Guardian farming, february, 2015

Farming GUARDIAN

FEBRUARY, 2015

Geraldine academy leads the way

Pages 3-6

Jordan Fearn hones up his chainsaw skills.

Photo supplied

2

Farming

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INDEX

COMMENT FROM EDITOR

Geraldine’s successful Primary Industry Academy

3

Sheryl Stivens opens the door to recycling

8

Greg Martin takes us fishing

10

Michelle Nelson vs possums

17

Mary Ralston looks at the wasp menace in beech forests

18

John Leadley discusses the complexities of complying

20

IrrigationNZ offers tips on irrigation efficiency

24

Chris Murdoch takes a look back at drought in the 80s

26

Jane Fowles looks at health and safety issues

37

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.

Post Ashburton Guardian, PO Box 77, Ashburton.

E

veryone is talking about the hot summer and dry soils.

The media is all over it, using emotive words and foreseeing doom for farmers.

But wherever I’ve been in the last month, those same farmers remain philosophical.

Most have seen it all before and at a time when they had fewer tools in the toolbox than today’s farmers do.

This month columnist Chris Murdoch reflects on coping with drought in the 1980s, at the same time as the government removed subsidies and interest rates jumped up to 25 per cent for some.

Some farmers had no choice but to walk off their land, others struggled through.

However, the lessons learned have been dusted off and industry bodies like Federated Farmers and DairyNZ are doing an excellent job of keeping the communication channels open and offering sound advice.

Across Canterbury farmers are hunkering down, de-stocking and rationing water for use on the most valuable crops. Banks are also doing better this time; they too learned from past mistakes.

Dairying is probably bearing the brunt of the heat, with reports of stock water shortages and early drying off in South Canterbury, but on a brighter note the arable sector is enjoying near perfect conditions for harvesting (aside from the heightened fire risk) and reporting healthy enough yields despite the dry spell.

There’s nothing we can do about the weather, except wait it out – as one sage retired farmer told me

Michelle Nelson

RURAL EDITOR

recently, every day that passes is another one closer to rain.

The situation has brought to the fore the need to store alpine water for use in just such a year.

Mid Canterbury has probably fared better than those farming on the southern side of the Rangitata River, thanks to the foresight of the district’s irrigation pioneers, who laid the groundwork for today’s schemes.

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3

Thumbs up for farm training course Michelle Nelson

RURAL EDITOR

A course focused on preparing students for work in the primary sector has earned accolades for Geraldine High School.

Sarah Foley-Smith is the driving force behind the Primary Industry Academy, and is passionate about her job.

The academy operates as a partnership between the New Zealand Trade Academy, Primary Industry Training Organisation (ITO), selected schools and employers.

It offers students practical industry experience and a career pathway in agriculture, horticulture or forestry.

Nationwide there are 440 funded places, across 26 schools.

And the Geraldine High School model has been officially recognised as the best

Liam Bartlett milking on Suz and Joe Wyborn’s property.

in the country.

“We have been recognised as the “how to do it” school, when it comes to best practice,” Sarah said.

Last year the academy received AgExcel accreditation

Jack Coles at PGG Wrightson in Christchurch

– a quality assurance certification programme run

by MPI. “That guarantees prospective employers looking at a student’s learning records knows the candidate can actually do what it says they

can. For example, if it says they can fence, they can fence – not just go into the shed and get some gear out.”

Students selected for a place in the academy work towards NCEA in their

traditional subjects as well as the National Certificate in Primary Industry at level 1 and the National Certificate in Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry at level 2. continued over page

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Farming

from P3 When Sarah took on a term of relief teaching four years ago, she started from scratch.

Geraldine High School was one of a handful of schools offered the opportunity to set up an academy, but the intended teacher already had leave approved.

Four days out from the gates opening on a new school year Sarah, a former science teacher, received a phone call and accepted the challenge.

“I thought I was just filling in for a term – and I’m still here.”

Agriculture teachers are as “scarce as hens’ teeth” and are the oldest cohort in the teaching profession, according to Sarah.

“Historically if you were off a farm and you had a teaching qualification, you could teach agriculture basically, but farming is far more interactive.

“We’ve offered agriculture at the school, but this is different - it’s well resourced and funded for a start.”

The Geraldine academy is funded for 15 students, but started this year with 24 across two classes – 14 at Year 11 level and 10 at Year 12.

“The first two years were

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Checking out the sheep in the Young Farmer of the Year Contest.

Right - Ethel Cardeno on the farm bikes course.

about consolidating the course and getting it right,” Sarah said.

Gaining a place in the academy requires commitment and perseverance.

Year 12 students must be available for on-farm placement one day a week.

All applications must be in

writing; candidates along with their parents or caregivers are interviewed by Sarah and ITO representatives.

Candidates must also supply references, demonstrating a sound work ethic and a good attitude. They must also be drug free. “We are not a dumping ground for kids who

are too much trouble.”

Developed around the concept of contextualised learning, the academy offers a pathway to students inclined to shun academic subjects.

“They might say, for example, they hate maths, but find themselves working out fertiliser rates and lambing

percentages or stopping distances without realising they are doing maths. It puts it in context.

“Sitting down does not fit the learning style of most of these students – this course offers practical, hands-on learning.

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Ethel Cardeno shifts a fence on James and Marrisa Grant’s property.

Right - Sarah Foley-Smith in Geraldine High School’s horticulture plot.

Far right - Hamish Harrington completes a first aid course.

standards does not suit everybody, it’s about offering the standards meaningfully.

“Most of these students are highly skilled, and already doing adult jobs on farms, so they should be recognised for that – they are work ready, but they don’t have a piece of paper that says they are really

good at what they do.”

All students complete a first aid certificate, and tractor and farm bike training. Health and safety is paramount.

“It’s a really important aspect – in forestry drug testing is mandatory, and I don’t expect the students to be treated any differently, the

idea is they will be work ready at the end of this, and that includes meeting health and safety requirements.”

In Year 11 the aim is to expose the students to as many aspects of the primary industries sector as possible.

“We do 15 trips, depending on what the kids are

interested in.”

Last year’s class visited the Hagley cricket oval, a racing stable, PGG Wrightson’s agronomy section, Silver Fern Farms – followed by a farm trip to watch a home kill business in operation.

The students also tailed lambs, visited a garden centre,

looked at a forestry venture and successfully helped run the TeenAg competition, held in conjunction with the Young Farmers Contest at Lincoln University. “They are hooked now – we are hoping to get to Taupo for this year’s competition,” Sarah said. continued over page

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Farming

from P5 The Year 11 students attend regular class four days a week, studying toward NCEA level 1, and a day in the academy, earning 40 credits toward their National Certificate in Agriculture In Year 12, they continue with their core subjects’ level 2 NCEA credits, and select an industry interest for site placement one day a week through the academy for level 2 credits towards the national certificate.

“We have amazing farmers who are really buying into the course, we’ve had farmers calling us, wanting to be involved.

“A lot of students get weekend work and holiday jobs with the businesses they’ve been assigned too.

“Some get fulltime jobs at the end of it - all my students have either gone into jobs or apprenticeships or further training.

“There is a level 3 course coming but the trouble is the school can’t offer the practical component – as we are not able to complete enough practical hours to achieve competency.”

When Sarah set up the course the horticultural area overlooking the Waihi River at the back of the school was a

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Jordan Fearn on the tractor at Grant and Nerrolie Freeman’s property.

blank canvas.

This year a new tunnel house, shade house and potting shed have been added to accommodate the growing numbers in the academy.

Here hydrangeas, grown from cuttings, flower brightly – awaiting sale to raise funds for the trip to Taupo. Vegetables, herbs and sunflowers jostle for space in raised bed gardens where students learn the fundamentals of horticulture.

“We do hundreds of cuttings because each student has to successfully do a certain number – we try to grow what people want to buy,” Sarah said.

“The rest we donate to various places – at the moment we supply lots of vegetable plants to the incredible, edible guerrilla garden scheme, which is all about growing food in public places for everyone to share.”

Students also take plants

Ethel Cardeno practises her backing skills on the tractor.

home. “I make a point of not keeping the place spic and span during the holidays, so the students learn how to do it from the start – cleaning up is part of the job.

“The flowers are always a hit, but we also grow microgreens – nutrition is also important. A lot of these kids will be set adrift on farms soon – they will be out there on their own, often living by themselves. It’s important that they know how to look after

themselves properly.”

Likewise the art of conversation is also on the agenda for academy students.

“We have current events sessions, and discuss what’s going on around them.

“I tell them ‘you can’t just sit there and say nothing at lunchtime.

“I want these kids to be work ready, and that includes having the life skills they will need to survive and do well in the future.”

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Farming

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Recycled bras a novel breast cance The first month of 2015 has flown by with hot days and warm balmy nights that many of us remember as the summers of our childhood.

Water is a big issue as well levels decline and limits are put on irrigators across Canterbury as well as those on town water supplies. Makes us all more aware of how precious our water resources really are and how much we use in our daily lives.

In the heat of summer it can be a challenge to keep vegetable gardens watered and compost bins moist enough to keep working in the extreme summer heat.

Using a bokashi composting system for your foodwaste can produce fertiliser for your garden, rich moist ingredients to recharge your compost bin as well as save you money on rubbish bags.

By fermenting your kitchen waste in a bokashi bucket you end up with a juicy bucket of pickled food to dig into your garden or bury in your compost bin as well as a supply of concentrated liquid fertiliser for diluting and watering on to

Sheryl Stivens

MASTAGARD ASHBURTON

your vegetable garden.

Bokashi buckets come in a handy 15-litre size, along with a bag of Bokashi Zing and are available from the Mastagard Recycle Shed at the Ashburton Resource Recovery Park.

How bokashi composting works Bokashi composting starts with sprinkling a little compost-zing into the bottom of the bucket.

Place your food scraps or meal leftovers in the bucket and coat them evenly with some more compost-zing. Use approximately one handful of compost-zing to every three to four centimetres of food.

Use more compost-zing during the summer when adding high-protein foods

Above – Recycled bras with – a novel breast cancer fundraiser.

Right – Tomatoes tied up with recycled merino clothing strips and bamboo poles.

such as fish, chicken and meats.

Repeat this layering process until the bucket is full and then top off with a generous layer of compost-zing.

Press down to remove air on each application of kitchen waste. A plastic plate or circular lid can be used for this.

The process in the bucket is one of fermentation.

Drain the liquid frequently by lifting out the inner bucket and pouring the liquid from the

bottom bucket into a container and diluting 1000–1 to use as a liquid fertiliser or concentrated to revitalise your septic tank or clean your shower tray.

The average household takes between seven and 10 days to fill a bucket.

When full the 15l bokashi bucket weighs approximately 10-12kg. Larger households or schools or businesses can have two to three buckets or more.

Because it is full of juice and

micro-organisms the fermented bokashi mixture attracts earthworms and enriches your soil or moisturises your compost.

Some towns have community gardens and they are often willing to take bokashi composted foodwaste.

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9

er fundraiser women and girls who cannot afford this simple lingerie staple and are one of the most requested items in women’s shelters.

The event is intended to educate people as well as to give women an opportunity to come out and release their inner “bra-volous” by beautifying bras for a good cause. It’s all about the girls!

The Bra Recyclers said that the inspiration for the event is an art piece from local artist Dina Petruzzi, titled Infinite Flame. Participants can choose to enter their painted bras in the Brazaar Art Showcase in October for over $500 in prizes.

Maybe this type of event would go down well here?

DEMOS Monthly free compost demonstrations – Bokashi, worm farms and compost options.

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The bra recyclers

While most people are familiar with the concept of recycling aluminium cans and paper products, they may not be aware of the importance of recycling bras and other textiles.

The Bra Recyclers, an Arizona-based charity, is to host a bra-painting party to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Society and to promote the idea of recycling used

or unused bras. The Bra Recyclers have worked out that the average person in the US throws away 70 pounds of clothing each year when 95 per cent of textiles can be recycled.

Many women have bras in their drawers that never quite fit right or are hardly worn, and asked why those ill-fitting, inappropriate, or seldom worn bras shouldn’t be put to good use by recycling them?

Recycled bras can benefit

Coffee cups Five hundred billion disposable cups are manufactured in the world each year using valuable paper resources and non-degradable plastics. The majority of these cups end up in landfills. By using a keep cup or reusable cup you are making your daily coffee consumption habits much

more sustainable. Not only are these cups better for our environment than disposable cups, many cafes offer discounts when you BYO – so you save dollars and the business saves on the cost of a disposable cup.

Reusable cups are better for everyone.

Compostable clothing Making messenger bags and wallets out of upcycled truck tarps wasn’t green enough for the Swiss company Freitag.

Sure, those products are giving plastic a second life, but it’s still plastic, which means it could still end up in a landfill … or an ocean. With Freitag’s newest project, F-ABRIC, you can wear a cute outfit, wear it out, and then throw it in your backyard compost heap, where it’ll biodegrade within a few months.

Freitag’s clothing is made from hemp, flax, wood fibre — even the shirt buttons are made out of nuts. The only noncompostable ingredients here are the metal buttons on the pants — but don’t panic! These can be unscrewed and reused,

depending on your level of dedication.

Cotton is a natural fabric, but it uses a lot of water to grow.

(One cotton shirt requires about 700 gallons of water to produce.) So the company opted for European-grown flax, hemp, and modal (a textile spun from wood) for the textile.

An unsuccessful quest for tough, sustainably produced work wear for its employees five years ago inspired Freitag to dabble in textiles.

The techniques for making compostable fabric aren’t new, but the company couldn’t find clothes that fit well and were entirely compostable.

The clothing is made and sold exclusively in Europe for now.

Back home here in New Zealand aren’t we lucky to have our own 100 per cent biodegradable wool and merino wool.

Pure wool garments can be cut into plant ties or used as a top cover on your compost to keep in moisture and keep out light till they eventually decompose back to the earth naturally.

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Farming

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No snags out there – attitude makes BRASS AND FEATHERS

cast.

“Unbelievable!” I’d said as I paused in my eating and watched what was going on.

My dad took a photo.

It was unbelievable as that wasn’t the first time Sizzlers had done this.

A few weeks before we had been on a salmon mission to the Hurunui River mouth. I’d decided to have a look at a pool at the top of the gut.

Sizzlers had headed down to the surf on the quad bike.

There he’d parked in amongst the other bikes and after rigging up I watched him disappear out of sight beneath the shingle spit to where the river was flowing into the sea.

Not more than 10 minutes later I noticed someone walking back up to the bikes, a large

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silver fish hanging from his right arm. I squinted. Sizzlers?

Can’t be.

I finished up fishing the pool I was on and walked the half kilometre down to where the quad bikes were parked. Before I got there Sizzlers’ daughter, who had come with us on the

trip, came running up the beach. She was ecstatic.

“Dad caught a salmon first cast and it’s huge!”

I was laughing as I looked at it lying beneath the bike and over 20lb. Must have really annoyed the dozen or so other anglers who had been standing

in the waves for the past four hours casting and winding and catching not much at all.

Unbelievable.

Some would say Sizzlers was just lucky. However, I think what makes Sizzlers uncannily successful is his attitude.

It was also that attitude that

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“Must be a snag,” said Sizzlers, who is a good friend of mine.

This is obviously not his real name, but I am calling him Sizzlers to keep his identity secret.

He may feel embarrassed if people ask him about this article. He’s also the master of cheese sausages on the camping barbecue; a fun end to a day on the water.

Sizzlers had just stepped into a line of salmon fishermen who had been planted on the bank of the Waimakariri for a long time. “Morning,” he’d said in his usual cheery way, and made his first cast.

I was sitting on the sand about 20m away having a sandwich with my folks who I had brought down stream in the boat. The next time I looked up Sizzlers’ rod was bending.

“Must be a snag,” had been his reaction.

“No snags out there, mate,” was the firm and dry response that came from one of those stood beside him.

That fishing neighbour was right. Sizzlers had hooked a salmon on his first or second

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11

a difference

caught him three salmon on his first serious expedition a year before; one in the surf on the Friday evening and a bag limit of two on the Saturday morning from the river.

In eight long years of salmon fishing I have never caught a bag limit.

The attitude that I am talking about isn’t an attitude of determination, or attention to detail – although Sizzlers is both determined and does things right.

The attitude that I think makes him a more successful fisherman than others is this –

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Above left – Enjoy the company when on the beach.

Above right – Hurunui River mouth surf fishing for salmon.

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2 12

Farming

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from P11 It doesn’t matter if he has had little sleep.

It’s just about being there and having fun, and it’s all fun. That’s all that matters.

I have heard this said about successful sportsmen; they have no fear of losing and are just out there having fun, enjoying the moment.

Sizzlers has the ability to have fun and to just enjoy the moment. I am sure that’s why he catches fish when others fish harder, smarter, and with better gear, but still draw a blank. It’s about relaxed positivity. It attracts success more than a flashy silver lure.

Above – The walk of success – enjoying yourself gets you fish.

Left – Fish on! Definitely not a snag – another first caster.

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TIPS Tips for enjoying fishing trips: ■■ Take someone along, and enjoy the company you are with.

■■ A tasty lunch/dinner on the beach is a treat in itself.

■■ Relax, take breaks, have a snooze. Your fish is waiting. It’s not going to go away.

■■ Share the other person’s excitement if they catch one and you don’t.

■■ Fish without pressure or expectation and go home knowing that it was all good fun.

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Farming

On-Farm Storage

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Building farm shed storage Woolsheds, storage sheds, animal barns, sheds for rearing, workshops, grain storage, sheds to store the tractor or sleep outs for the workers there is a shed or on-farm building to suit all occasions.

Modern buildings are designed to withstand the conditions of today's climate and use modern materials and processes to make them last.

While practical, many are multi-use buildings that can be used to house farm machinery or for a multitude of farm tasks.

Regardless of their use, all new buildings still need to meet the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment states other legislation may also apply to building proposals, the ongoing use of a building, consumer protection, and the health and safety of people working in buildings.

Within the code, the Building Act 2004 also applies to the construction of new buildings as well as the

alteration and demolition of existing buildings.

The Building Code The Building Code is a performance-based code, and states how a building must perform in its intended use, rather than describing how the building must be designed and

constructed.

It contains functional requirements and performance criteria that cover matters such as protection from fire, structural strength, moisture control and durability.

Building plans and specifications are assessed by building consent authorities

(usually the local territorial authority) to ensure that the completed building work complies with the Building Code. When the building consent authority is satisfied, it will issue a building consent for the work to proceed.

However under the Act, local Building Consent

Authorities have 20 working days of receipt to grant or refuse the consent.

So if you've got an on farm building project coming up, make sure to include building consent processing into the time line.

The work cannot start without a consent being issued and this could take up to four weeks – sometimes longer depending on the case, or if the application is incomplete or non-compliant.

Therefore building owners, or agents, should ensure that: 1. The building consent application is complete and in compliance with the Building Code. The more comprehensive and complete it is may prevent delays caused by the need for more information later.

2. Consent processing time is allowed in the project time line.

Any questions about applying for a consent or the information to be included should be directed to the relevant council's building department.

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Keep farm buildings safer A farm is home to buildings, machinery, animals, chemicals, tractors, ATVs and tools so there are plenty of places where harm could happen.

Whether your farm has one building or several, it’s important to keep them maintained and safe for everyone on site.

Plus keeping your farm safe will have long-term benefits for your wellbeing and future livelihood. It’s also good for the health, and lives, of the people who work on your property and those who visit.

ACC says each year one in seven ACC claims is for injuries sustained by farmers, their employees, contractors, sub-contractors and visitors.

So identifying hazards on your property and developing a comprehensive, written safety plan to reduce risk are two of the best ways of keeping your property injury free and productive.

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TIPS 1. Safety checks: Perform regular safety checks of all your buildings for obvious fire hazards and hazardous materials.

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4. Store away tools: Keep all work areas neat and clean with tools stored out of the way.

5. Create boundaries: Establish a safe boundary around any fuel tanks and flammable substances.

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On-Farm Storage

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Fuel tanks designed to be tough Advanced Fuel Tanks (AFT) was established in 2007 by acquiring the international rights for the SuperVault™ 4 hour fire rated and Pyrotector™ fire resistant tanks from the USA. These tanks are unique designs that are internationally recognised through the Quality Control and Follow-up Inspection Programme of the Southwest Research Institute in the USA. AFT is a privately owned NZ company with three individual shareholders and directors. Since commencing trade, the company has grown every year through the development of new products and expanding territories. AFT tanks are now regularly specified by consulting engineers from the outset because of their quality, certification and reliability.

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The company also has a distributor in Singapore to service the Asian market.

Quality and customer satisfaction is of huge importance to Advanced Fuel Tanks. It is a Christchurch based company that has very dedicated shareholders, directors and team that are passionate about the industry and business in New Zealand.

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‘Bring it on possums’ The battle with the birds has been superseded by the battle with the possums in my backyard.

The day I killed my first possum became a defining moment in my life.

Our two tenacious jack russells had baled the furious animal up in the back garden – in truth Daisy had hold of it – Whoopie’s role was more that of a cheerleader and a fairly whimpy one at that.

Any time the beast looked like getting the upper hand, Whoopie turned tail and bolted back to the house.

Add to the screeching possum and barking dogs, the sound of four kids screaming – two at my place and the neighbours’ offspring hanging off the corrugated iron fence.

The resulting air-splitting chorus needed to stop!

While my siblings were a force to be reckoned with when it came to possums, I never had any desire to catch something in a trap and bash its brains out with a hammer – but I knew they were hard to kill and the screeching could go on for hours.

Michelle Nelson

So, armed with a cane knife I whacked that possum.

A visitor arrived – to be confronted by a bloodsplattered woman wielding a cane knife and a yard full of screaming kids, barking dogs and fur. (I don’t recall her ever coming back.)

I realised in that moment I really was a woman on my own. There wasn’t a man within cooee that I could rope into dispatching that possum into the never, never.

Years later I am again confronted with possum problems – Daisy has slowed down, but she would love to get hold of the destroyer of plum trees – and if she could get an equally aged possum on the ground, would certainly give it a nasty suck.

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But without Whoopie, who is chasing rats in the happy terrier hunting ground, not even there to cheer her own, she contents herself with barking up trees.

I’ve considered borrowing

a 4-10 shotgun and blasting it to smithereens, but living within the Mt Somers township puts that idea back in the box.

Looks like a humane trap is the only solution, but

presuming it is tempted out of a tree full of luscious red plums and into a steel trap, I’m still left with the original conundrum – how to kill it.

And I’m guessing I’ll have to do it myself.

2 18

Farming

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Wasps threatening native wildlife in Beech forests are, or should be, lovely cool places to visit during this hot summer. But many of our local forests, like beech forests throughout the South Island, are already crowded with unpleasant visitors: the wasp family.

Wasps are introduced insects. The German (Vespula) wasp arrived in the 1940s and the common wasp in the late 1970s.

It is the German wasp that we see most frequently in local beech forests.

They are so prevalent that the weight of wasps in a patch of forest often exceeds the combined weight of native birds and all the introduced pests such as stoats and rats.

They are not only a potential danger to humans but compete with native insects and birds living in our forests.

They have managed to reach plague proportions by exploiting a rich food resource produced by a tiny insect, called the beech scale insect that lives on the trunks of beech trees.

This insect pokes its long

Mary Ralston

FOREST AND BIRD

mouthparts into the tree trunk to drink the sap and then excretes sugary droplets of honeydew, which are suspended on thin filaments on the trunks of trees.

The wasps help themselves to this abundant food source.

Honeydew is also a valuable food for native organisms, such as the sooty moulds, a type of fungus. (It is the sooty moulds that cover the beech tree trunks with a distinctive black coating.)

Native birds, such as bellbirds, tui and kaka, also feed directly on honeydew.

Native insects also feed on honeydew, and because of the competition from wasps, there are reduced populations of insects, which then means

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there are fewer insect-eating birds, such as rifleman, grey warbler and tomtit. Wasps are also a major predator of invertebrates.

As well as getting a free lunch, wasps have been able to prosper in New Zealand because they have no natural enemies here and the winters are mild so they do not die off as they might in colder climates. For five months of the year, wasps can consume up to 90 per cent of the honeydew, which means native insects and birds go away hungry.

Wasp control has been successful in the Nelson Lakes National Park and is currently underway in the Craigieburn Forest Park.

The control operation has been organised by the Waimakariri Environment and Recreation Committee and involves putting out bait stations containing an insecticide when the wasps are at their peak, which is in February and March. continued next page

UNDERGROUND CABLE

www.guardianonline.co.nz

19

our beech forests Project organiser Penny Wright said invasive wasps were probably the most widespread and damaging invertebrate pests in the country because of their impact on invertebrate populations and honeydew availability.

The Craigieburn Wasp Control Project will be the largest wasp control operation ever carried out in New Zealand,

and will rely on teams of volunteers to be completed.

Bird surveys will be done to see if getting rid of wasps helps the birds survive.

Hopefully the control will be successful and the procedure can be used in other forests to help restore them as pleasant places to visit, and for the benefit of our native birds and insects.

Beech forests are under attack from wasps.

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Farming

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Choked by regulation and knee-jerk As political leaders launch their first shots of 2015, it occurs to me that little credence is given to compliance and regulatory costs playing an increasing deterrent to expansion in our economy. New home building is a particularly topical issue.

Figures released this week from a report commissioned by the Registered Master Builders’ Association jointly with the Construction Strategy Group highlight my concerns.

The survey shows that between 16 per cent and 33 per cent of the cost of an average 145-square-metre new home is determined by meeting regulatory challenges and monitoring, imposed by government regulators.

I have no problem agreeing that to produce a good product regulations are essential, but the “ratcheting up” that has occurred since the earthquakes defies all reasoning.

Government thinking seems to be that if enough regulations and limitations are imposed, death or injury by accident at work will be eliminated. This has never been and will never be the case.

John Leadley

RURAL COMMENT

For generations builders, plumbers, roofers, painters and other tradespeople operated within the boundaries of common-sense risk-taking and good work practice. Why add further complications and cost?

Employment involves learning, self-discipline and finding boundaries, with practical experience often being the best teacher. Reading endless rule book theory and the stand-over presence of high-vis jacketed and highlypaid inspectors, produces little measurable financial saving.

The topical farming issue of quad bike safety deserves some comment. A suggestion that all less than 16 years of age require to be licensed raises my ire. Industry records show 12 children were killed on quad bikes between 2002 to 2012.

Hardly an epidemic.

By all means enforce the wearing of helmets and keep the power rating down for younger riders; however, the number of accidents and deaths involving mature motorcyclists on our nation’s roads is clear evidence that experience alone does not bring infallibility, as often no other vehicle is involved.

To ban quad riding until the age of 16 (like Australia) would be nonsense.

I wonder just how many of today’s musterers, who were often were riding horses at five to 10 years of age (and without helmet protection) would still be in the industry if restrictive regulations were in vogue.

It’s my firm belief that intergenerational farming will remain part of the backbone of our major industry. Early introduction to practical work with animals is a great introduction to a lifetime occupation. Children and teenagers are a valuable work resource on farms.

When it comes to kneejerk reactions to events, the disastrous incident at the

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Without doubt the event was tragic at the highest level and

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What is abundantly clear is the reinforcement of security measures across the nation,

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Farming

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21

reactions Left – Guardian Farming columnist John Leadley asks how many of today’s youth have the courage, self-discipline and pride in nationhood to defend New Zealand like the soldiers of World War One.

manifesting itself in building alteration and security employment, is proving to be very costly to implement and sustain.

I was somewhat surprised

on a late November visit to Oneroa, on Waiheke Island, surely one of the smaller government-supported agencies in New Zealand, to see the level of security there.

As a long-time trustee of our (former) Ashburton Community House, I was interested to see what services were provided on the island by their Community House. There was a Citizen Advice Bureau plus an I-site in separate buildings across the street!

My approach was met by two uniformed Armourguard personnel wishing to know my business! Fair enough. My Ashburton background fuelled many questions regarding recent events.

I learned that the office would not open after Christmas until a third guard was employed. This in an area serving a resident population of eight-and-a-half-thousand.

Surely overkill?

Figures released by the Government this month show that an extra 278 fulltime security staff have been employed by Winz to safeguard staff and public since the Ashburton incident.

At an estimated salary

(including training, uniforms etc) of $50,000 per annun this represents $14 million annually.

Is this really justified?

I’m certain some Winz clients could suggest a better use of that money.

Yes work safety is paramount, but not at any cost.

I’m heartily fed up with the way government and other regulatory authorities are destroying self-responsibility in our citizens. It seems that whatever goes wrong there must be someone to blame.

I certainly don’t have all the answers, but a good start would be to dispense with the “cotton wool bubble” mentality that young parents are encouraged to raise their children in today.

Let experiences teach them some boundaries rather than endless regulations and certainly don’t assume that all social media interactions are positive. Simply not the case.

As we approach the 100-year commemoration of World War One, it’s appropriate to compare

the initiative, resilience and sheer energy of the brave young men and women who willingly volunteered for active service in their late teens and early 20s.

I ponder whether a similar proportion of today’s youth would have the courage, self-discipline and pride in nationhood to meet a similar demand should the need arise.

My community roles over the past 50 years have allowed, and continue to allow, me to interact with hundreds of disciplined, talented young people whom I would be happy to call my own.

Unfortunately, well below this is a small tier of young people who seem to think that the world or “guv’ment” owes them a living in a world devoid of self-responsibility. This must never be the case.

Endless regulations to manipulate employers and an over-generous welfare state are doing nothing to break this cycle.

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2 22

Farming

Business Profile

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Fuel storage for the future Mid Canterbury based company Sebco offers innovative fuel storage systems to multiple industries throughout the country. It is run by Mid Canterbury couple Ed and Leah Harrison and proud to be New Zealand owned and operated.

Not only do they supply different sizes of diesel stations, the company product range has grown to include transportable tanks for the back of utes, tanks for storing and dispensing the diesel exhaust fluid AdBlue for new SCR engines, and waste oil recovery units.

The AdBlue systems were developed to meet national emission standards which require any new truck or tractor sold to comply. The AdBlue storage and dispensing units were becoming a popular product line as many farms/ contractors run tractors, trucks, utes that run on AdBlue and have the need to store and dispense AdBlue.

“We have products that meet these needs. AdBlue is an exhaust fluid that goes into the exhaust system of tractors

The Sebco 1300 AdBlue Station, seen here on a farm in Canterbury, is becoming a popular product line for Mid Canterbury based fuel storage company Sebco.

etc reducing their harmful emissions,” Ed said.

“The SCR market continues to grow at a fast pace with more and more trucks, industrial earth movers and tractors using Adblue in their exhaust systems. Every one of these machines needs a reliable source where they can get their Adblue supplies. If they run out, they stop. We supply chemical companies and fuel companies with Sebco Adblue stations where users can fill up as required,” he said.

While Sebco design and manufacture all their products.

They use local industry for support with the plastic inners

and bunds roto-moulded by Ashburton-based RX Plastics.

The pumps, wiring, measuring systems and other components are installed in the Fuel Storage Systems’ workshop.

The Harrisons have helped Sebco gain a good reputation nationwide for its quality products and service.

The company started manufacturing diesel tanks in 2007, to an Environmental Protection Authority's HSNO (Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act) Approved Code of Practice.

They are the only plastic units on the New Zealand

market that comply with these tough requirements.

With Ed handling sales, and Leah taking care of the administration and marketing the couple run an efficient operation, employing two people in production and delivery. “Our initial launch in the market was with our Sebco 2300 Diesel Station.

Since then we have grown the product range to include 9500l, 4800l, 1300l and 500l units,” Leah said.

Sebco Diesel Stations are bunded tanks that house diesel in an insulated clean environment that virtually eliminate condensation.

The diesel tank inners are made of a special resin, and as they are plastic, no rotting or rusting occurs, providing a sterile environment for fuel.

They are safe and secure to operate and all product resins have a high UV rating.

“We are New Zealand owned and operated and proudly based in Mid Canterbury, supplying quality products which are reliable, secure and safe, meeting the market demands.

“Our service is personalised – the end user deals with the right people, and we deliver to all over the country, using our own vehicles and staff.

“Our customers love our products – they make life easy for them, and ensure their fuel and other products are housed correctly meeting both legal and health and safety requirements.

“Customers dealing with Sebco deal directly with us, the designer and manufacturer, which they enjoy.

“We are able to answer all their questions regarding products, suitability for the required application, whether that is farming or industry, and we can give advice on compliancy laws.”

Sebco has a truck delivering fulltime, and heads into the North Island every two or three weeks.

The 0800 number gives customers access to backup assistance at any time.

However, once the units were operational there were very few that needed to be revisited.

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Farming

2 24

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Dry spell reinforces need to focus

By Paul Reese For irrigating farmers, the goal this month will be to minimise your risk of running out of water.

The emphasis needs to be optimisation and efficiency, hand in hand with pre-planning and maintenance.

The first thing you need to check is that your equipment is operating at its optimal level so what ever water is pumped needs to be applied as effectively as possible. Be aware of what is happening with your water supply and prepare ahead of further water restrictions to ensure domestic and stock water is still available and that crops can be managed with restricted supply.

Scheduling will be paramount, particularly now irrigators are limited in the water they have through seasonal volumes and with water meters in place, so know your soils and how much water your crop uses and apply irrigation accordingly. continued next page

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25

on efficiency from P24 Groundwater users in particular should think about their annual volume and where they are at.

This will help guarantee you can make it through the season.

Test your irrigator is working as it should to guarantee you’re getting the best from the water you apply. Checking pressure and sprinklers regularly is essential. If you’re running out of water re-nozzling might help stretch it out for longer or alternatively if you operate a number of irrigation systems think about shutting off the

less efficient ones, long laterals in pivot corners for example.

That way you can continue to operate more efficient irrigators such as pivots and linear moves for longer.

IrrigationNZ has created a check list of options for irrigators to help you make the right choices during dry spells.

The options below may not be available to all farmers as they depend on the equipment and set-up of each irrigation system and how farmers react will also depend on their particular water restrictions and land use.

From surface water river

takes there may be a rationing regime in place that reduces the water take as certain trigger flows are reached. For example 100 l/s to 75 l/s when the first threshold hits then from 75 l/s to 50 l/s with the next. From an irrigation scheme the roster may change from full flow to reduced flow so your system then has to match it or it could be that the scheme provides full flow but on reduced hours or fewer days.

These are all scenarios irrigating farmers need to prepare for and have contingency plans in place.

Above – Paul Reese.

Left – Water meters are one of the tools irrigators are relying on this month to ensure targeted application.

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2 26

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Holy hell it’s dry, says the young farmer Chris Murdoch

PROPERTY BROKERS

The other day I was standing around discussing farming etc with a group of young rural professionals when the discussion ended up, as always, talking about the weather.

One young guy said: “Holy hell it’s dry, have you ever seen it like this before?”

I presumed he was talking to me as I was the only one in the group with white hair!

“Well,” I said, not trying to be the silly old bugger in the corner, “I have.”

In the early and mid-80s every year seemed to be a drought. However, in those days there were hardly any dairy units around and only a few cattle.

The stock run were mainly sheep, “those woolly things that have lambs” – that used

to be farmers’ main income. I must say we had fewer tools available to us in those days to cope with droughts.

For example, silage had not arrived to the sheep industry.

There was only one type of ryegrass and if you applied 200kg/ha of fertiliser you were almost overdoing it and hardly anyone used nitrogen.

Roadsides were summersaved pasture, which meant four hours a day sitting on the road to stop the stock wandering further than your boundary.

In those days roadsides were important feeding stations and many an active discussion came about by someone eating someone else’s roadside.

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After that you fed out the cocksfoot straw that we called hay and, when that was finished, opened all the gates around the farm and prayed.

However, back then we did have the perfect storm on our doorstep as well and that was the removal of SMPs, low commodity prices and rising interest rates (in some cases

up to 25 per cent) and then to top it off a drought.

So in answer to the original question, “have I ever seen it this dry?” Sure have!

In closing, I wonder how many farmers – arable, mixed and dairy – would survive the perfect storm if it arrived today - some would, but lots wouldn’t!

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27

Groundwater replenishment via MAR

By Environment Canterbury

When we think of water storage we often think of schemes such as the Opuha dam or farm ponds that are now dotted throughout Canterbury. In some places, where groundwater conditions are favourable, another option could be managed aquifer recharge (MAR).

MAR is the deliberate recharge of groundwater with clean water to improve water quality and quantity.

The Ashburton zone committee began discussing MAR as it searched for solutions to reduce nutrient loads and manage water flows in the lowland streams of the Hinds catchment. The zone committee recommended that Environment Canterbury facilitate a MAR trial project in the Hinds catchment to see if it would work in this situation.

Bob Bower, Golder Associates (NZ) Ltd, has been contracted as project manager to work with the Hinds community to identify a site for a trial, which has been

Managed Aquifer Recharge includes techniques such as natural and engineered wetlands, injection and recovery bores, infiltration basins and galleries

found in the Valetta irrigation company’s command area.

The Ashburton District Council has agreed to allow the use of available water from Rangitata River for the trial.

A monitoring system made up of both groundwater bores and surface water flow sites is being installed to measure the effects of the trial on water quality and quantity.

“The Hinds Plains is a strong candidate using surface

infiltration tools, such as spreading basins or soak pits to recharge,” said Bob Bower.

“It is critical as you develop a MAR pilot that you work with the community to get their knowledge of the area to ensure it is a success.

“The next stage is to complete the consent process and develop the site designs and operations plan.

“It is hoped that water will

An example of infiltration basins, here at a pilot programme in Oregon, USA

be on the ground by Autumn but this will be dependent on the project attracting further funding.”

If you would like further information on the trial please contact Bob Bower: rbower@golder.co.nz A technical report outlining

MAR for the Hinds area is available on the www.ecan.govt.nz website – search for “Hinds mar” and look for “Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) as a tool for managing water quality and quantity issues”.

Advertising feature

Co-operation saves local creek

By Environment Canterbury

By working together and using existing irrigation infrastructure local landowners have been able to keep Greenstreet’s Spring Creek alive despite the ongoing dry conditions.

“If the creek dries out everything in it dies and it takes years to recover, as happened a number of years ago,” said local farmer Peter Etheridge.

Peter Etheridge says no-one wanted to see the creek go dry which was likely to happen as a result of the lack of rain and low river levels. The dry conditions have meant that the

Greenstreet irrigation scheme is on complete restrictions – it can’t take water.

Mr Etheridge – in conjunction with Greenstreet Irrigation chairman Lyndon Webb – rang Environment Canterbury to ask what could be done. After discussions – which included members of the Ashburton zone committee and Fish & Game – it was agreed that Greenstreet Irrigation could take some water, despite restrictions, to release into the creek to keep it alive.

Spring Creek starts around 10km north of Ashburton and flows between the north and south branches of the

Ashburton River, and flows into the river just before the confluence. It is normally used to carry irrigation water for the 20 or so members of the Greenstreet Irrigation Scheme. Various native bully, eel and galaxias species are likely to live in the stream.

“We can’t irrigate from the water in the creek but at least it will protect the creek’s ecosystem until we get some decent rain again,” Lyndon Webb said.

The creek is currently flowing with around 51 litres per second – the water is coming from the irrigation ponds above the creek.

Advertising feature

Ashburton zone committee members and local farmers at Greenstreet Irrigation’s intake on the south branch of the Ashburton River/Hakatere (Photo June 2012)

Tips for dealing with dry conditions

By Environment Canterbury

•

•

Plan ahead for possible water restrictions.

If you depend on irrigation then prioritise: crops or pastures; good pastures or poor pastures.

Make sure you understand the different

•

•

soils on your property and their water-holding capacities.

Make sure you know how to operate and maintain your irrigation system. Calibrate your irrigators regularly.

Schedule irrigation responsibly: if the

•

forecast says rain either hold off or adjust the depth applied. Try to avoid irrigating in strong winds.

Meet compliance requirements – ensure your water meter is operating at all times and check your use is

• •

within your consented rates and volumes.

Avoid irrigating roads, waterways and boundaries.

Remember – irrigation consent holders are responsible for the water applied to their properties.

For more helpful tips and information: www.irrigationnz.co.nz www.smartirrigation.co.nz www.dairynz.co.nz/ environment/water-use/ irrigation-efficiency Advertising feature

2 28

Farming

Farm Technology

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Smartphone apps a farmer’s lifeline Smartphones have changed the way farmers manage their businesses, milk production, monitor the weather and control irrigation.

Gone are the days of carrying a cheque book around in your back pocket, banking apps allow you to make on the job payments, reducing double handling and keeping records.

Last year an app developed

by OneFarm Centre of Excellence in Business Management was selected to represent New Zealand in a global competition.

The Grass2Milk app helps plan feed allocations and determine whether cows are getting enough feed to reach milk and body condition targets.

Precision farming apps such as Sush Precision Agriculture can be used as a one-stopshop for ordering, monitoring, measuring and recording fertiliser applications, doing away with the need to manage separate notebooks, GIS imagery and job tracking records.

On a more basic level, the Wunderlist Task Manager

enables farmers to keep job lists and check them off when completed. Lists can be shared between staff using Windows, Android and Apple appliances. Backed up on cloud, everyone will be

updated when new jobs are added or ticked off.

For just $2.60 the Metservice App will deliver personalised weather information straight to your smartphone.

Keep things straight with a free Spirit Level App. Area calculator apps accurately determine the size of a paddock and unit converter apps convert acres to hectares, pounds to kilos

and feet and inches to metric measurements.

The list is endless – get online and learn more about how smart phone apps can save time and money in your business.

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Farm Technology

www.guardianonline.co.nz

29

Solving internet coverage ‘black holes’ Writing cheques is all but a chore of the past for a Kiwi farmer who has left the days of frustrating Dial-up behind, to embrace the latest Satellite Broadband technology and all its benefits, like access to online banking.

Ross Allen runs 3000 ewes and 150 hogs on his 345 hectare property in Kereru.

He’s situated in something of a cell coverage black hole - his neighbours a couple of kilometres each side of him can access the net via their phones, but he can’t.

The local school is among those with access to faster broadband under a Government initiative, but he’s not close enough to benefit.

“We only had Dial-up and that kept fallin off. You virtually couldn’t use it.”

Wireless Nation has since set him up with a connection to its leading Optus Satellite network, which reaches all the remote places broadband can’t.

“Dial-up is not good enough for farmers,” says Wireless Nation’s Technical Director Tom Linn. “You’d struggle to even download a report from a farming website. With our technology you can access information instantly and not be stuck, almost, in the Dark

Ages.”

As farming becomes more and more technically advanced, internet access becomes more and more crucial to keep farms running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Satellite broadband has come a long way since early versions cost thousands and thousands of dollars, and provided very slow download speeds of 256 or 512 kbps.

Using modern satellite technology speeds comparable to a city ADSL (your standard broadband) connection will soon be reality in New Zealand – with even faster speeds not far off.

This means farmers don’t have to wait until fibre or even RBI (the Government’s Rural Broadband Initiative) arrives at their property, if it ever will.

The internet feed is beamed from a geostationary satellite to a dish installed at the subscriber's home, which with Wireless Nation’s technology

has download speeds of up to 10 Mbps. This is faster than older satellite broadband technology and much, much faster than dial-up.

Its coverage comes through the powerful Optus Satellite network which Linn explains has “hot” signal strength over New Zealand. “We have really good signal which isn’t prone to rain fade, so if there is heavy rain our customers still have a signal. Not like competing networks which use satellites with a low angle which can block the line of sight.

Ross Allen laughs that while he’s still “pretty backwards” and likes to keep things simple, having quality internet is important and has definitely made life easier.

“I do all my banking on it. I probably haven’t written more than about two cheques out in the last year.”

If you are like Allen, a hardworking farmer in an area that doesn’t have normal broadband coverage or

you’re using older satellite technology, Wireless Nation can help.

Tom Linn says the company loves to think outside the square, and has plenty of capacity available.

“We also provide custom solutions to overcome connectivity issues or connect large areas to the internet. If there’s a need for it, we can do it.”

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2 30

Farming

Farm Technology

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Giving you the good oil on your soil Smart Ag Solutions was founded by four Canterbury cropping farmers who saw the variability within their paddocks on a daily basis. Knowing that accurate soil data is vital to crop yields, they decided to do something about it.

They discovered the Veris MSP3 in the United States and brought one into the country. They now have the ability to offer precision soil mapping and testing at a level never before seen in New Zealand.

20-25 soil pH samples are taken every hectare, giving you detailed GPS cross referenced maps of your soil’s true pH levels, “highlighting areas that will more likely never need lime, saving you money” says Smart Ag Solutions Seaun Lovell.

All data from the Veris soil mapper is verified against physical soil samples taken from the paddock and sent to a New Zealand lab for testing.

This ensures only accurate and quality data is ever recorded.

Along with EC (electrical conductivity) maps, which give you soil textures down to 1m,

and organic matter percentage maps, growers, consultants, and suppliers are using Smart Ag Solutions soil maps to devise management zones, set sampling

locations, vary seed rates, nitrogen, lime and irrigation applications - just to name a few uses of precision technology maps.

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Smart Ag Solutions team (left to right) Colin Hurst, Nick Ward, Seaun Lovell, Michael Tayler, Hugh Wigley.

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Farm Technology

www.guardianonline.co.nz

31

A 180˚ swing in precision agriculture When Dan Symons, a Methven dairy farmer, bought a brand new, red and grey Massey Ferguson 178 in 1978, about the only thing electrical on it was the headlights. When his new John Deere 6125 arrived early last year, it was equipped with a sophisticated GPS guidance computer with touch-screen controls that was seen as a “finishing touch” to his tractor purchase.

Things changed a lot between 1972 and 2014, but they’ve changed almost as much in the short time since then. Whereas until recently, an in-cab computer was seen as completing the purchase of a tractor, now with cloud computing developing in the ag sector at lightening speed, in-cab computers are now seen less as completing the purchase of a tractor and much more as beginning the process of computer-aided farm management.

It’s this global trend that has seen the worldleading specialist agriculture technology company, Ag Leader Technology,

The head of Ag Leader’s global business Jeff Bentley. Ag Leader has appointed Precision Farming as its New Zealand national distributor.

headquartered in Aimes, Iowa in the United States, to appoint Precision Farming Ltd as its New Zealand national distributor.

Precision Farming is the

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Canterbury-headquartered agricultural technology business that provides farmers with decision-supporting management information, using its proprietary farm

mapping technology as the base platform, and then adding modules to meet the specific needs of individual farmers.

“By taking on and investing heavily in the Ag Leader distributorship for New Zealand, this adds enormous capability at the front end of the value process for our farmer-customers, whether they are in cropping, dairying, sheep and beef, horticulture or other specialties” said Brendon Cane, MD of Precision Farming in announcing the new NZ appointment.

“And it adds substantial value to contractors too. Ag Leader provides the tools needed for farmers and contractors to work even more closely together, enabling ordering, scheduling, job completion, record keeping and profit improvement to integrate more seamlessly, with greater precision and less waste of fuel, time and materials.”

The first major fieldays following Precision Farming’s appointment is the South Island Agricultural Field Days in Kirwee. The head of

Ag Leader’s global business, Jeff Bentley, is flying to New Zealand to attend the event.

“This is a great opportunity for me to understand the opportunities and challenges facing NZ farmers, and I’m looking forward to meeting Kiwi farmers and contractors, not only at Kirwee, but also during farm visits while I am in NZ,” Jeff said. “And I am pleased that the Australiasian managing director, Derren Halprin and territory manager, Doug Amos, are flying across from Australia for the Kirwee show too,” Jeff added.

GPS guidance, autosteering, precision planting, spraying and spreading, yield monitoring and sophisticated tools like hydraulic downforce seed-drilling and cloud storage of orders, maps and farm data all contribute to more efficient and profitable farming.

The chap who sold Dan Symons his Massey Ferguson in 1978 wouldn’t recognise the cab of a tractor today.

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33

New GM a red meat specialist Angus New Zealand (ANZ) has a new man at the helm, with the appointment of Alan Cook to the general manager’s role.

Mr Cook is currently one of ANZ’s red meat specialists, charged with supporting the sector growth for the bank and contributing to the Red Meat Profit Partnership.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to join the Angus New Zealand team. Angus have made great progress in New Zealand and the breed now stands head and shoulders above its peers,” Mr Cook said.

“The chance to be part of the continuation of that progress is something that I’m genuinely excited about.

“Having had a lifelong involvement in both the stud and commercial cattle industries, as well as a career in banking, I hope to continue the development of the Angus breed and its programmes.

“I’m impressed with the ambition and direction of the Angus New Zealand Board and can’t wait to

Alan Cook - general manager Angus NZ

start implementing the new strategic plan that’s currently being finalised.

The beef industry in New Zealand is riding a wave at the moment with unprecedented prices being received.

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2 34

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Growing irrigation knowledge A new initiative launched this month aims to help farmers improve their irrigation efficiency through sharing words of wisdom and examples of efficient and effective irrigation practices.

The information is being presented regularly through the H2Grow blog (www. h2grow.nz), in short, to-thepoint, practical posts.

It is hoped that growers will be able to gain direct economic benefits while also improving the outcomes for the environment and sustainability of farming industries as a whole.

“It’s fantastic to see companies with the extensive experience of the three involved promoting efficient irrigation practices.” says Tammy McMahon, Principal Extension Services Officer for Environment Canterbury.

“Education and training plays a key role in achieving the water quality targets set for the Canterbury region.”

A recent post begins to look at ground-truthing soil variability on your farm “Nothing beats a hole in the

150-200mm red brown silt loam (very silky to feel when dampened), grey sandy silt with orange mottles and streaks, not too many roots in top soil and none in the sandy silt.

ground or measurements that will depth profile your soil…

The two examples (while a bit extreme in terms of excavated depth) are on the same property about 350m apart and no matter how you identified the variability at the surface, the holes tell you why.”

200-250mm sandy silt loam (smooth to feel but a little gritty as well), then gravels and sandy gravels, dark brown topsoil, roots 250mm deep, hardly any roots in the gravels.

The H2Grow blog contributors boast a range of experience in irrigation management, soil and soil water assessment, precision agriculture, irrigation technologies and farming operations.

Many of the posts will include advice from other industry experts and input from growers demonstrating best practice and achieving great results.

The H2Grow team includes Dr Anthony Davoren who is

well known throughout New Zealand for his extensive knowledge and straight to the point approach. Tony established HydroServices Ltd in 1983 and specialises in irrigation management, irrigation requirements, soil water assessment, and surface and ground water resources.

Jemma Mulvihill’s practical capabilities and understanding of the potential benefits of precision agriculture grew while completing a year abroad in the US at Colorado

State University during her undergrad studies at Lincoln University. Jemma and her parents Craige and Roz Mackenzie launched Agri Optics New Zealand Ltd in 2010, filling the gap in the ever-changing technology driven ag market in NZ. Sarah Elliot combines her engineering background with her passion for agriculture in her current role at Lindsay NZ where she works closely with farmers utilising variable rate irrigation (VRI) technology. Lindsay NZ (formerly Precision Irrigation) developed the award winning Growsmart Precision VRI technology, which was the first of its kind worldwide.

The H2Grow team also offer their time to share their expertise in regards to efficient irrigation through field days and workshops.

Should any group wish to learn more about any of the subjects covered in the blog through a practical on-farm demonstration then contact any of the contributors to further discuss options.

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www.guardianonline.co.nz

35

Fires leave rural folk exposed Bush fires have been licking areas of the South Island but not enough rural property owners fully appreciate the crippling costs of scrub fires, according to a rural insurance expert.

“Aside from your home, you need to think about your machinery, your crops - and most importantly - the potential liability to your neighbours’ and the fire service if a fire starts on your property,” Crombie Lockwood rural insurance broker Gert Sanders said.

“The cost of these fires for individual households could run into the millions.”

Massive scrub fires in Canterbury, Marlborough and Otago over the past few weeks have demonstrated that any location on the East Coast could become a fire-fighting hotspot.

The fire-fighting cost of last week’s blaze at Flockton Hill could run into hundreds of thousands of dollars and Mr Stander said the fire service would be looking for someone to bill.

This could even include

Above – Insurance broker Gert Sanders.

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neighbouring properties if the fire service argues that those properties would have been destroyed if fire fighters had not protected them.

Mr Stander said a number of rural property owners have been tragically caught out by

lack of insurance cover in the past, forced to pay enormous fire-fighting bills, not covered in by public liability insurance.

A large scrub fire in Prebbleton two years ago affected 30 properties, destroyed businesses and

homes, cost the fire service over $200,000 and left several uninsured or under-insured home owners in despair.

“Lifestyle block properties are particularly vulnerable as the sections are smaller and any fire major scrub fire

has the potential to destroy several houses, compared to maybe one dwelling on a bigger property,” Mr Stander said.

He advised rural property owners to get good advice from a rural expert.

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2 36

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Early irrigation shutdown looms With the threat of an early close to the irrigation season threatening the viability of crops and winter feed supply, farmers need to pull out all the stops to ensure they are optimising every drop of water.

Earlier forecasts that Lake Opuha in South Canterbury may sustain irrigation until the end the month are now being revisited.

“The sustained dry conditions have reduced flows across the catchment and increased pressure on our storage, prompting us to review the forecast for the lake. Both river flows and irrigation will suffer when we run out of storage,” Opuha Water CEO Tony McCormick said.

In other parts of Canterbury and Otago, water restrictions are biting and many farmers say they will need to shut down irrigation a month to six weeks earlier than expected given the dry conditions.

This will affect their ability to maintain winterfeed crops, sow new pastures and

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37

Let’s talk about health and safety Jane Fowles

HEALTH AND SAFETY FIRST

There is a lot of information filtering through about health and safety from various sources at the moment. How do we keep abreast of all the changes facing us in 2015?

Our new legislation, albeit unconfirmed, has started the information chain moving in the past six months with what you need to be doing and how.

A lot of businesses feel that they are playing a waiting game at present, some are continuing with their health and safety practices as they are, while others are starting with their initial building blocks. Some have decided to wait to see what this new law will look like and what will be required from them.

If there is one thing I’d like to emphasise to everyone,

bump it to the top of the list.

If you are doing it, then make it smarter and get new ideas from informed people.

And how about we talk about health and safety in the Ashburton area to make sense of all this information? At the end of the day we all have the same goal – to get our staff members home to their families at the end of the day.

Compliance Partners, in conjunction with Business Mid Canterbury, has launched the new health and safety forum. The Forum meets every six weeks to talk about a variety of health and safety issues. The floor will always SZM0117 FARMBIKES be open for generalSZM0117 discussion,FARMB with the sharing of ideas and information.

The Forum is open to all businesses and farmers. Our next meeting is 10am on Wednesday, March 11. I look forward to seeing you there.

Have a question for me on safety protocols. If you start Health & Safety compliance with your health and safety processes and procedures now or HR? Phone me now on then you’re off with your best 0800BIZSAFE for advice or a book your free workplace foot forward.

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2 38

Farming

www.guardianonline.co.nz

Succession planning drives strong dem Despite the negative short term outlook in the dairy industry, Mid Canterbury has seen strong demand for various types of rural properties over the traditional spring farm sale season. While the sale season is usually spread out between October and December, the bulk of the closings were limited to a two week period starting in late November 2014.

The late and condensed season was in part driven by last year’s election, where it was perceived that the stability of the rural property market (and consequently purchasers’ appetites for acquisition) would be impacted by the makeup of the Government for the next three years. With a clear steer from the voters for the return of a primary industry sympathetic administration, the buyers were out in sufficient force to dispel any concern about the medium to long term confidence in our region.

With seven deadline property sales closing and numerous offers being finalised in the Tavendale and Partners Ashburton office, this made for a very busy period leading up

Tim Silva

TAVENDALE AND PARTNERS

to the Christmas break. This is always an exciting time, where both vendor and purchaser anticipation is high.

The most common method of sale remained the “deadline private treaty” where offers are invited on vendor-specified terms by a set deadline. Offers then remain live for a certain period of time. Consistent with previous seasons this has driven some competitive offers, with vendors remaining firmly in the driving seat by retaining the ability to evaluate and negotiate offers on a confidential basis.

This was contrasted by the very limited number of public auctions which, in one case, resulted in a property being passed-in without a single bid.

A place remains for public

auctions, and depending on Vendor circumstances, the transparent nature of an auction can still be the best way to proceed.

Further, the negotiation following an auction (even when no bids are made) can drive results for a vendor, which was the case on the farm mentioned above.

As always and in order to achieve the best possible results, the work starts early.

In some cases, by late autumn vendors had selected their sale agents, pulled their professional team together and made crucial decisions around how their properties would be groomed and managed pending sale.

Part of the process is having well considered sale contract and supporting documentation.

This should strike a balance between showcasing the property, driving the highest price, optimising the opportunity for the purchaser and creating absolute certainty in terms of the deal between vendor and purchaser.

While I have handled plenty of farm transactions, no two are the same.

have good advice around the issues relating to a particular property. An ever-greater specialised skill set is required to cover all aspects. For example, as well as calling

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www.guardianonline.co.nz

39

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on different specialists within our firm, we routinely advise that an environmental consultant should be engaged as part of the advisory team on any rural property purchase.

Farm succession was the key driver behind the vast majority of farms secured in the Tavendale and Partners office this season.

It has been very satisfying to see some great families securing their targeted properties with a focus on the future for the next generation of farmers.

Where the economics allowed, positive steps have been taken to increase the pool of family farming assets with a view to ensuring that more than one succeeding farmer will have the opportunity to eventually own an economic farm. Given the capital values involved,

especially in securing good land in Mid Canterbury, this does not come without courage and sacrifice for the family and I never cease to admire the steps that parents have taken to achieve this goal.

Perhaps the best part is seeing just how keen the younger generation is to carry on and grow the family farming operations by bringing great energy, different skills sets and new technology to the table.

It’s great to see the senior generation of farmers embracing the younger farmers’ use of precision-ag tools and realtime farm apps, providing comprehensive and instantaneous information into the paddock that was not dreamed-of even 10 years ago. This, coupled with the senior farmers’ experience (that often comes from the school of

hard knocks) can make for a formidable family farming team.

Securing the farm assets and the economics around that are only a small part of the equation. This leads us to our key topic for Guardian Farming for 2015 – succession planning.

This is a huge and complex area that forms a very large part of the Tavendale and Partners practice.

No two plans are alike and each plan takes special consideration of the family’s objectives, values, skills, aspirations and prospects.

There are no shortcuts to a good plan and we are all well aware of situations where the lack of a plan or one that is not well considered or executed results in unwanted consequences or even family rifts that can last a lifetime. With more pressure on the farm economics than ever before, this needs to be avoided through positive action and regular evaluation of the plan and those affected.

During the year, I will be drawing on various members of our team to contribute on different aspects of succession planning. This reflects that a number of specialised skill sets across the firm are drawn on to provide input on a good succession plan.

By the time this goes to print, a good proportion of our region’s grain and seed should be in the silo. All the best to our arable farmers for harvest and (no offence to those now wanting some good harvesting weather) here’s hoping for a good rain soon!

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