Taranaki Farming Lifestyles, March 2024

Phone:

Postal

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

Journalists: Denise Gunn | Andy Bryenton | Amy Fifita

Advertising: Debra Seymour 027 525 8217

Production: Gavin Bainbridge | Anna Fredericksen | Kelsey Harrison | Liz Clark

Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz

Distribution:

Website:

by Barbara Kuriger, MP for Taranaki-King Country

A line from the Little River Band song, Help is on its way, keeps running through my mind. It’s become a permanent fixture. I can’t shake it, and I know why.

real, and it’s happening.

Help is at last on the way for all those sectors of New Zealand that have suffered from six years of neglect, indifference, pious ideology and sheer mismanagement. None more so than the rural sector.

Help is on the way — suggests change. There will be change. The country wanted it and voted for it. I am happy to tell you that in Wellington, there is plenty of energy and enthusiasm for it.

The first 100 days of the Nationalled coalition government have seen a massive amount of change that goes to the core of a properly functioning government. One that is determined and, more importantly, capable of delivering on its promises.

I see it across the board, but I am most encouraged by what I see for one of my particular interests — the restoration of services within and for the rural sector. Services such as police, health, education and rural support have at their helm some of our best and most capable ministers. These are people who know what they are doing and how to achieve it. Still, it is not just them.

It may be interesting to know that this coalition government has more working farmers than any government in recent times. I call them the gumboot brigade, and they are there making a real difference because they understand what we need and how to get it done.

So, help is on the way. The government got off to a speedy start with the first 100 days. Still, we need to be patient, too — as the line says, hang on. There is a lot to do to turn around years of neglect, let alone introduce new initiatives. We’ll get it done.

Barbara Kuriger, MP for Taranaki-King Country

New cameras to detect possums

The installation of 60 new self-reporting cameras will detect possums trying to enter the Zero Possum project zone.

In 2018, Towards Predator-Free Taranaki was launched by the Taranaki Regional Council with the goal of eliminating possums between the Ōakura River and Timaru Stream. Last year, thanks to $2.5 million in government funding, the Zero Possum zone was extended to Hangatāhua (Stony) River, taking the total area to 9,500ha.

For almost three years, nearly 2,000ha around Ōakura has been free of a resident possum population. In the past 14 months, more than 3,000 possums have been removed from the extension area.

Towards Predator-Free Taranaki programme lead Nick Heslop said over the next few weeks, the new cameras will be installed on properties where trapping has already taken place to keep an eye out for reincursion.

A network of self-reporting cameras and traps will also be set up between the Timaru Stream and Hangatāhua River, southeast of the Kaitake Range. The rivers act as natural barriers on either side of the Zero Possum zone.

Camera footage can be viewed in real-time by the Towards Predator-Free Taranaki team. If a possum is detected, the team will immediately head out to track and remove it.

“With the support of local landowners, our team and contractors have put in the hard mahi to remove all possums from

the area. These cameras will safeguard that work and the gains we have made,” said Mr Heslop.

“The self-reporting cameras are a valuable tool that will save time and resources, and allow more efficient targeting of possums.

“They will help develop a much clearer picture of possum movement and density, enabling a more specific and effective response. They are just one tool, and we will continue to work alongside

landowners and our partners to control possums and other predators in the area using a variety of methods.

“Everything we learn here is being shared with other landscape-scale predator control projects, as New Zealand works towards the Predator Free 2050 target.”

The future of the Towards PredatorFree Taranaki programme is one of the key issues in the Taranaki Regional Council 2024/34 Long-Term Plan, which is currently open for public feedback. Input can be provided at trc.govt.nz/ longtermplan.

Nick Heslop, Towards Predator-Free Taranaki programme lead

TDawn

PASSION FOR FRUIT

he couple previously owned a small avocado block in Tauranga. “We came to Taranaki looking for a dairy farm and happened on this property, and the adventure started from there,” said Andrew and Dawn.

The 15.8-hectare property, just north of Urenui, includes one hectare of passionfruit and approximately 700 avocado trees covering almost seven hectares. Cattle and horses graze the remaining land. Hass avocados were already developed on the property, along with new plantings of Zutano, Etiner, Bacon and Enadrol pollinators.

“With two crops there is always something to do.”

Andrew is the lower North Island regional manager for Engineering and Compressor Services, travelling between New Plymouth, Palmerston North and Wellington. Dawn works on a casual basis for the same company, doing paperwork from home and where needed. She works occasionally in a local cafe, too.

The couple and their children also clean the local school. The remaining hours of the day are spent working in the orchard.

“We have an amazing family unit. The oldest two have left home. Tayla (15), Sarah (11) and Logan (7) can all drive most of the orchard vehicles, including the tractors and they can back trailers,” said Andrew.

BY DENISE GUNN

Dawn’s mother, Linda, lives as part of the family unit and always lends a hand where possible. Andrew’s parents also live on the property but spend half of the year travelling through New Zealand.

Orchard chores continue throughout the year. A second passionfruit structure has also been built to increase crop yield. Passionfruit is pruned in October when new spring growth appears. Replanting begins the following month.

“There can be many plant deaths over winter as passionfruit can be fickle. We are doing our first planting of passionfruit cuttings. We’re very excited about this and hope they continue to develop as they have so far.

Andrew and Dawn Brendon grow passionfruit and avocado on their property north of Urenui

“During summer, it is a constant feeding of foliar sprays and training process, managing water levels to produce large pretty fruit.”

Andrew and

Brendon were looking for a change of lifestyle when they bought an avocado orchard in Taranaki.

As glyphosate is no longer sprayed under the vines, the couple constantly try to increase companion planting to reduce time spent weed-eating.

“In January, we have to sit our certification to be compliant with marketer’s requirements, and this is a big process.”

Fruit fall starts in early February. The fruit is only collected from the ground as this shows when the sugar levels are correct.

“The export market usually goes to late March or April, then we continue with fruit collection up to October.”

Auckland-based Fresh Produce buys the family’s passionfruit, which is then exported to California. Crop avocados are slightly lower maintenance.

“We are only allowed to mow the orchard three to four times a year to

reduce emissions. So this is done in spring to encourage bees and moths to go up and not pollinate the weeds.”

As October and November are pollination times, the family tends to leave the avocados alone to avoid disturbing the flowers. Pruning takes place in March and April.

“This can drag on depending on the weather. We do the bulk of this in Hydralada platforms and are slowly bringing the height of the canopy down so we can manage it ourselves.”

Contractors from Tauranga help complete the larger trees. Picking can take place anywhere between November and late February, depending on the market requirements of the DMS Te Puna packhouse in Tauranga.

“They bring contractors down for a week, and we accommodate and feed them the whole time.”

Avocados sold to DMS Te Puna are distributed to either Asia, Australia or the local market.

“We also sell on the local market to Market Gardener and Turners and Growers, usually Wellington, Nelson and Palmerston North regions.”

Maintenance, weed control, insect checking and searching for alternative methods are ongoing. Weather events

have been particularly testing, along with the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown, which left a lasting impact on the avocado industry. Despite these challenges, Andrew and Dawn received their first award at the Grower Awards 2023.

“We received the highest yield per hectare award for the 2022–2023 season for the Rest of New Zealand category with 15.4 tonnes per hectare. Our goal is to create diversity and produce resilience in our plants and us.”

Avocados in flower

Ripe young passionfruit

TTEAM EFFORT AT COMMUNITY GARDEN

BY DENISE GUNN

he garden has become a community hub, providing a place to learn and help others. With assistance from volunteers and students, New Start Gardens donates and delivers the vegetables it has produced to people in need and helps supply local food banks.

The property, on the outskirts of New Plymouth, was originally a farm before it was gifted to the church more than two decades ago.

Garden spokesman Gary Davies said the gardens cover around three acres of land.

“We have a total of around 20 acres. We lease it to a farmer, and we also have a picnic area near the stream.”

The community garden is also used as an education facility for community groups and is the primary base for Land Based Training. The training organisation rents the classroom and uses the garden for training courses covering horticulture, sustainability and apiculture.

Land Based Training horticulture and sustainable production practices tutor Merryn Broderson said there are different levels of gardening tutelage available.

“We are currently recruiting for 2024 with some good study options available. We have an open door policy and like to include everyone, teach people skills and better their own knowledge, gain employment and grow their own vegetables.

Naming and labelling species from the native block

New Start Gardens, an initiative of the New Plymouth Seventh-day Adventist Church, has grown fresh organic-based produce for the community during the past 20 years.

Produce from New Start Gardens is donated and delivered to people in need and local food banks

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church gets the students’ labour, helps keep the garden tidy and produce more. The self-sufficiency loops in the Land Based Training.”

“We have a really nice partnership and good teamwork going on. It’s a real pleasure to come to such a lovely site and work with like-minded people who like to help those in the community,” she said.

Gary said working with Land Based Training has been really valuable over the years.

“We’ve also had students from New Plymouth Boys’ High and Girl Guides. The potential is there for people, even schoolchildren to learn basic gardening. Some of the schools do courses.”

Working bees are held now and then for specific tasks. “We have two other churches we call on as well as Land Based Training volunteers.”

Each session starts with a toolbox meeting covering health and safety. Tasks are allocated to volunteers.

Programmes run by New Start Gardens have included growing vegetables to make soup which is provided to feed families during winter.

“We like to grow enough food for that so going to start that up again,” said Gary.

Basic cooking classes are also on the agenda.

“We are in the process of getting funding for a chiller. The produce generally goes out fresh straight away.”

Produce is picked, washed, graded and dropped off to foodbanks and community food distribution group On The House.

Last year, strong winds blew down the garden’s greenhouse which was used to grow seedlings.

Volunteers planting out corn

“We have been blessed with some really good donations and funding,” said Gary. “Our shade house also got damaged. We hope to get that back up, too.”

Before planting garden beds, production plans are drawn up to maximise available space. “We have a basic plan for where vegetables are grown and rotated,” said Gary.

A newly completed compost bay will assist with the garden’s sustainable practices. Another area has been set aside to place potting mix purchased in bulk, along with mulch and bark. Merryn said, where necessary, seedlings are bought but it is preferable students learn to sow seeds properly.

“We’ve started our own seed bank and potentially a line of natives as well. On the farm, we also have an area of native

bush,” said Gary. “The training course students go down, get seedlings from there and sell them.”

A range of fruit trees are also growing on-site. Some of these trees are wellestablished, and others were planted in the past few years.

“New Start Gardens is a wonderful site with established gardens, fruit trees and adjacent native bush blocks, which make for quality practical learning. The gardens are currently in a rebuilding phase, and the partnership with Land Based Training has resulted in some exciting plans for this awesome place,” said Merryn.

“We encourage volunteers to come along and lend a hand in this progress, enjoy nature, get your hands dirty, learn some skills and meet new people in your community.”

SAND BLASTING

PANEL REPAIRS

SPRAY PAINTING

What is Magnesium Triple?

This is a blend of 3 highly bioavailable forms of Magnesium for rapid absorption and better results.

• Marine magnesium 121 mg

• Magnesium Glycinate 240 mg

• Magnesium Citrate 258 mg

How can Magnesium Triple help?

$82.95

• These high grade forms of Magnesium are quickly absorbed to get rapid benefits

• It is ideal to help relax sore or tight muscles

• Can help with restful sleep

• To help with PMS related tension

• Helps muscles recover after exercise

• Supports healthy heart rhythm

“Abundant

muscles and for a good night’s sleep. The 3 different forms of Magnesium mean you get fast results. The normal dose is 2 before bed.”

Do I need extra magnesium? (Part two)

by John Arts

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

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

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

Magnesium is critical for cardiovascular function. It helps regulate electrical impulses and helps support normal heart rhythm, especially for those with AF. I have seen those with mild arrhythmia return to normal using targeted magnesium plus appropriate dietary changes. I also use magnesium, alongside naturally fermented co-enzyme Q10, for those on statin drugs to help prevent or reverse the common side effects of low energy, muscle stiffness, pain and cramps.

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING LOCAL

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

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

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

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

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

ADVERTORIAL

Strautmann Hopkins

The business of agricultural machinery runs deep in the veins of the Hopkins family, a name that has been synonymous with the Strautmann brand in New Zealand for more than 40 years.

As the machinery brand’s pro le has continued to grow in New Zealand, so, too, has the Hopkins family’s passion and commitment, with the third generation now involved in the business.

Conor Hopkins is the grandson of the late John Hopkins. He has joined his father, Ianm as the newest face in the continuously evolving business. He completed his agricommerce degree at Massey University and is now the company’s national parts manager and technical support.

With three seasons under his belt, working for an agricultural contractor and driving Strautmann Loader wagons, Conor has also travelled to Australia and Europe, where he spent some months driving machinery for seeding and cotton harvesting and working for a large straw baling company in the UK.

“I have a deep passion for the Strautmann brand; it was a bit of a childhood dream. I grew up watching the Strautmann wagons being used on our family farms and then driving them myself, just like my father and uncles.”

We pride ourselves on knowing all our Strautmann owners and their machines, and we are only at the end of the phone to support our clients and now our dealers. If you are looking at a mixer wagon, loader wagon or a muckspreader, you need to talk to us before you make that nal decision.

Other facts

 Direct importer of all Strautmann machines and attachments into NZ

 Focus is on loader wagons, mixer wagons and muck spreaders

 Head of ce, importation, assembly, national parts distribution, and main lower North Island sales, service and workshop in Palmerston North

 Service and support of our Strautmann clients are personalised and second to none in the country

Why buy a Strautmann machine from us?

 Committed family business

 Proven track record, top-quality product, tested and well-suited to New Zealand conditions

 Strong after-sales support, service and 24/7 parts backup

 Only supplier that offers a full refurbishment service for all machines

 Dedicated dealerships throughout New Zealand

Conor Hopkins, Strautmann Hopkins national parts manager and technical support

Top marks in baler battle

by Andy Bryenton

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

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

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

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

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

A straight-out race down the rows determines a lot about a machine. Still, the judges discovered that ease of maintenance was also a major factor in the design of Case IH’s offering. From a drop floor that makes it easy to clear any blockages to rotor cutter knives that can be switched out without the need for tools and wide-opening side panels, quick and easy upkeep is a priority. Looking deeper, the durability of the belts, rollers and drive components has been optimised for heavy-duty work, and that will surely mean less downtime during the machine’s lifetime.

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

by Andy Bryenton

Known quantities, known qualities

Who would you recommend as your top local experts if a neighbour new to town asked you? The answer says a lot about how we think about marketing and how a local reputation is worth more than a truckload of discounts.

“The way people make decisions is messy, and it’s only getting messier,” say Alistair Rennie and Jonny Protheroe, who work on Google’s consumer insights team, looking for the reasons

people choose different brands and products.

“Still, there are a few things we know about purchase behaviour. We know that what happens between trigger and purchase decision-making is not linear. We know there is a complicated web of touchpoints that differs from person to person.”

One of the insights Google’s global reach has delivered is that people might like saving money, but they want quality more than anything else. The evidence?

For every 10 times someone searches the Internet using Google for the term ‘cheap’, 100 people search for the term ‘best’. The top criteria for being the best involve a personal relationship, with trust and respect for an expert’s knowledge beating price hands down.

Try an experiment first posited by supermarket design guru Victor Gruen, the man who put chocolate bars next to the checkouts, among other things. He was certainly a savvy student of the way people think about shopping, and he and others in his field know that, for even the

most esoteric items, we already have a go-to favourite brand or supplier.

Ask yourself, which brand of men’s watch is best? Which brand of high-fashion women’s shoes? Which sports car would you drive if money was no object? What’s the best cold drink after a hot day’s work? Despite not needing any of those things right now, you’re likely to have an answer for each one. That’s called brand pre-eminence, and it’s odd, but most of us have a favourite provider for nearly everything, even things we have never bought or may not even want.

Now think about who you’d recommend to a friend or neighbour to help them with

their car troubles, their plumbing, or to get a new oven or easy chair. The odds are you have some local names in mind already.

When it comes to this theory of brand pre-eminence and the tangle of triggers in the middle of the decisionmaking process to buy something, being local counts for an awful lot. Becoming someone’s preferred name is worth much more than running a special for a week or two, and being part of the community through local charities, sports teams, local marketing and just plain good service can make this happen much faster than any other method.

ADVERTORIAL

Smarter books

by Guido Biggelaar

While his history is in sales and business development, Guido Biggelaar has found a niche in accounting (as a bookkeeper) because of technology and numbers.

Growing up as number 10 of 11 children, I was born to early Dutch immigrant parents in the late 1960s. That family environment taught me a lot, including striving to excel, discipline and care for each other.

These tools remain in adulthood; how does it go again? ‘Bring up a child in the way they should go and they will not depart from it.’

Leaving home at an early age I cut my teeth in sales with pneumatics, car parts, carpet, plywood and car sales — a plethora of products. In later years, I settled into Vodafone (now One) and enjoyed the challenges of business development in technology that was ever-changing.

Having moved to the Tasman region in the early 2000s, with a family of three children, life was pretty good. Then the life challenges arrived; divorce and all the intensity of mind,

questions and pain that goes with it. This changed paths for me. I had a choice, wallow or rise. I rose, started a small company and operated out of that mainly for Kiwi Wi in Wi-Fi development, but also locally in other business development opportunities.

Some years later, I met my soul mate and moved to Taranaki, right into a dream garden/rural lifestyle with plenty of real people and farming friends. A Covid challenge is always educational in business development. I retrained and I am now seeking to support farmers at the of ce level.

Gaining a diploma in accounting with advanced Xero and Xero, Figured and PaySauce adviser certi cation, I love the environment combination of real farmers, technology and admin with accounting all in one role.

As I’ve always said: Nothing is easy until you love it.

Farm Bookkeeping Service

Guido Biggelaar, SmarterBooks managing director

Counselling to empower

by Denise Johnston B. Couns., Cert Supervision, MNZCCA Counsellor

I am passionate about empowering people to live full and satisfying lives — I have been in private practice since 2010.

I provide counselling for people over the age of 20 and utilise various strengths-based therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, narrative therapy, and solution-focussed brief therapy.

I am an ACC registered sexual abuse counsellor and hold various other contracts, including the Cancer Society, Taranaki Primary Connections and Victim Support.

I also provide professional supervision for social service providers.

Other areas include:

• Grief/loss

• Depression/anxiety/panic attacks

• Domestic violence

• Boundary education

• Critical decision-making skills

• Postnatal depression

• Post-abortion trauma

• Trauma from birth experience

• Adjustment reaction (job loss, etc)

• Immigration adjustment and identify client skills/strengths

Volunteers needed for Flock House centenary

by Denise Gunn

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

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

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

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

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

The 6,000-acre Flock House near Bulls, along with the adjoining 4,800acre Waitatapia Estate, was purchased to train male cadets. A further 2,000 acres were leased. The first intake of Flock House cadets sailed from Great Britain in 1924, arriving on New Zealand shores several weeks later to begin agricultural training.

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

Vivid voltage concepts multiply

by Andy Bryenton

New ways to generate energy from renewable sources are popping up everywhere, but three could change the landscape for homeowners in the near future.

Solar power is growing in popularity, but panels remain costly and the amount of space they can cover is limited by their bulk. What if, instead, solar electricity could come from a coat of paint? One concept that could bring this dream to fruition would be ground-breaking enough, but scientists worldwide have created three.

The first comes from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia. It’s a kind of paint developing power from water vapour. Put simply, this thin layer of material absorbs moisture from the air and then uses solarderived electricity to break it down into hydrogen and oxygen. As we have seen from hydrogen-powered cars, the most common element in the universe contains a lot of potential power.

“Our new development has a big range of advantages. There’s no need for clean or filtered water to feed the system. Any place that has water vapour in the air, even remote areas far from water,

can produce fuel,” says RMIT’s lead researcher, Torben Daeneke.

In Toronto, university researchers are banking on so-called quantum dot paint. This paint contains thousands of tiny, interconnected photovoltaic ‘dots’ which link together as a grid. By sheer coverage, they are 11 per cent more efficient than traditional solar panels, and as a bonus, the paint can be any colour you like. Giving your home a new look and a source of voltage at the same time could be within reach.

“There are two advantages to colloidal quantum dots,” says dot creator Susanna Thon. “First, they’re much cheaper, so they reduce the cost of electricity generation measured in cost for each watt of power. The main advantage is that by simply changing the size of the quantum dot, you can change its light-absorption spectrum.”

In Sheffield, England, university scientists have worked out how to turn a Russian discovery from 1839 into a modern power source. Perovskite

materials were long thought to be a curiosity, but in 2014 British physicists worked out a way to turn these calciumtitanium oxide minerals into a liquid that operates like a solar cell. That has led to promising experiments with spray-on solar panel technology, including powergenerating paints.

It may not be long before your entire house and garage, or even the outside of your car, is a functional source of energy as well as a canvas for colour.

Nanomaterials technology and advanced research have brought to light three ways to generate power from a thin coat of paint

by Andy Bryenton

New uses for an ancient resource

When the use of bamboo in buildings is mentioned, most people immediately turn their minds to the elegant structures designed using this fast-growing material in Eastern cultures rather than more modern architectural designs.

However, bamboo has become far more than simply a traditional resource used to craft structures and spaces specific to the cultures of Asia. Techniques pioneered by artisans in China, Thailand, India, Japan and other nations have been applied with a healthy dose of modern material technology to explore the limits of what this giant member of the grass family can achieve.

This serious look at bamboo began, some say, in Hong Kong, when the boom in skyscraper construction spurred a similar need for fast, efficient scaffolding. With steel snapped up to build the towers, local workers made their scaffolds from bamboo, a local practice dating to antiquity. Safety inspectors discovered that bamboo can be better than steel in some instances. It sways and bends in earthquakes, as Japanese artisans have known for centuries, and even if some canes break, the scaffold is amazingly robust.

Bamboo’s single big drawback was discovered early on: it’s prone to rot and insect attack if untreated. However,

material

have changed the game, improving significantly on old-fashioned lacquering techniques. It’s a good place to start; bamboo may be light, but it’s also terrifically strong. It can be two to three times stronger than hardwood, and almost comparable to steel reinforcement. Proponents say that bamboo can outperform concrete or brick.

There’s even talk of those materials joining forces. Steel rebar is commonly

used to strengthen concrete structures, but researchers in Japan, Africa, and India have all conducted experiments and written scholarly papers on the engineering applications of bamboo inside concrete. The second international conference on emerging research in civil, aeronautical and mechanical engineering featured a symposium on the topic, which may transform how buildings are constructed in developing nations, making housing cheaper and easier to access.

Bamboo could provide a boost for the building industry, in a number of novel ways methods to use raw bamboo as the core

for laminated products

Interior decoration & design services

Design

Three tech surprises to look for

by Andy Bryenton

Ideas for the modern home would seem to be harder and harder to invent, with a plethora of dizzying technology already available to make our internal spaces unique.

However, human inventiveness knows no bounds, and there are creative minds out there as we speak, musing on ways to make the houses of the future even more interesting and electronic than those depicted in the pop science magazines of the 1960s. Try these three concepts for size. Bioluminescent and colourchanging wallpaper

We’re used to our desktop wallpaper changing colour and design, as it’s just an image displayed on our computer screens. However, real wallpapers that change colour and glow in the dark have been developed to make interior spaces change with the moods of the seasons and the time of day. E-ink utilises an advanced form of colour-changing tech copied from octopi and squid, meaning that it can be altered by electrical charges, like a very advanced version of a calculator’s LCD screen.

Heat-change paints have been around for decades, and you might remember them from the toy cars of your childhood, which could change colour in sunlight or when plunged into ice-cold water. A similar process allows houses to be covered in a wrap that slowly changes hue in the sunlight and then fades at night. Some variants of this technology can even reveal patterns or words; one shop

promise of high-definition video making its way to the law in Japan reveals its logos, opening hours and menu when the sun rises and turns to a mural of a sleepy countryside at night. Rooftop veggies

Homes with little space may still wish to become more self-sufficient in the future. One way to make good use of the sun’s power is to give over roof space to solar panels and plants. If a solar array takes up part of the roof, a small amount of power from it can be used to pump rainwater through a drip irrigation system, feeding the roots of productive crops. As an added bonus, it’s a big chunk out of your carbon footprint and grocery bill. China already has artificial rice paddies situated on the top of some skyscrapers.

“These wallpapers are developed to make interior spaces change with the moods of the seasons and the time of day.”

Guard-dog drones

The sentinels of the modern home are likely to be small robots armed not with weapons but with cameras and scanners. Some are already available and take the form of small, rechargeable aerial drones that pop out of a hidden hutch when they detect intruders. With night vision optics and laser scanners that can map a burglar’s face, these machines can send evidential video to the homeowner’s phone or to the police. Additionally, many have the option to follow them to their car, recording licence plates or even using speakers to issue a warning that they’ve been spotted.

This little fellow could deter future robbers and intruders, with the

All kitchen hardware • Stairs • Wooden window repairs • Wardrobe Systems Shop Counters • Laundry cabinetry • Shop fit outs and more..

SPAREX NZ IS A MAJOR TOOL SUPPLIER WITH ALL OF THE TOP BRANDS

Sparex Is a global agricultural supplier with branches throughout NZ.

The Feilding team has over 100 years’ experience in Agriculture, tools and customer services and understand supplying the correct tool for the Job.

We hold product in branch for all major and minor trades and everyday tools for home or shed.

We offer High quality tools at everyday prices and we would like to invite the Manawatu community to come In and meet the team and you won’t leave disappointed!

Mark Broughton – Manager

Wendy Poole

Daniel Owen

Andrew Pinfold

JB

Trust, experience and expertise

Sparex Group is a worldwide organisation with more than 50 years of experience supplying 50,000 parts and services in more than 90 countries.

Sparex New Zealand is a trusted source for tractor parts, accessories and lubricants, supplying the needs of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) dealers, tractor dealerships and retail parts stores, used equipment outlets, rental facilities, repair shops and engineers across the world for the past 59 years. We provide you with quality parts and service when and where needed.

With access to the global Sparex Group product offering of 50,000 parts, Sparex is your rst choice for hard-to- nd replacement tractor parts, wear parts and agricultural accessories. You’ll nd virtually everything you need in our online catalogue and three New Zealand warehouse locations.

Sparex New Zealand has a committed group of dealers who service the agricultural industry.

In 2023, Sparex released a groundbreaking system that offers the complete range to the general public. It’s as simple as going online to nz.sparex.com. You will be asked to choose a dealer for the sale to be processed through, and the team will pick and send your product, saving you time and money. Have a look today.

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

“In 2023, Sparex released a groundbreaking system that offers the complete range to the general public. It’s as simple as going online to nz.sparex.com.”

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

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

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

Celebrating International Women’s Day

Siobhan O’Malley is a dairy farmer, innovator, businesswoman and community volunteer.

Siobhan is a fine example of the thousands of Kiwi dairy farming women throughout New Zealand who multitask on a daily basis to contribute positively to their communities.

As a high school teacher, president of her children’s gymnastics club, small business owner and sustainability initiatives her family is involved with, Siobhan is kept busy.

“International Women’s Day on March 8 was a great opportunity to celebrate the amazing contribution of rural women across all aspects of Kiwi life,” says DairyNZ general manager Alyce Butler.

“About one-third of dairy farmers are women, and they contribute hugely every day to our sector, communities, local economies, schools, sports and sustainability initiatives.

“The dairy sector is evolving and becoming a more inclusive and diverse workforce with varying needs and wants. We’re developing new ways of working, different milking schedules, varied rosters and new technology, all of which support efficient farm systems and inclusive workplaces.”

Siobhan and fellow dairy farmer Wayne Langford co-founded the Meat the Need charity, which helps feed Kiwis in need so they don’t go hungry.

Farmers throughout the country donate meat and milk, which the charity provides

to food banks and other community groups dealing with food poverty in NZ.

“Meat the Need is hugely successful. We’ve achieved more in three years than we thought we would in 10 years because farmers really got behind it,” says Siobhan.

“I get involved in my community in the things that I believe are really important and that I’m passionate about. By working together in our communities, we achieve so much more.”

Siobhan grew up in Christchurch and graduated with a master’s degree in

classical studies. She met her husband Christopher when he was a tour guide in the Abel Tasman and later in Dublin, Ireland. They went dairy farming together after Christopher worked for his brother, who was sharemilking and fell in love with it.

The couple own their own farm and enjoy teaching their children about farming and the environment. They plant native trees on their property, which gives native birds places to rest and feed.

“With farming, I love being the master of my own destiny and the whole family

is involved. Our children know more about running a business than I did at 18.”

On the business side, Siobhan and two other farmer friends she met at the Kellogg Rural Leadership course have created luxury knitwear company, Hemprino, an e-commerce start-up. Hemprino is made from hemp fibre and merino wool.

“The hemp fibre strengthens the merino, and the knitwear is soft. It’s biodegradable, which is important to us. We believe everyone should be reducing their environmental footprint where they can.”

Dairy farmer Siobhan O’Malley with her husband Christopher and children Finnian, Ruairi and Aisling

Siobhan O’Malley loves contributing to her local community, farming and e-commerce

by Andy Bryenton

Collaboration is key say dairy leaders

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

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

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

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

“Thanks to all the great work from DELs and other dairy farmers around NZ, the sector is embracing environmental change with a positive, future-focussed approach. This is about continuous improvement; we acknowledge there is still work to be done,” said DairyNZ sustainable dairy manager David Burger.

“The DELs are driven and passionate about the environment. They demonstrate good management practices on their farms, including protecting and enhancing waterways, riparian planting and reducing emissions to ensure environmental sustainability for future generations.”

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

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

ahead of the environmental challenges farmers face.

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

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

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

direction of discussion at last week’s DEL conference in Wellington

Tuia Taitonga

Southlink ing Water on the Farm

He karere tā te Kaunihera ō Taranaki ki te Tonga News from the South Taranaki District Council

Sav

It is more impo water where under mo rainfall, and ad e w Che th

rtant than ever for you to conserve ver possible as streams are now re pressure due to variances in temperature and increased land water use and/or losses which, all d to impacts on cultural values, the nvironment and aquatic life Recent legislation and regulation changes point us all to respect and value water, via Te Mana o te Wai As part of new Taranaki Regional Council consent conditions, if rivers where we take water from drop to a certain level, e must introduce water restrictions cking your water meter is one of e best things you can do to see how efficient you are being with your water use, or whether there are any leaks on farm Generally, there should be little water use in the middle of the night

By reading your meters in the evening and checking it again first thing in the morning, the difference in the readings could be due to water leak(s) See the example pictured to the right

For instance overflowing stock water troughs lose a lot of water and so do leaks from water pipes. If not repaired promptly, leaks will also add significantly to

water bills – which consumers are liable for Water resources in our rural water schemes are always in high demand during the peak season The water supply is limited and it is important that all users do what they can to manage their water use efficiently to ensure there is enough water to go around One of the easiest things to do is to check your meter and check for leaks

You know your property best; some obvious checks include:

• Is there a tank filling overnight?

• Is there a ballcock set too high in a trough causing constant overflow?

• Is there water flowing through the milk pre-cooler?

• Undertaking a simple meter reading overnight could save a lot of time, money and save impacts on the environment

District-wide Partial Water Restrictions now in place - irrigation systems are banned until further notice

Check troughs regularly

An important preventative measure for leaks is having a maintenance system for water troughs that staff know

• Use time bringing in the cows to look out for anything on the farm that might need attention, such as overflowing or empty water troughs

• Tilting troughs slightly toward the race will make it easier to spot water loss on the drive by

• Carrying spare parts and tools on the farm bike allows for the immediate repair of simple problems

• Schedule in regular trough maintenance Include replacing troublesome ballcocks and checking balls, strings, arms and pins. Have a system to record and sign off these checks

Are you prepared for an emergency? Are your animals?

If an emergency happened today, do you have a plan in place to save yourself, your family, and your animals? Learn how to prepare to ensure the welfare of your animals during a disaster, such as a drought or fire The Ministry for Primary Industries has a lot of information available on its website at www.mpi. govt.nz/animal/animal-welfare with brochures, guidesheets and checklists for every type of emergency

The easiest way to stay up-to-date

The fastest and easiest way of hearing about water restrictions, or any other Council news, is by downloading the free mobile app, Antenno Antenno sends you alerts and notifications about places and topics that you care about it doesn’t ask for any personal information or log in details, so it’s a nice and easy way to stay informed

There are two ways you can use Antenno; to recieve

notifications from Council about the places you have marked as important to you, or by reporting back to Council on issues that need sorting or feedback for us

Other ways to stay up--to-date are by:

• liking and following our Facebook page Simply log in to www.facebook.com and search for ‘South Taranaki District Council’

• Heading to our website www southtaranaki com