in cattle’ in the Coast & Country July 2014 edition.

It only takes a small amount of copper to cause death. It has been common knowledge for more than 70 years that the whole of the Taupo, Rotorua, Bay of Plenty to Northland, Waikato, Hauraki and Coromandel were known as ‘Cattle sick country’.

Copper was applied to the soil but showed no improvement.

In 1950 Ruakura Agricultural Research Station in Hamilton did further research trials, which proved copper required a catalyst to render it safe to use. It was then BOP Fertiliser Company put out a standard fertiliser mix, which included copper and cobalt. There was no need to order these two elements.

There were no cases of copper poisoning right up until 1985,

when this new idea of the copper injection method was introduced and marketed by veterinarians.

I have treated two mobs of dairy bull beef yearlings for copper poisoning.

In just five days they had deteriorated to near skeletons – literally.

We saved every one of them with a single dose of cobalt drench.

I never want to see another animal suffer to that devastating extent, ever again, which is the reason I’m offering this information.

Copper is a cumulative element and shouldn’t be used in the soil, as a drench, by the injection method, or any other method without its catalyst cobalt – despite veterinarians’ advice.

In the case of copper poisoning

from whatever means, give an oral drench of 28 grams of cobalt to five litres of water.

Drench rate: 5cc to weaned calves 10cc to yearlings 20cc to adult cattle – a single dose is sufficient.

Symptoms are extreme scouring, rapid loss of condition, death.

Identify the source and remove it immediately. If the source has been applied with the fertiliser, then apply cobalt to the soil.

After drenching, so long as the animal can stand and eat, put them on the best pasture available. Pile the pasture, silage and hay into them until they recover their condition.

Graham Burling, Waihi.

See Gavin Goble from Ravensdown Vet repsonse on page 63.

COUNTRY LIVING

Bike-train combo popular outing The popular Goldfields Railway now links with the Hauraki Rail Trail, so cyclists can bike one way and catch the train for the return journey.

They can also experience all Goldfields Railway has to offer, including a meal or light refreshment at Waikino Station Cafe.

The train can be boarded at Waihi or Waikino for the 8km journey in historic carriages and wagons pulled by diesel locomotives.

Goldfields Railway operates the only complete historic railway precinct in New Zealand. The Station precinct was built in 1905 as part of the main rail line between

Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga.

With the opening of the Kaimai Tunnel in 1978, the line was closed by NZ Rail and the section between Waikino and Waihi was purchased by Waihi train enthusiasts to preserve the historic line and precinct – which included six railway houses, a station building, a goods shed and a number of jigger sheds and stores.

All the drivers, guards and maintenance staff are volunteers but a track worker is paid to look after the ongoing track work.

Today, Goldfields Railway operates as a tourist venture which funds the preservation of these historic assets. The train runs every day and three times per day during the school

holiday summer season.

Other attractions of interest in Waihi include the Martha Mine open pit and mine tours and the Waihi Arts Centre and Museum.

In the Karangahake Gorge there’s the Victoria Battery and Tramway and a wealth of walking tracks and trails, as well as the Hauraki Rail Trail. The area also has great cafes, restaurants and accommodation.

Enjoy a meal or light refreshment at Waikino Station Cafe.

Hauraki Rail Trail riders can load their bikes on the Goldfields Train.

Copper deficiency clarified In response to Graham’s letter, which talks about both copper poisoning and copper deficiency, I would like to clarify a few points.

There are two types of copper poisoning; acute and chronic.

Copper injections can cause (acute) copper poisoning as Graham mentions, and there is always a small risk with these types of products. They have their place however in the treatment and prevention of copper deficiency, but come with precautions such as do not use at the same time as other animal health products.

My article talks only about chronic copper poisoning which is caused by long-term build-up of copper (usually from over-supplementation or copperrich diets) with a sudden and severe illness following some stress.

Graham also talks about applying copper to the soil by mixing with fertiliser. This is a strategy used to prevent copper deficiency which is useful in some circumstances, but may not be very effective on high-molybdenum soils.

However, it would be extremely

unlikely for administration of copper in this way to present any significant risk of copper poisoning. While it may be common practice to apply copper and cobalt together, this is to address both deficiencies and not to render the copper safer.

I would be surprised if any fertiliser company included both copper and cobalt as standard, for two reasons.

Firstly they both add significant cost to the fertiliser, and secondly copper should ideally be applied in the autumn and cobalt in the spring.

Copper supplementation in various forms is widely used, with or without cobalt, and poisoning is still very rare (although becoming more common).

I am not aware of any evidence of the copper-cobalt interaction that Graham refers to, or that cobalt helps the effects of copper poisoning.

Animals with copper poisoning require emergency veterinary treatment (including oral molybdenum and a sulphate source), and as Graham mentions good quality feed and nursing care until they (hopefully) recover.

Gavin Goble, Ravensdown Vet.

Page 63

Page 64

COUNTRY LIVING

Wild foods, whiskey and wine Wild venison and whiskey, smoked kahawai with lemon and capers and rabbit and port are among the unique Kiwi pates Glenda Goldsbury of Backblocks Foods makes in her artisan kitchen at Tanners Point near Katikati.

“As far as I know, my pates are the only wild game pates available for sale in the North Island,” says Glenda.

It was Jackie Knight of the business promotion group Katch Katikati who asked Glenda, already well known for her Little Fish Catering Company, if she’d like to be part of the Katikati Food Trail.

“I said, yes I’ll make wild game pate and then had to figure out how to do that and where to source the ingredient,” says Glenda.

She spent four months of recipe refining and taste testing, and then launched her products at the 2010 Waikato Home Show where they were enthusiastically received.

Today she produces at least five

different pate which also include smoked salmon and lime leaf pate and a vegetarian pate with cashews, coconut and chilli.

“The wild game meats I use are truly New Zealand wild game and not farmed in anyway, much of it comes from Blenheim company Premium Game Limited.

All game meat goes through a certified abattoir and is thoroughly inspected.

The animals are hunted in areas which are free of 1080.”

Glenda hosts tasting sessions, by appointment, at her Tanners Point home, overlooking the Tauranga harbour, where guests can sit around an outside fire, enjoying coffee or wine as they sample the pate.

To find out more go to www.littlefishcatering.co.nz

Glenda Goldsbury of Backblocks Foods has created a range of wild foods pate.

Coast & Country readers have the chance to win two Backblocks pate of their choice by answering the following question: Who supplies Backblocks’ wild game meats? To be in to win, email the answer, along with your name, address and phone number, with Backblocks Prize as the subject, to: elaine@thesun.co.nz Or put these details on the back of an envelope and post to: Coast & Country Book Prize, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3110, to arrive no later than September 17. The winner will be announced in Coast & Country’s October issue.

Individual style and quality in wood Are you the sort of person who avoids following trends? Are you looking for an item of furniture or a kitchen that’s a bit different?

One that suits your individual style? Then Fine WoodWorking Ltd may be the answer.

Owned and operated by David and Alison Higgins, Fine WoodWorking Ltd has been manufacturing high quality kitchens, timber joinery and furniture for the last 16 years throughout the

King Country, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Auckland.

“As registered and active members of the Master Joiners organisation, we pride ourselves on our excellent workmanship, attention to detail and outstanding customer service,” says David.

So what’s different about Fine WoodWorking? “We aim to provide our customers with exactly what they want – a kitchen or item of furniture that’s custom-made especially for them, rather than ‘off the shelf ’.”

A recent example is a client,

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This Kahikatea kitchen with granite bench tops follows the curve of the window perfectly.

The Kahikatea was felled and milled on the owner’s property. who having searched for an ensuite vanity, was disappointed with the lack of variety available.

Fine WoodWorking’s solution was to manufacture the vanities using surplus planks of the owners’ German Oak flooring, with an additional feature of metal tops with an antique bronze finish.

Curved cabinetry, such as the kitchen in the photo, is another example of Fine WoodWorking’s custom craftsmanship.

To see some of Fine WoodWorking’s unique work, visit the 2014 Waikato Home Show in Hamilton, October 2-6.

COUNTRY LIVING

Page 65

A touch of France – at Waihi Beach Nestled in its new spot at Waihi Beach, Au Bord de la Mer – The French Shop At The Seaside is stocked with items of a distinctly French character.

The store offers unique items to perfect the home, from glasses imported from La Rochere, established in 1475, and 100-year-old butter moulds, to Belgium tapestry and Hungarian purses.

Other items include Laguiole, the most famous French knife, enamel Cafetaire pots, Brocante copper pots, antique linens and French door knockers.

“Where possible we prefer products actually made in France, but to complement our range some are sourced elsewhere; however products must be of distinctive French

character,” says owner Sue Managh.

While it’s new to Waihi Beach, The French Shop is a long-lived store, which Sue moved from its original spot in Akaroa.

“I visited the store and I fell in love with it, it’s a very unique oneoff shop.

“When I saw it was for sale, it was perfect. But I didn’t want to live in Akaroa.

“The plan was to come home,”

says Sue, who with her husband recently settled in Waihi Beach after dairy farming in South Canterbury.

“This is our favourite beach, we’ve always holidayed here.”

She says some people will recognise it as the shop from Akaroa, and “there will be some North Islanders who are very happy it’s up here now”.

The store’s previous owners have recently retired, but will still be travelling to France this year to source unique items for the shop, as they have done every year.

“Next year they’ll be taking us over to France to learn the ropes.”

Sue invites everyone to take a daytrip to Waihi Beach, where people can “leisurely spend time enjoying the beautiful stores as well as The French Shop and enjoy a good coffee or lunch”.

The French shop is opposite the Waihi Beach Hotel.

The benefits of managing mental health Mental health and drug and alcohol issues of directors, managers, staff and contractors are having a negative impact on companies throughout New Zealand and internationally.

Statistics show 20 per cent of all staff and customers will have mental health issues in any 12-month period, and 60 to 80 per cent of workplace accidents and 40 per cent of staff turnover are caused by stress or mental illness.

Depression alone is estimated in economic terms to reduce workplace performance by 40 per cent – and the estimated annual revenue lost to an employer in sick days and poor productivity by an employee with untreated depression is $9660 (J. Croucher, Professor of statistics, Macquarie University).

The positive side of employing and supporting staff with mental health issues is people who are supported in the workplace take less time off

work and recover significantly faster.

In fact, preliminary research is pointing to the possibility people who are treated and supported actually take less time off work than people who don’t have mental illness or are undiagnosed.

Employers who are educated in mental health, who are accepting and compassionate will: act as good role models; know how to recognise stress and mental illness in others; know how to manage staff with mental health issues; prevent and de-escalate risk to their staff and customers mental health; and safely and effectively manage acute crisis.

For human and financial reasons, it makes sense for business owners to learn and then implement strategies to manage mental health, as outlined above.

This article is intended as a point of reference and should not be relied on as a substitute for professional advice. Specialist advice should always be sought in relation to any particular circumstances and no liability will be accepted for any losses incurred by those relying solely on this article.

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FORESTRY

Page 66

It’s wood first for Rotorua Rotorua District Council is the first local authority in New Zealand to adopt a Wood First Policy, an initiative aimed at looking at wood as the first material of choice for construction, interior design and living developments within Rotorua.

The council is endorsing this philosophy through its own projects, including the Rotorua CBD Revitalisation Strategy – Urban Design Framework which is the first wood implementation development and will include seating within the CBD area.

The policy acknowledges the importance of the forestry and wood processing industries to district, regional and national economies and complements a proposal by the New Zealand Wood Council encouraging central government to adopt a similar policy at a national level.

A report prepared for the council by business consultant Bryce Heard says Rotorua sits at the heart of the country's forestry industry.

Almost half of New Zealand’s wood total

is harvested from central North Island forests within a hundred kilometres of Rotorua.

Forestry and wood processing accounts for about 15 per cent of Rotorua’s GDP, with about 11 million cubic metres of logs harvested each year from around Rotorua, including four million in raw log form, mostly to China.

The remaining seven million cubic metres of timber is processed into higher value products.

The report indicates that the logs currently exported represent an opportunity for greater economic growth if more wood is processed into local products to compete in national and international markets.

Mayor Steve Chadwick says a Wood First policy supports the council’s and community’s recently-adopted Rotorua 2030 vision and goals.

“It’s all about our future economic growth and, given

our location surrounded by forest, it’s also about starting to tell the real story of Rotorua.

“This is outside-the-box thinking, and it's very exciting that we'll be the first in New Zealand to adopt a Wood First policy.”

Deputy Mayor Dave Donaldson, the council’s portfolio leader for sustainable economic growth, says the Wood First policy provides a real opportunity for wider collaboration across the Bay of Plenty region.

“We can clearly show the way by this policy.”

District councillor Tania Tapsell describes the decision as “a very exciting initiative”.

“It completely makes sense, not only for our regional economy but nationally as well.”

Councillor Mark Gould says the policy will have a huge impact on Rotorua in the future.

Knife sharpener - not a butter churn Some people thought it was a butter churn, others a hand-operated washing machine, but the mystery item in last month’s Coast & Country was in fact a knife sharpener, known as the ‘Servant’s Friend’.

The device, on display at the Morrinsville Heritage Centre, is probably too old for readers to have memories of using, but Stuart Graham of Tuakau gave the most accurate description.

“This device was used as a knife sharpener and cleaner. Used to de-tarnish and sharpen knives,” he wrote, winning a visit for two to the Morrinsville Heritage Centre.

Morrinsville Heritage Centre manager Barbara Dalziel has another mystery item for readers to identify.

If you think you know what it is or have a story to tell about using such a device, or seeing one used we love

to hear from you – and you could be in to win a visit for two to the Morrinsville Heritage Centre. Send your entry to: elaine@thesun. co.nz or post to: Mystery Item, Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3110, to arrive no later than September 17.

The winner will be announced in Coast & Country’s October issue.

The museum at 41 Canada St, Morrinsville, and is open Tuesdays to Fridays 12.30pm-4pm, and Saturdays from 9am-2pm, and is closed Sundays and Mondays. To find out more call 07 889 4190 or visit www.morrinsvilleheritagecentre.org.nz Features of the museum include the McDonald cottage, displays of Maori tools, school items, childhood toys and dairy farm items.

Also, the 25-minute film ‘The Green Circle’ is played on request.

The museum archives hold an extensive collection of Morrinsville material, including photographs, which are available for viewing on request.

Alternative timber species discussed at group event

ABLE TASMAN FORESTRY SERVICES LTD

Growing, harvesting, milling, selling and the end uses for alternative timber species will be the topics under discussion during the Bay of Plenty Action Group weekend in November.

Bay of Plenty Farm Forestry Association’s Gabrielle Walton says the weekend is designed to bring alternative species interests groups together to discuss the attributes and future of their trees.

“This weekend has grown in popularity over the last couple of years with more than 60 people attending last year’s event hosted by Central Districts.”

Members of the Bay of Plenty Farm Forestry Association will be inviting timber users, including architects, builders, carpenters, joiners and boat builders to also attend the weekend.

The event begins on Saturday, November 8 with a visit to the speciality timber mill, Tauriko Sawmill, near Tauranga. A visit to a timber flooring company, which has yet to be confirmed, is also planned.

That evening there will be a dinner and on Sunday, November 9, there will be a visit to Summerhill Farm which has extensive stands of timber.

FARM MACHINE & EQUIPMENT

Page 67

More chances to ‘Drive Green’

‘Drive Green’ days have proved so popular with farmers, Cervus Equipment of Rotorua is holding three more this month.

‘Drive Green’ days are a chance to test-drive John Deere tractors in a no-pressure environment.

Cervus Bay of Plenty branch manager Owen Jessop says the events held in May at Opotiki, Awakeri and Paengaroa went so well they’ve decided to give farmers in the Galatea and Reporoa areas a chance to attend and try out the John Deere tractors.

A ‘Drive Green’ day will be held on Wednesday, September 10, at the corner of Galatea and Mangamate Rd from 10am3pm.

On Thursday, September 11, the event moves to the corner of Settlers and Birch roads at Reporoa, once again from 10am3pm.

“We have scheduled a second event at Reporoa for September 20, to combine with the Rural Community Fun Day out,” says Owen. That event begins at 11am and runs to 4pm at River Lodge.

“The days are an opportunity for farmers and lifestyle block owners to test drive our tractors in a no-pressure environment,” says Owen.

As well as tractor demonstrations, the Gator, fast becoming a safer alternative to quad bikes, will also be available to test drive.

Cervus Bay of Plenty branch manager Owen Jessop says ‘Drive Green’ days have proved a hit with farmers.

The Gator will also be available to test drive at the ‘Drive Green’ days.

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Page 68

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

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Piako Tractors have a selected range of the above tractors and front end loader combinations on Indent from the factory.

Contact us today about our special indent pricing, major savings passed directly to you.

FARM MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

N NIE

S

FU

Y

C

O U NT R

Last month’s Country Funnies obviously tickled the funny bones of Coast & Country readers.

Our request for captions for the cows-in-the-ladder photo brought a host of great suggestions.

The Gravit family of Tauranga turned thinking up funny captions into a rainy afternoon activity. The results include: ‘O dear – I’ve laddered my stock-ings!’ – ‘We would have rung but we’re in a tight spot’ – ‘A one-sided playpen?’ – ‘Social climbers – rural-style’ – ‘We’ve come out to play but now they tell us there are no snakes in the Bay’.

‘Anyone for a game of cows and ladders?’ was the suggestion from Michael Bennett of Te Awamutu. Kerry Ruiterman suggested: ‘But wait there’s more.

The Transformer ladder also configures into a head bale’ or ‘Better get this thing off before farmer Brown clicks as to what made those mysterious crop patterns’.

‘We were only yoking around!’ Came from Tiena Jordan of Whakatane.

Other suggestions were: ‘We’re feeling a little RUNG OUT today!’ - Aileen Rowe, Te Awamutu. ‘I don’t think this is what was meant by climbing the evolutionary ladder’ - Jim Co Waiuku.

‘And now for our next tricky moooonouvre’ Emma Welch.

‘Two bulls in a ladder is worth one in a china shop’, and - ‘Bulls up’ - Ray Bond Mount Maunganui. ‘Steaks and ladders’ - Jack Reeve Whakatane.

‘Is the grass greener through this fence?’

And ‘Where ever you go, I go’ - Dianne Cheshire of Katikati.

The winner is Shane Avison of Tirua with ‘Look Mavis, we are just one rung closer to the greener grass on the other side of the fence’.

He receives a copy of ‘More than the Odd Round Mate’ by Chris Phillips, published by the Halcyon Press.

Caption and be in to win

This month’s prize is ‘It’s a bit rugged Mate – the best yarns by Big Al Lester’, published by Penguin.

Once described as Barry Crump meets Fred Dagg, Big Al Lester is a modern day master hunting storyteller. This latest book combines the biggest and best yarns from his previous three books and will appeal to those with a good keen sense of humour and a love of New Zealand’s wild outdoors.

To be in to win ‘It’s a bit rugged Mate’, email your suggested captions for the photo on the left, along with your name and address, and with ‘Country Funnies’ as the subject, to: elaine@thesun.co.nz

Call us today to enquire about these amazing machines

Cows tickled funny bones

Or put these details and captions on the back of an envelope and post to: Country Funnies, Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3110, to arrive no later than September 17.

The winning caption will be published in Coast & Country’s October issue.

If you have a ‘Country Funnies’ photo we’d love the chance to publish it and invite readers for their caption suggestions.

Post you photos to Country Funnies, Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3110 or email elaine@thesun.co.nz with ‘Country Funnies’ in the subject line.

Don’t forget to include your name, address and phone number.

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Page 69

Contact: Vaughn Carson 027 223 3365 Glenn Davidson 027 223 3363

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COAST & COUNTRY

Page 70

trades & services

Managing selenium deficiency in livestock e We servic of s e k a m ll a s p pum

Selenium deficiency of grazing livestock is a constant possibility in some parts of New Zealand where soils, and hence the pasture growing in that soil, are low in selenium.

Despite decades of good science, there is still a lot of debate about what constitutes adequate selenium levels.

This is because international data, which may be relevant in systems very different to ours, is applied to NZ systems.

The selenium requirements of grazing animals in NZ are well-established; if dietary selenium levels are above 0.03mg/kg DM, selenium deficiency will not occur.

In other words an intake at this level will maintain blood and liver selenium levels above the deficiency

range. Unfortunately the debate centres around what different people interpret ‘the deficiency range’ – or reference range – to be.

There is no reputable NZ trial work showing animals perform better if levels are maintained higher than the established reference range. Fertiliser selenium prills are a proven method for maintaining selenium levels above the critical level of 0.03mg/kg DM. The most common prills are long-acting, slow-release, and maintain adequate herbage levels for about nine months, with liver stores taking animals through for the rest of the year.

Hence, the timing of application is not critical, which is in contrast to cobalt and copper applications which must be

timed carefully. Currently, there are two slow-release selenium prills on the market. But unfortunately there is still confusion about the correct application rates.

• Selprill Double is two per cent prill, and the correct application rate is 500g/ ha annually.

• Selcote Ultra is one per cent prill, and the correct application rate is 1kg/ha annually.

If you want to achieve very high selenium levels in your animals for whatever reason, then prills will generally not achieve this.

So you will need additional supplementation such as oral or injectable forms as well.

Saturday August 30- September 1

Rotorua Kennel Association

S

BER TR TIM E

Friday September 12

NT ME AT

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Standard recipes or custom blended to your requirements

Annual conformation dog show is on at Rotorua International Stadium, Devon St West, from 8.30am-4pm daily.

Exhibitors of all pure bred dogs are displayed and judged by international and national judges. Please don’t bring your loved pooches along, as refusal of entry may offend. Entry via gold coin donation at the gate.

To order, call 0800 100 123.

trades

personal

Heat Detection Field Day – Matamata. DairyNZ is running practical Heat Detection workshops, targeting the skills and processes to ensure successful mating. Whether you’re an experience farmer looking to increase your understanding of reproduction performance, refresh your heat detection skills or wanting to equip your staff with the required skills, come along. Held at Tim Watson’s property, 711 Henry-Watson Rd, Matamata Sn76967 from 10.30am. For details, phone 027 293 4401.

Tuesday September 30

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HOLIDAY HOME WANTED to rent Waihi Beach, on or close to beach, sleeps 8-10. Approx Dec 28th - Jan 3rd. Careful family. Ph Claire 0274 827 200 or email Claire@thesun.co.nz

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To list your rural event, please email: julie@thesun.co.nz with Rural Event in the subject heading.

PULLETS Hy-line Brown, great layers. Phone 07 824 1762 www.eurekapoultryfarm.weebly.com

Intensive native planting and floating wetlands

phone 07 578 0030

SFF Mangakino: Winter Crop Integration and Nutrient Management Come along to this workshop to hear researchers and local farmers involved in the Integrating Winter Forage Crops and Pasture: Managing Environmental Risk Sustainable Farming Fund project.

Held at Tirohanga Hall, 839 Tirohanga Rd, from 10.15am1pm. Registrations required for catering. Email: Natalee.swinyard@dairynz.co.nz

web www.coastandcountrynews.co.nz

COAST & COUNTRY

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Page 71

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COAST & COUNTRY

Page 72

COAST & COUNTRY NEWS PRIZE UP FOR GRABS! Pictures and details can be emailed (high resolution jpgs) to sarah@thesun.co.nz “Country Camera” or posted to Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga. Please include a name, address and phone number with every entry.

A foggy morning at our farm in Coroglen.

Sent in by Tessa Gregory.

This is Blake Aarsen, aged seven, always keen to help with the cows and their calves.

Tyson, taking his first selfie feeding the calves.

Sent in by Kirsty Harford.

Seven-year-old son Matthew, currently laid up with a broken femur, feeding his one-week-old lamb ‘Fudge’.

Sent in by Michelle Bishop.

Pet cow ‘Cookie’ being ridden by Paige, Morgan and Cameron.

Sent in by Emma.