George Dodson on his way to being crowned the 56th Young Farmer of the Year on Saturday following a nail-biting final in Hamilton. George secured the win following three days of gruelling challenges against six other finalists, including Waikato’s Dennis Main from Piarere. Read more about Dodson and the finals night on Page 11.
ALSO INSIDE:
Early lambs
The lambs are coming – and Paul Charman headed to Keith Edkins’ Rangitoto Rd farm last week to see them. See story Page 2.
Another test win
The All Blacks beat England – and our shearers beat England and France. We look at more success for Jack Fagan and David Buick on Page 7.
Treasure in timber
Those old logs at the back of the farm might be worth a pretty penny.
See what Jim Rogers has to say on Page 10.
Good start for lambs
hoped favourable weather will provide a good start in life for lambs like these,
property.
Paul Charman
Early lambing is underway on King Country farms, including Keith Edkins 40ha property, in Rangitoto Rd, Te Kūiti. Edkins farms alongside daughter Michelle – who works in town – and runs a further 16ha next door, “just as a hobby”.
A walk across their properties provides beautiful sweeping views across the Te Kūiti township, and there are already plenty of lambs to see.
The family run Coopworth ewes, which were put to a Poll Dorset ram, with a breeding cycle that aimed at the early schedule for lambs.
“We have our first draft at the end of October; we try to get rid of our lambs
early while the money is better,” Keith says.
“It’s been a great year so far. One of the best for grass growth and we’ve also had what I would term fantastic weather of late. There have been few wet days till now.
“Generally we have the better weather early on in this part of the world. Our theory is that it’s generally not till about late July, or August, that the rubbish comes in. But, granted, things don’t always work out that way.”
Having experienced above average growing conditions, both father and daughter are hoping for an improvement in the lamb schedule.
“But that’s obviously beyond our control,” Keith says. “It sure doesn’t look too good at present.”
FARMER Briefs
Award date
Entries for the NZI Rural Women NZ Business Awards, run in seven categories, close on July 26.
“Creating and running your own business or enterprise is always hard and can be even harder in a rural setting so these awards are a great chance for them to celebrate and engage with other like-minded entrepreneurs,” the organisation’s national president Gill Naylor said.
Get pruning
Ruapehu District Council’s sustainability facilitator Emily Jasmine has announced a series of pruning workshops as part of council’s sustainability education programme.
Workshops will be held in Waimiha, Taumarunui, Manunui, Raetihi, Owhango and Tokirima over the next two months.
Stag slaughtered Police reported this month that a $20,000 stag had been shot, its head removed and the carcass left in a paddock on Hauturu Rd, Waitomo.
A black double-cab ute had earlier been seen near the property.
Award winner
Lincoln University based scientist Lee Burbery won the research and science category at the Primary Industries Awards last month.
The award recognised his contribution to the use of woodchips as a nitrogen and contaminant filter around water ways.
Beating wallabies off the bait
Possums are beating up wallabies and chasing them off toxic baits Manaaaki Whenua has discovered.
Studying camera footage from the bait traps, researchers noticed brushtail possums are chasing larger wallabies off the baits.
Possum dominance results in a reduced efficacy of bait feeders for wallaby control, because possums often consume or spoil the bait before wallabies can feed, and their presence can disrupt wallaby feeding, potentially leading to sub-lethal dosing and bait shyness in wallabies.
Going solar
Lincoln University will construct a solar farm that will grow crops beneath the rows of panels. The Lincoln University Energy Farm will be first in the country to demonstrate the process of creating renewable electricity generation and farming on the same land.
GRASS HARVESTING
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CULTIVATION/PLANTING
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King Country River Care has been running on-farm seminars with an aim of showing farmers what the new era of carbon neutral goal setting could look like.
River Care coordinator Lana McCormick says the idea was to demonstrate how farms in the area are looking to understand the impacts of moving their operation towards a carbon neutral position, and how it could be achieved.
The first two meetings were held on the dairy farm run by Phil Watkins and Jo Stockley at Piopio (June 26) and on Brent and Louise Scott’s sheep and beef property at Ōpārau (July 9).
Another was hosted by Stephan and Stacey Turner, Brien and Noelle Turner, at 942 Tikitiki Rd Te Kūiti, on Monday.
The Government had signalled it would introduce legislation to ensure agriculture did not enter the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme but it was still unclear exactly where this leaves things.
“We still have the Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Act 2019; large concern over rising temperatures and our key agricultural customers and capital providers requiring change as part of doing business.”
The Zero Carbon Act had the aim of reducing net emissions of all greenhouse gases (except biogenic methane) to zero by
2050 and to reduce biogenic methane to 34-47 per cent below 2017 levels by 2050, including to 10 per cent below 2017 levels by 2030.
The setting of two separate targets had become known as the “split-gas” approach.
“As individuals we have not been asked to meet these targets, but we’re part of the New Zealand and ‘ag-sector’ communities, which have been charged with doing so,” McCormick said.
For New Zealand, the long-lived gases of interest were carbon dioxide – generated by fossil fuels, cropping and lime, and nitrous oxide – generated by dung and urine from animals and from use of nitrogenous fertilizers.
The level of methane emissions was dependent on the number of animals on the farm; how much feed (pasture and bought in supplements) they were eating and the rate at which animals converted feed to methane.
Scientists and entrepreneurs were working on a vaccine designed to lower the methane conversion rates.
When it came to sequestration various trees did this at different rates. Exotic hardwoods led, followed by pine, Doulasfir and exotic softwood. The meetings discussed the various advantages and disadvantages of these trees.
Conclusions included:
That it was possible to make changes
resulting in a net-carbon zero emissions position.
That some farmers could be in this position now, depending on the age and type of vegetation they had on hand, and what was deemed an allowable rate of sequestration for each block.
The right tree in the right place was still the best approach.
Unless farmers dramatically changed
feed use levels, achieving the agricultural sector reduction targets on an individual farm would most likely have to make use of “lower methane genetics”, plus the new vaccine/inhibitor technology.
It was possible to begin some methane emissions reduction measure immediately. But the possibility of a cost being applied to methane emissions had not gone away.
‘Tree farms’ push up rate bills
Paul Charman
The advent of pasture farms being converted to pine plantations to collect carbon credits has impacted the rates income of rural councils.
That’s the view of a spokesperson for 50 Shades of Green, James Cates, who says “tree farms” are helping to hike rates overall.
As Cates sees it the full farm conversions generally lead to the carbon farming company involved either moving the “improvements” (houses and other buildings) off the property or subdividing off, and selling, the portion of land they stand upon.
“Once the improvements are gone – the property owner receives a rates reduction. But had this land remained in traditional pasture farming the rates take would have been consistent, going
into the future.
“So obviously the council concerned has to recoup its losses, and that leads to higher rates for everyone else.”
“...we did point it out to them when there was a big rush to get into carbon farming, but it fell of deaf areas at the time. Te be honest. I’m over the whole thing now because nobody listens. I and my colleagues in 50 Shades are losing our mojo a bit.”
The negative effects of carbon farming – most of which involves pines as the most lucrative species -– would be long term, he added.
“What are they going to do after 30 years when they’ve been paid out all their carbon credits? Those companies will be wound-up and their owners will just walk away, and then who is going to pay the rates on those properties?
Cates did not believe that pine forests
would eventually regenerate themselves into native forests.
“Pines are the most rapidly-growing and dominant species out there. If they automatically give way to natives why are we bothering to spray wilding pines in native bush blocks?
With the advent of large scale carbon farming, Cates expected more forest fires.
“You look at all these countries that are having wild fires overseas. We’ve had nothing like this so far, but there certainly have been more fires in pine plantations in recent years. It’s just lucky a couple of wet years have helped to hold it back.”
James Cates questions to logic of converting pasture into forests.
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Farmers gathered at the Watkins family farm in Piopio.
Secrets of a top dairy farm
Sigrid Christiansen
Managed by Kim Turner, Farm
4 is Wairarapa Moana Ki Pouākani Incorporation’s Ahuwhenua trophy winner at Mangakino. The farm milks 980 cows and produces 416,000kg milk solids.
To the uninformed, Farm 4s big trophy win might seem a real ask.
The “cold, foggy” dairy unit is operated by a bunch of girls (plus one guy) … it also has low soil temperatures and nitrogen inputs much lower than the parent group’s other 11 farms.
But most of these things are the farm’s biggest assets.
Because of the low nitrogen input, the high breeding worth farm operates with less environmental impact, while remaining productive… award winningly so.
“You’d think we’d get less grass, but it doesn’t affect our growth. There’s lots of clover and it works hard.”
The almost-all-female team are an “awesome” bunch who would be a “bonus on any farm, and really make it stand out.” Modern equipment makes up for any strength differences.
“Females do the job as well, if not better than dudes.”
She would love to see more in the industry.
While having a family can challenge women farm workers, this wasn’t unsurmountable in her opinion, having herself started farming with a young child.
Turner’s team is second in command
Haley Webber, herd manager Chersonia Stowers, farm assistant Corpow Potter, plus Cecilia Montelego (who is from Uruguay) and Brooklyn Webber.
Their care for equipment and livestock, and reliability is reflected in the most noticeable feature in Turner’s farm office:
a wall of Wairarapa Moana trophies for everything from pasture management to farm financials.
Visitors always mention the farm’s tidiness and good maintenance. Contractors tend to ask to use their toilet, because it’s always the cleanest.
Staff stay until everyone’s accounted for; they have weekly “toolbox” meetings for health and safety, covering new risks or recent incidents.
They’re connected to the wider WMI team, enjoying an end-of-calving bonfire and annual in-house awards. Training is thorough whether it’s on hazardous substances, mating, or driving trailers and motorbikes.
She said WMI provide up-to-date technology: the automated cup removing, drafting gate and teat spraying systems that mean one less labour unit is needed.
Then there’s Turner’s contribution.
“The secret to good farming is attention to detail all the time, and, giving clear instructions. A lot of it is observing: I’m always looking and planning.”
“I love getting stuff done and seeing the results. It’s so nice seeing nice clean paddocks and happy cows munching on their grass. Every part of it is rewarding.”
Turner grew up on her family-owned farm in Opārure – running Angus cattle and sheep. She went to school there before attending Piopio college.
Later, she moved into Te Kūiti, and “did not like living in town.”
After school, she realised her future lay on the land.
Her then-partner already worked on a dairy farm – and she joined him, starting out as a calf rearer and relief milker, filling in quiet time by “asking for more and more work.”
That job was at Arohena; they later
moved to a Mangakino farm. When its owners sold, she looked for jobs and successfully applied to Wairarapa Moana. Its properties were then run by sharemilkers: they became her employers for the next 14 years.
Later, WMI phased them out and moved to employing managers.
Asked to stay on, she started at Farm 12, where after three months she was promoted to second in command where she worked for a year before applying for the
manager’s job on Farm 4.
There wasn’t just on the job training –she also did industry training.
Fast forward seven seasons to today. What’s next for Turner? Her newest role, as manager of WMI Farm 2, while she remains in charge of Farm 4, and overseer of Farm 3.
There are no plan to join the corporate side of the operation.
“I love being out on the farm, I’m a hands-on person.”
Kim Turner is the manager of the Ahuwhenua trophy winning farm. Photo Sigrid Christiansen
Kirwan offers farmers tools to cope
Mary Anne Gill
Farmers have virtually no control over the most important things that happen around their farms, but they can ensure they don’t take over their lives.
That was the take home message from John Kirwan, who readily admitted to farmers at Fieldays last month that he knows nothing about farming, but experience has taught him how to look after his mental health.
“Most farmers are quite introverted; you sleep and work with your business partner. When you get put under pressure, you work harder because that’s what you think you should do, so you don’t take any time off.
“You are normally isolated, and you have no control over the most important things around your farm. Things like milk, wool, sheep and beef prices.
“All of these things are out of your control. That is challenging for your mental health so you should take control,” said Kirwan, who was knighted in 2012 for services to mental health and rugby.
He was at Fieldays with Westpac, the bank he has been an ambassador for since 2013 sharing his experience of suicide ruminations, depression and tools to cope.
Anxiety, depression and burnout took away self-confidence, enjoyment in life and self-esteem, he said.
“A minute feels like an hour, an hour feels like a day and a day feels like a week,” he said. “So, by the end of every day, you’ve got no confidence, no selfesteem, no enjoyment in life and you’re incredibly tired.
“I went to a farmer’s place once. This farmer was in a bad way.
“I looked out his window and I said to him ‘wow I would pay $250 a night for
this’. All he could see was debt, all he could see was weather, all he could see was what needed to be done on the farm.”
He said it was important to “connect with your community” – but acknowledged it would be hard because farmers were often isolated.
Kirwan openly speaks about his battle with depression and when it came to a head. He was in Argentina in 1985, on an All Blacks’ tour, where he scored six tries, including four in two test matches.
“There was a window open, and I was on the 10th floor of the Hilton in Buenos Aires. I was sick of fighting the suicidal ruminations. I was plucking up the courage to jump out of the window.”
It was only the intervention from his roommate Michael Jones which stopped him.
“He saved my life. I played a test match the next day and scored two tries. It was irrelevant.”
Kirwan told All Blacks’ doctor John Mayhew who told him what the winger had was an illness, not a weakness, and he
needed to see an expert.
So, Kirwan consulted a psychologist –who asked what he would do if he had a hamstring injury and he said he would ice it.
“Your brain is no different, you’ve got a hamstring in the head,” she said.
“I used to use alcohol as the ice…”
After several consultations, Kirwan accepted he had a problem. He was prescribed an anti-depressant and the psychologist started to take him through the six pillars of wellbeing.
Emotional, physical, financial, social, intellectual and spiritual.
“I’ve gone from surviving to thriving. I look after my mental health every day. It’s made me a better dad, better husband, better workmate, better me.”
Farmers could look at what they can control not what they cannot control.
“I spoke to a whole lot of farmers and asked them, ‘who controls the milk prices? Who controls the weather? God whatever, not us.’
Farmers cannot control the weather,
but they could prepare and have a plan, a worry map. Like everyone, farmers could try chilling, celebrating, enjoying, connecting, moving and doing, he said.
Kirwan is learning how to play the guitar. He admits he is bad at it but it helps him. He cooks, reads, walks the dog, surfs and moves.
“Do one thing in our day… once you’ve done ‘dot’, then do ‘dat’ (do another thing). Be aware of when you are under pressure.”
Knowing the signs was important.
“Your first stop is to find some time, some time to reflect.
“Who’s so busy you can’t connect with your partner? Stress and pressure can make you feel alone, but connecting with people can make you feel alive.”
The signs of depression
•Feeling tired all the time, having no energy
Sleeping too much, or not enough
•Feeling worthless and hopeless, low self-esteem
•Loss of appetite or overeating
•Sadness or emotional numbness.
Tips
• Stay connected
• Be active in a different way
• Try to manage your stress
• Eat well
• Protect your sleep
• Identify what brings you happiness
• Give yourself time to relax
• Stay on top of daily chores
• Try not to procrastinate
• Avoid negative thinking
• Know when to get help.
Former All Black John Kirwan runs through how to cope with burnout and depression. Photo: Mary Anne Gill.
Waikato lab tackles mastitis
Chris Gardner
New Zealand’s only facility dedicated to mastitis testing at Waikato Innovation Park is helping dairy farmers reduce cases and costs.
Microbiologists at Farm Medix’s Hamilton laboratory analyse milk samples from farms across the country.
Through advanced pathogen identification techniques, they partner with GEA Farm Technologies New Zealand subsidiary FIL to create strategies to lower somatic cell counts and reduce clinical bovine mastitis in herds.
Paeroa dairy farmer Stephen Begbie credits FIL for the significant reduction in mastitis cases on his farm over three years.
“I had been grappling with a significant mastitis problem, the somatic cell count was spiking up and down, reaching as high as 380,000.”
Begbie tested his whole herd. Out of 320 cows, 30 were identified as having Staphylococcus aureus.
By segregating these cows, milking
them last and supplying milk without the Staphylococcus aureus cows in the vat, he reduced the somatic cell count from 380,000 to 85,000 in one day.
Last year, Begbie only had six cases of mastitis and by taking a selective approach to drying off, he only had to dry cow 10 per cent of his herd.
Begbie is a strong advocate of lab testing, allowing for ongoing monitoring and targeted interventions.
He saved between $2000 and $3000 on dry cowing last year because his cell count was so low.
Mastitis control accounts for about 85 per cent of antibiotics used on New Zealand dairy farms.
“Dairy companies are realising that preventing mastitis, not just treating it, results in more milk in the vat,” said FIL national sales manager Colin May.
“Through evidence-based interventions, we are improving milk quality, increasing herd productivity and supporting sustainable agricultural practices, both within New Zealand and globally.”
King Country schools get busy planting
A Waipā native tree nursery is donating thousands of trees to rural schools across the North Island.
Adam Thompson, the owner of Restore Native, says it’s an important social and environmental initiative specifically targeted at rural schools.
Among those on the list are Āria, Benneydale, Kāwhia, Kio Kio and Piopio schools.
Restore Native plants over a million native plants annually, mainly for use in farm plantings to restore land, improve biodiversity, and protect waterways.
A total of 54 greater Waikato schools expressed an interest in getting involved in the programme and about 5000 trees are being distributed across the region.
Schools decide where and how their donated trees are planted.
Some are placed on school grounds, others are planted by students on neighbouring farms to repair and restore gullies, steep hillsides and stream banks, or protect wetlands and waterways.
Thompson owns a 180ha beef farm on the outskirts of Cambridge.
Restore Native is no stranger to supporting the community.
In response to the effects of Cyclone
Gabrielle last year, it introduced a Trees for Tairāwhiti programme where the price of native trees was reduced to $2 to encourage widespread tree donations for the region.
For every tree purchased by the community, Restore Native matched it.
In the end, over 10,000 trees were given to the affected farmers and landowners in the region.
If our relationship ends, how will our relationship property be divided?
In New Zealand, if a relationship has lasted at least three years, the Property (Relationships) Act 1976 applies (“the Act”). The division of relationship property is generally 50/50, regardless of what has occurred. Here we explain more about relationship property and how it’s divided.
When does the Property Relationships Act apply?
If you are married, in a civil union partnership or in a de facto relationship (including same-sex couples) and have been in the relationship for three years or more, when your relationship ends by separation or because one of you dies, you will be a ected by the Property (Relationships) Act.
What is ‘relationship property?’
Relationship property includes things like your family home and property, family businesses and investments, property owned jointly or in equal shares by the partners, property acquired during the relationship. It also includes superannuation and insurance policies, cash and increases in the value of any relationship property, any income earned from assets or the sale proceeds from selling assets.
How is relationship property divided?
Under New Zealand law, the general rule is
that relationship property is divided equally (50/50) between you, regardless of the reasons why you are separating. For parties to have a binding relationship property and separation agreement that is enforceable in court, solicitors for each party are required to certify the agreement to say they have provided independent legal advice to their client on the terms of the agreement, and that their client understands those terms.
Do we have to divide things equally or can we do what we want?
You have the option to divide your relationship property how you wish, provided that full disclosure of relationship property assets and debt have been provided and you have received independent legal advice from your solicitor. This is especially important when there is a family home that either needs to be sold, or one person is retaining it on settlement. When you are both in agreement as to how the division of relationship property will happen, a
separation agreement is dra ed setting out the agreed terms and signed by both parties and their solicitors. It is at this point settlement of your relationship property is completed.
Is debt included in relationship property?
A starting position is that any debts incurred during the relationship are relationship property debts, regardless who’s name the debt is in and whether you knew about it. The responsibility for relationship property debts is shared but personal debts remain the responsibility of the person who incurred them. Relationship property debts
are things like debts incurred jointly (such as bank loan to purchase a house), credit card debt, personal loans, hire purchases etc.
Engage a relationship property lawyer as soon as possible.
Understanding your legal position early in the process is vital. Assets will not necessarily be divided how you expect, and valuable time can be saved if you understand from the outset what the correct legal position is. This then enables negotiations to take place from an informed position and helps to bring matters to an end as cost e ectively as possible.
Farm Medix chief scientific officer Natasha Maguire at work.
Rachel Cooper Kirsty McDonald
Kiwi team wins rare double
Doug Laing
The Wools of New Zealand Shearing Sports New Zealand shearing team has scored its second double on a six-match tour of the UK.
The latest successes came at the French championships on Saturday in the medieval southwest France town of Martel where shearers David Buick, of Pongaroa, and Jack Fagan,of Te Kūiti, beat the French team of brothers Gilles and Pierre Renton in a rare New Zealand test on the continent.
Fagan had also won the French final in 2016 and 2017, following father Sir David Fagan’s exit from 33 years in Open-class shearing with victory in the event in 2015.
The wins came just two days after a similar double at the Great Yorkshire Show, including a win over England, at the Great Yorkshire Show, and the Kiwis have now won two of the three tests on the annual northern tour that culminates with a three-test series against Wales, at the Cothi Shears next Saturday, the Royal Welsh Show on July 24, and the Corwen Shears on July 27.
Both the test and the Open final, each of 20 sheep each, were exciting spectacles as Fagan and Pierre Grancher, from Creuse in Central France, battled for the time honours, finishing almost blow for blow.
Grancher was first-off in the test, winning the race by four seconds from Fagan and shearing the 20 sheep in 14m 6s, but the King Country shearer had the best quality points and claimed individual honours by 6.6 of the Kiwis’ winning margin of 8.65pts.
It was much closer in the Open final,
in which Fagan again posted the better quality points but was also first-off, his 13m 24s pipping Grancher by just two seconds, but claiming the overall win by just 1.2pts.
Team manager Mark Barrowcliffe, of Piopio, said the events and Fagan’s experience on the “tricky little sheep paid dividends. The sheep were the French breed ‘caussenade du lot’.
A regular in France and a fluent speaker of french, Fagan has now won 22 Open finals, along with 63 speedshear victories.
Results:
International (20 sheep): New Zealand (Jack Fagan 14m 10s, 52.25pts; David Buick 14m 26s, 61.95pts) 114.2pts beat France (Pierre Grancher 14m 6s, 58.65pts; Gilles Grancher 15m 32s, 64.2ptspts) 122.85pts.
French all-nations Open final (20 sheep): Jack Fagan (Te Kūiti NZ) 13m 24s, 49pts, 1; Pierre Grancher (Creuse, Central France) 13m 26s, 50.2pts, 2; Jeremy Leygonie Martel, Southwest France) 14m 12s, 53.3pts, 3; Gilles Grancher (Alpes, Southeast France) 14m 41s, 53.35pts, 4.
Shearing earlier at the Great Yorkshire Show in England on July 11 in a match of 20 sheep each, the NZ shearing team also beat the England team of Adam Berry and Nick Greaves by just 0.55pts.
Fagan won the great Yorkshire Open final by 1.05pts from runner-up Richard Jones, of Wales, with Buick in third place.
A New Zealand team of Clay Harris from Piopio and James Wilson, chosen by New Zealand team manager Mark Barrowcliffe on the day, was beaten by England in a Development teams match.
& J DARLINGTON FENCING
Te Kūiti’s Jack Fagan under the watchful eye of judge Mark Barrowcliffe (Piopio) on his way to winning the Great Yorkshire Open final. Together with team mate David Buick (Pongaroa), they also took out the teams titles against England and then France two days later. Photo supplied
Planning for lambing
Most of you have started pregnancy scanning your sheep and are considering your options pre-lambing.
Having higher grass covers this season has resulted in ewes being in better condition which is reflected in higher scanning percentages and lower dry rates so far this season.
So what should you be considering to do in your ewes pre-lambing?
ducing a lot of eggs to contaminate the pasture.
Different messages
Regional councillor’s view - By
Clyde Graf, Waikato-King Country councillor
tional boundaries.
By Hannah Catley Veterinarian BVSc King Country Vets
Individual body condition score ewes at scanning and get rid of anything that is still 2.5 or lower BCS – it will be very difficult to affect body condition of this group from now up to lambing at a minimum they would need to drafted out and be ad lib fed.
They are also high risk to be dead, missing or wet-dry.
Be critical of feed demand v feed supply. Cold weather has slowed pasture growth down and demand will far outweigh supply.
Consider pasture covers now and what this will reduce to by lambing/balance date.
Pasture under the ewes is the most critical tool to manage worm burdens for lambs and for weaning great lambs. Get some help with the numbers if you’re not confident in the analysis. If there is a high risk of poor pasture covers at lambing for the ewes, then long-acting anthelmintic products can be considered.
Collect some data – Faecal Egg Counts (FEC) at scanning or soon after can help identify if your ewes are pro-
Young sheep, in particular hoggets and to a lesser degree 2-tooths, need to be carefully managed if long-acting drenches are not used.
Think carefully here and talk to vets about options if you haven’t already. Monitor at dockingwhat is ewe condition like and what are the worm burdens with a FEC –this can guide when the first drench is needed for lambs as many are delaying drenching till after docking for lambs.
Scanning is a great time to be critical of the ewes, with drafting into lines for condition score – if they have been shorn recently, then you can do this by eye.
If they have some wool on them, then hands need to be put on the ewes.
Bearings will be a high risk this year with high feed levels, fat ewes and continued good feeding through tupping.
Feeding maintenance requirements (static body condition factoring in stage of pregnancy, and whether singles or multiples) can help if ewes are BCS 3.0 or higher.
Using Hideject injection at scanning and again pre-lambing has proven benefits and winter shearing can improve outcomes.
Salt supplementation (as minerals or fertiliser, e.g. magnesium salt licks or potassium fertiliser) is high risk and some areas of the farm among other risk factors, not always in our control
The discharge of contaminants to waterways is something that Waikato Regional Council (WRC) is charged with monitoring and preventing.
Recently, a prominent Waikato farming company was fined for discharging “a large volume of dairy effluent in a paddock”. The $94,500 prosecution was initiated by the regional council. Clearly, the potential contamination of waterways is taken very seriously by council.
Pureora farmers Peter Grant and Tina Goldsmith contacted me last week, concerned about an aerial 1080 poisoning operation happening this month, and surrounding their farm.
They say they have endured 10 aerial operations over 30 years, witnessing the horrific deaths of five of their dogs, other farm animals and wildlife, following previous regional council operations.
Peter and Tina say it is pretty demoralising and they’ve had to collect baits from their paddocks following over-sprays, leaving some paddocks too dangerous to stock.
Although they’re supplied bottled water following the aerial operations – because of contamination to their water supplies –they argue it’s insufficient. They say their neighbours are unhappy too.
Information provided by Peter and Tina reveals that it’s the council and the Department of Conservation poisoning 85,000 hectares of the Pureora Forest Park and surrounding area, with enough 1080 – based on the manufacturer’s warning label – to kill 2.5 million people, in this operation alone.
The Waikato farmers have good reason to be upset. Information supplied by DOC shows that when the aerial operations are undertaken, the deadly bait is spread not only across land, but also directly into almost all waterways within the opera-
The 1080 poison is manufactured in the United States and its warning label states “This product is very highly toxic to mammals and other wildlife. Birds and mammals feeding on the carcasses of contaminated livestock may be killed. Keep out of any body of water. Apply this product as only specified on the label.”
The warning is hardly surprising, given 1080 poison has no antidote and is listed in the World Health Organisation’s most toxic category. In New Zealand, the toxic baits and animal carcasses are left to decompose where they fall, on land and in water.
In most states of America, 1080 poison is banned. The US manufacturer, Charles Wiggly, says the United States uses just four tablespoons of pure 1080 poison per year (in sheep collars, used against coyote attacks). New Zealand, he says, purchases most of the five tonnes of pure poison he manufactures, annually. That’s more than enough poison to kill over 50 million people, each year. That’s potentially a lot of contaminated aquifers, and yet testing for 1080 or its metabolites in aquifers isn’t undertaken.
In 2015, WRC, DOC and TB Free jointly applied for a resource consent to spread 1080 poison across land and water for another 35 years, but in 2017, John Key’s Government exempted 1080 poison from needing a resource consent, so the joint application was dropped. That isn’t surprising, given our Government owns the factory that imports pure 1080, and manufactures the bait.
The regional council’s position on prosecuting farmers for contaminating waterways with effluent seems hypocritical, given that it spreads the deadly pesticide 1080 directly into those same waterways, and with impunity
Karaka Farm - Havelock
Roma
CC Connolly Family Trust - Mangakino
Spinning a spiral yarn
It’s been said ‘where there’s a wool there’s a way’ and that certainly applies to Robert and Gail Gray.
The couple and their sons Brandon and Zaine have taught themselves to use an array of second-hand wool processing equipment and now make a range of niche products.
“We’re building up to our dream of running an on-farm natural products store,” say Robert, the Federated Farmers president for Ruapehu, and Gail, the dairy chair and secretary/treasurer.
They run mostly dairy on their property near National Park but also have sheep and beef on that farm and another nearby property.
Robert has been farming all his life and, when younger, worked for a time in Canada on a farm that processed its own wool.
That experience was in his mind eight years ago when the dairy payout was little more than $3 and the family was considering other income streams.
With Brandon and Zaine earning good money, they co-invested in a second-hand carding machine from a woollen mill that was closing down.
Robert, who enjoys perusing TradeMe, soon invested in a spinning frame and a gill, which removes the natural hooks in wool and aligns the fibres ready for spinning.
When they heard that another woollen mill in Milton was closing, they headed south to dismantle and load onto a truck two more spinning frames and various winding, twisting and dyeing equipment.
Then they had to build a new shed to accommodate the growing machinery menagerie. Through trial and error, the Grays have taught themselves to use the
gear.
“It has to be that way; it’s a very closed shop,” Gail says.
“There are no manuals to go with the machinery. It’s just try it out and see how you go.
“Robert and Zaine do most of the mechanical stuff because they’re into that sort of thing.”
Farming so close to the Tongariro Crossing and other tracks, they make and sell walkers’ wool to insert into boots to guard against blisters. It’s only 20 grams to a packet but it fetches a good price and sells well.
Another product is wild bird nesting wool that people can leave in their gardens for birds to grab and use for their nest building.
They also make and sell woollen dryer balls – six to a pack. The balls help keep clothes in a dryer apart, allowing the warm air to circulate better, cutting drying time and reducing static.
“The idea is to put three in at a time, and leave the other three to dry on the windowsill,” Gail says.
Robert says their latest project is to convert a mattress-topping machine, purchased in Kaio, to produce duvet inners, pet beds and continental blankets, using strong wool.
It means they now use all of the wool from their farm in their own products.
Living so near to the masterpiece of railway engineering, the Raurimu Spiral, they’re now branding their products under a ‘Spiral Farms’ label.
Their daughter Jessica, who lives in Taupō, helps on the marketing side.
“Ultimately, we want to set up an onfarm shop to service passing travellers and tourists and others interested in
natural products,” Gail says.
“We have our own meat brand, we do free-range eggs, we have the wool products, and we’re keen to sell our own raw milk.”
Ever the entrepreneurs, the Grays are also making fire starters from pine and beeswax.
“The feedback we’ve had from barbecue enthusiasts and people with woodburners is that they’re very effective,” Robert says.
Like many other farmers, the family is frustrated with wool returns.
“We have a value chain where everyone else clips the ticket but we’re the price taker, when we have most of the costs
and deal with all the things that can go wrong,” Robert says.
When they bought that first carding machine from Carrington’s, a manager there told them once they’d washed the wool bought from the farmer, it doubled in value.
“Once they’d carded it, it doubled in value again. Once it had been gilled and combed, the value doubled again, and so on,” Gail says.
“We want that value, and I guess by creating these products and having conversations with people buying them, we’re also sharing with others a bit of the amazing rural lifestyle we take for granted.”
The Grays – from left: Gail, Zaine, Robert and Brandon – have taught themselves to use second-hand equipment to extract more value from their sheeps’ wool.
Farms could hide logs of money
Paul Charman
Downed matai or totara logs can remain useful for decades, so farmers should take a good look at what previous generations have thrown down the bank at the back of the farm.
So says retired Ōtorohanga farmer Jim Rogers, who for many years operated a mobile sawmill processing salvage timber on properties around the district. Jim, who is no longer involved in milling salvage logs, acknowledges “much of the good stuff” has already been claimed in his part of the world.
But further afield he’s not so sure.
“The King Country is a big place and much of it was covered in native forest. I think people should maybe take a closer look at some of those old logs on the back of their properties. Some folks have found real treasure that way.”
Jim was never a bigtime dealer in salvage timbers. But for more than 20 years, until he got rid of it a few years ago, his
mobile sawmill supplied an absorbing weekend hobby.
“I’ve seen a lot of farms where the owner has discovered logs of matai, totara and rata. There’s always a market for good native timbers from furniture makers and various other artisans in the big cities.”
Jim has a warning, however.
“It’s essential to be diligent with the paperwork, because the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) keeps close tabs on what is salvaged.
“The regulators take a real interest in the salvage of native timbers these days. For example, if an old native log is over the fence on DOC land, you can’t touch it.”
Though no longer actively involved, Jim has set aside an impressive store of various native timbers, some of which he supplies to Ōtorohanga Kiwi House for various building projects.
“I just love the beauty of these timbers, which are now in such short supply.”
Feds endorse Cameron bill
A bill that would prevent regional and district councils from regulating greenhouse gas emissions is a smart step for climate change policy, Federated Farmers say.
“Greenhouse gas emissions are a global rather than local challenge. It has never made sense for local councils to individually regulate greenhouse gas emissions,” the organisation’s RMA reform spokes-
lamb bain laubscher
person Mark Hooper says.
Hooper says the amendment Bill presented by MP Mark Cameron will largely reinstate changes made in 2004 that were then repealed in 2020.
He said because the country had a number of national policies regulating greenhouse gas emissions, any local policy duplicated what central government was already doing.”
“Having regional councils regulate greenhouse gas emissions has the potential to create huge headaches for farmers,” Hooper says.
He said the Greater Wellington Regional Council’s proposed a target of a 50 per cent reduction in all greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, including biogenic methane, diverged from the central government targets.
“For Wairarapa farmers, who sit inside the GWRC’s boundaries, this means a resource consent application could set conditions that require farmers to reduce emissions in line with the 50 per cent target. It raises questions for all resource consent applications. For example, could a new road or house fail a resource consent application if it wasn’t viewed as consistent with a 50 per cent reduction?”
Jim Rogers loves native timbers.
Young farmer title goes south
“A sharemilking job would be awesome.”
That’s one of the hopes George Dodson has after being crowned the 56th FMG Young Farmer of the Year in Hamilton last weekend.
He succeeded the competition’s first female winner – Pirongia’s Emma Poole. He said he hoped the win would support him in the future – especially in his Canterbury community and the next step in his career.
After his win he spoke of his hope of getting a sharemilking position and getting more support for the Canterbury Young Dairy Farmers Leaders Network which he had started.
Dodson, 23, pipped the Northern representative Caleb Eady by three points. Aorangi Young Farmer Gareth McKerchar finished up in third place.
Dodson’s win capped three days of challenges against six other finalists including Waikato’s representative Dennis Main from Piarere.
Challenges included an exam, an interview, heavy machinery, livestock, quizzes, and public speaking.
More than 500 spectators poured into the Claudelands Oval to watch the action unfold during Friday’s practical day.
Points added up with every challenge, and the race continued to play out until the final buzzer quiz on Saturday evening. It was Dodson’s performance in the
final buzzer quiz that secured him the win.
“My dad put hours and hours and hours into helping me prepare. I also had some of the boys coming out once a week from an hour’s drive away to test me on the buzzer, and I think that showed,” he said.
As well as the title, Dodson also claimed the Agri-Knowledge award and over $90,000 in prizes.
New Zealand Young Farmers chief executive Lynda Coppersmith said Dodson impressed with his broad knowledge and impressive leadership skills.
“FMG Young Farmer of the Year is one of the most prestigious farming awards in the country.
“It’s inspiring to see it go to someone who will not only be a strong ambassador for the next generation of young farmers, but the agricultural industry as a whole,” she said.
“After seeing the talent from this weekend, it’s exciting to see what the future of the food and fibre sector will hold.”
A duo from Otago Boys’ High School in Dunedin picked up the junior young farmer of the year title.
Shamus Young, 18, and Hayden Drummond, 17, competed against 13 other teams from schools across the country.
Mt Hutt College students James Clark and Jack Foster were runners-up, while Kaela Brans and Liana Redpath from
George Dodson was all smiles after winning the 56th Young Farmer of the Year competition last weekend in Hamilton.
Napier Girls’ High School came third.
The next generation of young farmers, the AgriKidsNZ competitors, also tackled a range of challenges during the event, including modules, quizzes, and an AgriKids race off as part of the grand final weekend.
FARM PROFESSIONALS
A trio from Te Waotu School took out the title of AgriKidsNZ Grand Champions, winning three out of four sections of the competition overall.
Jackie Sneddon (12), Ben Barbour (12) and Joshua Barbour (11) had finished fifth in the 2023 event in Timaru.
