Guardian Farming December 2014

Farming GUARDIAN

DECEMBER, 2014

Lowlines pack a punch President of the Australian Lowline Association Gordon Guthrie.

Pages 3-5 PHOTO TETSURO MITOMO 201114-TM-073

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Greg Martin Brass & Feathers – spins a yarn about drifting on the Rakaia with the good ol’ boys.

Greg Martin

BRASS AND FEATHERS

Mary Ralston Forest & Bird – discusses evolution in regard to native birds.

Mary Ralston

John Leadley

P16

FOREST AND BIRD

RURAL COMMENT

John Leadley Rural Comment – questions why young people are still shying away from careers in the primary industry sector.

Tony Davoren Hydro Services – talks about the ongoing El-Niño-type weather patterns.

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CONTACTS We appreciate your feedback.

Editor Email your comments to michelle.n@theguardian.co.nz or phone 03 307 7971.

Advertising Email jenni.s@theguardian.co.nz or phone 03 307 7927.

COMMENT FROM EDITOR With Christmas on the doorstep police and industry groups are issuing warnings about an expected surge in rural crime.

Stock rustling has been making news throughout the year, but the temptation of a free Christmas roast is likely to see more sheep disappearing from paddocks.

The problem is the loss of one or two animals is often not noticed, and when it is many farmers don’t bother to report minor stock thefts.

Federated Farmers Meat and Fibre chairman Rick Powdrell recently noted twothirds of suspected stock thefts went unreported.

The survey the figure was extrapolated from gave a variety of reasons for this.

Some farmers felt confronting the issue put them and their families at risk in isolated environments. Others had no faith the offenders would be punished, and therefore deemed reporting a waste of time.

However, police say reporting crime is vital to building up a picture of what is happening in communities, and where the hot spots are.

Each time you fail to report a crime on your property, you enable a criminal to continue to offend.

That isn’t confined to stock thefts either, if you have had property damaged, interfered with or stolen, report it. If you notice people behaving suspiciously, or activity on neighbouring properties at inappropriate times, report it.

Take note of the registration numbers of unfamiliar vehicles, and where and when you observed them.

During the holiday season rural people are often off the property, sharing festivities with friends and relatives elsewhere.

Making sure properties are secured goes without saying, but making a neighbour aware of your intentions is also prudent.

Remember the warmer nights make a jaunt into the country more appealing for hoons – and dangerous driving is also a crime which can and does escalate to vandalism, when large groups converge on rural roadsides.

Crimestoppers is proactive in helping rural communities, in recent years running the Stop Crime At The Gate campaign.

If you see anything suspicious or know anything about rural crime, you can anonymously contact the toll-free crime line on 0800 555-111.

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Corporate man a real country boy EA Networks general manager Gordon Guthrie is a country boy at heart.

Outside his corporate life he can often be found hanging out in his back paddock with his herd of lowline beef cattle.

“I love getting out of the office and coming down here.”

Gordon is in fact the newly-elected president of the Australian Lowline Association.

His interest in the breed began in the late 1990s, while he and his wife Debbie were

Right – Ashmore Alfie mans up for the camera.

201114-TM-071

Below – Portrait of a champion – two-year-old Ashmore Lorenzo at this year’s Canterbury A&P Show.

Michelle Nelson

RURAL EDITOR

living on a lifestyle block in Tinwald, on the outskirts of Ashburton. “I was looking for something easier than sheep; they were too much of a hassle to look after. I

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saw an article on lowline cattle from Australia, so I did some research and imported five in-calf heifers in two instalments,” Gordon said. continued over page

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In doing so he established one of the country’s first lowline studs.

Today the Guthries run about 120 cattle in the Ashmore Lowline Stud, on a block of land on the Methven Highway, calving up to 60 cows a year.

Developed from purebred angus cattle during a 26-year closed trial on an Australian stud, lowlines are two-thirds the size of standard angus and therefore only require two-thirds of the tucker.

“As a rule of thumb you can run 10 lowlines to six normal angus cattle, depending on the feed supply.”

The breed is hardy and adaptable.

“They seem to do well anywhere – they run them in the dry in Queensland and they live in snow here.

“When they started the trial it was assumed the bigger cattle were more efficient (at converting feed) but it wasn’t the case – the smaller cattle did just as well.

“When the trial finished, a group of guys literally sat under a gumtree and formed an association, and bought the lowlines from the trial.”

Gordon says lowlines are generally placid and good natured, perhaps because they

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Right – Curious and cheeky Ashmore Lowline calves.

PHOTOS TETSURO MITOMO 201114-TM-038

Left – Lowline cows with calves at foot.

201114-TM-033

are often reared on smaller blocks and are handled more.

Lowlines have proved popular with lifestyle farmers who want a smaller carcass to put into the home freezer or just a low-maintenance lawnmower to keep the grass down, but the breed is becoming increasingly popular with dairy farmers.

Next spring routine

inductions will be a thing of the past and dairy industry experts have been urging farmers to plan ahead.

Lowlines have a shorter gestation period, normally around 279 days, about 10 days earlier than cows in calf to other British-bred bulls.

The calves are smaller, delivered at 20-22kg, which is a definite advantage in

good results.”

Because they are smaller than traditional beef bulls, lowlines are easier on pasture and cost less to feed. For these reasons an increasing number of dairy farmers are running the bulls on for multiple breeding seasons.

“I’ve got customers who order every year and others who cycle them every two

reducing stress in calving heifers, enabling them to hit peak production sooner.

“Some farmers are using lowline bulls as markers after AI runs. Because they are black they stand out, so the farmer knows when things change.

“Some of the local guys are running lowline bulls with the heifers rather than AI, with

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BEGINNINGS In 1974 a special research project was commenced at the Trangie Research Centre in New South Wales utilising the angus herd of the prizewinning Trangie Stud; this had been a closed herd, meaning no new blood has been introduced, since 1964.

The project involved breeding animals for size, selecting the largest and smallest animals respectively as comparative groups – with the remainder of the herd acting as a control.

By 1992 a herd that bred true for small size and early maturity had been developed and the Australian Lowline association was formed. (www.rarebreeds.co.nz) or three years, if they have a corner on the farm to hold them on.

“I recommend a maximum of 40 cows to a bull – no more, in order to condense the cycle.”

The breed is also gaining traction with beef farmers, who are using the bulls over their heifers to promote easy calving, particularly in the hill country where the cows are

left to their own devices.

Gordon says lowline calves are vigorous feeders, even the crossbreeds.

The Ashmore Lowline heifers are mated at 14 months, calving as two-year-olds. With a high fecundity rate there are few dry cows in the herd and they are naturally good mothers.

Lowline bulls are advertised

Have

as “curve benders” – meaning they possess a genotype which consistently produce smaller calves, with the potential to grow quickly.

“The curve flattens out at 14 months and they start laying fat on, whereas bigger beef breeds are still growing bone at that point.

“I’ve heard people describe them as little hippos if they

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just go wild on food.”

Worldwide there are more than 300 registered lowline breeders and imported semen introduces fresh genetics into the Ashmore herd.

The Guthrie herd is now at a size where they can begin to contemplate selling cull animals for beef and some have already gone to an artisan butcher in Hawarden.

Lowline meat cuts appeal to today’s health-conscious consumer, being smaller than traditional beef cuts.

“A t-bone steak is about the same size as a chop.

The meat is well-marbled and noted for its tenderness.

“I have a theory that because the sinews are shorter, the meat is more tender – even in the cheaper cuts.”

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A win for the employer Farm worker Donald Dunsmuir was dismissed from Arthur Butlin’s Tauranga farm for serious misconduct. Dunsmuir raised a personal grievance claiming his dismissal was unjustified.

There were a number of issues that led to the dismissal, and the employer formally put their concerns to Dunsmuir, and met with him to provide an opportunity to respond. Two days after the meeting Dunsmuir was dismissed.

The reasons for his dismissal were:

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

He let penicillin contaminate the milk vat resulting in the loss of two days’ production; He failed to pay the power bill for his farm house; He allowed his son who was under the age of 16, to ride on the farm’s quad bike; He burnt rubbish at the house during a local fire ban; and He failed to check that stock being grazed at an off-farm paddock had adequate water.

Dunsmuir claimed the power

Christine Summerville

EMPLOYMENT MATTERS

bill hadn’t been paid because the employer had not provided him with copies of the bill. The employer denied this, however there was nothing to verify the bills had been provided and they weren’t produced at the disciplinary meeting.

As such the ERA concluded Dunsmuir did not have sufficient opportunity to respond to the concerns.

Dunsmuir denied burning any rubbish. Although smoke had been seen, no-one actually witnessed Dunsmuir burning rubbish. As there were six people residing at Dunsmuir’s accommodation, the ERA

concluded Butlin did not have sufficient information to conclude it was Dunsmuir.

In regards to his son riding the quad bike, Dunsmuir provided a variety of explanations from being unclear that the instruction was his son couldn’t be on the bike at all, to the witnesses mistakenly identifying him as his son. The ERA accepted Butlin’s evidence that he was very clear on his instructions and there was photographic evidence of the son on the bike.

The ERA was satisfied Butlin sufficiently investigated this allegation before deciding it was substantiated.

It was established, despite Dunsmuir’s denials, that he was responsible for the stock on the off-farm grazing paddock.

Although he drove up to the paddocks to count the stock, therefore suggesting he knew of his responsibilities, the water wasn’t checked and the troughs ran dry. As such

Left – Burning rubbish during a fire ban was just one of the things that led to an employee’s dismissal.

the ERA said the employer was justified in not accepting Dunsmuir’s explanations. In the final issue Dunsmuir did not deny his actions resulted in the contamination of the milk. His explanation was that he was tired and that resulted in the mistake, and he claimed a one off mistake couldn’t be seen as serious misconduct.

In view of the quad bike issue, the off-farm stock care as well as the contamination, the ERA concluded the three events in totality justifiably led to a loss of trust and confidence and therefore dismissal was justified.

This case demonstrates the need for a thorough investigation of all the matters before an employer, however also reinforces the view that an accumulation of a number of events, which individually may not justify dismissal, can accumulatively do so.

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2 8

Farming

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Industry’s future in hands of reform Farmers have only a small window of opportunity to change the future of the meat industry, Meat Industry Excellence (MIE) chairman John McCarthy says.

The arrival of voting packs for Alliance shareholders in the coming days was a timely reminder of the importance of the role farmers played as shareholders in the co-ops.

“It’s a busy time of year and sometimes taking time to read voting packs, and to cast a vote can be just one more thing on the ‘to do’ list,” Mr McCarthy said. “Worse, farmers only have a very short time-frame to get their ballot papers returned before the ballot box closes.

“But the voting process is a very important component of our farm businesses because change is coming to our industry, in my view this is our chance to manage the change process and to push for the results we want.

“If we don’t take this opportunity it is likely a solution will be imposed upon us and we may not like what we end up with. It is important farmers elect

governors to both Silver Fern Farms and Alliance that can proactively manage this change in the interests of the co-ops as well as the farmer shareholders.”

High levels of farmer participation in last year’s elections had been crucial to changes under way at both co-ops. Not only had it helped elect excellent directors, but it had sent a strong message to the boards, Mr McCarthy said.

“As a grassroots, voluntary farmer organisation all MIE can do is provide good information, identify the issues, propose options and give farmers choices,” he said.

“We know it’s the companies themselves that will need to lead the change. But we also want farmers to be very engaged with the process.”

Mr McCarthy said that he has been heartened by the level of support for reform from the non-cooperative members of the meat industry, who also recognised a single co-op with scale would be good in the market. “They also acknowledge it would give NZ the ability to conduct

meaningful negotiations with the supermarket behemoths who are the major buyers of our red meat products.

“A strong co-operative with scale and size is crucial in market is crucial to the industry, however, make no mistake, this is under threat without reform.

“MIE has endorsed two candidates seeking a seat on the Alliance Group board - Wanaka farmer, vet and company director Dr Mandy Bell, and Southland sheep and beef farmer and commercial investor Russell Drummond.

West Otago farmer and Rabobank Global Farmers Masterclass nominee Fiona Hancox has the group’s endorsement for the Silver Fern Farms board.

Alliance shareholders should post their vote by December 3 to ensure it was counted, he said. Voting papers can also be faxed to 05282 3353-2869. Online voting can be completed through www.alliance.co.nz and clicking through to the internet voting site, using the PIN and password printed on voting papers.

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9

Rakaia drifters – Really fishing the river Greg Martin

BRASS AND FEATHERS

How chance are chance meetings? Not very I don’t think.

I was trudging in my waders across a reserve near Kaiapoi after fishing the morning on the Waimak when an enthusiastic elderly man came over to say hello. He was organising to stock a local pond with salmon from Isaac’s fish farm and wanted to know if I would like to help.

His name was Trevor Monk and a few weeks later he was introducing me to a way of salmon fishing that I had never seen anyone do before and have never seen anyone do since: drifting the Rakaia in a row boat.

The boat was a Kaiapoi Flattie which Trevor had built years before. Its flat bottom was perfect for skidding over the rapids going down river.

Big enough for three and manoeuvrable enough to get you quickly out of the current as you were washed into good holding water, Trevor and his drifting companion Derek Hegan had year-after-year launched at the Rakaia Gorge, and pulled out hours later at Highbank.

At the end of a good trip the water in the bottom of the boat would be pinked with fish blood and solid silver tails would be tucked into the shade under a thwart; the signs of a deeply satisfying adventure.

The time they invited me to drift the Rakaia with them, Derek was recovering from heart surgery and Trevor was a little unsteady on his feet. continued over page

Above – A good pool is also a good opportunity to stretch the legs.

Below left – Expert Rakaia drifters and good friends, Derek Hegan and the late Trevor Monk.

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Farming

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Launching for a trip down, from above the gorge.

from page 9 That said, I was the only one who managed to fall in, which I did in the first 30 minutes, up to my neck and swimming.

Trevor had seen me hanging on to the bow and had thrown his head back and laughed out loud.

Despite being soaked for the rest of the day, I was also the only one to catch a fish. It was a sea-run trout, so big there was initially some debate as to whether it was a salmon or not.

But it wasn’t and that drift we didn’t see any salmon porpoise as they sometimes do when they enter the still water of a new pool after making the dash up from white water below.

For Trevor and Derek, they had some very good times, sometimes joined by Ashburtonians Alan Browne and Ross Smith in their own row boat. There were trips when there were bag limits and trips when there were big fish, and trips when there were bag limits and big fish. I hope we see some of those seasons again one day.

Regardless of whether we do or not, the experience of drifting the Rakaia will always be there, waiting.

What I learned from Trevor and Derek was the tension of riding a big wild river with swirling blue water carrying

you along. You stop on beaches which feel as remote and vulnerable as if they were out in the Pacific. You pass beneath eroded cliffs which are the exclusive domain of the birds who have made them their home. And you fish water that no-one else gets to fish.

It is wild and you are at its mercy. Even in normal flows, the Rakaia is a magnificent braided force of nature and when you drift it, you feel it. It hisses beneath you. It hurtles you along. It takes your breath away.

When I moved to Ashburton I was occasionally in touch with Trevor to find out how the drifting was going. He and Derek had a few more good trips together. But earlier this year I saw that Trevor’s house in Kaiapoi had been sold and I suspected the news was bad.

Sadly it was. I managed to track Derek down and I went around to see him on a visit to Christchurch.

He told me that Trevor had passed away at home suddenly, but peacefully a few years back.

Derek had sold the boat at the end of 2012, but he still hopes to get out again, perhaps on the Waimak.

In a world of choppering, jetboating and quadbiking, Trevor and Derek had discovered

something more natural and, as a result, more challenging and sporting. They gave themselves the experience of really fishing the river. That experience involved exploring, surviving, risking, running.

That experience gave them the freedom and exhilaration of the drift, and I am glad that my chance meeting with Trevor those few years ago meant I had that experience too.

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I wrote this article one evening after work. The next afternoon I received a call from Derek to say that his good friend Alan Browne, fellow drifter and Ashburton golfing legend, had been taken to hospital and died last night. This article is therefore dedicated to Alan and Trevor, good sort Cantabrians, and salmon drifters of the Rakaia.

You’ll be missed.

11

Above left – Kaiapoi flattie.

The electric motor helped with manoeuvering in the later years. Derek having a break.

TIPS

Above right – Boat back at the lodge. Derek Hegan (right) and first class Ashburton golfer, the late Alan Browne.

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Tips for drifting the Rakaia for salmon: ■ Get out on the river mid-week if you can.

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■ Learn to read the water. It’s a big river, but the salmon will only be found in very isolated parts of it.

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Rural Safety

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Safer rural roads A

SAFER RURAL ROADS

causes potholes and cracks to occur,” he says.

Another way farmers can help protect our rural roads is by keeping trees trimmed.

This helps stop shading on the road and also reduces the risk of the trees falling in high winds leading to restricted road access.

Council recognises that

COWS CROSSING

SAFER RURAL ROADS

Do your cows cross the road?

SAFER

farmers need to move stock in order to manage their farms efficiently but it needs to be done in a way that does not compromise road users’ safety, inconvenience them or damage the roads in the process.

“Where cows cross the road, use crossing mats, signs and lights. It’s also helpful to think about the safest place and

RU RO R AD AL S

becomes a safety hazard for motorists,” he says. “They get caught off guard when their vehicles are bombarded by jets of water while travelling and this becomes dangerous to them and others nearby.

“Water can collect on roads and weaken the road structure.

Combined with traffic, it

RU RO R AD AL S

griculture is at the heart of our local economy and is dependent on the district’s roading network to be in good condition to be able to operate efficiently and safely.

Mid Canterbury farmers are being encouraged to follow good farming practices throughout the year to ensure the safety of our district’s rural roads.

“By following good farming practices– especially in terms of roadside farming activity - farmers can really make a difference to helping keep our roads in good condition,” says Mr Fauth, contracts manager.

Some of the most important factors for farmers to consider when operating near or on the roads are irrigation, baleage, shady trees and stock.

With summer upon us, irrigators will be out in full force in the district and Mr Fauth’s advice is to keep irrigators from spraying water on roads.

“When water from irrigators falls on our rural roads, it

time to cross,” says Mr Fauth.

“Always clean up after your cows so that it doesn’t leave it slippery for motorists.”

Storing baleage or other large items near the road can limit motorists’ vision and cause accidents so farmers need to ensure baleage is stored well away from road sides at all times.

SAFER RURAL ROADS

TREE TRIMMING

SAFER RURAL ROADS

Are your trees looking shady?

SAFER

You need to use crossing mats, warning signs and lights.

Trees can shade roads and footpaths causing ice in winter.

You need to think about the safest place and time to cross.

Make sure your trees are not making the road unsafe.

Lastly, clean up after your cows - it can get slippery!

SAFER RURAL ROADS It’s your responsibility.

SAFER RURAL ROADS It’s your responsibility.

w w w.ashbur tondc .gov t .nz

w w w.ashbur tondc .gov t .nz

Rural Safety

www.guardianonline.co.nz

13

Protect yourself It’s in your hands W

hile driving a quad around your paddock, it is important to remain as safe as possible. Lifeguard roll bar has been created to help in protecting you from serious injury.

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If the roll bar lands on or comes in contact with the rider it depresses at the point of contact, moulding around the object but increases in vertical strength with one side or both sides helping to take the weight off the person, while still supporting the quad. This is the main feature of the invention which could help save serious injury. It is also quite possible for a person to free themselves and prevent them being trapped underneath due to its flexible nature.

Another great feature of the roll bar is when the quad rolls, and even if the bar doesn’t come in contact with the rider, it will provide space under the

I

Suzuki ATV with Lifeguard roll bar attached

quad, also spreading the weight and making it quite possible to push the bike off you.

The Lifeguard roll bar has taken quad safety to a whole new level, and already proving itself.

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s your farm as safe as it could be?

The challenge striking most rural businesses is that the workplace is also often the family home.

For the people working on the farm, there are long days of work, variable weather conditions, large animals and potentially hazardous machinery and equipment to manage.

The risk to workers and members of the family is often greater than imagined, because it’s an environment which generations of the family were raised amongst.

The prevention of personal injury for those living and working on the farm is a priority. Those preventative measures can save lives, and also, can save your business money.

Monthly safety courses are held for Ruralco cardholders by Unique Solutions, to ensure the workplace meets the requirements under law to provide a safe work environment.

Not specific to one industry, the course enables dairy farmers, sheep, beef and arable farmers, spray contractors and other rural businesses to learn the basic fundamentals of Health and Safety.

Enquiries are also welcome from non Ruralco cardholders, as specific courses can be tailor-made to suit any industry.

The courses are designed to be simple and straightforward, not full

of jargon. The aim is to leave you full of knowledge, not confusion, and with the confidence to implement a health and safety management system for your place of work.

You will be guided step-by-step through a practical manual, which is yours to keep after the course.

This then gives you the opportunity to apply for ACC accreditation, and an ACC Workplace Safety discount of 10 percent, already creating significant savings for your business.

Arm yourself with the knowledge that your farm is equipped with its own risk control solutions to achieve the best safety outcomes possible. The safety of your business is in your hands.

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Farming

2 14

Rural Safety

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Can-Am has released a new ATV T

he 450L is the first commercial-based vehicle of its type on the New Zealand market, and will ensure your increased safety with the following features.

• Visco-Lok systemOnce 4x4 is selected, the system intelligently transfers power from the slipping front wheel to the opposing wheel with traction and is not hampered by a speed or rev limiters.

• 214mm disc brakes Large 214mm disc brakes, front and rear, have hydraulic twin-piston calipers for superior stopping power.

• 2-inch steel wheels / 25-inch (66cm) ti - The 12-inch steel wheels on the Outlander L provide rugged performance in tough terrain and changing conditions. A bigger tyre design helps you easily overcome obstacles as you ride.

• 10.5-inch ground clearance - A whopping 10.5 inches of ground clearance gives the Outlander L exceptional capabilities in challenging

OUTLANDER 500 DPS

terrain.

• Trailing Torsional Independent (TTI) rear suspension - The industry’s only independent rear suspension designed to allow the rear wheels to pivot up and down in a vertical line rather than a more cumbersome butterfly motion. The rear suspension is also strategically designed to offer point-and-shoot handling, optimal traction and efficient transferring of power to the ground.

Offering a five-way preload adjustable shocks and 8.8 inches of suspension travel, the Outlander L can soak up

rough terrain while keeping the rider comfortable and focused on the trail.

• Double A-farm front suspension - The front suspension system includes dive-control geometry for better cornering and vehicle-braking dynamics.

Increases capabilities in rough terrain and five-way preload adjustable shocks can help riders add more or less spring resistance for riding conditions and various chores.

• Surrounding Spar Technology (SST) G2 Frame - The more efficient SST design offers increased

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strength compared to a traditional tubular steel chassis, a lower centre of gravity, better handling and requires far less components, materials and welds.

Safety innovation characterise Can-Am ATVs, such as keys that limit speed and power, and sensors that detect the speed and force being applied by the rider so power steering is activated automatically when needed.

As the name suggests, CanAm is a Canadian-American product.

Its Rotax engines forged their reputation in the aviation

sector, where reliability is paramount.

Can-Am North Canterbury business manager, Amanda King, believes the 450L will be ideal for both farm workers and lifestylers alike, able to tow with ease and well price pointed.

With the former Ashburton Can-Am agency no longer in existence, Timaru CanAm and Can-Am North Canterbury are filling the gap between them. The Rangiora team will take care of all customers from Ashburton to Kaikoura, while the Timaru team handles clients and queries from Ashburton down to North Otago.

Both businesses urge Mid Canterbury’s Can-Am riders not to be disillusioned, an ideal replacement dealer will be appointed and until then, Timaru and North Canterbury are providing all the sales, service and support needed for existing and potential customers including collection and delivery of ATVs to and from farms across the district.

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Rural Safety

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Are we training our staff to be safe?

A

ny employer would answer this question the same: would you let your staff member loose on a new piece of machinery without teaching them what to do?

Of course not! It is arguably just as important to extend this training to equip our staff with the knowledge and skills to improve safety at work.

All employers have a duty of care to provide information, training and supervision to enable their staff to carry out their work safely – not just the task itself, but the health and safety knowledge around those tasks as well.

Last month, a meat processing company was fined $57,949 and ordered to pay $15,000 to an employee whose hand was crushed in a machine – along with guarding being missing, the court heard that the employee had not been adequately trained and was unsupervised while operating the machine.

Why is it important to have your staff understand health and safety in relation to their job?

• Staff members who understand health and safety identify potential hazards and adopt a safe way of working on their own accord; • It fosters a positive culture towards working in a healthy and safe manner and leads staff to

promote that anything less is not tolerated; • It encourages your staff to assist you with improving the health and safety in your business; • It minimises accidents/down time when the team are looking out for each other to work safe; • It helps your staff members to avoid unnecessary costs/time off work; • It helps you to meet your legal obligations around reporting accidents, employee involvement.

Remember, competence to do a task is more than just attending a training course, experience is key.

There needs to be clear procedures to ensure that the right people have the right knowledge to carry out tasks.

Trusting luck is too risky – it may have paid off in the past, but it won’t in the future.

Very importantly, don’t forget to keep a central, written, up-todate record of all training your staff undertake and their level of experience.

Have a question for me on Health & Safety compliance or HR? Ph: me now on 0800BIZSAFE advice or a book your free workplace H & S health check Advertising feature

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Worker rescued within minutes 30 per cent strike rate to reach staff

G

eneral manager David Sloss says: “Mundtville Dairy Farm is an independent family owned business which supplies milk to Synlait. Radios were one of my first suggestions on starting my role after observations of 12 staff doing so much travel.

“The farm covers 536 hectares and we just about needed a traffic controller because of vehicles driving back and forth all day just looking for people.

“We used mobile phones but coverage was intermittent, staff didn’t carry them, or they’d be out of credit.

Excluding management, the success rate of getting someone on the phone was about 30 per cent of the time.”

Less mileage, more work The new radios were rolled out in early 2014 for all farm communications, and proved their worth almost immediately: Safety: “A staff member fell off a motorbike and broke his leg. He called us via the radio, we got to him within minutes, took him to the medical centre. It’s difficult to say what might have happened without the radio, it

could potentially have been hours before he was discovered.”

Productivity: “It’s all about increased productivity. Staff aren’t driving around looking for each other all the time, so they spend more time on other tasks and not waiting for instructions. We can make changes instantly.”

Coverage: “Poor coverage had put management off a previous radio solution but with a dedicated channel, coverage is no longer an issue.”

Better communication: “The constant flow of information enhances the profitability of the property. For example, if the herd manager and I have a discussion, everyone hears and knows what’s going on. We’re not meeting every five minutes.”

“I live 75km away in Christchurch, but via the radio I can still communicate.

“T L Parker Ltd is a company who understands the importance of high quality reliable communications in the farming community and has established itself as a South Island leader in the field. The company’s emphasis on service, has made it the preferred communication company with many Canterbury Business.

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15

P: 03 358 8082 | E: info@tlparker.co.nz

2 16

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

New Zealand’s unique birds Large, flightless, groundfeeding, ground-nesting, fearless of predators – some of New Zealand’s amazing native birds have some very particular (and some would say peculiar) characteristics.

These distinctive features evolved over the 70 million years of isolation that occurred after New Zealand became separated from the Gondwanaland supercontinent.

Why would many different species come up with similar habits?

The major feature of the environment that led to these characteristics is the lack of predators of birds on land – no mammalian or reptilian predators evolved alongside the avian fauna.

There was no need for birds to fly away from an enemy or to nest in trees away from the thundering hooves of bison.

Individuals with poor flying ability did not fall prey to predators and so survived to reproduce.

Large individuals, rather

Mary Ralston

FOREST AND BIRD

than being hampered by weight and slowness, were at an advantage rather than a disadvantage – they could forage on the forest floor and not spend a lot of energy flying.

They could invest a lot of energy laying a single large egg which would have a good chance of survival.

Different species filled different ecological “niches” such as the forest-browsing habit of the moa; kiwi and wrens were ground-based insect eaters, and the takahe ate grass.

These niches are often filled by mammals in other parts of the world.

But it was too good to last: since human settlement began

UNDERGROUND CABLE

about 700 years ago New Zealand has lost 42 per cent (57 species) of its terrestrial birds.

Early extinctions occurred because of Maori hunting practices (such as the burning of forest to flush out moa and other birds), and the introduction of the Polynesian rat and dogs.

The birds’ fearlessness didn’t help either – grounddwelling adult birds and their

“

contributed to extinction too.

The total species loss included all 14 moas, 11 rails, six wrens and both eagles.

There are another 16 flightless species still alive (although at various levels on the endangered scale), including two rails, five ratites (kiwi), two teal, one parrot, and six penguins.

Another interesting characteristic of New Zealand’s fauna is the

a black coat absorbs heat from the sun better than a lighter coloured one. In cool climates such as New Zealand this may be important: darker coloured individuals were better able to survive and reproduce.

The black phase of the New Zealand fantail is almost absent in the North Island but in some parts of the southern South Island 23 per cent of fantails are black; the tomtit is darker in the South Island

The birds’ fearlessness didn’t help either – grounddwelling adult birds and their eggs made easy meals for the new settlers

eggs made easy meals for the new settlers.

After Europeans arrived another 19 species were lost due to further clearing of forest for pasture and the introduction of new mammalian predators, especially the stoat and rat.

The arrival of guns

UNDERGROUND CABLE

high frequency of black colouration. Many birds are black, some alpine spiders and insects (including a butterfly) are black and there is even a scree plant with a black flower.

The reason for the evolutionary success of black forms may be climate related –

than the North Island, and the Snares Islands have a completely black tomtit.

Other black native birds include the variable oystercatcher, Chatham Islands black robin, a number of shags, the Westland petrel and a number of storm petrel species.

www.guardianonline.co.nz

The black stilt – black feathers may help keep birds warm and give them an evolutionary advantage.

17

PHOTO WARREN JOWETT

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19

A truly personalised service M

id Canterbury brothers David and Roger West started Westham Industries three decades ago as a natural extension to their mixed farming business.

The company provides seed cleaning and processing services but is also registered sampling and seed exporters.

David said starting up the business gave them “more control and added value to the crops we are growing”. “We are farming here and our area is fantastic for arable farming,” he said.

While most existing work is in the Wakanui, Seafield and Pendarves districts, they operate Mid Canterbury wide.

The West brothers pride themselves on their ongoing customer service and business ethic. “Our father instilled strong business ethics in us and people are most important,” David said. “To build up good relationships with customers you have to be honest and interested in providing the very best service.”

Since those early days,

Paddy, Shane and Neville with Shane’s Cimbria machine.

the family business - and its clientele - has steadily grown and David’s son, Andrew, has joined the company.

It has been a journey where David has “loved every minute”.

“We have many clients and we enjoy providing a good service, we like them to interact and be involved with the seed cleaning process because they have spent all

year preparing and producing the crop,” he said.

“We have a huge responsibility to prepare it for the market and get them the best return.”

“When a customer asks us to clean and process his seed or grain, we offer to receive it directly from their field at harvest time,” he said.

“We provide a certified weighbridge and prompt

efficient delivery with most going into bulk storage, but if necessary we have several thousand boxes which get quickly filled through selfemptying silos.”

David said there were no delays with trucks at harvest time and used ducted cool storage for seed which ensured safe storage.

Westham Industries works with the client and seed buyer

to get the best results for all concerned. “During the cleaning process we like the farmer to see the seed being processed,” David said.

It gives the client an understanding of the losses and allows them to make decisions on any by-product.

The personalised service they offer is strengthened by the experience and industry knowledge of their staff.

“Because we are a small business we know the people and our staff all know them.

“Paddy, our manager, has been with us for 21 years, Shane eight years and Neville two years,” David said.

The West family members have lived all their lives in the district, working alongside their neighbours.

David said providing a good service, recognising it was a privilege to work with the clients’ seeds, and produce the best result for the seed companies was the most enjoyable aspect of the job.

It ensures there are “consistently good results and happy customers”, he said.

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2 20

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Clark: Grain shortages possible

BY MICHELLE NELSON Grain growers will be heading into the harvest with silos completely empty and an emerging potential for shortages, according to the Arable Industry Marketing Initiative (AIMI).

Federated Farmers grain and seed vice-chairperson David Clark says the glut of wheat and barley available two years ago has been obliterated.

“Twenty-four months ago the market had a big surplus of carry-over stock heading into the end of the year.

“Last year we made a big dent in that surplus, but these latest figures show that it has now disappeared.

“Strong market demand from all end-users, especially the dairy industry, as well as smart decisions by arable farmers, has meant the market is now more aligned, and in fact, I would expect we may be heading into a time of shortages.”

At 26,000 tonnes, the amount of feed wheat, which is stored on farms available to the market, is less than half

This Mid Canterbury crop is likely to be harvested into an empty silo, for the first time in recent years.

PHOTO MICHELLE NELSON 191114-MN-042

of the 53,000 tonnes that were sitting there this time last year, and less than a third of what was there in 2012.

Mr Clark said feed barley has been slightly more stable, but is still at much lower levels than the previous two years, with 2014 availability at 22,300 tonnes un-sold, on farm, compared with 32,000 in 2013 and 66,000 in 2012.

“For some, remaining stocks of 47,300 tonnes of barley and wheat might sound like a lot. But it represents only

about seven per cent of the total grain harvested, and with still three months or so before grain from the new harvest becomes available. Farmers who want to feed grain through to early next year will need to lock something in to tide them over.”

He says un-sold stocks on farm aren’t the whole picture.

“It’s also important to look at the amount of stock that has been sold, but still sits on farm and is yet to be consumed.

“Again, the report shows that this is significantly less than in the previous two years, with only 66,068 tonnes of feed wheat and 53,434 tonnes of feed barley waiting to be delivered to those who had pre purchased to cover themselves at the back end of the year.

“Across all of the major grain types, more tonnes of grain have moved to end users than in the previous four years, and these deliveries have occurred earlier in the season.

“What’s more, assuming the

strong demand continues, the area of feed wheat and barley harvested in 2015 doesn’t look like it’s going to be a bin buster.

“At 37,700 ha, the area of feed wheat is only roughly the same as the area that was harvested in 2014 and although barley is showing a projected 15 per cent increase, at 63,000 ha, a staggering 18,000 ha of area designated as yet to be sown as of October 10 and therefore reported in the survey as ‘intended’.

“With a dry period descending on the South Island, I would imagine that much of this planting may not take place, and the yield of the area that does go into barley at this late stage may be compromised.

“Overall, it is very positive that we will be harvesting into empty silos, and the survey figures point to expected harvest areas being in line with recent years. Certainly there is nothing to suggest that there will be a surplus of grain begging for a home at harvest time.”

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2 22

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Put the money where it When New Zealand Federated Farmers president Dr William Rolleston outlined the organisation’s manifesto in September he drew some interesting statistics from the Official Information Act. To back a call for more government money to be spent on science and innovation in the farming sector, some enlightening facts were exposed.

For example in 2013 just six people graduated at degree level in viticulture, an industry that is New Zealand’s eighth largest export earner bringing in $1.3 billion annually.

Forestry, our third largest industry generating $4 billion annually, achieved only four graduates at degree level.

By comparison 24 people achieved acupuncture degrees. I’m uncertain of this industry’s contribution to the export sector!

Last year 365 individuals graduated at degree level amongst all primary industries.

This number roughly equates to the 332 who graduated with

John Leadley

RURAL COMMENT

sport and recreation degrees.

While it is commendable that graduates are keen to benefit the physical health of the country and promote active lifestyles, I wonder if it’s not more important to promote technological innovation within our major export industries.

Maybe there needs to be greater incentives for young people to pursue agricultural tertiary study, particularly in the fields of animal and plant science where opportunities abound to increase production efficiency.

A generation or two ago young school leavers often without formal education beyond the age of 15 to 16 believed a career in the farming sector could eventually lead

to farm ownership. Hard manual work, long hours and disciplined savings plans were the introduction that many of today’s retiring farmers had to the industry in the 1950s-60s.

Staged land purchase and attention to efficiency and equity were the catalysts to some very effective careers.

With the advent in the district of irrigation and

the continuing efficiency of modern application techniques, production increases have been huge.

With adequate investment in science and innovation there

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23

matters remains huge potential for even greater food production.

The prospects of owning your own farm at today’s inflated land values must be very daunting to the schoolleavers of today.

Even an ownership opportunity via the wellestablished sharemilker scheme that has operated satisfactorily for years is now an intimidating prospect.

I find it very disappointing that the rules governing overseas investment in land, lack the teeth to retain productive farm land in New Zealand ownership. No doubt part of the reason for farmland inflation.

The current government argues that the percentage of land under absentee foreign ownership is small, but it continues to grow. This policy needs to change.

I’m a firm believer that “hands on” owner-operator farm businesses are still very relevant in today’s farming scenario of huge-scale corporate ownership and

“

I find it very disappointing that the rules governing overseas investment in land, lack the teeth to retain productive farm land in New Zealand ownership

absentee operations.

A survey of the number of top industry awards that have been won by a wide variety of farms within this district over a range of farming excellence activities on a national scale, points strongly to family ownership and operation.

The Slee, McKenzie, Watson, Ward, McFarlane and Gardner operators that have all taken farming honours at national level are testament to this fact. A huge number of district owner-operated farms operating below the glare of public scrutiny are equally as efficient. Big is not always beautiful. Give me efficient any day!

With the move to microexamination of all farming practices to satisfy modern environmental demands,

EXCLUSIVE DIRECT IMPORTERS sales & service specialists

investing in scientific innovation is absolutely vital.

Farmers already invest about $100 million in this sphere through industry organisations such as Dairy NZ, the Meat Industry Association, the Foundation for Arable Research, Beef and Lamb NZ and others.

This is often not acknowledged by media sources on government. It is not as if the industry is not helping itself.

The potential for funding cuts to Centres of Research Excellence (CoRSs) is a worry.

Bio-security, food innovation and reproduction rates are all vital tools to maintain and enhance our agricultural industry production into the future. All have the opportunity for enhancement.

The current dairy downturn, be it short- or mediumterm demands we look at every scenario to diversify agricultural exports.

Opportunities in horticultural, forestry, meat and fibre production similarly necessitate further research to meet demands as world conditions change.

The current rate of Research and Development spending at 1.2 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is well below accepted world standards for developing economies.

In 2008 NZ’s primary industries share of all merchandise exports was 65 per cent.

By 2013 this figure had ballooned out to 73 per cent.

Pastoral agricultural share of

that rise was from 40 per cent to 45 per cent.

Clear production increases of 1 per cent per annum.

Given the correct scientific data I am sure the industry has the skills and manpower to maintain this impetus. What is really needed is investment and tax incentives for research and development.

It’s great that New Zealand punches above its weight in so many fields of sporting endeavour on the world stage, and that government continues to invest in sports facilities across the country.

Those 332 sport and recreational degrees have a strong threshold to maintain.

If we don’t expand investment in our major export industry we run the risk of compromising our jealously achieved sporting prowess.

Without a strong economic base this could well happen.

The best way to ensure progress is to nurture the golden goose of agriculture.

The time for action is now.

2 24

Farming

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Changing tides of irrigation I t all started back in 1975 when I was given the opportunity to work for a Christchurch irrigation company who had the agency for the American Wade Rain irrigation equipment, the American Rain Bird sprinklers and the German Ritz submersible pumping units.

I was employed in the winter as a designer and sales person, and in the spring as an installer.

In the first year, I was involved with six Ashburton clients and we sold aluminum end tow and side rolls sprayline to farmers. Some of the first of those was for three adjoining properties in the Waterton area, properties that we are still doing work on today.

In my time in the industry there has been some major developments in the way water is being applied to the land.

The first major development was in 1977/78, when the rotary boom irrigator was introduced into the market place. In the early 1980s, when the farmers started to

Derek Busch reflects on the history of his company, Busch Irrigation Systems, which has recently been purchased by Carr Group.

open up their properties, six hundred metre runs were achievable with six hectares being irrigated each day by one machine.

At this time we began to see changes in farming practices with process cropping, dairying and small and specialist seed production

coming into the district.

Over the past 15 years or so we have seen the centre pivot appear on the scene, and later the introduction of the precision application of irrigation water, where considerable water savings are achievable.

The biggest challenge facing

the farmer today is the red tape involved in many aspects of drawing water from a source to applying this water to the ground.

I can remember an irrigation development that I was involved in back in the late 1970s on a property at Seafield Mid Canterbury.

It began with a young farmer visiting his accountant to discuss ways forward.

After some time he left with his accountants support to develop his property.

That same day he was in my office asking for advice and a base costing. The next day he rang the well-driller and the regional council for permission to drill, they said as there were no other wells in his area, just go ahead.

He also contacted the Rural Bank for finance and two weeks later it’s all go. Within the next three weeks the well is in, power installed to pump site, underground piping delivered to site and two irrigators have been built.

Within the next three days, 3500 metres of underground pipe was installed along with 42 hydrants, 110 kilowatt pump into well, electrical connection, all ready to irrigate. The whole development took less than six weeks from conception to operation which be unheard of today.

The biggest reward throughout my involvement is seeing the land owner benefitting from the investment that he has put into some of these irrigation developments and seeing some of the owners expanding their operations to very large holdings and knowing you were part of this progress.

In conclusion to all the time spent in the irrigation industry, I have in general had a very rewarding time, have met some very good people who have allowed myself to progress and in return we believe that these people have benefited from my involvement in the industry.

Busch Irrigation Systems Ltd

H

aving sold the above irrigation business to N.Z. Agricultural Machinery Group Ltd, (the Carr group ).

Derek and Barbara Busch would like to thank you, our clientele, for the opportunity to supply you with an irrigation design, and irrigation equipment, over the past 39 years.

My involvement in the irrigation industry started back in Mid Canterbury district in 1975.

We would also like to thank those people who have worked for, or with us over these periods,

and those people who have supplied us with product, or services, also thank you. Our current staff, Ben Busch, and the other five service related staff members, are all continuing being employed by the new owners, and the new owners have assured me that the service that we currently provide will continue on similar lines that you have received in the past.

Same location, same contact details.

Thank you again, Derek & Barbara Busch

THE

T

he T-L Irrigation business, a brand of NZ Agricultural Machinery Group, (NZAMG) owned by the Carr Group, has acquired the Ashburton based Busch Irrigation Systems (Busch) business with take over effective from the 1st December 2014.

The Busch business and six staff will be integrated under the T-L Irrigation brand and the combined business will operate from the current Busch site in Dobson Street Ashburton.

We are very excited about entering the irrigation sector and offering new and existing Carr Group client’s further support to meet their irrigation needs.

We are extremely pleased about this acquisition and the opportunities it brings for business growth across New Zealand. Should you have any questions or would like to talk further about the range of services T-L Irrigation offers, please do not hesitate to contact the T-L Irrigation team on 03 3076690.

DIFFERENCE

Enquire today at NZAMG Ltd Ashburton: 03 307 6690 Brendan Hawes: 021 347 985 www.tlirr.co.nz

Distributor for T-L Irrigation in New Zealand

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25

Get a copy of Irrigator Advice Guide Over show weekend, many irrigators in Mid Canterbury were thumped by a severe windstorm.

While not on the same scale as last year’s disastrous wind event, it was another reminder that spring winds have the potential to inflict grief on irrigation machinery.

We’re hearing rotorainers bore the brunt of damage but repairs have got under way quickly and should be sorted before Christmas.

As an industry, we need to be constantly vigilant of how we risk-manage irrigation infrastructure during volatile weather conditions.

Irrigators, service companies and suppliers learnt much from last September’s gales, so we were delighted last week to see IrrigationNZ partner FMG Rural Insurance release its Irrigator Advice Guide.

We’ve reviewed the guide and endorse its findings; in particular three key steps farmers can take to prevent storm damage which can be summed up as Point, Park and Anchor. The Irrigator

This column is being written from North America where IrrigationNZ is leading a tour of New Zealand farmers and irrigation scheme reps around irrigation developments that the Americans are rightly proud of. More on that next month!

Spring windstorms have once more wreaked havoc on irrigation machinery.

PHOTO SUPPLIED

Advice Guide is available for free on FMG’s website www. fmg.co.nz or can be found on our website under the risk management section www. irrigationnz.co.nz To come up with the guide, FMG undertook research with Lincoln University using the experiences of more than 100 irrigating farmers who experienced strong winds last

year. The research confirmed the effectiveness of these three steps in minimising damage:

■

Point: Point the irrigator downward into the prevailing wind. Around three-quarters of those surveyed by FMG didn’t make a claim. They said pointing their irrigator downward during the windstorm helped it stay upright.

■

■

Park: Create a parking space for the irrigator – if possible this should be away from any other objects which may move and crash into the irrigator.

Anchor: Along the parking space install anchor points to tie your irrigator down. The guide gives further advice on how best to do this.

While FMG’s booklet is not a prescriptive, how to guide it

does provide sound, practical advice on what irrigators can do in the days and hours leading up to a storm, as well as measures that are useful year round to ensure irrigators remain upright.

FMG paid out more irrigator claims than any other insurer following the 2013 event with more than 260 claims lodged, at a cost of just over $7m.

IrrigationNZ has worked closely with FMG in the storm’s aftermath and has taken a keen interest in the development of this guide book.

Other rural insurers have also taken on board the lessons learned during September 2013; now it’s your responsibility as irrigating farmers to make sure you’re well-informed, well-prepared and taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety and resilience of your irrigation operation.

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2 26

Farming

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Focus on Precision VRI technology G

rowsmart ® Precision VRI technology was developed by an innovative New Zealand company and first released to the market back in 2008. Since then, the system has produced some excellent results for many growers worldwide.

The technology has been the focus of several Sustainable Farming Fund trials with favourable results since its invention. This season further trials will be carried out assessing the wider benefits of variable rate irrigation (VRI) used in conjunction with electromagnetic (EM) mapping and soil moisture monitoring on a range of farming operations in Canterbury and North Otago.

The trials will be carried out by Nicole Mesman who recently finished her honours in soil science at Lincoln University and Linden Brackstone who is part-way through an agricultural science degree also at Lincoln University.

Their aim is to quantify the benefits in a range of different farm environments

Nicole Mesman and Peter Mitchell installing one of the soil moisture sensors which will be used to aid irrigation scheduling throughout the summer.

throughout the region and present the information to aid decision-making for farmers considering such technologies.

Five farms operating a total of 10 centre-pivots will be closely monitored throughout the irrigation season. The most southern farm being studied is operated by the Mitchell Webster Group in North Otago.

Peter Mitchell and Nick

Webster run the farming element of the business.

The intensive cropping and recently converted dairy operation spans 1380ha and has four centre-pivots with Growsmart ® Precision VRI installed. The majority of these irrigated areas have been EM mapped by Agri Optics NZ Ltd, these maps are used as the basis for irrigation scheduling.

“VRI enables you to variably apply water across the field avoiding under watering and over watering, saving water, maximising production and minimising run-off and leaching, keeping the nutrients in the soil for the plants and out of the waterways.” says Peter Mitchell, who is very pleased with the results achieved by the system so far.

On the Mitchell Webster Group properties, the students will be monitoring the irrigation inputs and rainfall and analysing the response from different soils using soil moisture sensors.

The soil moisture sensors have been positioned using the EM map as a guide which identifies the areas of soil with different properties.

How the technologies are used to minimise runoff and leaching and their effectiveness in doing so will be a focus of the information the students aim to present.

Simon Johnson’s dairy property in Rangitata Island, South Canterbury, is also part of the irrigation trial.

Simon uses the Precision VRI

system to apply irrigation and distribute effluent to the variable soils on his 450ha dairy farm.

As the Precision VRI system controls every individual sprinkler along the length of the irrigator, application can be pinpointed to avoid specific areas such as drains, troughs and environmentally sensitive areas. As Simon explains: “The VRI has given me options for effluent discharge I never had before.

“It has allowed us to pinpoint application, distribute lightly and widely via the pivot, cover areas that have drains and water at different times of the year and generally take all the risk out of our system.”

The results of the trials will be presented through case studies and field days which will be run in the autumn.

For further information or to view the results of previous Sustainable Farming fund trials visit www. precisionirrigation.co.nz to browse the case studies and research papers.

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27

FlockFinder ‘a great tool’ Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Genetics has developed a smartphone app that allows easy access to information on leading New Zealand ram breeders.

Called FlockFinder, users can search for ram breeders who are recording animal performance and conducting genetic evaluations using the powerful SIL genetic engine.

Search can be on the basis of breed, geographical location, flock name, owner name or on traits being recorded.

B+LNZ Genetics general manager Graham Alder says the handy app will be helpful to both farmers and rural professionals supporting New Zealand’s sheep farming sector.

“One of B+LNZ Genetics’ core strategies is to enable farmers to make the most of new and existing genetic technologies – so they can breed the animals they need for their individual operation into the future. This app is our first step down this path. It will benefit farmers by quickly identifying ram breeding flocks that are

Above – The FlockFinder app and (inset) Graham Alder.

selecting for traits a farmer wants to improve in their own flock.

“B+LNZ Genetics is working on developing a range of tools that will make adoption of genetic information as easy as possible. Apps and other innovations are part of this strategy, streamlining the information and delivery of genetic information to farmers.”

Stock agent Graham Sidey of PGG Wrightson Genetics says he is already a fan of the app. “It’s fantastic. I got a call from a client the other day and they were looking for a particular composite cross. I looked up the app and found exactly the information they were after.

“It’s a great tool for people in the industry, especially with lots of different crosses of rams available – it’s good

to see who has got what.

Even within the traditional breeds, it’s useful to see who is selecting for which traits within SIL.” Consultant Jansen Travis of AgPartners says the app works as a convenient register of breeders. “It’s like an online phonebook or contacts list. It will be great when making decisions around breeding objectives – identifying who is active

in that field and might be of interest, whether that be breed, geographical area or attributes recorded for.”

Sheep breeder Matt Holden of Hawke’s Bay’s Kelso stud says the app is an innovative move on the part of B+LNZ Genetics. “It’s utilising the technology that surrounds us.

This is where the future lies.”

The app can be downloaded at either the Apple App Store or Google Play.

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2 28

Farming

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Same old, same old It is one of those seasons, not as I posed last month “Is it one of those seasons?” Little has changed with the irrigation season and the weather pattern, and both are here to stay.

“Same old, same old” is an informal saying or idiom used to describe a situation or someone’s behaviour that remains the same, especially when it is boring or annoying.

Same old, same old aptly describes the irrigation season thus far and the El Niño-type weather conditions we have experienced.

The weather conditions have been described by many of the meteorologists/climatologists as typically spring El Niño.

Alternating periods of NE weather with relatively strong winds, NW weather that is sometimes hot and sometimes associated with very strong winds, and finally chased along by a SW change that seems to have invariably brought with it very strong wind and hail.

This pattern has been sufficiently repeatable to be considered the same, boring and most certainly annoying.

Certainly annoying has been

Tony Davoren

HYDRO SERVICES

hail and the general absence of significant rain. Hence, the irrigation season has become same old, same old – not too demanding and stressful, but at the same time unrelenting – read that as boring and annoying I guess.

The weather system is still described by the experts as typical of a spring El Niño.

The Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) has been consistently negative (El Niño) for 5 months and in the last month has been particularly strong (>er than -6). Until recently other indicators like ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions have not reached the El Niño thresholds. In the past few weeks the Pacific Ocean has shown “some renewed signs of El Nino

development and this has prompted Australian Bureau of Meteorology to upgrade their ENSO Tracker Status from watch to alert. There is now at least a 70 per cent chance of El Nino occurring, probably strengthening in the post-Christmas period.

Like Australia, the east coast (Canterbury and North Otago) has already dried out and irrigation is full on.

While where I am writing this article is not same old same old; i.e. not on a ferry crossing the Cook Strait to or from the South Island my work with farmers looking to purchase water from the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme is same old same old. It is because the decision to irrigate and buy water from the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme is like the decision farmers had to make in 1969 for the Lower Waitaki Irrigation Scheme and to a lesser degree Central Plains Water and Hurunui.

Ruataniwha is, in my mind, the Canterbury of the North Island – predominantly shallow Takapau silt loam soils over gravel (better than Lismore

Above – Weekly SOI trend for 2014 (from Weatherzone).

Right – Ruataniwha Basin (Zones A, B, C and D) and additional supply area Zone M.

silt loam), hot and strong NW streaming down off the Ruahines. And like Canterbury, groundwater has reached the point where it cannot sustain much more abstraction if reliability is to be maintained.

Water storage has been proposed with a dam (and this is a real dam) on a tributary of the Waipawa River.

So to locate you, Ruataniwha

is in central Hawke’s Bay inland from Waipawa, Takapau and Waipukurau, with a just couple of little towns (Tikokino and Ongaonga).

Nothing much in either town - Tiko (a pub, hall and a few houses) and Onga (pub again, hall again, a store, a church, and quite a few more houses) with both towns laid out in an historically well-planned but

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29

■

■ ■

■

■

power; Primary distribution through 16 kilometres of canal and 17km of pipes; Secondary distribution of approximately 200 km in pipe; Distribution to potentially irrigate 26,000 – 30,000ha although it has been estimated there is about 80,000ha of irrigable land; Deliver pressurised water at 35m head across the piped network; and System capacity of 0.486L/s/ ha or 4.2mm/day (pretty similar to Canterbury schemes).

In terms of the cost irrigators and other users will be contracted to: ■

■

never populated township like Barrhill. Waipawa and Waipuk are a bit like Rakaia and Ashburton about 25-30 years or more ago.

Interestingly the Ruataniwha Water Supply Scheme (RWSS) has been largely driven by the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council.

This is very different to more recent irrigation schemes in Canterbury that have been

driven firstly by innovative and entrepreneurial farmers, and then by irrigation companies.

Farmers will buy their water from the RWSS company and will not be shareholders – as they are in schemes like Central Plains Water, South Rangitata and the like.

RWSS will be a water supply business that supplies water to users – irrigating farmers,

towns, industry and others.

RWSS will own and operate the storage and distribution system/infrastructure. The users will have long term take or pay contracts for a volume of water. In terms of the facts and figures: ■ ■ ■

One large 83m high dam on the upper Makaroro River; Store about 96Mm3 of water; Will generate 6.5MW of

■ ■

Pay $0.23/m3 plus an additional $0.03 cents for the pressurised water; Have the price adjusted by a CPI inflator; Be contracted for 35 year; and Like Canterbury be required to operate their enterprise with a Farm Environmental Management Plan.

You might well ask “why is RWSS the same old, same old like the Lower Waitaki Irrigation Scheme?

Well back in 1962 in the Lower Waitaki, the first serious attempt to promote irrigation was initiated and finally by

November 1969 a scheme was ready to be constructed.

Scheme construction began in November 1970 and water supplied to the first farmers in September 1974 with the scheme finally completed in March 1982.

The scheme originally irrigated 16,000 hectares and 170 farms – not too dissimilar to RWSS. The 156 farmers on the Lower Waitaki Plains who voted the “go-ahead” for the Government to construct the $2.25 million (though the final cost was nearly $9 million) irrigation scheme were no different to the Ruataniwha farmers in the here and now.

In many ways the circumstances and mindsets are the same – the Ruataniwha farmers have (like the Waitaki famers had) learned to farm for drought.

The mind shift is to realise water is about production and not greening the landscape.

Unlike the Canterbury “market” that exists now, the understanding of annual volume, system capacity and the importance of reliability is less well understood and appreciated.

How fortunate the RWSS farmers are that Canterbury has gone before.

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Farming

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Farm plastic recycling for lando Calling landowners and farmers with smaller quantities of farm plastic waste – you can now recycle your farm plastic waste for free at the Ashburton Resource Recovery Park on Range Road in the Riverside Industrial Park Ashburton.

A new drop-off area has been set up between the Mastagard Recycle Shed and the Eco Education Centre so that farmers can easily pull in and drop off their baleage wrap, baling twine and feed sacks into Plasback bins in the designated area when coming to town.

At the same time farmers can drop off household recycling including cardboard, paper, household plastics and glass bottles and jars and any reusable household items or old electrical items, used oil and paint and batteries before continuing on to the weighbridge to safely dispose of any waste to landfill.

Farmers owning or managing large farms can get an on-farm plastic collection service by calling Plasback

Product Stewardship scheme for farm waste recycling.

Cleaning products in plastic bottles made from sugarcane

Sheryl Stivens

MASTAGARD ASHBURTON

direct on 0508 338-240 or www.plasback.co.nz Help with working out what is recyclable and reducing the volumes of waste on farms as well as a collection service for waste and recycling is only a phone call away.

For an on-farm waste audit or further information call 0800 627-824 or email; glen. sole@envirowaste.co.nz or sherylstivens@gmail.com The service is supported by Ashburton District Council and is intended to help farmers comply with new ECan regulations which now prevent the on-farm burning or burying of farm plastic waste.

The farm plastic waste that is collected will be recycled in accordance with the NZ

Who would have believed it.

Kiwi manufacturing company Ecostore has changed the plastic packaging of its entire product line to cut pollution and take a stand against global warming.

Their plastic bottles which were made from oil-based products are now made from sugarcane in what Ecostore believes is a New Zealand first.

The two plastic bottles look exactly same, but they’re not.

One is made from oil, which comes from fossil fuels, but the other comes from sugarcane.

When plastics from fossil fuels are made, the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, is released. But when plastics from sugarcane are produced, that doesn’t happen. As sugarcane grows it absorbs carbon dioxide.

And the good news is that these plastic bottles can be

recycled along with all of your other plastic bottles as chemically they are the same as HDPE 2 or high density polyethylene which is commonly used to make most

cleaning bottles.

Ecostore bottles or carbon capture packs are made from sugarcane ethanol, which has the same physical properties as conventional polyethylene

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owners and lifestyle blocks LEARNING FREE Home Composting Demo – See how easy it is to turn your food scraps into plant food.

Set up a worm farm, compost garden or bokashi bucket for Christmas.

Eco Education Centre – alongside Mastagard Recycling Shed Monday, December 15, 1 to 2 pm All welcome. Phone 0800 627-824 or email sherylstivens@gmail.com

oil derived plastic. It is impossible to detect the difference between the two plastics by simply looking at the plastic bottles.

As sugarcane grows, it

captures CO2 from the atmosphere, which is then stored in the leaves and remains there as it’s converted into plastic.

This actually reduces

ecostore’s carbon footprint, they estimate it will save the equivalent of 639 tonnes of C02 each year compared to using petrochemical based plastic.

British Airways has come up with a plan that by 2017 it will be possible to fly from London to New York on planes fuelled by municipal solid waste.

BA has partnered with Solena Fuels to make 50,000 tonnes of jet fuel per year from waste as part of the GreenSky project based in a former oil refinery east of London.

The process yields twice the energy that incinerating or burning the rubbish to make electricity would have yielded in those countries that allow incineration.

Lifecycle analysis of the waste to fuel process indicates that a journey using GreenSky bio-jet fuel will emit 95 per cent less greenhouse gases than the same journey using conventional fuel.

The technology offers a promising alternative fuel for airlines and a productive way to further improve resource

efficiency.

We all know not to put metal in the microwave, but what happens if you put a potato in for 40 minutes?

It turns out it makes something of a black gold, and a Blenheim company has received almost $170,000 in backing to commercialise it.

It’s a technology that we almost all have in our homes, but as a commercial heat source for anything other than perhaps drying food we haven’t really looked at it Blenheim-based company CarbonScape is using microwaves to turn wood waste from forestry into highvalue carbon products in what it says is a world first.

The idea came to founder Chris Turney when he recalled what happened to a potato he tried to cook as a 12-year-old.

“He did it for 20 minutes and put it on for another 20, and he basically blew up the microwave, but he turned his potato into a pure block of charcoal,” says Mr Langley.

CarbonScape is concentrating its efforts in

producing coke, which is virtually pure carbon. Coke is used extensively in steelmaking and CarbonScape has already signed a conditional agreement to supply New Zealand Steel.

The country’s largest steel manufacturer says using the so-called green coke could help them reduce their carbon footprint because traditionally coke is made from carbonrich coal that has been underground for millions of years. When it’s used in steel making, carbon is released and that contributes to the greenhouse effect.

But CarbonScape’s coke is made from wood that has absorbed carbon as a tree, so no new carbon is released, and that’s better for the environment.

But renewable energy experts say the real test will be whether it can scale up from the lab and be competitive commercially.

It’s an impressive move CarbonScape hopes to pull off while revolutionising microwave technology along the way.

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Farming

2 32

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Get outside! It’s clearly time to Something changed in September 2001. 9:11 caused us to look at the world through a lens of fear and uncertainty.

That feeling was amplified by the global financial crisis.

These events have challenged us, those willing to accept the challenge, to redefine what success looks like in a context where uncertainty, chaos and complexity is the new normal and where the “way we have always done things before” will simply not be enough to survive.

After more than a decade of disruption we crave leadership in business now more than ever in history. But we rarely find it. Sadly, so often businesses are totally out of alignment with what their people, their customers or shareholders really think.

Without alignment, a shared vision and a sense of purpose, a team, an organisation or an industry will never reach its full potential.

Where is this conversation taking us?

Having grown up on the family sheep farm in Southland and running that after my

Sue Lindsay

MEAT MATTERS

father’s death, I have watched with immense frustration as the NZ red meat industry’s leadership seems unprepared to take responsibility and create the alignment that is clearly necessary to allow NZ’s sheep, beef and deer farmers to achieve solid and sustainable returns.

I find it astounding and frankly unacceptable that NZ red meat farmers earn around half of their European and US counterparts.

As I reflect on that I am reminded of my father visiting London in 1973, passionate about farming and the future of the industry as a whole. A visit to Smithfield was high on his agenda of places to visit.

He talked often about the excitement of seeing his

lambs ready for market on the other side of the world.

To say that he was frustrated by what he saw would be an understatement. My father was appalled by what he saw. He found that those lambs raised with great care and killed by the very meat company that he entrusted with maximizing his returns were what he described as “unattractive, grey carcasses being flung along a rail” that he wouldn’t be prepared to purchase himself.

Although there has clearly been change and innovation in the red meat sector, relative to the 40 years that have passed, I question whether there has been sufficient innovation to meet the needs of today’s global market, consumers or New Zealand sheep, beef and deer farmers.

Although the industry has a fine heritage, that is history and not enough to address the constraints created by outdated procurement practices, over capacity, lack of alignment and leverage in marketing that will erode the sector’s reputation and position if not addressed with urgency.

Sector alignment is crucial; red meat industry leaders must take responsibility for its future and that of its producers.

Its leaders must lead, they must have vision, they must show the way and show how this can be achieved. The conversation must change.

It will take courage for all directors and executives to look in the mirror that is the global market and most importantly the mirror that is their farmer shareholders.

The sector needs to align itself with what it will really take to design the sector for a sustainable and profitable future.

I always encourage my clients to “get outside” their industry in their search for inspiration and innovation, keeping a watching brief on competitors or their sector is important but that alone can amplify sameness and be a constraint.

The NZ dairy industry provides some sense of what’s possible for the red meat sector when there is industry alignment but there are others.

There is clearly an immense opportunity as global demand

for protein rises but the red meat sector must evolve in order to capitalise on that now and in the long term. Today’s model is not enough to meet the demands of tomorrow’s market.

My challenge to sheep, beef and deer farmers as we get close to farmer director elections for the Alliance Group and Silver Fern Farms Co-operatives is to consciously choose the directors that have a vision for a sustainable future built on a desire to change and adapt to meet the global opportunities.

It would seem to me that this is a turning point and the future of farmers will be in the hands of the directors they vote for.

Farmers must take control of their destiny.

Imagine what would be possible if there was one co-operative leading the red meat sector with one clearly defined vision and strategy for a sustainable high performing model from farm gate to plate.

Sue Lindsay, owner of strategy consultancy Take Action and Think Actual, a master executive coach and speaker and Director of Ruralco.

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35

Exotic flying spiders dominate land after fires

T

here may be another reason to be careful during the heightened fire risk of a dry summer in addition to the danger posed to people and property — big foreign flying spiders.

A Lincoln University and AgResearch study has found exotic spiders seem to be better at resettling burnt land than their eight legged Kiwi counterparts, dominating the area, depriving them of food, and altering the native ecosystem.

But it may not only be fire which could lead to an introduced airborne arachnid invasion.

Lincoln University Senior Lecturer Dr Adrian Paterson was one of the authors of a paper drawn from the fouryear study on the subject of how tussock grassland was repopulated after a fire, using controlled burning of plots to gauge recovery.

He said in many spider species the young spiderlings use a line of silk they produce themselves, usually to make webs, to lift off the ground in a process known as ballooning.

A native trapdoor spider hangs on in a burnt environment. Research indicates introduced species have the advantage over native species when repopulating these areas.

The wind does the rest.

The study found introduced species were better at ballooning than the native spiders and often larger as well, so they could walk over the burnt ground more easily

– this combination meant they were quicker to repopulate a burnt area. ‘’More worryingly, any crisis that impacts on an area — say landslides, floods, human modifications — will

Y T R E P PRO

D E T WAN

result in the same benefits for these ballooning, large, exotic spiders, ’’ Dr Paterson said.

Findings suggested frequent fires could cause long lasting damage to the native spider fauna of tussock grasslands

The majority of New Zealand grasslands and mixtures of grass and shrubs have been modified for use as livestock pasture, often through burning, he added.

Dr Paterson said this provided exotic species with a way into these areas to colonise and then dominate, reducing the local native diversity.

In the study area most native species were still absent four years after the burning.

He said as far as the authors were aware, this was the first study which showed an increase in the abundance of exotic spider species after burning.

In New Zealand burning of native tussock grasslands is partly supported for preserving native vegetation by keeping exotic shrubs and herbs in check, he said.

This highlighted a potential conservation issue around the balance needed to maintain the diversity of native species, as the burning benefited the plants but was detrimental to the spiders.

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Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Lincoln’s wildlife A unit of researchers engaged in the war to save our threatened native birds have outlined their cutting-edge battle plans at the New Zealand Ecological Society Conference at Massey University.

The group, all from Lincoln University and Lincoln Agritech-led research programmes, presented the

results of their three-pronged approach which covers surveillance to pinpoint and monitor the enemy (in this case introduced pest animals), the development of effective toxins for them, and refining ways to selectively dispatch them.

Department of Ecology Senior Lecturer Dr James Ross described the work as world-

Above – A possum on the Spitfire takes the bait.

Left – The new Spitfire pest control device adapted for possums.

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

leading, and said it could help lead to the sustained control of pests like stoats, which are dramatically reducing the numbers of kiwis in the wild.

The research was carried out with Ministry of Business and Innovation funding and was part of programmes called Pest Control for the 21st Century and Completing the Arsenal for Possum and Tuberculosis Control.

Over time, he said, all of it could come together to produce an advanced trap which could determine which pest animal has come into it, send a text message to notify the operator, select and deliver the right toxin for that animal, and repeat the feat many times over without the need for servicing.

When it does need maintenance another text message could be sent.

Dr Helen Blackie, a former Associate Director at the University’s Centre for Wildlife Management and Conservation, but now of Boffa Miskell, has led the collaborative development of the surveillance device PAWS, or Print Application for Wildlife

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37

warriors take fight to pests Surveillance, also funded by DOC. It uses an electronic pad, which animals walk over, to detect which species they are with close to 100 per cent accuracy for New Zealand mammalian pests.

In addition to surveillance and detection uses, it could allow the right toxin for the right pest to be applied.

Lincoln Agritech researcher Dr Kenji Irie, also part of the PAWS development team, is looking into extending it to detect pest insects, which could “open up a new era in biosecurity detection’’.

Dr Ross himself, working with Landcare Research, has developed a DNA device to identify individual possums which will enable an estimation of actual population numbers, thus determining how well control programmes are working. The possum bites the device and DNA is extracted from their saliva and then stored, ensuring the animal is not counted twice.

Professor Charles Eason, Centre for Wildlife Management and Conservation

The Lincoln University and Lincoln Agritech affiliated presenters at the New Zealand Ecological Society Conference 2014 at Massey University. Back row; Dr Kenji Irie, left, Dr James Ross, Tim Sjoberg, Dr Tim Curran. Front Row, left, Lee Shapiro, Dr Helen Blackie, Dr Arijana Barun, Dr Elaine Murphy, and Professor Charles Eason.

Director, has worked to develop some of the first new vertebrate pesticides to be registered in the world for more than 25 years.

These include new “red blood cell” toxins which work on the bloodstream and make the animal go to sleep, ensuring a humane death. The toxins work selectively on different animals and the group have already had

overseas interest for mongoose control.

Three of the speakers will present work on a new Spitfire device, soon to undergo large scale field testing. This multikill tool can selectively deliver the new poisons and is capable of giving 100 deadly doses without having to be reset or checked.

The animals have the toxin squirted on them after being lured into the device by a scent and ingest the toxin when they groom themselves.

Dr Elaine Murphy, also working with DOC, is currently testing it on rats and stoats, and field trials show the stoat population in the Blue Mountains was significantly reduced shortly after deployment. Dr Arijana Barun is targeting ferrets with the Spitfire, which prey on penguins as well as kiwi and carry bovine tuberculosis, with field trials planned soon.

PhD student Lee Shapiro is using a tree-mounted Spitfire adapted for possums, which is set- off by the animal’s weight.

The first pilot trial had a 90 per cent reduction in possum numbers and no non-target interference.

Single-kill traps currently have to be checked each time they go off, so the new Spitfire would be less labour intensive and some of the new toxins may be able to be handled without a poisons licence, so they could be used by the general public.

It would all add up to a better

outcome for kiwi and other struggling native birds.

It would not replace the broader “multi-kill’’ tools like 1080 drops, but would keep pest populations low and not let them recover.

“It would be another tool in the toolbox,’’ Dr Ross said.

At the conference the researchers are demonstrating “proof of concept’’, Professor Eason said.

The next step was to run larger scale field trials with DOC and other experienced practitioners.

“To enable rats, stoats and possums to be reduced to zero density over large scales, and holding them at zero, we need better understanding of animal behaviour at low density, better detection methods, and continuing effort to improve our responses to incursions.’’

He said resetting trap systems, combined with species identification technology, multidose toxin delivery systems, and ultra-potent lures will “improve our ability for elimination at scale, and to maintain barriers, holding rats, stoats and possums at zero density”.

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Farming

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Ensure hours spent inducting staff T

emporary staff are frequently found on farms over the summer months, often students doing holiday jobs or substituting for permanent staff during festive season breaks.

While these temporary employees might only be on board for a short time, it is still important to undertake the same induction process as would be expected with any new staff member.

This should include information about where to find first aid kits, and incident/accident recording procedures. While you are there check the first aid kit is restocked.

Hazards should be identified in line with your hazard register, and each environment the employee will be expected to work in; it is easy to send a worker off on an errand without considering the risks.

Don't assume inexperienced staff will be familiar with run-of-the-mill agricultural hazards -- if there is a risk identify it.

Ensure new workers are familiar with your safety

protocols around using farm vehicles and machinery, including the safety equipment, such as helmets, safety glasses and footwear appropriate to the task at hand.

If there is a risk of chemical or fuel spills all staff must be equipped to deal with them.

They should know where to find the necessary equipment, and written procedures, and be aware of how to keep themselves safe in dealing with the spillage.

A list of companies staff are likely to deal with when things do go wrong is also helpful.

This should also note

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which companies offer on-call services and the appropriate after hours numbers.

This could include veterinarians, power companies, mechanics and fuel suppliers.Make sure new or temporary employees are aware of the possibility of zoonosis infections and

appropriate hygiene measures if they are required to deal with livestock.

They should also know how to deal with injured or distressed animals.

A couple of hours spent inducting staff could save a lot of time further down the line.

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39

Topp entertainment for rural games Spectators at the first ever New Zealand Rural Games, taking place in Queenstown on Waitangi weekend, will be entertained by iconic music and comedy duo, the Topp Twins and a live music concert headlined by rising New Zealand country pop star, Jody Direen.

As well as entertaining spectators throughout the weekend of rural sporting action, the Topp Twins will play a few numbers with Jody to open the Saturday night concert. More special guests will be announced soon. Jody Direen’s most recent single Tattoo reached number three in the NZ Official Top 40 singles chart and the singersongwriter is expected to enjoy even greater success in 2015.

The games feature exciting new formats for traditional rural sports including speed sheep shearing, sheep dog trials, speed fencing, speed milking and coal shovelling.

Many rural sports associations are hosting their national championships during the event that is drawing top professional athletes. Also taking place is the New

Above – New Zealand country pop sensation, Jody Direen.

PHOTO SUPPLIED Left – The Topp Twins as Ken and Ken. PHOTO SALLY TAGG

Zealand Rural Highland Games Championships, the ANZAXE wood chopping trophy featuring four of the best axemen from both sides of the Tasman and the New Zealand Championship of Gumboot Throwing which is relocating next year from the Taihape, - dubbed the gumboot capital of New Zealand, where

the sport had its origins.

New Zealand Rural Games founder and trustee, Steve Hollander said the concert was a great addition to the whole event.

“It’s going to be an awesome weekend of family entertainment. We have some amazing athletes coming for the championship events and

there’ll even be opportunities for spectators to have a go.

Then we’ll all swap gumboots for dancing shoes when Jody and the Topp Twins hit the stage!” he said.

Pre-sale single day tickets are priced $15 (adult) and $7.50 (children) with discounted weekend and family (two adults and up

to three children) passes.

Concert tickets can be purchased separately or combined with other tickets.

All tickets are now available from TicketDirect at www. ticketdirect.co.nz/event/ season/1171 For more information visit the event website at www. ruralgames.co.nz

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41

Building my own pest-proof fence Michelle Nelson

MY BACKYARD

the problem. The answer had to be cheap, easily erected and small-animal proof.

The materials also needed to be lightweight enough to transport – although I’m definitely a country gal at heart, I have a “hairdresser’s car”.

After a short sortie to a local hardware store, I was armed with a roll of plastic netting, half a dozen tree stakes and a couple of hinges.

The rest of the materials could be found in a stack of off-cuts and my toolbox.

Having enlisted the help of a tall friend, the remainder of show day was spent digging, hammering and putting cable ties to good use.

A gate was constructed using some sturdy tomato stakes and voila – a new

Keeping pesky pets or uninvited guests off Michelle Nelson’s vege garden was inexpensive and easily done.

PHOTO MICHELLE NELSON 261114-MN-032

and improved fence was constructed on top of the 40cm ornamental arrangement.

While it wouldn’t stop a herd of elephants, or even cows for that matter, so far so good with the cat/dog

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problem. Freshly-planted seed rows remain undisturbed, as do the seedlings I acquired at the Geraldine Arts & Plants Festival the following day.

With the incessant nor’westers the garden has been sucking up a lot of water,

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Who builds a 40cm-high fence around a vegetable garden?

Obviously some people do, and I inherited just such a structure when I moved into my new abode at Mt Somers a couple of months ago.

Its main purpose appeared to have been to trip people up – as it certainly offered no protection from animal raids.

Aside from Jack Frost nipping my seedlings, both my cat and the neighbouring felines found the loamy soils an ideal litter box – and newly-planted seedbeds were particularly attractive.

I’ve always avoided imported vegetables from regions of the world where it is acceptable to grow them in sewage outlets, and for that very reason I would prefer any meat-eating animals to take their business elsewhere.

The jack russell was also undeterred by the ornamental fence and, while handy at seeing off visiting cats, she too did a fair amount of damage gallivanting around the garden.

With a long weekend looming, it was time to tackle

Clear the decks

so I’ve been using a lot of mulch and peastraw to help the soil retain moisture.

You’ve got to feel for Canterbury farmers, who are attempting to manage what is already shaping up to be a very dry summer.

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Farming

2 42

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Lake project a New Zealand first When the massive beds of naturally-occurring macrophytes (karepo seed beds) disappeared from Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere in the 1960s, it was a turning point for the quality of the lake’s water.

Known for their ability to buffer wave action, take up nutrients, improve water quality and provide diverse habitats for fish and wildlife, submerged macrophyte systems in many New Zealand lowland lakes collapsed at about that time and never returned.

In Te Waihora, the decline was exacerbated by the Wahine storm of 1968 that literally tore them out of the lake.

Today, in what is thought to be one of the few restoration projects of its type in the world, NIWA and the University of Canterbury are working with Whakaora Te Waihora partners to restore the Te Waihora macrophyte beds. Whakaora Te Waihora is the joint restoration programme led by Ngai Tahu and Environment Canterbury.

Hamilton-based NIWA

Macrophyte (karepo seed beds) species ruppia.

freshwater ecologist Mary de Winton is leading the ground-breaking four-year project. Two years into it, she is pleased with progress and delighted that the team has been able to eco-source a good supply of macrophyte species within the Halswell River system neighbouring the lake.

“Finding that there were submerged macrophytes left in the lake system was a great boost,” she said. “We found six different species including two key species – Ruppia and Sago pondweed – that we know were part of the lake’s historical macrophyte beds. We also found two rare species – a

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brackish water charophyte and Lepilaena – both considered to be threatened plants in New Zealand. “Although we’re not working with the latter two species, we were very pleased to see they have survived in Te Waihora. Their presence gives me hope.”

Ms de Winton said the

macrophyte project was particularly challenging because it is the first time anything like it has been trialled in New Zealand.

“I’m not aware of anyone working internationally to restore submerged macrophyte beds on this scale either,” she said.

“We’re tapping into local knowledge and taking it one step at a time. Even if the beds fail to re-establish long term, we hope we may better understand why they never recovered naturally and why they struggle to survive in current conditions.”

The restoration plan has included the establishment of a macrophyte culture facility at Taumutu.

Eco-sourced macrophytes have been split, planted and placed into the 30 1800 litre tanks on site. Ms de Winton is confident up to 3000 macrophytes can be raised and hopes to have them transplanted into three approved sites around Te Waihora by late 2015.

The macrophyte trials will end in early 2017.

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43

Canty farm wins SI Farmer of Year Patoa Farms Ltd, a large scale free-farmed pig breeding and finishing operation at Hawarden in North Canterbury, has won the Lincoln University Foundation’s South Island Farmer of the Year competition for 2014.

The finals at Lincoln University saw four very high calibre entrants vie for the top prize of a $20,000 travel grant for business study.

Foundation chief judge Nicky Hyslop said Steve and Josie Sterne, with daughter Holly Sterne, edged out stiff competition with their impressive growth, technical excellence, efficiency of production and strategic focus. They demonstrated that it was possible to achieve at the highest levels of farming technology and business management in an outdoor free-roaming stock operation.

“When I went farming at the age of 39 I did not expect to be standing in front of an audience like this today,” Mr Sterne said.

“The dream is possible – you should not be deterred by the huge effort of amassing enough capital to go farming.

I started with three pigs in a woodshed ... they keep multiplying.”

The farm has 3500 breeding sows and sells 115,000 fat pigs annually. It employs 43 staff and has a $25 million annual turnover.

“The judges were impressed with the very robust technical production system at all levels including the sows, despite their being outside,” Mrs Hyslop said.

Runners up were Robin and Lois Greer, who operate both a conventional and an organic dairy farm on adjoining properties (120ha organically farmed, 160ha

South Island Farmer of the Year winners, Steve and Josie Sterne, with their daughter Holly.

conventionally farmed) at Tuturau, Southland.

Their business includes the production on site of their own brand, Retro Organics, of organic dairy products including yoghurts and cheeses.

Four special category prizes

of $5000 each were also awarded at the finals.

Both the BNZ award for Human Resource Management and the Farmlands Co-operative Prize for Resource Use Efficiency, were also picked up by the Sterne family. The

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Lincoln University prize for Technology and Innovation was won by Barry and Julie Crawford, who run a sheep breeding and finishing property near Gore with a strong focus on high-end lamb meat production.

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