Manawatu Farming Lifestyles, March 2024

March 2024 Edition

Business helping community Pages 4–5

Club centenary celebrated

In memory of Bess

P3

The prophet of off-grid living

P6

P17

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March 2024

MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

The Manawatu Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by Integrity Community Media, a privately owned NZ company.

Phone: 0800 466 793

Email: info@integrity.nz

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Physical Address: 107 River Road, Dargaville

Editor: Deb Wright 021 639 696 deb.wright@integrity.nz

Kimbolton Sculpture Festival seeks partner The Kimbolton Sculpture Trust is searching for a major sponsor for next year’s event and beyond, to continue its mission of providing a platform for creativity to help mental health.

Journalists: Denise Gunn | Andy Bryenton | Amy Fifita Advertising: Monique McKenzie 027 525 9172 Production: Gavin Bainbridge | Anna Fredericksen | Kelsey Harrison | Liz Clark Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts

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Website: farminglifestyles.co.nz Opinions expressed in this publication and in advertising inserts, by contributors or advertisers, are not necessarily those of Integrity Community Media. All inserts delivered with the publication are not produced by Integrity Community Media.

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The Big Apple created by David Jensen from recycled wood, steel and copper

Each of the past four festivals has welcomed more than 5,000 visitors to the village and showcased the talents of 60 sculptors with more than 100 sculptures.

The festival attracts sculptors from around New Zealand who specialise in repurposing used materials found on farms.

Trust spokesperson Tony Waugh said at the core of the festival is the belief that being creative is good for mental health.

“In a supportive rural community, people reach out to help each other. The act of making art can switch focus, even for a short time, away from negativity and stress towards something engaging and explorative.”

As each event has seen an increase in attendance and impact, this growing enthusiasm emphasises the festival’s importance as a key cultural and tourist draw. The festivals have also featured up to 50 art exhibits and 120 craft stalls.

This year, the sculpture trust is seeking a major sponsor who shares its values in promoting the creation of sculptures as a medium for enhancing the mental health

of the sculptors. Those values also include nurturing the enjoyment and fascination of the public.

“The festival is more than an artistic endeavour. It is a platform for wellbeing, offering a serene environment where creativity flourishes, and the community comes together to appreciate the beauty and therapeutic power of art.”

“This support will help us to provide a showcase for artists to exhibit their work encompassing the full range of mediums including sculpture, paint, and engineering, and will gain extensive exposure and align with a festival that resonates with eco-consciousness, creativity and mental wellbeing,” said Tony.

“We would love to hear from anyone interested in partnering with us to discuss how we can grow this big festival in a little village, to continue bringing joy, inspiration and community spirit to all who participate.”

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Club centenary celebrated

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From left: Shorthead judge and club member Laurence Patterson with club secretary Lenora Sparks

“Names that have had a long association with the club since its inception, Collins, McDonnell, Addenbrooke, Hunter, Campbells, Kellicks and Lilburns, are seeped in the history of the club. Some of the descendants of those families still have an intrinsic connection with the Mangamahu Sheep Dog Trial today.”

The four judges at this year’s trials, Wayne Falkner, Laurence Patterson, Rick Orr and Grant Plasted, all had an association with the club and the valley.

Wayne and Laurence are still active club members. The centenary trials drew 152 heading dogs and a record 252 Huntaways.

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Formed in 1923, the Mangamahu Dog Trial Club was initially held at Mahuri on Creek Road. Two years later, the trials moved to Tokorangi and remained at this venue until 1949. The trials then shifted to Te Rimu where it was possible to run four courses simultaneously.

Wanganui Centre publicity officer Brenda O’Leary said these three Kellick farms provided grounds for the trials.

“In 1965, Mr W R Kellick was president and owner of Te Rimu. He never made a fuss about the mess the vehicles made in his paddocks, and, at the time, said his club was honoured to have the privilege of staging the New Zealand trials on its courses.”

The grounds at Te Rimu proved to be an ideal venue. Two New Zealand championships were held there in 1957 and 1965.

“The four courses were almost in an amphitheatre, with all four being visible if one stood in the middle of the grounds and turned full circle. Championships were held there during the following decades — the last one being in 1999.”

For the past seven years, the trials have been held at Mount View Station. First, when it was managed by Digby Lowe, and later, under Gus Spence’s management.

Brenda said Gus is a keen dog triallist and will do anything to make the event a great experience for every man and his or her dog making the trip up the valley every year.

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The Mangamahu Dog Trial Club celebrated its centenary earlier this month at Mount View Station at the top of Mangamahu Road.

March 2024

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March 2024

MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

BUSINESS HELPING

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In just four years, The Egg Project has grown from a pilot project into a fully fledged award-winning business, surviving the Covid-19 lockdown along the way.

BY DENISE GUNN

T

he joint business venture between Brian Kennerley and Pip Chrystall is based in Bainesse, west of Palmerston North. Brian bought the property when he was 18, initially establishing The Little Organic Egg Company in 2007 with 2,500 organic hens.

Until 2016, Pip contracted to the Palmerston North City Council, running the Rubbish and Recycling operations team, educating 60,000 people about waste minimisation and behaviour change. Pip said she needed a bit of a break and began doing firewood and logging with her dad on their family farm.

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“I wanted some chickens and someone suggested contracting Brian, who I went to school with. I phoned him, and within a year, we were in a relationship.”

Brian always had an idea to deliver eggs from the gate to the door and, in 2019, the pair followed it up. They decided the best way forward was to approach schools and early childhood centres, deliver eggs and give $1 a dozen back as a fundraiser. Pip also had a lot of contacts from her previous role with the council.

Within a short space of time, The Egg Project had close to 200 customers at three drop-off points. “We were building a website for ordering, stock and the fundraising side. By term one in 2020, I had six or seven groups on board.

“Then, in March 2020, we all went into lockdown. We lost 40 to 50% of our commercial customers, and we thought

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we would have to cull 40% of our flock, unless we could move the eggs.”

Pip approached the Manawatū Chamber of Commerce for help. “We then launched our gate-to-door delivery service of our eggs.

People would text me their order, deposit money, which I reconciled on a spreadsheet, and then delivered to their gate.”

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

Pip with one of their hens

Pip said she was delivering eggs and doing administration 14 hours a day, seven days a week.

“We took on a staff member and bought a van, then began delivering to the Rangitīkei and Whanganui. By the end of 2020, I had 1,000 customers to deliver eggs to. In that time, people went back to school and I still had the fundraising side going on.

“We built a relationship with our customers during lockdown, and customers wanted this to continue.”

Two years later, The Egg Project won the Agriculture and Food section of the Manawatū Business Awards. “At this stage, I had about 3,500 customers.

Then, after the award, it went boom.”

That award was followed up with The Egg Project winning two more. In 2023, Brian and Pip took out the Best Emerging Business at the Feilding and District Business Awards and the Environmental

March 2024

5

Eggs are delivered gate-to-door

and Sustainable category at the Rangitīkei Business Awards.

In 2024, poultry numbers are expected to increase from 28,000 to 40,000 hens. Pullets arrive on the property at 16 weeks. Seven flocks of Hyline and Brown Shavers are maintained between 3,000 to 5,000 hens.

“They are housed in modern, temperature and air-controlled barns with full access outside to their large runs.”

Pip said the runs are covered in pine nut trees with ample shade, mixed pasture grasses and sand baths available for them to frolic and play in.

“Flocks are replaced when production levels reduce below the profitability margin. The organic hens are fed fully certified organic feed produced by certified organic growers.

“Our aim is to make sure we have happy and healthy hens with heaps of

room on the perch and an ample amount of space outside while they roam and play throughout the day.”

The Egg Project now employs four locals to help out in various roles within the business. Pip said thousands of eggs have been donated to the Salvation Army food bank, too. Hundreds of eggs have also been supplied to front-line essential workers, Ideal Services, Age Concern,

community groups and volunteers filling Salvation Army food boxes.

Fundraising has expanded to include clubs, business and community groups.

Customers also have options on the website to buy an egg to be donated to the Ruahine Kiwi Project for use in traps.

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March 2024

MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

IN MEMORY

OF BESS

BY DENISE GUNN

during the annual Anzac Day me

morial service held near Bulls.

T

he dark brown thoroughbred mare,

by Sarazen and out of Miss Jury, was bred by AD McMaster of Matawhero, near Martinborough, in 1910.

Fred Deller purchased the filly as a two-year-old, naming her Zelma. When Fred enlisted for military service, he also donated the mare. She was allocated to the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment.

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Department of Agriculture stock inspectors tested horses offered for sale and, if deemed suitable, purchased them.

Horses that men brought with them to take to war were also tested.

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Anzac Day service at Bess’s memorial in 2016

She was allocated to the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment, where she was selected by Colonel Charles Guy Powles and renamed Bess. In October 1914, she

left New Zealand’s shores with thousands of other horses, alongside the main body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, bound for Egypt.

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Erecting the memorial cairn for Bess in 1934

During the seven-week journey, horses were kept in cramped stalls where they were fed and watered. Some didn’t survive the trip, and many died from disease, exhaustion and injuries.

Colonel Powles and Bess served together in Egypt, Sinai, Palestine, France and Germany. In the Middle East, horses endured extreme heat, sandstorms, biting insects, limited rations and water.

Conditions experienced on the Western Front included heavy rain, thick mud and cold temperatures. In his book, The New Zealanders in Sinai and Palestine, Colonel Powles described Bess as an ideal charger, a sound hunter and could see at night like a cat.

Colonel Powel also wrote: ‘He who has once ridden into action with bullets whistling past his ears and the shells bursting around him will never forget his horse, how the good stead became verily a part of his body.’

During one battle, a shell exploded in front of the pair. Colonel Powles was thrown to the ground, and Bess stayed by his side until he received help. In Sinai,

Bess was reunited with her former owner, Fred, who became her groom. They stayed together through the remainder of the war.

When the war ended, soldiers were forced to determine the future of their horses as transport, quarantine and animal disease restrictions prevented most from returning to New Zealand.

Many decided to shoot their horses rather than have them end up in the hands of locals and possibly mistreated.

Bess was one of the fortunate horses, spending 12 months quarantined in England before being shipped home to New Zealand. Other New Zealand horses to return from the war included Captain Richard ‘Dick’ Riddiford’s mare, Beauty, General Alexander Hamilton Russell’s mare, Dolly, and Nigger belonging to Lieutenant Colonel Maurice George King.

On Bess’s return, Colonel Powles continued to ride her at Trentham where he was a commander, then as headmaster at agricultural training school Flock House.

The mare went on to produce four foals and was ridden daily by Colonel Powles over the Flock House farm. It was during one of their

March 2024

Bess’s memorial near Bulls

rides that she suffered a brain haemorrhage and died in 1934. Bess was 24.

With the help of his two sons, Colonel Powles built a memorial cairn as a mark of respect to Bess on the site where she died. Two memorial plaques were placed on the cairn. Annual Anzac Day services held at this site remember Bess and other

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New Zealand animals that served during the first world war. In 2020, Bess’s service during the first world war was recognised with a posthumous Blue Cross medal.

This year’s Anzac Day service will be held at Bess’s memorial on Forest Road, off Parewanui Road near Flock House, starting at 9am.

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March 2024

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ADVERTORIAL

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by Denise Gunn

Gateway to innovation

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Sean Blenkin has used his farming knowledge and experience to invent a range of products designed to help make the job easier for those in the agricultural industry.

His most recent invention, the Stock Ezy flow control gate, won the No. 8 Wire section at the Southern Field Days’ Innovation Awards.

“The flow control gate is a unique idea that I came up with. It took six months to get it right and a lot of going backwards and forwards with Wairarapa farmers, trying it and redoing it. They helped me improve it. I was rapt to win the award,” said Sean.

The Stock Ezy flow control gate makes drafting sheep of all sizes easier.

Installed at the back of the race, the gate swings left and right to allow sheep through on one side while blocking sheep on the other.

Sheep consistently flow forwards to merge like a zip into a single file, avoiding bottlenecks. There’s less stress on stock, farmers and dogs.

Sean has worked in the shearing industry and as a farmworker all around New Zealand, spending a lot of time in sheep yards.

“I was usually the one at the back getting yelled at to keep the sheep flowing,” he said. “When I wasn’t shearing, I was helping farmers and wanted to do something to make the job easier.”

Now based in Masterton, Sean has so far installed more than 50 gates in

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Sean Blenkin won the No. 8 Wire section at the Southern Field Days’ Innovation Awards with his flow control gate

the Wairarapa and more than 150 nationwide. He said it’s satisfying to see his inventions making the job easier and helping others.

A farmer Sean met at the Southern Field Days told him the flow control gate has not only made the job easier but also improved the husband and wife relationship in the yards.

Feedback has come not only from farmers — it’s also come from their wives. One farmer’s wife told Sean his Stock Ezy flow control gate saved their marriage.

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Sean has also invented and produced several other products under the Stock Ezy label. “I’ve designed a new type of backstop for farmers, a fence holder, ewe cradle, calf cradle, and a fadge wool pack holder,” he said.

“Once I’ve made the prototype, I take it along to 2K Design and Manufacturing Engineers. They do all the welding to produce the final product. There’s more to come. Watch this space.”

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March 2024

MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

March 2024

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ADVERTORIAL

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Sparex New Zealand manager Ben Trask said the team has seen a shift in the market, and the Sparex website is

(Part two)

by John Arts

Last month, we saw that magnesium supplements can be very effective for cramps, especially night cramps, and to help restless legs.

The Sparex team Manawatu (from left) Mark Broughton, manager, Wendy Poole, Daniel Owen, Andrew Pinfold and JB

getting hundreds of thousands of views every year from the end user.

“As we are a wholesale company, the United Kingdom IT team created a new system that still supports our dealers and gives greater offering to the public.”

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Over 300 enzymes, including those needed for muscle contraction, energy metabolism and many others, require magnesium.

As a Nutritional Medicine practitioner, magnesium is one of my most frequently prescribed supplements. Magnesium works quickly on problems, with benefits obvious within days, especially with night cramps.

Magnesium is critical for cardiovascular function. It helps regulate electrical impulses and helps support normal heart rhythm, especially for those with AF. I have seen those with mild arrhythmia return to normal using targeted magnesium plus appropriate dietary changes.

I also use magnesium, alongside naturally fermented co-enzyme Q10, for those on statin drugs to help prevent or reverse the common side effects of low energy, muscle stiffness, pain and cramps.

Magnesium is also helpful when part of a nutrition programme for hypertension. It helps relax the smooth muscle that lines blood vessels thus reducing blood pressure. It does

this because it is a natural calcium channel blocker. When magnesium levels are low, calcium over-stimulates heart muscle cells (fibres), resulting in heart arrythmias. Adding magnesium helps to counteract this.

For hypertension, I like to combine supplemental magnesium with a good multi-antioxidant, multi-mineral, and multi-vitamin complex. This, combined with a diet high in nitrates (especially beetroot), can produce real benefits.

I prefer chelated magnesium diglycinate combined with naturally extracted magnesium from seaweed.

These, combined with rapidly absorbed magnesium citrate mean the supplement can work quickly for fast results. I suggest you avoid once-a-day supplements and look for those that you can vary the dosages depending on your needs.

John Arts (Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For questions or advice contact John on 0800 423 559 or email john@ abundant.co.nz. Join his newsletter at abundant.co.nz.

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12

March 2024

MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

DOES YOUR

ROOF OR SPOUTING NEED REPLACING? Call Streamline today!

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

March 2024

13

TO BUILD OR RENOVATE

Volunteers needed for Flock House centenary

by Denise Gunn

As the date for the Flock House 100th anniversary draws closer, Alasdair Bettles-Hall is looking for volunteers to help organise the commemoration.

Alasdair’s father, Victor Richard Charles Hall, was one of Flock House’s cadets who travelled to New Zealand in 1929.

Alasdair is organising the anniversary celebrations set for July 20–21 but needs the assistance of volunteers.

“The time scale now involved means more people need to come on board,” he said.

Flock House’s origins trace back to New Zealand’s wool industry. During the first world war, all wool was classed as a war commodity and sold at a fixed price to the Imperial Government.

Towards the end of the war, the wool surplus was sold on the open market, fetching higher prices. It was then specified that until one year after the war ended, New Zealand wool growers would receive a fixed average amount for their wool. Growers and the government would equally share the profits. In 1918, the late Rangitikei MP, Edward Newman, proposed that the surplus profits be used in a fund, acknowledging the sacrifices made by the British Royal and Mercantile Navy during the war.

Sons of British seamen training at Flock House in the 1920s

The New Zealand Sheepowners’ Acknowledgement of Debt to British Seamen Fund was created. Part of the fund supported the widows and children of sailors in Great Britain. The remainder funded the passage of children of British sailors who had been killed or disabled during the war and their subsequent agricultural training in New Zealand.

The 6,000-acre Flock House near Bulls, along with the adjoining 4,800-

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acre Waitatapia Estate, was purchased to train male cadets. A further 2,000 acres were leased. The first intake of

Flock House cadets sailed from Great Britain in 1924, arriving on New Zealand shores several weeks later to begin agricultural training.

In 1925, the first intake of girls, mostly sisters of the young men training at Flock House, arrived and were accommodated at Girls Flock House, formerly named Shalimar, in Palmerston North. Hundreds of dependents trained at Flock House between 1924 and 1937 before being placed on farms. Other cadets trained at Flock House until the agricultural training institution closed in 1988.

Alasdair said all cadets are welcome to attend the reunion celebrations. He would like to hear from volunteers near and far with offers of help and can be contacted on 021 0255 6560.

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14

March 2024

MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

TO BUILD OR RENOVATE

by Liz Clark

Bringing your home to reality

These days, design for new homes spans a range of budgets, from a small cabin in the bush to an expansive mansion on a coastal clifftop overlooking the ocean.

Still, finding the right home design that fits your budget and lifestyle can bring it all together and make a dream a reality.

Always go with a company with a longstanding history of providing quality homes rather than a more recent one.

Well-established home builders can provide full contractual support and have their own building teams and subcontractors to keep the build process hassle-free.

Working with a home consultant on the layout of your future home is the first step. With the advancement of technology in computer-aided design, a threedimensional plan can be envisioned on the screen. The floor plan can be altered to fit your needs without leaving your chair.

A good consultant will be able to help you with the right interior colour design, lighting, kitchen layout and style, plus all the finer details, such as how it will look on completion. Some companies can even help with finance via a mortgage broker to get the best financial package to cover the land purchase and build.

Before signing any contract relating to a land and house package deal, have your

“Working with a home consultant on your future home is the first step.” legal adviser look it over before paying any initial deposit and committing.

Alternatively, if you’ve already purchased a section or larger site, engaging an architect provides more scope and a unique home to reflect your needs and taste. Talk to your architect about your aspirations and, of course, what your budget is.

Draw a rough sketch of what you think you might like your floor plan to look like.

Will it be a double-storey home or a single level with separate wings, for example?

What exterior cladding do you envision, such as cedar or steel weatherboards or even corrugated steel combined with timber, to give a standout statement?

Those ideas can be taken and turned into a concept model rendered in threedimensional colour through a CAD program by your home designer and finetuned to create a residence you can be proud of, large or small.

No matter your budget, an architect or home build company can help bring your new home into reality

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

March 2024

15

TO BUILD OR RENOVATE ADVERTORIAL

Design, pride and lifestyle Greenhaven Homes builds premium-quality, energy-efficient and architecturally designed transportable homes.

Based in Levin, Greenhaven Homes is owned by husband and wife team, Todd and Natalie Strode-Penny, who are passionate about reducing the industry’s impact on the environment.

They are focussed on energy efficiency, recycling, minimising waste and reducing their carbon footprint. With 27 years in residential and commercial construction, Todd brings a wealth of knowledge to the team. Natalie works with clients during the construction phase to meet their specific build and interior design needs.

Greenhaven Homes offers purposebuilt transportable homes for delivery throughout the Central and Lower North Island. Three home types are available — Greenhaven, Revolution and Lifestyle Homes.

“Our homes are suited to various scenarios. These include primary homes, investment properties, second homes on a large section for parents with older children and more specifically to the rural world, which could be moved on to the site for staff accommodation,” says Todd.

Greenhaven’s purpose-built factory provides an undercover, controlled environment, allowing the team to build no matter the weather

“Our many home sizes include a smaller 50m² home (not a tiny home) that doesn’t require resource consent.

We offer a turn-key service, meaning it leaves our yard with a Code of Compliance, and we can help with the stage two consent.”

Housing options have a fixed price, allowing buyers to be reassured where their money is going without any surprise costs. Further savings are gained once the structure is built as these homes are cheaper to heat. The homes

have a contemporary design and are engineered to be sustainable. The design captures natural lighting to brighten rooms — decreasing lighting expenses.

“We have just completed our purposebuilt undercover building facility. Set over 2,500sqm, this space is in line with global standards of pre-manufacture. It

provides us with the benefits of reduced building times, cost benefits, enhanced monitoring of quality and efficiencies in material use.

“The benefit to our customers is, of course, that their house build and build times are not weather-dependent.

“The three home types have various budget entry points and specifications, and all follow strict codes of compliance with a focus on sustainability.”

The full-time professional trades team is carefully selected, reliable and fully qualified to ensure the highest standards in every build. Clients can expect a personal experience with one-on-one planning when designing a sustainable living space for themselves or their tenants.

For more information, visit greenhavenhomes.co.nz, email sales@ greenhavenhomes.co.nz or call the team on 0800 777 175.

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March 2024

MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES

What is

Why Choose Solar Power

Solar Power

T R A N S P O RTA B L E H O M E S

Solar power is a beneficial form of renewable energy that has advantages such a being cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and reducing energy bills. It can also increase the value of your home and promote energy independence,

Looking for a seamless and sleek solar power option in New Zealand?

Contact us to learn more about our innovative solar power system that looks seamless and not bulky. Our stackable battery system allows you to add more batteries as needed, reducing the overall size and footprint of the system. Make the switch to sustainable and stylish solar power with our advanced technology. Contact us today to learn more.

Why choose a GreenBuilt Transportable home Sustainable – built using the most sustainable materials, Aswell as options for solar to make greener homes.

Deliver Anywhere – depending on route we can deliver almost anywhere in the north island.

Quality Built – we source and use the best quality materials for long lasting homes.

Affordable – factory built means we can build more cost-effective homes to meet your budget.

Efficient – offsite construction allows for efficient building with less waste and faster build times.

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OHAKUNE Discover modern living in Ohakune with an open-plan layout, sustainable kitchen, and seamless entertaining. Large windows invite natural light, and solar panels offer an off-the-grid lifestyle, saying goodbye to electricity bills. Embrace the perfect blend of modern living and natural radiance.

$380,000

inc GST

Site Conditions

16,710

Windzone: Very High Corrosion: Zone C Snow Loading: N

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Relocation We can coordinate with our relocation company to conduct a site check on your behalf. Central House Movers also handle the entire relocation consent delivery and piling process.

C Dinning 2.5 x 4

Bedroom 1 3.9 x 3.33

Bedroom 2 2.8 x 3.1

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16

W.I.R 2.1 x 1.6

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Sculleery 1.7 x 2.6

Bedroom 3 2.8 x 3.1 Bathroom 1.7 x 2.8

Ensuite 2.1 x 1.9

0508 473 363 sales@greenbuilthomes.co.nz www.greenbuilthomes.co.nz

Deck

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

March 2024

17

TO BUILD OR RENOVATE

The prophet of off-grid living

by Andy Bryenton

Modern concepts of ecological houses owe a lot to a single visionary architect’s lifelong mission.

Controversial, confronting and critical of orthodoxy, New Mexico architect and designer Michael E Reynolds brought the concept of off-the-grid ‘radical sustainability’ into the spotlight, making the dream of eco-friendly housing more achievable for those who seek it. A pioneer of the style of homes which he calls earthships, Reynolds is also an advocate of recycling building materials and learning lessons from the ways in which other cultures approached living in extreme temperatures.

Michael Reynolds was born in 1945 and grew up in Kentucky, where his father introduced him to the concept of reusing building materials. He took this ethos a step further, publishing a university thesis on recycled building and crafting an entire house from used beer cans wired together into bricks and then covered with plaster. He also experimented with used tyres, which, when filled with earth, could become strong structural elements with a good thermal profile.

New Mexico, with its arid desert landscape, proved to be a perfect canvas for Reynolds and a test of his concepts. He took inspiration from the passive solar techniques developed by indigenous peoples in this environment, who had learned over centuries to build homes which remained cool in the hot

“New Mexico, with its arid desert landscape, proved to be a perfect canvas to test of my concepts.”

Michael E Reynolds was pushing the limits of recycling and off-grid sustainability in the 1970s, paving the way for modern eco-homes

daytime temperatures and warm in the desert nights. Adding his recycling ideas to these practicalities, Reynolds built two self-sufficient mini-communities, the Rural Earthship Alternative Community Habitat and the Social Transformation Alternative Republic.

Due to his unorthodox building methods, licensing was a problem.

Some of his early experiments failed, and officials made demands that he should adhere to stricter building codes. For a time, his more experimental houses had

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to be designated as ‘recycling areas’ or simply landfills, to get around state rules.

Reynolds lost his licence as an architect for 17 years at one point, fighting in court for the right to innovate and test new theories in practice.

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Reynolds describes one of his new homes, called the Phoenix: “There’s nothing coming into this house, no power lines, no gas lines, no sewage lines coming out, no water lines coming in, no energy being used.

“We’re sitting on 6,000 gallons (22,700 litres) of water, growing food, sewage internalised, 21 degrees year-round. What these kinds of houses are doing is taking every aspect of your life and putting it into your own hands. A family of four could totally survive here without having to go to the store.”

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18

March 2024

MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES

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Phone Reuben: 027 284 2239 Email: sales@hqb.co.nz www.hqb.co.nz

MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

March 2024

19

TO BUILD OR RENOVATE ADVERTORIAL

Experience and passion for building

by Denise Gunn

Turning ideas and dreams into reality for clients is the most rewarding aspect of the job for the team at Higgison Quality Builders.

Owner/director Reuben Higgison established Higgison Quality Builders in 2019, earning a trusted reputation over time. As a qualified, licensed building practitioner with more than 10 years of experience in the industry, he takes pride in completing each job with precision to reach a stunning level of craftsmanship.

“We offer a wide range of skills and knowledge and can help with decks, fences, new builds, renovations, alterations, pole sheds, concreting and reroofs,” said Reuben.

“We specialise in renovations, decks, and residential new builds. Higgison Quality Builders are happy to assist you through the whole process from start to finish.”

Reuben entered the workforce while he was a secondary school student, taking up a dairy farm position. At 17, he decided to start a building apprenticeship and ended up working for that same company for more than seven years. “I then decided at 23, to start my company.”

Higgison Quality Builders owner/manager Reuben Higgison

Six years later, Higgison Quality Builders continues to expand. From its Manawatu base, the team covers the Whanganui to Horowhenua regions.

Reuben said one standout project he has been involved with would be his first job as a business owner.

QUALITY COMES FIRST Trade Qualified – Member of Certified Builders • Fences and Decks • Alterations and Additions • New Homes • Maintenance • No job too small Wayne Duncan Builder completes new homes, home renovations and light commercial projects in Palmerston North, Manawatu, Horowhenua, Tararua and Rangitikei.

Proud to be locally owned and operated. Born and bred in the region, company owner Wayne Duncan is proud to have built and renovated many homes in Palmerston North and surrounds for satisfied clients over the years. As members of New Zealand Certified Builders Wayne’s clients are always assured of extremely high levels of quality and a successful end result no matter how large or small the project.

027 489 3605 | wayneduncanbuilder.co.nz Email: mudwiggle@inspire.net.nz

Ph: 06 367 0557

“We did a $500,000 renovation at my client’s house. I enjoy turning ideas and dreams into living proof in front of my clients’ eyes and offering my knowledge and eye to make sure we do the very best.”

Commitment and loyalty to clients is part of the journey through any building project. Reuben and his trusted team can help design and build their clients’ dream homes with top-quality finishing touches, inside and out.

“My short-term goal is to hit the year running after a weird two years. Longterm, I plan to keep providing the best service we offer and grow the company and team, doing what we love and know best.”

Contact Higgison Quality Builders on 027 284 2239 or visit their Facebook page or the website hqb.co.nz.

levinglass@xtra.co.nz www.levinglassworks.co.nz 154 Oxford St, Levin.

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20

March 2024

MANAWATU FARMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS Top marks in baler battle

by Andy Bryenton

Buying a modern baler can be a very difficult decision, with technological advances in agricultural machinery providing the farmer or contractor with a dizzying range of options.

In the final assessment, most people who want to ‘make hay while the sun shines’ are concerned about three things: bale quality, speed of operation, and the all-important issue of durability. When buying a car, there’s always the yardstick of racing to provide some kind of benchmark, and it’s no mistake that car companies believe that a win on the weekend means sales on Monday.

However, where can you see the top balers in the world of pasture performance go head to head, allowing farmers to assess their prowess? The answer comes from South Africa, where each year, top tractor drivers line up for the FarmSpace and King Price Baler Challenge.

The sometimes arid and challenging conditions of southern Africa mean that

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bales are big business there, and with New Zealand’s climate proving fickle in recent years, the same concerns are very valid here. When 13 balers took to the field at last year’s challenge, the Case IH RB 455 baler won the variable-chamber division, with the fixed-chamber RB 545 coming second in its own division.

What put the gold medal-winning 455 ahead? It wasn’t just a turn of speed but also came down to the clever way this baler can pack in more density and guarantee perfectly uniform bales over and over again. Four endless belts keep a firm grip on the bale as the 455 gets to work, keeping losses down, and the bale size can be altered and monitored in real-time from the comfort of the tractor cab. It is true of the larger 465 baler, too. Between them, these two machines offer versatility in the field and cover the PTO horsepower range from 60 to 105 and more.

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be switched out without the need for tools and wide-opening side panels, quick and easy upkeep is a priority. Looking deeper, the durability of the belts, rollers and drive components has been optimised for heavyduty work, and that will surely mean less downtime during the machine’s lifetime.

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A straight-out race down the rows determines a lot about a machine.

Still, the judges discovered that ease of maintenance was also a major factor in the design of Case IH’s offering. From a drop floor that makes it easy to clear any blockages to rotor cutter knives that can

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Cell Phone 027 223 4315 0800 667 867 machinerymain@xtra.co.nz SALES & SERVICE:

A Case IH Maxxum 135 tractor deployed with the RB 545 baler

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We do a range of agricultural contracting jobs including silage, hay bales, ploughing and drilling, crops and rural carting, conventional hay baling and cartage.

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

March 2024

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS

21

A new tool to save water

by Andy Bryenton

Tests seeking to put AI water-saving power in the hands of small farms overseas could unlock a new level of assistance for drought-prone parts of New Zealand.

It’s estimated by such sources as the World Economic Forum and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that global demand for freshwater may exceed supply by as much as 40 per cent by 2030. Nearly 80 per cent of the world’s 570 million farms are classed as smallholder farms, with many located in under-resourced and water-stressed regions. Technology is being sought for an answer.

“Many of the poor around the world are small, subsistence farmers,” says Susan Amrose, a research scientist with MIT in the US. “With intensification of food production needs, worsening soil, water scarcity, and smaller plots, these farmers can’t continue with their current practices.”

Drip irrigation and irrigating plants only when they need water help reduce the massive water uptake required for effective agriculture. However, traditionally, this method has required a large amount of sensor data to work perfectly, with sensors installed near the roots of crops, in water reservoirs, and potentially mounted to drones and weather stations, too. It isn’t practical for

Drip irrigation can make a huge difference to water use patterns, especially when partnered with artificial intelligence

some small farmers, especially in places like West Africa, Jordan and Central America, where trials of a new, AI-based solution are being fielded.

Artificial intelligence is the key to replacing a large and costly physical sensor array with machine learning and access to free-source, cloud-based data.

AI programs can be ‘taught’ about the transpiration rates and water usage rates of a sample population of a particular crop and then cross-reference this with real-time rainfall data from satellites. It means drip irrigators can deliver a very accurate estimate of what a crop needs

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at different points of its development, based on machine learning rather than the superior but costly real-time data probes could deliver.

What’s more, such programs need not be run on massive, costly and expensive machines. Cloud-based solutions and better access to satellite Internet, thanks to initiatives like Starlink, mean a farmer with an older-generation smartphone or similar device could conceivably run a drip irrigation network governed by AI. It could know all about the water needs of their plants, crossreferencing this with weather data, including predictions of forthcoming rainfall.

What does this mean for the already technologically empowered farmers of the developed world? In short, flexibility and costeffectiveness. Drip irrigation using AI could be perfect for snap decisions about seasonal planting, small-batch cropping to fix nitrogen, or for the sustainable homestead garden.

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22

March 2024

MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS

by Andy Bryenton

Collaboration is key say dairy leaders

Last week dairy farmers who support environmental protection met in Wellington for an annual event that helped define a balance between dairying and nature since 2007.

More than 70 dairy environment leaders (DELs) attended. The symposium aimed to give innovative farming leaders an opportunity to connect with each other and address policymakers and politicians at a crucial time for the industry.

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Agriculture minister Todd McClay will be able to take the mood of the dairy sector on environmental issues from the direction of discussion at last week’s DEL conference in Wellington

With the Natural and Built Environments Act out and new legislation two years in the making, attendees opine that a frank discussion and whānaungatanga (collaboration) between lawmakers and farmers on environmental protection is healthy. It is not least because the overreach of policies propagated by the former government caused such outcry in the industry.

“Whanaungatanga is about forming and maintaining relationships and strengthening ties between communities,” DEL chair and Hunua dairy farmer Amber Carpenter says. “These connections help the dairy sector and research partners continue to develop climate and water quality mitigation solutions for our pasture-based farms, to accelerate positive change and get ahead of the environmental challenges farmers face.

It’s further evidence that the dairy sector is proactive in addressing environmental issues and that a grassroots approach to solving such challenges can provide meaningful outcomes. Tabled for discussion this year are how to collaboratively address water quality challenges and how farmers can lower farming-related emissions.

“Thanks to all the great work from DELs and other dairy farmers around NZ, the sector is embracing environmental change with a positive, future-focussed approach.

This is about continuous improvement; we acknowledge there is still work to be done,” said DairyNZ sustainable dairy manager David Burger.

“The DELs are driven and passionate about the environment.

They demonstrate good management practices on their farms, including protecting and enhancing waterways, riparian planting and reducing emissions to ensure environmental sustainability for future generations.”

New agriculture minister Todd McClay has indicated from the beginning of his tenure that he’s listening.

“My focus is much more here at home than what we need to do overseas,” he says. “We want to change the view of government, local and central, towards farmers,” said Mr McClay.

“We’ve seen a huge amount of regulation, rule change upon change forced on the rural community and rural economy over the last six years, and they’re struggling.”

The DEL conference and initiatives like it may offer the chance for environmental protection innovation to come from the rural sector, upward. For those who would like to learn more about sustainable farming within a farmer-led network, find more information by sending an email to del@dairynz.co.nz.

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MANAWATU FarMING LIFESTYLES

March 2024

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS

by Andy Bryenton

23

The fuel source right under our noses

Tractors powered by electricity, or more recently, those powered by hydrogen, have made headlines recently, but the ultimate in circulareconomy vehicles may be a tractor that runs on effluent.

To be precise, machines running on bio-methane, harvested from carefully separated dairy effluent waste, have recently been deployed on an English country farm, supplying the supermarket chain Waitrose in the UK. The Hampshire property is home to 500 cattle, and together, they keep a custom-built covered ‘lagoon’ filled with energyrich fluid. Methane escaping from the effluent is captured and stored using a system designed by clean energy experts Bennamann, working together with tractor giant New Holland.

The Bennamann process has the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of an average dairy farm.

It’s estimated that the CO� reduction for a 120-cow farm could be equivalent to 100 typical households.

“As a tractor manufacturer, we’re interested in the fact that the methane can be used to make fuel,” said Tom Kindred, platform and engineering lead for the New Holland Methane Power tractor programme.

New Holland first created the T6 bio-methane tractor in 2019; the concept it embodies is gathering momentum worldwide in 2024

“For the farmer, covering the lagoon reduces the smell, which can be a very important factor. Stopping the rainwater from getting in is another benefit.”

It’s not just the British getting in on the idea. Late in 2023, New Holland also brought its bio-methane tractor concept to Brazil, landing a T6.180 methane-fuelled tractor in the South American nation.

“We continue to reinforce our sustainability strategy on the global level, confirming with concrete actions our

brand’s leadership position in alternative propulsions,” said New Holland’s brand president, Carlo Lambro, when the firm forged alliances with leading bio-methane infrastructure providers there.

Irish farmers are also catching on, with two T6.180 New Hollands hitting the fields in County Kildare last October. The

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New Zealand has a lot to gain from this technology. A report produced in partnership with the EECA and Fonterra discovered that four per cent of New Zealand’s energy-related emissions could be avoided with biogas upgraded into biomethane. Throughout the full biomethane value chain, it prevents up to 95 per cent of associated carbon emissions.

The best part, however, is that it’s a resource sourced from a substance that’s more than plentiful on our dairy farms, which already needs to be contained and controlled. Why not ask proponents of biomethane to turn the brown stuff into gaseous gold?

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March 2024

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