Waikato Farming Lifestyles, April 2024

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

Phone: 0800 466 793 Email: info@integrity.nz

Postal Address: PO Box 474, Dargaville Physical Address: 107 River Road, Dargaville

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

Journalists: Ann van Engelen | Andy Bryenton | Amy Fifita

Advertising: Donna Eves 027 525 8223

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

Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz

Distribution: Laurie Willetts Printed by: NZME

Website: farminglifestyles.co.nz

19,680 copies DELIVERED FREE to every rural delivery address in Waikato and King Country.

• Very low maintenance

• No diesel engine to maintain

• Very cost effective

• Produces cleaner power than the grid

• 4-pole brushless synchronous Mecc Alte alternator

• 30kVA - 105kVA available

• Made in Italy

Courage and conviction

by Barbara Kuriger, MP for Taranaki-King Country

Someone shared a view of politics with me when I was a young MP.

This person, a wise old politician, told me that politics is simple. You tell the public what you want to do, and then you do it.

Whilst there is a lot of truth in that, it is not as simple as it sounds. To fulfil your promises, you need courage and conviction. It takes courage to stick your neck out and make promises, and then you need conviction to follow through on them. The previous government lacked both of these qualities, which eventually cost them.

Yet, the current government has done it twice in the few short months since coming to power. The first was the 100day Plan — a legislative programme destined to deliver 49 key policy points that we as a country desperately needed and voted for. That’s been done, dusted, and delivered within deadline.

The second is the 36-point Action Plan recently announced by our prime minister. It’s a clear, concise, and, importantly, measurable plan the National Party has for New Zealand — a firm commitment we are prepared to commit to paper.

The farming community has particularly taken notice that the plan includes at

least four measures intended to benefit farmers directly:

1. Introduce legislation to amend the RMA to clarify the application of the National Policy Statement on Freshwater

2. Management in relation to individual consents for freshwater and to extend marine farm consent

3. Introduce legislation to suspend the requirement on councils to identify and adopt new Significant Natural Areas

4. Finalise policy to keep agriculture out of the ETS

With such legislative intentions, the government is restoring recognition of the rural sector and its importance to the economy and community. Moreover, we have the courage to commit those promises in writing, giving farmers a virtual list of tick boxes to track our progress and our promises.

We have already ticked off one box by having the courage to tell you what we want to do. I have absolutely no doubt we have the conviction (and capability) to do it.

Barbara Kuriger, MP Taranaki-King Country

Kauri protection wins

Waikato Regional Council’s kauri protection programme has won the Eagle Technology Local and Central Government Award at the 2024 New Zealand Biosecurity Awards.

Pest Plant team leader Darion Embling says southern kauri populations are vital to the future of kauri, being almost free from kauri disease.

“For this reason, our small kauri protection team aims to inspire and enable rural landowners, community groups, schools, iwi, stakeholders and industry groups to invest in a future that includes healthy kauri lands with giant kauri,” he says.

“Protecting kauri is important, as kauri are a keystone species, which means their presence helps define an ecosystem. This means the survival of kauri is vital for the survival of other species that have evolved to live on or around them.

“The Waikato has the largest areas undetected for kauri dieback. There are just four known areas of kauri disease in the region — in Whangapoua, Hukarahi, Tairua and Kennedy Bay.”

The Waikato region has more than 94,000 hectares of kauri land, with more than 20,000 hectares being old-growth kauri forest. The Manaia Kauri Sanctuary is home to more than 400 ancient kauri trees, some of which are over 1,500 years old.

The council helped advocate for national funding and rules to protect kauri for many years. That advocacy helped ensure the development of Tīakina Kauri, the national kauri protection programme, and a national pest management plan, made operative last year, to help protect kauri from the pathogen Phytophthora agathidicida (PA).

It also led to the government investing $32 million into kauri protection for five years until 2026.

“Funding received by the council as part of that enabled its kauri protection team to ramp up its protection work, particularly in education.

“The team commissioned awardwinning special effects and prop company Wētā Workshop Ltd to create a scale model of a mature kauri tree, which includes the widespread root system that is vulnerable to PA.

“It also led the development of Kauri Pou Kaitikai, a virtual reality experience to help influence the behaviour change required to protect kauri. It includes a visual narrative about the cultural, spiritual and ecological significance of kauri and an interactive shoe-cleaning game.

“Both these educational tools are being used as part of a kauri roadshow available to Enviroschools, other schools, community groups, other organisations and events, within and outside the region.”

Elsewhere, the kauri team has provided cleaning stations, hygiene kits and equipment to community volunteer

LET DR BERT QUIN ASSESS, FOR ONLY $250+GST UNTIL JULY 31, THE MOST COST-EFFECTIVE FERTILISER STRATEGY FOR YOUR FARM IN TODAY’S VERY CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT.

• Unbeatable 50 years’ experience in soil fertility and fertiliser research including laboratory, plot and farm-scale comparisons and assessment of soil tests and herbage analyses. Inventor of SustaiN and ONEsystem and an expert on the use of natural and slow-release nutrients.

• Forget the formulaic recommendations by poorly-trained sales reps who simply don’t have the necessary knowledge and experience to understand the wide mix of factors that determine the most cost-effective and environmentally-protective fertiliser strategy for your farm.

• Call me on 021 427 572 for a free, no-obligation, 10-minute chat. If you like what you are hearing, just email me (i) your name, address and phone number plus a farm map showing hectares and soil types, (ii) your current fertiliser programme, (iii) current production levels (eg MS/ha, sheep/beef su, crops, bought-in feed), (iv) recent soil tests and herbage analyses, and (v) an outline of your objectives for the farm.

• On receipt of these, and a payment of $250 + GST, I will ring you for an in-depth chat. I will then send you a detailed written assessment of the optimum fertiliser strategy to minimise your fertiliser expenditure and GHG emissions while achieving your production targets.

• I am proudly independent. I have the courage of my experience and convictions to import products like RPR if their availability is being withheld, but I don’t ram these products down your throat. I don’t have much truck with farm advisors who claim independence, but invariably make their fert recommendations from the duopoly’s pricelists. There is finally competition in the soluble P market, so let’s take advantage of that!

DR BERT QUIN - TELLING IT LIKE IT IS FOR 50 YEARS 021 427 572, bert.quin@quinfert.co.nz

groups and businesses that work within or inspire visitors to enter kauri forests, helping them develop kauri protection plans as required by the national PA pest management plan.

The council also set up a fund to help landowners keep stock out of kauri areas by fencing, with up to 100 per cent of costs being provided. About 17 kilometres of fencing now protects about 210 hectares of kaurilands, including infected sites.

Darion Embling with the Eagle Technology Local and Central Government Award

FROM PASSION TO REALITY

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN

“IMatthew Macdonald loves the farming lifestyle and says that being able to meet the physical demands of farming after having personally overcome cancer has been his biggest achievement.

was born and raised on the family farm,” says Matthew.

“I have had a passion for farming since I was young, but was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in my first year of secondary school, and that changed my career pathway into the dairy industry.

“I required a stem cell transplant and radiation, meaning leaving school to milk cows wasn’t an option, due to ongoing fatigue and recovery. As an alternative, I decided to complete a Bachelor of Agriscience majoring in agriculture at Massey University and was awarded the DairyNZ scholarship for the full three years of study.”

Now as the farm manager for his parents, David and Jenny, on their 74ha Hamilton farm, milking 255 crossbred cows, 25-year-old Matthew won the 2024 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year category.

“After graduating from university, I worked on DairyNZ dairy farms before accepting the opportunity to manage my parents’ farm. I really enjoy working outdoors and with animals and the science behind managing pasture and getting milk in the vat.

“I believe working within a profit-driven business is a strength, as is being a third-

generation family run farm. The work I do and the responsibilities I have are family-centric.

“My parents have helped me learn to run a profitable business, and I thrive on working alongside knowledgeable people in their field of expertise and learning from them.

“Mum and dad did a lot with DairyNZ during the tight times in the past, and that pushed home how to make key decisions throughout the year to make the farm more profitable.

“On-farm, a drought, then too much rain followed by a cyclone during my first season made feed management very challenging. Being involved in the awards has helped me formulate my own philosophy of farming and justify the reason why I operate the way I do.

Beekeeping has become a much-appreciated hobby for Matthew

“One thing that is key to profitability is pasture. I’ve identified issues, such as soil not performing as well as it could, and we’re now on a journey to improve soil structure and grow more grass.

“Being part of the backbone of New Zealand and providing food and fibre to the world is an awesome job to be in. To me, the future for the New Zealand dairy industry looks very positive, especially with the advancement of technology changing so fast.

“The challenge will be making technology affordable and keeping past and future farmers upskilled, so they can utilise new technology efficiently and effectively.

“I love working with animals and seeing the results of my decisions in the vat with milk each day. It’s rewarding when you see the decisions you made yesterday, a week, a month or six months ago come to fruition.

“I love putting the pieces together for feed planning and ensuring the cows have enough grass, with the pieces making a complete puzzle across the year.

“Having worked on the DairyNZ farms previously was great. It was part of the benchmarking, gathering data for people across Waikato.

“I did things like body condition scoring, and was in charge of a few trials taking blood samples and understanding how to reduce methane in cows and different ways of doing things.”

Matthew began beekeeping when he was younger and now has 30 hives, selling honey locally under the Farmermac Honey brand.

“I got into beekeeping between leaving school and attending university. I worked at a beekeeping business and it got me interested in hives. When I returned from university, I purchased my first hive.

“Eventually I split it into another two hives. Three became five, five became 20 creating more than 30 over the last few years.

“Hives are a hobby and help take my mind off farming. They are also another form of income and networking opportunity with other beekeepers. I have a few mentors that help me along the way.

“I’m thankful for the sponsors who support the Dairy Industry Awards and the opportunities that the awards offer. Networking and making connections with

other people, and understanding how I operate on the farm really bring home the reason why I do things.

“As I have had cancer in the past, I won’t be milking cows for too long and will look at a sharemilking role and build capital.

“For now, I’ll continue working hard, learning and developing my skills. In the future, I’d also like to gain equity and start a farm consultancy service to give back to farmers by providing help and sharing the knowledge I gained over the years.”

Growing up on the family farm, Matthew now manages his parents’ 74ha property caring for 255 cows

Matthew with his 2024 Waikato Dairy Manager of the Year award

WILD HORSES HEAD FOR NEW HOMES

BY PAUL CAMPBELL

A major roundup of the free-ranging wild horses of the Kaimanawas that have their number officially capped at a sustainable 300 has taken place with Department of Conservation staff and volunteers out on Anzac Day.

Last year’s cyclonic storm and its damage to roads and the countryside led to the cancellation of plans for the usual annual muster. The Kaimanawa Heritage Horse group has been busy in the past few months finding new homes for the mustered steeds.

DOC reports that the muster went according to plan without any problems with the horses rounded up into yards at Waiouru.

“We expect to be able to rehome around 90 horses from this muster after a good response from our social media and other groups getting the word out,” says the chair of the KHH, Carolyn Haigh.

“Home and reference checks have been done to ensure that the horses are placed in suitable safe properties with knowledgeable owners. Many horses will be going to trainers first for initial handling and in some cases, gelding.

“We are pleased to see quite a few applications from South Islanders, who will take their horses home after they have been handled and introduced to trucks and floats to decrease the stress of a long journey.”

Carolyn Haigh and her committee have been reaching out to find people who can rehome the horses instead of culling, which was a sad alternative in the early days of roundups last century.

“There has been no culling since then as we have succeeded in finding places across the country, after the horses have been trained,’ said Carolyn. “Some go to the South Island, too, but are always prepared in the north before they are released to owners there.”

KHH is an incorporated society of volunteers dedicated to the care and

welfare of Kaimanawa horses formed since the first roundups last century. In the years since, hundreds of them have provided pleasure to families, ranging from farmers to lifestyle block owners.

“We now have specific events and recently held a Kaimanawas show day gymkhana in South Auckland,” said Carolyn. “I first adopted a foal that is now rising six years old and 14 hands. We look for owners who have some equine experience of course and we carry out checks on criteria and home checks to ensure suitable placement.

Credit: Tara Swan

Kaimanawas run free before a new life with people

“As well, we have fundraising and sponsor support to assist new owners in the task of training and treatment, such as worming and general care. We actively support our members and their domestic Kaimanawa horses through our welfare team, magazine, education and training, annual shows and ribbon days.”

The Kaimanawa horse has a bit of a pedigree in its DNA. New Zealand’s equine stock originated from Exmoor and Welsh Mountain ponies released in the 1870s, and bolstered by the odd runaway, releases from farms and early colonial cavalry. Added to the gene pool are traces

of Arab, Standardbred and Clydesdale and at its peak, the wild horse range supported up to 2,000. Sadly, conditions were such that food was in short supply and their situation deteriorated as the land was insufficient for so many.

When public opinion saw the move to finding people to help reduce herd the rehoming of horses was a bit hit-or-miss with little supervision of checks until the KHH came along concerned that many of the horses found homes were simply neglected and alone.

“Since 2003, Kaimanawa Heritage Horses has ensured that around 600

mares and younger males and female horses have found new careers,” said Carolyn. “There have been a number of changes since those early muster days, with interest groups assisting the management plan that DOC implements.

“Each year, around April, a herd count is made by DOC using helicopters with GPS. The number of surplus horses are identified and mustered ”

The horses are mustered by helicopters to a set of yards where they are to be sorted with the utmost care and the minimum amount of fuss with a resident veterinarian on hand. The weanlings and

yearlings are sent out to new homes within 24 hours. Older horses are kept overnight to settle down and become aware of the concept of a fence. They are fed hay and water while in the yards. The selected horses are then sent to central yards from where they are transported to their new owners.

“Kaimanawa horses are known to be curious, honest, and friendly, and are gaining favour among the equestrian community as highly competitive sport horses, pony club mounts and good all-rounders.”

For more information, visit kaimanawaheritagehorses.org.

Forever friends — Carolyn Haigh raised her Kaimanawa horse from a foal

Credit: Karen Millar

Taking to the water on a trek in a new countryside with riders Tommy Waara and Nicola Mcgaw

Avoca’s Agricultural Lime (AgLime) and Limestone are manufactured at our three lime quarries at Rarewa (Whangarei), Pokapu (Bay of Islands), and Port Albert (Wellsford). Both are also available at bulk stores in Dargaville and Te Kauwhata (Waikato). From all of these locations, we’re well placed to deliver Agricultural Lime products Northland and Waikato wide. Avoca also provide soil fertility testing and consulting as well as lime and fertiliser products and custom mixes.

NORTHLAND LIME

10

reasons to apply lime to your soils:

1

2

3

4

Increases nutrient availability; raising soil pH with lime to ~6.3-6.5 releases and balances soil nutrients for plant uptake, maximising return on your fertiliser spend.

Improves pasture yield. Trials have shown pasture production increases up to 68% and corresponding live weight gains.

Reduces need for N-fertiliser; lime stimulates N-fixation by legumes, and N-release from organic matter into plant available forms.

Improves P availability through a ‘phosphate sparing effect’ - trials in Northland showed 50-60kg more P available consistent over 3 years after applying 5t/ha of lime to a pH 5.8 soil. Optimal P availability occurs when soils are limes to pH 6.3-6.5.

Improves pasture palatability allowing for more even grazing of pasture and better pasture utilisation. 5

6

7

8

9

10

Increases soil biological activity and diversity; key to nutrient availability, good soil structure & porosity, and ultimately pasture/crop yield.

Increases resilience to droughts, floods, and runoff/erosion, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and greater root penetration for pasture/crop growth by flocculating (loosening) your soil to improve soil structure and porosity.

Increases water holding capacity in the dry and water drainage in the wet. Lime drives down magnesium in ‘tight, high Mg’ soils such as estuarine soils found in the Hauraki Plains.

Reduces elemental toxicities evident at low pH levels, e.g. Al, preventing subsoil acidification and improving root growth, root development, and reduces P-fixation.

Provides calcium which is essential for both plant and animal growth and health.

Lime application key to soil health

Avoca Director Bryce Manderson wants farmers to think more carefully about the value of applying lime to their pasture.

“There are plenty of farmers who should be thinking about their soil health and fertility management. Understanding the bene ts of putting lime on their land is becoming extremely critical to farming,” says Manderson.

“Having spent 40 years in the lime industry, I have unfortunately witnessed a decline in lime application over the past 20 years. In dairy farming, in my opinion, we have seen massive overuse of ‘acidifying’ nitrogen.”

Manderson believes sheep and beef farmers are being led to believe that lime application on hill country is not cost-effective but he says they are underestimating the bene ts of lime.

“Besides this being false, lack of liming will be far more costly long-term. Even low rates of liming annually on hill country have proved cost-effective. These factors have led to the biggest problem in farming — low pH (or soil acidity).”

In fact, low pH has major detrimental effects on soil structure, soil biology and the availability of soil nutrients to the plant. Contrary to what farmers may have been told, the ideal pH is actually 6.2–6.3.

“At that level, we are getting the release of major and minor nutrients that have been locked up at low pH levels.”

With the significant farm cost increases detrimentally impacting farming profitability, Manderson is urging farmers to apply lime to release

those much-needed nutrients, hence saving fertiliser costs.

Avoca was founded in Northland 75 years ago and is a leading provider of lime and fertiliser mixes in Northland, South Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

Lime itself, calcium carbonate, provides calcium to soil and plants. Calcium ensures ef cient plant uptake of water and nutrients, carbohydrate storage in plant leaves, nodulation and nitrogen xation in legumes, and encourages earthworm activity.

Manderson says it makes sense for farmers to ‘sweeten’ their soil by boosting pH levels through applying lime rather than spending lots of money on expensive fertilisers.

“Lime clearly maximises returns from money spent on fertiliser, reduces soil acidity and signi cantly increases the availability of important plant nutrients — a key bene t of liming.

“It also increases the availability of important plant nutrients — phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, calcium, magnesium and trace elements like boron and molybdenum.

“I liken lime to being like a multipowered superhero; because it fosters optimum availability of all other nutrients, so it provides great bang for your buck. You only have to talk to farmers who have a regular liming programme to understand the bene ts.”

Can my joints improve?

by John Arts

I have been working with someone who has had problems with his knees; he had damaged one knee some time ago.

In more recent times, his ‘good’ knee had started to deteriorate from osteoarthritis. Eventually, his ‘good’ knee became worse than the knee damaged in an accident.

During a monthly review, he told me the results were amazing. He has much less pain and is more mobile. He has come from a position where working was becoming increasingly dif cult to now being more con dent about the future.

There are several lessons we can learn from this. The rst is that our bodies have an extraordinary ability to heal. However, this healing is dependent on the smooth operation of our healing systems.

In many cases, healing is restricted because the body system that is designed to heal the damage is somehow faulty or has just stopped functioning. The outcome of this is always disease.

In this case, we made several changes. The rst is to try and identify foods that either cause in ammation or, in some way, restrict healing.

Two of the most important groups of nutrients are fats because they govern the in ammatory pathways and antioxidants protecting our cells from damage.

We can also cheat a bit, but in a good way. I see effective joint health supplements as the ultimate cheat. We can target speci c compounds that have a direct therapeutic function in sore joints. Doing so can often reverse the discomfort and reduction in mobility by adding therapeutic levels of chondroitin sulphate to greatly impact the health and stability of cartilage. Adding water-soluble curcumin (from turmeric) can reduce in ammation and swelling in the joint capsule. Next edition, we continue this discussion and look at the second lesson we can learn.

John Arts (B.Soc.Sci, Dip Tch, 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 emailjohn@abundant.co.nz. Join his all-new newsletter at abundant.co.nz.

•

What is Bettaflex?

• Bettaflex is a joint support formula to promote healthy joint cartilage function

• Bettaflex has 400mg (per capsule) of high-grade avian chondroitin, 400mg of glucosamine and 100mg of BioSolve® bioavailable Curcumin (from turmeric).

• Try Bettaflex for 3 months and see for yourself.

How can Bettaflex help?

• Chondroitin and glucosamine are building blocks of cartilage.

• Supplementation with correct levels can support healthy cartilage function and cartilage repair processes.

• New BioSolve® bioavailable curcumin helps joint function while gentle on the stomach.

• Research indicates that chondroitin is highly effective at 800mg daily.

John Arts comments:

“My latest Bettaflex formula includes BioSolve® bioavailable curcumin for faster results. The normal dose is 2 capsules daily but I recommend an initial higher dose for 1-3 bottles to saturate join tissue.”

Bryce Manderson, Avoca director

Catalogue in-store now!

by Andy Bryenton

Fuel up your immune defences

Our front line of protection against winter ailments is our immune system, and it’s a

as the weather turns cold.

There are any number of supplements and over-the-counter medicines to assist with this. Health professionals agree that these five factors, which you can try at home, are both inexpensive and effective.

Swap out energy drinks and coffee for water. Having a morning pick-me-up of the dark roasted kind is a ritual for many, but overindulgence can lead to a lack of sleep and excess sugar from artificial drinks is also detrimental. Water helps out in its own way by promoting lymph production. That’s the fluid transporting white blood cells and other aspects of the ‘military forces’ of your immune system. Cutting down on late-in-the-day caffeine and sugar boosts also helps.

Try to catch a little more sleep. The longer nights mean we are predisposed to want to sleep longer. Some animals hibernate all winter long, and while that seems tempting, a slight uptick in hours of rest will help the immune system, as much of our healing happens while in a sleep state.

Take care of good bacteria. Almost 80 per cent of your immune system lives in your digestive tract, and the front line is made up of beneficial bacteria. You can help these along by eating probiotic foods, such as yoghurt, Japanese miso soup or Korean kimchi

to name but a few. Also, don’t fall into a common winter trap and take antibiotics to fight a cold. The common cold is viral, and antibiotics will harm the good bacteria on your side, leaving the virus untouched. If you do have a bacterial infection of the bad kind, your doctor will prescribe the right antibiotic to deal with it, but always consult first. Other foods that boost immunity can be found everywhere. Lean meat or fish high in omega-3 cooked with spices like turmeric, garlic and cayenne pepper. Veggies like capsicum, beans and fruits high in vitamin C are all winners. Cut back on artificial sweeteners and processed sugars, if possible, or replace them with honey in your hot drinks.

Despite the weather, get out and walk in the sunshine when you can. Vitamin D and a bit of exercise are a great immunity boost when sedentary and gloomy days have your system at a low ebb. Between all these easy-toimplement methods, you’ll be better prepared when the cold comes calling, and your immune system can show it the door.

Willow& Rose

Support Te Awamutu shops to keep your town vibrant

Have an active, healthy winter by helping your immune system to beat seasonal illnesses

by Andy Bryenton

Hunters helping the environment

Funding from duck hunting licences pours back into wetland rewilding, and managing introduced species of waterfowl is an important factor of the forthcoming hunting season, but there’s more to learn about ducks, and hunters can help.

“Fish and Game has been at the forefront of protecting New Zealand’s freshwater for the past three decades, with a dedicated spend of almost $3 million per annum covering engagement in national and regional policy processes and work on the ground to protect and restore wildlife habitats,” said Fish and Game CEO Corina Jordan.

Contributions from hunters also go toward restoring wetlands, providing a habitat for native species. Every licence bought helps, but there’s another service duck hunters can provide this year, which will help toward the intelligent management of the waterfowl population.

Corian Jordan has been out in the field helping staff in Taranaki to band grey and mallard ducks. It’s part of an initiative to track the birds and learn more about their habits.

“Every year, we band about 3,500 birds in Auckland and Waikato, and a further

3,000 in Taranaki and Wellington, and 1,800 in our eastern region,” says Corina.

“We’ve been banding waterfowl for more than 30 years because it’s important we

have a good understanding of numbers and harvest rates so we can sustainably manage hunting.”

Hunters can help by phoning in the numbers of the bands they might find on ducks bagged this season. If anyone finds any game birds with a band, they should

report it to Fish and Game’s 0800 BIRD BAND (0800 247 322).

The more we learn about ducks, the easier it is to agree with veteran hunters, who know how smart and wily these waterfowl can be.

Take decoys, for example. Those casually observing the range will note the lengths decoy makers go to. That’s because the humble duck possesses eyes with two and a half times the resolution of a human, which can see three times further on average, and can also peek into the ultraviolet and infrared spectrum. That makes being a convincingly welldressed hunter a little more important. All that cunning camo serves a serious purpose with the pattern recognition and visual abilities of the ducks in mind. Then there’s the science of duck calling, the focus of friendly competition among hunters, and the observation of their feeding and flight habits. Learning more will help everyone enjoy the outdoors, adding to the positive impact hunters and Fish and Game New Zealand already make to the wetland environment.

Duck hunters help environmental rewilding through their licensing and can contribute to knowledge about waterfowl by reporting leg bands this season

ADVERTORIAL

Better home and living Warmer winters with double-glazed replacement joinery

At DuCo, we work with homeowners and builders to supply and install replacement joinery throughout the Waikato every year.

Whether you want to eliminate draughts or get a new look, replacing old joinery with new energy-ef cient designs is one of the best investments you could make in your home. Bene ts include:

• Regulated home temperatures in both summer and winter

• Reduce moisture and mould inside

• Thermal and sound insulation

• Decreased power costs through energy ef ciency

There are three options when it comes to replacing windows.

The rst is Retro- t, a glass-only replacement in which your existing aluminium frames remain in place and glass is swapped for doubleglazing. There is limited control over con gurations and colour, but retro- t replacement is generally the most costeffective option.

Insert windows are where the existing timber frames are left in place, but the internal sash is replaced with aluminium. This process means you can retain the look of your home but allow the con guration and colour to change.

The nal option is a full replacement. The entire existing window is removed and replaced with brand-new aluminium joinery and glazing. It will require work after installation as your interior liners and architraves will need painting.

If you’re not sure what option is best for you and your home, our team is readily available for an on-site consultation and can advise on what is the best method

DuCo brings warmer winters with double-glazing solutions for the home

Refreshing your space

Whether you are doing a total renovation or refreshing your space, calling the experts for the projects you are not sure about is always the best place to start.

While it is fun and exciting most of the time, don’t forget, first and foremost, to work out your budget and stick to it.

Removing wallpaper, for instance, may look easy. Still, if you are in an older home, you may discover several decades of fashion trends stuck by a glue made to last a lifetime or 10.

Applying the fresh paper also takes patience, and ensuring you know what you need to do at the beginning will help keep lines and patterns in the right place.

When repainting, calling the professionals saves a lot of heartache, stress and time, which you could spend doing other chores, such as sorting gardens, planning the next room change or maybe taking time out for a vacation while the job gets done.

Interior designers can help if you are unsure of colour schemes, would like to do something unique to suit your style, or when you find yourself struggling with texture options and the like.

In older villa-style homes, it can be exciting to discover what is under those old carpets and lino. At times, there are more layers of lino, glue and

possibly the once trendy cork tile look until you finally come to the original wooden floors.

Remember, when removing old carpet yourself, be aware of the nails and staples. These need to be removed for safety purposes and get the flat finish for the next covering.

Hiring an industrial sander is one way to bring the floors back up to the sanded finish you require before beginning the polyurethane stage.

It is said the more layers of polyurethane you use, the deeper the look. Using a contractor to bring the wooden floors up to the best they can be is often recommended to get the best finish possible.

Instead of dreaming about moving to a bigger house, many people choose to make better use of their existing space by reorganising the home layout. Asking a builder if it is possible to remove or shift some internal walls, windows and doors can create a better flow while allowing more natural light to get in.

A redesign with an architect can also allow the opportunity to plan a more liveable design with the end goal being not only enhancing your property, but creating an atmosphere you are proud of, and making your home your castle.

Talking to your local interior design store for advice is always the best place to start when renovating

WINTER FOCUS

by Andy Bryenton

Make it a clean sweep

The fireplace is the heart of the home; it’s no mistake that the word ‘hearth’ also means ‘the family unit’ in the North European Pagan tradition.

Putting a fireplace inside a hut or making a portable hearth that one could construct a yurt or tent around must have made moving out of caves, where there’s

no way to let out choking smoke, seem very attractive.

By Roman times, people had worked out how to make a chimney, placing pottery tubes inside the walls of bakeries and forges to keep the smoke away from where people worked and gathered. However, they didn’t cotton on to the possibilities for homes, and living on the upper floors of a Roman apartment building meant having to come down to street level to cook your dinner.

In Britain, the first chimneys were added to castles in the 1100s, and

some of them were actually toilets. The idea of a garderobe, or a tube going down through the walls for ablutionary reasons, led to some being modified to go up as well, meaning that multiple levels in the castle had the use of bathroom facilities. Bundles of herbs were lit in these primitive lavatory rooms to get rid of the inevitable smells, and it was noticed that the smoke went up and away. There’s still a chimney constructed in this style at Conisbrough Castle in Yorkshire, turning the idea upside down and making it possible to have a fireplace right in your bedroom.

The first chimney sweeps were likely employed in industry, not around the house. Ore smelters knew that the fumes from some of their work were toxic, so they would build immensely long, nearly horizontal chimneys leading far away from the workshop and the whole town. Some could be kilometres in length, and they would develop a build-up of valuable mineral deposits. Chimney cleaning crews were out to scrape up these valuables long before the era of Victorian youngsters pressed into service to scrub soot.

Today, it’s adult professionals who manage chimney sweeping duties, and their most common task is to ensure that soot, nesting birds and other debris are removed from the flues of people’s homes. With vacuum cleaners, modular brushes and plenty of equipment to keep the job clean and safe, they are an important part of ensuring your fireplace is ready for winter. For many homeowners, having the family fireplace checked out by the experts is also a requirement set by insurance providers. So, book in quickly and beat the rush as temperatures drop.

The modern chimney sweep faces less hardship than his predecessors but still works hard to keep homes safe from fire-related accidents

WINTER FOCUS

Hard-hitting changes to resource consent

by Andy Bryenton

Recently, the coalition government made its first move toward replacing the Resource Management Act and the alternatives posited by the now-deposed Labour government.

The so-called RM Bill 1 is packed with good news for farmers. It includes urgent changes to amend stock exclusion regulations relating to sloped land, repeal intensive winter grazing regulations and remove the requirement for councils to chart Significant Natural Areas.

“RM Bill 1 focusses on targeted changes that can take effect quickly and give certainty to councils and consent applicants while new legislation to replace the RMA is developed,” says RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop.

“This bill will reduce the regulatory burden on resource consent applicants and support development in key sectors, including farming, mining and other primary industries. These sectors are critical to rebuilding the New Zealand economy.”

The ministers involved say the bill will clarify that, while the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management is being reviewed and replaced, resource consent applicants no longer need to demonstrate their proposed activities follow the Te Mana o te Wai hierarchy of obligations, as set out in the NPS-FM.

“Removing the need for resource consent applicants to demonstrate that their activities follow the hierarchy of obligations will better reflect the interests of all water users,” said Agriculture Minister Todd McClay.

“Cabinet has agreed upon changes to stock exclusion and winter grazing regulations representing a move to a more risk-based, catchment-focussed approach.

“This bill will reduce the regulatory burden on resource consent applicants and support development in key sectors.”

“We’re proposing to remove the problematic and contentious low slope map and for regional councils and farmers to determine where stock needs to be excluded, based on risk. The focus is on farm-level and regionally suitable solutions. This will reduce costs for farmers.”

“This announcement will be a relief for many farmers who were faced with an unnecessary regulatory burden and significant on-farm compliance costs. As always, details matter, and we are eager to see the details that follow this announcement,” says Beef + Lamb New Zealand chair Kate Acland.

“Farmers need clarity and certainty to make on-farm investments and changes to their farming systems safe in the knowledge that regulations will be science-based, practical and enduring.

“Farmers have made significant environmental improvements in the last few years by excluding stock from waterways and better managing the risks of winter grazing.”

RM Bill 1 is expected to be introduced to parliament in May and passed into law later this year. In the interim, regulations based on Labour-era National Policy Statements may still apply — consult your local council.

RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop has found his RMA 1 Bill favourably received by many in the rural community

Full

Now there is an extremely cost effective and easy to use product that will bring back your damaged concrete floors to an approved standard.

COLOURCRETE DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACER has been specially formulated for the repair of worn or damaged concrete in the dairy industry. Dairy Floor Resurfacer is a two pack system combining a Portland cement, fine aggregate based micro concrete and sophisticated binders that provide superior, compressive, tensile and flexural strength as well as a very high level of abrasion resistance and adhesion. This product is suitable for repairing worn or pitted areas or to provide a non-slip surface where necessary.

A two pot clear epoxy sealer can be supplied to reduce the wearing effects of milk and acid.

COLOURCRETE DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACER can be supplied as a ‘do it yourself kit’ and delivered anywhere in New Zealand or applied, in most areas, by contractors.

COLOURCRETE DAIRY FLOOR RESURFACER

Part A is supplied in 20kg bags and covers approximately 3m square. Part B modifier is supplied in both 10litre and 20litre containers and approximately 4litres per 20kg bag would be required. After trowelling, the surface can be broomed or sponge finished.

WINTER FOCUS

From the desert to the mud

by Andy Bryenton

The old adage in racing was ‘win on Sunday, sales on Monday’, but how does that translate to building brand prestige off the tarmac, in the more gruelling world of ATVs?

CFMoto would be quick to answer after its impressive performance at this year’s Dakar Rally, one of the most brutal racing events on the planet. The factory team from CFMoto managed to place fifth in this massive trek through the Sahara Desert to the coast; no mean feat in a race where many people never finish.

Rider Antanas Kanopkinas’s stamina was tested for 15 days in the roughest terrain the desert could provide, and his CForce 1000 displayed similar fortitude. Amazingly, in a race that devours the inexperienced, Mr Kanopkinas and the CFMoto team were first-time entrants. It could, and that’s good news for Kiwi farmers looking for a very capable machine to add to their fleets. Bigger, more powerful ATV quads are beloved by those who need to tackle big jobs, such as fencing or weed and pest control. While a wet winter in Waikato is much less sunny than summer in Morocco, handling rugged terrain and treacherous grip is the same

science on both surfaces. With the right tyres for seasonal mud, the machine that flattened the Sahara could be the right fit for the back paddock, too.

The CForce 1000 Overland packs a 75-horsepower fuel-injected v-twin engine that also develops 79 Newton-metres of torque. It’s liquid-cooled as one would expect from a desert-conquering design. It delivers power to the ground with an ultra-durable CVT transmission, selectable two and fourwheel-drive, front-locking diff and a rear limited slip system to stay stable and planted.

All this is armoured with an eightmillimetre full-length skid plate set-up and 38mm steel tube bars. There’s a powerful winch to get you or fellow riders out of trouble, 27-inch Stag tyres that can be deflated for more contact, thanks to a sturdy bead-lock, and plenty of towing and carrying capacity for any rural jobs you might load up to accomplish.

When the going gets boggy, slippery and wet, reliability is the number one

1000 conquered the Dakar Rally with fifth place concern. This is as true if you’re setting out to tackle a long fence line in the rain in July, as it is for a rider contemplating a sea of slippery dunes under a 48-degree sun. CFMoto has built a unit that can take the punishment. It’s worth a closer look if your own home patch gets as rugged and hard to traverse as the deep desert for exactly the opposite reasons this winter.

76%

CFMoto’s CForce