Chas Quigg is no stranger to the world of machinery. Despite growing up on a dairy farm, his passion has always been mechanically inclined. Read his story in full on pages 16-17. Photo: Catherine Fry.
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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
Why country life divorced me It’s one of the blessings of living in the city. You don’t get bent out of shape over the weather. The weather doesn’t matter a toss. In town, you wake up, lick your finger and stick it out the window. If it’s raining, your break out the umbrella. If it’s cold, you put on a jumper. If it’s blowing, you button up.
City weather
You have no control over the weather, so you tend to only worry the things you do have control over. The weather just doesn’t impact your day too much. At worst you might have to wait an extra day or two for your smalls to dry on the line. Or your hair goes curly and unmanageable dashing through the rain to grab a bottle at the supermarket. The golf course maybe closed but the bar will be open for five-sies. So life goes on regardless of the forecast. What did unsettle this townie when he ventured from 17th floor downtown Auckland apartment living to rural Tauranga wasn’t the weather, but extremes of dark and quiet.
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Sound weird? In downtown Auckland the bright city lights seeped through and around the heaviest blinds. There was constant sound – traffic, sirens, people and life is going 24 hours. You sleep blissfully though it all. The crashing of bottles in the dead of night as the recycler cleaned up after the nightclubs and pubs and restaurants.
Country weather
But on the orchard just outside Tauranga, life as we know it stopped after dark. There was an all pervading silence, a whole lot of nothing, a vacuum, and it would wake me with its intensity. Rural folk would complain about a rooster that rarked up the neighborhood about 4am every day. For me, he was reassurance the world hadn’t been obliterated while I slept. Anyhow the dark and the quiet of a country night would eventually drive me back into town to my old friends - ambient sound and night vision. And to where I didn’t have engage on matters like cumulus nimbus and cold fronts.
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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
While the outlook is for global sheep meat and beef demand to recover slightly, ongoing increases in farm costs are expected to reduce sheep and beef farmers’ incomes sharply for the second year in a row. This is according to Beef + Lamb New Zealand’s New Season Outlook 2023-24. “It’s going to be another tough year for farmers,” says B+LNZ’s chief economist Andrew Burtt. “Farm-gate prices are expected to be similar to last season but increasing costs, driven by inflation and high interest rates, will continue to squeeze farm profitability. “We’re forecasting farm profitability to fall by 31 per cent for the 2023-24 year, which follows a decline of 32 per cent in 2022-23 and means profits for farmers have more than halved in two years. This is a 15-year low, when you take inflation into account. “The global outlook for the red meat sector remains fragile.”
Economic recovery
While demand is expected to recover slightly from last year, prices are expected to remain soft compared to the highs of two years ago, especially for lamb and mutton. The pace of China’s economic recovery is uncertain, and the economies of other key markets remain relatively weak. Fellow red meat exporter Australia is also expected to be highly competitive in New Zealand’s key markets such as China. “There are further short-term downside risks on these forecasts, should China not recover as quickly as forecast, and if Australia suffers a strong drought its red meat exports would be higher than expected in New Zealand’s key markets. “New Zealand exports more than 90 per cent of its meat production, so global economic conditions significantly influence farm-gate prices. “While the sector faces a challenging year, this is balanced by strong longer-term fundamentals, and we expect an improvement as the economies of our key markets recover. The global population and demand for protein is expected to continue to grow and therefore the fundamentals for the sector remain sound.
“The sector has gone through turbulent times before, along with our processing and exporting companies, and while farmers are resilient, these are very challenging times.”
Detailed analysis
Farm profit before tax for 2023-24 is forecast to average $88,600 per farm – however, after adjusting for inflation, this is equivalent to $54,800 per farm in 2004-05 terms, a 15-year low and 25 per cent lower than in 2004-05. “Some farmers are likely to not make a profit this coming season,” says Andrew. “We expect profitability in all regions and farm classes will decline with sheep-dominant areas most affected, as lamb prices are likely to be flat for the coming season while beef prices are relatively good. “This lower profitability comes at a time when many farmers are continuing to rebuild farms in the wake of last summer’s cyclones and preparing for potential drought conditions in the coming months as a result of El Niño, which will impact the timing of sales for example. “Money management is going to be critical this year.”
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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
The Webbs’ change of pace after 48 years
Specialising in
• Removal / chipping of whole trees Bill Webb, right, and his wife Vicki. • On site chipping for stand off pads • Wood chip for sale • Orchard shelter removal • Stump removal • Woodlot marketing of all tree species
Don’t mention the word retirement in the Webb household Ask Bill Webb if the sale of his farm and business signals retirement and you will get a snort of derision; ask his wife Vicki, however, and you will get a definite yes – at least from the gruelling work schedule he maintained for 48 years developing one of the Bay of Plenty’s largest agricultural contracting and feed supply businesses. From a very early age, Bill developed a passion for tractors. “I was only nine or 10 years old when I learned to drive a tractor on the family farm at Oropi,” Bill recalls.
Early beginnings
“My step-father (who later adopted me and my sister) was older than my mum and he aided and abetted my interest in helping around the farm so by the time I was 11 or 12 I was driving it on my own and learning to fence. “At the time there weren’t many agricultural contractors around and, as a small farm, we struggled getting anyone to do the jobs which needed doing. Dad had an old mower and a Farmall tractor in an old horse-drawn rake which cialising and Spe I convinced my father into allowing me to adapt so s I was it would behind the of tractor. done le attree whoTh ping ovalrun/ chip • Rem able to mow and rake grass so we only needed a for stand off pads contractor for ping bailing. site chip • On “That worked for a while but then it became hard chip fortosale • Woo to getdsomeone bail the hay and I found an old tractor in a shed at Oropi; it was a David Brown ter removal ard shel • Orch Cropmaster, so a school mate and I got Dad’s
• Stump removal • Woodlot marketing of all tree species
''
Fergie 28 and dragged it back to the farm, took it apart and fixed it up. “I was probably about 13 at that stage. “Around the same time I also found an old bailer lying disused in another farm shed and brought it home and back to life with the help of a family friend. “So at 14, I started mowing, raking and bailing our hay and word got around and neighbours asked if I could do the same on their farms.” Bill recalls he had a few hairy moments which honed his tractor driving skills. “I remember an occasion, driving a tractor with a feed-out wagon of silage, down a steep hill and realised I couldn’t get it into 4WD. There was a duck pond at the bottom of the hill and I had to quickly face the fact that that is where I’d end up if I wasn’t able to get some sort of control. “Thankfully I had duals on the tractor and threw it sideways and into a water trough, which stopped my descent. It was a valuable lesson.”
Make or break
Bill left school when he was 15, with School Certificate, and joined the Federated Farmers Farm Cadet scheme “because I’d be able to drive tractors whilst farming”. “I did a lot of tractor work for local farmers and then went onto Jensen’s and milked for them and then became a Lower Order Sharemilker before Contract Milking on a 250 cow farm in Te Puke for the Williamsons, who also had a lot of machinery. “When the opportunity to lease the neighbour’s farm at Oropi came up, I jumped at that and combined it with what remained of the family farm, and milked on that until the neighbour’s block was sold. That was a decision point for me and my young family and we decided to sell the cows so I could get seriously into the contracting business. “It was make or break. I was set up for hay and silage making but also saw an opportunity for seeding new pastures and so built the first roller seeder in the area. I also rebuilt a barbary hedge cutter, adding horticulture shelter trimming and root pruning for the then fledgling kiwifruit industry.
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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS seemed to get out of wet weather gear and we just decided that we had worked hard for long enough and it was time to sell the farm and the business.
Looking ahead
“We had always planned to build our retirement home on the farm but Covid put paid to that – in a matter of years the cost more than trebled so we stayed where we are – in Ohauiti – and are considering our next move.” All the hard work and hours that both Bill and Vicki put in the business were rewarded and honoured by winning the New Zealand Contractor of the year 2004 award and the Supreme Business Award for Te Puke in 2010.
Page 5 “I still have a couple of old tractors – a David Brown Cropmaster and a John Deere - in the shed alongside an Allis Chalmers conventional baler so I will do a bit work with them just to keep my hand in. “Vicki joined me in the business in 1993 and has worked alongside me ever since. We have enjoyed working with our farmer clients, suppliers and contractors as they seem more like friends now as we have been working with most of them for so long now.” “Vicki and I would like to thank readers for your support over the years and want to wish Andre Lietze and Rick Henderson (the new owners) and their families all the best for their future ventures.”
Vicki and Bill are now looking towards the future and making plans for their retirement.
“By the 1990s, the business was going well but I was blighted by old machinery which was constantly breaking down. “I did some calculations and found that I was spending $15 to $17 maintaining old machinery compared to $7 per hour if I invested in new machinery, so we went out and bought four new 4WD John Deere tractors with air conditioned cabs and good visibility and a new bailer. “I was doing a lot of silage at the time and was asked to harvest a maize crop for silage but I wasn’t happy with the quality of the job because the Gallagher Silerator I was using tended to pick up a lot of dirt so I found an old Gehl tow-behind two-row fine chop machine languishing in the scrub, dragged it out and got it running and that machine absolutely transformed the quality of the silage I was able to produce.”
Meeting growing demand
Looking back, Bill recalls that selling the contracting business coincided with a demand for feed sales. “We were buying our work – standing grass and maize – then on-selling for silage or hay so it made sense to devote energy to develop a feed supply business and open the way for others to get into the contracting business.” Bill Webb Feed Solutions leased a few blocks of land, growing and harvesting silage and hay and also buying in feed from around the country. “As it had been in contracting, the emphasis was always that any feed we sold had to be of the highest quality.” When the Covid pandemic hit, Bill and Vicki decided the time was right to buy a 100 hectare hill country dry-stock farm at Ohauiti. “We did a lot of work improving the farm, eradicating gorse etc, but were then hit – like the rest of the country – by continuous wet weather. “In one year we had 4950ml at the farm; I never
Serious machinery for serious work.
Bill Webb Contracting’s ability to deliver a superior crop lead to significant growth in demand and Bill soon found many farmers wanted the flexibility of being able to buy-in quality feed v growing it “so I started leasing land and growing and cropping maize”. “Within 12 to 18 months I had retired the old Gehl and bought a new John Deere tow-behind chopper, a round bailer, conventional bailer and four row planter. “We had four people working for us and steadily grew the business until, when we sold it in 2010, we had 16 John Deere tractors, two self-propelled forage harvesters and 23 staff.”
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Page 6
COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
EDUCATION/INDUSTRY TRAINING
Page 7
Learning to make dairy farming easier A fresh approach to dairy training is breaking formal learning into smaller topics making learning the relevant skills for the job easier while still fitting it around farm work.
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Dairy delivery manager Ross HarndenTaylor says a solution to making training work better for dairy farmers has been breaking down qualifications into small, standalone training programmes called micro-credentials. “Having these bite-sized microcredentials means that farm assistants, herd managers, assistant farm managers and others can sign up and complete training within three and five months, rather than trying to complete a full certificate or apprenticeship. “The beauty of these micro-credentials is that they can be collected together once completed allowing someone to achieve a full qualification.”
Qualifications
Ross gives the example of the microcredential covering livestock feed supply and demand, where Primary ITO has a course starting in Whakatane in October. “A farm worker could complete feeding and then decide they want to continue
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CONCRETE PRODUCTS & SERVICES
Industry launches zero carbon roadmap New Zealand’s concrete industry has launched its roadmap to net zero carbon by 2050 - A NetZero Carbon Concrete Industry for Aotearoa New Zealand: Roadmap to 2050.
Concrete New Zealand chief executive Rob Gaimster says the publication of the roadmap is a pivotal moment for the concrete industry and the country’s built environment. “We must provide adaptive solutions that address and help ease the impacts of climate change in a country that is
also at risk of earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes. “As well as contributing to our nation’s resilience, the concrete industry is committed to being part of efforts to mitigate climate change.
Collective effort “This roadmap represents a collective effort, combining the expertise, ingenuity, and commitment of the concrete industry and wider construction sector, to meeting our environmental responsibilities. It builds on global cement and concrete industry progress to achieve net zero
carbon emissions which has been recognised by the United Nations.” Barbara Nebel, chief executive of thinkstep-anz, leading sustainability consultants responsible for developing the roadmap, applauds the concrete industry for its efforts. “We have run a rigorous rule over the proposed strategies, so we could develop the roadmap as a realistic and achievable pathway forward. “In fact, the industry has already started its decarbonisation journey, with an 11 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions achieved between 2005 and 2018, even though ready mixed concrete use increased significantly during that time.
Goals
“Based on this roadmap, the Aotearoa New Zealand concrete industry can achieve a 44 per cent decrease from 2020 levels by 2030, and ultimately net zero carbon by 2050.” Progress is clear, with low-carbon cement and concrete options available on the market for use across a range of residential, commercial and civil construction projects. Fletcher Concrete chief executive
Concrete is used in many aspects of farming. low-carbon cement replacement Nick Traber believes the facility at the Ports of Auckland. roadmap “At peak operation the site is reflects the expected to enable replacement genuine of just under 100,000 tonnes direction of companies such as his. of Ordinary Portland Cement, “We are playing a key role which will substantially reduce in reducing emissions right greenhouse gas emissions. from using alternative fuels “Annually, this is the equivalent and raw materials in cement of removing approximately manufacturing, to our low carbon 78,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.” supply chain and low carbon Leader of the Building binder technology developed Innovation Partnership, Professor in our research lab focused on Larry Bellamy, whose team sustainable concrete solutions.” is working on strategies for reducing carbon emissions from Roadmap buildings and communities, Chief executive officer of Holcim Australia & New Zealand says: “Construction needs new approaches to enhance the George Agriogiannis feels that resilience and sustainability of industry is walking the talk building materials and structures. outlined in the roadmap after “The roadmap is important having invested significantly in because it identifies the research researching and producing new needed to help transform concrete lower-carbon products. “We have also constructed a new for the benefit of New Zealand.”
RURAL HOMES & BUILDINGS
Page 9
Tunnel houses extend growing season kitset delivered across New Zealand, Premier Tunnel Houses can be pegged down directly to the ground or attached to an additional timber frame on the ground, creating raised vegetable beds.
Example of a tunnel house.
Aptly named Premier Tunnel Houses are extending the growing season for thousands of home vegetable gardeners across New Zealand. Their tunnel houses were developed more than 40 years ago in Southland to provide an optimum extended growing season in adverse weather. After 23 years, Lynn and Jenny Southee have now handed the reins to son Carl and his wife Renee.
Premier Tunnel Houses manufacture greenhouse kitsets in a range of sizes with aluminium hoops, and a specialised industrial-grade plastic cover (as used by commercial growers) providing an ideal all-year-round growing environment. “Our tunnel houses are robust, the aluminium hoops are closer together than most of the competitors and there are more horizontal braces,” says Carl. “Combined, these attributes generate unparalleled strength
and rigidity coupled with an ability to expand and contract as temperatures change. “The plastic cover retains heat more effectively than glass and ventilation is provided via roof vents. “Access is via one door at the front (which comes as standard) but customers can customise access by including an additional door to the rear and/or add screen doors to front and rear to assist with additional ventilation.” Sold as an easily assembled
Whare groups seeks housing reform action A community group is suggesting Whakatāne District Council commission an in-depth assessment of the housing needs of the district.
Whakatāne Housing Action Reform Enthusiasts (Whare) was formed earlier this year after a public meeting revealed considerable public concern about the difficulties faced by people wishing to build secondary dwellings on their properties due to their tiny homes or caravans being in conflict with the council’s district plan. The district plan currently does not allow for a
secondary dwelling to be built on a person’s property regardless of the size of the property. A deputation from Whare addressed the council’s infrastructure and planning committee at the public forum of its meeting last month. Nicky Hampshire spoke for the group, asking that it follow the example of Kapiti Coast District Council in carrying out a housing needs assessment. “We want to see a new approach to how we think about and plan for housing in this rohe/region so that everyone can have a chance for a good life and a safe, secure, and affordable home.”
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FEED MANAGEMENT, HAY & SILAGE
Page 10
Versatile forage wagon a ‘no brainer’ Graeme Wilson - Branch Manager 027 520 3123 graeme.wilson@gaz.co.nz
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One of the first things Dan Wallis and Jodie Mexted bought when they began their new share-milking job in June was the Giltrap RF11 silage wagon.
Dan Wallis and Jodie Mexted began a 50:50 share-milking contract in June. The farm, Peak Farming, milks 450 cows at Te Rauamoa, high on the southern slopes of Mt Pirongia. It is a progressive farm in a high rainfall area. It has hectares of native, pine and riparian plantings. A composting barn and a covered feed pad ensure Dan and Jodie can care for the soil, and remove the cows whenever they need to.
The right decision
When using a feed pad, an important decision is choosing a forage wagon. “It was a no-brainer for us to go for Giltrap. I have had long experience with Giltrap wagons, and if you look after them they last a long time,” says Dan. A Giltrap RF11 forage wagon arrived on the farm when Dan and Jodie took over the contract. The RF11 takes 11m3 of feed. A front elevator has heavy duty bars with tapered tines to rip apart clumps. Feed delivery is via a side conveyer belt. Dan and Jodie have the standard 900 mm wide belt, and there is an option for a 1200 mm version. Graham Anderson from Giltrap AgriZone Ōtorohanga recommended a bucket grab to load the RF11. Dan uses it to load maize silage and grass silage and even to shake out the large square hay bales. “I swear by it. It’s an excellent tool,” he says. So, even though The RF11 is not a mixer wagon, it still takes a mixed load. “A mixer wagon is a lot more costly and higher maintenance. “Ours seems to mix okay, depending on how you put it in.” Dan also likes that Giltrap forage wagon is a simpler system for staff to • Rolls up can to 15m • use and also bewide, used in the
paddock if necessary. It has a tandem axle and Dan optioned larger flotation tyres to minimise compaction and increase traction when it is used in paddocks. The RF11 has a double chassis ready for scales. Dan and Jodie specified second generation Giltrap scales, and he finds them very helpful. The springers are fed on the pad twice a day with one load. He sets an alarm to tell him when he has fed half the load in the morning. “That is handy when I have 1000 things on my mind. With numbers going through my head all day it’s very easy to make mistakes and feed too much. “If you are loading multiple feeds, you can simply use the tare function between each feed type so you don’t have to add up each as you go. It is so simple.”
Adjustable delivery
The height of delivery is adjustable using his Giltrap quick hitch on the three-point linkage, which suits the various bin heights. The rate of delivery is adjustable from within the cab and Dan changes it as he goes along. So far he has been unable to block the wagon. “Today when I was loading hay with the grabs I noticed a big chunk go in, but it went over the side fine.” Dan and Jodie have two tractors that take the wagon – a six-cylinder 140-hp and a four-cylinder 110-hp. Both tractors handle it easily when manoeuvring around the feed pad or parking it in a tight shed. Maintenance is easy thanks to a central grease bank. Dan hoses it out and greases it once a week, and he says with the grease bank, he does not have to climb underneath to do that. When the RF11 is not in use, it lives in a shed. It is ideal to have machinery that Nationwide Firestone can do many jobs.
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FEED MANAGEMENT, HAY & SILAGE
Page 11
Changing of the guard for feed business
Rick Henderson, left, and Andre Lietze – new owners of Bill Webb Feed Solutions now operating as FeedCo Limited.
One of the most successful feed supply businesses in the greater Bay of Plenty has changed hands. Bill Webb Feed Solutions has, over several decades, become renowned for supplying quality silage, hay and straw to farmers across the country. With Bill’s retirement, the business has now been acquired by Andre Lietze and Rick Henderson and will be known as FeedCo.
Extensive experience
Andre Lietze and Rick have extensive experience in the development of feed crops. “We both come from farming backgrounds and, having worked for a large contractor and maize grower in the Waikato, have expertise in developing maize and silage to the highest standards. “Customers will not see any change in the quality of the product and service they have received from Bill and we are planning to complement
the range of feed products with some specifically suited to in-shed feeding in the near future.” Achieving the addition of in-shed feeding solutions has seen FeedCo acquire two other contracting businesses – Litchfield Agriculture Services and Dovaston Agriculture – which, in addition to offering agricultural contracting services, means they are specialists in growing and harvesting maize for grain.
Feed solutions
“We believe that combining the three businesses will ensure customers, across the greater Bay of Plenty and Waikato, will be supported by the feed solutions they require to maintain and enhance on-farm production,” says Andre. “Farmers are facing some challenging times with a reduced (albeit recently upgraded) payout and an impending dry season but the adage
Rainfall and soil temperatures October 1-14 – 10: 14*C compared to the same-time last year when it was 14.4*C
• 2022 Rainfall October 1-10: 137mls
• 2023 Rainfall October 1-10: 19mls
• 2022 Rainfall Jan 1-Oct 10: 1547mls
• 2023 Rainfall Jan 1-Oct 10: 1047.5mls,
‘not to sacrifice quality for price’ has never been more important. “The lift in dairy payout and likelihood of a dry season will put pressure on supplies and feed prices. Dry conditions in Australia will have New Zealand buyers looking for alternatives to Australian wheat. Those issues combined could put pressure on maize and silage prices at home so our advice to farmers is to get your orders in early. “We have had a flurry of orders for silage in the last few days but are aware that some farmers are holding back, hoping for a lower prices or good growing conditions through spring, but our strong recommendation is to nail it now while there are some lower prices around and while there is availability of maize in a market which is not as plentiful as it has been in past years. “We currently have milking quality grass silage available and still have a bit of maize silage still available.”
DAIRY
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Effluent company’s exciting times Paul and Brenda Smith started Waikato Dairy Effluent Services Ltd in Morrinsville in 2019.
Strong growth over the past four years has been underpinned by Paul’s expertise and reputation as workshop and production manager for Hi Tech Enviro Solutions and as an effluent consultant to Waikato Milking Systems. Paul and Brenda both come from farming back grounds and a key
driver to starting their business was using proven effluent equipment such as DODA pumps and stirrers. Paul says November is an exciting month for the company and the farming community. “On November 1, we move from our small workshop behind VTNZ to the old Auto Supper Shoppe premises at 11 Anderson Street, Morrinsville. “Two weeks later, on November 15, we become the new owners of
Paul and Brenda Smith.
the Waikato Milking Systems Effluent and Environmental business (formerly Hi-Tech Enviro Solutions) which supplies Doda and Effluent parts to the New Zealand dealer network and our local customers. “What this means for farmers is you will still have the expertise
and quality servicing you are accustomed to complemented by a large range of Doda and effluent parts. “The dealer network will have direct access to Paul’s knowledge of the Doda brand and effluent parts reinforced by confidence that the Doda brand will remain
in New Zealand.” Paul Smith said Waikato Dairy Effluent Services will continue to have its servicing workshop in conjunction with its wholesale and retail effluent parts warehouse. For more information, see their advert on this page.
Feeding her fat for fertility As mating season knocks on farmers’ doors, rumen-protected fats will play a crucial role in boosting fertility at a time when farmers simply cannot afford empty rates.
The cost of replacing a cow before its first calving is estimated to be around $1400, which means getting the right nutrition into the cow before insemination is crucial to ensure she’s healthy and productive. Providing appropriate fats at specific times has many benefits, such as increased milk production, improved body condition, and higher fertility, leading to a decreased empty rate and a more compact calving spread, as well as reduced heat stress. Nutrinza’s technical sales representative Wouter Ten Haaf says while dairy cows may require more than six per cent fat in dry matter to sustain their body condition and productivity, surpassing 3.5 per cent fat in dry matter can lead to serious health conditions, potentially harming the rumen and digestive function of the herd. To address this, it is recommended farmers incorporate rumen-protected fats into the animal feed regimen. “Megalac is often fed to dairy cows during
A silo full of feed.
periods of high energy demand, such as early lactation or when cows experience a negative energy balance. By providing a concentrated, continuous, slow-releasing source of energy, Megalac helps cows not only potentially increase their milk production, but also maintain body condition and improve overall health,” he explains. Recommended feed rates for Megalac should be tailored to the specific needs of the herd to make sure the farmer’s cows receive the optimal amount of this crucial nutrient. For more information visit their advert on this page.
DAIRY
Page 13
Sam’s satisfying career in dairy farming Sam Dodd describes his journey into farming as a series of relatively unplanned opportunities that came his way leading him into a career that he is passionate about. The 26-year-old is the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards 2023 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year and has also won four regional merit awards. Despite being a definite Tauranga city boy, Sam wasn’t a complete stranger to farming as a child. His mum’s side of the family are dairy farmers, and his dad, Mark Dodd, was the general manager at LIC before moving into farm consultancy. “I have a lot of happy childhood memories of spending holidays on my grandparents farm, but I never considered it as a career. From Year 10 I always wanted to be a paramedic,” says Sam. Sadly, his mum passed away during Sam’s first year of training in Wellington and the then 18-year-old returned to Tauranga and was a little directionless.
Finding direction in farming
His dad suggested he went to his mum’s family farm in Tirau and worked with his aunt and uncle. “I’d never done an honest day’s work in my life, let alone milking. “I started cleaning sheds out, fencing, calving and then milked for the first time. “I was out of the house from six am to five pm, working under the contact milker, Mark Jeans, who is a great guy, and I loved it.” A local vet asked if he wanted a permanent job as they knew of a farm assistant position for Rhys and Tamara Parry in Taranaki. “I jumped at the chance to work for such legendary people and spent a year there. “I then moved to the Joyce’s for two years as and their farm manager, Hermes, made the job fun as I honed my skills.” During that time, Sam entered the Taranaki regional NZDIA as a trainee and came third, and entered again the next year and won, going on to be second at the national finals. While he was working he was preparing for his big OE. He had resigned from his role and had tickets booked for June 2020.
Environmental Leaders Forum where he listened to our Foreign Trade Minister, MPs, vets, researchers, Fonterra representatives and other prominent experts in the industry. “It all made so much sense to me. “People comment about the environmental changes we are legislated to make but that is driven by world environmental demands. Sam is enjoying his role with Belinda, who “looks after us all really well”, and he is currently happy to become a better manager each year on her farm. He is saving and operating with the goal of becoming a sharemilker and is open to opportunities that may arise at Mangahana Farms.
The
Waikato farm manager of the year, Sam Dodds, 26. Photo: Catherine Fry.
perfect blend
Covid disruptions
“Then Covid happened, Air New Zealand cancelled my flights and my plans had to change.” After a bit of a panic as he was now unemployed, Sam called his dad whose new client Belinda Wilson needed a 2IC. Sam joined contract milker Micky Parkes on Mangahana Farm near Te Awamutu. “Gypsy Day 2020 was quite an experience as we were still under quite strict Covid restrictions, but we were allowed to move for work.” Sam found himself working with his dad, Mangahana’s farm consultant, and was blown away by his huge industry knowledge. “When I was younger I had never really thought about what he actually did, and I was impressed.” When the opportunity came up to manage the farm, Sam took it. He has three full time staff and a calf rearer on the 252-hectare, flat to rolling contour farm. The team milks 780 Kiwi cross cows through a 50-bail rotary shed. They run under a production system three, feeding grass silage, maize and PK on a feedpad. They are heading for 315,000 kg/MS this season. “We are developing the ability to have two separate herd managers and allowing staff to progress within the farm.”
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Sam entered the 2023 NZDIA Waikato farm manager competition and values the networking opportunities and talking to people who are good representatives of the industry. “With all the new legislation and regulations, farming is a lot more black and white. The younger generations grew up with technology and using data, and awareness of environmental issues so we are comfortable with it.” Sam was picked by Dairy NZ to be part of a Dairy
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DAIRY
Page 14
Getting the greatest value close to home In the 32 years I’ve been involved in the dolomite business the most common objection when selling it has been its price.
That’s a fair and reasonable objection assuming that all magnesium inputs are equally as effective at limiting debilitating calcium/magnesium disorders in animals during spring. However, due to reduced incomes and ever-increasing costs the priority right now is the ability of farming operations to pay their way and the price of inputs is a priority. Dolomite is a magnesium fertiliser and unless there is a requirement for
magnesium, which is the case on the majority of dairy farms, it is not essential. The next consideration is the amount required for maximum benefit and work over many years indicates that an annual application rate of 200 – 250kg/ha annually replaces losses and largely eliminates calcium/magnesium related issues. It is the only magnesium fertiliser that is as effective and yet magnesium oxide products have been favoured due to the lower cost per kilogram
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of magnesium. The loss of muscle control and inability to stand and walk is seldom just due to a lack of magnesium. Calcium is also involved and it’s the balance between the two elements that is essential for animals to give birth, get back to their feet and immediately produce the volume of milk required.
Natural deposit
The Golden Bay dolomite deposit, NZ’s only, contains 24 per cent calcium and 11.5 per cent magnesium. It is a natural seabed deposit laid down over millions of years and due to the movement of the earth’s crust it is now available for mining. Once applied to soil, there is a steady release over time which is why a single annual application provides at least twelve months protection against Ca/Mg related metabolic disorders. Nothing is as effective in ensuring no cows are down behind hedges at five in the morning, and now because of the marked recent increase
in the price of imported magnesium oxide dolomite provides magnesium at a lower cost.
The costs
The cost per kilogram of magnesium in dolomite delivered to farms in the Canterbury region is currently around 20 per cent less than the purchase cost of magnesium in the form of magnesium oxide. Farmers in other regions will have to do their own calculations based on transport charges, however, with the recommended application rate of 250kg/ha a 30 tonne truck and trailer load is sufficient for 120ha and the delivered price may still be favourable. All farms require an annual top up of calcium, particularly where synthetic nitrogen is regularly applied and dolomite contains 240kg of calcium per tonne, around 80 per cent that of high grade ag.lime. Over a five year period, that’s the equivalent of 1.0 tonne of lime per hectare and when the value of that is added to the equation an annual application makes even more sense. And there’s more. Soils compress under the
A stand-out Dolomite area.
pressure of cows’ feet and when that doesn’t recover naturally, compaction takes place. Compacted soils are a genuine cost with a reduction in growth often in excess of 50 per cent for the following season. Physically aerating the soil is an option, however a costly one particularly when dolomite, being a natural soil conditioner, may well be sufficiently effective.
Timing
Earthworms and other beneficial soil dwellers respond positively to inputs of calcium and a constant environment provides best results, a further reason for an annual light application being best practice. Ultimately the reason for there already being such a loyal client base is the reduction in stress on owners and operators over spring. Although autumn is the time when dolomite is most often applied a spring application will enhance pasture and milk production over the remainder of the season. For more information talk to Peter on: 0800 436 566 or: 027 495 0041.
DAIRY
When the National Policy Statement for high-quality soils came into effect, we were not surprised when some councils overreacted to it. Even though, with the last full review of the subdivision rules, Matamata Piako District, Hauraki District and other councils took into account the quality of soils when writing the rules.
Rules
We are also not surprised that, following challenges against one council and subsequent legal advice, Matamata Piako District Council has now reverted to accepting applications based on the existing rules. This follows a period of giving preference to the National Policy Statement over their current rules. This is the rollercoaster that we ride as council subdivision rules are continually updated, and the effects are worsened by their reactions to other new legislation, as we have recently witnessed. Now that we have a change in government, the proposed new legislation to replace the Resource Management Act could be repealed quickly.
Page 15
However, don’t be complacent, there certainly will be change. We hope this change will be positive. But, even with good intentions, change will always bring challenges, new learnings and nervousness from Councils. Even under the current regime, there will be regular reviews of District Plan Subdivision Rules, continually making the subdivision process harder.
Legislative future
We have always promoted rural subdivisions as an estate planning and risk management process for landowners. Put simply, the more titles that you have on your farm, the more flexibility you have if the economy hits a bump or you require capital to develop your land or business. Given the uncertain legislative future, it is increasingly important to plan ahead. Making the most of your land by obtaining additional titles, as and when the rules allow it, is a legitimate process used by many a landowner over the years to secure opportunities for themselves and future generations. Being able to orchestrate a handover of part of the farm to family members, who might not be resourced to take over the whole farm, is a great position to be in. If you are
getting close to handing over the whole farm, then an option to retain a smaller portion as a retirement block or just to ‘keep your hand in’ could be a possibility. If you have contemplated subdivision to either have more control over your future or to wack something off the mortgage, you should engage a specialist subdivision company early to avoid disappointment. They can then team you up with a project manager, experienced with the local rules an essential aid to navigating the complexities of subdivision. If you would like to explore your options, we are happy to give you the time to discuss the full potential of your land so feel free to give us a call and discuss your situation.
Marking a boundary line in preparation for a rural subdivision.
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Farmer confidence reading plunges to new record low Rising concern over the outlook for agricultural commodity prices in the year ahead has pushed New Zealand farmer sentiment to a new record low reading, the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence survey has found. The latest survey — completed late last month — found farmer confidence in the broader agricultural economy was well back on the already low net confidence reading recorded in June 2023 (-57 per cent) and now sits at -72 per cent. The latest net reading is the lowest reading in the 20-year history of the survey, eclipsing the previous record low of -71 per cent recorded in
quarter four of last year. The survey found 77 per cent of farmers were expecting conditions in the broader agricultural economy to worsen over the next 12 months (up from 65 per cent last quarter) with only five per cent expecting conditions to improve (from eight per cent previously). The remaining 15 per cent expected conditions to stay the same (24 per cent previously). While a swathe of farmer concerns was contributing to record low sentiment, Rabobank New Zealand Country Banking general manager Bruce Weir says lower commodity prices have now emerged as the chief source of farmer anxiety.
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FARM VEHICLES & MACHINERY
Page 16
Chas Quigg in his shed with his restoration project 880 on the left and the donor 880 on the right. Photos: Catherine Fry.
Diesel motor mechanic, Chas Quigg, was brought up on a dairy farm in Hikuai, Coromandel. He had an interest in machinery as a child and remembers that his father was one of the last in the area to get a tractor, using horses even into the 1960s.
“I left school early and dairy farmed for four years, because I wasn’t too great at school and that got me out of it!” says Chas.
Mechanical training
He was able to become a mechanic as an adult apprentice, completing his first two years as a petrol mechanic under guidance
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working part time. “There’s such a shortage of mechanics who do what I do, no one seems to want to train anymore.” Chas has a home workshop with his “retirement” project set up inside. “I’m restoring a David Brown 880 from
Safety tips for a busy summer Summer is a busy time on the farm, but it’s also among the most hazardous periods for accidents. Overall, trips, slips and falls, being hit or bitten by animals, hit by moving objects and incidents involving vehicles are the major causes of injuries on the farm, according to data from ACC. “The summer is a hugely productive time for farmers, and a time when family and visitors are often on the farm too,” says WorkSafe’s Agricultural lead Al McCone. “However, the statistics show that it is also a busy time for accidents, including the most serious. Our research has shown that there is almost always a vehicle involved
when someone dies as a result of a farm accident at this time of year. “We are encouraging farmers to focus on reducing the critical risk of working in and around farm vehicles. “That includes taking a few minutes to think about the best vehicle for the job you or your workers are doing and the terrain you are going to be driving over. “It’s thinking about the locations of ditches, slopes or furrows. That might mean going back to the shed to switch vehicles, or going on foot. “Operator protective devices, like roll over protection and the use of seat belts in vehicles are key areas farmers can reduce the likelihood of an accident. Many tractor fatalities can be prevented by the driver wearing the seat belt.”
FARM VEHICLES & MACHINERY
Page 17
and recipient tractors parked side by side, and the transplant heart (Commer engine) at the ready. The surgeon (Chas) has a plethora of tools and machinery at his fingertips.
Powerful project
“I’ve got lathes, milling machines and gas and electric welders from when I was working so I can do a lot myself. If I can’t, then I probably know someone who can help.” Chas reckons it’s a two year project and then he’ll have a powerful tractor for trekking with Rotorua Tractor and Vintage Machinery Club. He gets a bit of a boyish glint in his eye as he adds that “it’ll be noisy too and draw a bit of attention!”
Chas’s workshop is well-equipped so he can do much of the work himself.
the 1960s, but I’m going to put a Commer truck engine into it instead of the 45hp four cylinder engine that it was built with.”
The love of engines
He loves the old Commer truck engines and has a 150hp TS3 Commer engine at the ready. “They are quite rare as they have twin opposed pistons. Each of the three cylinders has
two pistons on each end.” His first 880 was once a boat tractor and its engine blew up and it was easier for its old owner to just get another tractor that worked. Chas acquired a second 880 which is mechanically good, but the body panels would need replacing at huge cost. That will be a donor vehicle for the 880/Commer project. His garage is set up like an operating theatre with the donor
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Mulch mats made from scoured wool dags. Photo: LTR Productions.
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It took a lightbulb moment for Sustaina Grow’s Rita Hammond to expand her own sustainable gardening practices into an environmentally sustainable business.
their current un-economic nature within the wool industry. However, once encapsulated in landfill, they decompose and produce methane, which has 20 times the global warming capacity of carbon dioxide.
Schoolteacher Rita went on maternity leave four years ago and is now a mum of three. Her family live on a 64-hectare farm in the foothills of Mount Ruapehu, near Ohakune. Husband Dave is a fencing contractor and runs the sheep and beef farm.
Environmentally friendly
Sheep dags
“We run 80 heifers and 80 bulls, with 50 ewes and lambs,” says Rita. Rita spends a lot of her time in the garden with the children and has been utilising the sheep dags from the farm in her vegetable garden. “They are perfect to use as mulch, as the wool naturally biodegrades putting all its goodness back into the soil.” Sheep dags at times end up in the landfill due to
Rita could see a way of diverting the dags from landfill and make a useful environmentally friendly product that people who weren’t on farms could have access to. “The wool for our grow bags and mulch mats needs scouring because the manure holds seeds and you wouldn’t want to introduce weeds back into soil. We send it away for that and it comes back in 30 metre rolls of clean, felted wool.” The family have set up a workshop on the farm and employ two local women to cut mulch mats and sew wool grow bags. Everything is packaged and dispatched from there. It’s important to Rita that they provide local employment with their business instead of going offshore.
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“Grow bags are planted with the plant (eliminating transplant shock) and once under the ground they provide a natural food source for the microorganisms in the root microbiome. “The mulch mats retain water, deter slugs and weeds, and decompose slowly.” Rita now sources dags from other farms in New Zealand, from likeminded farmers, who are glad
to earn some money from a waste product and see it go to a beneficial use. All products are traceable back to their source and there is no middleman involved so the Hammonds maintain good relationships with their suppliers. In a further step away from synthetic fertiliser use, Rita has also developed soil enhancer pellets that are 80 per cent wool dags, complete with their manure, and 20 per cent coffee grounds.
Photo: LTR Productions.
Page 19
Coffee and soil
Sustaina Grow owner, Rita Hammond in her vegetable garden. Photo: Holly Huriana Photography.
“Coffee grounds that end up buried in landfill also decompose producing methane. “The pellets increase soil water retention properties, boost soil vitality, increase organic matter content, repel pests and promote earthworm activity. They contain five essential nutrients for plants including Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulphur and Calcium. ” Local cafes are more than willing to have a swap in/swap out coffee grounds bucket system and are pleased to see their waste product being used in this way. The pellets are manufactured in Fielding but bagged and distributed from the family farm. “It’s one thing producing a product that is good for the environment but then producing a large carbon footprint making it, so we are mindful of that alongside keeping production New Zealand local.” Rita’s four-year-old is very interested in the family business and the children are learning with her. “I’d love to expand this business and be part of minimising the 350 million plastic plant pots made a year in New Zealand, many non-recyclable. “I want to stay true to the New Zealand version that we have developed as it is all local input making a local product and that is a win-win for everyone involved.”
Rural students face educational barrier
Students applying to enter medical programmes in New Zealand, after attending rural and regional schools, are disadvantaged by lower exam marks at those schools. A new study, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand on October 12 compared NCEA and UE attainment rates across secondary schools from 2012 to 2021, finding rural high schools have lower pass rates and marks than urban ones. “The lower UE attainment levels for rural schools means it is likely that rural students will have greater difficulty in entering medical programmes and this inequity is worse for
rural Māori students,” says lead author Dr Kyle Eggleton. Rural schools are more likely to be in socioeconomically deprived areas, have a greater proportion of Māori students and be poorly resourced compared with urban schools. The authors emphasised the study’s findings were based on aggregate data, and did not necessarily reflect the experiences of all rural students. However, the research provides evidence of a systemic problem. The admission schemes have been established among many measures aimed at addressing a rural medical workforce crisis in New Zealand. Medical students from rural backgrounds are more likely to return and work rurally.
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Touring NZ in 4WDs NZ Adventures 4WD Tours has vacancies on the High Country Heritage 6 Day Tour in April and November 2024.
These tours are run by owners/operators Robbie and Connie Crickett, who are in their 11th year of showing people through the beautiful South Island. The High Country Heritage is the most popular and longest established tour run by Robbie and Connie. The High Country Heritage is essentially the journey down the eastern alpine foothills from Blenheim to Cardrona. “The tour includes a wide range of high country stations and conservation estate tracks along a 1250 km route through overnights in Hanmer Springs, Methven, Fairlie, Omarama and Cromwell before reaching the finish at the iconic Cardrona Hotel near Wanaka,” says the couple. “Accommodation provided is motel and for the most part evening meals and breakfast are on site or as close as possible. “Lunches are predominately picnic so we can enjoy these at a scenic spot out on the track.” In the context of a four wheel drive trip, the tracks are easily enough covered by competent drivers in suitable four wheel drive vehicles (low range transmission) and all terrain (AT) tyres in good condition. Robbie and Connie
A dry River Bed in the Mackenzie Country. say no other special preparation of the some hill country tracks with views vehicle is required. back to Mt. Cook. A highlight of the tour would include Days five and six see the tour drive Molesworth Station on the afternoon over into Central Otago and the of Day One and the vast hill country opportunity to drive very high onto of North Canterbury through most two of the mountain ranges that are of Day Two. Day Three sees the tour so much a part of this region known head west towards the high Alps and for its history of gold and pastoralism the massive vistas of the inland valleys and for being as far from the sea as its while Day Four takes the tour across possible to get in New Zealand. the high plains and gravel river valleys For more information, see NZ of the Mackenzie Country along with Adventures advert on this page.
Solutions for keeping poultry at home in NZ Safe and secure housing is the first step people need to consider when thinking about raising chooks in their own backyard. The Chookyard’s Chris Brook is sharing her top tips for people who want to have poultry, but don’t know where to start. Chris says appropriate housing is key. “Make sure they’ve got somewhere warm and dry to be, and somewhere out of the hot sun. “Chickens need good fencing because they will
destroy your gardens. They also need somewhere dry for their food where it won’t be attacked by sparrows because sparrows bring disease.” Chris says having fresh water and good food will keep your chickens happy and healthy. “Make sure their food has a good protein level somewhere between 17 and 20 per cent of protein at least. People have to remember that chickens are not vegetarians.” One thing Chris thinks new chook owners should note is that chickens live for a fair amount of time. “You have Brown Shavers and they live until they’re five, and your heritage breeds will easily live until they’re 10.
“A lot of people think that Brown Shavers and Hy-Line chickens are no longer of any use after they’re 18 months old because they both go into a moult at that stage and don’t lay eggs for six weeks. “Then they come back on the lay but many people are quite confused about that.” She says those who make the best chicken keepers are “people who see them as a pet rather than a commodity – so you know – if you stop laying you’re gone”. Chris also recommends that chook newcomers read ‘How to Care for Your Poultry,” by Sue Clarke and Nadene Hall. “It’s the best. “It’s a New Zealand guide.”
Page 21
I have been helping people with knee osteoarthritis for more than 25 years. I have been helping one client with this for nearly two years. When we first spoke, he needed to take pain relief just to walk for exercise. After six months he said the pain had completely gone and no longer
needed pain medication. Any successful programme to improve joints affected by OA should address the underlying disease process. OA is a disease that is characterised by cartilage loss due to both mechanical and biochemical processes. The major process is the loss of cartilage caused by progressive damage to specialised cells called chondrocytes. These cells live in the matrix of cartilage and a responsible for maintaining and repairing cartilage by secreting new cartilage where required. However, these cells are vulnerable to destructive processes brought about by trauma, such as
sports injury, or disease process especially oxidative damage. This just means that cells and cell structures have been damaged by free radicals. The body’s response to this is our antioxidant defence systems to neutralise free radicals before they can cause damage. The greatest source of discomfort in OA is inflammation in the joint capsule resulting in pain, swelling and in some cases heat and redness. While bone on bone can only be repaired by surgery, the discomfort from inflammation and cartilage loss can respond very well to nutritional therapy. The most important joint support compound is high grade chondroitin sulphate. Research suggests
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at least 800mg daily. I like to start most on an intensive programme delivering 1600mg of both chondroitin and glucosamine and 400mg of a new generation 100 per cent water soluble curcumin extract. This combined with therapeutic
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CARTAGE & EARTHWORKS
Construction to begin on river stopbanks Construction on a 1.25km section of stopbank next to Thornton Beach Road is underway.
This project was initiated following the discovery of seepage (the slow escape of water through permeable earth) and is part of a wider programme of work Toi Moana Bay
of Plenty Regional Council is undertaking to upgrade the flood protection network along the Rangitāiki River. Bay of Plenty Regional Council civil construction engineer Jordan Mandery says upgrading the stopbanks is an important step, to ensure suitable flood protection is provided to the Edgecumbe community.
Defence
“Flood protection is the first line of defence when it comes to reducing the impact of flooding, which is why the Regional Council continually invests in regular testing and improvement of flood defences across the rohe (region). “These stopbank works form part of a wider upgrade to flood protection defences along the Rangitāiki River, including the Rangitāiki
Floodway and Spillway works and the soon to be completed Rangitāiki Floodwalls.” This project involves deconstructing the current stopbanks and rebuilding them with suitable soil. This includes raising their height and installing seepagecontrol drainage to better manage any water passing through them. The material from the existing stopbanks will be moved onto neighbouring low-lying land to further reduce the seepage risks. Jordan says it’s important to address seepage issues early, as they can lead to stopbank failure in a flood event, putting the lives and livelihoods of the community at risk.
Protecting properties
“While controlled seepage can relieve pressure within the stopbanks, excessive seepage
can lead to stopbanks failing, putting people and properties at risk. “Rebuilding the stopbanks with methods that allow water to pass through in a controlled manner will help relieve the water pressure building up inside and under the stopbank.” While construction takes place, there will be some disruption to the area. Traffic management will be in place when the road needs to be reduced to one lane. There may also be limited access in and around the awa (river) at the construction site, however the boat ramp will remain open at all times. The work is expected to be completed next year. Any questions the public has about the work can be directed to: engineering@boprc.govt.nz
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‘Ute tax’ set to be killed off in December
Sales of utes like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux are likely to pick up once the Clean Car Discount’s levies on high-emission vehicles are dropped in 2024. Photo: Matthew Hansen/Stuff.
The National Party’s victory during on the night of the October 14 general election is set to spell the end of the Clean Car Discount ‘feebate’ scheme, which implemented sizable rebates for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids while also pinging high-emission vehicles like utes. National issued a pledge in September that it planned to eliminate the Clean Car Discount by December 31 of this year if elected into office, noting that Labour had promised that the scheme would be fiscally neutral – a promise that had not come to fruition.
First stages
First rolled out in mid-2021, the Clean Car Discount was solely a rebate-based programme, with new and used EVs and PHEVs earning generous rebates in order to encourage consumers to shift to greener vehicles to combat climate change and energise transition. As had been planned by Labour, the scheme ramped up in early 2022 to include a wider count of hybrid and even pure petrol vehicles with low emissions figures. More notably, though, this was when the scheme’s ‘feebate’ model commenced. Where previously the scheme had been paid out from a seeding fund, the government planned for it to be self-funding by using levies of up to $5175 on high-emission vehicles, most notably including utes – one of the most popular vehicle segments in the country. This element of the scheme earned it the ‘ute tax’ label amongst critics, including National. Whilst the outgoing Labour government has argued that the scheme has been successful due to the immense growth in popularity of EVs in New Zealand since its introduction, National, the Act Party, and other commentators like Toyota New Zealand CEO Neeraj Lala have claimed
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the opposite – in particular noting the scheme’s inability to be self-sustaining. Waka Kotahi data released earlier this month confirmed that the Clean Car Discount has cost the government $279m since its inception (noting that the feebate aspect of the scheme was introduced eight months after the rebates started). “National does not believe New Zealanders who can afford a brand-new electric car need a subsidy from taxpayers to buy it. “The move to EVs will happen without subsidies as those who can afford new cars choose to reduce their personal carbon footprints and their dependence on fossil fuels,” said National leader Christopher Luxon in a statement issued last month.
Subsidy
“The subsidies funded by Labour’s ute tax don’t go to low- and middle-income New Zealanders, but to people who could already afford to buy an EV. “And it is deeply unfair to tax work vehicles like utes and vans that farmers and tradies need to do their jobs in order to subsidise the cost of EVs. “The Ministry of Transport has admitted the ute tax and EV subsidy scheme is fiscally unsustainable, meaning it will continue to require ongoing taxpayer funding.” Instead of subsidising EV purchases, National plans to support electric vehicle adoption by investing further in the creation of the public charger network, pledging to build 10,000 chargers around the country by 2030 at a cost of $257m. During an industry gathering in Auckland August, National transport spokesperson Simeon Brown suggested that the Standard is likely to get adjusted under National. National’s coalition partner, the Act Party, has previously pledged to axe the Clean Car Standard. Matthew Hansen/Stuff
Page 23
FERTILISER
Page 24
I can recall many occasions after a farmer or contractor had applied lime, dolomite, gypsum, or even burnt lime, “that is was good stuff, because the pH went up”.
At Kiwi Fertiliser, we follow the Albrecht system of soil fertility. It is backed up by manuals that provide the information to create superior soil That is flawed thinking. How about applying fertility that produces high lime to supply calcium, dolomite to supply quality pastures, crops, calcium and magnesium, gypsum to supply and animals that require calcium and sulphur, and so on? Applying substances that change the soil acidity should never little or no therapeutic intervention, as the be the aim of any valid soil fertility program. stock self-medicate on a minerallyWhatever you apply should be to provide the correct balanced diet. This cannot nutrients that the soil requires. be achieved if either Ca, Mg, K, or That way, the soil pH will be properly Na, are too far out of kilter with each constructed and not a misleading figure. other. The main aim on all soils is to balance the cations to their correct proportions in the soil and with each other. Adding one changes the others and that needs to be factored into the calculations.
Calcium levels
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Calcium is a nutrient in its own right. It is necessary for the good health of soil, plants, and animals. If it is in excess, something else will be in deficit. Some plants readily absorb calcium better than other plants. Those plants are healthier for animals and humans to eat than are the latter. As true protein levels in plants rise, so do Ca levels and as Ca levels increase, so too do vitamins. However, excessive Ca will cause Mg, P, and minor element deficiencies. This translates to some plants with lower digestive calcium. E.g., too much oxalic acid, that can also lead to imbalances of enzyme and hormone systems. This poorer plant health, in turn can be a magnet for fungal, bacterial and insect attack.
Excessive Mg will lead to P, K, and N deficiency. Coupled with low Ca, high Mg may also lead to decaying organic residues producing alcohol. This happens mostly when crop residues are buried too deep. Alcohol is damaging to most microbiology. High Mg low Ca may also lead to anaerobic soils and the consequences of a soil that will not absorb rainfall well, exacerbating the chances of drought. In turn, this creates opportunities for weeds.
Mulder’s Chart
Calcium in the proper range will improve soil structure and phosphate and other nutrients availability. According to Mulder’s Chart, soil P availability can double between pH6.0 and pH6.5. Better structure leads to an increase in soil microbes, including nitrogen fixers. Root systems improve along with stronger stems and larger leaves. That all adds up to increased photosynthesis and plant health. Photosynthesis is the most important process on the planet. Of course, carbon will also be sequestered in the soil at high rates. On average, dairy farms in NZ are losing carbon to the atmosphere. But all this is easily reversed when soil fertility is viewed as an investment instead of an annual crop-growing expense, where the common approach is to merely replace what is being removed, irrespective of what those levels are. We can all do much better when it comes to soil fertility.
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Tools to manage farm pollution The farm pollution management tool helps farmers use fertiliser and other inputs more efficiently.
Overseer has been improved and an independent review has proven its fit for purpose. The farm pollution management tool helps farmers use fertiliser and other inputs more efficiently, estimates nutrient loss and is used by regional councils to help inform regulations around water quality. A report in 2018 by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment said Overseer was flawed, opaque and open to gaming by farmers.
In 2021, an independent science advisory panel backed those concerns, finding Overseer was not designed to accurately estimate nutrient loss. That prompted a redevelopment programme carried out by the Ministry for Primary Industries and Ministry for the Environment. Overseer spokesperson Alistair Taylor says some parts of the tool have been completely overhauled. “Over the past two years we’ve worked alongside scientists from AgResearch, Plant & Food Research, NIWA and
Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research to look at the areas of the science which were identified as potentially needing some change. “From there, there were five main different work streams, for a couple we concluded that actually there was nothing that had to change and there was a couple in particular in the crop space that needed some work.” Alistair says the crop side of the tool has been completely overhauled. “When the cropping module of Overseer was developed there wasn’t much New Zealand specific science but now there is
Balancing nutrients for healthy soils Animals need food for two reasons – to produce energy; and to build new cells and grow, reproduce, repair injury, and produce milk or eggs.
Animals normally use carbohydrates and fats as “fuels”, although proteins can also be used for this purpose in times of starvation or excess. As far as growth is concerned, the essentials are proteins and minerals (calcium and phosphorus for bones and teeth, iron in the blood, sulphur in some amino acids), says Fertilizer New Zealand. “But the cellular metabolic activities of both energy production (catabolism) and growth (anabolism) also require thousands of different enzymes, each of which consists of a protein and a cofactor (a mineral element or a vitamin). “So, there is a need for vitamins and minerals such as copper, zinc, iron, calcium, potassium
and magnesium,” says a post on their website. “Some minerals also perform other vital functions. Phosphorus is part of the energycarrier molecule; sodium and potassium regulate internal water balance; chlorine and potassium regulate pH; iodine is part of the thyroid hormone.” And then there’s water – an essential nutrient substance as it is a necessary component of all living cells. Indeed, cells are mostly water – 70 per cent in the case of an average animal cell.
The essentials
Some nutrient substances are essential in an animal’s diet; others can be manufactured within the animal’s body or cells. On the “essential” list are: calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, chlorine, magnesium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, fluorine, sulphur, iodine, cobalt, says Ferlitizer New Zealand.
so that’s all been updated.” The changes were independently evaluated by a technical advisory group set up to establish and review Overseer. Overseer chief executive Jill Gower says it confirms the tool is now fit for purpose. “The evaluation shows Overseer is performing well against measured losses of nitrate, with the tool rated as ‘very good’ for grazed
pastures, and ‘satisfactory’ and ‘good’ for crop systems. “The science programme has re-affirmed OverseerFM’s role as a useful decision support tool that allows farmers and growers to make more informed decisions about their farm management practices, boost their productivity and profitability, and improve their environmental impact.”
-RNZ
AVOCADOS
Page 26
Pairing avos and mushrooms Adding mushrooms to avocados has proved a recipe for success for a Northland couple.
Oyster, shiitake, enoki, tawaka and lion’s mane mushrooms are grown inside three shipping containers on the property.
Greg Rathbun and Tann Duangprasit originally purchased an existing avocado orchard in Maungatapere, near Whangarei. They ran the orchard together, but a few sparks used to fly. “We both wanted to be boss,” laughs Greg. Growing up in Thailand, Tann was a “bit of a forager”, so her move to mushrooms was somewhat of a natural progression for her. Pre-Covid, growing mushrooms had been more of a hobby as the pair concentrated on the avocados.
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Greg and Tann came to the 11ha property from Auckland, where he worked as an accountant seven years ago. Tann says she started out three years ago with no real mushroom-growing equipment. “It was a real number eight wire approach.”
Mushroom machinery
While Greg says he was “waiting for the latest fad to pass”, Tann went ahead and bought machinery from Thailand. She grows oyster, shiitake, enoki, tawaka and lion’s mane mushrooms inside three shipping containers on the property. Starting out at a local market in Whangarei, Tann says she “sold everything”. She conducted “lots of experiments” along the way, but stresses she always wanted to “initiate the way they grow naturally”. This includes growing them in a “mushroom mulch” of woodchips and wheat bran. They start life in a petri dish, with spawn propagated from a single mushroom. Tann says the spawn is moved into sterilised bags containing the mulch, before heading into a resting room and ultimately a growing room. There is only limited temperature control, with the mushrooms thriving in the natural warmth of the shipping containers.
Medicinal qualities
Contrary to popular belief, Tann says mushrooms also need some natural light to grow successfully. “You could grow them on a windowsill.” Tann says the mushrooms, which grow all-year round, have important medicinal qualities. Last year, Maungatapere Mushrooms struck Gold at Outstanding New Zealand Food Producer Awards. The other branch of the business, Avos to Go, has been running for two seasons now and involves a group of family-owned orchards all based around Whatitiri mountain. Avos to Go grow and deliver avocadoes to households, schools and restaurants around the country. “Our orchards are of a similar size, and we all have the same way of thinking,” says Greg.
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AVOCADOS when the stem thickens and passes the maturity test for oil content. “There’s also the home taste test.” He recommends consumers “buy them green” and ripen the old-fashioned way on the windowsill or in a fruit bowl. “Best not to place them in direct sunlight.”
Page 27 Once ripe, Greg recommends avocados be eaten within two days. Ripened avocados can be kept in the fridge for a week. Greg says freezing the fruit can also be done quite easily, increasing their longevity to four to six months. Along with its direct delivery via online ordering, he says Avos to Go also works with a number of
schools around the country. “We offer discounted rates for orders which the schools can then on-sell as a healthy fund raiser. Back on the home property, Greg and Tann are even dabbling with bananas. “They are for home use at the moment,” he says. “Watch this space.”
Proud to be associated with
Greg Rathbun with his avocado stall. He says that the joint venture avoids dealing with any other party when it comes to selling the fruit. “We cut out the middleman.” Greg says the “big players” in the avocado industry grow chiefly for the export market, with local consumers missing out on quality fruit. Harvasting on the mountain can go for 11 months of the year, from June to April. Much like the mushroom operation, Greg says the avocados were originally sold through markets and restaurants. Over the past two years this has been extended to the online market. “We pick to order,” says Greg. “There is no cool storage.” He says the orders are “spread around” the collective growers to supply.
Home delivery
Avos to Go also makes some deliveries locally around Whangarei. Greg says they “did it hard” through
wet weather over the past two years. “Some orchards in the area were wiped out completely.” On his own property, Greg says he likes to keep the trees small through pruning to make for easier harvesting. He has about 1600 trees, almost all the popular hass variety. While half his harvest goes towards Avos to Go, the balance is exported via a regional packhouse. Greg says most is bound for markets in Australia and Asia. However, thanks to Avos to Go, he says the same quality of fruit is sent around the country here. He says the group pick on each other’s properties, while also offering support and advice to their colleagues. Greg laughs that he did have a packhouse on the property. “But I got kicked out for the mushrooms.” Avos to Go now uses a “big garage” on another associated property as its headquarters. Greg says the fruit is ready to pick
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Page 28
KIWIFRUIT
Digital aspect to crop estimations The promise of predicting the volume and quality of a crop has been confirmed with Fruitometry announcing that its pre harvest Digital Crop Estimation achieved 96 per cent accuracy with kiwifruit in the 2022/2023 season. DCE scanning technology is mounted on all-terrain vehicles which capture around 15,000 photographs per hectare as they
travel through a kiwifruit orchard identifying buds, shoots, flowers, fruitlets and fruit in real time. Fruitometry’s data and analytics lead Nico Castro says the technology has been used in a growing number of orchards for more than three years. “Accuracy is measured at the end of each harvest and Fruitometry anticipated we would achieve 96 per cent accuracy for pre-harvest estimation when compared to packout reports, but we are understandably delighted to have
Scanning technology mounted to an all-terrain vehicle in a kiwifruit orchard.
this percentage confirmed. “The accuracy of DCE is unparalleled. Traditional orchard sampling involves manual observation in specified bays of the orchard which is, at best, variable. “By contrast, Fruitometry provides a detailed aerial
overview of the densities for every square metre of the orchard for each phase of the growing cycle.” Nico says Fruitometry DCE scans are carried out at five stages of the growing cycle – winter buds (July to September), shoots (late September), flower
buds (October to November), fruitlets (November to December) and fruit (January to harvest). “DCE is delivering growers the ability to strategically target thinning and care of the crop in order to achieve optimum fruit production.”
Northern Hemisphere harvest to be biggest yet Zespri’s kiwifruit harvest from the Northern Hemisphere is set to exceed previous sales volumes with the strong harvest supporting its efforts to deliver 12-month supply in key markets, maintain brand presence and shelf space and support New Zealand and offshore grower returns. Northern Hemisphere Supply executive officer Nick Kirton says the Northern Hemisphere sales programme has just commenced with Zespri expecting to sell around 29 million trays, or just over 100,000 tonnes of kiwifruit from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan. This compares to 24 million trays or 88,000 tonnes last season. “This season’s harvest will be our biggest yet and we’re looking forward to providing consumers with more high-quality and great-tasting kiwifruit as we transition from New Zealand-grown fruit to our Northern Hemisphere-grown fruit. “The increase in volume also reflects the growth phase we are in, enabled by our year-round investment
in the brand and building demand ahead of supply.” Across the Northern Hemisphere supply regions - which include Italy, France, Greece, Japan and Korea - Zespri has formed partnerships over more than 20 years with around 1500 Zespri growers and suppliers who play a key role in Zespri’s global supply strategy which is working towards the ultimate goal of suppling premium Zespri Kiwifruit for all 12 months of the year. This season’s Green sales volumes are expected to remain steady compared with last year, while SunGold Kiwifruit sales are projected to increase by 25 per cent, reflecting improved growing conditions, increased yields and new production. Nick notes that this season’s strong harvest was even more pleasing given the challenges faced by growers in both Europe and Asia last year. He says that following a season review, Zespri initiated action plans across all Northern Hemisphere regions to address the issues of last season and focus on outcomes that would lift returns for growers. “It is fantastic to see the orchards rebound this year, with growers producing some great quality fruit.”
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KIWIFRUIT
Page 29
Landini Rex 4 tractor in the field.
A new upgrade for the tractor cab air filtration system on Landini Rex 4 tractors provides top level Category 4 protection against spray contaminants and easy changeover between regular and carbon filters. New Rex 4 tractors with the optional CAT4 cab have both types of filters installed at the same time and operators can select either type with the flick of a switch. This arrangement provides quick and convenient access to the maximum level of protection from potential contaminants in the cab while spraying but also optimises the service life of the special carbon filter. “This is a pragmatic solution typical of the innovative thinking that goes into Landini products by engineers at Argo Tractors,” says Gayne Carroll AGTEK, distributor for Argo Tractors in NZ managing director. “It simplifies things for the operator while also cutting filter replacement costs to a minimum.” The new Landini Rex 4 tractors come in a number of width and wheelbase configurations, primarily for orchard, vineyard and horticultural work. The CAT4 cab provides maximum protection against
operator contamination when the Rex 4 tractors are used with a sprayer. There are two filter housings, one in each side of the cab roof panel, an airflow diverter inside the air intake assembly located at the back of the roof panel, and filter status information on the tractor’s instrument display. With a general-purpose filter in one side and a carbon filter in the other, operators can switch between the two as appropriate, with the cab pressurised to the level required to prevent ingress of contaminants through door seals, and so on. “This filter arrangement is clearly more convenient than having to physically change one filter for another – and that convenience means operators are more likely to take advantage of the higher-level protection provided by carbon filtration. “Also, with a single element filtration system, once the carbon filter has been inserted ready for spraying, it will likely stay there when the tractor is used for nonspraying work and continue to degrade,” he points out. With the Landini system, the carbon filter need only be ‘active’ when required, simply by flicking a switch in the cab. The operator can then see the carbon filter’s status, as well as the airflow speed and cab pressure, on the tractor’s instrument panel.
Drier months ahead: Growers talk liquid gold
With talk of a significant El Niño bringing a hotter, drier summer to much of New Zealand, water will be an important topic for kiwifruit growers. “In March this year I talked in this blog about the requirement for regional councils across the country to update their rules and policies to align with national targets set out in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management,” says
NZKGI CEO Colin Bond. “It’s a massive task, the timeframe is tight and there are potentially major ramifications for growers.” From a practical perspective, the new policy could affect growers in a number of ways depending on their individual activities, location, and the pressures on the waterways that they operate in. Visit NZKGI’s website for more information.
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KIWIFRUIT
Page 30
Innovative budbreak research Dr Annette Richardson has won the 2023 Kiwifruit Innovation Award for her work in exploring budbreak - a crucial stage in the growth cycle of kiwifruit.
A Plant & Food Research scientist, Annette is an expert in plant physiology and has explored kiwifruit growing techniques to support future production throughout her almost 40-year career.
Quality contribution
Her work around budbreak has led to advancements that have helped increase yields and contributed to the overall quality of kiwifruit crops. She has extensively researched budbreak in kiwifruit to support grower returns with increased yields of fruit with reduced variability. One
of Annette’s first pieces of work was her involvement in the introduction of Hi-Cane - a budbreak enhancer applied once to vines in the dormant winter period - to the kiwifruit industry back in 1988. She continues to lead in this field as a vital part of the team researching alternative ways to support budbreak in kiwifruit and learning more about the fundamental science behind this process. Zespri chairman and award judge Bruce Cameron says Annette has been instrumental in the continued growth and success of the kiwifruit industry. “Annette’s knowledge of plants and how they grow under varying conditions has helped the industry remain resilient while also helping pave the way for a more sustainable future. “She has the incredible ability to take complex science and convey it to the industry in a way which people
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can understand and use. “Her work in researching kiwifruit budbreak and vines, in new cultivar development and in supporting the industry’s ongoing use of Hi-Cane through modifying it for new gold and red varieties, as well as its alternatives - has helped shape the way kiwifruit is grown and ensured the industry can adapt to meet growing demand for kiwifruit around the world and return more value back to growers and our communities.”
Judges’ comments
NZKGI chair and award judge Mark Mayston says Annette’s work with Hi-Cane has been instrumental to the success of the kiwifruit industry today. “Hi-Cane, used once per year on kiwifruit orchards, is a critical chemical for the success of the kiwifruit industry. It promotes uniform bud break of flowers ultimately maximising the production of high-quality kiwifruit. “The certainty that budbreak enhancers create allows for the prosperity of our industry, the returns of which, flow back into New Zealand’s communities. “I acknowledge and congratulate Annette for her contribution to the science in this very important area.” Fellow judge Kristy McDonald KC, chair of kiwifruit industry regulator Kiwifruit New Zealand, says, research that is targeted, sustained and innovative is vital to the continuing success of New Zealand kiwifruit in a world that is facing environmental challenges and ever increasing costs. “Annette’s work focuses both on the science and the development of real-world solutions that will benefit growers and the industry. I congratulate Dr M9540 DH
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Dr Annette Richardson.
Photo: Brydie Thompson, Brydie Photography.
Richardson on her outstanding contribution over many years.” Annette says this is an exciting industry to be a part of. She says it is really rewarding to see all that industry has achieved over a few decades and I know there’s an exciting future ahead. “Collaboration is a key part of the sector’s success and Plant & Food Research is fortunate to be working alongside great partners such as Zespri, NZKGI, Kiwifruit Vine Health and the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre as well as kiwifruit growers.”
The award recognises people who have solved a problem or created value for the kiwifruit industry.
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COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
Woolly competitions Attempts on both the men’s and women’s World eight-hours strongwool lambs shearing records are to be made in New Zealand just eight days apart later this year. The first will be near Gore on December 15 when Southland shearers Megan Whitehead and cousin Hannah McColl attempt a women’s record which will have gone unchallenged for 13 years, and the second will be near Wairarapa rural locality Gladstone on December 23, when Masterton shearers Paerata Abraham and Chris Dickson attempt the men’s record which was set just five months ago.
Targets
Megan is already a holder of two nine-hours women’s lambs shearing records, as the fastest in a four-stand record near Turangi in January 2020, and the solo record of 661, shorn in Southland in January 2021. Paerata and Chris are targeting a record of 1410 set by Simon Goss, of Mangamahu, and Jamie Skiffington, of Rotorua, at Mangamahu, north east of Whanganui, on January 4 this year. Simon shore 715 and Jamie 695, and the solo record is 754 shorn by Te
Kuiti shear Jack Fagan at Puketititi, near Piopio, on December 22 last year. It’s a big year for Paerata who with brother-in-law David Gordon, also of Masterton, will be shearing for New Zealand in a series of test matches against Scotland, England and Wales on a UK tour next month.
Legends and folklore
Best daily shearing tallies had been things made of legends and folklore, sometimes done in the presence of Justices of the Peace, until 1968 when the first rules emerged after an annual meeting of shearers during the Golden Shears in Masterton. The records society, developed in 1982-1983 and having been recognised as the worldwide authority since 2004, appoints judges for each record attempt, with at least one at each attempt not from the country inn which the record is being attempted. In New Zealand there must also be at least one other not from the island in which the record is being attempted. The records focus on the standard eight-hours or nine-hours working days in the woolshed, and those currently recognised range from the solo records to a nine-hours, six stand strongwoool lambs tally of 4188 shorn in Southland in 2005 and an eight-hours eight-stands merino lambs
PULLETS HY-LINE BROWN, great layers. Phone 07 824 1762 www.eurekapoultryfarm.weebly.com
Nov 4
Museum, 43 Robinson Ave, Rotorua, $10, under 16 free. Ph 07 345 9525. Vegetarian Festival, 10am-3pm, 132 Landlyst Rd, Waihi, free. See waihivegfest.co.nz
8am-noon, Yacht Club, Keith Allen Dr, Tauranga. Ph 07 576 7711. Plant display and sales, eftpos available. A sheep’s coat Crop Swap Katikati, will be on the 9.30-10.30am, line at the end 45 Beach Rd, of the year. Katikati. Ph 07 549 2337. record of 2939 set in West Australia in 2002. Under varying rules from 1968 to 1983, the greatest BOP Rose Show, 11amtally was a nine-hours 10-stand perendale lambs 4pm, Wesley Church record of 5557 shorn at Poronui Station, on the hall, 100 13th Avenue, Rangitaiki Plains, between Napier and Taupo, on Tauranga, $3. Ph/txt January 8, 1979. 027 222 6081 The oldest on the current books of the society is Plant Sale, 10am-3pm, a nine-hours, three stands strongwool ewes record Hamilton Gardens. shorn in Central Otago in 1993.
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Bromeliad Sales Day,
Attempts
Several possible record bids in Australia, the UK and New Zealand have been rumoured since a spate of 11 successes in 12 attempts in the last year, but World Sheep Shearing Records Society secretary Hugh McCarroll, of Tauranga, says only the two two-stand attempts have been confirmed “at this stage”. Megan and Hannah will attempt to break a record of 907 which was established by Wairoa mother-anddaughter Marg and Ingrid Baynes at Mangapehi, near Bennydale, in January 2009. During that day, Ingrid Baynes (now married to champion shearer Rowland Smith) set a women’s solo record of 470, a record since bettered three times and now held by King Country shearer Sacha Bond, who shore 601 in Northern Southland on February 4 this year.
curriculum vitae
Page 31
Garden Ramble,
9am-5pm, self-drive Katikati area, wet or fine, $30. See tinyurl. com/3zymukuj Gisborne Rose Show, 12noon-4pm (Sat); 10am-2pm (Sun), Farmers Air Events Centre, Main Rd, Makaraka, Gisborne. See nzroses.org.nz
Nov 9-12 Pacific
Rosebowl Festival, Rogers Rose Gardens, Hamilton, free. See tinyurl.com/u9fpuxkp
Nov 10-12 Rotorua Garden
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DO YOU HAVE something to sell or looking to buy or promote your business? List it here for only $23 for up to 20 words. Email office@thesun.co.nz or call 07 578 0030.
Nov 15
Villaleigh Nursery &
Garden Open Day, 10am-3pm, near Huntly, free. See tinyurl. com/bdek4ed7
Nov 16
Takapoto Estate
Garden Tour, 10am, Maungatautari, Waikato, $45 (includes morning tea). Monthly to December. See takapoto.co.nz
Nov 17
Matamata Rose Show,
from noon, Civic Hall, Tainui St, Matamata. See nzroses.org.nz Kumara Growing Workshop, 3.30-5pm, Waimarie Community House, Hamilton, $10. See tinyurl. com/2rbxsefw
Nov 18
Paeroa Garden Ramble,
10am-5pm, $25. See tinyurl.com/3w77esav
Festival, Rotorua. See rotoruagardens.org.nz
Nov 19
Nov 11
9am-3pm, Claudelands, Hamilton, $5. See tinyurl.com/ycxw2tdz
Homestead Christmas Fair, 10am2pm, near Waihi Beach. See athenreehomestead. org.nz.
Nov 11-12
Nov 25
noon-5pm (Sat); 10am-4.30pm (Sun), Hamilton Gardens Pavilion, Cobham Drive, Hamilton, $3 (under-16 free). See nzroses.org.nz
9.30am-4pm, near Hamilton, free. See amoreroses.co.nz
Plant Extravaganza,
Waikato Rose Show,
Nov 12
Steam Day, 10am4pm, Settlers & Steam
Athenree
Amore Roses Open Day,
Nov 26
Stragglers Charity Car
Show, 9am-2pm, Lake Karapiro Domain, gold coin. See tinyurl. com/66pnh2t3
LIST YOUR COMMUNITY EVENT HERE Email: editor@coastandcountrynews.co.nz with ‘Rural Event’ in the subject line. *Must be a free event or under $50
Page 32
COAST & COUNTRY NEWS
Phoebe, seven, in Ngatea.
Bentley-Rix Bilton, five, in Eur eka. Milla, two, helping feed calves in Pongakawa.
Harj Singh (pops) with grandson Ashwin, almost three, in Gordonton.