Taranaki Farming Lifestyles, March 2017

Taranaki

FARMING Lifestyles

March 2017 Edition

9,541 copies DELIVERED FREE to every rural delivery address in Taranaki

Taranaki axeman wins event at Rural Games

Cadetship leads to farm management

Support for protection bill

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March 2017

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Winning the war on wasps

The Taranaki Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by NorthSouth Multi Media Ltd, a privately owned New Zealand company.

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by Denise Gunn

Editorial: Denise Gunn — 06 329 7701 Website: taranakifarming.co.nz

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Following the successful pilot Wasp Wipeout eradication campaign in the Nelson-Tasman region this summer, the protein bait, Vespex, is now readily available to be used in communities around New Zealand.

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Conservation minister Maggie Barry visited the Nelson Lakes area recently to bait a trap and see first-hand how effective the campaign has been.

“Wasps are a real menace,” she said.

“They are one of the most damaging insect pests in New Zealand and are a real problem in beech forests where they compete with kaka, tui and bellbirds for the high energy food honeydew.”

Wasps are estimated to cost New Zealand’s economy more than $130 million a year.

“The common and German species of wasps have found their way into New Zealand since the 1940s and have had a serious economic impact on farming, beekeeping, horticulture and forestry,” said Ms Barry.

As well as competing with native bird species for food sources, wasps have been known to kill chicks as they emerge from their eggs. High densities put increased pressure on native invertebrates and they attack honey bees, raiding the honey from their nests.

They also pose a significant threat to

human health with more than 1,300 people a year seeking medical treatment for wasp stings. Many more wasp stings are unreported.

The Department of Conservation has also worked with campground managers and volunteers to target wasp populations in ten high-use areas of public conservation land including around lakes Tikitapu, Okataina and Tarawera.

DOC ranger Caraline Abbott said that ideally wasps would be treated before the summer season begins.

“For Vespex to be used successfully, it needs to be used at a particular time during the wasp feeding cycle, which doesn’t come around until February to March.”

Vespex is a protein bait containing the commonly-used insecticide Fipronil.

It is targeted at wasps, placed in bait stations, and taken back to wasp nests to feed larvae. It is not attractive to bees. Vespex can be bought online by registering, taking a short safety test and becoming an approved user.

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Taranaki axeman wins event at Rural Games

March 2017

3

Olympians Dame Valerie Adams and Mahe Drysdale made guest appearances at the third annual Hilux New Zealand Rural Games in Palmerston North recently.

Swapping shot-puts and rowing oars for Red Band gumboots, the pair competed as wild-card entries in the New Zealand Gumboot Throwing Championship.

Dame Valerie comfortably took the women’s title with a throw of 34.38 metres, beating Bulls local Charlotte Symes into second place by five metres.

She finished just short of the national record of 34.45 metres set at the 2016 Rural Games by Kristin Churchward of Taihape. Kristin finished third in this year’s contest. Dame Valerie also took part in the cowpat tossing competition.

In the men’s section, Mahe finished an uncharacteristic last place. The event was won by James Kellow of Whanganui with a throw of 42.24 metres. James just edged reigning champion, Olympic decathlete Brent Newdick, into second place. Brent’s national record of 44.97 metres, set in 2015, still stands.

The Kiwis proved too strong for the Aussie team in the ANZAXE TransTasman Wood Chopping Championship.

Taranaki axeman Shane Jordan retained the overall title from Australian Kody Steers in second place. Jordan’s younger brother Jack took third place.

After two consecutive wins in the New Zealand Speed Fencing Championships,

defending champion Matt Jones from Levin settled for second place behind Hawke’s Bay’s Tony Bouskill.

The ten best shearers in the country, including the current and previous world champions Johnny Kirkpatrick and Rowland Smith, were whittled down to a thrilling two-sheep final of Dion King (Napier) and Jimmy Samuels (Marton).

Dion led throughout to take a narrow win.

Australia took the team title in the New Zealand Speed Tree Climbing TransTasman Championship. Byron Bay’s Terry Boston came first ahead of threetime world champion Scott Forrest from Kawerau in the Bay of Plenty.

After a year’s absence, sheep dog trials returned to the Rural Games.

Mixed four-person teams of the best dog handlers from Manawatu and Wairarapa competed in the main events area, with the local team of Merv Williams, Kathryn Oliver, Don White and Tim Stevenson taking the win.

Games founder and trustee Steve Hollander said moving the event to Manawatu this year had paid off in spades. “Our first two years in Queenstown were fantastic but the welcome we’ve received here in the agri-heartland of New Zealand has

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Dame Valerie Adams prepares to throw a cowpat at the Hilux New Zealand Rural Games Photo: Neco Wieringa

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March 2017

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

CADETSHIP LEADS TO

BY DENISE GUNN

Since completing a cadetship as a shepherd at Otiwhiti Station in 2013, followed by a few years working on the property, Katey Craig is now managing a 360-hectare family-owned block in Taranaki.

F

or most of Katey’s life, she was convinced that working as a veterinarian would be her ideal career choice. However, a change of plans saw Katey take up wool handling work in Western Australia, followed by a cadetship on Otiwhiti Station.

In 2014, farm owner Charlie Duncan employed Katey as a junior shepherd at Otiwhiti while she continued her New

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“I stayed on the following year as a senior shepherd working with stock manager Jed McAlley and junior shepherd Ben Dickinson,” said Katey.

“I really enjoyed working with both of them.”

Katey left Otiwhiti in December 2015 but stayed around Hunterville

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A couple of months later, Katey headed back home to Taranaki to manage the 360-hectare property in Te Popo, near Stratford. “At the moment I have about 370 bulls on ranging from yearlings to R3, a handful of beef heifers and 650 ewes plus lambs,” said Katey.

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“The bulls definitely take centre stage here as my grandparents, Bill and Julia Craig, run a bull hire business, including an annual sale.” Katey prefers working with younger stock, particularly watching yearlings grow from little weaners into stocky well-developed bulls.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

and my passion is more for sheep at this stage. I’m interested in cropping for higher yields in lambs, hogget mating, facial eczema tolerance, any developments and improvements that can be tried or made in a ewe flock really,” she said.

“I guess you could say I’m the ‘black sheep’ in an otherwise cattleorientated family.”

Shearing is also currently a big part of Katey’s life and she intends to continue this.

“I love being in the sheds and the people that come with it. This main shear, I shore for Michael Fabish of Top Notch Shearing,” she said.

“Mick is great to shear for because he is flexible and works with me to ensure I get the days on farm when I need to.”

An interest in working dogs developed while Katey was at Otiwhiti. She found visiting South Island dog trainer/triallist Lloyd Smith’s training days invaluable and is currently training up a young heading pup that she bred.

Keeping up to date with any future farming innovations, technologies and developments is also important to Katey.

“I want to keep learning every day,” she said.

Katey was one of two competitors selected to represent New Zealand at The World Young Shepherds Challenge in France in 2014. Competing against other young shepherds from England, Australia, Argentina, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Uruguay, Katey was ranked best female competitor overall.

Katey said the challenge was held at a major European show, Sommet de l’Elevage, after a five-day coach trip visiting French farms and farming systems.

“It was held over two days and consisted of different modules like quad bikes, lamb grading, body condition scoring, breed identification and shearing.

Katey is now managing a 360-hectare property in Te Popo

“Some tasks, like the grading and foot trimming, were a little difficult to nail because it was judged on a European criteria and was not exactly what we would condone as best practice in New Zealand.

“That was something we had to adjust to competing at an international level.”

Katey thoroughly enjoyed competing against and getting to know all the other young shepherds. “That alone was enough reward for me,” she said.

“I also placed second in the shearing which I was proud of, shearing next to Welsh, English and Irish boys who were all very familiar with a hand-piece.

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March 2017

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

R B I P N U G I Y N T I G C

by Denise Gunn

NO BARRIER

Growing up in the city proved to be no barrier for a Taranaki couple with their sights set on dairy farming.

Donovan and Sophie met whilst living in Auckland

D

onovan Croot and Sophie Cookson met while living in Auckland but the pair didn’t immediately set out to be dairy farmers.

“When both of us were at school, dairy farming wasn’t on the radar,” said Donovan.

“My first taste of dairy farming was as a kid as my uncle was a dairy farmer.

“I used to love going to Taranaki to spend holidays on the farm, so I guess that’s where I got a bit of exposure to it.”

When Donovan left school, he initially began working in the automotive paint

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industry. Sophie, an avid animal lover, took up studies towards a Diploma in Veterinary Nursing. Donovan’s move to Taranaki was prompted by a conversation with his uncle about a potential job offer on a neighbouring farm. He enrolled with Primary ITO and began an agricultural level two course.

“I worked my way up and graduated with an agribusiness diploma last year,” said Donovan.

Sophie joined Donovan in Taranaki and completed her studies

via correspondence through Otago Polytechnic.

Working as a farm assistant for a couple of seasons was Donovan’s first step into the dairy industry. He then worked as a trainee manager, and this job was followed by a herd management position on a large scale farm for a season.

“After that we got our first contractmilking job for three seasons.”

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Donovan place goals to get ahead. And it was in the contract-milking position where he and Sophie set out to build up a herd, buying their first heifer calves.

“We’ve been buying mobs of replacement stock and growing and adding value to them,” said Donovan.

“We were able to lease cows to the farm owner and we also had cows leased out elsewhere.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the farms’ owners allowing us to invest in stock and grow our herd,” once we got this contract, we combined our stock and topped up the remaining.” he said.

The couple are now 50/50 sharemilkers on a 63ha effective farm on the outskirts of Waitara, milking a herd of 217 spring-calving Friesian crossbreeds. The average milk production for the farm is close to 85,000kgMS but this year’s target is 88,000kgMS. “Grass growth for this season has been good, however prolonged wet conditions has meant we’ve seen one of the most challenging seasons yet,” said Donovan.

“There was a dip in spring when the dry matter in grass was low, and although we were filling our cows up, we struggled to get the energy into them.”

Supplementary feed isn’t grown on the home farm but close to 80 tonnes of grass silage and 120 tonnes of maize silage is produced on the runoff in Onaero.

Donovan said he enjoys the sense of achievement after finishing a day’s work on the farm.

“I thrive on a bit of challenge and pressure. Every day is different and there are always new challenges to tackle.”

Sophie likes being out and about with the cows and surrounded with as many animals as possible.

The pair enjoy watching their herd grow.

“We like to look at conformation, how we can improve and see the herd in the future,” said Sophie.

With two young daughters, Estelle, 2, and Penelope, born in January this year,

March 2017

Checking on the herd A MOBILE CALF CANTEEN the couple find the dairy farming lifestyle and flexibility is a big drawcard.

“We can spend the day with our kids and each other,” said Donovan.

Donovan and Sophie agree that they aren’t 100 per cent hung up on becoming farm owners.

“Once you tie up that money in a mortgage, you’re a slave till the grave,” said Sophie.

They believe young people working in the dairy industry need to be looked after and given opportunities to help them succeed.

“It’s becoming more and more difficult for keen, young farmers to achieve farm ownership without family assistance,” said Sophie.

“The capital required for a deposit alone is astronomical.”

As a couple, Donovan and Sophie constantly update their goals to ensure they are on the right track.“We have sacrificed our personal life to get ahead

and sometimes we wonder if it’s all worth it,” said Sophie.

“But when you come through the other side, and see your achievements, it makes it all worthwhile.

“Farming is not just a job, it’s our life and that makes it personal. It’s so important to have that work-life balance.”

“Something we are still working on,” she added.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

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Support for protection bill Rural Women New Zealand are showing their support for Green party MP Jan Logie’s Domestic Violence — Victims’ Protection Bill that is before parliament and asks Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Woodhouse and his fellow MPs to support the bill.

“RWNZ believe that the bill will have an impact on people who are victims of domestic violence and help support them when they need to leave the relationship,” said Fiona Gower, RWNZ national president.

The bill seeks to address harm experienced by victims, by focussing on how workplaces can be made a safer and more accommodating place for victims. It would extend leave provisions to include domestic violence leave, as when women leave a violent situation it can be very hard for them to manage court proceedings, counselling, housing and the needs of their children without extra leave.

Work at a regular time and place can make work a target for the abuser, Fiona Gower, Rural Women New Zealand national president but with employer support through flexible working arrangements, changes, in support of adding protection that can be adjusted to support of animals to legislation. Violence to animals is often part of the package the employee.

“Rural women often have to travel of abuse.

Comments were also made about the long distances between home and work and it can be very difficult for them to lack of near-neighbours and isolation move away from a violent relationship,” in general, also a woman’s support is often from friends and family of said Ms Gower.

“The services for helping victims of the perpetrator.

RWNZ have worked closely with the domestic violence are mostly located in Ministry of Social Development on urban areas. Enabling rural women to take time off work to access services the campaign: It’s Not OK. They have is a step toward helping them to move also held several workshops with the away from a violent home, and setting Sophie Elliott Foundation, spreading the message of how to recognise healthy a plan in place to rebuild their lives.”

RWNZ recently made a submission relationships and how to assist someone on the government’s family violence law who is not in a healthy relationship.

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March 2017

9

ADVERTORIAL

Steps to joint health

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Part two: I was recently contacted by someone with osteoarthritis in her hands, feet and hips. After detailed analysis we made some changes to her diet and supplement programme.

She was taking a supplement which combined fish oil and various antioxidants. While this product had many beneficial ingredients, the amount of active omega-3 was lower than I recommend.

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Some are anti-inflammatory and reduce the inflammatory part of arthritis. Others are relatively neutral.

Animal fats are high in arachidonic acid which increases inflammatory eicosanoids and tend to push the body to an inflammatory state. This is especially true for grain-fed meat and dairy. Fortunately our predominantly grass-fed meat and dairy has a more neutral impact on inflammation. As a rule I would use lean meat cuts and moderate dairy fats.

Next time we look at omega-3 and 6 and see the importance of maintaining a low ratio of omega-6 to 3. If you have arthritis you should work to a personalised programme for best results.

John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, Adv. Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner and founder of Abundant Health Ltd. For personalised advice, contact John on 0800 423559 or email john@abundant.co.nz. Join his full weekly newsletter at www. abundant.co.nz.

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March 2017 TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

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is only just beginning to understand. It is essential that farming recognises and understands the importance of microorganisms and their ability to transfer natural minerals into a plant available form; locking those minerals into the humus they produce to stop the minerals from leaching. This humus also stores water, increasing water retention quality in the soil and on your farm.

Among all the different soil organisms, bacteria and fungi are especially important for soil health and in particular mycorrhizal fungi, which interact with 80% of plant species. Mycorrhizal fungi have many roles, such as decomposing organic matter, facilitating nutrient cycles, storage of carbon, building soil structure and protecting plants.

The network of mycorrhizal strands extends the capacity of the plants roots and connects plants to one another.

Understanding the benefits of these fungi will greatly improve the productivity and the health of soil.

Today’s soil tests only identify the ‘soluble nutrients’ that are readily available to the plants in the short term.

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manner of pests and disease and when pesticides are used the plants are coated in toxic sprays whereby they cannot develop their own natural immunity; in a live, living, multi-mineral, microbialrich soil the plant has all the necessary equipment to protect itself. In a chemical programme the plants are weak and continually need more chemical inputs, which is what the ‘chemical-treadmill’ is all about — these chemical sprays are going into the food chain. What!

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

March 2017

LIVESTOCK

11

Ensuring livestock have feed Recent inclement weather throughout the North Island is a reminder for farmers to ensure they are reaching average pasture cover and cow condition targets ready for spring.

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DairyNZ recommends farmers should complete an autumn feed budget to identify shortages and ensure quality of any pasture renewal and also target autumn pests such as black beetle, aphids, clover root weevil and grass grubs where possible.

Good grazing management through early autumn includes maximising pasture growth balanced with allowing pastures to recover following the summer dry period.

‘When planning renewal, identify the poor performing paddocks first and address the underlying problems behind pasture deterioration, and consider soil

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fertility and pH, pugging, overgrazing, weeds, pests, soil compaction and drainage,’ DairyNZ says.

‘Buy quality seed and select the right pasture species and/or cultivar for your farm. Sowing a small area well is less risky than sowing a large area poorly.

‘Take care sowing clover as it should be sown at a shallower depth than ryegrass, and give special attention to weed control, contouring and levelling if avoiding cultivation after forage crops.

‘Management is helped by leaving consistent post-grazing residuals and

grazing pastures at the right time.

Grazing ryegrass pastures too early reduces autumn growth and too late reduces the quality.

‘Determine the leaf stage of your pastures.

Leaf appearance rates mainly depend on water availability and temperature, with leaves taking longer to appear where water is limited.

‘For areas nor th of Taupo, the recommended renewal date is March 31, and if permanent pasture is following crops, consider the time for full crop utilisation and the renewal process’.

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March 2017

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Better grass, better animals New pasture is more attractive to grazing animals and easier to manage during late spring and early summer, and getting the right mix in autumn sowing simply means smoother farm life ahead.

Because new pastures are grazed more uniformly, it’s easier for farmers to control the quantity of residual dry matter when animals are moved.

The optimum post-grazing residual means optimum ME regrowth and increased animal performance at the next productive grazing. New pastures consistently produce an average of 0.5

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more megajoules of ME/kg DM — on top of the extra dry matter produced by a new pasture.

This is due to a higher proportion of desirable species that are later and more uniform flowering with a leafier sward and fewer seed heads produced Most new perennial ryegrass cultivars are available with new endophytes developed to solve particular problems in different regions.

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The endophyte occurring naturally in New Zealand ryegrass pastures — ‘standard’ or ‘wild’ endophyte — makes its host ryegrass plants resistant to some insect pests.

New endophytes are continuing to be developed to maintain good animal health while enhancing pest resistance.

As well as Argentine stem weevil, new endophytes provide resistance to pasture mealy bug, black beetle and root aphid, with more pests likely to be added to this list.

DairyNZ carried out a three-year study comparing pastures with the novel AR1 and standard endophyte — the former produced 9% more milk solids than the latter.

The Pasture Improvement Leadership Group led by DairyNZ includes researchers, the seed industry, farmers and agricultural contractors.

The group was originally formed to help tackle issues affecting pasture persistence and performance head-on by ensuring farmers receive consistent,

timely messages. To highlight a broadening of scope, the group name has recently been updated as it aims to tackle a wider range of pasture persistence issues.

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March 2017

A U T U M N PA S T U R E

13

Ancient Peruvian sea beds enhance NZ Soils

by Coast & Country News

Ancient seabed deposits in Peru are providing fertiliser that will enhance New Zealand soils, says Kiwi Fertiliser Company managing director Ron Mclean.

Ron’s company has recently taken delivery of a shipment of Sechura Reactive Phosphate Rock — and he was at the Port of Tauranga in February to see 2000 tonnes of it discharged for Kiwi Fertiliser from the MV Lolland.

“This RPR fertiliser is the gold standard — the real McCoy of RPR. Its natural phosphorus is not acidified before it is spread on to pasture.

“It is tested prior to loading in Peru and is above the minimum 10 per cent phosphorus and 30 per cent citric soluble criteria set for New Zealand RPR standards,” says Ron. “The shipment has arrived at the perfect time for autumn top dressing applications.”

Because it is extracted from the ancient seabed in the Sechura region of Peru it also contains a lot of calcium, magnesium, sulphur and minor trace nutrients, which are all readily available to plants through the actions of soil life.

Although the Sechura is not altered in anyway, Kiwi Fertiliser does add Brimstone 90 — an elemental sulphur — before application to the product to increase phosphorus plant availability.

Reduced leaching “The RPR still has all of the colloidal clay attached to it.” Because it is a fine, sandlike substance, Ron says the risk of leaching into waterways is reduced by up to 80 to 90 per cent.

The MV. Lolland spent 22 days at sea to bring the product from Peru to Tauranga and the Sechura RPR was discharged in 26 hours from her holds by a giant grab that can hold the equivalent of a full truck-and-trailer load of

material into the wharf hopper and from there into the trucks waiting below.

The shipment has replenish supplies into Kiwi Fertiliser’s stores in Te Teko, Te Awamutu, Marton and Havelock North.

Supplies of high quality RPR fertiliser have been limited in New Zealand in recent months — and Ron says Kiwi Fertiliser is pleased to be able to source high quality Sechura for its clients throughout the North Island.

Soil audits So strong is the demand, the first two unit loads were dispatched immediately to a hill country beef farm near Wellsford.

“This product is ideal for hill country sheep and beef farms, dairy farms particularly in the Waikato, and in fact any soils in which crops are grown and show the need for phosphate application,” says Ron. “However, we only supply phosphate for soils which are shown, through our soil audits, to be lacking in P. Many soils in the Central Plateau regions of Putaruru, Tokoroa, Taupo, Broadlands, Rotorua and Tauranga retain a lot of phosphorus and show excessive P so they don’t need additional applications — but they do need other nutrients that are a higher priority and a better soil fertility investment than phosphorus.”

Although the Sechura fertiliser was tested at its source, Kiwi Fertiliser has commissioned two further independent tests from laboratories in New Zealand and the United States so its clients can be assured of the exact percentage of P and other nutrients as well as citric and formic solubility tests.

Nitrogen (N)

0.05%

Phosphorus (P)

11%

Potassium (K)

0.33%

Sulphate (S)

1.52%

Magnesium (Mg)

0.49%

Calcium (Ca)

25%

Sodium (Na)

1.6%

Boron (B)

ppm 6

Manganese (Mn)

pp 70

Copper (Cu)

ppm 30

Iron (Fe)

ppm 49

Zinc (Zn)

90ppm

pH

6.5

Liming value

70

Chief Officer Sergey Balagin talks with Kiwi Fertiliser Company managing director Ron Mclean on-board the bulk cargo ship MV Lolland while fertiliser from Peru is discharged from the vessel. Photo: Chris Callinan

Kiwi Fertiliser Company managing director Ron McLean is dwarfed by one of the massive 20M3 grabs used to unload fertiliser at the Port of Tauranga. Photo: Chris Callinan

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The journey to understand thermal and worm composting and the benefits of application in Modern Eco-Agriculture With properly balanced soils and a diverse soil food web there will be: 3 3 3 3 3

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th 11 , MAY 10 , e Tauranga

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14

March 2017

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

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Taming the flames There are few pleasures the equal of enjoying a roaring fire in the grate while the temperature plummets outside. Since the beginning of civilisation the fireplace has been the heart of the home, but modern fires provide far more options than our ancestors had at their disposal.

Professional fireplace installers know that the cold weather is the best spur to action for their customers — but also that waiting for the first frost of winter can be a critical error. The process of modern resource consent coupled with the intricacies of installation can mean that it takes several weeks from selecting a fireplace to lighting the first stack of kindling.

This is only made more of a process by the choices available.

While once a fireplace was the heart of the kitchen, providing piping hot meals as well as heat, these days a fireplace is more often the centrepiece of the living room.

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to an alternative fuel source. Efficient pellet fires will obviate the need to either buy in or cut, stack and season firewood, and can generate all the heat of a conventional fire.

In fact, many people restoring older homes with a classic look can find wood pellet or gas fires which look the part, combining rustic charm with modern efficiency.

If a gas fire is your call, make sure it’s installed by a fully qualified gasfitter — and if a big renovation is on the cards, this same tradesperson may be able to install califonts and kitchen appliances at the same time.

For those with existing fires, the end of summer heralds the right time to call in the chimney sweep.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

March 2017

T O B U I L D O R R E N O VAT E

Controlling the indoor environment

As the hot days of summer draw to a close and autumn rolls around again, it’s a good time to think ahead and make plans to weather the cold days which are coming. If the good weather right now has been the catalyst for some renovations or the opportunity to build afresh, this is a great time to consider insulation for the future.

The prime advantage of considering insulation in tandem with a summer build project is to tackle three tasks at once up top.

Roofing before the rains is a hot topic, and there’s no better time to remove those slates or panels of iron than when the sky remains blue and cloud-free.

When the roof is off there’s easy access to the ceiling cavity, which is great for two reasons.

In homes with no pitched roof it’s the one and only time that insulation can be sandwiched in between the inner and outer roof layers.

In homes with a ceiling cavity it’s much easier to drop new insulation in than lug it all up through the ‘manhole’ and shift it into place in the dark.

While the roof is off it’s also a good time to consider pipes of all kinds. Chimney flues can be inspected and replaced if necessary, keeping the seals with the new roof weathertight.

Extractor fans are a snap to install if you’re not crawling out to the eaves in the dark. This is the right time to install a positive pressure ventilation system for a drier home — you can DIY with a kit from your hardware store, or if you are buying from an established installer, having the roof off may mean you can negotiate a sharp deal on installation.

Insulation options are wide and varied these days, with everything from traditional batts through to products utilising a blend of possum fur, natural plant fibres and space-age polymers.

No matter which you choose, lay it on thick, leave no gaps — except around recessed downlights, for example — and get right to the edge.

Team up ceiling insulation with underfloor for the best results, and finish the job with double glazing to create a warm, dry and controllable inner space environment ready for the winter.

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16

March 2017

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

DAIRY

Uncommon sense

David Law, Managing Director of Forward Farming Consultancy

What direction do you choose?

A little over four years ago I left the farm after 10 years of farming on the biological trail. Some people thought that to go in that direction you were brave, and others thought you were just plain stupid.

There is still a very strong feeling that to take away the dependance of high usage of nitrogen, and more recently palm kernel, would be devastating to many farmers. To even contemplate moving into organics for them would be inconceivable. While regulations stay as they are then these farmers can rest easy and carry on managing their business unchanged.

However, whether we like it or not, there is a wind of change blowing and early adopters to this change may well be better prepared for the storm that will inevitably arrive.

We may well find that the way that the majority of farms are run will change over the next 5 years.

Pond crust gone for 10th the cost?

Yep!

Enforcement of strict regulations are likely to be rolled out during this time.

High phosphate and nitrates in waterways are testament to a fertiliser system which clearly needs an overhaul.

Whether it’s the farmers who apply it or the fertiliser companies who sell these nutrients, it’s obvious that there is too much for the plants to absorb. If the plants can’t absorb these surplus nutrients then they end up polluting our precious water.

So the regional councils have identified that restrictions are needed to stop the surplus nutrients, by decreasing the amount applied in the future.

The overseer programme is the preferred system for measuring and

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managing this huge undertaking. This all seems fair, particularly from an environmental point of view.

But is this scenario really fair?

Well, from my experience as a farmer, the biological approach showed a lot of difference from the chemical way.

So are these two obviously talked about systems so vastly different?

I have found that the more I look and observe, the more the chemical system doesn’t make sense. The more I watch and observe over time the more I see that the chemical system is the very practice that is actually leading farmers down the wrong road.

The largest part of my work has been to focus on the end point of our business, the effluent pond. The obvious practice to manage effluent has been to tackle and manage effluent with machinery. Solid separators, stirrers and weeping walls.

The majority of farmers still think this way. There are even consultants that will advise farmers that this is the only way to manage effluent.

I have found that the farmers with the biggest effluent problems, particularly crusting and solids, are heavy chemical fertiliser users.

In fact I can look at a heavily crusted pond and have a pretty accurate assessment as to the fertiliser a farmer is applying and what his soil is doing.

After studying the fertiliser and soil science available to us, I have deduced that fertiliser companies have fabricated

or left out some scientific facts, which has led our farming industry down a problematic pathway.

If regional councils are now pointing the finger at farmers for their bad fertiliser practices, I would suggest the fault lies with the advice given to the farmers about the best fertilisers to use. I believe that fertiliser choices can be improved and farmers do have better avenues to procure quality products.

My research and observation, along with similar practitioners, indicates that a biological approach demands a higher balanced pH soil which always shows increased microbiological activity. Microbes require the best possible conditions to digest food in a cow’s stomach.

Science has shown that higher pH is a factor here. The more food the microbes and enzymes digest, the less undigested solids end up in the pond.

Again, the effluent ponds with the least solids always have a higher pH in the pond.

Chemical fertiliser teaching embraces a pH in the soil of 5.8 to 6.

My research has very simply shown this soil pH will produce a crusted pond and the lower the soil pH the thicker the crust on the pond.

I would suggest that a change to inputs which will lift the pH in a balanced approach, will also lift your efficiency throughout your whole farming system.

For more information visit my website or arrange for me to visit.

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® DoloZest DoloZest ®

by Andy Bryenton

To keep up with the expectations of the global market, the dairy industry has been extremely pro-active in self regulation. Measures such as ensuring better, healthier water supplies have come not from without but from within, with initiatives for water purity spearheaded by industry giant Fonterra seeing new standards propagated and enforced, making diary sheds more hygienic places.

To further ensure the quality of milk at collection, the next phase of the compliance programme to come into effect looks to centre around milk chiller

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ng Smar

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Gr

Functional Fertiliser

New Zealand’s primary sector is the undisputed powerhouse of our economy, set to generate close to $48 billion of export revenue in 2017. Our produce feeds close to 40 million people, making our output of dairy, beef, lamb and arable crops vital, not just to our own economic survival, but to the day-to-day survival of whole nations.

The dairy industry especially is poised to surge this year as the global economic environment begins to look more favourable. But playing on the world stage means staying ahead of the game in terms of best practices, and this vital part of the primary sector is working through a raft of farm by farm infrastructure changes to boost the quality of our finished product, and hence its desirability on the open market.

Dairy farmers already face strict environmental restrictions, imposed by local council bodies, with regard to the treatment, storage and usage of effluent. Part of the force driving change toward better practices in this regard is the perception of, and interaction with, the wider public — a public relations and image push which prioritises cleaner waterways and an understanding that the industry is working hard to decrease its environmental footprint.

Great success in this overhaul of effluent containment and reuse as fertiliser is often under-reported, but with the application of science and an investment in new tech, farms are becoming cleaner and greener than ever.

March 2017

Sin

plant and equipment. New rules set to come into play in 2018 will require a faster cooldown for milk, direct from the cow to the pre-chiller to the vat. This may require an overhaul of some of the nation’s ‘fleet’ of chillers, and the appropriation of new tech such as ice banks, improved heat exchangers and pre-cooling add-ons. The upshot of all this investment, however, will be a more robust brand image for New Zealand’s dairy products — something which will bring tangible gains and more leverage at the trading table.

17

0800 843 809 www.esi.org.nz

&&CalciZest CalciZest

The soil-biology based fertilisers that promote longer deeper roots, increased pasture growth and carbon sequestration.

Claims backed by years of on-farm data collection

ce 2010

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March 2017

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

RURAL WHEELS ADVERTORIAL

A fantastic new look — and a new name David Cox and his team of technicians at Rotech Automotive have been looking after your vehicles since 1997, and in 2011 they were recognised at New Plymouth’s top workshop and were invited to join New Zealand’s largest group of premium repairers, and become an Auto Super Shoppe.

Since then Rotech Automotive has gone from strength to strength thanks to the support it gets from belonging to this group, particularly in staff upskilling and parts purchasing. This has a roll-on effect that directly benefits its customers by offering competitive parts pricing and highly trained technicians. David’s

team of techs benefit from having a huge network of experts to call on when needed for those more challenging jobs. Within the Auto Super Shoppe group of more than 300 fully qualified technicians, there is an expert on just about every make and model of vehicle in New Zealand, and they are always

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happy to share this knowledge with other Auto Super Shoppe workshops — this is such valuable advice and information that saves them (and their customers) time and money.

David says “being a part of this nationwide group has been the best business decision I have made, so much so it’s time to embrace the brand fully and become Auto Super Shoppe New Plymouth.”

He knows that being associated more closely with the network of premium repairers will mean his customers have increased confidence that their vehicle is in the very best hands. “I think it’s time to steer away from the reference

that we are all about rotaries. While we are the experts on those engines, our experience extends so much further these days. Today we might be working on a 1947 Oldsmobile and tomorrow on a 2015 BMW,” explains David. “We will of course still be looking after our many dedicated rotary engine enthusiasts, but we love looking after their daily drives too.

If you want your vehicle serviced and maintained by New Plymouth’s premium automotive repairer, call in and say hi to David and his team at Auto Super Shoppe New Plymouth at 33 Molesworth Street, New Plymouth, or call them on 06 759 4370.

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We strive for an excellent customer experience, consistently, as a proud representative of the premium Auto Super Shoppe national brand.

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TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

March 2017

RURAL WHEELS

19

Strong on toughness

by Andy Bryenton

There are two ways to build a reliable, hard-working utility truck.

The first is to come up from the roots of the ute concept — adapting the classic layout of a big sedan and adding a flat deck.

The other way is to start at the other end — with an honest to goodness truck.

Isuzu is no stranger to building trucks and the big diesel engines that power them. Vast swathes of southeast asia have been built by Isuzu’s heavy haulers, many of which have faced conditions that would crumble lesser machines.

That’s why when the Isuzu name appeared on a ute called the D-Max in the not so distant past, it was well worth a look. Those familiar with the tough Bighorn and MU SUVs certainly took note, and a quick pop of the bonnet justified their curiosity.

Experience building those big diesel mills has been distilled down into the 4JJ1 turbo diesel — three litres of hightorque combustion armed with modern turbo technology for even more grunt.

Just looking at the components of the D-Max’s engine gives one pause; they are visibly bigger and more solidly built than those from other utes in the

market. That’s something you feel on the road, with 3.5 tonnes of towing capacity at your disposal. But it’s also something that will pay dividends during the life of the vehicle. Using truck components means that this is a serious workhorse. Big roller bearings and a stainless timing chain are just a couple of examples. That’s not so say that the D-Max isn’t up for its fair share of adventure, either. There’s a reason this ute is a favourite of hunters, teamed up with the founder of outdoor clothing label Swazi. And there’s no bare-bones approach to comfort here, either.

A well-appointed cabin filled with all the modern gadgets and safety features comes as standard. It’s proof that the world’s largest diesel manufacturer can blend toughness and reliability with comfort and sharp looks, creating a modern masterpiece.

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HIGH CELL Count? Apple Cider Vinegar, Garlic & Manuka Honey 20L $49.95, 200L $450 or 1000L $2,000 +GST with free delivery. Black Type Minerals Ltd. Phone 021 185 1501. blacktypeminerals.co.nz.

Financial BANK SAID NO? We specialise in Farm Finance, working capital and debt consolidation. Also welcome applications from property developers, builder’s and first home buyers. Call 0800 888 449 or email bill@gfbl.co.nz.

20

March 2017

TARANAKI FARMING LIFESTYLES

Retailer of Rural Piping and Farm Supplies

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