Northern Farming Lifestyles, October 2026

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October 2026

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Artistry in rural living Pages 6–7

RMA replacement’s third reading

Bred to withstand time P3

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Preparing for El Niño by Andy Bryenton

THE NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES IS PUBLISHED WITH PRIDE BY RURAL MATTERS LTD, A PRIVATELY OWNED NORTHLAND COMPANY. Phone: 0800 466 793 Email: info@rml.nz Postal Address: PO Box 474, Dargaville Physical Address: 107 River Road, Dargaville Editor: Andy Bryenton Journalists: Amy Fifita | Andy Bryenton | Paul Campbell Advertising: Joanne Lowe 027 202 3990 Production: Gavin Bainbridge | Marnie Fuller | Daniel Foster | Liz Clark Accounts: accounts@rml.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts Printed by: NZME Website: farminglifestyles.co.nz Opinions expressed in this publication and in advertising inserts, by contributors or advertisers, are not necessarily those of Rural Matters Ltd. All inserts delivered with the publication are not produced by Rural Matters Ltd.

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Farming advocacy and support organisations are rallying behind their constituents to prepare for the unpredictable outcomes of the most extreme El Niño weather event ever seen. ‘The 2026-27 El Niño is forecast to be one of the strongest in decades. This means that early preparation is needed for potentially extreme weather — from flooding to drought-like conditions — and other impacts like potential transport disruptions,’ said Horticulture NZ, which has dedicated a section of its website to address preparedness. With information about irrigation resilience, water storage capacity, andSpecialising how to in: interpret meteorological data as Varicose Veins the predicted hot, dry summer • in Assessment approaches, this uptick interest is not confined to• the Radiofrequency Ablation horticultural sector. • Ultrasound Guided Sclerotherapy DairyNZ has analysed Meteorological data has been collated from around the the fiscal implications of an world to determine the extent of the coming El Niño summer Sports Injuries extended or severe El Niño, and its modelling shows •thatMusculoskeletal a hot, dry the longUltrasound view, B+LNZ has pioneered the • Ultrasound Guided Steroid Injections weather scenario this summer could push Catch the Rain research project that has farm working expenses to $6.78/kgMS yielded valuable data. and the national breakeven milk price to “The value of Catch the Rain is that it has General Ultrasound Women’s Health Vascular Ultrasound Biopsy Maternity $9.07/kgMS. tested practical management changes in DairyNZ head of economics Mark Storey real farm environments. Farmers can now noted that the dairy sector is currently in see where there is potential to improve a strong position and dairy farmers are rainfall infiltration and, importantly, have adept at overcoming challenges such as El a way to test what works for their own Niño. However, forewarned is forearmed. farm,” says B+LNZ head of science and “Pasture will take the first hit, creating research, Dr Suzi Keeling. the biggest driver of the additional cost Longer recovery periods for pasture pressure, with national feed expenses were shown to produce the best results, modelled to increase from $1.56/kgMS over and above methods that required under the baseline scenario to $2.02/ additional capital investment. On three farms, infiltration rates kgMS under a very strong El Niño,” Storey said. almost doubled on average within nine “Milk production is also expected to months compared with control areas. dip rather than collapse, with national Longer recovery periods are a relatively production modelled to be around 2.1% low-cost change that can be introduced lower under a strong El Niño and around into existing farm systems without capital 3.3% lower under a very strong El Niño.” investment. During the trials, farmers Similar pressures will fall on the red compared standard rotation lengths (for meat sector, prompting Beef + Lamb New example, 30 days) with extended recovery Zealand to deploy scientific know-how to periods ranging from 60 to more than make every drop of rainfall count. Taking 90 days.

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October 2026

RMA replacement’s third reading

3

by Andy Bryenton

Parliamentarians are calling it the most significant overhaul of New Zealand’s planning system in more than three decades: the Resource Management Act is to be no more, as the bills replacing it pass their third reading in the Beehive. “Today is a major milestone. After 35 years of the RMA, Parliament has passed legislation for a fundamentally different way of planning for New Zealand’s future,” says RMA reform architect Chris Bishop. “For too long, the RMA has made it harder and more expensive to build the homes and infrastructure New Zealand needs, develop renewable energy, produce food and fibre, and invest with confidence. “At the same time, it has failed to deliver the environmental outcomes New Zealanders should expect. We have ended up with the worst of both worlds: a system that is costly, complex and difficult to navigate, without delivering effectively for either growth or the environment.” More than 100 planning documents, required under the RMA and varying wildly in their provisions across regions, councils and civic boundaries, will be replaced with 17 regional combined plans. The upshot, say supporters of the new Planning Bill and Natural Environment Bill, will be a dramatic reduction in variation of the rules, duplication of the rules, paperwork proliferation, and the ‘open to interpretation’ nature of regulations that saw the RMA bloat into what opponents called an ‘unworkable’, ‘Frankenstein’ piece of unwieldy legislation.

“Officials estimate around 45 per cent of consent and permit applications currently required under the RMA could be removed under the new system. Based on 2023/24 volumes, that represents between 15,000 and 22,000 applications that would no longer be required,” says Mr Bishop. “The new system will also give much greater recognition to the enjoyment of land, and require a more deliberate and proportionate approach when planning rules significantly restrict what people can do with their property.” Mr Bishop and parliamentary undersecretary Simon Court opine that better regulation means less time and money spent navigating unnecessary processes, and more investment going into homes, infrastructure, businesses and productive activity. They’ve run the numbers on how the RMA’s demise and replacement might impact the economy, and estimate significant gains. Independent analysis projects the new planning system will boost GDP by an additional 0.56 per cent every year by 2050, worth up to $3.1 billion annually. A cost-benefit analysis also estimates $13.3 billion in savings over 30 years through lower administrative and compliance costs.

Simon Court (right), pictured with fellow ACT campaigner Paul Henry, is buoyant about the prospects of a new resource management system

As resource management affects the fundamental primary production engine room of the New Zealand economy — and this is the sector seeing the greatest fiscal traction in the ongoing economic recovery — replacing this one piece of legislation could leverage a disproportionate impact.

The transition will happen in stages. Existing RMA plans, consents and processes will continue while national instruments, regional plans, digital tools and data systems are developed, with the new system intended to be operational by 2030.

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Bred to withstand time • BY AMY FIFITA •

Veering away from the red tape of dairy, sisters Jessica and Jamie Hoggard have headed towards the beef industry and created NZ Frontier Brahmans.

T

he exotic tropical cattle had always been Jessica’s favourite breed, and despite her dairy upbringing, she has seen the benefits of the beef industry. “Jamie has been doing her Charolais cattle for a few years now, and she’s helped lead my way into beef,” said Jessica. “With dairy, there is a lot more red tape, with MPI, sterilisation of milk, and all the new mastitis treatments. The animals aren’t usually bred well, and have fastgrowing hooves that get lame — a lot is going into dairy cows and a lot coming out. “Whereas with beef, we are keeping animals for breeding. Beef cattle are bred to withstand time, and from that, you get good feet, nice structure, and better temperament. They are bred to last to make calves, so you can continue them

on. For us, it is a different world, and it is nice having animals to grow out, rather than needing them to produce every single day.” With distinct characteristics, Jessica says Brahmans are a stunning breed, and the biggest attraction for her is their heat tolerance and parasite resistance, making them a benefit to any herd. “They have great growth rates and are big animals, and if you could combine that with other breeds, you’d get a versatile, dual-purpose cow. “Brahmans can be helpful for so many farmers with their parasite resistance and heat tolerance. They naturally set their temperature to slightly below that of European breeds, as most tropical breeds do, so if you mix in Brahman or Gyr, the

Rumble is the Hoggard sisters’ red bull, which is currently on their commercial stud

animals won’t drop in production during a hot summer. “These animals handle poor food and scarce grazing, so they can maintain production on low feed. They will still produce during tough seasons. With parasite resistance, you don’t have to drench as aggressively or as often. When you drench a lot, the animal can have kidney or liver failure. “Our bulls, Rumble and Baloo, are both from the owner of Karoo Brahmans in Wellsford. She is now a retired New Zealand-registered breeder who brought in the genetics and started to get the breed going in this country. “The hump and the ears are the two biggest pointers to them. We have had Brahmans for about two years, and this

year, we officially registered them. I love the big floppy ears, the loose skin and the hump — everything about them.” Having sourced bulls, Baloo and Rumble, from Karoo Brahmans in Wellsford, it is Jessica’s goal to have a larger herd of pedigree purebred Brahmans. Their stud aims to have a good-sized pedigree herd to cross back to make commercial beef animals. “Once we knew that Brahmans were an endangered breed in NZ, we had to find someone close by with a bull who was crossbreeding. We got our first heifers, and from there, we found our bull, Baloo. “He is registered, and we are talking about importing genetics from Australia and networking with other people who breed tropical breeds. This led to us

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Tropical cattle traits add benefits to any herd, as do Jamie’s Charolais genetics Jessica Hoggard says she loves everything about Brahman cattle — from their ears to the hump, as well as traits like heat tolerance and parasite resistance

creating a Facebook group for people who breed them — New Zealand Tropical/ Exotic Cattle Breeders. “In the group, we have breeders of Santa Gertrudis, Gyr and Sahiwal cattle. Eventually, there will be a society set up in New Zealand because many of the people here just want to run their own. “It would be nice to have our own society where we can track our own genetics and not worry about societies determining what types of crosses they will work with. The Australian Brahman Society only allows beef-to-beef crosses, whereas the American one allows dairyto-beef crosses. One of the awkward challenges is that when you buy straws, sometimes they have rights on them where you can’t register calves, or you have to pay for the registration.”

Jessica also has a side project. She has one Simmental crossed with a Gyr and hopes to grow the genetic field for Gyrs, too. As more tropical and exotic breeds establish themselves in New Zealand, it becomes more likely their heat-tolerant and parasite-resistant characteristics could catch the attention of other farmers. “We are getting support from Kamo Vets. They love seeing the temperament in the Charolais stud, and in the Brahmans eventually. They really like what we are pushing for, and Jamie has put so much effort into developing a quiet Charolais herd. “They have helped us so much, as have other farmers in the area who love our vision and do what they can to support us. All we need now is to lease or buy land.”

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Artistry

PART ONE

IN RURAL LIVING by Amy Fifita

Liza de Wet comes from a prestigious line of artists, and while her forefathers painted portraits of 17th-century figures, Liza’s artistic story began on a South African farm as a child curious about her mother’s items.

“M

y mother had a box in a storage room on their lifestyle block that I went through one day, where I found this little box with old oil paints. I was about 10 years old and unsure of what it was, so I snuck it into my bedroom,” said Liza. “When I opened the first paint tube and smelled it, I knew that it was me. I will never forget that smell. I didn’t know how to use oil paints or have any canvases, so I tried painting on normal cloth, and it never wanted to dry. That was the moment, and it stayed there.” With a father in the military providing a strict upbringing, and not wanting his daughter to take art classes, Liza continued in her father’s footsteps. Eventually joining the Air Force herself, Liza married and had children, and found life always put painting on the back burner. “Before I had my children, I took a couple of oil painting classes from a good

artist who lived close to us. Then I started buying oil paints. “My then-husband had family members who were acquainted with a quite famous artist. Pregnant then with my first son, they took me with them to his house to see his studio, and I was blown away. I knew that it was what I needed to do in my life. “When my kids were about seven or eight years old, I got divorced, and I had to raise them alone. I met my now-husband, and I painted on and off, but I never had much time for it. We married and moved to New Zealand.” Starting a new journey in Dargaville, they found a property for sale in a rural location on the outskirts of town. “We were both working at that stage, and after seeing it while out driving, we saw the Dargaville newspaper advertising the property, with a cottage included. There were no trees, no plants, nor

Grounded by the lifestyle block she lives on, Liza enjoys the garden and animals when she is not in her studio painting

even a fence; it was just in the middle of the paddock. “We had another look, and put in an offer. We forgot about it, and sometime after, we were told they’d accepted it. When we moved in, it was cold, with an open fireplace, and you could push your finger through some of the windows. “Two decades later, this is where we are — plants and gardens, and it’s

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weird looking back. We had no money, so everything that is here, we’ve done ourselves. I painted on and off, and about five years ago, I resigned from my job at the meatworks and began painting full-time. “For myself and my family, this lifestyle block was our new beginning, where we started a new life away from South Africa.”

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

This year, Liza did her first commission painting and would love to do more Cookie the lamb is one of the animals on the lifestyle block, Liza also cares for her canine companion Leyla, and her husband has his dog Jack

Moving to New Zealand breathed new life into Liza and provided a lifestyle where art was intermingled with reality. It has been two decades since Liza and her family relocated, and since then, various dreams have been realised. “We came to New Zealand with suitcases and two kids, and we both got jobs at the meatworks. My husband is a sparkie, and now my kids are all grown up. My eldest son is a lawyer in Christchurch, and my other son is a joiner. When we moved in here, I had no dedicated space to paint, so I ended up in the wool shed in one of the corners. It wasn’t comfortable, but I needed to paint. Once we were doing some renovations, my husband fixed up

this little studio for me, putting in a door and a deck — this is where I spend the majority of my time now. “If I work on a painting, I get so absorbed in it that nothing exists, and it is not always healthy, so I love gardening, too, and the animals ground me. I do my veggie gardening, and my husband has a separate one, because I garden like I paint, whereas my husband is more linear in his approach with rows.” While interest played a huge part in her painting, Liza doesn’t just do art; it lives in her blood, as does farming. See part two in November to delve deeper into who Liza is and where she comes from.

Liza paints from her home studio that her husband made for her, with a deck included

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES A panoramic view of Mangawhare, the river and Dargaville taken in 1912

The convict, the township and a river

Image credit: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections

by Liz Clark

Across the Kaihū River, spanned by a concrete bridge, is the former township of Mangawhare, now part of Dargaville.

I

ts story began around 1839, when Thomas Spencer Forsaith bought the 101ha Mangawhare Block from Parore Te Āwha (Te Kuihi) under land claim number 281. It’s a history well covered in other sources that things didn’t quite go so well for Forsaith, after a skull was found among the potatoes in his store. Mana whenua ransacked the store because of it, believing strongly that an urupā had been desecrated. It resulted in Forsaith asking for compensation from Governor Hobson and the confiscation of the Te Kōpuru Block in 1842. While Forsaith headed to Auckland, the site was taken over by Irish-born Hastings Atkins after applying for the Crown grant in December 1853. Atkins was a timber

and gum trader with a large store on-site, as well as owning the barque Cygnet, which he used for shipping his goods from the Kaipara to Auckland and overseas. In early 1854, the store was burned to the ground, with around £2,000 worth of stock destroyed. The store was rebuilt, most likely in the same year. Around that time, Matthew Marriner had arrived from Hokianga to manage the store. While Atkins spent more time in Auckland and overseas, Marriner oversaw the trade at Mangawhare. Matthew Marriner was born in Berkshire, England, in 1809, and later became a sawyer. However, in 1831, he was caught breaking into a house and, as a result, was sentenced to death. It was

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Mr S Sidney Campbell, manager of Brown, Campbell & Company, at Mangawhare, and Zoe Alma Cook were married on February 28 1899 Image credit: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections

also the time when Britain was sending people to Australia as convicts; rather than hang people, the decision was made to commute their death sentences to transportation for life. Sent on the convict ship Asia, Matthew arrived in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia in early 1832 and was assigned to a doctor, along with several other men. However, in

March 1833, he escaped with two other convicts, but was soon caught. At some point, Matthew absconded again, without a ticket of leave, and ended up in Hokianga, where he met and married Rebecca Pells on December 14 1837. He boldly announced their union in a Sydney newspaper advertisement in February 1838. While it’s not recorded, Matthew

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

9

The former Norwegian-built barque Wai-iti turned over when it struck a bank near the Mangawhare wharf in 1907 Image credit: Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections

The house on River Road, built circa 1854, where Matthew Marriner and his wife Rebecca raised their children

arrived in Mangawhare around 1854 or 1855. His seventh child with Rebecca, Leslie Buller Marriner, was born there in 1856; the six older children were born at Rāwene, Hokianga. By 1855, the store was well-established and a large wharf was on-site for vessels to load and unload cargo. Atkins employed carpenters, as well as many others to supply kauri timber and gum to satisfy a growing demand in Auckland and overseas. After making a significant profit of around £64,000, Atkins headed back to the UK, with one of Matthew Marriner’s daughters, whom he adopted. Around 1862, Mangawhare was sold to John Logan Campbell, who soon had Brown, Campbell & Co’s signage up on the store Marriner was managing. In 1866, however, the store was burned to the ground and had to be rebuilt. Matthew’s

St Joseph’s Catholic Church, convent and school were first established in Mangawhare, then later moved to Dargaville Image credit: Alexander Turnbull Library

second son, William, took over the store management after his father retired. Matthew continued to live in the township until his death in early 1875 — he was buried at Mt Wesley Cemetery. In the same year Matthew Marriner passed away, the store his son William managed was destroyed by fire. That year was also when the first Mangawhare Hotel was built as a competitor to the Kaihū Hotel across in fledgling Dargaville, still developing from a collection of whare and a single trading store. For the interim, Mangawhare was the rising jewel on the banks of the Northern Wairoa River. Where hotels were concerned, Joseph McMullen Dargaville attempted to have the licence for the Mangawhare Hotel denied by the Kaipara Licensing Court over concerns that gumdiggers and others patronising its bar would get

drunk and then drown in the nearby river. It was pointed out to him that he had established the first hotel in 1874, which had also been the cause of many a drunk visitor meeting their end in the fast-flowing river. The first Mangawhare Hotel burned down in 1886 and didn’t rise again from the ashes until 1895 as the Commercial Hotel. Over time, the settlement would see progress being made, with houses being built, two churches established, and the Kaihū River bridged so travellers no longer had to rely on a ferry or other means of transport to cross. A dairy factory was built in the early 1900s, and the town continued to grow. Brown, Campbell & Co later sold the township to AE Harding & Co in 1906, when it was gradually subdivided into the suburb of Dargaville familiar today.

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Northland school joins Berberine: Supporting harbour rescue project healthy blood sugar

ADVERTORIAL

by Paul Campbell

by John Arts

A concerning New Zealand health statistic is the number of people who have type two diabetes. The 5% of us that have type two diabetes is bad enough, but there are another 20% who have uncontrolled blood sugar. The tragedy is that poor blood sugar control is treatable with a diet low in sugar and carbohydrates, yet high in low-starch plant foods, good fats and protein. Please contact me if you would like an email copy of my Healthy Eating Guide. While diet is the priority, wellformulated supplements can support blood sugar control. Two nutrients that have received growing attention in this area are berberine, derived from Indian barberry, and chromium polynicotinate, a vitamin B3 (niacin) form of the trace mineral chromium. Berberine is recognised for its influence on AMPK: an enzyme needed to enhance use of glucose, reduce overproduction of insulin and to inhibit liver over-production of blood sugar (glucose). Helping balance glucose use and glucose production is central to blood sugar control. This often brings improvements in long-term blood sugar reflecting in better HbA1c levels — a blood test familiar to those with poorly controlled blood sugar.

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There is, however, a significant problem with standard berberine supplements. Berberine is insoluble in water, resulting in poor absorption and a high rate of digestive problems. Water-soluble berberine overcomes these issues with high absorption with lower rates of digestive issues. The best supplements have water-soluble berberine combined with chromium polynicotinate. Chromium polynicotinate has a different yet complementary action on blood sugar balance. It does this by supporting the movement of blood sugar into cells, reducing cell insulin resistance. The combined use of berberine and chromium is therefore biologically beneficial, as berberine may support cellular energy regulation and chromium to insulin responsiveness. John Arts (Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a qualified nutritional medicine practitioner. To read more by John and find out more about the Abundant Health products, visit healthhouse.co.nz, call 0800 140 141, or email john@healthhouse.co.nz.

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Berberine has become one of the Berberine Balance combines modern most talked-about natural ingredients ingredient technology with one of for supporting healthy blood sugar the world's most researched botanical balance, weight management and ingredients to provide a well-absorbed $36.95 ea for everyday use. Aoverall smarter way to take berberine metabolic health. Unfortunately, and well-tolerated option A smarter way to take berberine 60 capsules traditional berberine extracts are poorly Berberine has becomeone oneofofthe the most talkedone of the world’s modern most researched botanical Berberine has become Balance combines Berberine has become ofBerberine the Supports: Berberine Balance combines modern absorbed, require high dailyone doses, about naturaloften ingredients for supporting healthy ingredients to provide a well-absorbed and well$36.95 most talked-about natural ingredients ingredient technology with one of ea metabolism most talked-about naturaliningredients ingredient technology with one of Normal blood glucose 60 capsules and can cause digestive discomfort blood sugar balance, weight management tolerated option for everyday use. for supporting healthy blood sugar world's most researched for supporting bloodthe sugar the world'sbotanical most researched botanical some people. and overall metabolic health.healthy Unfortunately, Healthy fat metabolism Supports: balance, weight management and ingredients to provide a well-absorbed balance, weight management and ingredients to provide a well-absorbed traditional berberine extracts are poorly overall metabolicoverall health.metabolic Unfortunately, and well-tolerated option for everyday use. for everyday use. Yourand body's natural metabolic Normal blood glucose metabolism health. Unfortunately, well-tolerated option Health House’s new Berberine absorbed, often require high daily doses, and traditional berberine extracts are poorly balance traditional berberine extracts are poorly can cause digestive discomfort in some people. Healthy fat metabolism Balanceoften features absorbed, require high dailyrequire doses, highSupports: Supports: absorbed, often daily doses,Natural energy and general body’s natural metabolic balance NormalYour blood glucose metabolism and can cause digestive discomfort in discomfort Health House’s new Berberine Metaberine® Normal blood glucose metabolism and can cause digestive in wellbeing some people. energy and general wellbeing HealthyNatural fat metabolism Balance features Each capsule provides 200mg of some people. Healthy fat metabolism Your body's natural metabolicmedications for Metaberine®, a new generation of Can interact with prescription Metaberine® Health House’s new Berberine Your body's natural metabolic Health House’s new Berberine blood sugar management such as berberine developed using Balance features Each capsule provides 200mg ofpatented Metaberine®, a balance balance Balance features metformin, and certain general new generation of berberine developed using Natural energy and BioSOLVE® technology (optimising Metaberine® blood thinners.Natural energy and general wellbeing Metaberine® patented BioSOLVE® technology (optimising wellbeing water solubility). This advanced extract is Each capsule provides 200mg of Each capsule providesextract 200mg is of water solubility). This advanced Metaberine®, generation of efficiently designed toa new be absorbed more Metaberine®, a new generation designed to be absorbed more efficiently thanof $69ea berberine developed using patented than standard berberine extracts, berberine developed patented standard berberine extracts, allowingusing a much 60 capsules BioSOLVE® technology (optimising allowing a much lower daily dose. (optimising per bottle lower daily dose. BioSOLVE® technology

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water solubility). This advanced extract is water solubility). This advanced extract is designed to be absorbed more efficiently Chromium Chromium designedextracts, to be absorbed more efficiently $69ea than standard berberine Each combines Metaberine® with $69ea Eachcapsule capsule than combines Metaberine® with 60 capsules berberine extracts, allowing a much lowerstandard daily dose. per bottle 60 capsules chromium Chromium is an chromiumpolynicotinate. polynicotinate. Chromium allowing a much lower daily dose. per bottle essential trace mineral that also complements Chromium is an essential trace mineral that also the benefits of Chromium berberine. Berberine Balance Each capsule combines Metaberine® with complements the benefits of berberine. combines modern ingredient technology with Each capsule combines Metaberine® with chromium polynicotinate. Chromium chromium polynicotinate. Chromium is an essential trace mineral that also islabel an essential mineral that alsopersist see your healthcare professional. complements the benefits of berberine. Always read the and use astrace directed. If symptoms Always read the label and use as directed. If symptoms persist see your healthcare professional. complements the benefits of berberine. IN NEW ZEALAND Free delivery delivery IN IN NEW NEW ZEALAND Free delivery ZEALAND Free

Kaurihohore is the latest Northland school to benefit from native plants provided by Kaipara Moana Remediation and KMR’s partnership with Enviroschools and Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust giving students a boost in their learning. Almost 300 KMRsponsored native plants were planted on the Kaurihohore School boundary - alongside a neighbouring sheep/ beef farm and Vikki Tuckey, the Enviro class teacher at Kaurihohore School, says students were keen planters and did a fantastic job of giving their new native rākau the best possible start. “Over the past few years, Kaurihohore School has made planting and environmental restoration a key focus. We were introduced to KMR through Enviroschools which we are really grateful for. Students are actively involved in developing and planting the school’s outdoor spaces, embracing their role as kaitiaki. “By helping to create and care for these areas, they develop a strong sense of ownership and responsibility, making them more likely to look after and protect the spaces they have helped to create, grow their knowledge of the natural world, and gain confidence through hands-on learning experiences.” KMR is supporting seven other schools with native plants in 2026: Waioneke, Kaihū, Poutō, Aranga and Arapohue Schools, Ruawai College and Ruawai Primary. A further 15 schools worked with KMR between 2023 and 2025, including Taupaki, Parakai, Woodhill and Matua Ngaru in the Auckland region of the Kaipara Moana catchment. David McDermott, KMR Planting and Nursery lead, says the key to the success of the school collaboration is the partnership with Enviroschools and Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust. “What is so valuable about these collaborative projects is that the plants KMR provides become part of a much

Kaurihohore School’s planting team

wider learning experience. Through annual planting projects, students get hands-on experience. Catchment remediation is inherently intergenerational. “Some of the trees these students plant will still be growing and protecting waterways many decades from now.” N o r t h l a n d Re g i o n a l C o u n c i l Enviroschools facilitator Zoe Jefferies says the Enviroschools programme empowers students to take meaningful action in their environment. ”These hands-on experiences build curiosity, connection and a sense of kaitiakitanga. They also show students that even small actions can have a large, positive impact on the environment,” said Zoe. “I encourage other schools to get involved with KMR through Enviroschools, because there are so many benefits that planting projects can bring to a school community. “Beyond creating beautiful outdoor spaces, planting provides students with valuable hands-on learning opportunities, helping them develop new skills and a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship. It encourages outdoor learning and gives students a sense of pride and ownership as they contribute to projects that make a lasting difference to their school.”

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

Shane Jones FOR NORTHLAND

YOUR VOTE WILL DECIDE THE FUTURE OF NORTHLAND AND NEW ZEALAND. DELIVERING RESULTS. ACTION - NOT JUST TALK. POWERING NEW ZEALAND. WEALTH CREATION, JOBS, AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

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Authorised by Shane Jones, shane.jones@nzfirst.nz

11

12

October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Get More from your fertiliser with lime Northland farmers should book their Avoca lime and fertiliser orders early to get their grass growing to ensure they have sufficient supplementary feed made well before Christmas - in case of the possible drought being touted.

healthy soil biology. Together, these benefits create more productive, resilient, and profitable farming systems.” Furthermore, improved soil structure allows plants to access water and nutrients easier and more efficiently through greater and deeper root growth and plant health and pasture persistence.

The Northland founded company which has been trusted by farmers for decades and turns 80 in 2027, is renowned for providing sound advice to lift farm productivity.

“Combined with lime, Avoca’s full range of fertiliser products and custom blends are what you need to get the right soil nutrients to improve production. For example, stronger clover growth means greater plant nitrogen fixation and an increase natural nitrogen supply,” says Crowson.

Managing Director Bryce Manderson says lime remains the most under-rated and cost-effective tool for improving soil performance and pasture productivity. With fertiliser prices high and the potential for a summer drought, he is urging farmers to secure their spring lime and fertiliser orders now. In fact, by combining lime and fertiliser into dicalcic maximises return on spend by helping convert phosphate into a less soluble form that is less prone to moving through the soil profile. This results in improved phosphate retention and availability where it is needed - which supports greater grass growth. “Many farmers focus on fertiliser inputs, but one of the most cost-effective ways to improve soil performance is often overlooked – and that is applying decent amounts of lime over a period of years,” says Manderson. “Soils naturally become more acidic over time through rainfall, plant growth, and normal biological processes. Unfortunately, modern farming systems can accelerate this through intensive production, regular fertiliser use “As acidity increases, pasture performance can decline as valuable nutrients become less available to plants. However, lime can undo all of this and actually unlock the nutrients already in your soil. ”When plants can access the natural and applied nutrients they need for growth, farmers get a greater return on fertiliser investments.

Manderson says research has consistently proven that healthier soil biology creates a more favourable environment for organism like microbes and earthworms to move through the soil naturally and more effectively, breaking down organic matter.

Avoca Sales and Operations Manager Neil Crowson, left, and Avoca Managing Director Bryce Manderson say farmers will get more from their fertiliser by spreading Lime.

“Soil acidity develops gradually and often goes unnoticed until productivity begins to suffer. Regular soil testing and a well-planned lime programme can help prevent issues before they affect pasture performance and profitability, so this should be part of the fertiliser programme conversation if you want to build healthier, more productive soils.” Avoca Sales and Operations Manager Neil Crowson says many farmers assume that if soil pH is acceptable, lime is not needed. “However, soil balance matters too. Some

soils can have high magnesium levels, which may maintain a reasonable pH while still causing soils to become tight, poorly drained, and difficult for roots to penetrate. Calcium from lime helps improve soil structure, supporting better aeration, water movement, root growth, and nutrient uptake. “The bottom line is lime is far more than a pH correction tool. It helps unlock nutrients, improves fertiliser efficiency, supports clover and nitrogen fixation, strengthens soil structure, and encourages

“Calcium supplied by lime help soil particles bind together into stable aggregates, which also improves soil structure, creating a better balance of air and water throughout the soil profile and that leaves you with a more balanced soil environment and soil structure,” says Manderson.

0800 433 5720 avocagroup.co.nz

To lime, or not to lime? Well, there’s no question. Reasons to apply lime to your soil: Increases nutrient availability; raising soil pH with lime to ~6.3-6.5 releases and balances soil nutrients for plant uptake, maximising return on your fertiliser spend. Reduces the need for N-fertiliser; lime stimulates N-fixation by legumes, and N-release from organic matter into plant available forms. Increases soil biological activity and diversity; key to nutrient availability, good soil structure & porosity, and ultimately pasture/crop yield. Improves Soil Structure and Porosity; Increased water-holding capacity in the dry and improved water drainage in the wet, Lime builds resilience to droughts, floods, runoff and erosion. Lime also helps rebalance high-magnesium soils by increasing the influence of calcium. Reduces elemental toxicities evident at low pH levels, e.g. Al, preventing subsoil acidification and improving root growth, root development, and reduces P-fixation.

Just answers.

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Sport shearing underway by Paul Campbell

The Shearing Sports New Zealand season has begun and will comprise 59 competitions, including 42 at A&P shows. Ending on a Saturday each year since being first staged as the King County Shears in 1985 — and four to five weeks after Masterton’s Golden Shears, depending on the timing of Easter — the championships in 2027 will be from March 17–19, just two weeks after the Golden Shears from March 4–6. Championships chairman Sir David Fagan said date changes had been “talked about” for some years as sheep numbers declined, and shearing and farming practices changed. The primary consideration had become the best interests of the Tiroa E and Te Hape B Trusts, which have supplied the bulk of the sheep each year for more than three decades. With rams on the properties going to the ewes in early April, it was becoming more and more of a risk stations’ lambing rates would drop. Sir David said: “By moving it three weeks earlier, it’s certainly going to alleviate any fears of any potential problems of trucking those sheep while the rams are running with the sheep. We’re only too keen to help with that by bringing it forward.” The season opened with the New Zealand Merino Shearing and Woolhandling Championships in Alexandra. At stake for open-class shearers and woolhandlers were places

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

Comparing apples to apples

13

by Andy Bryenton

Apple exports and a burgeoning local market for the sweet fruit have prompted a government investment in new technology, which can look inside individual apples and provide data on their ripeness and condition.

Champion Toa Henderson will be back on the board this season

in the New Zealand team for the transTasman series tests at the Australian championships at Warrnambool, Victoria, on October 29–31, and the Golden Shears in Masterton in March. The merino championships, which will see titles decided in open and senior shearing grades and open, senior and junior woolhandling, also comprise the first round of the 2026–2027 PGG Wrightson Vetmed National Shearing Circuit. The season’s full calendar of contests can be found on the Shearing Sports New Zealand website.

Auckland agritech company Hectre may have cracked the code, and the government is backing them to the hilt with a $1.84 million grant through the Primary Sector Growth Fund. That’s just part of a three-year programme, costing $4.6 million, to develop a scanner that can see inside fruit without damaging it at all. “The project will develop hyper­ spectral imaging technology (lightbased scanning that sees inside fruit without cutting into it) to understand what is going on under the skin of an apple, as it enters the packhouse and during storage,” says Agriculture Minister Todd McClay. “Better information about internal defects and fruit quality could help exporters make earlier decisions about storage, packing and when to ship them out. That means a better chance of fruit reaching markets in top condition with less waste.” Hectre is not new to the fruit data game. Their technology already collects information about the size, colour and quality of billions of pieces of fruit

The billion-dollar apple industry will be armed with more knowledge to deliver fresher fruit in a timely fashion

flowing through Kiwi packhouses each year. The leap into deep scanning with light will enable growers to look beneath the skin to assess factors such as maturity, firmness and starch content. With this knowledge, it will be easier to plan for supply-chain logistics, with the end result being fresher and tastier fruit on shelves. Hectre plans on developing a proof-ofconcept algorithm with a target accuracy of 80 per cent by winter 2027, followed by a working packhouse prototype by 2028.

P.G. Smith Ltd. TOPDRESSING

 Topdressing  Orchard Spreading  Fertiliser & Lime office@pgsmithltd.co.nz Kaikohe/Kerikeri 09 405 2229 Kaitaia 09 408 6666 Whangarei 09 437 1116 • Wellsford 09 423 8372 Helensville 09 420 7079

14

October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Get it right this Spring 325iR 325iR Brushcutter Brushcutter L L

36V - Cutting width 42 cm - 3.5 kg (excl. battery) 36V - Cutting width 42 cm - 3.5 kg (excl. battery)

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LC419A LC419A Lawn Mower Mower Lawn

Husqvarna Series™ - 166 cc - BioClip® / Collect Husqvarna Series™ - BioClip® / Collect Cutting Width 48 cm m- -166 44cc L Collector Cutting Width 48 cm m - 44 L Collector

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Alloy cutting deckk Alloy cutting deckk

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1,019 RRP 1,019 RRP

AM 435X Automower® AM 3,500 m² 435X 70% (35˚) Automower®

3,500 m² 70% (35˚) Ideal for mid-large, sloping lawns Ideal for mid-large, Handles obstacles &sloping roughlawns terrain Handles obstacles & rough terrain GPS navigation GPS navigation Ultrasonic collison deteection Ultrasonic collison deteection

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25.4 cc - 1 kW - 46 cm Cutting Width - 5 kg 25.4 cc - 1 kW - 46 cm Cutting Width - 5 kg

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Powerful trimmer with a high torque gear box, robust construction Powerful trimmer with a high torque gear box, robust construction with durable components. with durable components.

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525LST II II 525LST Trimmer Trimmer P P

TS100i TS100i Garden Tractor Tractor Garden H H

5,094 5,094

1,000 1,000

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Hardended steel blades and high cutting speed for efficient Hardended steel blades and high cutting speed for efficient cutting. cutting.

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1,019 RRP 1,019 RRP

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21.7 cc - 60 cm Bar - 30 mm Teeth Opening - 5.2 kg 21.7 cc - 60 cm Bar - 30 mm Teeth Opening - 5.2 kg

$ $

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322HD60 322HD60 Hedge Trimmer Trimmer Hedge L L

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*All offers are valid from 01.09.2026 to 30.11.2026 or while stocks last, at participating Husqvarna dealers only, and subject to availability. AM 435XAWD Automower® price refers to *All offers areInstallation valid fromkids 01.09.2026 to 30.11.2026 or while stocks participating Husqvarna dealers subject to availability. AMdealer 435XAWD Automower® price refers to mower only. sold separately. Installation costs apply.last, AMat450X NERA installation costs mayonly, apply.and See your local Husqvarna for more information. mower only. Installation kids sold separately. Installation costs apply. AM 450X NERA installation costs may apply. See your local Husqvarna dealer for more information.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

Professional salute for company’s success

15

by Paul Campbell

Awards galore have cemented the reputation of Whangārei’s Allens Group as a professional property maintenance and painting company, specialising in residential and commercial projects. Established in 2015, they are recognised as registered Master Painters, Dulux accredited painters, and Porter’s Original Paints Applicator’s Guild members, winning multiple category and supreme awards at the Master Painters NZ Awards held on September 5 2026 in Christchurch and coming away with the following: • Supreme Awards: Wall Covering Master Painter of the Year and Residential Master Painter of the Year

“

“It was fantastic to have six jobs worthy of submitting, and we thank our customers for trusting us to work on their homes and projects. “To have all six submissions recognised as being at gold level, and to win two of the categories was amazing — let alone taking out two of the four supreme awards. As first-time entrants and literally sitting in the room with the best of the best in the country, we didn’t know what

To have all six submissions recognised as being at gold level, and to win two of the categories was amazing • Category Winners (Gold): Residential Wallcoverings, Residential Rework Interior — Character • Gold Acknowledgements: Dryden Woodcare Residential, Porter’s Paints Decorative Effects Residential, Rework Interior Contemporary Commercial, Porters Paint Effects Commercial “It’s a privilege to be a master painter, and promote our core values of honesty, integrity and longevity through how we operate and the work that we produce,” said proprietors Sarah and Rob Allen.

”

to expect so we were absolutely blown away with the result.” Sarah says they have been building Allens Group for 10 years, on the reputation that Rob himself created. “Naturally though, it’s progressed to be bigger than just us, and there’s no way we’d be where we are without our staff. We cannot be more grateful to them for the effort they put into upholding our standards in all aspects of their work, so a lot of credit goes to them too for these awards. We look forward to what the future holds, but at the

“To celebrate the awards sweep, we’re taking our staff out to dinner, so I will get a photo of the team and send that through,” said Sarah when she spoke with Northern Farming Lifestyles — and she did so

core, continuing to offer quality painting and property maintenance services to Whangārei and Northland — urban, rural, residential, commercial and everything in between!” The company operates through two primary divisions to provide comprehensive interior and exterior care. Allens Painting Solutions covers full

interior and exterior house painting, roof restorations, decorative/specialty finishes (like Porter’s Liquid Iron and Instant Rust), and timber care/oil treatments. Allens Washing Solutions specialises in exterior property maintenance, including roof and building pressure washes, moss and mould treatments, gutter cleaning, spider spraying, and anti-graffiti coatings.

Painting and property maintenance services for your milksheds, barns and farmhouses, and everything in between

HOUSE & BUILDING WASHING • ROOF WASHING • MOSS & MOULD TREATMENTS GUTTER CLEANING • GENERAL PRESSURE WASHING • SPIDER SPRAYING INTERIOR PAINTING • EXTERIOR PAINTING • ROOF RESTORATIONS DECORATIVE FINISHES • TIMBER MAINTENANCE info@allensgroup.co.nz I www.allensgroup.co.nz

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Retirement & Beyond ADVERTORIAL

Leaving a legacy

Everyone should have a will, no matter their age or what they own. An up-to-date will helps ensure your wishes are known and can save your family financial and emotional stress after your death. Without one, the impact on those left behind can be far greater than expected — and often easily avoided. North Haven Hospice wants everyone to have the peace

of mind that loved ones are looked after and are not left with unnecessary hardship. To help, we have partnered with EveryWill, New Zealand’s leading online wills platform. It is free, quick and simple to use, with no obligation to include a gift to North Haven Hospice, although that option is available if it feels right. Information is on the North Haven Hospice website’s Donate Now page. Once you have thought through what you want to do, the process takes only a few minutes. Since North Haven Hospice began, gifts in wills have made a substantial difference, helping us provide care and support free of charge. As a local, independent community charity, all funds raised and gifted here stay here, for the good of Northland Te Tai Tokerau. These gifts keep our nurses, doctors and family support team on the road, visiting people at home every day. They also support our inpatient unit, equipment and on-site services, including respite care, symptom and pain management, end-of-life care, and whānau support. At times, gifts in wills have been a saving grace, reducing deficits and providing timely

funding when other support was limited. Most importantly, they help keep hospice services free for people and families. A gift in your will is a legacy that supports the future needs of our community. Every gift

matters, no matter the size. It is not about the amount given, but the care, values and generosity it represents, and it is a tribute many loved ones recognise as part of someone’s continuing community spirit.

Your gift becomes tomorrow's compassionate care.

Leaving a gift in your will to North Haven Hospice helps hospice always be there. Your gift will support people you may never meet, but whose families will remember your kindness forever. We promise to honour your legacy and use your gift wisely, so your values live on and hospice continues to support those in our rural communities wherever they may be.

Connect with us in a way that will always live on. www.northhavenhospice.org.nz/donate

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

17

Retirement & Beyond ADVERTORIAL

ADVERTORIAL

Plan early for successful farming retirement Retiring from farming is rarely as simple as hanging up your boots and locking the date. For many, the farm is not just a business, it is a family legacy, an investment portfolio, and a home — all rolled into one. Transitioning ownership requires careful legal foresight to ensure the process is seamless, tax-efficient and fair for all family members and staff involved. The biggest mistake many farming families make is leaving succession planning too late. Procrastination often forces rushed decisions, especially when a crisis occurs, such as an unexpected health event or a desire to exit early. These delays could lead to unintended tax liabilities, family conflict, or the financial instability of the retiring generation. Early legal advice allows you to structure your retirement plan on your own terms. An important first step is deciding how the farm will transition to the next generation. This may involve gifting, selling or leasing the farm, or adopting a more structured exit strategy using trusts or companies. It is also important to consider relationship property issues. Appropriate legal structures can help protect the farm if your child’s relationship ends while they

PROTECT YOUR LIVELIHOOD AND YOUR FUTURE Facing an MPI investigation, interview or prosecution?

are transitioning into ownership, reducing the risk that the farm becomes exposed to a future dispute. As your assets and responsibilities change, reviewing and updating your will, powers of attorney and farm trust deed is critical. Without a clear and current estate plan, uncertainty could jeopardise both your retirement and your successor’s future. Finally, your long-term financial security should not depend solely on the farm’s future performance, particularly if you are handing over ownership or management. Early advice can help you establish a reliable retirement income and ensure your exit from the farm is financially sustainable. Our legal team understands the unique pressures facing multi-generational farming families. Contact Inspire Legal today to discuss your transition plan and ensure your retirement reflects years of hard work. Let us help you protect your legacy and enjoy a well-deserved retirement.

Enjoying retirement? Don’t forget your skin Retirement is a time to enjoy life’s rewards, whether it’s travelling, gardening, fishing, golfing or spending time with family — good health makes it all possible. For many Northlanders, decades of outdoor work and recreation has damaged their skin, putting them at high risk of skin cancers. At Skin Cancer Doctors, with clinics in Whangārei and Kerikeri, we regularly see retirees taking a proactive approach to their skin health. The good news is that almost all skin cancers can be treated successfully when found early. That’s why our focus is on early diagnosis and effective, timely treatment. Our experienced doctors use specialised dermoscopy equipment to examine the skin and identify suspicious lesions that may not be visible to the naked eye. If treatment is required, most skin cancers can be surgically removed onsite by our experienced team, avoiding the need for hospital admission. We also provide ongoing monitoring for patients at increased risk of developing further skin cancers.

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Retirement should be about enjoying the lifestyle you’ve worked hard for. A professional skin check is a simple step that can provide valuable peace of mind. A handy tip: Don’t rely on temperature to judge sun risk. UV damage can occur even on cool, cloudy days. Instead, look at the UV index. If the UV index is three or above, use sun protection, including sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and protective clothing. You can easily find the current UV index on the NIWA website or on a smartphone app such as UVLens.

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

Retirement & Beyond A century and Stihl going strong by Andy Bryenton

In 1926, forestry was a hard profession for tough workers, who wielded big two-man saws to manually topple tall timber. In Germany, one man saw the possibility of making life easier for foresters, and making the industry more modern and productive. He was Andreas Stihl, born in Switzerland but raised in Germany. He was a veteran of the first world war, injured in battle, who had retrained in engineering after the war’s end. His first foray into design came with a device to pre-fire steam boilers, cutting down on the time it took to get these big machines up to power. As steam was a major motive power for the timber milling industry, it’s likely that his research brought him into contact with saws and lumberjacks. In 1926, the same year as his steam-engine company was active, he invented the ‘cutoff chain-saw’, but it wasn’t powered by steam, or even petrol. Leapfrogging technology by 80 years, Stihl’s first saw was electric. However, unlike the compact batteries and motors of the present era, electrical components of the 1920s were heavy and large. It took two people to run the big Stihl saw, but it nevertheless provided a big advantage over muscle power alone. By 1929 Andreas had developed a small, light petrol engine for his second attempt, the ‘tree felling machine’. In the interim, as often happens with inventions, another German engineer, Emil Lerp had developed his own petrol saw, but Stihl’s

machine was superior. Without the need for an electrical plug, it could be used out in the forest as well as in the mill, and it wasn’t long before Andreas cut down the size of the motor again, making it possible for one person to use the chainsaw. The productivity of the workforce all but doubled at this stroke. By 1971 Stihl was the biggest chainsaw manufacturer in the world. The company went international, and recognised that it wasn’t just forestry where chainsaws were valued. Construction and landscaping professionals also wanted machines, and a growing homeuser market wanted smaller, lighter, more easily operated chainsaws. Stihl delivered, and leveraged the technology needed to make small but punchy and reliable motors into a range of other tools too. Today, Stihl manufactures machinery in seven nations, spanning Germany, the US, Brazil, Switzerland, Austria, China and the Philippines. The company has regularly featured as one of the most trusted brands in New Zealand, and is a respected tool for farmers, forestry workers and even emergency crews. As Stihl celebrates 100 years of success, its range is bigger than ever, and features battery-powered electric tools reflecting that first-ever saw from 1926, reimagined.

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October 2026

Retirement & Beyond ADVERTORIAL

Summer’s coming, and so is the family Get the property sorted for both, with one easy call. GroundsCARE’s Doug Vause has spent years keeping lifestyle blocks across Northland looking their best — especially heading into summer, when the grass grows fast and visitors start arriving. Around this time, they also prepare a lot of properties before the ‘For Sale’ photos. Whether it’s the overgrown lawns and paddocks needing a proper mow, or finally creating that fire break, getting those driveway repairs sorted, or just cleaning up the fallen branches and general tidying before the grandkids arrive, Doug takes care of the jobs that turn a property from ‘getting away on you’ into ‘ready for anyone’. “People don’t think about the summer clean-up until family’s due to arrive next week,” Doug says. “A decent section cleanup ensures everything looks great now and saves the scramble later.” Mowing long grass usually takes several mows to get it looking like a lawn for summer, so plan for at least two mows. There’s not much time between now and Christmas, so you’d best book in early. If you’d rather have all tasks mapped out, Doug can also put together a simple PropertyCARE plan — what’s worth doing

now, what can wait, and roughly what it’ll cost. However, most people just want the property sorted before summer and that’s exactly where Doug starts. Want the property summer-ready before the family arrives? Have a no-obligation chat with Doug — call or text today and he’ll take care of the rest.

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

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October 2026

21

FAR NORTH

The return of El Niño by Andy Bryenton

Almost everyone living in rural New Zealand has heard the Spanish term ‘El Niño’, and this year might see the biggest of these weather events ever recorded. In preparation for the forthcoming hot and dry summer, the Far North District Council has activated its water shortage management committee early, with regular meetings beginning in September. FNDC administers eight water supplies and 15 wastewater treatment plants across the Far North; in recent times, the council has added more resilience and capacity. This includes a 1.5 million-litre storage reservoir in Kaikohe, adding to the town’s water treatment plant, two new supplementary bore sources near Kaitāia, and the use of Wi-Fi-connected meters in Rāwene to help identify and quash leaks, saving water. The council also suggests that Far North residents take steps to increase their own water resilience by installing a rainwater tank on their property, whether they are rural or connected to the council water network. For example, in the Far North you don’t need building consent to install a rainwater tank, as long as the capacity and height-above-ground requirements are met.

In direct translation, the terms El Niño and La Niña mean ‘the little boy’ and ‘little girl’ — though there have rarely been less appropriate names for such huge events. Both El Niño and La Niña are opposing ends of the ENSO cycle, which disrupts the normal flow of the trade winds at the equator and changes the weather in New Zealand dramatically. This ‘little’ boy and girl are vast climatic events spanning a quarter of the planet or more. We’re coming into an El Niño year now, meaning Northland is in for a hot, dry summer. Here’s how it works: as the trade winds weaken, they cease to push west toward Asia. Warm water flows back toward South America, and New Zealand is the last stop before those shores. The ocean heats up, and what happens down there happens up in the sky. There’s less rain and hotter temperatures all over. The dry years of 2018 and 2019 were classic El Niño, with no rain from November until March. The name El Niño came from South American fishermen in the 1600s,

who noticed that some years brought warmer waters and different fish around Christmas time. Superstitious about mentioning Jesus, who was famously a patron of fishermen in the Bible, but attributing this miraculous event to him nonetheless, they called the phenomenon ‘El Niño de Navidad’, the ‘Christ Child’. Meteorologists thought it only fitting to assign the opposite effect to the opposite gender.

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

WHO’S WHO IN ADVERTORIAL

FAR NORTH

Farming from on high

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Aerial agriculture is alive and well in the Northland skies, where Far North Helicopters is a locally-owned and operated aerial agricultural specialist. Owned and managed by pilot Galen Pinkney, the company has decades of background in the agricultural industry, and focusses primarily on precision commercial and farm services. operating a Robinson R44 fleet equipped with Tracmap GPS technology, to ensure high-accuracy applications on terrain that ground vehicles cannot safely reach.

Farming in the region is ‘in the blood’. “I operate out of and own and run a 95ha property south-west of Kaikohe which I run beef on. It’s mostly my old family farm where I grew up,” says Galen. He offers pasture weed spraying, helicropping, gorse management, and forestry aerial application, as well as precision seed spreading for new grass or forestry

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conversions, alongside fertiliser and nitrogen application. The company can call on a supporting ground fleet of tip trucks, a truck and trailer unit, and custom mixing support vehicles to safely transport bulk fertiliser and chemicals without requiring expensive storage or bagging fees across complex terrain or isolated farm boundaries. “I started as an ag contractor fert spreading and hay baling, etc, and I did that for 32 years after leaving school at 15 years old,” says Galen. “I started my heli career 15 years ago, and bought an R22 to do my licence and worked my way through to commercial then on to my ag rating. “My whole idea was to carry on with the ag side of things as that’s all I know, but I got sick of opening and shutting farm gates. My chief pilot Baz Reiher helped me take over the company, Far North Helicopters, from a young chap that had decided to go down other career paths. “I did a lot of my training with Baz, especially the agricultural side of it. He

Galen Pinkney ready to fly

taught me all about the running of an aviation company and still has a lot to do with it now. He still flies for me from time to time. “We currently run two R44 Helicopters but will look to step into a bigger machine in the future. Denis Smith loads for me and is still going strong at 69. “I really enjoy the heli ag work and find it a little less stressful than the ag contractor work with having fewer staff and only having to organise myself. I still own and run a truck to cart fertiliser to the chopper and use the guy who bought my contracting company when I need more trucks.”

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

23

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS

Big boots, small footprint by Andy Bryenton

In 1959, Sir Alec Issigonis was tasked with making a small, compact car that did everything a big and bulky one could, but with a tiny footprint and turning circle. His concept was the Mini, and with these little machines selling in their millions, you might say it was a bit of a hit. Beatles-era bands toured in them, ute versions carried whole tradies’ businesses, people were conceived and born in Minis — which might be too much information. Now, New Holland has asked the question: What happens if we do the same thing with a tractor? In reality, that’s probably not the design brief for the new T7 Standard Wheelbase, but it’s the exercise in less-is-more cleverness New Holland engineers have undertaken. The formula is the same as that of Sir Alec’s: Take something that works well — in this instance, a powerful 225-horsepower tractor with all the digital mod-cons — and make it smaller. What came out of the New Holland R&D department is a range of T7 options, from the 190 through to the 225. All of them emphasise a tighter footprint and nimble turning radius, hitting a sweet spot for versatility on modern farms. They’re

powerful enough to handle some of the hefty and power-intensive implements needed for 21st-century cultivation, but small enough to manoeuvre in the confines of a barnyard. “Mixed farming businesses need tractors that can handle a range of jobs across the day,” says New Holland product manager Seamus McCarthy. “The new T7 Standard Wheelbase delivers more lifting capacity, greater carrying capacity and a tighter turning circle, giving operators more flexibility without sacrificing manoeuvrability.” That means the same T7 that can dominate chores with the loader on the front, is able to do the business when it’s cutting and baling time in the paddocks. The same machine feeding out for livestock or wielding a seed drill can tuck down a country lane without giving oncoming motorists pause. It’s not just improvement by increments, either. The whole front end of the T7 has been rebuilt, delivering a 20 per cent better turning circle. Think of the

difference between your daily driver and a drift car. A reimagined CVT transmission also delivers a 10 per cent improvement in efficiency, while rear linkage capacity is up by 20 per cent. More agile, fuel efficient, and bigger capacity for hard work? Why isn’t New Holland designing my next ute, you might ask? The answer is, they’re laser-focussed on tractor advancements. In fact, between fettling the drivetrain and handling of the T7 and its launch, they found time to reduce noise in the cab by several decibels, and achieve a whopping 64

The New Holland T7 range has a new member, with the Standard Wheelbase model offering nimble, compact power

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS

Cementing a place in history by Andy Bryenton

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS

In the slipstream of aviation by Amy Fifita

The De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth, ZK-ASO, was the first plane to perform commercial aerial topdressing in the country — but it wouldn’t be the last. Taking to the skies with a payload of 181 kilograms of fertiliser, Airwork pilot Charles Brazier applied superphosphate to Sir Heaton Rhodes’ Tai Tapu property in May 1949. At the time, applying fertiliser cost about half as much as spreading it by hand. It was not the first time in history wings were used for farm work. Other pilots had dropped seeds from the air in Northland, Hawke’s Bay and Dunedin, and two gentlemen had independently suggested aerial topdressing.

New Zealand was interested in using aircraft to spread fertiliser, and even the government had performed experiments in 1948 at Ōhakea using a Grumman Avenger. With pioneering pilots already having success, Airwork was the crew who brought it to the fore, changing New Zealand’s commercial fertiliser application forever. Shortly after Brazier’s commercial flight for Rhodes, the government continued to run trials. Initially tested by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in a single-engined

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Airwork helped lift the commercial topdressing industry, with the first flight in a De Havilland DH-82A Tiger Moth; they would soon change to the Fletcher FU24, such as this one on a Feilding farm

Grumman Avenger, Miles Aerovans were brought in to see how they fared. An air force official said this about the Aerovans in the Ashburton Guardian, January 28 1950: “This aircraft is considered to be a satisfactory type with which to conduct these further experiments, and the lessons learned will be advantageous when a larger type of aircraft is eventually used, carrying five tons of superphosphate or more.” Two aircraft were modified and given to the research and development flight. Having had various trials, findings were

that smaller and nimbler aircraft were cheaper to modify and could be more effective flying through narrow valleys and over hilly, rough terrain. Eventually, in 1953, the US Fletcher Aviation Corporation’s Wendell Fletcher presented a proposal for what became the Fletcher FU 24 to the Aviation Industry Association. This aircraft became New Zealand’s most popular top-dressing plane for its era. As technology progresses, with drones becoming a common occurrence on Kiwi farms, we can thank the pioneer pilots for the use of the airways in agriculture.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

27

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS

Backing farmers and Northern Rescue by Colin Hannah, Federated Farmers Northland president

Spring is definitely here in the north with grass growing enough for feed supply to be meeting demand — a relief to many farmers. With spring also comes the Northern Rescue Annual Appeal, where we have the chance to help raise over $300,000 for our lifesaving Northland Westpac Rescue Helicopters. More on that later. After the demands of winter, farmers can finally take a well-deserved break from the short days and feeding out hay and silage to make up the shortfall. It can be back-breaking work because it is constant battling with the conditions — rain, hail or shine — and always with mud. With the possible El Niño pending, I urge fellow farmers to shut up surplus feed now to get some supplementary feed in the bank this side of Christmas, in case of drought. While we could get drought in the north, we also need to be aware that the moisture-laden conditions above us in the tropics could also catch us out with extremes of heavy rain over summer, always possible in Northland. So, as always, we need to expect the unexpected. A recent Federated Farmers survey reported the highest profitability for

farmers since 2016. The same report indicated that confidence is high but looking further out, it was muted due to rising input costs and the current election uncertainty. DairyNZ has revealed on-farm costs have risen eight per cent, and these costs are reflected in the prices for fertiliser, fuel, feed, insurance, freight and power. What is happening is the shrinking of farm margins, which can impact on food security and ultimately the social fabric of a country. Just think of pork in New Zealand. Almost all of our pork is imported. Grain margins in Canterbury are so fine that farmers are thinking about changing to dairy, and Australian-grown grains are landed in Auckland cheaper than New Zealand-grown grain. Thankfully, our farm exports are assisted by a favourable exchange rate, particularly for dairy and beef. In Northland, the first of the community post-winter dinners took place at Waimamaku in Hokianga, with

Independent Forestry Advice

61 community members enjoying a night of good food and chat. Speaking of rural Northland, we would be lost without our amazing air ambulance service. Our Northern Rescue crews have flown more than 40,000 missions since 1988. That’s a staggering statistic when you consider how many thousands of lives those flights have saved. That’s why it is important that we all dig deep and donate to the cause between now and Christmas — and make it an annual donation. If every farmer and lifestyle-block owner in Northland did that, it would make a really positive contribution to an organisation established by a bunch of local community champions — for the community — back in the late 1980s. The pilots and critical care paramedics are here for us 365 days of the year, 24/7.

Those people are selfless in their care for others and deserve our ongoing support. Donations to the 2026 annual appeal can be made at donate.northernrescue. org.nz/northlandappeal.

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October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

29

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS

Rescue chopper appeal underway by Paul Campbell

Northern Rescue’s Annual Appeal is underway, with the regional dedicated air ambulance service asking for public generosity as it targets a fundraising total of over $300,000 through a vibrant programme of community fundraising initiatives in the lead-up to Christmas. Long-time Northland Westpac Rescue Helicopter crew members — paramedic Paul Davis and pilot Steve Couchman — believe the $300,000 fundraising target is something the community can definitely achieve. For 24 years, Couchman has devoted his flying career to the emergency medical services sector — all of them with Northern Rescue. Since 1988, the service has carried out over 40,000 missions — vitally important in an area with a vast, sparsely populated rural heartland and kilometres of isolated coastline. “It is a privilege doing the work we do and knowing we are making a difference to someone during what could be the worst day of their life,” said Steve. Mr Couchman is urging Northlanders to look skyward, as the bold, new red and yellow Northern Rescue fleet of AW169 helicopters will soon be in action across Northland. Fundraising and development manager Jan Hewitt says this year, the More FM

Big Breakfast Chopper Appeal returns from 6am on Thursday, October 29, inviting listeners and supporters to share breakfast and celebrate community spirit at three locations: Kerikeri, Dargaville and Whangārei. “Round up your team for a lively night at The Judge House of Ale on October 13. Bid on fantastic auction items, put your knowledge to the test, and enjoy fabulous food, all in support of our lifesaving service. “People can also make a splash on Labour Weekend at the Whangaroa Fishing Contest by getting out on the water, reeling in a great catch, and fishing for a cause that helps keep our helicopters flying.” A lucky escape for a Mangawhai couple illustrated the choppers in action when Geraldine Lum and Kevin Corles were just minutes from home after a weekend away. “Coming the other way was a car that was travelling too fast for the corner and hit us head-on. Emergency services, in the

Left to Right: Northern Rescue critical care paramedic Ronen Lahav, crash survivors Kevin Corles and Geraldine Lum, along with critical care paramedic Zac Hoffman

form of two fire trucks, an ambulance and police, were quickly there to help when the rescue helicopter landed in the paddock next to the scene. “We were flown to Whangārei Hospital. We are aware of a couple of times people from Mangawhai have required a Northern

Rescue Helicopter, particularly following the tornado two years ago. “People should support the rescue services whenever they are able.” Donations to the 2026 Annual Appeal can be made at donate.northernrescue. org.nz/northlandappeal.

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Stay in the race with limeROC OK, so your stock is never in a hurry to get to the shed but at least they’ll get there with their feet in better condition. Limestone is easier on cow’s feet than hard metal and can be used as a capping if needed. We supply a variety of sizes quarry run, crushed 100mm and 50mm and its great for tanker tracks and works a treat on driveways too. Ask for PARKER LIMEROC at your local Farmlands store for your next application!

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30

October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS ADVERTORIAL

Dual-cab electric UTV — so many uses Introducing our all-new, Tuatara DC2500E dual-cab, all-electric, off-road utility vehicle (UTV). The exciting thing about this vehicle is the dual motor configuration, with the motors being mounted directly on the front and rear axles respectively. This means no drive shafts and no transmission, resulting in an exceptionally quiet operation as well as a significant reduction in servicing requirements. Unlike many other dual cab UTVs on the market, the Tuatara DC2500E is a genuine six-seater, while most of our competitors offer only four seats. Added to this is the huge 26.5kWh lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery installed in the DC2500E, providing a range of up to 160km on a single charge. Furthermore, this battery comes with a remote diagnosis capability, which means that it’s possible

to connect to the battery from virtually anywhere, check battery health, diagnose faults, and even upload programs. The DC2500E is also equipped with regenerative braking. This essentially means that whenever there is any forward momentum and no accelerator activity, the electric motor converts to a generator and delivers electricity back to the battery, thus increasing vehicle range. Regenerative braking typically occurs when the vehicle is descending a hill. At the same time, this process also causes an electromagnetic resistance that creates a form of ‘engine braking’ that reduces the need for

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the use of conventional brakes and therefore the frequency in which brake pads need to be replaced. Electric vehicles have a number of advantages over combustion enginepowered options. The first one is the cheapness of operation, which many customers are further enhancing by installing solar systems to allow battery charging offgrid. Added to this is the considerably reduced maintenance requirements, which are accentuated in the case of the DC2500E by the dual motor configuration. The fact that electric motors develop full torque at any speed should also not be understated. This is what allows us to run the vehicle without a transmission, but also

makes the DC2500E a good towing and cargo-carrying vehicle, as well as providing exceptional capability on steep terrain. If you are looking for a vehicle for adventure tourism, servicing farm stays, or just transporting a group of people comfortably in an off-road situation, you need to look no further than the Tuatara dual-cab 2500E.

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NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

AUTO & MARINE

31

Blazing a trail by Andy Bryenton

Subaru has gone electric with a machine that hearkens back to some of its greatest historic hits, offering all-wheel-drive, a cracking pace and 533km of range on the new Trailseeker sports electric vehicle. Subaru changed the game for off-road adventure with machines like the Outback and Forester, which proved that you can handle tough terrain and unsealed roads without losing handling, style or comfort. Those classics came in an era when many SUVs were rather military or agricultural, and became firm favourites. Now the Trailseeker turns up the formula with a hefty 280 kilowatts of power, demolishing the 0–100km/h time in 4.5 seconds. That beats a whole garage of milliondollar vintage supercars, but rather than being a highly-strung track weapon, the Trailseeker is an affordable, do-anything machine which just also happens to be the fastest Subaru ever to be sold in New Zealand. Cast your mind back over a series of fire-breathing rally-bred models in the Subaru back catalogue and let that sink in. “The all-new Subaru Trailseeker’s appeal is already evident, as its first allocation has officially sold out in New Zealand, even ahead of confirmed local pricing,” said Inchcape New Zealand general manager Paul Mallard. His company brought the Trailseeker to Kiwi roads.

There are two variants of the Trailseeker coming to New Zealand, and both look tough and purposeful, presenting a lower, longer silhouette than many other electric sports utilities. The AWD model can be yours for $68,990, while the Touring model comes in at $72,490.

Subaru Trailseeker — electric motive power and decades of off-road sports experience combine

“This response highlights the excite­ ment and confidence New Zealand customers have in the next evolution of Subaru performance and electrification. There’s a real sense of possibility that comes with Trailseeker. It may be the fastest Subaru ever introduced in New Zealand, but what excites us most isn’t the headline figure, it’s what that capability enables. “It’s a vehicle that encourages you to say yes to the detour, the weekend away, or the road you’ve never taken before. That’s always been part of Subaru’s adventurous

DNA, and it’s something we’ve worked hard to preserve as we continue our journey towards electrification.” It’s not just straight-line performance defining this new Subaru. As one would expect from a brand which is steeped in rally racing heritage, Subaru designers have ensured that the latest Symmetrical All Wheel Drive system puts that power down smoothly and with nimble precision. Balance and grip have been matched with horsepower so that snow, gravel, mud and sand are known factors, just as much as tarmac.

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32

October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

AUTO & MARINE

Triple crown in endurance showdown by Andy Bryenton

Win on Sunday, sell on Monday — that was the mantra of motor racing for the big brands at events like Le Mans and Bathurst, for decade after decade. It’s not a bad way to prove the reliability, power and supremacy of your brand, so long as you win races in the brutal world of motorsport. A car that can tackle hours on the track and still beat the competition illustrates an ultimate level of engineering know-how, as much as it showcases the skill and grit of drivers and mechanics. So, how about the world of quad bikes? The ATV universe has endurance races across deserts and through swamps, but not much else like the real Le Mans of quad racing — the Mondial du Quad, hosted just outside of Lyon, France. The 39th edition of this gruelling race was held late in August, challenging riders to a 12-hour blast with 117 competitors. The 4.1-kilometre course in Pont-deVaux has some big differences from the smooth tarmac of the Circuit de la Sarthe at Le Mans. First off, it’s off-road, with all the bumps, jumps and thrills that it brings. Contestants describe the race as ‘a long sprint’, citing the physical demands of the banked corners, jumps and rough surfaces as a true workout. Despite the punishing nature of the course and the length of the race, the podium is often decided by seconds, and could well pivot on the performance of

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the pit crews who keep the quad bikes going strong. ‘Every braking manoeuvre, every acceleration, and every pass must

be calculated — if not executed with millimetre precision,’ says the information given to teams considering taking up the challenge.

This year, the podium at the Mondial du Quad was painted blue, as Yamaha riders dominated. First place went to Randy Naveaux of Belgium, Sylvain Petit and Antoine Cheurlin of France, piloting a Yamaha YZF450R. It’s Randy’s eighth victory at Pont-de-Vaux. Second place went to Kevin Saar of Estonia alongside Braxton Grosse and Bryce Ford from the United States, who also hit the track on a Yamaha YZF450R. Bronze went to Chad Wienen of the US, Christopher Tveraen of Norway and Mike van Grinsven of the Netherlands — guess what they rode to third place? It was another YZF450, giving Yamaha quads a clean sweep. Win on Sunday, sell on Monday. It’s certainly a good reason to give the YZF450 a look if you want to win races, but there’s a further suggestion behind the endurance-racing win that looks very positive for Yamaha as a brand. If the firm can engineer a quad bike able to handle 12 hours of demanding offroad racing, wheel-to-wheel and at full noise — surely it can factor that same acuity and bulletproof performance into machines for the farm and the trails?

Check out your local Piako Tractors dealer now. While stocks last!*

PIAKO TRACTORS NORTHLAND 38 Rewa Rewa Road, Whangarei, New Zealand, 0110

NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

October 2026

AUTO & MARINE ADVERTORIAL

33

Moorings made ship-shape

by Andy Bryenton

A boat is a major asset and a big investment, but it’s only as safe and secure as its mooring — the lifeline tethering your vessel in a safe harbour. Jeremy Wall of Abel Moorings knows that there’s much more to this vital piece of nautical infrastructure than just buoys, ropes and chains. He’s one of only a handful of professionals in the north who specialise in keeping moorings ship-shape, ready to handle the wear and tear the unforgiving marine environment throws at them, from Houhora to Auckland. With more and more people opting to moor their valuable boats away from marina berths, the realities of mooring maintenance are increasingly under the spotlight, and the services of a seasoned veteran like Jeremy are all the more valuable. For example, did you know that the harbour master requires each mooring to be inspected every three years, and that they need a ‘warrant of fitness’ to pass muster? Or that concrete moorings are falling out of favour, replaced by more durable and effective steel weights? “We only deal in steel,” says Jeremy. “It’s denser than concrete, more robust, and doesn’t rely on small attachment eyes that wear out. With regular use and in highenergy locations, there’s about 12–15 years of life in a concrete block on the seafloor, and after that time the mooring owner has to pay to have it raised, transported away,

mooring contractor and book in as soon as you receive a reminder notice from your local authority. That way, there’s plenty of time for Abel Moorings to reach you as they travel from harbour to harbour, ensuring safe havens and better boating for all of Northland.

Abel Moorings is out on the water ensuring Northland boats have a safe place to tie up when not at sea

and disposed of. Auckland has discouraged concrete moorings for this reason in addition to their lesser holding power than steel.” That’s the kind of detail that can trip up first-time mooring buyers, but is just part of life on the water for Jeremy, who has been in the business since 2008, starting Abel Moorings in 2017. It’s a family profession for Jeremy; his brother is a mooring contractor too, and he grew up around the nautical world. Jeremy’s father was a boatbuilder, and his mooring servicing barge, Mooreen, was built at his dad’s boatyard. “We work with councils and resource consent authorities to help new customers and boat owners. Moorings can be costly, and they are all about location, but no matter

where they are situated, they need to be secure and fit for purpose. That’s where we come in,” says Jeremy. “We inspect the mooring from the top to the bottom, from the seabed to the ropes, swivels, chains and buoys. We remove shellfish and marine debris, ensure all components are in serviceable condition, and even give advice so that the foredeck hardware on people’s boats is fit for the type of mooring they utilise.” A firm believer in quality work, in an industry where there’s no room for error, Jeremy stands by the reputation he’s built up. He says the methods he uses are tried and true, based on those developed by an older generation who pioneered a meticulous approach. It’s important that you contact your

— L I M I T E D —

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ARE YOU BUILDING A BOAT, OR JUST DOING SOME MAINTENANCE? Do you need to replace a door latch, or redo all the wiring and plumbing aboard? Are you planning a fishing trip or a holiday with the family? At Cater Marine, we stock a wide selection of products for leisure and commercial yachts and launches from Anchors to Zincs and everything in between. We also offer dive refills. We’ll match their price and throw in a little thing called service! Unit 16, Opua Marine Park Baffin Street, Opua Bay of Islands

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Total Peace of Mind Out on the Water From Houhora down to Auckland, Abel Moorings keeps your vessel secure. Whether you need a brand-new swing mooring, routine servicing, or urgent repairs, we’ve got you covered in full compliance with local council standards. Book your service today online at

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Ph Sales on 027 481 2188 North Road Kaitaia EM sales@kaitaiatractors.nz www.kaitaiatractors.co.nz

Contact Robyn on 021 0250 0542

robyn@abelmoorings.nz 09 407 7770

34

October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

3,900

$

FRONT CARRIER

HANDLE BAR PROTECTOR

EX GST

NEW

REAR CARRIER

Introducing the CFMOTO 230 Dual Farm Bike, a tough, affordable machine designed specifically for New Zealand farming conditions.

• 229cc Single cylinder, 4 stroke engine • Wet, multi-plate, manual clutch

• Full set of NZ made farm accessories as standard

ENGINE PROTECTOR

• 31mm Telescopic fork front suspension • Seat height 840mm

• Available in Tundra Grey

9,990

$

NEW MODEL

10,990

NEW MODEL

$

EX GST

EX GST

11,990

NEW MODEL

$

2.99% FINANCE

29,990

$

EX GST

EX GST

• 408cc Single-cylinder engine, 33hp • Bosch EFI • Spiral spring oil shock absorber • CVT with engine braking • 612kg Tow cpty • Available in Gedanite Grey

• 408cc Single-cylinder engine, 33hp • Bosch EFI • 2500Ib winch • Power steering • CVT with engine braking • 612kg Tow cpty • Available in Cypress Green

• 498cc Single-cylinder engine, 39hp • Bosch EFI • 2500Ib winch • Power steering • CVT with engine braking • 612kg Tow cpty • Available in Magma Red

• Fully electric UTV • Range of 110km* • Charge time: 6.5 hours from 0-100%** • 3,500Ib winch • 800kg Towing cpty • Available in Metallic Grey

2.99% FINANCE

2.99% FINANCE

2.99% FINANCE

2.99% FINANCE

16,990

$

EX GST

• 580cc Single-cylinder engine, 41hp • CVT • Power Steering • Two drive modes • 680kg Tow cpty • 250kg carrying cpty • Available in Velocity Grey

20,750

$

EX GST

• 580cc Single-cylinder engine, 41hp • CVT • Power Steering • Half Doors • Full Windscreen • 680kg Tow cpty • Available in Velocity Grey

Maungaturoto Motorcycles

Rob Titter Farm Services

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9,990

10,990

$

$

EX GST

EX GST

• 400cc Single-cylinder, 31hp • Bosch EFI • CVT with engine braking • Power steering • 2,500Ib Winch • 612kg Towing cpty • 17L Fuel capacity • Colour: Lava Orange

117 Hurndall Street, Maungaturoto 34 Station Road Kaikohe

1 King Street, Hikurangi, Northland 36 Porowini Avenue, Whangarei

• 495cc Single-cylinder, 38hp • Bosch EFI • CVT with engine braking • Power steering • 2,500Ib Winch • 612kg Towing cpty • 17L Fuel capacity • Colour: Force Red

P: 09 431 8555

P: 09 401 1774 P: 09 4338 471 P: 09 438 9780

SMART FARMING, SMART FINANCING Low 2.99%* P.A with CFMOTO Finance over 24 months

*2.99% p.a. interest rate fixed for the 24-month term of the loan. An upfront deposit of 1/3 of the RRP, a $130 UDC establishment fee, a $10.35 PPSR fee, a monthly maintenance fee of $2. Two further payments of 1/3 of the RRP are to be paid on the 12-month loan anniversary and the 24-month loan anniversary. This offer is only

available on U10 PRO XL, U10 PRO, U10 PRO HIGHLAND, UFORCE 1000 EPS LE, UFORCE 800XL, UFORCE 600 EPS FARMSPEC, UFORCE 600 EP, UFORCE U6 EV, CFORCE 520 EPS, CFORCE 400 EPS models purchased between 20th January 2026 and the 30th September 2026 (while stocks last). The loan is provided by UDC Finance Limited. UDC’s lending criteria, standard terms and conditions apply. This offer is available through Approved CFMOTO dealers only and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discounts ^ Up to 110km on a single charge: achieves a range of up to 110km at a constant speed of 30-40 km/h after a full charge, under temperatures of 20-25°C. ~Estimated 6.5hr charge time with a 15Amp charger from 0-100% under ideal conditions of 20-25°C. The UFORCE U6 EV is covered by a 2 Year Vehicle Warranty and a 5 Year Unlimited Km Power Battery Warranty.

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52

53

55

56

57

58

59

60

65

61

62

63

66

67

68

69 72

76

30

38 40

64

17

33 36

54

11

24

32

35

47

10

20

23

25

34

9

35

13

14

21

October 2026

77

80

70

71

73 78

74 79

81 83

85

75

82 84

86

87

SOLUTION

Down: 1. Time warp, 2. Misjudge, 3. Acrid, 4. Instep, 5. Ovum, 6. Brute, 7. Sudoku, 8. Leeway, 9. Deli, 10. Ease, 11. Masterstroke, 17. Index, 19. Plain, 22. Bomb, 24. Arnica, 26. Egg, 28. Bugbear, 29. Sari, 30. Video, 32. Landing, 35. Lei, 37. Ego, 38. Ice, 41. ASAP, 42. Sheilas, 43. Well-adjusted, 44. Oreo, 45. Someday, 48. Wield, 50. Shriek, 51. Pen, 52. Old, 53. Tee, 55. Note, 58. Inept, 59. Gap, 60. Only, 62. Mystical, 63. Normally, 65. Again, 68. Humble, 69. Pseudo, 71. Escort, 73. Issue, 75. Midst, 76. Mist, 77. Need, 79. Oath.

Please contact us if you would like an info pack

Across: 1. Timpani, 6. Basil, 9. Dream, 12. Never, 13. Ere, 14. Miser, 15. Undue, 16. Lists, 18. Tempt, 20. Whine, 21. Would-be, 23. Leak, 25. Opera, 27. Ruby, 29. Sever, 31. Glum, 33. Taxi, 34. Plea, 36. Beginning, 39. Dot, 40. Braise, 43. Wild-goose chase, 46. Hobo, 47. Lawn, 49. Misappropriate, 54. Ignore, 56. Ale, 57. Derring-do, 61. Amen, 64. Late, 66. Nosy, 67. Judge, 68. Hype, 70. Expel, 72. Skip, 74. Symptom, 76. Minim, 78. Stoic, 80. Twine, 81. Blues, 82. Decal, 83. Eel, 84. Utter, 85. Dated, 86. Evoke, 87. Totally.

Spaces available on Tours in 2027

YOUR LOCAL CLEAR SPAN BUILDING EXPERTS Covering Auckland North to Kaipara

WWW.CORESTEEL.CO.NZ

info@nzadventures.co.nz Ph: 027 435 4267 or 027 550 6727

www.nzadventures.co.nz

Get in touch Andrew Boyd M 021 852 029 E andrew.boyd@coresteel.co.nz

Keith Thompson M 0274 759 242 E salesnorthharbour@coresteel.co.nz

BY PROFESSIONALS IN YOUR COMMUNITY NOT “EXPERTS” ONLINE

36

October 2026 NORTHERN FARMING LIFESTYLES

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL CAN-AM TODAY Dargaville Northland Motorsports Ph: 0800 120 236

Hikurangi/Whangarei Rouse Motorcycles Ph: 09 433 8471

Kaitaia Kaitaia Tractors Ph: 09 408 0670

Warkworth Warkworth Motorcycles Ph: 09 425 8535