20 October 2021 - Rural News by Waimea Weekly Archives

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Wednesday 20 October 2021

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From Left: tony entwistle, with his lab Fin, with Mark Jowsey, Jean Willis, James Macdonald, Wayne Mcgowan, and Michael Stevenson at the recent casting clinic teaching fly fishing skills. Photo: Jenny Nicholson.

Gearing up for trout fishing season Jenny Nicholson Experienced fishermen donned their gear at the end of September to teach those relatively new to the sport the secrets of fly fishing. The season started this month with members of the Nelson Trout Fishing Club hoping for

blue skies and still days. Don Clemetson, who started fishing with his father when he was just seven, says it takes a number of years to learn the skill of casting. “It’s not something you can just pick up in five minutes,” Don says. “You are trying to simulate

trout’s food.” He says casting is just one part of what there is to learn. Learning which insects trout eat in various places and how to make artificial flies that look like them is all part of successful fly fishing. And then there’s knowing where to fish.

“All our rivers have mayflies, but other insects differ in different rivers and at different times of the year.” Don says the fish are like “canary in the mines”, in that the trout live on insects and those insects only survive in clean water. Don is hoping for a good sea-

son. With less overseas anglers, there is less pressure on the rivers which should make catching fish easier. “Trout get disturbed and spooked and hide for a day or two,” Don says. “Going in after someone else 21 7-20 201

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21 7-20 201

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Fishermen gearing up for start of season

get to.” He says others have told him the start of the season hasn’t gone so well for them. In many of the local rivers the holes the trout like to hide in have been filled up with gravel during the floods.

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will mean the water and fish are disturbed.” However, that is balanced by the recent floods which could make fishing more difficult. Floods actually kill more fish than droughts, but neither are optimal for fishing. In a drought the water level gets too low, and the water too hot. Trout don’t like hot water, with 13 degrees being the optimal temperature and 20 degrees the upper limit. The Nelson Tasman region is known worldwide for its brown trout which are hard to catch. Every four to five years beech trees seed, providing abundant food for mice. The mouse population explodes and when many fall in the river, the trout feed on them and get very large. That happened in 2019 and last year there were some of the bigger fish left. “When those trout are caught, they can have three or four mice inside them,” he says. “There have been some trout cut open and up to eight mice

It’s not something you can pick up in five minutes ... you are trying to simulate trout’s food Mark Jowsey and tony entwistle having a chat while casting their lines at recent casting clinic. Photo: Jenny Nicholson. are present.” Don says 10 pound is the benchmark for having caught a fish that makes everyone say ‘wow!’ and he has caught a few of those over the years. But it’s the sport that most enjoy. “Most fishermen hardly take any home. I may take small to medium ones home early in the

season, just enough for some good feeds, but the big ones go back because they are good spawners.” Don says the appeal is getting away from civilisation “with a cobber” and the challenge of pitting his skills against the trout. “Some rivers we walk all day to

don clemetson

But the start of Don’s season has gone well - catching a few fish on opening day. He says it was probably one of the best days for several years, but he isn’t telling anyone where he caught them. “It was the right day in the right conditions, and I was at the right river.”

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Rural News

WedNeSdAY 20 October 2021

First RSE workers begin to arrive in region

rural sector pushes for mandatory covid-19 vaccinations: The meat and dairy industry want mandatory vaccination of processing staff against Covid-19, but dairy price on track for record says it requires Government help high: The agricultural sector is to make that happen. Meat IndusThe workers had to have been continuing to perform strongly, try Association (MIA) chief exin their country of origin for at with farmgate meat prices sitting ecutive Sirma Karapeeva says the least 14 days prior to departure. at record highs and dairy prices industry is high-risk and the GovThey had to isolate for 7 days at also strengthening. On the dairy ernment should extend the same the on-orchard accommodation front, the price strength is expect- protection to it as the recently anand they underwent a day zero ed to continue over the dairy sea- nounced mandatory vaccination and a day five saliva test. son. Westpac economists recently for health and education sector “After day seven and once we lifted their 2021/22 milk price employees. had the all clear from the day forecast by 75 cents to $8.50/kg. Dairy and meat companies have five test the men were able to If achieved, this milk price would provided on-site vaccinations, ofPlease your proof carefully and approve it or submit corrections by the Fin meet up with the restcheck of our embe a record high, surpassing the fered incentives and partnered ployees. health to promote previous record $8.40/kgMS set with You can now submit to your ad of within the ATOL system at providers a time that suits you. “We approve provided aorhot meal changes for clinics to lift low vaccination rates, back in 2013-14. Falling milk proin your ad proof email to view ad, then click the APPROVE or CORRECTIONS button right from there their first night and your our current duction in New Zealand and other especially for Māori employees. Ni-Vanuatans did their shopreports key dairy producer markets mean The Rural GP Network customer PF OLSEN & CO LTD (RMD) publishing 06/24/21 booked size C vaccination rates among rural Fiona Hodge of Wai West Horti- ping for the first seven days.” weak global supply, and this is exadvert ID CH-8994297AA (100%)who are alpublication Adv Supp NEM dimensions 1 The RSE workers, people are 11% lower than urban, culture Ltd. Photo: Supplied. pected to keep prices up. located seven-month visas, had section CUSTOM SQUAREand 10% lower for Māori than proofed 9 urShe says from February, when originally been booked to arrive Marlborough Young Winemak- ban. NZ Rural General Practice apple harvest begins, they will through MIQ earlier in the year. er of the Year announced: Peter Network chief executive Dr Grant need a large influx of labour. However, the flights were postRussell from Matua Wines has Davidson says the inequities in “Last year we had to leave fruit poned due to more urgent rebecome the 2021 Tonnellerie de rural vaccination rates is concernon the trees as we did not have quirements in MIQ facilities. Mercurey Marlborough Young ing. the labour to pick it. Fiona says The Industry CollecWinemaker of the Year. Peter was “It confirms that the productive “That is heart-breaking when so tive, which includes Horticulthrilled to have won the Marlbor- rural backbone of our country is much work has gone into pro- ture New Zealand, New Zealand ough competition for a second significantly at risk. Due to a lack ducing the fruit.” Apples and Pears, New Zealand accessibility in rural NZ, it is no year in a row. He will now focus of Please submit corrections by the Final Proof Alt Fiona says one of the conditions Kiwifruit Growers and Newcheck your proof carefully and approve it or surprise that rural populations are on taking out the national title of entry into the country is that Zealand YouEthical or submit when changes to your ad within the ATOL follow t can nowGrowers approve have system at a time that suitsrates. you. ”Just lagging in vaccination MPI he competes against finalists the workers must have had at allinbeen tirelessly withyour ad, then click the APPROVE or CORRECTIONS your working ad proof email to view button right from there -ensure no new ema has met with the sector to from Central Otago and the North least one dose of the Pfizer vac- the Government to arrange for customer PF OLSEN & CO LTD (RMD) Island publishing 06/24/21 CSQ QUART V remainsize open and at the National Final which supply chains booked cine and the employer must ar- the RSE to start returning from advert ID CH-8994297AA (100%) publication Adv Supp NEM dimensions 12.3X12.4, cm suggest how best to drive vaccinawill be held on Friday 26 Novemrange for the second dose while the Pacific Islands to New Zeasection CUSTOM SQUARE tions in rural areas.proofed 9/06/2021 12:2 ber at Amisfield. they are in the country. land.

A resumption of the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme in Nelson looks promising, according to a local horticultural operation. The first group of 150 RSE workers arrived in the country from Vanuatu through quarantine free travel earlier in October. Nelson’s Wai West Horticulture Ltd, based at the Waimea Plains, was allocated 12 RSE employees. Wai West leases more than 200 hectares growing apples, berryfruit and kiwifruit. Fiona Hodge, of Wai West Horticulture Ltd, manages the company’s RSE scheme. She says the arrival of seasonal workers in Nelson is a welcome addition and will fill the void of produce not picked last year. “In this area, the seasonal work required from this time of year up to Christmas is mostly for apple and kiwifruit thinning and boysenberry harvesting. For this work, in addition to our usual search for seasonal employees we also encourage students returning for the long summer break to come and earn some money by working with us.

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Rural News

WedNeSdAY 20 October 2021

Youth scholarship helps kickstart beekeeping career Jo Kent A scholarship aimed at kickstarting young people in the beekeeping industry is now open to applicants. The Ron Mossop Youth Scholarship, sponsored by Mossop’s Honey and Apiculture New Zealand, aims to provide an avenue for those aged between 17 and 22 to engage positively in the vocation of beekeeping. The scholarship was set up three years ago as a way of giving young people the best possible start in the apiculture industry. The scholarship includes $2000 to be put towards best practice training and set up costs. It also includes membership of industry body Apiculture New Zealand for a year and attendance at the industry’s national conference in the year of the award. Last year’s recipient, 18-year-old Angus Brenton-Rule, says the scholarship provided valuable support in his first year of beekeeping. As well as allowing him to buy resources to kick-start his career, Angus welcomed the opportunity to network among the wider industry through his membership of Apiculture New Zealand and his attendance at their June conference.

“Conference was a really great opportunity to meet other beekeepers and hear about what’s happening in other parts of the country. I learnt lots.” Angus advises other young beekeepers or young people interested in a career in apiculture to apply for the scholarship. “It’s so worth it and you’ll never know unless you try. If you win, you’ll be glad you applied,” he says. The scholarship is named after industry pioneer, Ron Mossop, who started his family beekeeping businesses in the 1940s. His business was built on values of quality and integrity, which remain at the heart of Mossop’s Honey today. Neil Mossop said his family were thrilled to continue to support the next generation of beekeepers through the scholarship. “We’re committed to beekeeping and the highest levels of integrity. It is a privilege to be able to pass on those values. We see the scholarship as a wonderful tribute to my father, who instilled those values in his family and business.” Applications close on Friday 29 October. For more information and how to apply, go to apinz.org.nz/ scholarship-in-beekeeping.

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2020 ron Mossop Youth Scholarship recipient angus Brenton-rule. Photo:: Supplied.

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Rural News

WedNeSdAY 20 October 2021

Tasman receives government funding for jobs in nature Jo Kent Government support for a widescale organised weed management project in Nelson Tasman will create 29 jobs across the Top of the South. The project is part of the government’s ‘Jobs for Nature’ programme, a multi-agency initiative with the purpose of creating nature-based employment in response to the economic impact of Covid-19. The weed programme is being led by the global non-profit organisation The Nature Conservancy, and is in conjunction with the Department of Conservation, along with Tasman, Nelson City, Buller, and Marlborough councils. The plan is to cover 35,000 hectares of the northern South Island and will explore the possibility of expanding the protection of some sites through QEII covenanting. Conservation minister Kiri Allan says the operation will create dozens of new job opportunities. “Funding of $6 million through

Jobs for Nature will employ 29 people with mobilised teams who can work across different locations and provide support to public and private landowners in their aim to leave an environmental legacy we can all share in.” Associate director conservation at The Nature Conservancy, Erik van Eyndhoven, says it will enable the group to make a huge difference at high value sites from Buller to Marlborough. “We are yet to complete all the planning for the project, so we aren’t yet certain of all the sites where we’ll be working. However, we know how big an issue weeds are in the Tasman region, so this will provide a huge boost for local efforts to protect biodiversity.” He says they are working through a number of delivery partners to recruit people into the jobs and deliver the weed control work. For Tasman, it’s the Project Devine Environmental Trust, for the Nelson and Marlborough regions it’s Kūmānu Environmental and for the Buller District it’s

The pelorus catchment restoration project has received conservation funding. Photo: Jo Kent. MBC Environmental. “We will be engaging with the community to look at opportunities to support their efforts or for communities to manage some sites once weed knock-down has occurred. In the meantime, any weed queries or reports from the public should be directed to their local council.” Kiri says that because the top of the South Island has such a rich

and diverse landscape, two other projects in the region have also received government funding. One is The Te Hoiere/Pelorus catchment restoration project, which is a mountain-to-sea landscape scale initiative to clean up rivers in the Marlborough Sounds. “The community, including landowners, iwi, council, government agencies and businesses are already working together on the project, which covers more than 10,700 hectares of the Te Hoiere / Pelorus and Kaituna River and Cullen Creek catchments.” She says the region is one of the country’s most scenic spots, with the Pelorus River used as backdrop during filming of scenes for the second of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit Trilogy. “We want to keep it that way.” A $7.5 million Government investment will mean the project crew can push on with the next phase, accelerating river restoration work, planting, weed control, animal pest control and habitat enhancement for native species such as pekapeka/bats,

mioweka/banded rail and shortjaw kōkopu. It will create jobs for up to 79 people over four years. “A nursery will also be established on Ngāti Kuia land to propagate and grow eco-sourced natives to be planted as part of the project.” She says the third project to receive funding is the Picton Dawn Chorus/Te Atiawa o Te Waka-aMaui community group. “The group will receive $700,000 to enable them to expand their predator trapping efforts from 415 to 4,815 hectares.” In just five years the group has encouraged more than 600 people to trap predators in their backyards and has a team of 165 volunteers working in surrounding bush areas. “The Jobs for Nature funding will mean eight people can be employed across three years to help with the regeneration of native birdlife, lizards, insects and forests,” Kiri says. “These projects scale up the efforts of the wider community to retain that biodiversity and in doing so we all get to benefit.”

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Rural News

WedNeSdAY 20 October 2021

Rural lending turnaround Cameron Doig

Coupled with the more recent uncertain business outlook due to Following years of low appetite for COVID, the result has been very rural lending from the main banks low lending to productive business there are encouraging signs of a and record growth in home lendturnaround. ing. Locally at least one bank is stating Predictably, the attention of the that it hopes to pick up substantial regulators has now moved onto that market share. market, with lower home loan LVR A number of factors are driving this. (loan to value) regulations coming The dairy industry has repaid debt into play and an expectation that more quickly than anybank’s will soon be one imagined it would, required to hold more and with a strong paycapital against home out and outlook fears lending. i think it is a great of a dairy sector meltA recent OECD surshame that the down are fading. This vey of Australia has crackdown on dairy has been closely monibeen critical of the debt levels was tored by the regulators Australian banks (our enforced in blunt for years, with banks banks) approach in fashion. required to hold extra focusing on home capital reserves against lending at the expense rural lending (making it less profit- of lending to the productive sector. able). The same bank’s approach in New This created a strange inverse mar- Zealand has, if anything, been more ket where banks seemed to scram- pronounced in this regard. ble to have the least growth in farm Banks are fairly predictable beasts lending, lest they draw the regula- and one certainty is that their tors’ attention! shareholders will demand growth. Personally, I think it is a great shame If lending for home loans is conthat the crackdown on dairy debt stricted and the outlook for busilevels was enforced in blunt fashion ness and commercial lending is across all rural lending. There is no clouded by COVID then it is an reason banks could not have lent almost sure bet the banks will resafely and productively to the non- turn to the rural sector for growth. dairy rural sectors, all of which had Some already claim that they havestrong outlooks and were not over but it can take a while to turn a ship leveraged. or a bank around.

Healthpost nature trust chair peter Butler and onetahua restoration project spokesperson Sky davies. Photo: RNZ.

Mission to make Farewell Spit predator free Samantha Gee RNZ Conservation groups and iwi are joining forces in a bid to make Farewell Spit at the top of the South Island predator free. An ambitious partnership between Manawhenua ki Mohua, HealthPost Nature Trust and Tasman Environmental Trust hopes to eradicate pests from more than 12,000 hectares stretching from Farewell Spit to the Whanganui Inlet on the West Coast. The Onetahua Restoration project has received $250,000 from Predator Free 2050 to fund a feasibility study on the eradication. It has also committed to fund $3 million of the project cost, if the remaining $6m

can be raised by other project partners. If it goes ahead, the project is forecast to create up to 50 jobs over five years. Chair of Golden Bay’s HealthPost Nature Trust, Peter Butler is on the management team behind the Onetahua Restoration project. He says it’s not just gannets that call Onetahua home; sooty shearwaters, bar-tailed godwits and red knots are among the birds that flock to its shores. Farewell Spit is listed as a wetland of international importance for shorebirds under the UN Ramsar Convention but possums, mustelids and rats also threaten wildlife in the area. “Shorebirds are really badly endangered in New Zealand and

there’s very little area for them where there’s not people walking dogs, whereas what we’ve got here is 25 to 30 kilometres, where the public’s only allowed a couple of kilometres and the rest of it is already really well protected,” Peter said. The Onetahua Restoration project aims to extend the work done by the HealthPost Nature Trust at the Wharariki Ecosanctuary, which protects three hectares of coastal headland at nearby Cape Farewell after the construction of a 200 metre long predator proof fence in late 2019. Peter said the area is a good spot for further investment and many of the surrounding landowners are already trapping for predators, alongside DOC.

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Rural News

Marilyn’s love of life on the farm Jenny Nicholson Marilyn Gibbs has lived in the same house for more than 50 years and still loves it. Despite huge changes in general life, Marilyn says life on the farm is much like it has always been. She says you do what the land tells you and her calendar has always been run by what is happening on the farm. Sitting at her computer, in view of the microwave and breadmaker she says: “When you live the changes maybe you don’t see them.” Growing up on a farm just out of Timaru, she remembers snow meant it was cold enough to try making ice cream. “We didn’t have power so there was no fridge so no ice cream – unless it snowed.” Being on a party line, women weren’t allowed to use the phone in the evening because that was when the three local contractors did their ‘office work.’ Anyone could listen in,

and Marilyn says you soon got to know who would listen to others’ conversations. The manual exchange had benefits for those in the country. When they needed a vet or a doctor the person at the exchange could tell them exactly where to find them. After her parents holidayed in Nelson when Marilyn was 10, her father had loved it so he returned to buy a farm in Garden Valley. “He bought the farm without Mum even seeing the house,” Marilyn says. “It was on the flat but between two hills and only got sun from 10.30 am to 2.30 pm. We shifted four years later.” At 20, Marilyn married Colin Gibbs and moved into the house he has lived in all his life. In the early years of married life, she used a ringer washing machine and a concrete tub for laundry, and nappies filled the washing line as children came along. There are more weka wander-

ing around the veranda these days, and the house has been renovated for warmth and the view. But Marilyn says not much has changed over the years in her role as a farmer’s wife, although she says she doesn’t get up quite as early. She has never worked on the farm, but has always been busy feeding pet lambs, gardening and providing meals for shearers and those helping with hay making. “Not much has changed for Colin because he works with stock,” she says. “You still know not to ring him before dark because he’s always working.” Marilyn says that the hardest part of being a farmer’s wife is often not knowing where Colin is on the farm and wondering if he is ok. The most wonderful thing is all the space. She says she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to live with houses all around. She has only ever known rural life, and that’s the way she likes it.

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WedNeSdAY 20 October 2021

Rural News

Nominations open for Young Farmer of the Year Jenny Nicholson The hunt is on to find this year’s FMG Young Farmer of the Year. This 54th season of the competition kicks off this month with district competition and the winners all moving through the national finals. With $100,000 of prizes for the overall national winner, the competition has come a long way from the first contest in 1969. Tasman’s Gary Frazer won first prize which was a return fare to Australia and $500 cash. The following year a tractor was added to the prize, and sponsorship has continued to increase ever since. The Tasman North competition will be on Saturday 30 October at the Amuri A & P Showgrounds in Rotherham. Entries close on Tuesday 26 October. The Tasman regional final will be held on Saturday 19 February 2022 with the winner competing in the national final in Whangarei in July next year. Last year’s overall winner, Jake Jarman says district competitions are low-key so competition will be within all members’ skill sets and he encourages everyone to give it a go. “You’re not going to embarrass yourself, and if you don’t know about something you will get

nick and peter o’connor will be hoping to meet each other in the national final of Young Farmer of the Year. Photo: Supplied. taught on the day, so at least you walk away from the day having learnt something like I did,” he says. Nick and Peter O’Connor grew up side-by-side on a farm just outside of Westport but are hoping to meet as rivals in this year’s competition. The two brothers have both entered this year’s competition; Nick in the Tasman district, with Peter competing in the Aorangi heat of competition. The pair both have experience competing at district level, with

older brother Peter winning the West Coast district competition in 2018. Just prior to that competition Nick was part of the team that won the TeenAg National Competition and says when he heard Peter was competing in the Young Farmer of the Year, he decided to give it a go. He placed third. “Young Farmer of the Year was similar things but a definite step up to a higher level than TeenAg,” he says. Now 18-years-old, Nick knows he will be one of the younger

competitors but hopes having previous experience in the competition will help. While Nick covered the dairy and fencing side of the TeenAg competition, he hopes that this year studying for a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Lincoln University will have widened his knowledge and help in the competition. Both Nick and past competitor Amy White-Clarke say one of the major benefits of entering the competition is how much you can learn.

Amy White-Clarke grew up on a farm in Marlborough and has entered the competition four times. During her first competitions, she was working on farms owned by others, but now she is enjoying 50/50 sharemilking on her grandparents’ farm. She found being able to ask questions at the end of various sections of the competition meant she learned a lot each time she entered, and she would encourage others to give it a go. Entries close on 26 October. To enter visit youngfarmers.co.nz

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