ATS News October 2011

ATS News O C TO B E R / N O VE M B E R 2 0 1 1

Succession planning pays off Growing motivation

Passion behind good beef

www.ats.co.nz

From the CEO Spring is well and truly here; summer is just around the corner and already the end of the year is almost upon us.

While for many around the district, there will be a collective sigh of relief that calving and lambing is over, everyone will be busy putting into practice the plans developed over the winter months whether it be planting crops, mating stock or farm improvements now the weather is (hopefully) settled.

It’s also a busy time of year for us at ATS. Later this month we will again be involved in the Ashburton A & P Show—a great opportunity for town and country folk to get together and celebrate what makes our rural area so special.

November is also a busy month with at least two important dates on the calendar. One is the 48th Ashburton Trading Society Annual General Meeting to be held at the Ashburton Hotel on November 17. I would encourage Members to attend this meeting to find out more about the business’s trading performance over the last 12 months.

The other important date is the general election and MMP referendum on November 26. This is the topic of Ele Ludemann’s article in this edition of the ATS News and she shares her views on the referendum and how she’ll be voting.

Other articles in this ATS News include father and son, Alan and Matthew Sim sharing their thoughts on succession farming; Ealing farmers Graham and Karen Tarbotton tell us about their busy arable and dairy support operation; and David and Lynley Redmond of Pendarves share their passion for producing Angus beef. Thank you to each of these families for opening their doors to us and you the reader.

Upcoming Events 21 October

Contributors

Farm Environment Awards— Supreme Winners Field Day 2011 10am–4pm Rangitata Holdings Ltd, Ashburton For more info email nicola.hunt@ecan.govt.nz

Anita Body, Kim Newth, Pip Hume, Ele Ludemann, Richard Rennie, Delyse Dixon, Dr Rob Derrick, Ian Walsh and Ian Hodge

24 October

Photography

Labour Day ATS will be closed on Saturday 22 October 2011

28 & 29 October Ashburton A&P Show Ashburton

Charlotte Mackenzie, Nikki Craig, and Beef + Lamb New Zealand

Advertising Enquiries

9–11 November

Please contact the Marketing Department on:

Canterbury A&P Show Canterbury Agricultural Park Christchurch

Tel: 03 307 5100 Email: marketing@ats.co.nz www.ats.co.nz

17 November

Editorial Enquiries

ATS AGM 11am Valetta & Arrowsmith Lounges, Hotel Ashburton

Our team welcome your contributions, enquiries and letters.

Please post or email to: Dave Jackson Marketing Manager david.jackson@ats.co.nz

27 November ATS Longbeach Coastal Challenge www.longbeachcoastalchallenge.com

There are also the regular contributions from local businesses, and three of our ATS card suppliers—Revive on Oakview, Watson Contracting and Newlands—are also profiled in this ATS News.

Front Page Photo Valetta Farmers, Matthew and Alan Sim

With such a rich mix of subject matter, there’s sure to be something to interest all.

Neal Shaw, Chief Executive

ASHBURTON

METHVEN

RAKAIA

HEAD OFFICE

97 Burnett St Tel: 03 307 5100 Fax: 03 307 6721 ashburton@ats.co.nz

88 Main St Tel: 03 303 2020 Fax: 03 302 8184 methven@ats.co.nz

68 Elizabeth Ave Tel: 03 303 5440 Fax: 03 303 5430 rakaia@ats.co.nz

PO Box 131 Ashburton Tel: 03 307 5100 Fax: 03 307 6721 ats@ats.co.nz

DISCLAIMER: All information contained within ATS News is to the best of the author’s knowledge true and accurate. Opinions expressed are those of the author and not of Ashburton Trading Society. Items herein are general comments only and do not constitute or convey advice. This newsletter is issued as a helpful guide to members.

www.ats.co.nz

pg2 Succession planning pays off

Alan and Matthew Sim are proud of the sheds they’ve built and rightly so. The sheds are solid, practical and functional.

But more importantly they also signify the special relationship the pair have developed while working together on the family farm

Contents 5

Feast for body and soul

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Opinion—Ele Ludemann

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Direct service gets the job done

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pg6 Growing motivation

The simple satisfaction Ealing farmers Graeme and Karen Tarbotton derive from growing crops is what motivates them

The love of eating good steak is as instinctive as the passion farmers like David Redmond have for rearing stock that make that steak great

Watson Contracting

Brassica nutrient requirements

Ballance Agri-Nutrients

New branch meets growing service need Newlands

Kids Page

SealesWinslow

Post fireworks-night challenges

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Spring real estate update

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Planning is a good thing. Fail to plan. Plan to fail.

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Passion behind good beef

Thoughts from across the rivers

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pg10

Revive on Oakview

Property Brokers—Hastings McLeod

Riverside Vets

News at ATS Classifieds

Succession planning pays off Alan and Matthew Sim are proud of the sheds they’ve built and rightly so. The sheds are solid, practical and functional. But more importantly they also signify the special relationship the pair have developed while working together on the family farm. By Anita Body They built a large implement shed six years ago.

Buoyed by the success of this project, the father and son team then embarked on something far more challenging—a three bay shed with a clearance of over 6m built to accommodate tipping trailers and large items of farm machinery.

It has a drive-on drying floor so seed can be unloaded and dried from underneath. Matthew and Alan did all the work themselves, including the pouring of the concrete walls around the base of the shed and the installation of the flooring. It has been used during the last three harvests and they have been thrilled with how it is functioning and the efficiencies it has created. By utilising their own labour it also enabled the shed to be completed at a cost efficient price for a smaller to average size cropping operation.

The sheds are tangible legacies of the time the pair have shared working together, especially now that Matthew has taken over the farming operation.

Matthew’s parents Alan and Nola moved off the farm and into town a few months ago following 38 years on the Valetta property. The last 11 years has been focused on handing the reins over to Matthew,

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and with Alan recently celebrating his 65th birthday this succession process is complete.

Both acknowledge this doesn’t happen overnight.

It helps if the two generations get on well, and that’s certainly the case with Matthew and Alan. “In the 11 years of our partnership there have rarely been any disagreements despite Willowbrook changing during this period from a dryland beef (breeding and fattening) and crop property into a fully irrigated cropping unit,” says Alan. He says the last decade working with Matthew has been by far the most enjoyable of the almost four decades he’s spent on the farm.

One piece of advice Alan received many years ago has proved invaluable. “When I was in my 40s I was advised that if you hadn’t started the (succession) process by the time you’re 55 then it’s too late.”

So in 2000 when he was 54 and Matthew was 23 they started making ownership changes. “If we hadn’t started then it would have been more difficult given land values since then.” He sees high land values and being fair to the rest of the family as the main challenges facing succession farming today.

The decision to make the partnership 50/50 from the outset enabled a faster build-up of equity for Matthew in contrast with many family partnerships which often give the next generation only a 25 per cent or 33 per cent share of the property.

Matthew agrees saying while it has taken 11 years he has now built up his equity so he is in a financial position to continue moving forward.

According to Alan the land part of the process was easy—the hard bit is about transitioning himself to town life. “It is always hard to know when to leave but in our case it became clear when Nola set a deadline for when meals would start to be served up in town.”

“I’m 65 years young, not 65 years old and I still want to do something physical.” So now he comes out when Matthew needs him and for now the pair will continue farming Willowbrook on that basis.

It is ironic that Alan was a late starter and a by his own admission, a reluctant farmer. He worked as a valuer for the Government and travelled overseas, but while on the other side of the world the idea of coming back and working on the land started to look good.

“I was about 27 when I wanted to go farming and now I don’t want to stop.”

For Matthew there has been no such hesitation. He and his family have known from an early age that farming was for him. Equally his sister also knew her mind and has had no desire to farm.

Matthew is the third generation of the Sim family to farm Willowbrook, although the family connections with Mid Canterbury date back to 1886. Alan’s father bought the farm in 1945. One of the two sons on the family farm at the Ashburton Airport site had to make a move, and so Alan’s father bought the Valetta property within two months of the Second World War ending.

Willowbrook has a long history of being a productive unit. Despite being part of the original Valetta run which is generally light, stony land, this 211 hectare property includes some heavier soils, especially those close to the Ashburton River.

The farm is made up of two blocks and up until 2003 one was pastoral farmed and the heavy land (the home block) was mainly cropped. With the introduction of irrigation, around 95 per cent of the land is now cropped.

Three centre pivots are used to irrigate the property, and a lateral irrigator is currently being commissioned. Because it is an awkward shaped block, this lateral is unusual in that it has a corner arm on it. It is believed to be one of the first in New Zealand.

In the past they have grown carrots, radish, borage, mustard, red clover, red beet and spinach—all for seed production.

This year the pair decided to simplify things for a number of reasons. The economics stack up for feed grain at the moment, eliminating the need to spread the risk as they’ve done in other years.

Some of these crops are also labour intensive and with Alan moving to town the pair decided to make it a bit simpler for the time being. Alan acknowledges the time will come when Matthew will have to employ someone else—just not yet.

When Nola married Alan the family home was effectively a farm house in a large lawn with little shelter. Nola subsequently created a large English style garden that changed the home environment.

This was to prove a wonderful retreat from the farm, especially appreciated during the stressful times that “Rogernomics” imposed on farming families during the 1980s. Alan says it made farming more pleasurable having her support and help on farm.

Matthew and Alan—­two generations getting on well

The farming operation is effectively a one and a half man farm, but with harvesting immediately followed by autumn planting they haven’t ruled out the possibility of hiring on a part-time basis during these busy months.

The Sims prefer autumn planting of cereals because of the higher yield potential rather than having a feed crop followed by late winter or spring planting.

It is unusual for contractors to come on farm and the Sims carry out most of the jobs themselves, including spraying and fertiliser spreading. “Growing successful crops is about timing. Being able to put the right product on at the right time in the right weather conditions makes the difference,” says Matthew.

The only contractors used are for baling straw residue, making a small amount of silage and the cartage of grain.

“When it came to irrigation development, re-fencing, building sheds and silos, we have done it ourselves. It makes good economic efficiencies and there’s also a greater sense of satisfaction at the end of the project,” says Matthew.

Winter grazing of cattle

The Sims operate a two pass cultivation system (or three pass if incorporating ploughing). It’s a system they’ve found successful, especially for the weed control it provides. The first pass is to tow a plough with a packer. Then there is normally one pass with a Salford cultivator, and finally the drilling pass with a Cambridge roller followed by a drill with press wheels.

Once this is up and running, about 90 per cent of the farm will be irrigated.

While much on-farm development has been carried out over recent years, Matthew is confident there will be plenty to keep him focused. In the short term he is set to marry fiancée Nicola next year.

Crops this year have seen a swing back to basics with 94ha in wheat, 28ha in autumn barley, 32 ha of Italian ryegrass, 40ha of white clover and 8ha of peas.

The bulk of the wheat and barley is destined for the local grain feed market while the ryegrass and clover proprietaries will be mainly used in the New Zealand pastoral market.

For Alan, finding the balance between town and country will continue to be a challenge. He’s confident he can keep his mind busy with such things as continuing to be a rural valuer, improving his Bridge playing skills, or maybe to research and write another book—he has already written a book about the history of the Valetta area.

Cultivating for spring planting

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Tranquil settings at Revive on Oakview

Feast for body and soul Relax, feel good and take time out at this secluded beauty boutique. Revive on Oakview offers a heavenly oasis from the pressures of daily life. By Kim Newth A private and peaceful haven, nestled in a gorgeous country garden just outside Ashburton, has been tailor-made for those seeking relaxation and beauty treatments away from the hustle and bustle. Revive on Oakview is a beauty hideaway, created by experienced beauty and skincare therapist Nicky Eddington.

Nicky recently relocated her business from Havelock St in central Ashburton to its new rural setting, in order to create a truly unique place for clients to come and be pampered. The purpose-built cottage, offering a full array of beauty treatments, is located at ‘Oakview’, the 32-acre lifestyle block where Nicky lives with her husband Simon and their two children, Alice and Sam.

Aroma Soul, an exciting new body treatment range designed to transport you on a sensory journey.

For ATS members special rates apply, with up to 10% off selected treatments.

Located well off the road, at the end of a long driveway, there is a spacious parking area by the cottage and peaceful garden.

“Clients are made welcome at the beauty boutique’s reception area.

Beyond awaits the studio and clinic where the beauty treatments are conducted. An external veranda leads to the guest suite. “

“Nicky recently relocated her business from Havelock St in central Ashburton to its new rural setting, in order to create a truly unique place for clients to come and be pampered.”

“I enjoy making a difference and helping people to relax and feel good about themselves,” says Nicky, who is a member of the New Zealand Association of Registered Beauty Therapists. “I have a great interest in skin and skincare. It’s all about being the best you can be.”

It is a hard to imagine a more relaxing place: the rooms are comfortable and contemporary and, from the cottage, there are gorgeous views of Oakview’s gardens, pond and mature trees. Some added features are so tantalising… like a Lignum wood-fired hot tub, where guests can relax and even sit outside under the stars. The cottage includes a well-appointed double bedroom and ensuite. This boutique bed and breakfast style accommodation is perfect for couples.

Packages are available for weddings, weekend breaks or any other great escape.

Clients are made welcome at the beauty boutique’s reception area. Beyond awaits the studio and clinic where the beauty treatments are conducted. An external veranda leads to the guest suite.

Revive on Oakview offers a full range of beauty services, including skincare, facials, makeup services, waxing, electrolysis, body treatment, spray tans and traditional hot stone massage. Signature products used by this boutique clinic include Environ skin care, with vitamin A and antioxidants for healthy skin; the luxurious Sacred Nature organic skin spa range; and

Clients are welcome to bring a friend and Nicky is more than happy to provide a light lunch or platter as part of a package. “I’m always open to ideas. Just call me to discuss your needs. I enjoy providing a quality time for all my clients.”

Nicky recommends that clients phone in advance to make appointments. This also gives her the opportunity to discuss their particular requirements.

Located just 7km down Longbeach Rd, Revive on Oakview is conveniently close to town, yet wonderfully placed to make the most of its relaxing natural setting. Nicky invites you to come and experience a feast for the body and soul at this very special beauty boutique.

Nicky Eddington

Contact:

Revive on Oakview 707 Longbeach Rd Ashburton Tel: 03 307 7100 Mob: 027 6788 230 Email: nicky@revivebeauty.co.nz Web: www.revivebeauty.co.nz

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Growing motivation The simple satisfaction Ealing farmers Graeme and Karen Tarbotton derive from growing crops is what motivates them. Whether it is their wheat and barley cereal crops, peas, ryegrass for seed production or the fodder beet and kale they grow for their dairy support enterprise, the focus is firmly on production. By Pip Hume

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The Tarbottons farm 202ha on the north side of the Rangitata River, where the Lismore soils are very suitable for arable as well as dairy support. They run an intensive operation, and with the cropping programme based around a three year cycle and the dairy support operation running alongside, there’s no down time. But while it is intensive, it’s also kept relatively simple.

seven tonnes per hectare to between nine and ten tonnes per hectares with irrigation .”

At the time the property was purchased, it was running a traditional sheep and beef operation.

Graeme and Karen commenced a cropping programme, and in 1993 started dairy support, eventually quitting the sheep flock in 2006.

“We tend to keep to the basics and do things well,” explains Graeme. “We have a good understanding of the crops we grow and how to maximise production.

We do like to keep an open mind and in the past we’ve trialled different seed crops which appeared to promise better returns, but we’ve found that the rewards just don’t justify the risks.”

Graeme says that the diversification into dairy support has been crucial to their farming success, especially through the years when cereal crop prices haven’t kept pace with rising farm costs. He sees the dairy industry as a major driver in farm profitability in Mid Canterbury, generating demand for feed and grain which can be met by other agricultural sectors to the ultimate advantage of all.

And with grain prices remaining static for a number of years, maximising production is all-important. The Ealing area tends to have dry autumns, so Graeme aims to make up production through double cropping, with greenfeed crops followed by a cash crop. Wheat and barley are winter/spring sown.

Dairy support is a good fit with his arable operation, and the Tarbottons provide around a thousand big bales of straw to the dairy support enterprise, lessening the risk of importing serious weed issues and which could compromise their seed crop.

Graeme says that last year was a difficult one.

Cereal production was back 20% and the yield of the fodder beet crops was disappointing, a good 25% lower than expected. However, the favourable winter we have just had saw the remaining feed crops yielding well.

In keeping with their philosophy of maintaining control of all phases of on-farm production, the business has invested significantly into quality machinery and equipment.

“Cropping is very sensitive to timing, and we need to have the equipment to get the job done efficiently and at the right time.”

Irrigation is an essential component of the farming operation. When the couple bought the property from Graeme’s grandmother Marjorie Gun in 1992 there was no automated irrigation—but there was a full entitlement for 183ha with the Mayfield Hinds Irrigation Scheme.”

Graeme and Karen have since completed two rounds of irrigation development.

Initially, two paddocks a year were put into border dyke irrigation. Graeme regrets the time and effort spent doing this, although at the time it was very much the conventional way. During the process he was aware of the amount of soil being shifted and the consequent damage to soil structure and pastures. The main farm block is a 3km long, narrow strip so very suited to lateral irrigation, and with hindsight, adopting the new technology at that time would have been a better choice that would have eliminated the need for a second round of irrigation development five years ago, changing over to lateral.

A pivot was also added two years ago, while the two hard hose irrigation guns installed alongside the initial development in 1995 are still in use.

“Irrigation is about farming for production,” says Graeme. “With grain prices failing to move positively, farmers have had to increase production to remain in business, and in this area irrigation is the key. We’ve seen spring grain yields increase from say four to

Graeme Tabortton insepcts his crop of fodder beet

The challenge in providing dairy support lies in achieving production. To minimise the risks and maximise production Graeme likes to get his crops in early, get them well established and then manage them through. They winter around 1,500 dairy cows, and can take a further 900 to 1,000 coming on for a few weeks. There’s also a mob of heifers on currently grazing the grass area until closing on a year to year contract.

Graeme and Karen are mindful of the part that building solid relationships plays in a successful dairy support operation. The couple say that they have never had any of the problems you hear about with their dairy support clients.

Strong relationships are key to the success of their dairy support operation

Over the years they have had three main clients, with a number of other shorter term arrangements. They have a very good ongoing relationship with their neighbour at Ealing and wintered his milking cows for a number of years. Although the neighbours now winter their herd, there is a flexible boundary that allows the two businesses to work in together and may see the cows at Tarbottons for a few weeks over winter, or coming over to clean up a crop.

The Tarbotton farming business is very much a family affair. Children Sera (16) and Mark (13) both love the farming life and they are a big help on the farm— especially at harvest time when it’s all hands on deck.

At that busy time they all love being a part of getting the grain into the silos.

The business also takes on an additional staff member over the summer, through Agriventure International Agricultural Exchanges. The exchange staff are usually English, Canadian or Danish and typically arrive in August and work through to April, with most weekends off.

The second round of irrigation development was crucial to increase production

And the future for this farming family?

“We have plenty of good gear with the capacity to cope with an extended land area, so we would definitely look at more land if the right opportunity came up.”

The Lismore soil is ideal for dairy support

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Thoughts from across the rivers November’s election will determine which parties govern us for the next three years.

By Ele Ludemann The referendum held the same day will determine how we vote for far longer than that.

It will first ask if we want to keep MMP or change to another system. Regardless of the answer to that question, we’ll be asked which of four options— First Past the Post; Preferential Voting, Single Transferable Vote and Supplementary Member— we’d prefer if there is majority support for change.

“All systems on offer will give us 120 MPs. However, different systems will give us a different number, and therefore different sizes, of electorates.”

I voted against MMP in previous referendums and will do so again. It better reflects how people vote and gives better representation to parties in parliament. But that comes at poorer representation for people. This is no reflection on the MPs but on the huge area they have to cover because electorates are so much bigger.

That doesn’t matter so much in cities but it is a problem in the country. Rangitata covers 6,826 square kilometres, Selwyn is 7,854 square kilometres in area, and I live in the Waitaki electorate which covers 34,888 square kilometres. To put that into perspective, Epsom, the smallest urban electorate covers just 23 square kilometres.

All systems on offer will give us 120 MPs. However, different systems will give us a different number, and therefore different sizes, of electorates.

If a majority opt to keep MMP we’ll keep 70 electorates and 50 list seats. Under both First Past the Post and Preferential Voting there would be 120 electorates.

With Single Transferable Vote, MPs would be divided between 24 and 30 electorates, each with three to seven electorates.

It’s likely no more than six or seven of those would be in the South Island with two or three based on Christchurch, one around Dunedin and the rest of the island divided into three huge areas. Although each would have between three and seven MPs—they are most likely to be urban-based.

“One of my criticisms of MMP is that it gives far too much power to parties— and I say that as an active member of the National Party. “ Supplementary Member is a hybrid between MMP and FPP with 90 electorates and 30 list seats.

This gives some proportionality but the list vote determines only the number of list seats, not the total number of seats as it does under MMP. With MMP a party which gets 10% of the list vote gets 12 seats in parliament including any electorates it wins. Under SM it would get any electorate seats it won with three list seats on top of that.

Ele Ludemann

One of my criticisms of MMP is that it gives far too much power to parties—and I say that as an active member of the National Party. Good list MPs work hard with people but they aren’t answerable to them the way electorate MPs are.

Improved technology has made it easier to bridge distances, but MPs can’t possibly understand communities and issues by phone or internet.

They need to be on the ground, meeting people.

That’s why I’ll be opting for SM which gives more and smaller electorates and therefore better representation for rural people while still giving an element of proportionality.

opinion by:

Ele Ludemann Web: homepaddock.wordpress.com

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Passion behind good beef The love of eating good steak is as instinctive as the passion farmers like David Redmond have for rearing stock that make that steak great.

Both represent a passion for the same thing, albeit at different stages of its lifespan. By Richard Rennie

Prime Mid Canterbury beef making its mark

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For the past four years meat lovers throughout the South Island have known Countdown supermarkets are the source of some of the best Angus steak around.

What steak lovers in the Ashburton district may not have known is that the source of their favourite meat is only a few minutes from the supermarket chiller they are buying it from. David and his wife Lynley farm in the Pendarves district only minutes from Ashburton.

The beef operation on their 420ha property plays a vital role in keeping chiller shelves stocked consistently with high quality branded Angus beef, even through the challenging low growth days of winter.

The couple have owned the property for seven years, and David’s link to farming comes strongly, and literally, through the soil for he spent years as a contract potato grower before purchasing the Pendarves property.

After early days spent as a farm worker he bought a potato digger and began contract potato growing through Canterbury, and attributes landing a contract with Talleys for putting him and Lynley on the path to ultimately owning a place of their own.

Today they own 220ha, lease 200ha and have another 200ha they grow potatoes on in what amounts to a 21,000t a year operation supplying Talleys’ and supermarket company Progressive—the same company that is their largest beef client.

“When we bought the property I was doing a variety of things including dairy cow grazing. The farm had been cropped a lot and I wanted a way to build up the fertility and organic matter, and felt beef finishing offered a way to put something back into the place.”

The beef operation today focuses on finishing 800 head a year for the local beef market, with his Angus cattle playing a key part in supplying Progressive from March to October through the Farmpure dedicated producer club.

The group uses only 100% Angus as stock source, and works with Progressive’s Countdown quality assurance programme to deliver consistent quality beef to supermarkets.

The couple were this year’s winners of the much coveted Steak of Origin Best of British Breeds category, and the win reflects David’s preference for good genetics in his stock, as much as the feed regime he puts them on over the difficult winter fattening months.

He buys in Angus calves at around 220kg post weaning and admits a preference for stock with renowned North Canterbury Te Mania genetics in them.

“As a breed Angus will always be good fast growers and the Te Mania genetics always deliver exceptional weight gains, and they manage to do it quickly—you can achieve their weights with other breeds, but it will just take that much longer, and of course require just that much more feed.”

While recognising the traits that make Angus good for beef finishing, David also attributes some of the resurgence in the interest in Angus to greater promotion at the retail-consumer end of the supply chain by. Progressive actively markets its Angus Beef range of steaks and mince through Countdown supermarkets.

“Then you have got the likes of McDonalds there promoting their Angus burgers, which has been good for getting the breed brand out there.”

He attributes genetics to around 20% of an animal’s performance, while 80% comes down to feed levels. A diet built on a grass fed foundation, with the addition of valuable supplements to keep growth rates up through winter undoubtedly helps achieve the award winning tenderness.

The supplements will include portions of carbohydrates in the form of reject potatoes, combined with protein coming as silage and farm sourced straw to bulk it up.

“We will be feeding supplement every day through winter from the feed wagon, and every second day they will be shifted on a break that consists of a chicory-clover-Tabu rye grass pasture mix. That high quality pasture sward provides an extra protein boost, while the supplement fed towards final finishing helps balance out the risk of bloat as spring approaches.

It is a top quality feed regime that allows David to supply around 20 head a week to Progressive from May through to October. The premium he pays for Angus cattle is more than balanced by the ability to average 1.0kg live weight gain per day, and finishing the cattle at around 550kg live weight targets. In an ironic way the potatoes David grows have two roles—they are not only a key part of his income, but the reject potatoes from his washed potato contract with Progressive return as a valuable feed input.

David aims to keep management on the property simple. Crops rotate from potatoes to wheat to grass and the beef operation fits well around this. His decision to not burn straw from his cropping operation and instead bale it for feeding to the steers and heifers over winter has helped keep organic matter building up. He believes the day will soon come when burning straw is not an option. His low stress emphasis also helps explain the tender eating quality of the steak he grows—no dogs are used on the farm, while fully feeding the stock every day with the extra supplement that takes total feed levels as high as 35kg a head over winter means the animals are relaxed, happy and used to having people around.

“No doubt either that being close to the processor at Ashburton Meats helps keep that stress down when they do leave the farm.”

The farm is now set up for electronic ID, and David admits being disappointed that NAIT has been delayed until next year. He anticipates life becoming simpler for weighing and recording which he usually does four times a year.

The strong prices enjoyed by beef over the past year look set to continue and have provided a valuable balance over a time when the potato industry has had one of its toughest years yet dealing with the potato psyllid pest. In the past few months this has wiped 20% off the national potato crop’s value and more funding is being sought by the industry to control the bug.

“It has been a combination of the psyllid and seed vigour, we are certainly hoping for a better year this season,” he says.

Meantime David believes things remain on track with the beef side of the business, consistently delivering his supermarket client 295kg CW beef to a market passionate about buying a decent steak.

“I think it is just one of those things people remain very keen on, and when other meats have gone up in price including lamb, steak is still a very popular option with Kiwis.”

David Redmond, winner of the Steak of Origin Best of British Breeds category

Feeding out of supplements

Angus cattle pay a key part in supplying Progressive

The mix of reject potatoes, silage and straw helps achieve award winning tenderness

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ATS Energy’s team of specialists can provide independent energy advice and ensure you are on the best plan for electricity and gas supplies.

To learn more call

0800 BUY ATS (289 287) or visit www.ats.co.nz/energy

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Watson Contracting’s modern fleet

Direct service gets the job done Every season is different and the challenges of the weather make contracting what it is. “Sometimes it’s a battle… just like farming!” says David owner operator Watson Contracting. By Kim Newth David Watson enjoys the challenges that come with being at the helm of an owner-operated contracting firm like Watson Contracting. Direct service from the owner is something farmers value. David believes this is what keeps the business moving ahead, because he truly appreciates the loyalty of his customers and is dedicated to meeting their needs to the fullest extent.

“The biggest reward we get from what we do is developing friendships and on-going relationships with our customers, suppliers and staff,” he says.

David’s in-depth knowledge of farmers’ needs also means the business is able to evolve readily to meet their changing requirements.

For example, the addition of a forage wagon last year proved a huge success and clients were quick to appreciate the benefits associated with this method of silage production. Silage wagons are ideally suited to smaller areas and offer a longer chop length delivering benefits for animal rumen health and reducing wastage.

“David’s in-depth knowledge of farmers’ needs also means the business is able to evolve readily to meet their changing requirements.”

Last year, mowing services were also added to the business. David says this development came out of a frustration at not being able to get mowing contractors when they were needed. “This year, we have increased our mowing as it is a good fit with the business and gives us greater control over the work flow, timing and quality of the final product.”

Timing is critical when it comes to silage and straw baling, so Watson Contracting works hard to ensure the right equipment and machinery is available at the right time.

”We work hard to keep in touch with both sides of the equation, sourcing product from growers and delivering the product where and when it is required.”

Making sure the price is right for both parties is a priority.

Since David and Josephine purchased the business four years ago, they have worked hard on being customer focused, offering a full range of balage, hay and straw services. All baling requirements are covered from raking, baling and wrapping to cartage.

The business has a good fleet of late model tractors, balers, forage wagons, trucks and a well-equipped workshop to keep them all working. Hay and straw baling options include round bales and square bales in three different sizes.

“All baling requirements are covered from raking, baling and wrapping to cartage. The business has a good fleet of late model tractors, balers, forage wagons, trucks and a well-equipped workshop to keep them all working.”

David enjoys working with his rural clientele and wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. The couple’s three-year-old, Luke likes to spend a lot of time with Dad and David is proud to say his son knows all the local farmers. “In fact, he can name nearly everyone’s farm as we drive around the county!” Josephine is a busy mother who is active in community projects, but assists with the business when she can.

During the season, a tight-knit team of around 16 staff are on deck to provide support where needed.

David and Luke Watson

Contact:

Watson Contracting Line Road Methven Tel: 0800 248 240 Email: david@watsoncontracting.co.nz Web: www.watsoncontracting.co.nz

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IT’S BBQ SEASON Specialising in providing quality concrete solutions for more than 50 years.

We can work with you to fulfil your specific requirements.

100

KED COO PRE SAGES U SA 0!

$4 FOR

We have a huge selection of kebabs, patties, chops, precooked sausages and steak.

Mobile Abbatoir Quick—no stress service. We are fully licensed to process farm killed meat and abbatoir killed stock. All packaged and frozen to your requirements. Sheep, beef, pigs, deer.

Book your processing now to secure a place before the Christmas rush and avoid disappointment!

Concrete Water/Feed Troughs • Septic Tanks • Silage Pits • Water Tanks/ Effluent Tanks • Concrete Bunkers • Pump/Dangerous Goods/Killing Sheds For any quotes or enquiries contact us on 03 308 4816 or call into the yard at 205 Wilkins Rd, Tinwald Ashburton info@hanhamconcrete.co.nz 14

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Netherby Shopping Centre, Ashburton Telephone 308 7354

Brassica crop in Mid Canterbury

Brassica nutrient requirements Brassicas play an important part in driving farm productivity and profitability. It is essential that you get your fertiliser strategy right, so that you get the best yield possible. Under good growth conditions all brassicas have the potential for high dry matter yields. By Delyse Dixon, Ballance Agri-Nutrients membranes. When boron levels are inadequate, the results can be dramatic; cells become leaky and the contents ooze out into the surrounding tissue, causing the disfiguring symptoms seen in brown heart.

There are three essential nutrient requirements for brassica crops—nitrogen (N), phosphorus and boron (B).

N is the nutrient that is a major yield driver. The amount of N needed is dependant on the soil fertility status prior to sowing. Paddocks that have been in long-term pasture tend to have high N reserves, and do not need much N fertiliser added. Where paddocks have been continuously cropped, N reserves in the soil will become depleted, and higher levels of N fertiliser need to be applied. Therefore, it’s important to have a soil test carried out to determine the amount of soil available N before adding N fertiliser.

Boron is also important for the actively growing regions of plants, such as root tips and new leaves.

When boron is in short supply these growing regions can become stunted and disfigured. With an adequate supply of boron, plants tend to develop healthy phloem and xylem for the transport of sugars and water, which means that plant development is not compromised.

Boron should be applied with your starter fertiliser and should be applied near the seed. It should never be sown in direct contact with the seed, as it can cause seed burn.

To help ensure the best brassica yield, you’ll need a starter fertiliser that contains N, as well as N sidedressing applications throughout the growth cycle.

cropzeal DAP boron boost is an ideal starter fertiliser for brassicas, as it’s formulated to deliver the three essential nutrients—nitrogen, phosphorus and boron—in one granule, eliminating the risk of nutrient segregation and ensuring every plant receives the same ratio of nutrients at time of sowing.

Phosphorus is essential for root growth. Brassicas are poor foragers of nutrients and this has particular significance for their uptake of phosphorus.

Phosphorus is a relatively immobile nutrient in the soil and is most efficient when placed close to the seed, especially with shallow root crops such as Pasja, turnips and swedes, or when soil Olsen P levels are less than 15. This is why using a phosphorus-based starter fertiliser is so important.

Table 1 shows the nutrients supplied by cropzeal DAP boron boost at a range of application rates.

For more information and advice on the best fertiliser strategy for your brassica crop, contact your local ATS or Ballance representative.

Boron plays an important role in brassica health. It’s needed for the development of strong cell walls and

Table 1: Typical application rates for cropzeal DAP boron boost cropzeal DAP boron boost application rate (kg/ha)

contact ats to discuss your fertiliser needs and/or to arrange for advice from your LOCAL ballance TECHNICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE:

Anna Bedford 027 499 7617

Rate of nutrient applied (kg/ha) N

P

K

S

B

100

16.5

19.5

-

1.0

0.750

150

24.0

29.0

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1.5

1.125

200

33.0

39.0

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2.0

1.500

250

41.0

48.0

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2.5

1.875

300

49.5

58.5

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3.0

2.250

Russell Hamilton 027 677 4499 Michael Robertson 027 464 2972 Tel: 0800 222 090 Web: www.ballance.co.nz

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Call out service hotline—call 03 308 6737 anytime 24 hour service available (afterhours—callout fee applies)

Neumanns Tyre Services Ashburton

Wills Street Ashburton Phone: (03) 308 6737 (24 Hrs) Fax: (03) 308 8591

The team at Neumann’s Tyre Services are ready and waiting to service your tyre requirements From wheelbarrow to scraper tyres—we do it all!

Two computerised wheel alignment machines with experienced operators.

www.neumannstyres.co.nz

Great company, good food, and the best seats at the show The ATS Marquee is the place to be at Ashburton A&P show.

Relax and catch up with friends, shop at the ATS Marketplace, and have some lunch on us while you enjoy the show.

PLUS we’ve lined up an exclusive presentation from Kate Joseph, President of Sheepmeat Council of Australia

28–29th October

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• Complimentary lunch for members 12.00–2.00pm • Exclusive members presentation by Kate Joseph Friday 28 October from 3.30pm • ATS Marketplace—everyone welcome

Left: Kermode Street branch, Ashburton; Right: Recently opened Rolleston branch

New branch meets growing service need “To some people, what we do is a bit of a mystery. But simply, if it’s anything electrical—starting, battery, lights, electric windows, engine tuning, gauges—then come to us.” By Anita Body That’s the message from Newlands managing director and owner, Robert Newlands.

Newlands has a long history of providing reliable, quality auto electrical and battery servicing in the Mid Canterbury region. It is a third generation business started by Robert’s grandfather in 1934.

There have certainly been plenty of changes within the automotive industry since then, and Newlands longevity can be attributed to the company’s willingness and resolve to grow and adapt with those changing times.

“Because of changes in technology there is more that can go wrong with the modern vehicle electronically than mechanically,” says Robert. “At Newlands we know what we are doing because we have been working on vehicles throughout this evolution.”

Of the 24 staff employed by Newlands, 14 are technicians based at both the Ashburton head office and recently opened Rolleston branch.

The branch was established to meet a growing service need in the Rolleston and Selwyn areas, and has given Newlands the opportunity to expand on its already solid Mid Canterbury business base. The move is not aimed at shifting the business but instead complements what has been built up over the last 77 years.

Robert has been pleasantly surprised by the level of support from ATS members in the Rolleston and Selwyn areas. “The area has a lot going for it and for this reason a lot of Ashburton people are doing business there or passing through the place. So it can be quite an advantage for them to be able to have servicing and repairs carried out up there rather than having to come to Ashburton.”

Much of Newlands reputation has been built around its ability to provide quality service promptly. It is able to do this thanks to its large team of experienced and highly trained technicians, and its fleet of eight mobile service vehicles.

One of the mainstays of the business is air conditioning. Very few vehicles—commercial, on-farm

or domestic—come without air conditioning these days and all need servicing to keep them working efficiently and effectively.

Other servicing and repair work includes: • Starter motors • Alternators and generators • Trailer lamps and trailer wiring • Electric door locks and windows • Engine protection systems • Lighting equipment • Electronic engine monitoring • Engine tuning • Speedo and instrument repairs • Diagnostic testing Power tools from brands such as Makita, Hitachi and Bosch; Unimig welders; King Tony hand tools; and Tooline and HIndin Marquip workshop equipment are also sold and serviced by Newlands.

The business stocks in excess of 120 lines of battery types to suit all applications including automotive, truck, farm, marine, motorcycle and gel packs. It has the largest range in Ashburton and matches those held by battery wholesalers in Christchurch.

Newlands also installs: • Radios • Alarms • GPS and vehicle tracking systems • CB & RT • Cell phones • Driving lights • General lighting • Turbo timers • Glow plug timers Newlands can also provide customised solutions to clients, with a specialised team that designs and manufactures electrical components and systems where needed.

It is little wonder Newlands has gained a reputation for being an industry leader, with a list of services and products making it much, much more than just an auto electric expert.

Newlands technician, Jeff Naish diagnosing faults in a commercial application

Contact:

Newlands Group Ltd 80 Kermode Street Ashburton Tel: 03 308 7234 Email: sales@newlands.net.nz Web: www.newlands.net.nz

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October/November 2011

s d i K S AT

ge.

Welcome to the ATS Kidsyoupar week ends in the sun. We hope you enjoy the Spring is here so here are some fun ideas for spring activities and the colouring-in competition.

Play Dough Recipe

Tissue Paper Flowers

You will need:

You will need:

These flowers are quick to make.

Younger children may need some help with accordion-pleating the tissue paper.

Pastel coloured tissue paper Chenille / pipe cleaner stem Scissors Ruler

2 cups flour 1/2 cup salt 2 tablespoons cooking oil 2 tablespoons cream of tartar 2 cups boiling water 1 teaspoon food colouring

Step 3

What you do:

1. Cut tissue paper into rectangles of desired size (12cm x17cm works well).

2. Stack around 15 pieces of tissue paper. Use the same color or different colors. If you want to use a smaller number of pieces of tissue paper, flower will not be as full.

Accordion pleat the tissue paper working from the long side.

3. Wind one end of the chenille stem around the middle of the accordion pleated tissue paper.

4. Trim the ends of each side to give the pedals a unique look. Trimming the ends into a point (like a triangle), or a bump (like a half circle) will look very pretty.

5. Gently separate each layer pulling upwards toward the middle of the flower. Do the second side.

What you do:

1. Mix all dry ingredients, add oil and boiling water with food colouring, mix well.

2. Store in an airtight container.

Note: To add interest you can add glitter for a textural change, some aromatherapy scented oil for smell.

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Spring Wordsearch Can you find all the words hidden in the Spring Wordsearch Puzzle? bees birds blossom bugs bulbs butterfly cricket daffodil daisy

duckling flowers grass grow insects kite lambs lightning mud

November October plants puddles rain raincoat seeds September showers

spring sun tennis thunder tulip umbrella warm wind worms

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Colouring Competition

er Send your entry in and you could win a Canon Pow ress!

Shot A495’s valued at $169 from Kingan’s Kodak Exp Name:

Age: ATS No:

Send your entry to: ATS Colouring Competition PO Box 131 Ashburton 7740 Or deliver to any ATS Store

Conditions of entry: • All children of ATS members under the age of 10 are eligible to enter.

• Please ensure the family ATS number, age and name of the entrant is submitted with the entry • All entries must be received

by ATS no later than 5pm, 4 November 2011 • Winner will be announced on 11 November 2011 • One entry per child only • ATS reserves the right to publish all entries and details of the winner • The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into • Once judging has taken place, winners will be notified by telephone

Return your completed picture to any ATS store by 4 November 2011.

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Never turn your nose up at a new idea!

Post fireworks-night challenges November can be a more challenging month for dairy cows than one might imagine. By Dr Rob Derrick, SealesWinslow Milk production normally drops about 4% per month post peak but last season some Canterbury farmers were reporting up to a 15% fall in November. Grasses seemed to become reproductive early in the season, fibre levels rose and energy and protein levels fell. Energy in feeds typically supports production whereas protein can drive production so it can be hard to tell if a production drop is caused by a lack of energy, protein or both. As with the Atkins Diet, feeding too much protein can lead to weight loss—whilst we don’t want cows becoming lazy and gaining excess condition we don’t want to drive them too hard at the expense of body condition.

Cows were hit by a double whammy last November because every kilogram they consumed delivered less energy, and because it took long to break down, dry matter intake fell. Some farmers who quickly turned to feeding higher protein supplements in addition to grain reported improved milk production. This suggests that either rumen fermentation rates had been improved by the additional protein or simply the diet had been lacking protein for milk production. Protein rich feeds like soya bean meal and canola meal can be incorporated in compounded pellet feeds, coarse blends or sold as a straight for delivery into the dairy shed. Typically if protein is lacking cows respond pretty quickly to additional protein by increased production.

About three years ago we had a rather cold, damp November here in Canterbury—there was green grass to eat but it lacked energy and conception rates fell. If grain supplements can be fed they can really

help in such situations. If cows need more energy than can be safely supplied from grain it may be worth considering supplying some energy as fat. Fat provides the most concentrated form of energy available to ruminants. However, too much free fat can form an oil-slick effect in the rumen and seriously disrupt fibre digestion and reduce dry matter intake.

A high energy product, Energizer Gold avoids these problems because the fat is bound to calcium and is therefore inert whilst it is in the rumen. Energizer Gold can be mixed into most supplementary feeds such maize silage, grass silage, wholecrop or PKE fed in troughs or feed pads at up to 500g per head per day. Because Energizer Gold is palatable it can be added to SealesWinslow coarse blends (the inclusion rate can be adjusted according to the feeding rate) or pelleted feeds at up to 5% inclusion. As with any new feed introduce gradually if aiming to feed at higher levels.

Later in the summer it can be difficult to determine how much production is affected by feed quality or heat stress. As the table indicates, high producing cows tend to produce less milk as the temperature rises, as they are additionally stressed by heat created in the rumen. Energizer Gold could be considered for herds suffering heat stress because it delivers much needed energy without the heat of fermentation associated with feeds fermented in the rumen so does not add to heat stress.

Effect of temperature on dry matter intake, milk production and water intake for a cow yielding 27L/day.

Daytime Air Temp. (°C)

Expected DMI (kg)

Expected Milk Yield (L)

Expected Water Intake (L)

Maintenance Requirement

DMI Required (kg)

(% Requirement at 20°C)

20

18.2

27.0

81.0

100

18.2

25

17.7

25.0

86.4

104

18.4

30

16.9

23.0

94.1

111

19.0

35

16.7

18.0

142.6

120

19.5

40

10.2

12.0

126.0

132

20.3

The range of SealesWinslow nutritional products are available through ATS.

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HOOPERS

OUTDOOR POWER CENTRE 22

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5 Range St | Riverside Industrial Estate | Ashburton Telephone 03 307 7055 | Mobile 021 487 598

Spring real estate update Locally the current real estate market appears to be strengthening with some good opportunities presenting themselves. By Ian Walsh, Property Brokers—Hasting McLeod Market Update The residential real estate market is currently showing plenty of positive signs with Property Brokers’ recording 67 properties sales in July and another 54 in August. These results are well up when compared with the same period last year.

One of the reasons for this has in part been influenced by Christchurch residents looking to purchase property further away from the city.

Following the categorising of earthquake stricken properties, it has become apparent red-zone property owners are buying outside Christchurch, including within the Mid Canterbury area.

While the residential market has been buoyant, the same cannot be said for its rural counterpart. Rural is still seeing good buyer enquiry although activity in the rural market has had a pause as there are few full-scale farming properties available. It is anticipated this situation will change as we have several farms coming onto the market over the next month and we know there is strong demand for these sorts of properties.

Ten Tips for Selling Your Farm If you’re looking to move to greener pastures, you’re likely to be looking to sell your current farm first.

It’s not something to enter into lightly - there’s a lot to consider when selling a farm. Potential vendors looking to sell their farms in the late spring or summer period should start planning this process now.

One of the first steps will often involve entering into some sort of dialogue with your accountant, solicitor, banker, valuer and other key professionals, with the real estate agent being engaged closer to the planned sale time.

Most of our clients, despite having purchased farms, often find the selling of their farm a very different process and in many cases it is something they have not done before. The nature of farming is such that

it is a normal practice to grow your land parcel with additional purchases, but less usual to sell the main farm or home block.

To help with the decision making during this important process, Property Brokers has put together a helpful booklet designed to answer the top ten vital questions asked at this time.

These are some of the questions answered in the booklet: 1. What should I do to the farm before I put it on the market?

2. What are the most common ways to sell farm properties?

3. When is the best time of year to sell?

4. How much advertising/marketing do I need to do?

5. What is the difference between a sole agency and a general agency?

6. How do I choose a real estate agent?

It’s all useful information designed to help you get the best result possible when you place your farm on the market. It can be a busy and stressful enough time, but by dealing with the issues raised in the booklet, you will be well on the way to realising your vendor goals.

Properties for Sale: DORIE—ASHBURTON Ticks all the boxes $3,500,000 plus GST 99 ha METHVEN Arable Unit

By Negotiation 171 ha MT PEEL / ARUNDEL Bareland—Fattening $3,500,000 plus GST 155 ha

Contact:

Property Brokers—Hastings McLeod 324 East Street, Ashburton Tel: 03 308 8209 Fax: 03 308 8206 Web: www.propertybrokers.co.nz

If you want a copy of this booklet please call into one of our branches or your nearest ATS store.

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Vehicle Servicing

Air Conditioning

With the welcome of our new Mechanical division we now offer full servicing & repairs on all makes & models & light commercial vehicles.

Don’t get caught out with no air conditioning this summer. Get it checked and serviced today to beat the hot weather rush.

Brian

Mike

Andre

Brenton

187 Alford Forest Rd, Ashburton - Ph: 307 2696

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Feed planning is very important

Planning is a good thing. Fail to plan. Plan to fail.

The calving season is now all but over and it is time to start planning ahead for the mating season and for pregnancy testing. By Ian Hodge, Riverside Vets Successful seasons on dairy farms are usually those that have been planned for long in advance. Calving requires planning to achieve successful induction programmes, metabolic disease prevention, good individual cow health and minimal risk to animal welfare. Mastitis is also a disease which requires good planning. Dairy shed checks during winter are critical and milking management visits during milking are also important to identify risks for mastitis, and to control those risks.

“Remember that mating improvements year to year can only occur incrementally. Large improvements in reproductive performance in some herds cannot be made in one season.”

As mating looms on the horizon you need to start planning your approach. The first question to ask is “what do I want to achieve?” and then ask “how am I going to achieve this?”

Remember that mating improvements year to year can only occur incrementally. Large improvements in reproductive performance in some herds cannot be made in one season.

Issues to consider and plan for include dealing with non-cycling cows, synchronising cycling cows and heifers, heat detection practices, A.I practices, bull management, dealing with nonreturning empty cows and then accurately pregnancy testing cows so that you have all the pregnancy information you need.

“Planning for mating must include feed planning because good reproductive performance is hugely dependent on having cows well fed after calving so that they approach calving in good body condition.”

Planning for mating must include feed planning because good reproductive performance is hugely dependent on having cows well fed after calving so that they approach calving in good body condition. There are many nutritional diseases which can severely impact on mating performance: negative energy balance, ketosis, rumen acidosis, grass staggers, bloat and

metabolic diseases can all reduce conception efficiency. Good advice in this area during your planning process is critical.

Identifying what you want to achieve with mating is half the battle. Target setting is important and targets must be S.M.A.R.T. They must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound. Targets for six week in calf percentage and the rate at which the herd becomes pregnant from the planned start of mating for the first six weeks are critical measures. The number of non-returning empty cows and the number of cows (% of herd) not cycling 10 days prior to the planned start of mating is also critical.

Targets for the final empty rate after a given mating period for cows and heifers are also important. Different aged cows and heifers can have very different empty rates and one group of cows may be having a disproportionate impact on your empty rate. The only way to realize this is by careful analysis of herd records.

“Identifying what you want to achieve with mating is half the battle. Target setting is important and targets must be S.M.A.R.T. They must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound.”

So my advice is to start planning now if you haven’t done so already. Involve your vet and key nutritional advisors and farm consultants as they all have a very important role to play.

Veterinary advice will extend to all aspects of reproduction management and successful pregnancy testing to provide the key information you will need for next year’s planning.

Riverside Vets are ATS Suppliers allowing members to charge services to their ATS Card.

Contact:

Riverside Veterinary Services Ltd Tel: 03 308 2321

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Spring clean your engine Book your service at Malcolm Lovett Automotive today!

And remember:

We offer ATS Members 12.5% discount We are your authorised Mitsubishi Parts & Service We service and repair ALL makes and models

And now On-site WOF’s available!

Malcolm Lovett Automotive 299 Havlock Street, Ashburton

(03) 308 9109

malcolm.lovett@clear.net.nz

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PRODUCTS AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL ATS STORES

News at ATS Annual General Meeting—First Notice In accordance with Rule 5 (a)(i), notice is given that Thursday, the 17th day of November 2011 has been selected as the date of the 48th Annual General Meeting of the Ashburton Trading Society Ltd which will be held at the Hotel Ashburton, Valetta and Arrowsmith Lounges, Racecourse Road, Ashburton, commencing at 11am. Formal notice of that meeting was given in the September ATS Newsbrief.

Staff Profile—Tom Patrick

ATS welcomes Tom Patrick to the ATS Seed team as Grain and Seed Trader. Tom will be concentrating on Grain and Seed trading for ATS using his considerable knowledge and network of farmers and end users of Grain and Seeds. He is looking forward to experiencing the best of both worlds as a semi-retired grain and seed trader who will work two or three days a week alongside Tim Dale and Bob O’Reilly.

Tom and wife Merrin have lived in Ashburton for 24 years and have a son and daughter who have children of their own. Tom grew up on a farm in Geraldine and like many of us started at the bottom working for the PGG store in Geraldine sweeping floors and cutting kindling.

Over his 48 year career, Tom has moved around the Canterbury area and with this has developed his career from a rep role to South Island Trading Manager for PGG Wrightson Grain.

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TRU-TEST Promotion Between April and July, ATS and TRU-TEST teamed up to give members the opportunity to stake their claim on more than $8,000 of prizes! Each week one winner was drawn from members who purchased more than $200 of any TRU-TEST product. These lucky 16 winners were invited to an evening where a number of prizes were presented. Congratulations to the 16 lucky winners!

PRODUCTS

WINNER

Haier Bar Refrigerator

David & Lee Luff

Shimano Fishing Rod (bottom fishing)

Peter & Nicky Webster

Shimano Fishing Rod (soft bait)

Freda Bierema Noodam & Jo Innes

Founders Golf Club Set

Graham Carr

Linden Leaves Deluxe Set

Stephen & Katrina Delleca

Breville Breadmaker

Peter & Virginia Waller

Breville Mixer

Greg Shearer

Sony Digital Photo Frame

Donald & Margaret Ingold

Delonghi Jug & Toaster

David & Rebecca Whillans

Gardena Gardening Tool Pack

Ricky & Judy May

Gardena Combisystem Kit

Craig & Helen Elliot

Breville Coffee Machine & Grinder

Steven & Teresa Booker

Sony 22” LCD TV

Graeme & Miriam Lill

Sony Handycam

Peter & Louise Stocker

Sony Mini Hi-Fi System

Marvin & Jane Pangborn

Sony Digital Camera

Ben & Cate McIntosh

Sony Major Prize (TV + Home Theatre)

Ricky & Judy May

Jono Pavey (GM Operations, ATS), Brian McFelin (TRU-TEST) presents the major prize to Ricky May

Gumboots take top spot

Ashburton A&P Show

Thanks to ATS members, ATS Ashburton for the 2nd time running has been named New Zealand’s number one Skellerup Gumboot retailer. ATS always have a wide range of sizes and styles of Skellerup Gumboots in stock to ensure members are able to find what they want when they need it.

Come along and enjoy the hospitality of the ATS Member’s Marquee at the Ashburton A&P show, to be held Friday 28th and Saturday 29th October 2011.

The theme of this year’s show is “Backbone of Agriculture—The Family Unit”, and ATS will again be providing complementary lunch and beverages for ATS members in a prime ringside position.

So come on down and enjoy this annual Mid Canterbury rural event with ATS. Remember—bring your ATS card for admittance!

Tony Fuller (Skellerup Footwear) & Jenny McLauchlan (ATS)

ATS Longbeach Coastal Challenge Summer is fast approaching and with it comes the fifth annual ATS Longbeach Coastal Challenge, to be held on the 27 November 2011 over some of Mid Canterbury’s premier coastal farmland.

With races to suit all ages and abilities, the ATS Longbeach Coastal Challenge is a great family day out. The mountain bike tracks traverse three farms south-east of Ashburton, including the historic Longbeach Estate. A welcomed addition to the event this year is the run and walk disciplines.

The event was started in 2007 by the Hinds and Districts Lions Club and Longbeach School with all proceeds from the 2011 event being donated to help a Christchurch Primary School get back on its feet after the Canterbury Earthquake.

ATS has been a gold sponsor since the events inception.

For more information on the Longbeach Coastal Challenge or to download an entry form visit www.ats.co.nz. Alternatively, you can pick up an entry form any of the three ATS stores.

ATS Energy Appointment ATS is pleased to announce the appointment of Tracey Gordon to the role of Energy Account Manager.

This newly established role is a first for the rural supplies sector, and will provide a connection between ATS electricity consumers and its electricity supply partners.

Tracey has an extensive background in the electricity sector. She worked for a major electricity retailer for eight years, with most of this time as an Agribusiness Specialist. Drawing on that background, she will provide members with independent and impartial advice about the most cost effective means of managing their electricity usage.

Her services also include setting up energy audits through to analysis of farmers’ energy accounts and working on their behalf to resolve any issues members may have.

Tracey is pleased to be on board with ATS and is looking forward to helping is members understand energy.

ATS NE WS

35

News at ATS

ATS out and about

Right: David Whillans drawing out his lucky number at the TRUTEST Promotion evening

Right: Members enjoying the TRU-TEST Promotion evening

Left: Will and Olivia Studholme help ATS out at a photo shoot

Left: Children help Carrot pick up his juggling balls

Above: Charlotte Sloper from Dorie School won the Instore Days colouring competition, a clown show from Carrot & Pickle

Right: The teachers of Dorie School join in on the clown show

Left: Harriet is taught how to balance a plate on a stick

Below: Carrot & Pickle dancing with two children from Dorie School

Left and Right: Children from Dorie School enjoy the entertainment provided

by Carrot & Pickle

Right: Members enjoying the TRU-TEST Promotion evening

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ATS NE WS

CLASSIFIEDS FOR SALE Rams Order your South Suffolk rams now $500 from Top quality reg stud been breeding for 30 years.

Tel 03 303 0999 or 0272 936 369

4 x Flightless Ducks $15 each, or the whole lot for $40 Rouen breed Tel 03 3030 999

Handy Hunterway Puppies Will be ready in about 7 weeks’ time. Both parents’ are excellent workers & parents can be viewed. 4th generation of this top bloodline, good mustering dogs (both sheep and cattle) Tel 03 303 0999 or 0272 936 369

SUPPLIERS

Frizzell Ltd Electronic farm scales from $780.00; Well depth meters from $285.00, weather stations from $149.00, Irrigation monitoring equipment from $195.00, Farm weigh bridges from $3800.00 (all prices plus G.S.T.).

If it’s Farm electronics contact Frizzell Agricultural Electronics for the best price. We also have a wide range of crates and platforms for scales, plus irrigation monitoring and farm security systems.

For free information on our wide range of products contact Alastair Frizzell on 03 318133, or your local contact Viv McLachlan on 03 3027 065 or 0275066434. www.frizzell.co.nz or sales@frizzell.co.nz.

Kidz Korner For an exciting range of high quality children’s gifts at very reasonable prices you must pop into Kidz Korner.

Especially for our ATS customers we have a huge range of tractors, implements, trucks, fences, wooden farms and farm animals. We gift wrap free and ATS customers receive a 10% discount.

We are on East St, next to Dick Smith. Phone 307 0456

Wanaka Section, Scurr Heights 782m2, private sale Great outlook & views A superb section in a quiet cul de sac and is located within walking distance to schools and park Tel 03 437 1476

RETAIL

OUTLAW Pour-On Buy 2.5L of Outlaw Pour-On and receive a FREE Outback Oilskin Hat! Promotion will continue while stocks last.

WANTED Gates 12 and 14 ft Tel 03 302 6116 after 6.30pm

Relief Milker Carew/Mayfield area Tel Martin & Lisa 03 303 6581

CYDECTIN Pour-On Purchase 15L of Cydectin Pour-On and receive 2L absolutely free! Promotion ends 31st October 2011 or while stocks last.

New Bekina Gumboots ATS stores now stock the new Bekina Gumboots from Shoof. Bekina separate itself from all others in the market with four great features: • Comfort • Durability • Slip Resistance • Insulation Bekina works with only one purpose in mind: creating pleasant and safe working conditions for you!

Agriculture, industry, food processing, firefighting, leisure, - the list is endless! Come check them out instore today!

Advertising Enquiries Please contact the Marketing Department on: Tel: 03 307 5100 Email: info@ats.co.nz www.ats.co.nz

Bell Booth SPECIAL OFFER: order 200 litres of Nutrimol Classic and receive 12 cans of Mac Tail Paint absolutely FREE! Promotion ends 31st October 2011.