ATS News December 2010

ATS News DECEMBER 2010/JANUARY 2011

Pig farmers still positive despite negative press Barrhill Chertsey water a welcome Christmas bonus

Indonesian coffee growers benefit from local knowledge

www.ats.co.nz

From the CEO With the end of the year almost upon us, it’s timely to reflect on what has been and to also look forward to the New Year with renewed vigour.

2010 has been a busy year for the team at ATS. It began with a testing economic climate and has ended with a promising economic outlook. Mother Nature has also provided us with challenges over the recent months.

But there have also been a number of highs throughout the year including our hugely successful Instore Days held in July, and more recently our involvement at the Ashburton A & P Show. Having the opportunity to interface with our members is always a pleasure and worth the hard work which goes into making these events successful.

The ATS News is another positive, and is a great opportunity to inform and showcase some of our members. We are always grateful for the way they open the farm gate to us and let us share an insight into their world and farming operations.

In this issue, Hinds pig farmers Alister Hyde and Stephanie Von Preuschen have shared their thoughts on the sometimes controversial practice of pig farming.

We also talk to a Methven farmer about a Trust established locally to support farmers in a remote region of Indonesia, and to two younger generation farmers set to benefit from the hugely important BCI scheme.

There’s also a look at ATS Seed one year on; useful information on carrying out due diligence on water consents; advice on whether the time is right to purchase a dairy farm; and a new addition—a page dedicated to the kids just in time for the school holidays.

Upcoming Events 15 December FAR Arable Y’s 7pm, Hotel Ashburton, Racecourse Road, Ashburton

ATS Holiday Shopping Hours We will be closed on the following days through the Christmas New Year period:

Christmas Saturday 25 December to Tuesday 28 December. We will re-open on Wednesday 29 December.

Photography Victoria Rutherford and Anita Body

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

Saturday 1 January to Tuesday 4 January. We will re-open on Wednesday 5 January.

Editorial Enquiries

If members have any emergency requirements the Duty Manager can be reached on Tel 03 307 5100.

Our team welcome your contributions, enquiries and letters.

Please post or email to: Chris Bristol GM Marketing & Business Development/Editor chris.bristol@ats.co.nz

Front Page Photo Hinds pig farmers Alister Hyde and Stephanie Von Preuschen

I would like to thank the talented team of ATS staff for their hard work and dedication over the past 12 months, there have been plenty of changes within the business which will position ATS well for future growth.

Neal Shaw, Chief Executive

Anita Body, Gerald Raymond, Richard Rennie, Ele Ludemann, Tim Dale, Pip Hume, Hamish Niles & Ian Walsh, Ian Hodge and Dr Rob Derrick

New Year

Making time to have a quiet read may be a challenge for many of us over the busy holiday season. But I hope you get the chance to take a break and enjoy this issue of the ATS News.

We wish you and your families a happy and safe festive season.

Contributors

ASHBURTON

METHVEN

RAKAIA

HEAD OFFICE

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

91 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 clients.

www.ats.co.nz

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Pig farmers still positive despite negative press

New Zealand pig farming practices have become a highly emotive and contentious issue, with farmers, the pork industry and animal welfare activists all taking their turn in the media spotlight over recent months

Contents 5

Know your water rights

9

Opinion—Ele Ludemann

1 3

ATS Seed—one year on

1 5

Truly clean and green

16

Teamwork delivers clear shot at gold

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Barrhill Chertsey water a welcome Christmas bonus The giant liquorice-like strings of HDPE piping that form the arteries for the Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation (BCI) scheme are now well in the ground

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Finding similarities between local farming operations and those in the high altitudes of remote Indonesia would appear difficult at best

It’s just over a year since ATS’s seed division was born Wrights Drycleaners

Commonwealth Games gold medal winner, John Snowdon

Counting the cost of dairy farm purchasing Property Brokers

Laser continues plumbing tradition Laser Plumbing

Crop monitoring walks optimise yields Ballance Agri-Nutrients

Do it once, do it right

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Independent, accurate silage testing

31 Indonesian coffee growers benefit from local knowledge

Thoughts from across the rivers

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Make sure you know what you are getting before you sign the contract

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Bradford Painting

Canterbury Feed Assessment

Local facility offers dealership service

Rakaia Service Centre

Reducing Phantom Cow numbers Riverside Vet Service

3 5

Alkagrain—it’s in the bag

2 4 45

News at ATS

Winslow Contracting

Classifieds

Pig farmers still positive despite negative press

New Zealand pig farming practices have become a highly emotive and contentious issue, with farmers, the pork industry and animal welfare activists all taking their turn in the media spotlight over recent months. By Anita Body

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Listening to the media debate, it could be assumed all pig farmers are the same, adhering to the same methods and farming practices. But no two farmers ever operate exactly the same way, so why should the public expect all pig farmers to conform to the bad practices of a few?

pig breeding company based near Christchurch.

The boars are selected for their meat traits such as leanness and growth rates while fertility rates highly in selecting gilts. The farm works on a 40 per cent replacement programme per annum across all stock.

The reality is New Zealand has many pig farmers using a variety of positive farming practices, which do not include controversial sow crates or stalls.

Alister fell into pig farming by accident. “My brother and I bought 60 sows and started farrowing and finishing.” He said it wasn’t economically viable to do the whole process and instead decided to concentrate on one aspect and do it well. He now farms in partnership with his uncle, Foster Hyde.

One such farm is operated by Alister Hyde and his partner Stephanie Von Preuschen near Hinds.

They made a conscious decision to not have crates or stalls. “We never set out to farm that way even though it is likely to be more profitable—we never went down that road,” said Alister.

They farm 400 sows and 25 boars on an 80 acre block, with the bulk of their pigs living outdoors.

Paddocks are divided into areas for the boars, dry sows, and sows with piglets, and all have shelter in the form of micro barns or A frame huts. Pigs need shelter from weather extremes which is why indoor farming is such a common practice worldwide—it is a good way to control the temperature and climate necessary for healthy pigs.

Micro barns also house weaned piglets destined to leave the property when they reach 20kgs. They are sold to a finishing farm which has a “stall free” pork contract with a Christchurch retailer.

Earlier this year the couple started using a purpose built farrowing shed for the sows. Sows are brought to the “maternity ward” about a week before they are due to farrow and remain there about a fortnight after the piglets are born. This gives the piglets a good start protected from any harsh weather, and allows Alister and his team to keep an eye on the sows and piglets to best manage any health or welfare issues.

The farrowing sheds do not contain sow crates or stalls, and instead are a quiet place with roomy pens for sows to move around in, with straw bedding, feed and water, and a heat lamp for the newborn piglets. Alister designed the sheds and had engineers build them. The two, two bay sheds have domed roofs, and are well-lit and ventilated.

It is still a work in progress, and like any new building there’s scope for improvement according to Alister. Roaming piglets have found the odd gap to slip through and all four bays have been re-roofed following the big winds which occurred in early September.

Farrowing occurs throughout the year, with pigs having a four month gestation period. Given the pigs’ sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, Alister said it made sense to have an indoor facility as part of their farming operation. “A wet winter like this year is a nightmare for farrowing, but then the heat also has its problems during the summer. Ideally autumn and spring are good for farrowing outside.”

“We hope to get the best of both worlds by using the sheds.”

Boars and gilts (young female pigs) are sourced through PIC New Zealand, the country’s largest

It’s been about three years since Alister started the farming operation and there have been plenty of red tape and compliance issues to wade through— as is the case with any farming operation. Pig farmers often get a bad rap especially over odour issues. “Townies often smell with their eyes,” he said, but the reality rarely lives up to the perceived misconceptions, especially in a well-run operation.

Stephanie Von Preuschen and one of the many piglets born on the Hinds property

There are many well-run and managed pig farms around the county, but many people associate pig farming only with sow crates or stalls. He believes many of those opposing it are tarring all pig farmers with the same brush and causing the whole industry to suffer.

“There is great potential for the New Zealand pork industry but it is disappointing that it is being overly influenced by people who have not worked on a farm or know the realities of farming.”

Micro barns house weaned piglets before they are sold to a finishing farm

“I don’t disagree with all of their arguments, but if they run us out of the industry then New Zealand pork will be replaced by imported and that doesn’t have to meet the strict criteria that New Zealand pork does.”

The New Zealand Pork Industry Board is operating a new welfare assurance programme called PigCare.

This audit system will underpin NZ Pork’s 100% NZ Pork, Bacon and Ham labelling and only products from PigCare accredited farms will carry this label.

Alister said much of the issue centres on supply and demand. Despite the outcry over images of sows in crates and a perceived desire for ethical farming, the majority of consumers will still buy on price. This demand means supermarkets stock high volumes of cheaper imported products—products not subjected to the same scrutiny New Zealand produced pork receives.

Piglets get a good start to life in the “maternity ward” farrowing sheds designed by Alister and Stephanie

Increased demand for New Zealand pork will have many benefits—not just at the farm gate, but also throughout the wider community.

Pig farming, like all farming, is not just about the job but also the lifestyle and to this end, Alister and Stephanie are committed to making their operation work.

Alister is the first to admit he’s not perfect and is still learning, but it is a path the couple are keen to travel. He hopes the current debates can be put to rest and the industry can concentrate on some positive publicity aimed at securing a bright future for New Zealand pork.

Most of the pigs on the property live outside and have A frame huts or micro barns as shelter

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cows milked

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Meridian Energy comparison

Units

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MeridianPlus DayNight Day

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MeridianPlus DayNight Night

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Less ATS members prompt payment discount 12%

Totals

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Total charges for Meridian account

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Other Electricity retailer charges

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Savings Per Month Approx Savings Per Year

$243.12 $2,917.41

Sign up with ATS today and check that you are on the correct rates Call Nicky, Christine and the Customer Service Team at ATS on 03 307 5100 or visit our website.

www.ats.co.nz

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Know your water rights If you are planning on buying a farm or property with water consents make sure you know what you are getting before you sign the contract. By Gerald Raymond, Senior Communications Advisor, Environment Canterbury “There is more to buying a farm than the land, buildings, stock and plant,” said John Young, Water Metering Manager for Environment Canterbury. “The nature and status of the water and discharge consents associated with the property are crucial.”

In particular the upgrading of irrigation systems may mean water-takes are non-compliant. “Flow-rates and volumes need to be checked carefully and compared against the specifications for irrigation systems and other infrastructure.”

Water-take or discharge consents are issued by Environment Canterbury under the Resource Management Act. Consents are issued to either a person or company but do not automatically transfer with a property purchase and are usually part of the purchase and sale agreement.

Many consents specify maximum flow rates and also have conditions around the number of days water may be consecutively taken over either seven or 14 days. There are also often conditions around the total volume allowed over a season.

“Everyone involved in the buying and selling of farm properties needs to understand the importance of due diligence of water consents before contracts are settled. This includes the prospective purchaser, lawyers, financial advisors and bankers, and real estate agents.”

“Unfortunately people are still purchasing rural properties without carefully checking the consent details, which can have serious impacts on a farm’s operations and even financial viability,” said John.

“While the purchaser has ultimate responsibility to check consent conditions, the other parties involved have a duty of care to ensure due diligence has been carried out.” Checking consents conditions is as simple as entering the consent number on the Environment Canterbury website at: http://ecan.govt.nz/services/ resource-consents/pages/consent-tools.aspx “At the very least everyone should understand what activities are permitted under the relevant consents.

Just because a farm has been operated in a particular way does not guarantee it is in compliance with consent conditions,” said John.

Prospective purchasers should also not assume that consents already cover all non-permitted takes, for instance dairy shed water. “Farmers change the way they operate from year to year as machinery and systems are replaced and upgraded. They may have either assumed they were compliant or failed to check the details of their consents, which may have been issued some years earlier.”

Water-take consents are complicated and prospective purchasers should seek advice and take the time to confirm their understanding of the conditions with Environment Canterbury. “For example one new property owner assumed that water could be applied at the maximum rate over 180 days of the irrigation season. When the consents were checked for compliance—after the property had been purchased—it was found there was enough volume to apply water for only 120 days of the season. This obviously had a significant impact on the operation and viability of the farm.”

Due diligence of the consents prior to the contract being completed would have quickly identified this issue.

With the introduction of the Government’s National Regulations on water metering it is even more important that due diligence on consents is undertaken.

“The data from water meters—which must be supplied to Environment Canterbury by consent holders—will quickly identify instances of noncompliance,” said John Young.

All water-take consents for more than five litres per second must be metered under the National Regulations. Existing consent-holders have between two and six years to install water meters. New water consents issued from November 10 will need to comply as soon as the consent is issued.

contact:

Environment Canterbury Ashburton Depot Water Metering Team 4 McNally Street Ashburton Tel: 03 308 7682 Web: www.ecan.govt.nz

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Grant Maw and Steve Sim are two younger generation farmers set to benefit from the BCI scheme

Barrhill Chertsey water a welcome Christmas bonus The giant liquorice-like strings of HDPE piping that form the arteries for the Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation (BCI) scheme are now well in the ground, and in recent weeks have begun delivering their first volumes of water to farmers on the scheme. By Richard Rennie By mid-December all the present farmers signed up for the scheme will be welcoming the flow that will bring more opportunities and water certainty for many previously dry land cropping and mixed farming operations.

That 60km of pipe forms the first stage of a scheme that has a five year goal of irrigating 18,000ha, ultimately delivering water to 40,000ha.

In its Stage One, profile water will reach 7000ha of farm land in the upper Plains region around Methven, Valetta and Mayfield.

After being mooted almost 30 years ago, a shortfall in last June’s

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capital raising exercise threatened to push the scheme out further. However the $18.8 million subscribed was an effort that BCI chairman John Wright describes as admirable, given the very tight fiscal conditions many of the scheme’s members faced last year.

Another capital effort saw $4 million contributed to a revised scheme, with Stage One using up to eight cumecs of water from the Rakaia River at Highbank, siphoning water from the Rangitata Diversion Race (RDR) into buffer ponds to control flow variability.

The scheme became unconditional on 23 December 2009.

Joint venture funding with Electricity Ashburton and BCI has enabled the buffer storage and distribution network to be installed. Electricity generator Trust Power has installed intake, fish screening and pumping facilities to deliver the water to the RDR utilising some of the existing Highbank Power Station facilities. A later Stage Two will see water canals constructed that will deliver the remainder of the water to Mid Canterbury through gravity, along with some electricity production.

While irrigation is most often associated with the needs of intensive dairying farms, John said the majority of farms on the BCI scheme are cropping operations, and likely to remain so in many cases.

“Overall there would be around 10-15 per cent dairy farms, and we may see a few conversions on some properties. For most dry land cropping farmers however, what the scheme means is they can now farm with some certainty, removing those troughs you get in dry years.”

He does not expect to see any major changes in farm operations for this summer, but believes farmers will quickly pick up on higher value crop options that the irrigation can support, including growing vegetables for processing.

“Many farmers realised this was the last opportunity to get water for their dry land operations, and generally the scheme covers higher quality soils like Highbank silts that offer good cropping opportunities with sufficient water.”

The BCI scheme goes a long way to fulfilling the requirements of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS), a roadmap for the region’s potential water storage and river water extraction. As ground water comes under increasing pressure through seasonal dry periods and over allocation, schemes like BCI will ease that demand as farmers move from deep well to surface sourced water schemes.

Steve sees the main changes with the new supply being a lift in production. Wheat yields are likely to benefit the most, and he could see these going from around 5.5t/ha to potentially 9.5t/ha.

“The opportunity to grow crops like carrots and radish is also there now. They would not have had a look in before, and it is possible processors are more likely to commit to contracts if they see the BCI supply as a reliable irrigation source.”

Getting the last stages of the project in place had not been without its challenges, including putting pipes in the ground over one of the wettest winters Canterbury has seen. Fortunately the earthquake in early September does not appear to have done any damage to the new installations.

“We know that in the long run this scheme is going to bring benefits to a younger generation, and we are grateful for that.”

Having the BCI scheme delivering water to the farm gate was the incentive for Grant Maw and his family to purchase a 93ha block in the Methven area close to their home property in order to expand their potato growing business. While the home block has enjoyed irrigation water sourced from deep wells and the Rakaia for the past 10 years, being in the Red Zone meant the BCI scheme was the only real prospect of acquiring extra water for the new block.

“We basically had no chance of dropping a well down, so this was a piece of land that was in the right place and water was going to be there for us,” said Grant.

BCI signals a welcome production boost—Steve Sim

From late October the block was supplied with 45L/ second of scheme water and has the potential to boost the family’s potato growing business, without having to secure other lease hold properties. They also intend to construct a buffer pond to provide some protection against any variability in water flow, as insurance for potato irrigation.

When the first BCI water flowed through the delivery point of the Sim property it sounded like an applause of thanks to those that had made it happen over the past years. Steve Sim is one of a younger generation of farmers well aware of the efforts an older generation, including BCI chairman John Wright, has put in to make the memorable day in late October happen for his family.

Grant expects to give the scheme a couple of seasons to settle in before committing the property to potato growing for potato seed supply. All going well he sees the BCI scheme ensuring the family can grow more with what they have, providing the varying water levels that different potato varieties require for optimum crop yields, and in some cases even doubling those yields.

“It was remarkable, the day we turned it on and there was 8.5bar of pressure and the water was hissing and shooting through, all on gravity feed to the corner of our property, rather than sucked up from 200m below ground. These people can’t be thanked enough for their efforts in the back ground over many years, just pushing the whole thing along to this point.”

There is a sense of history Grant shares like many of his generation in the area, with family predecessors involved in different stages of the scheme. His grandfather Charlie was involved in early plans almost 40 years ago.

His family benefits from the BCI supply across two farm blocks, with a water flow rate of 47L/second on the 115ha block Steve runs in conjunction with his parents, and 20L/second on his family’s home block.

The home block has been supplied with deep bore water, but with the new BCI supply three irrigators rather than two can now be run across the properties.

Welded pipe was laid earlier this year

Giving thanks to a generation’s commitment—Grant Maw

BCI Chairman John Wright says the scheme means dry land cropping farmers can farm with some certainty

Construction of the Methven Line Pond in July

“He made sure he was there the day the water first started flowing through, he wanted to see it for himself.” Grant also shares the thanks offered by Steve Sim to the hard work and commitment the likes of John Wright and Phil McKendry put into BCI, and all the previous directors involved over the years.

“It has really offered a future for us as a younger generation who will really benefit from the sheer hard work the older generation put in.”

The completed Methven Pond

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Thoughts from across the rivers Offering to help in the shearing shed before my mother-in-law retired was a mistake because I saw, and ate, the fabulous food on which her widespread reputation as a great cook was based. By Ele Ludemann The morning and afternoon teas she brought over to the shearers wouldn’t have been out of place at a royal garden party and the midday meal was even better.

My memories of her superb savouries, featherlight sponges and delicious dinners were still vivid a few months later when I was given notice the shearers were due and I’d be feeding them. I didn’t try to compete with the fare my mother-in-law had provided but even so preparing, serving and clearing up from the meals was a daunting task.

It didn’t help that there was an inverse relationship between the time and effort that went in to cooking the meals and the time taken to eat them. One friend who’d spent all morning preparing lunch timed her shearers. The record went to the one who took just four minutes to come in, sit down, eat a main course and pudding and leave again.

“My memories of her superb savouries, feather-light sponges and delicious dinners were still vivid a few months later when I was given notice the shearers were due and I’d be feeding them.”

Still, while I sometimes muttered about the work involved, I was aware it must have been much harder for earlier generations of farm cooks. They didn’t have the electric oven, cake mixer, food processor, microwave, fridge, deep freeze, dishwasher and other appliances which make modern cooking and cleaning easier than it used to be.

Many of those cooks of yester-year would have not only had to provide morning and afternoon teas and lunch. In days gone by shearers often stayed on the farm and needed breakfast, dinner and supper as well.

One of the challenges of feeding shearers was the necessity to have the food ready and waiting when they put down their hand pieces sharp at 9am, noon and 3pm. But at least I knew where I was, how many I was catering for and where the food had to be.

When we started harvesting I discovered there was no certainty about how many people needed food, when they’d need it or even where they’d be.

Changes in the weather, mechanical breakdowns and other unexpected occurrences could make significant differences in the number of people requiring food and the time and place they required it. I soon learned it paid to prepare something which could stretch to accommodate extras or be held over for another meal if there were fewer people than expected.

Caption

“When we started harvesting I discovered there was no certainty about how many people needed food, when they’d need it or even where they’d be.”

I wasn’t sorry when our farming practice changed and crops were replaced by sheep although supplying old ewes for the winter kill brought a new set of challenges—shearing for two or three days every fortnight.

While, I thought feeding shearers that often was hard work, I’m not sure I did as much as another woman with whom I shared shearing stories. When she was called away by an emergency the day before the shearers arrived it took three people to replace her—one to do the cooking, another to look after the children and a third to help in the shed.

These days we contract shear which means the shearers feed themselves. I prefer that but I sometimes wonder if the shearers hanker for the old days and the wonderful spreads my mother-in-law provided.

Ele Ludemann

opinion by:

Ele Ludemann Web: homepaddock.wordpress.com

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Indonesian coffee growers benefit from local knowledge

Finding similarities between local farming operations and those in the high altitudes of remote Indonesia would appear difficult at best, but according to Methven farmer Graham Robertson, farmers share many traits the world over regardless of geography or circumstances. By Anita Body This fundamental belief forms the basis for an agricultural aid project set up seven years ago to provide Indonesian farmers in the remote Toraja region with support and assistance from their New Zealand counterparts. “This is a direct farmer to farmer movement. It is about a group of New Zealand farmers helping another group of farmers in several villages in this region,� said Graham, one of the initiators of the Toraja Project.

It is all about farmers supporting each other despite their obvious differences. And the Toraja region of Indonesia is poles apart 10

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when compared to the plains of Canterbury.

It is located in the centre of the island of Sulawesi in eastern Indonesia. This is one of the largest Indonesian islands and the Toraja area is very remote and mountainous, with an altitude of between 900 and 1500m. Graham likens it to the steepest parts of the West Coast or Banks Peninsula.

The valleys are terraced for growing rice and vegetables, while the steep terrain is mainly covered with forest vegetation. This forest provides a perfect canopy for growing coffee bushes.

Toraja already has an established reputation for growing good quality Arabica coffee beans thanks to its high altitude. In the past Japanese companies purchased coffee from the region and in some cases established their own plantations there.

Now local farmers grow their own coffee with assistance provided by organisations such as the Toraja Rural Development Trust and as a result they are seeing improved quality and quantities. Over the last three years yields have increased from 0.9kg per tree to 1.4kg.

Giving the farmers the help and assistance they require is all part of the “bottom up” approach to modern development, according to Graham. In the past, much development and aid, especially in third world countries, has had a “top down” approach, with others coming into an area and deciding what is needed, whether it is irrigation or specific crops. These are then introduced and quite frequently the wrong decision has been made, said Graham.

The “bottom up” approach allows locals to make informed decisions based on their own knowledge and it means the help provided can be much more supportive and practical.

Graham said to engage with farmers in the Toraja area, the Trust works with and financially supports a local group, Jalesa. It is a small farm advisory type organisation which has a staff of around nine, including a number of trained agronomists. Jalesa works with farmers by providing opportunities to get together and discuss farming practices, such as pruning, harvesting, peeling and drying of coffee beans, and to share agricultural knowledge, in much the same way as industry field days and demonstrations do in New Zealand.

Jalesa is also helping village farming groups to form marketing co-operatives—an important step if local farmers are to maximise potential financial benefits for the coffee they produce. Fair Trade and organic coffee demand a premium thanks to discerning Western consumers, and while Toraja farmers already have a proven track record for growing quality coffee, there are good opportunities for farmers to achieve even higher returns.

The remoteness and simplicity of life in the region means there’s very little use of chemicals on crops, making organic certification a very real option for growers. “If they can hit that then they will get great returns,” said Graham. But the reality is that certification and the necessary buy-in could take a number of years to achieve.

Fair Trade status requires there be no “middle-man” with villages and growers instead exporting direct to an importer. Setting up village farming co-operatives is a good way of achieving this, especially when individual farmers grow on average only 200 to 500kg of coffee beans per annum. It takes many such crops to fill even one export container, highlighting the need for farmers to work together.

Toraja farmers are also working together to improve the quality of their product, and the necessary grading of beans.

It’s these sorts of processes which Graham sees as

being common among all farmers. “Once upon a time all of the wool at shearing time was mixed up until the benefits of wool classing were recognised.

It’s the same for the coffee beans which also have to be classified and separated to deliver the best quality possible.”

“So much of what we see as New Zealand farmers rings a bell here,” he said. Buyers the world-over need to have 100 per cent confidence in the produce they are purchasing. In the long run, this creates better returns to farmers.

Achieving this is easier said than done, and that’s where the work of the trust helps by providing farmers with the opportunity to work through these issues and to put in place the necessary structures to better manage the entire process.

The cherry-like fruit of the coffee bush

About 1000 farmers in the region are benefiting from the project. Many are still learning about the benefits of farmer co-operatives and some are still selling their crops for cash (often for less than through the co-op contracts).

The trust also helps fund the purchase of coffee peeling machines. These cost about $150 each are made locally and look a bit like an old wringer from a washing machine. The machine strips the pulp from the cherry-like fruit to reveal the bean inside.

These beans are then dried and ready for export.

The machines are manually operated and the simple mechanisms are easily maintained and repaired.

Graham Robertson has recently returned from a visit to the Toraja region

Bean quality has risen dramatically since the introduction of the machines, and as a result, farmers’ returns have more than doubled. Many villages do not have their own peeling machines and the Trust is launching an appeal to donate more of these machines to the region.

It is this simplicity and lack of expensive equipment which makes coffee growing such an ideal crop in the region. Electricity is somewhat unreliable and limited and coffee beans do not require refrigeration like other produce to maintain quality before being exported.

Coffee bushes grow well under the forest canopy

Graham has been involved in this project since its inception and has visited the region several times.

Initially these visits involved checking up on the performance of the project, but a monitoring agency is now responsible for reporting on progress.

“The people there are cheerful and welcoming—they can teach us much about our values and our highpaced and high-tech way of life.”

He said the farmers strongly support the project and how it should work and it is this attitude which is behind its success—it’s all part of the “bottom up” philosophy.

The project is a registered charity and has been approved by NZAid, a division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which assists private sector projects to varying degrees, providing they meet a set criteria. The Toraja Project receives the maximum 80 per cent subsidy which sees $4 contributed for every dollar invested in the project. More information about the project and how to make donations can be found at www.torajz.co.nz.

Simple coffee peeling machines have dramatically improved bean quality since being introduced in the region

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Left to right: Bob O’Reilly, Alan Harrison, Gretchen McGuire, Jeff Hurst, Steve Lawson

ATS Seed—one year on It’s just over a year since ATS’s seed division was born from a vision to better service the co-operative’s membership and it’s been a move which has met with strong support. By Tim Dale, ATS Seed General Manager The initial concept for ATS Seed was to offer members the opportunity to acquire their seed supplies and product information from their local farmers co-operative, ATS. It was a logical step given pasture and arable production make up the bulk of farming operations throughout the Mid Canterbury region.

information and recommend the best product and solution in an unbiased way. Of equal importance is ATS Seed’s ability to provide competitive prices along with consistent service and prompt delivery of seed.

After the decision was made to become involved in the seed market, six seed companies were initially invited to become seed suppliers to ATS. Agreements were formalised and since then a number of key partnerships have been formed. These include PGG Wrightson Seeds, AgriCom, NZ Agriseeds, Cropmark Seeds, Seed Force and Genetic Technologies.

This year’s ATS Instore Days (along with regular advertising) helped lift that profile and resulted in a high number of seed inquiries. It was also an opportunity to showcase the grain side of ATS Seed’s business, which is aimed at servicing arable farmers.

“Keeping up with new products, technologies and innovations is vital in this industry and ATS Seed will continue working with its partners to achieve this.”

All of these organisations have proven seed varieties offering production benefits for all farmers, no matter what their operation.

These partnerships have assisted ATS with regular staff training, on-farm visits, paddock inspections and a sharing of product and technical knowledge all aimed at giving ATS Seed personnel, ATS field representatives and retail staff the information and skills necessary to provide members with the best possible advice.

Keeping up with new products, technologies and innovations is vital in this industry and ATS Seed will continue working with its partners to achieve this. It is important this information and products (including seed) is offered to ATS members. Examples include growing fodder beet for feeding dairy cows or growing herbicide tolerant brassicas.

These attributes mean ATS Seed is now an active member in the industry, and is acknowledged by members as a credible player.

From a slow beginning due to quiet markets, ample feed supplies and a general grain oversupply, ATS Seed has now become very active in the market with prompt and forward contracts being offered to members and significant volumes being contracted between growers and end users for 2010 and 2011 deliveries.

Tim Dale, ATS Seed General Manager

Another highlight has been the relationship formed with One World Grain and the recent development of their bi-weekly Market Outlook report which is now available on the ATS Website for either on-line reading or downloading.

The aim for the future is to keep growing the business by offering further contract options in all aspects of arable crops as ATS Seed continues to grow its presence in the industry.

Good progress has already been made and that is largely due to the strong support shown by members over the last 12 months, which has led to a successful first year in business.

Members looking for more information about ATS Seed can contact Tim Dale, GM of ATS Seed, Bob O’Reilly or our Field Reps on 0800 BUY ATS (289 287).

Contact:

The ATS Seed Team Tel: 0800 BUY ATS (289 287) Web: www.ats.co.nz

As an independent supplier of these varieties, ATS has the added advantage of being able to interpret ATS NE WS

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Latest technology and best industry practice are used to minimise the impact on the environment

Truly clean and green The phrase “clean and green” is often overused these days, with all sorts of industries and businesses jumping on the bandwagon to proclaim themselves “environmentally friendly”. By Pip Hume However, a genuine commitment to “green” by Ashburton firm Wrights Dry Cleaners has been rewarded by the presentation not only of the Environmental Award, but also the Top Business Award, at the Ashburton Business Association Annual Awards.

At first glance a drycleaning business would appear to be an unlikely candidate for “clean, green” award.

The industry has a history of utilising high levels of energy for the production of heat, as well as chemical solvents for the cleaning process. At Wrights Dry Cleaners a commitment to the ideal of caring for the planet has seen the introduction of the latest technology and best industry practice to minimise impact on the environment.

“Wrights can truly claim to have zero waste from their dry cleaning process.”

Business owners Stuart and Neroli Cross use every available avenue for recycling. Steam pipes are highly insulated and condensate is used to heat water for the laundry, where rinse water is recovered for washing mats. The oils and other soils removed from garments are sent to a specialist in Christchurch and refined for the making of, amongst other products, bitumen.

Wrights can truly claim to have zero waste from their dry cleaning process.

Where recycling is not an option, they have opted to reduce the impact on the environment by other means. A new type of oxybiodegradable plastic film is used to cover and protect the cleaned garments, reducing the amount of non-biodegradable waste going into landfills.

Their modern purpose built premises play a part as well. Twin-skin skylights provide natural light in the work areas, and a blanket insulation under the iron

roof helps to maintain an even temperature within the building throughout the year.

The use of improved technology is also contributing to reducing energy use. This includes a total revamp of the finishing area, with the installation of the latest finishing equipment from Japan to replace the old steam press. This is the most up-to-date technology available and is not only more energy efficient, but also gives a better garment finish.

“Stuart and Neroli have owned the business for eight years and say much of the credit for its success is due to their outstanding loyal staff.”

Wrights also operate an Apparel Master franchise.

This is the commercial division of the business, which provides overalls, mats and towels on a lease basis and includes regular cleaning of those items.

The franchise structure provides a set of audited standards for the business to adhere to, ensuring high quality service.

The latest in finishing equipment from Japan replaces the old steam press

Stuart and Neroli have owned the business for eight years and say much of the credit for its success is due to their outstanding loyal staff. Of their current 12 staff members, many have been with Wrights for lengthy terms.

“We’ve got a knowledgeable workforce with plenty of skills and we’re also always looking at better ways of doing things,” said Stuart. “In terms of taking care of our customers, we try to go that bit further to meet our customers needs and can provide a same-day service for urgent situations.”

Contact:

Wrights Dry Cleaners 8 Grey Street Ashburton Tel: 03 307 8360 Fax: 03 307 8369 Email: wrightsapparelmaster@xtra.co.nz Web: www.apparelmaster.co.nz

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Teamwork delivers clear shot at gold

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The occasional rabbit that flits across John Snowden’s Westerfield property does not appreciate just how lucky it is to get away with its life, given the sharpshooting eye of the landholder. By Richard Rennie The quietly spoken Cantabrian may well be one of New Zealand’s top sports shooters, but he does not spend too much time keeping his eye in by eliminating the local wildlife.

The joint Commonwealth Games gold medal winner admits he has had to make a few sacrifices in his farming career to pursue his passion for the precision sport of full bore rifle shooting. The Delhi Commonwealth Games was John’s second after Melbourne in 2006, and these games saw him and partner Mike Collings claim the gold after a nerve wracking wait as judges decided on a protest from the Australian team over a malfunctioning electronic target.

It was a wait that may have robbed them of the sharp immediacy of a medal ceremony. Nevertheless it remained a memorable moment for the pair as they stood on the podium to hear their national anthem play some hours after their rounds were completed.

Now well back into the seasonal groove of farming, John admits it took some time for the success to sink in, and he has some of the locals to thank for that.

“When I got back we had been away for three weeks, and there was plenty to do on the farm, so I spent the first week back getting stuck in. It was not until I went into Ashburton and people started congratulating me that I realised the win had given people in the area quite a buzz.”

It was sharpened by the region’s collective effort at the Games with locals taking up a clutch of medals at Delhi. These included Lauren Ellis claiming a silver in the 25km cycling points race, while Tinwald’s Hayden Roulston also grabbed a silver in the cycling road race. Mid fielder Stacey Carr of the women’s hockey team also came home with a silver after her team narrowly lost in the penalty shoot-out.

The time and effort spent on ranges at tournaments and competitions in preparation for big events like the Commonwealth Games has meant John has had to adjust his farming business to fit the schedule over the years. He lives in Ashburton, with a good 25km commute to the property at Westerfield.

His 220ha (effective) property is based around cattle and mixed cropping, and aims to achieve flexibility alongside profitability.

“The cattle give me the ability I need to quit as it suits. Given the time I have been away, you have the option that if you do not quit one week, you may the next, flexibility that you can’t achieve with cropping operations.”

He ruefully noted the wheat he sowed before heading to Delhi looked somewhat worse for lack of water on his return as the Plains started to dry out after an extreme wet spell.

High value crops like grass seed have been dropped, inevitably ready for harvest when John is away at shooting meets, and winter dairy grazing has also

had to be crossed off the wish list of possible income sources.

At present John runs around 150 head of dairy sourced cattle for fattening and 50 breeding cows, and is finding the cattle business looks promising.

“I have been impressed with how the schedule has held up, and that is despite the dollar. We are still getting around $4.00/kg, which is good.”

Family support has proved valuable to enable him to get to the level he has achieved – his father Roger frequently makes the 17km trip from the other side of the Ashburton River to shift stock. With the river levels high this year, the usual short cut across the ford was not an option.

His brother Michael also moved over from Brisbane with his family last June to help run the farm while John was busy away at shooting competitions. “Now he has gone back I miss all the things he did around the place—fixing fences, spraying gorse, heavy rolling the paddocks, it was a great help.”

On the tournament trail John’s team mate Mike Collings has been a shooter whose ability he admired almost 20 years ago, never anticipating then that they would one day be competing together.

“I recall seeing him shooting and thought how good it would be to be as good as that guy!”

The level of teamwork in shooting is intense and possibly less understood by spectators than the hurly burl tactics and moves in sports like team cycling.

John Snowdon and his Commonwealth Games gold medal.

He didn’t initially realise the impact his win had had on the district—he’d come home and gone straight back to work on his Westerfield property

As the shooter focuses purely on the target before him/her, their team-mate is constantly monitoring the wind conditions, and adjusting the gun sights accordingly.

Normally unfazed by competitions, John admits some nerves in the early stages of the five day competition at New Delhi, but found his sweet spot on the day that mattered. The Kiwi team ended up not only with a gold, but set a Commonwealth Games record of 588 points, with Scotland a hair’s breadth away on 587 and England earning a bronze on 584.

While the pre-games coverage was dominated by stories on how ill prepared the facilities were, John felt things were well up to scratch, albeit the beds were pretty hard. “The whole event had a great sense of warmth and genuine friendliness to it from all the locals, including the security people.”

At age 41 John has plenty of years ahead in a sport that is not as physically taxing as many, with the exception of keeping a keen eye.

“I will probably need to get some corrective lenses in a few years, but Mike is still going well and he is 56.”

Meantime the World Champs beckon next June in Brisbane. As far as training goes John admits Canterbury rabbits are relatively safe around his place these days. “I used to shoot rabbits as a kid, but once I started target shooting at university I lost interest really.”

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Counting the cost of dairy farm purchasing Is it a good time to buy a dairy farm? By Hamish Niles and Ian Walsh, Property Brokers—Hastings McLeod You may have noted the recent auction of a dairy farm at Maronan. This sale was well attended as everyone knew it would be an excellent barometer of where the market is at, and there have been few comparable sales lately.

The property sold for $8.95 million and with a bit more analysis we can calculate how good an investment this would be for the buyer.

1.

Sale Price $8,950,000 for 208ha and 307,333kg milk solids = $42,967 / ha.

2.

Average efficient production estimated at 1,435kg milk solids per ha over 200 ha effective = 287,000 kg.

3.

Then remove value of ‘surplus shares’ = $91,905.

4.

This provides an ‘adjusted price’ of $8,858,095 for 287000kg = $30.86 / kg milk solids or $42,526/ha.

5.

Stock, plant and machinery adds a further $9,000/ha.

6.

Therefore total capital invested would be $51,526 / ha.

Further information is needed to calculate the total return on investment if you had purchased this farm at the money it sold for. We have calculated the total capital invested and average efficient production so now we need forecasted farm working expenses and milk solids payout. $4.00/kg ms for farm working expenses is a reasonable benchmark for a fully managed farm (requiring little or no input from the owner). The Fonterra payout we’ll assume at $7.00/kg ms.

This means EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) must be $3.00 for every kilogram of milk solids produced.

What we’re left with is a total investment (purchase price for land, buildings and shares PLUS market

values for livestock plant and machinery) of $51,526/ha against total EBITDA of $4,600/ha.

This provides a 9% annual yield (ignoring any leverage effects of borrowing).

There are some assumptions made in this analysis but it provides a reasonable guide. Any intending buyer should seek their own advice as every property is different.

Any reader still with me after all those numbers will know that yields of this magnitude in farming have been fairly uncommon. The unknowns are future capital gains/losses and volatility caused by changing milk solids payouts. However, on a cashflow basis, dairy farms indeed look like good value at the moment so we reckon it’s a great time to buy.

We have several farms available in the dairy support and conversion categories and are soon to list two attractive established dairy farms. Talk to us if you’re interested.

Meanwhile, in the housing market, we are starting to see renewed activity in both investment property and owner occupied dwellings. While still below our normal strong October/November sales numbers, there is a steady market with demand stronger in the first home and rental categories.

Contact:

The other change has been a reduction in section prices in many cases. This has made the building option for buyers more attractive and we have noticed increased sales as a result.

Property Brokers—Hastings McLeod

When we look further afield, there is no doubt the strong underlying economy in Mid Canterbury is helping underpin a steady housing market where other regions have seen sales numbers fall significantly.

Tel: 03 308 8209

324 East Street, Ashburton Fax: 03 308 8206 Web: www.propertybrokers.co.nz

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The team at Laser Plumbing has decades of service and experience between them

Laser continues plumbing tradition For Mid Canterbury people the name Laser has always been synonymous with quality electrical work, but the business can now add plumbing to its credentials. By Anita Body For ATS members this means your locally owned company is providing dual trade plumbing and electrical cost effective solutions with one phone call.

Owners of Laser Electrical, Brent and Megan Christie, purchased Ray Lambert Plumbing and started trading as Laser Plumbing on 1 September. Since then Laser clients have experienced the benefits of co-ordinated and 24 hour plumbing and electrical services, backed up with international brand quality and buying power.

They say the long standing and well respected plumbing business was a good match for the Laser Group. “We really liked the business model Ray had,” they said. Coming from a strong electrical background meant they didn’t want to re-invent the wheel or start fresh with a new plumbing business, and the opportunity to purchase a business of such standing was too good to miss.

Ray Lambert Plumbing had a 40 year history in Ashburton, with many long term staff members—all of whom have stayed on through the change of ownership. Two staff have been there more than 28 years, and another three more than 10 years. Ron MacFarlane has worked there 30 years, and Brent and Megan are very proud he has been promoted to Manager of Laser Plumbing Ashburton.

The business still operates from its Cameron Street site which features a large retail area showcasing gas and log burners. The list of specialist services on offer hasn’t changed and includes plumbing, gas fitting, drain laying, sheet metal fabrication, home heating solutions and butynol roofing.

Since the change of ownership, it has been business as usual with only the name, brand and computer system being modified, although customers will notice small changes as the Laser systems are implemented.

While the Christies are new to the plumbing trade, they have a well-established history with the Laser Group. They joined the franchise seven years ago and since then have grown the business to include a Rolleston Electrical branch in addition to Ashburton’s Laser Electrical.

This means they already have the knowledge and expertise to implement the Laser Group business structure and models needed to run the business.

The Laser Group has 202 franchises throughout New Zealand and Australia, operating either plumbing or electrical businesses.

Franchises are recognised for their efforts at the annual Laser Group Awards and Laser Electrical Ashburton have won a number of trophies over recent years, including the Electrical Member of the Year Award three times out of the last four years. At the most recent International conference in October, Brent, Megan and the team received the highest possible tribute, the International Laser Member of the Year Award.

It’s a testament to the entire team’s strong commitment to the brand and their dedication to providing fantastic and efficient service to all of their clients—and this now includes Laser Plumbing clientele.

They see the two businesses as complimenting each other— “when you need a sparky, you often also need a plumber.”

It is also a great way for the Christies to ensure the hard work put in to firmly establish the Laser name in Mid Canterbury is maintained. Laser has always been dedicated to delivering a high standard of consistent service and will continually look to grow and improve on this to ensure the future growth of all facets of the business.

Brent Christie and Ron MacFarlane

Contact:

Laser Plumbing 149 Cameron Street Ashburton Tel: 03 308 6344 Fax: 03 308 6765 Email: ashburton@laserplumbing.co.nz Web: www.laserplumbing.co.nz

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Keeping an eye on crops throughout the growth cycle helps identify potential problems early

Crop monitoring walks optimise yields You have your crop in the ground, it has emerged, and it is starting to grow. The hard work is done, now all you need to do is wait until it is ready to harvest, right? Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients Wrong! Experienced crop farmers know that to optimise their yields it’s important to conduct regular monitoring walks throughout the growth cycle. This practice should help you in the early identification of weed, pest and disease issues, alert you to possible nutrient deficiencies and give you an idea when it’s time to apply nitrogen (N).

Pastoral farmers can benefit from the experience of arable farmers when it comes to crop monitoring.

Canterbury in particular has a lot of knowledgeable growers who use their own expertise – and that of specialist agronomists – to keep a keen eye on their crop health throughout the growing cycle.

For arable farmers especially, the stakes are high, so it is worth investing in getting in expert advice. For pastoral farmers growing a forage crop, for instance, achieving a lower than ideal yield might not break the bank, but it won’t do your business any favours, either. All it might take to get a better yield is a bit of your time, a phone call and maybe a herbage test.

Any monitoring system you develop needs to be based on your farm needs and your crop targets. You need to be clear about which pests, diseases and nutrient needs you are checking for, how to identify them early before they impact on crop yield, and how to overcome them.

“Pastoral farmers can benefit from the experience of arable farmers when it comes to crop monitoring. “ If you’re growing a brassica crop, for instance, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for dry rot, a fungal disease that is particularly harmful to swedes and oilseed rape. Clubroot can also be a problem.

require spray treatment, but if they start to infest a greater proportion of your crop, then it will be time to take action. By regularly monitoring your crop, you can judge whether or not spray treatment is needed.

“Crop monitoring also helps you target the most cost-effective times to apply nitrogen to boost yield. “ Some people believe that crop monitoring will end up costing them more money, but that’s not necessarily the case. Crop monitoring ensures you don’t take unnecessary measures, such as routine spraying where there is no need. And if you do find you need to spray, then that’s a small outlay compared to the price of losing part of your crop to pests.

Crop monitoring also helps you target the most cost-effective times to apply nitrogen to boost yield.

If growing conditions are good, it might be worth putting on nitrogen earlier than normal, or putting on an extra application. Your Ballance technical sales representative can help you make this decision.

Timely nitrogen applications will help you achieve a better yield, and therefore your monitoring will lead to a more economically productive crop. The Ballance brassica calculator can play a big part here, as it can effectively model crop growth under a range of conditions, and show you the economic benefits of a variety of nitrogen application strategies. For more information on this service, talk to your local Ballance technical sales representative.

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL TECHNICAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE:

Nicole Bowis 027 677 4499 Anna Bedford 027 499 7617 Tel: 0800 222 090 Web: www.ballance.co.nz

As crops mature, you will want to watch for pests, in particular, aphids, white butterfly and diamond-back moth. Small populations of these pests might not

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gingerbread apricot upside down cake 200g glacé apricots 175g butter 1/2 cup walnuts chopped 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/4 cup golden syrup 1 1/2 cups self raising flour 3 teaspoons Spice Traders ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon Spice Traders ground nutmeg to serve custard ginger curd

Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.

Arrange the apricots around the base of the tin. Melt the butter in a saucepan and transfer 1 tablespoon to a bowl.

To this 1 tablespoon add the walnuts and ¼ cup of the brown sugar and mix. Sprinkle this mixture over the apricots.

Add the golden syrup and ½ cup of water to the remainder of the melted butter and stir over medium heat until well combined. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl and then stir in the remaining brown sugar. Add the golden syrup mixture and mix well. Spoon over the apricots and smooth the surface.

Bake for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool for 15minutes before turning out to cool. Add ginger curd to custard to taste and serve with cake. (red items available at The Somerset Grocer)

www.somersetgrocer.co.nz 26

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Peel Forest Estate is one historic building which has benefited from Bradford Painting’s high quality restoration and painting work

Do it once and do it right Judging by the number of home renovation and decoration programmes on TV, almost everyone loves to redecorate their home once in a while. It seems to be human nature to want to personalise and enhance our homes and surroundings. By Pip Hume But there is more to painting and decorating than creating an appealing home environment. For most people, property—or ‘bricks and mortar’, is where the bulk of their wealth is held, and maintenance of interior and exterior surfaces to protect that investment involves more than a quick cosmetic lick of paint.

Such factors as the current surface and previous treatments, climatic and weather conditions specific to each locality, and the history of the building, are all key considerations which need to be taken into account when appraising a project.

Bradford Painting has been helping Mid Canterbury families to protect and enhance the value of their property investments for over six decades—and not just residential property.

The company is also contracted by a number of large businesses. This work includes the maintenance of many of Ashburton’s branded commercial buildings as well as hotels, motels, factories and warehouses.

Bradford Painting also carries out domestic interior and exterior decorating in Mid Canterbury for Housing New Zealand.

“Bradford Painting has been helping Mid Canterbury families to protect and enhance the value of their property investments for over six decades—and not just residential property.”

Another of the company’s strengths is its restoration and painting work on such historic structures as the exterior of the homestead at Peel Forest Estate and the cook shop and homestead at Longbeach Estate.

Manager Ian Holmes handles the day-to-day business of the company. He is passionate about providing workmanship of a consistently high standard.

“Quality workmanship doesn’t come cheap. But getting a second rate job that has to be redone or requires remedial work is also pretty costly and stressful, and so is living with something that isn’t up to standard. Do it once and do it right.”

“The team at Bradford Painting are predominantly Ashburton locals and include fully qualified tradesmen painters, brush hands, and an apprentice.”

As an integral part of quality control, Bradfords follows a set process when pricing jobs. This begins with checking and measuring the surface, appraising and possibly photographing any unusual or difficult areas, identifying and costing any repairs, and providing a fully costed quote for the customer. After acceptance of the quote, the project is undertaken by a team headed by a foreman.

The team at Bradford Painting are predominantly Ashburton locals and include fully qualified tradesmen painters, brush hands, and an apprentice.

Painters serve an apprenticeship of 6,000 hours (which takes three years), during which time they prove their practical skills and knowledge of theory by passing modules at each stage, moving onto full pay once they have qualified.

Bradford Painting is based on Bremners Road and shares the recently completed premises with Bradford Building.

“Being on site with them gives us access to a lot of additional expertise, especially for the bigger and more complex projects”, said Ian. “We’ve got the ability to deliver a seamless experience from start to finish for all our customers, from large-scale construction customers right through to providing that same level of expertise for domestic customers”.

Contact:

Bradford Painting 70 Bremners Road Ashburton Tel: 03 308 9039 Fax: 03 308 1191 Email: painting@bradfords.co.nz Web: www.bradfords.co.nz

“When it comes to looking after your most valuable assets, cost cutting is a false economy,” he said.

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Bells Auto Electrical Services 4 Watson Street, ASHBURTON Ph. (03) 308 5222

Having trouble with your auto electrics?

Are you having problems with lighting, starter motors, alternators, wiring, air conditioning, diagnostics or batteries?

Graeme and his team will fix it all!

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On our site or yours!

We repair: • All vehicles • Trucks • Farm Machinery • Buses

• Earthmoving & Harvesting Equipment • Caravans • Boats

Mark Walls takes a silage sample for testing

Independent, accurate silage testing Canterbury Feed Assessment has just completed another busy winter feed season where the weather was generally kinder than usual, with the exception of a week of heavy rain early on.

Article supplied by Canterbury Feed Assessment number of probes taken will depend on the number of bales in the line.

This extended wet period and the mild conditions seemed to affect the dry matters with lower percentages resulting. When the weather settled down we found that dry matters and yields were comparable to previous years and as usual dry matters increased towards the end of the season as plants matured.

An indication of the paddock area covered when a core sample is taken is as follows—a round bale taking 200m to make, multiplied by 6 bales probed to 1m gives a sample from an overall length of 1.2kms of the paddock. This is an accurate way to obtain a representative sample as opposed to hand sampling from the row or the bale.

This year we tested a greater percentage of fodder beet crops and found the most accurate method of testing was to measure four areas of 5sqm over an average 10–12ha paddock. The tops and bulbs are weighed and dried separately to give a yield for both.

This is a very time consuming process but because of the inconsistent plant population in the rows we found this method to be the most accurate.

Stacks are tested with a 1.2m probe, followed by a 1.7m probe. This ensures a representative sample as it goes through more layers.

Once samples are collected, it is imperative they are placed in air tight bags and kept cool before drying.

Core sampling is the most accurate way to determine dry matter as shown in the graph below.

We are now into the silage season and working closely with contractors and farmers to provide a totally independent assessment of silage quantity and quality. We have our own lab facility for dry matter testing providing results within 48 hours and we also have access to comprehensive testing through Hill Laboratories.

Accurate dry matter percentages provide farmers with accurate results. Buying and selling silage on a dry matter percentage is the most reliable way to get value for money.

Canterbury Feed Assessment provides this service independently and professionally so call us for your feed assessment requirements.

Canterbury Feed Assessment follows strict protocols for testing silage. Baleage is tested using a 1.2m core sampler, discarding the first 7.5cm. It is very important to get a representative sample, and the

Contact:

8.0%

Canterbury Feed Assessment Ltd 1286 Timaru Track RD8 Ashburton

7.0%

Level of Accuracy (DM%)

Bev Walls and a sample ready for testing

6.0% 5.0%

Tel: 03 302 5802

4.0%

Mob: 027 430 2131

3.0% 2.0%

Stacks—Hand scoop

1.0% 0%

Email: cantyfeed@xtra.co.nz

Trucks—Composite Hand Scoop

Stacks—Corers

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No. of Samples Required

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The team from the Rakaia Service Centre are (from left) Dean Counsell, Scott Baker, Reen Houlihan and Aidan Dan

Local facility offers dealership service Nestled on the banks of its mighty river, Rakaia tends to be a thoroughfare for traffic heading along State Highway 1 rather than a destination. By Pip Hume However like many small rural towns, it is the service hub for a huge area and the variety of businesses and the level of skills and service they provide can be a surprise to people from larger towns.

Scott and Jody Baker purchased the Rakaia Service Centre, adjacent to the Mobil Service Station on the corner of State Highway 1 and Bridge Street, in April 2010. They had managed the business for the previous three years, so the transition was extremely smooth.

“The workshop is well equipped to handle a full range of mechanical work, from routine servicing and maintenance through to mechanical repairs, servicing of vehicle air conditioning, tyre services and wheel alignments, as well as WOFs.” With its team of three full-time mechanics assisted by an apprentice and an administrator, Rakaia Service Centre is kept busy with all types of motor vehicles— cars, trucks and particularly the 4WDs which are so popular and useful in this region.

The workshop is well equipped to handle a full range of mechanical work, from routine servicing and maintenance through to mechanical repairs, servicing of vehicle air conditioning, tyre services and wheel alignments, as well as WOFs. Completing his mechanics apprenticeship in Rakaia, Scott then moved to Armstrong Prestige in Christchurch. He developed a particular interest in Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge vehicles, which led to four years at a dealership in Calgary, Canada.

With these vehicles becoming more popular and accessible in New Zealand, Scott’s expertise is becoming sought after, with customers from as far afield as Winton in Southland and the West Coast opting to travel to Rakaia to get their vehicles serviced.

“I spent eight years working in Jeep dealerships and independently specialising in Jeep, Dodge and Chrysler service. We’ve also got a factory trained Toyota technician on site and the computerised factory diagnostics which are usually only available at the dealership, so we can offer the level of expertise you would expect at a dealership but at a cost more suited to the local rural environment,” said Scott.

“Completing his mechanics apprenticeship in Rakaia, Scott then moved to Armstrong Prestige in Christchurch. He developed a particular interest in Jeep, Chrysler and Dodge vehicles, which led to four years at a dealership in Calgary, Canada.”

“We can offer most of the same services as well—we will do local vehicle pick ups and drop offs, and we have a courtesy car available.”

And with a very long stretch of State Highway 1 between Rakaia and its nearest neighbouring service towns (Ashburton to the south and Rolleston to the north), they are also often called on to handle the inevitable vehicle breakdowns.

“We’re often pretty busy on a Monday, with the yard full of cars that didn’t make it to their destination,” said Scott.

Purchasing the business has given Scott and Jody the opportunity to put some of their own ideas into place. They have upgraded some of the plant, including purchasing a new wheel alignment machine, and they’re exploring other opportunities to extend the business.

Contact:

Rakaia Service Centre 50 Bridge Street Rakaia Tel: 03 302 7040 Fax: 03 302 7140 Email: office@rakaiaservicecentre.co.nz Web: www.rakaiaservicecentre.co.nz

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Don’t forget about

NZ made Wire Rope For all irrigation and engineering purposes Sizes 3mm to 60mm dia, Swaged, Dyform, Dyswaged, Blue Strand wire ropes

Contact the team at Cookes

Phone 03 308 9778 or visit 120 Moore Street, Ashburton

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Phantom cow management reduces the number of late matings, the number of induced cows and empty percentages in herds

Reducing phantom cow numbers Finding cost effective ways to reduce the number of cows induced to calve early has become more important as public awareness of the practice increases. By Ian Hodge Most cows that traditionally needed to be induced were those that were mated after Christmas. These cows commonly calve in October and, depending on when the bulls are taken out from the herd, could also calve in November if inductions were not performed.

“Failure to conceive during AB combined with a failure to return to oestrus at the expected time is common in large herds—between 10 and 12 per cent.”

In many cases bulls are left with the herd for eight or nine weeks after AB finishes. In herds with low three week submission rates, low first service conception rates, high numbers of non-cycling cows and possibly nutritional problems, the number of cows going to the bull in January and February can be high. This is because these cows may have been mated early in the AB period but for some reason have not conceived and have not returned to oestrus at 18–24 days.

Failure to conceive during AB combined with a failure to return to oestrus at the expected time is common in large herds—between 10 and 12 per cent. The causes are things like age, anoestrus, short calving to mating intervals, high (and low) milk protein percentage and retained placenta.

This failure to conceive and return to oestrus is called the Phantom Cow Syndrome.

These cows commonly end up being bull mated, and because most people only like to calve naturally for about 10 weeks or so, these late pregnancies have traditionally been induced.

the number of inductions and the final empty rate in a herd.

Phantom cows can only be detected by pregnancy testing them between 35 and 42 days after their first mating. At this stage most farms will already be into week six of mating and so cows that would otherwise cycle three weeks (or more) later or not cycle at all are CIDR treated.

“Phantom cows can only be detected by pregnancy testing them between 35 and 42 days after their first mating.”

These cows will then cycle and have a good chance of pregnancy one week later. Hence the process of scanning and CIDR treating can potentially save two weeks per phantom cow.

Phantom cow management therefore has three purposes: • It reduces the number of cows being mated in January and February.

• It reduces the numbers of cows to be induced.

• It reduces the empty percentage in herds.

The process also provides confirmation of early pregnancies and this means we can monitor early fetal loss which can be related to BVD infection.

At Riverside Vets we have been scanning to detect and treat phantom cows for many years and we have good data to support the success and profitability of this process. For more information call us to discuss the process further.

Contact:

Riverside Veterinary Services Ltd Ashburton Clinic, 1 Smallbone Drive Ashburton Tel: 03 308 2321 Fax: 03 308 2118 Web: www.vetent.co.nz

Reducing the number of these phantom cows is a useful and effective way of dealing with this relatively common problem. Achieving this can help reduce

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ORD FOR THEER NOW C SEASOONMING

Quality Hay Covers—made to measure 3 year UV Warranty

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115 Main South Road, Tinwald Ashburton

Tel 03 307 2354 tincanup@xtra.co.nz

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This year Alkagrain can be made on farm and bagged using a rolling and bagging machine similar to that pictured above

Alkagrain—it’s in the bag Having had some success with Alkagrain made through the Winslow mill and on-farms using mixer wagons, Winslow Contracting is importing a specialist mobile grain rolling and bagging machine in time for the coming harvest. By Dr Rob Derrick It will enable up to 120 tonne of rolled grain to be stored in a single bag on-farm or at blending sites, and will provide a valuable feed option for dairy, beef, sheep and arable farmers. The process eliminates drying costs and allows a more timely harvest which should lessen the risk of wet grain rotting in paddocks like we saw in 2009.

Alkagrain is moist grain (typically 17–20% moisture) preserved using the same technique as Alkalage through the addition of Home n’ Dry Pellets. These pellets contain high quality full fat soya and urea which is broken down by specialist enzymes to release ammonia into the grain. Ammonia eliminates moulds and other spoilage organisms and makes Alkagrain stable when removed from the bag, provided it is kept dry.

Unlike moist crimped grain which tends to deteriorate when removed from storage, the stability of Alkagrain lends itself to incorporation in blends— especially because the ammonia also raises the pH of the grain to an alkaline level which makes Alkagrain blends safer (when fed in trailers or troughs) than conventional rolled grain blends.

Adding Home ‘n’ Dry Pellets (146% crude protein in the DM) increases the crude protein content of the grain which can be important when creating nutritionally balanced diets.

The protein requirements of dairy cows and finishing stock is becoming more important in Canterbury because lower protein supplements like maize silage (which may only contain 8% crude protein), wholecrop (often a little over 10% crude protein) and cereal grains are being fed in increasing quantities.

Fresh calved cows typically need a diet containing a minimum 18% crude protein.

Winter milked cows and spring calvers eating winter saved grass are most likely to benefit from crude protein enhanced grain.

Introducing higher levels of grain to cows in an alkaline form is beneficial for grass intake (compared to higher fibre imported feed alternatives) and helps support cows producing higher levels of milk protein.

Alkagrain is being successfully used mixed in forage wagons with silage and as a sole feed in dairy sheds.

Processing slightly damper grain tends to produce larger particles which are fermented more slowly in the rumen and when fed in sheds, creates less flour and dust. The alkaline nature of Alkagrain should make it safer to feed at higher levels in the dairy shed without compromising rumen function.

“Winter milked cows and spring calvers eating winter saved grass are most likely to benefit from crude protein enhanced grain.”

The grain can be stored as Alkagrain either whole or rolled and Alkagrain can be fed whole to sheep but the grain must be cracked prior to feeding to cattle.

With Alkagrain the grain only is required from a mature cereal and is preserved in the same way as Alkalage—using Home n’ Dry pellets

Alkagrain typical analysis (will vary depending on the actual grain quality) Alkagrain barley

Alkagrain wheat

Dry matter %

83

83

Energy ME MJ/kg DM

13

13.5

Crude Protein % in DM

16

17

Starch % in DM

58

66

Home ‘n’ Dry kg/ tonne applied

30*

30*

Version

Contact:

Winslow Feeds 605 Main South Road, State Highway 1 Winslow, Ashburton Tel: 03 302 6200 0800 00 77 66 Fax: 03 302 6203 Email: office@winslowltd. co.nz Web: www.winslowltd.co.nz

*Home ‘n’ Dry should be applied at a higher rate if grain is wetter or higher crude protein content required.

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Amistar The star performer for maximum yield and quality.

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL ATS STORES

Available in 5lt and 20lt Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No P4840.

See www.nzfsa. govt.nz/avcm for registration conditions.

Help protect your grain from pests this season Get in quick

Strictly limited stock!

Purchase 2 x 20Lt Glyphosate 360 and receive a FREE ham!

Let ATS make gift giving easy.

Gift baskets made to order for all occasions!

OFFER ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL 24 DECEMBER 2010 OR WHILE STOCKS LAST!

Place your order by ringing ATS, coming into the store, or online at ww.ats.co.nz

AC5060 20lt

Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 No P4973

In order to get your gift basket on time please allow a minimum of 48 hours notice.

Buy any of these WONLY HILE STOCKS items & get a LAST! gift basket FREE

Cydectin pour on 5lt

Cydectin pour on 15lt

Startect 5lt

Startect 15lt

AH1320

AH2073

AH1133

AH1134

Cydectin Pour on is a registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No 6203 Startect is a registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997, No A10353

Gift baskets to the value of $50.00

We also

ATS vou have ch available ers

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL ATS STORES

Gift baskets are tailored to the occasion, person and can be made to fit any budget.

Talk to one of the team and order today.

g cket, 10k Persil bu .00 GR1197

$48

Mr Muscle Orange Energy, 5lt

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL ATS STORES

GR1203

$18.00

ap, 5lt Liquid so h Softcare h or Citrus Splas as e) w lo a (A rm 50 e D R12 acterial) G ntib GR1105 (A

$24.50

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE THROUGH ALL ATS STORES

News at ATS Staff Profile—Jono Pavey

Congratulations To ATS Suppliers David and Debbie Nesbit from Hammer Hardware in Methven, who won the prize of “Best Hammer Hardware Store in NZ” out of an impressive 93 stores nationwide…well done!

ATS is pleased to welcome Jono Pavey into the role of General Manager Operations.

Jono joined ATS at the beginning at October, and has taken on responsibility for retail sales, fertiliser, fuel and agrichemicals. Jono brings with him a wealth of experience in the rural sector, gathered while working for Wrightson (as it was formerly known) and more recently as the South Island field representative for Agronica, the New Zealand business for Makhteshim Agan, an Israeli-owned generic agricultural chemical company.

And Ashburton equity dairy farm managers Hamish and Natalie Davidson were placed second in the 2010 Farm Manager of the Year contest, winning $9100 in cash and prizes. The couple is equity farm managing a 440ha farm milking 1500 cows. Hamish Davidson is pictured below with ATS Dairy Key Account Manager Gretchen McGuire and the prizes he and Natalie won.

Jono and wife Pippa live on 10 acres at Springston (near Lincoln) with their three children aged 7, 5 and 3. Both Jono and Pippa come from farming backgrounds, with Jono’s parents farming near Little River and Pippa’s parents originally farming in Hawkes Bay. Jono is pleased to be on board with ATS and says he is looking forward to continuing the traditions established over 40 years ago, and delivering the best possible benefits to ATS members.”

Congratulations also to Alistair and James McLeod of McLeod Cultivation, who were the winners of the Ashburton A & P Show Membership Hamper.

Sponsorship—Methven Theatre Company ATS recently sponsored the Methven Theatre Company’s production of Jungle Fever, run over four nights in Methven.

Despite opening only four days after the earthquake, nearly 1000 people flocked to the hall for some light relief and entertainment.

Methven Theatre Company’s Janine Holland said the musical was a resounding success, with the audience enjoying a range of popular music along with a range of whacky and entertaining characters.

Methven Theatre Company was extremely grateful for the support it received from ATS and a special mention of ATS was even included in the script.

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Winners

Familiar face retires

Winners of the Winslow Early Bird Promotion were Heath and Rebecca Smith of Tobruk Farms. ATS Dairy Key Account Manager Gretchen McGuire is pictured with Rebecca Smith and Winslow Representative Snow Pearce.

A familiar face to many ATS members is set to retire from Allied Petroleum. Graeme Joyce has been instrumental to the business' growth, and has made a significant contribution to the industry.

He has spent his entire working life in the New Zealand oil industry and started as the General Manager of Allied Petroleum in 1993. At that stage the business operated in Canterbury with just a few trucks.

ATS members will now be looked after by Dave Chambers. Dave spent many years driving the Mid Canterbury tanker so knows customers well.

Graeme finishes with Allied Petroleum during December and intends spending his retirement playing golf, fishing, continue mentoring and community work.

ATS/Trutest Fishing Trip The winners of the annual ATS/Trutest Competition had a successful fishing expedition to Moeraki last month.

Lucky Trutest shoppers had the opportunity to go into the draw to win one of eight spots on the ATS Fishing Trip to Moeraki which included two days fishing on a charter boat and two night’s accommodation.

Some good fishing was had by all on the first afternoon before the weather turned rough, resulting in about 40kg of Blue Cod fillets. It was an early start on the second day—this time to catch Groper.

One of the competition winners, Doug Williams, is pictured with the Groper he caught.

Shop at ATS Buy online

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Before you shop

ATS Online Shop ATS’s online selling gives members the opportunity to buy over 250 of our best-selling products via the ATS website. This e-commerce facility offers the convenience of shopping from home 24 hours a day, and when coupled with our retail stores and call centres, allows us to continue to provide excellent service to our members.

The process is easy, and payment is made through your ATS account. Simply log on to the members area of the ATS website and click “Shop at ATS”—this will bring you to the main page of the online shop where you can browse giftware, dairy, clothing, footwear, hardware and many more ATS departments.

Remember—shipping is free within the ATS boundaries (Oamaru to Culverden, Southern Alps being the west boundary) and if you have any troubles at all the Call Centre is on standby to help you with your order on 0800 BUY ATS (0800 289 287 .

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News at ATS

ATS at the Ashburton A & P Show

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C LA S S I F I E D S FOR SALE 1974 Leyland 384 8300 hrs. Very sound tidy tractor with new rear tyres, complete with Jones FE loader, C bucket and bale forks. $6500 ono.

Tel 03 307 2244

2005 Holden Commodore Lumina 116,000km, new front tyres, excellent condition. $14,000 Tel 027 329 0415

Blackout Generator 230V 50Hz 6KW (Max 6.5KW) Electric start 7hp, DC 12 V socket @ 8.3 Amps also twin power sockets. On castors $1,500 ono.

Tel Steven 03 307 0699

Calf Bedding Woodchip calf bedding. Quantities on hand. Samples are available per request.

Get in early for the winter.

Tel 03 303 6205 or 027 485 6206 Or 0800 CALF BED

Frizzell Agricultural Electronics 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 Tel 03 3027 065 or 0275066434. www. frizzell.co.nz or sales@frizzell.co.nz.

Kidz Korner If you have children to buy for this Christmas you must do as Santa does, drop into Kidz Korner!

Specialising in quality educational toys with lasting play value. Lots of farm toys, wooden toys, outdoor gift ideas, horse gifts, very girly gifts, games, pyjamas, cute dresses etc!! For unique and exciting gifts for ages—birth to 12 years see our helpful staff for lots of ideas.

East Street, Ashburton. 10% discount to ATS Members and FREE gift wrapping

RETAIL

The Aromatherapy Co Large Freeman Bales Pasture ryecorn silage. $60 each +GST. Last unit load left.

Tel Mark 03 303 6566

Buy any two Naturals Body Care products from The Aromatherapy range and get a free 35ml Naturals Diffuser FREE! Excludes 50ml products and balms and valid only while stocks last.

Tux WANTED Digital Irrigation Clocks Tel Brian 03 302 4899 or 0274 382 311

Get a FREE pair of fencing pliers with each 40kg bag of either Tux Energy or Tux Country.

Valid to 31/12/10 or while stocks last.

FiL Bloateze and Bloateze DFA – get a FREE 20lt with each 200lt purchased. Only while stocks last.

Bus Shelter For four children.

Tel Geoff 03 302 3723

Motorised Go-Cart

Free box of Scorched Almonds Buy any two tins of Milo, Nescafe fine blend coffee or Nescafe classic coffee and get a FREE box of Nestle Scorched Almonds. Valid to 31/12/10 or while stocks last.

Tel Geoff 03 302 3723

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

V Energy Drink Buy a box of 24 and go in the draw to win a Mini SD Camcorder—great for the summer holidays.