Taranaki Farming Lifestyles, July 2021

July 2021 Edition

Career U-turn reaps rewards Pages 4–5

Red meat exports hit $877 million

Nurturing the nursery

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Integrity community media

Regional council invites community feedback

by Denise Gunn

A representation review for Taranaki Regional Council’s 2022 local authority elections has formally commenced.

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

Phone: 0800 466 793 Email: info@integrity.nz General Manager: Deb Wright | deb.wright@integrity.nz | 021 639 696 Editorial: Ann van Engelen, Denise Gunn Advertising: Braxton Epere 027 525 8217 Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts Website: www.farminglifestyles.co.nz

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The review follows the council’s decision in April to establish a Māori constituency. The council proposes to remain at 11 elected members, comprising 10 general constituency councillors and one Māori constituency councillor.

A representation review looks at the total number of elected members on the council and the names, number and boundaries of constituencies.

Key considerations include the ratio of population to members and ensuring communities of interest are fairly represented. The last review was completed in 2018.

After considering a wide range of options, the TRC agreed the current 11 members provided logical, consistent representation. The council also wanted to keep the general constituency boundaries aligned, as far as possible, with district council boundaries.

There will be one elected member from a region-wide Māori ward under this proposal, which will be called David MacLeod — Taranaki Regional Council chairman the Taranaki Māori constituency.

The 10 remaining members will come feedback on the matters covered by from the existing New Plymouth general the representation review. Namely, the constituency (five), North Taranaki general number of councillors and the names, constituency (two), Stratford general number and boundaries of constituencies. constituency (one) and South Taranaki “After careful consideration, we believe general constituency (two). this proposal is the best and fairest way It will see the South Taranaki of providing representation for all parts constituency go from three to two of the region. We strongly encourage members, keeping in line with Local anyone with a view on any aspect of the Government Commission guidelines arrangements to have their say.” around the ratios of population A public notice has been published, to members. setting out details of the proposal and how Stratford remains just outside the to make a submission. That information is ratio guidelines. However, TRC agreed it available at trc.govt.nz. was a distinct community of interest and Submissions will close on Friday, August required a representative. That means the 13, with an opportunity for submitters to Local Government Commission will need then be heard in person. to approve the final proposal, as it has TRC will consider submissions at its done in the past. ordinary meeting on Tuesday, September TRC chairman David MacLeod said 21, before publishing its final proposal on the public would be invited to provide Friday, September 24.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Red meat exports hit $877 million

JuLY 2021

The latest analysis from the Meat Industry Association indicates exported red meat and co-products topped $877 million during May. Exports to China, totalling $344 million, were down 14 per cent compared to May 2020. Sheep meat exports to China were reduced by 12 per cent to 21,610 tonnes, and beef by 23 per cent to 16,134 tonnes.

However, there was an increase in sheep meat exports to all other major markets, particularly the US, which saw a 156 per cent rise to 2,816 tonnes, worth $41 million. Sheep meat exports to the US have rebounded from the low levels seen this time last year due to Covid-19.

Sheep meat exports overall were up one per cent to 36,193 tonnes, at a value of $369 million.

MIA chief executive Sirma Karapeeva said that overall exports were very similar to the same period last year.

“We are seeing red meat exports return to more typical levels. There are changes in destinations, which reflect global demands, and this underlines the ability of the industry to be agile and service markets with the strongest demand.

“Chinese import data shows that overall meat imports into China from all countries declined slightly, compared to May 2020.

“This could be as a result of reported decreases in domestic pork prices in China and the larger volumes of meat imports in previous months.”

Beef exports were down year-on-year to most markets, including China, with an overall drop of six per cent to 45,710 tonnes, worth $358 million. Yet, beef exports to the US saw an increase by three per cent to 16,755 tonnes.

There was also a significant increase of 647 per cent to 605 tonnes in beef exports to Switzerland. It was against a

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smaller than usual amount of beef exports to that country last year. In recent years, the monthly average of beef exports to Switzerland has been just under 400 tonnes a month.

“Switzerland is a market that applies significant barriers on a number of agricultural imports, including meat,” said Ms Karapeeva.

“However, it is a market where there are opportunities for growth. A report recently produced for the New Zealand International Business Forum identified Switzerland as the highest-ranked candidate as a potential free trade agreement partner.”

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

CAREER U-TURN REAPS REWARDS

BY DENISE GUNN The 2021 Taranaki Dairy Industry Awards Trainee of the Year, Sydney Porter, was initially heading towards a career in business administration before a stint helping with spring calving led her to consider dairying.

Photos: ER Imaging Photography — Vicky O’Connor

S

ydney grew up on her parents’ Manutahi dairy farm, moving at the age of 11 with her family to a lifestyle block.

“My dad, unfortunately, had a stroke and couldn’t physically continue to dairy farm. From there, we moved on to a fiveacre lifestyle block with a few beefies,” she said.

Dairy farming, however, was never Sydney’s initial career choice.

“I had heard of a few family members who were unlucky enough not to have the best employers, so that scared me a little. It wasn’t until I had almost finished a business administration course at the Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki that I knew sitting in an office wasn’t for me,” she said.

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Around that time, Sydney’s brother, Connor, returned home from the Waikato to take up his first contract milking position. He offered Sydney a job through spring calving, so for the next six months, she worked for him on Murray and Ruth Prankerd’s farm near Eltham.

“I instantly fell in love with being outside and being surrounded by cows.

If it wasn’t for Connor pulling me into the dairy industry, I’m not sure if I would have ever given it a go. He taught me all the basics, except for putting up a straight fence. He’s the one to thank for kickstarting my career.”

For the past three years, Sydney has worked for Phil and Tanya Nixon on their 110ha farm near Hawera. Sydney is currently 2IC and in charge of the 320-

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Sydney loves the outdoors and being surrounded by cows

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

S HORT T OP & S IDES Veterinarian Callum Taylor from Coastal Vets vaccinates calves with Sydney

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you want to know what a farmer is like, go walk through their cows. My gate is always open. I love showing off my cows.”

In 2019, Sydney began studying through Primary ITO, completing level three livestock husbandry and level three livestock feeding. She acknowledges the support given to her by tutors Julie Morgan and Jax Bracegirdle.

“I want to do as much study as I can, just in case something happens and I can’t physically dairy farm anymore. I want to have heaps of doors that I can open to take me down different pathways in the dairy industry.”

Dealing with depression has been Sydney’s main challenge since her father passed away suddenly in 2019.

“I was very open with it straight away because no one can help you if you

don’t let them in. I’m lucky to have very supportive employers. It came to a point where I would come in, milk cows and go home.”

Sharing her story on an Instagram page has helped others to realise they aren’t alone and to reach out for help.

“Vulnerability is your biggest strength, and it’s so heartwarming to see I’ve helped so many other people without even realising it.”

In December 2020, Sydney joined the South Taranaki Young Farmers Club.

“They are such an incredibly amazing supportive group.

“They really help to get you off-farm and socialise.”

She acknowledges managing depression in a physically demanding position has been challenging.

“My short-term goal is just to make it through. Getting out of bed every day is such a big achievement. Mental health throws you curveballs when you least expect it.

“So currently, I’m trying to overcome it again, which I’m slowly getting there, and I’m proud of.”

Winning the 2021 Taranaki Dairy Trainee of the Year title has topped Sydney’s career highlights list.

“I don’t think winning has truly sunk in yet, it was an incredible opportunity, and I’m so grateful for all the connections I’ve made through it. “ I definitely have an army behind me.

It’s really given me such a positive push into the dairy industry, and I’m looking forward to all the opportunities it sends my way in the future.”

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Nurturing the nursery

by Denise Gunn

Establishing a native plant nursery, and watching their dream grow into reality, has been a huge business highlight for Kurt and Tanya Phillips.

T

he couple’s first taste of working for themselves was while they were lower order sharemilking. As Tanya had trained in the horticultural industry and worked as a nursery manager, the pair decided to look for a business in this area.

The concept of owning and operating a nursery moved a step closer when the ideal property was listed on the market.

“The idea was to create a business where we could work from home, for ourselves,” said Tanya.

In 2006, Kurt and Tanya bought the two-acre property near Hawera and set to work developing it.

The land was cleared and flattened, full irrigation designed with the main

infrastructure laid out, and weed matting put in place.

While establishing the nursery, Tanya continued working part-time jobs for income. Kurt worked full-time as a mechanic, helping in the nursery on the weekends. His mechanical and farming experience was instrumental in setting up the nursery.

Starting small and manageable, the initial concept for their Landscape Essential Nursery was to grow hardy plants for local landscapes, particularly as shelters for farms and houses.

Kurt and Tanya began growing wellknown lines and as these grew, they worked on customer interactions, starting with garden centres.

Kurt and Tanya Phillips began developing their nursery in 2006

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Kurt and Tanya are looking forward to the 2022 planting season

“Over the next few years, we set up propagation facilities and then built a new potting shed.”

They progressed to the stage when Tanya and a couple of part-timers worked in the nursery regularly, two to three days a week. During the global financial crisis, Kurt reduced his work hours as a mechanic, joining the part-time team.

“This evolved over a couple more years to a point when Kurt went full-time into the nursery.”

At this stage, Tanya was working parttime as a tutor in an agriculture and horticulture training business. Within a few years, she made the switch to fulltime work in the nursery too.

“Five years ago, we had three of us full-time in the nursery. Our current staff

levels are four full-time and two part-time three days per week.”

During the past year, the nursery has supplied more than 100,000 plants and 10 different lines to the Taranaki Regional Council. The nursery also provides plants to other nurseries, landscapers, district councils and is open to the public, specialising in hedging, shelter and riparian plants.

“We have recently been working with a few local projects with community groups that have had plants funded by Trees That Count.”

Seeds are sourced from various locations around Taranaki, including parks, recreational areas and Nowell’s Lakes.

“Seeds we collect should be genetically prepared for harsh environments.”

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Three stages of growing lemonwoods from seeds

Tanya and Kurt have found seasonal changes, in general, to be a challenge.

“We try to stick very closely to a season plan of when jobs must be done by for each line of plant. Whenever we’ve tried to stray from this, it’s caused issues. As an example, if we stray a week or two late on one line of cuttings, we’ve seen a strike rate of 95% go down to 60%.

“Covid was an extreme challenge for us. Lockdown was right at the point we should have been starting to load out all our plants. While the delay wasn’t harmful to the plants, it meant that when it came to our next job of cuttings, the timeframe available for that also had to add in loading out.”

Kurt and Tanya put in a few late nights and weekends to get through. Their part-

time staff worked full-time for a stint too.

Planning a year in advance works well.

Seedlings grown and cuttings going in now will be ready for planting in autumn next year.

Looking back during the 16 years since establishing Landscape Essential Nursery, Kurt and Tanya have experienced many highlights.

“We like being able to drive around Taranaki and see the progress being made throughout the region and knowing we have had a hand in helping it happen.

“We are looking forward to the 2022 planting season and have a couple of new lines we will be growing for this season after some successful trial work this year.

We will also be continuing on with some new and existing planting projects.”

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

h t e n hoof o t o H

by Denise Gunn

New Zealand Farrier Association president Jock Good grew up around horses, learning to ride before he could walk.

J

ock’s parents began dairy farming in Ōkato, later moving to farms near Inglewood and Alton. As his father trained racehorses, it was only natural that Jock and his siblings all learnt to ride and attend Pony Club.

“I was captain of the Waikato Pony Club team and was a really keen rider,” said Jock.

At the age of 15, Jock put aside his dreams of riding at the Olympics or becoming a jockey. Instead, he went to

Piopio to train as a farrier under Graham and Sue Jones.

Jock said Graham and Sue were great employers, beginning his career in a very positive way.

Meanwhile, the Good family sharemilked and owned farms throughout Taranaki, eventually moving to the Manawatū, buying a farm in Himatangi.

“However, by that point, I had moved to Piopio and was pursuing the farrier dream,” said Jock.

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On completing his apprenticeship, Jock returned to Taranaki to work as a stable manager for racehorse trainer John Wheeler. Jock’s wife Helen also worked there.

When the couple started a family, they established Good Farrier Services, and Jock began shoeing horses for a living.

“The racing stables were a lot of travel away from my family, travelling around the races both nationally and internationally.

We trained successful racehorses such as Poetic Prince and Rough Habit, owning our own at one point as well. However, with a family, the farrier business has

served us well financially and career-wise over the years.”

Starting out as a farrier, Jock’s typical day began at 6am and finished around 5pm, five days a week. After a full day of shoeing, he would spend the next couple of hours on the phone organising the following day’s work. All invoices were handwritten on paper.

Four years ago, Jock’s daughter Kate set the business up with accounting and appointment booking software.

Invoices are now emailed, and the next appointment is booked straight after shoeing the last horse. Jock shoes a mix of pleasure horses and racehorses with

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Jock trained as a farrier under Graham and Sue Jones in Piopio a never-ending shortage of clients. Kate said one of her father’s main strengths as a farrier is achieving results with difficult shoeings.

“If a horse has any issue with feet and legs, he is the one that can tell you why. If he can’t fix it, there are multiple farriers within the network that can help.

So although trimming and shoeing seem straightforward, there are so many factors to consider.

“Demand is really strong for a farrier, but it has to be sustainable. Having clients appreciate that you are under an animal that weighs a tonne, repeating it

10 times days and having them behave, is also really important and been a really big challenge over the years,” she said.

Giving back to the farrier industry has been important to Jock and seen him take on many apprentices over the years.

Jock’s career has also taken him all across New Zealand, as well as Australia, Canada and England for events and competitions.

“We have clinics and functions, with global and nationally significant figures in the industry, for career progression and knowledge transfer. Every year, we head to Australia to compete over there

9

Firing up the forge and have also ventured to Calgary in Canada to compete in the Stampede. I’ve also travelled to England to compete in another competition,” he said.

Kate said her father is a communityfocussed person, always happy to give back and get involved.

His progression from Central District Farriers Association president to taking on the New Zealand Farriers Association presidency was the next step.

“He was the club captain for a while for the Inglewood Rugby Club, and leadership jobs seem to naturally gravitate towards him. Jock is always happy to help young

people in the industry and is forever on the phone with functions and planning things. It’s something that he enjoys and has passed on to us. Both my parents achieved great things when they were younger, with sport.”

With a 60th birthday on the horizon next year, Jock is starting to assess what retirement might look like.

“This is a physically demanding job and something that I won’t be able to do forever. We are KiwiSaver contributitors, and also own property, so everything is revolving around preparing the business for what that might look like,” said Jock.

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July 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

JuLY 2021

11

Your rights come first

by Andy Bryenton

Choosing a professional tradesperson is all about peace of mind, and the law surrounding what a competent tradie should provide hinges on them being educated and qualified.

Here’s what the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA) says about the levels of expertise and care a tradesperson should display when working on your project.

You’re covered for these whether there’s a written contract or not. Remember, most of the time, you can spot ‘cowboys’ a mile away as they won’t be affiliated with the oversight body for their trade and might be cagey about sharing their qualifications.

For example, they may not have a card identifying them as a proper plumber or a logo on their ute identifying them as a Licensed Building Practitioner if they’re not legitimate. The CGA says that no matter who you hire, you’re entitled to expect five things. The first is called reasonable skill. It means that the job must be at least as good as the work of a competent person with average skills and experience for that type of work. That average is determined by the standards set down by each trade’s governing body or as defined in the apprenticeship course for learning the trade.

The second is called reasonable care.

It means that care and attention to details

have been used. An otherwise technically competent job might not pass the ‘reasonable care’ test if it’s been finished off in a sloppy, unsightly or messy fashion.

The third key part of the CGA says that a job must be fit for use — that it does what you need it to do. A plumber who installs a non-flushing toilet has not made it fit for use; neither has an electrician who installs an air conditioner that doesn’t heat or cool.

The most important thing to note here is that for all of these factors, there’s no defence of lack of competence. If a tradesperson warns you in advance that they can’t guarantee reasonable skill, reasonable care or fitness for use as they are ‘not very good’ at a particular kind of job, it’s best to not hire them.

Real professionals know their stuff under the CGA. Fourth and fifth, even if there’s no quote or timeframe in place when the work starts, you’re entitled to have your job completed in a reasonable time and for a reasonable cost. Reasonable time is judged on the time it takes a competent

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

B U I L D I N G S , S H E D S & S H E LT E R S

Saving time and money Do it yourself, aka DIY, is the Kiwi benchmark when it comes to home improvements and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has released learning modules to help those who are new to the building code and carrying out work in the building and construction sector.

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Homeowners are now saving up to $18 million a year. The number of consents has reduced by about 9,000 if lodged separately for new types of building work that no longer requires building consent.

Additional building consent exemptions have been added to the Building Act. Consents are no longer needed for a number of new or expanded types of lowrisk work, like sleep-outs, sheds, carports, outdoor fireplaces and ground-mounted solar panels.

The new exemptions will save time and money by not having to go to their local council for consent. This reduction in building consents allows councils to focus on work that is higher-risk, helping to boost productivity.

The new exemptions add to the work that can already be done without building

consent, outlined in Schedule 1 of the Building Act. Some can be done without the help of a professional, while others require the involvement of a Chartered Professional Engineer or Licensed Building Practitioner.

Work that does not require building consent must still comply with the Building Code and other legislative requirements, such as those under the Resource Management Act 1991, the Electricity Act 1992 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

Any issues related to planning or resource management or any projects with district planning implications will still need to be discussed with your local council.

Before carrying out exempt work, it’s important you follow the MBIE guidance

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Changes to the building consent regulations make it easier to build new sheds, barns and other farm buildings

correctly. If you are unsure what legislation may apply and what the requirements are, it’s best to consult a professional. Singlestorey pole sheds or hay barns in a rural zone with a maximum floor area of 110 square metres can be built without a building consent if the design has been carried out or reviewed by a Chartered Professional Engineer, or a Licensed

Building Practitioner has carried out or supervised design and construction. The new exemption also means you can place flexible water storage bladders supported on the ground for irrigation or firefighting purposes up to 200,000 litres in storage capacity without building consent.

More information can be found at building.govt.nz.

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JuLY 2021

B U I L D I N G S , S H E D S & S H E LT E R S

13

Your vision, their expertise

by Andy Bryenton

To obtain the best possible build or renovation outcome, you’ll need to end up with both a personalised aesthetic vision and a fully compliant home under Code Compliance Certificate rules.

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A major construction project needs to comply with building standards, but there’s no reason why it can’t also be an expression of your personality; bring on board tradespeople who can help

That means ensuring that every step of the process is in line with best practice in the building industry while not compromising your decor and design choices. A true professional will help you find a way to tackle problems and make your grand design live within the framework of what will last the test of time.

A large part of this is ensuring that every professional who takes care of each individual job is the right one to hire. Sometimes a Licensed Building Practitioner can act as a project manager, bringing in trusted fellow tradespeople from their network of contacts. In other cases, the home or landowner may decide to supervise the hiring of different tradies for different tasks. Either way, communication is crucial. Be clear from the start, and use sketches, plans and visual art to ensure that you’re all on

the same page. If the route you take is to manage things personally, it might be because you have some skill and ability on the tools yourself or know others who can ably assist with certain aspects of the build. The thing to know, if you’re going to take this approach, is that certain building tasks are considered restricted, in that only a qualified and credential-carrying professional is allowed to undertake them. That’s not to say that you can’t have what you’ve envisioned; just that input from experts can avoid putting form over function.

The government takes this seriously following the leaky buildings crisis and the spate of unqualified pretenders who preyed on families in the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes. It’s an offence to knowingly hire someone to undertake a restricted building task when they aren’t qualified to do it, and the fine

is $20,000. There’s an even heftier penalty for masquerading as a qualified tradesperson when you’re not.

If you’re hiring people in to take care of work like flooring, foundations, roofing, damp-proofing, erecting load-bearing columns or bracing, putting up external walls, electrical, plumbing or gasfitting work or installing fire safety systems, it’s best to check their credentials thoroughly to ensure both a job well done, and the paperwork at the end of the day to fulfil those Code Compliance Certificate criteria. When in doubt, delegate it out. As they say, if a job is beyond your expertise, call in those with the tools, training and experience to get it done right the first time.

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

DAIRY REFRIGERATION SPECIALISTS At JP Refrigeration we are a local Taranaki based business with a passion for delivering a quality service to our dairy farmers. Our services include the following: Coolsense’s Glycol Snap Chillers

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

JuLY 2021

B U I L D I N G S , S H E D S & S H E LT E R S

15

When will we print a new home?

by Andy Bryenton

In October 2017, a special ribbon-cutting happened in the Russian town of Yaroslavl. For the first time, an entire building had been completed using 3D printer technology.

The method of printing out pre-formed concrete and extruded plastic shapes had been in development for more than a decade by the time the Russians were confident enough to develop their large, turret-roofed mansion. Initial experiments at the United Kingdom’s Loughborough University were conducted by 3D printer pioneer Rupert Soar in 2003, aiming to upscale the plastic-filament-extrusion type printers of that era into machines big and precise enough to render whole houses.

By 2008, Richard Buswell, also of the Loughborough University faculty, was involved in turning this tech into a commercial reality. However, it would not be until 2016, eight years later, that the first commercial office building using 3D printer technology was constructed as part of Dubai’s Museum of the Future.

At roughly the same time, the United States Army’s Corps of Engineers took to the idea. It developed tracked, robotic machines that could rapidly deploy to

forward combat positions and print out barriers, bunkers, trench reinforcement structures and simple buildings.

While this kind of brutal and blunt architecture is perfect for a concreteextruding robot, what about more elegant forms or even a fully AI fix to our housing crisis? Mainstream architects remain unconvinced that 3D printing can currently outperform traditional builders in terms of flexibility of design, handson safety assurance and the use of mixed materials.

They opine that conventional buildings are not made by extrusion or casting or any other single manufacturing process.

They are accretions of dozens of different techniques, from cast-and-pour concrete to spot-welded steel extrusions to laminated glass. How could one process replace the dozens of others that we currently use?

The answer may lie in the future, with 3D printers coming online, which can

prefab parts made of everything from clay to steel to recycled plastic. It’s likely that a combination of the remote, prefab 3D printing of specific forms, like roof trusses, may become commonplace

even as traditional builders continue to oversee the way they are put together for the assurance of safe, human-designed buildings that are nevertheless quicker to build and possibly cheaper too.

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

SPOTLIGHT ON

HAWERA

A unique museum experience

by Paul Campbell

PROFESSIONALS IN YOUR COMMUNITY NOT “EXPERTS” ONLINE

Winter weekends can be a little bleak on the farm, and of course, school holidays can seem neverending, but for a delightful Sunday family outing at this time of year, there is a Hāwera attraction that stands out; the renowned Tawhiti Museum.

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Hosts Nigel and Teresa Ogle bought the 70-year-old Tawhiti Cheese factory at 401 Ohangai Road. What started as a hobby and a small private collection has now become an impressive destination portraying the visual history of South Taranaki. It is currently operating a winter schedule and only opens on Sundays from June until August.

Former art teacher Nigel describes his museum as “one big art project. I’m particularly aware of drawing children into the displays.

“They mustn’t feel museums are old buildings, full of old dusty junk. Historical displays should be exciting, and I’m always looking for more innovative ways of making it just that.”

The museum uses life-size exhibits and scale models to illustrate the years gone by.

All the life-size figures created from moulds cast from real people are designed and built in the ‘body shop’, a series of three studios viewed as part of the museum visit. Friends, relatives and

local people have been coerced into allowing a casting to be made from their features. The museum has many tourism awards and is divided into a series of themed galleries with scale and life-sized models as well as artefacts, photos and text.

Whether the subject is shipping, farming, railways or just a small corner of a colonial kitchen, the attention given to research and detail is the same.

The settings and figures combine to create strong threedimensional images of the past.

As well as the museum, there is the added attraction of the Tawhiti Bush Railway, which is a reconstruction of the logging railways that used to operate in Taranaki.

For the winter season, June, July, August Tawhiti is open on Sundays only with groups by arrangement. Mr Badger’s Cafe opens on the same days and hours

Nigel Ogle — Tawhiti Museum founder

as the museum. To ensure a successful visit, find more information, admission prices and contact details, including directions, go to tawhitimuseum.co.nz.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

SPOTLIGHT ON

by Paul Campbell

The South Taranaki District Council has passed its Long Term Plan with some good news for ratepayers by setting an average rate increase of 3.99% each year for the next 10 years and a decision to upgrade its Three Waters infrastructure.

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Term Investment Fund, rather than simply through rates,” he says.

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to make South Taranaki a desirable place to live and do business. We now have a much-improved water network and, since our last Long Term Plan three years ago, we have progressed the Hāwera Town Centre redevelopment, Te Ramanui o Ruapūtahanga and the Nukumaru Station Road extension projects,” he said.

“Our focus for the next 10 years is to complete these key projects, continue to upgrade our Three Waters infrastructure with a focus on wastewater, implement our environment and sustainability strategy and create the conditions that encourage sustainable economic growth in the right places, with projects such as the business park and town centre upgrades.

“At the same time, we know we need to keep rates at an affordable level, so we are funding our key projects with a combination of loans, external funding sources and earnings from the Long

19

HAWERA

Council plan for town, water upgrades Stimulating economic growth, town centre upgrades, environmental sustainability and keeping rates affordable are the key themes of the council’s 2021–2031 Long Term Plan. It was adopted following a month of public consultation, which saw 215 public submissions made.

Public support was strong for the plans to undertake town centre upgrades in Ōpunakē, Manaia, Pātea, Waverley and Eltham; complete all three stages of the South Taranaki Business Park; and fully fund an environment and sustainability strategy for the next 10 years.

Councillors also agreed to put an additional $100,000 each year towards resourcing the horticultural services team, $10,000 extra each year towards the rural halls grant fund and $60,000 to be ring-fenced for the Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust.

South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon says the council’s vision is to make South Taranaki the most liveable district.

“Over the past decade, we’ve focussed on upgrading the district’s water infrastructure, key community facilities and implementing projects

JuLY 2021

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING LOCAL

20

JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

SPOTLIGHT ON

HAWERA

ADVERTORIAL

Rural accounts a speciality For eight years, Hipp Accounting has been a one-woman band focussing on compliance for small businesses using modern accountancy tools, especially Xero.

Susi Hipp prides herself on being part of your business team and helping you achieve your goals.

As the business grew, Susi felt that she needed to employ to continue providing the quality service that she prides herself on.

After putting down roots in south Taranaki, branching out into the agricultural sector seems to be the next logical step.

On June 1 Susi’s son Matt swapped out his gumboots and overalls for a pair of dress shoes and a collared shirt to join Susi full-time after working part-time in the business for the last two years.

Being engaged in the dairy industry for the past 10 years in positions ranging from relief milking to farm management, Matt has an understanding of what is involved in the successful running of a farming operation as well as the challenges any business owner faces

on a day-to-day basis. Combining his two passions, farming and working on the numbers behind the scenes, he made the jump to accounting thereby, growing the business into the new territory of agriculture and advice.

Matt is currently completing a Bachelor of Business Studies, majoring in accountancy and personal financial planning while working in the accountancy practice.

Together with his previous degree in agri-commerce, Matt and Susi believe that this will help enable them to give you a more well-rounded and comprehensive service.

It can range from simple compliance to forecasting and budgeting, as well as advice on how to get the most out of your business, so you can enjoy working on the land as well as the things that are most important to you off-farm.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

SPOTLIGHT ON

JuLY 2021

21

HAWERA

Once the beating heart

WE ARE YOUR LOCAL MANUFACTURING AND GENERAL ENGINEERS

by Liz Clark

In the days of pioneering transport infrastructure, the construction of the railway to Hāwera was a welcome relief.

During the 1870s, the need for a railway connecting Marton to New Plymouth to improve the economic outcome for the many townships and outlying farms became a necessity. It became a tale of two railway lines and the transportation hub for the growing township of Hāwera.

Construction of the north and south ends of the Marton to New Plymouth line began simultaneously during the mid1870s. At the southern end running from Marton to Manutahi, initial surveys were carried out during 1873. The contract was awarded the following year. However, in 1875-76 mass sickness and a bridge girder collapse delayed construction.

Progress for the line was slow in contrast to the northern end running from New Plymouth to Manutahi. Both lines were connected during 1885 when they met between Hāwera and Manutahi.

Despite progression in 1881, the then-mayor of Hāwera and two of his councillors had expressed opposition to railway communication heading south. In a letter to the editor, a pro-railway resident criticised their stance.

‘Anyone who considers the town will suffer by railway communication south, as well as north, must have a poor opinion of their town as a distributing centre to the surrounding country,’ they wrote.

As someone with pride in the burgeoning town at the time, the writer

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Station staff at Hāwera supported the formerly thriving railway hub that had been the heart of the township

added: ‘Hāwera is, and will be, the largest town between Wanganui and New Plymouth, and to it the settlers will look for their market; and the greater the facilities Hāwera possesses of getting produce away cheaply, and importing goods cheaply, the greater will be her prosperity.’

Until 1885, the struggle for the residents of the township to reach the railheads of each of the two lines was a reality. Enduring the difficulties of impassable roads, rough coach rides and swollen rivers was a frustrating fact of life in the district.

On Monday, March 25 1885, Hāwera got its much-needed railway station. For several decades the station and its yards supported a large staff and burgeoning rail traffic.

Today, the station and yards are no longer the township’s beating heart.

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22

JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

SPOTLIGHT ON

HAWERA

Popular winter festival returns The ever-popular Bizlink Hāwera Winter Festival returns this month with plenty to keep the crowds entertained.

Now into its third year, this free family event offers a great opportunity to head into Hāwera for late-night shopping, live music, unique stalls and a selection of delicious food.

Bizlink Hāwera coordinator Nikki Watson said one of the favourite winter fest activities is to roast marshmallows over custom-made braziers.

“This is one of our most popular free activities. We’re so lucky that Normanby and District Lions supervise this every year to help keep our community safe and full of marshmallows. This is the first year we’ll be using our brand-new custommade braziers. Croucher & Crowder has co-sponsored, designed and built these especially for our winter festivals.”

A new feature for this year’s festival is live fire displays taking place in the Tasman Toyota section (High Street).

Bizlink has convinced a local father-son team, who are already experienced in the art of fire displays, to perform for the public.

“The fire display is direct across the road from the live music in the town square,” said Nikki.

“Sonic Delusion and Lauren Nottingham will be sharing the stage there, and we’ve also got three musicians who will be performing throughout High Street.”

The Smoked Brisket Cook-Off, located in Campbell Lane, is also back this year after proving extremely popular in 2020.

“Tickets for this are available from Caffeinate, but be in quick because they’re selling out fast,” said Bizlink Hāwera coordinator Petra Finer.

“One ticket pays for your dinner, a vote in the Smoked Brisket Competition and helps to support Menzshed Hāwera. This year all proceeds from these meat sales are being donated to Menzshed Hāwera.”

Petra said there are plenty of food options available for those who miss out on brisket cook-off tickets.

“Another attraction this year will be the Silent Disco at the former Oxygen Building.

Entry is through Regent Street and inside

INGRAMS

The Bizlink Hāwera Winter Festival offers late-night shopping, live music, unique stalls and a selection of delicious food

will be two DJs battling for their listeners’ musical attention. Upon entry, listeners will be given headphones with a button on the side, which can switch between the differing DJ beats. These DJs can see who you are listening to by what colour the button on your headphones glow.”

Nikki said there would also be funky neon face painters and someone ready with neon hairsprays at Oxygen.

“We would love to see some brave people come to town with some creative

lit-up style. So this winter festival, we’ll be handing out a few spot prizes to people with some of the best lit-up outfits, scooters or bicycles.”

Businesses are working together to hold a pizza eating competition as a fundraiser for St John ambulance service.

This contest kicks off at 5.15pm outside T&H Betta Electrical.

The Bizlink Hāwera Winter Festival will be held on Friday, July 30 from 5–8pm.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Top award to Inglewood Young Farmer member

JuLY 2021

23

by Denise Gunn

Inglewood Young Farmer member Jake Jarman has been crowned the FMG Young Farmer of the Year 2021.

Representing the Taranaki-Manawatū region, Jake beat six other competitors in the hotly contested competition held in Christchurch from July 1–3.

Jake said he felt overwhelmed, excited and relieved when the contest was over.

“I’m just also so incredibly thankful to so many people. Far too many to name, but it’s a huge team of people to pull together this event and a big team behind me to get me here too.”

The 24-year-old was raised on his family’s dairy farm, south of Inglewood.

The farm has been in the family since the early 1900s when Jake’s great-greatgrandfather bought it.

In 2017, Jake won the Silver Ferns Farms Plate to Pasture Youth Scholarship for the western North Island region. At that time, he was studying towards an agricommerce degree at Lincoln University.

Jake was determined to give the grand final his best shot after initially signing up to the contest to give it a go.

“I was happy that I gave everything a go to the best of my ability and be competitive. I loved the practical day, the challenge of having to multitask under time pressure and be a bit strategic.”

The ANZ relationship associate said he never dreamed of winning the title of FMG Young Farmer of the Year but was

immensely proud of the achievement and hoped it would inspire others.

The grand final consisted of days filled with gruelling practical and technical challenges set out to test the seven grand finalists’ skills, knowledge and stamina.

Contestants participated in a technical day, a practical day, speeches, exams and a buzzer quiz.

“My fellow competitors certainly didn’t make it easy, and honestly, I feel like it was anyone’s game for the whole three days. It’s been a privilege getting to know them and to now call them friends.”

Jake won a prize package worth more than $75,000, which included a $15,000 cash prize from FMG, a Honda ATV and a $30,000 package from New Holland.

He also took out the Agribusiness, Agri Sports and Agri Knowledge awards.

From left: Runner-up Joseph Watts, winner Jake Jarman and third place-getter Calvin Ball

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July 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

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Government invests in Young Farmers

by Denise Gunn

New Zealand Young Farmers will receive a $1.76 million contribution from the government for the next three years to help the organisation grow.

The contribution, through the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures (SFF Futures) fund, is part of the government’s work to attract people into the sector.

Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor said that this would be boosted by support of close to $350,000 from DairyNZ, Beef + Lamb New Zealand and AGMARDT. “The organisation has a proud history, and we want to ensure it can continue to provide help to young farmers for many years to come.

“Their network of 80 clubs around the country provides a range of benefits — particularly to rural communities.

“This help from SFF Futures will enable New Zealand Young Farmers to transition to a more financially sustainable business model that delivers more support to its local clubs and members.”

Minister O’Connor said the support would help the organisation focus on further development of its clubs, introduce a new membership model and develop a wide-ranging digital platform to better connect members and provide services.

“The digital platform especially will allow the organisation to reach a far wider, more diverse range of young people and help them connect in with all the sector has to offer.

“I want our rural communities to be vibrant and viable.

“The project will be transformational for New Zealand Young Farmers.

“It will bring members back to the centre of focus, set them on a strong path for future growth and boost their part in helping the food and fibre sector add more value to our great products.”

The non-profit organisation focusses on connecting communities and developing future leaders.

As a former member of NZYF, Minister O’Connor has seen the importance of the work done to help farmers adapt and meet challenges head-on.

“We are pleased, alongside our industry partners, to play a part in transitioning the organisation to a more modern and sustainable business model, so it continues to thrive and enhance the wellbeing of our rural communities,” said Minister O’Connor.

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

JuLY 2021

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Help for osteoarthritis — cartilage

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In theory, osteoarthritis is one of the simplest diseases.

For years we thought that cartilage in our joints just wore away over time. We now know that OA is a complex disease where the processes that reduce cartilage are affected by genetics, past joint trauma and nutrition, especially levels of important antioxidants.

Cartilage is different from other tissue types. It has no nerve or blood supply, and it appears as lifeless tissue. Cartilage is dynamic tissue: a matrix of proteins (collagen and elastin), chondroitin sulphate, water and living cells called chondrocytes.

Research shows that the health of chondrocytes is central to the development of OA. Each chondrocyte looks after a small patch of cartilage, repairing damage by secreting new cartilage matrix where needed. The problem is when chondrocytes are damaged or die. This means that the cell can no longer maintain cartilage.

Eventually, the cartilage thins, leading to a painful bone on bone scenario.

I use a two-pronged approach to supporting cartilage. Firstly, we add compounds, especially chondroitin, that can support and repair cartilage. Secondly, we add curcumin from turmeric and omega-3 fish oil to reduce inflammation. Often the inflammation causes more pain and mobility loss than the actual cartilage damage. Thirdly, we add the antioxidants that protect chondrocyte cells from further damage.

One of the most annoying and painful arthritic joints are small hand joints. While nutritional therapy can help, these are among the slowest joints to respond. It seems counterintuitive, but big weight-bearing joints, especially knees, tend to respond faster.

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COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS NEWS YOU CAN TRUST

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Scaling new heights

by Andy Bryenton

In an era when we’re all watching our emissions and carbon footprint, big displacement and massive size are both seen as motoring sins.

What to do, then, if you’re legitimately in need of a seven-seater SUV? For some, having such a machine in the garage means the ability to carpool several families worth of children to school, taking cars off the road.

For others, it means the ability to tow a boat or caravan for a local holiday, saving jet fuel. Yet more families do live in the countryside, with horrible rugged roads to traverse, big items to carry, lots of relatives on one property and a dog or two as well.

Rather than try to pry all of the passengers in with a shoehorn and give up on camping or fishing, you could try out Ford’s answer to the balance between power and efficiency, the Everest Sport.

Equipped with the same BiTurbo engine as the Ranger FX4, it’s amazing how much you can achieve with just two litres of displacement.

Not so long ago, a two-litre mill was the preserve of mid-level light sports cars, a step down from the thumping straight sixes and V8s of the big boys.

Still, Ford has come a long way in the past few years when it comes to wringing power from small displacement blocks.

Ford Everest Sport — this big spacious 4x4 features fuel economy that’s three times better than an equivalent machine in the mid-1990s and lower emissions than some family-sized cars in 2021

The one-litre Ecoboost won so many trophies that you could have forged an old-fashioned V8 by melting them down. When they won Le Mans the first time, it was with 4.9 litres of clout situated behind Mr McLaren. Recently, they blitzed the same race with a 3.5 litre V6, which made more horsepower than the original.

B.J. Bishop Transport

So, the good news is that the Everest’s BiTurbo produces less carbon and gets better fuel economy than some sedans and station wagons out there today. It still manages to fit seven proper-sized people, a massive suite of infotainment and computerised safety wizardry, and offer 3,100 kilograms of towing capacity, plus a range of significantly more than 1,000 kilometres for each tank of diesel.

One day batteries may be able to deliver this, in the same way, that one day medicine might be able to make me

thin and handsome on a diet of bacon and pies. Until then, the Everest Sport or its limited-edition brother, the Basecamp Edition, which has some nice stylistic tweaks and a massive snorkel, might do.

They offer the appeal of the Ford Ranger with the capacity of a true seven-seater, a tow bar, and no range anxiety even if you’re trekking in the actual wilderness.

If anyone says you’re not making ecological progress, remind them that a similar machine in 1994 got 21 litres for every 100 kilometres; the Everest sport gets seven.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES July 2021

Groundswell of opinion against over-regulation

by Andy Bryenton

The name Groundswell NZ has become prominent in the North Island this month. After a long period of voicing farmers’ concerns in the south, the advocacy group is stepping up to lead the charge on issues facing dairy and livestock operators.

“We’re being penalised for living in a rural area or for having a practical work vehicle,” says Groundswell NZ’s spokesperson Bryce McKenzie. The group is a pro-rural grassroots movement, shouting back against over-regulation and central government impositions, such as the recent ‘ute tax’.

McKenzie cites other regulatory strikes for farmers too. These include freshwater regulations and the well-publicised mapping debacle wrapped up in their roll-out, winter grazing rules, which have been backtracked due to unworkability, and the recent Significant Natural Areas controversy. Groundswell’s spokesperson on the subject claims to have been fighting the process since the late 1990s when the concept of SNAs was first floated.

“We were some of the first landowners through the SNA process,” says Jamie McFadden, a former livestock farmer and environmental recovery specialist. “We’ve been battling SNAs for 27 years. Initially, they tried to take 120 hectares of our land; we thought we’d compromise and offer 20 hectares of our best native bush.”

Ironically, Mr McFadden’s parents had refused government subsidies to clear this forest in earlier decades.

“We took our case to the Environment Court and won. One of the things we learned about the SNA process was that as soon as you let surveyors on your land, that information becomes public. They used this information against us in the environment court and tried to secure as much land as they could. Landowners are just unaware of the full implications of these SNAs.” Groundswell shot to prominence with recent protests nationwide in rural towns, held on July 16. Called, A Howl of Protest, these well-publicised gatherings encouraged farmers, tradies and their supporters to show opposition to overregulation. Local centres like Stratford and New Plymouth were on the map for civil dissent.

Meanwhile, The ACT party has revealed an alternative; a $10 million plan to preserve truly significant natural features under a scheme similar to the existing Queen Elizabeth II Trust. Speaking

27

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CASUALTY CALVES

Tractors took to the streets alongside tradespeople’s utes as Groundswell NZ called for a protest. The group now seems poised to carry the banner for farming against over-regulation

at the National Fieldays® in Hamilton, ACT leader David Seymour said that Environment Minister James Shaw’s ‘pause button’ approach is not enough.

“Protecting biodiversity is a goal shared by all New Zealanders, but SNAs undermine private property rights and the conservation efforts of the people who care most about the environment,” Seymour said.

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JuLY 2021 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

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