Waikato Farming Lifestyle December 2020

December 2020 edition

Discovering genetics together Pages 8–9

Council in strong position

P3

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A blooming enterprise

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December 2020 WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

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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 General Manager: Deb Wright | deb.wright@integrity.nz | 021 639 696 Editorial: Ann van Engelen, Paul Campbell, Andy Bryenton Advertising: Teresa Steed 027 525 8223 Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz Distribution: Laurie Willetts Website: www.farminglifestyles.co.nz

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Aerial survey begins A regional collaboration between 10 Waikato councils and noncouncil stakeholders has begun with the latest light detection and ranging technology known as LiDar. LiDAR collects earth surface data to create highly detailed 3D maps and models of the landscape. Flying to gather the data is expected to be completed by May 2021. After intensive quality control, it is expected that the processed data set will be freely available to the public in 2022.

Waikato Local Authority Shared Services, on behalf of the 10 councils, has secured funding of $1.4 million from the Provincial Growth Fund and approximately $133,000 third party funding for the region. WLASS will be running the project, which is part of a national LiDAR programme coordinated by Land Information New Zealand.

The councils involved in the initiative are Waikato Regional Council and Hauraki, Matamata-Piako, Otorohanga, South Waikato, Taupo, ThamesCoromandel, Waikato, Waipa and Waitomo district councils. Hamilton City Council recently acquired LiDAR data for the city. It will be joined with the new data to provide a contiguous regional data set of more than 25,000km.

“It is fantastic the councils have contributed funding to support the project,” says WLASS chief executive Kelvin French.

“I am grateful for the contributions from the following organisations who are co-funding the initiative: WEL Networks, Environmental Research Institute, EQC — Earthquake Commission, Waikato River Clean Up Trust, Lincoln Agritech and Mercury NZ Ltd. “LiDAR provides precise laser measurements of the earth’s surface with the data used to create highly accurate 3D maps of the land. The data enables better management of natural hazards, such as flooding, erosion and sea level rise.

“It provides farm-scale land information to benefit the agriculture

Kelvin French, Waikato Local Authority Shared Services chief executive

and forestry sectors as well as being used for many other planning purposes.

It is also widely used for development, engineering, architecture and design applications by the private sector.”

The LiDAR contract survey is being carried out by Australian company iXblue Pty Limited. iXblue will partner with Mainland Air and US company Woolpert — leading experts in this industry, to deliver the LiDAR products and services.

In 2019 the PGF, via LINZ, awarded co-funding to the Waikato and seven other regions, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Tasman, Marlborough, Canterbury, West Coast and Southland, to obtain LiDAR data as the first tranche of an initiative to increase New Zealand’s total LiDAR coverage to approximately 80 per cent — up from 10 per cent currently.

More information about the LINZ national elevation programme, including the PGF LiDAR project and access to the data, can be found at linz.govt.nz/data/ linz-data/elevation-data.

WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2020

Council in strong position

3

Waikato Regional Council is closing out 2020 in a positive place financially despite the impact of Covid-19 and its decision to lock in a net zero per cent rates increase for residents.

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“This annual report ties up the final year of our 2016–19 strategic direction and is a testament to the achievements of my predecessor, Vaughan Payne.

“It highlights the strides we have made as a council, from a big reduction in our CO2 emissions to crucial upgrades in our flood protection assets to protect people, homes and livelihoods.” While given the green light from Audit NZ

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later than usual this year, the approval of the 2019/20 annual report has fallen within the extended statutory reporting timeframe introduced by the government in August to accommodate the impact of the lockdown on all local authorities. It gave councils until December 31 2020 to complete the reporting cycle.

The annual report will be available online at waikatoregion.govt.nz/ annual-report.

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The council has signed off its 2019/20 annual report, which showed a favourable balance sheet compared to annual plan projections, receiving an unmodified audit opinion.

“While the year may have brought unexpected challenges, it also highlighted the resilience of the council and the Waikato region,” says WRC chair Russ Rimmington.

“Good forward planning and swift action put us in a great position to seamlessly move our organisation to home working and maintain our focus on making the right decisions for residents.

“We are now full steam ahead and excited to finalise our big-ticket items like the Te Huia passenger rail service and shovel ready projects to keep our region thriving.”

Despite bringing in $700,000 less in revenue last financial year, the council’s operational spending decreased by $4.7 million, resulting in a $4.4 million reduction in its budgeted net operating deficit. It has had a corresponding impact of a lower level of borrowing than had been forecast.

“A delay in progress on the Waikato Regional Theatre and a reduction in expenses through the Covid-19 lockdown period were the major contributors to this reduction in spending,” said chief executive Chris McLay. “The lockdown also had a great impact on our carbon footprint, unlocking useful

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December 2020 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

DEMONSTRATING INDUSTRY COMMITMENT

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN Ash-Leigh Campbell made farming her career after accepting various opportunities presented to her and recently won the 2020 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.

PHOTO TONY BENNY

D

airy Women’s Network CEO Jules Benton says one of the organisation’s core values is about seizing opportunities and AshLeigh demonstrates this in both her work and life attitude. The organisation hopes her success will encourage other young women to nominate their peers in the industry for the award.

“I grew up on a small lifestyle property with a pet pony and lamb but don’t come from a farming background,” says Ash-Leigh.

“I fell into the dairy industry when my folks brought me a vehicle at 16 years old.

“I had to pay for my fuel and expenses and didn’t want to earn $6 an hour as a checkout chick. I stumbled into the industry after seeing a job advertised at school milking three days a week after school and applied.”

Ash-Leigh turned up at the shed and the farm owner was expecting a boy.

“Ash-Leigh can be a girl or boy’s name, and a young blonde girl appeared.

The interview consisted of milking a 200 pedigree Holstein Friesian herd and washing the yard down. After the milking he offered me the job, saying he wouldn’t be offended if I didn’t take the dirty job.

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Ash-Leigh has often spent time studying through Primary ITO and attending university while working to advance her farming knowledge and capabilities

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This year has been one of challenges and successes, and I’d like to take the opportunity to personally thank all of our advertisers for their support as we worked together to keep the rural sector strong and connected during the trials of 2020. Now it’s time for a well earned celebration with loved ones and friends; merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday to all!

I believe 2020 is a year that will no doubt go down in history as a year that was life changing for us all. There were also many positive moments along the way to reflect on.

As we welcome in 2021, I would like to thank our clients, and readers, for your support and encouragement, and look forward to working alongside you next year. I wish you all a safe and memorable festive season.

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2020

5

PHOTO CHAR DEVINE

In her fifth year working with Ngai Tahu Farming, Ash-Leigh is now the technical farm manager and help manages eight dairy and five support farms

Ash-Leigh Campbell is passionate about showing other young women in the industry what they are capable of achieving when they choose farming as a career option

“My interest in farming snowballed from there. I never saw it as a career because farming wasn’t advocated at school as a career pathway. Girls were encouraged to go to university and become a teacher or nurse. I milked three days a week all through my high school years and loved working with cows.

“When I finished school, I felt the pressure to continue studying and went to Lincoln University to do a property valuation degree. I didn’t enjoy it and wanted to travel, so I needed money, and my main skill was milking cows. An opportunity came up working for Trevor and Harriet Hamilton. I began calf rearing and was offered me a permanent job as a dairy farm assistant. The following year, I travelled to the UK for a few months. I was 21 years old, and my friends were still studying, accumulating student

loans. Returning home, I decided to make a career out of farming and joined the Young Farmers Club.”

With her employer’s support while working, Ash-Leigh completed some Primary ITO courses and gained extra qualifications.

“That gave me the encouragement to go back to university in my mid-20s. My next job was managing a dairy support unit in the hill country of Canterbury, which I got from word of mouth through the Young Farmers Club. I was sole management of a 500-hectare property of young stock, carry-overs and growing winter crops. It was eye-opening for a 23-year-old.

“I then wanted to work on a cattle station in Australia, but a wise old farmer sat me down and said the industry is changing rapidly and to return to university. I enrolled for a

“The following year, I travelled to the UK for a few months”

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diploma in Agriculture and the following year completed a diploma in Farm Management. I then completed a parttime BComAg, but discovered I could do a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in agriculture.”

Ash-Leigh secured a summer internship with Ngai Tahu Farming.

“I grew up knowing I was of Ngai Tahu descent through my mother’s lineage, and that was about all I knew.

My mum told me about a Whenua Kura scholarship for young Maori, and I was eligible. I began studying again at 24 years old, and it took me five years while working part-time, but it went really quickly. I was able to take real-life examples back to the classroom.

“The scholarship paid my course fees, and I learned the Maori language.

That gave me the opportunity of understanding culturally who I am and where I am from. I wouldn’t be where I am today without that connection.”

Ash-Leigh is in her fifth year working with Ngai Tahu. “I was the sustainability coordinator. The research opened my

eyes to another aspect of farming through growing, managing pasture and observing animal welfare practices.

I also gained an understanding of environmental compliance, which is helpful for all farming businesses in New Zealand.

“My role has shifted to technical farm manager, and I helping manage eight dairy and five support farms. I see myself as an extension to the farm managers with compliance, auditing, health and safety, and technology software. I support and enable them to be the best they can be. When I was nominated for the Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year Award, I thought I just do what I do every day. I didn’t think I was doing anything extra special, but it is a nice way to recognise your peers and promote the industry.”

“I am an old, young farmer, having turned 30 recently. It is nice being with people with the same passion.

Without the networking and leadership opportunities and everything interlinking, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

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December 2020 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

DISCOVERING GENETICS TOGETHER

BY ANN VAN ENGELEN JAY SEEBECK TOOK AN INTEREST IN COWS AS A YOUNG CHILD AND NOW IN HIS TEENAGE YEARS IS LEARNING ABOUT GENETICS AND HAS STARTED HIS OWN CATTLE STUD.

J

ay and his neighbour Brad Seager are both considering becoming dairy farmers in the future and have often swapped catalogues featuring dairy cattle and bulls for sale.

“It is quite handy being able to walk out the door and pass the catalogues over the fence to Brad once I have read them,” says Jay. “My grandparents used to operate a dairy farm, and that is where I discovered my love for dairy cows. Everyone has their favourite animal and mine is the cow, and I enjoy breeding them. I am

almost 16 years old, and I started at five years old and still have a lot to learn and will always be learning. I have just completed Year 11 and spend my school holidays and weekends working for David and Wendy Harker at Westell Properties. I met Wendy a decade ago when I took one of their heifers to calf club day at school, and that helped cement my interest. They milk 405 mainly Holstein Friesian cows on 252 hectares. I help feed, shift and milk the cows, and collect the newborn calves during calving.

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JAY LEANING AGAINST A FENCE HE BUILT ON HIS GRANDMOTHER'S FARM ”Both Brad and I have had opportunities to help prepare and lead dairy cattle at A&P Shows. We have gained skills in animal husbandry, showmanship and nutrition knowledge and have started acquiring our own dairy cattle.

“I have been fortunate to have Wendy and David as mentors. I bought a good calf off Wendy called Westell Aftershock Seattle. She calved for the first time last year. I named her heifer Crozier Meridian Santiago. Brad has a heifer called Westell Alcove Lacey, and she placed

first in the senior section of a national competition run by Holstein Friesian NZ. Santiago was runner-up at the event.”

Wendy is on the board of Holstein Friesian NZ and is heavily involved in advancing genetics in the dairy sector.

“Wendy gave me the pick of her calves last year, and I chose one from what I consider the optimum cow family from her herd.

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

JAY SEEBECK WITH HIS COW SEATTLE AND HIS BROWN SWISS HEIDI Generation Sale. That is six dairy cattle in total, and I am keen to continue building my numbers. “There is no such thing as a perfect cow, but you want to breed as close to the perfect cow as possible. I look through the bull catalogues for genetics and choose bulls that will hopefully make the right animal and I have five animals in calf now. In time I may sell some animals and genetics so other people can keep breeding good milking cows. “My nana taught me general farm work, such as fencing to make money to

buy new cows or pay for my grazing and bull semen. I am basically a kid learning to be responsible with my money and have bills to pay. “The three farms I am involved with farm feed differently, but the results turn out similar. I am in a good spot because I see four different ways of farming as nana grazes other people’s stock on grass and silage only. “I get semen straws from Semex and World Wide Sires and leave it up to the farmer who has my animals to inseminate. Hopefully, nine months

“I have been fortunate to have Wendy and David as mentors�

later a calf pops out. I have had one calf survive, and two bulls die. Part of having livestock is things don’t always turn out how you want. “I got into Holstein Friesians because of my connection with Wendy and Tim. “If you are breeding New Zealand genetics, some say they are tougher and stronger. “I like the breed because they are big, tall animals that produce lots of milk. I look for good feet and legs as they do a lot of walking. “I want a cow with width from the muzzle right through to the rump for grazing efficiency and calving ease. “At some stage in the future, I would like to get my own herd and go into dairy farming. “I may try something else first and get life experience because once you start, you are in it for life.�

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December 2020 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

A blooming enterprise

by Ann van Engelen

Flowerland was established by Bert Tripp in 1966 and continues to be a family operated and owned business with his son Dick and daughter-in-law Jo now at the helm.

“D

ick joined the company in 1978 and is the grower. I have been with Dick since 1981 and look after the packing shed and dispatch side of things,” says Jo. “I come from a horticultural background as my family had an orchard.

I worked in banking for 13 years, which has helped with the administration of the business. We have 13,000 square metres undercover and grow a wide variety of flowers in 26 glasshouses.”

These include lilies, alstroemeria, roses, hypericum, gerberas, sunflowers, hydrangeas, sea holly, zinnias, hellebores, carnations and echinops.

“We also grow seasonal crops like strawflowers, kale and stock. We have foliage growing around the garden and shelterbelts such as pittosporums, viburnum, coppersheen and flaxes.

We source other foliages and flowers

such as chrysanthemums, lisianthus, calla lilies, snapdragons and stock from nurseries in the Waikato that we have had a long association with. We work with other nurseries in the South Island and lower and upper North Island as well.”

Continuing on from his dad, Dick sources the lily bulbs from Holland.

“My dad passed away 10 months ago in his late 80s. He had retired about 23 years ago. Taking over the business was easy for me as I had worked here for a number of years and it was well set up,” says Dick.

“For a start, we were the biggest carnation grower in New Zealand. As the popularity faded away, we diversified to other flowers to meet the market demand. We use new bulbs from Holland for the lilies every time we replant. They come in a container at -1.5 degrees. It is

When the flowers are harvested, they are predominantly sent to supermarkets, florists and flower markets across the country

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

A wide variety of flowers including gerbera, lilies and roses are grown in 26 glasshouses on the property

an interesting and challenging business but very satisfying.

“We still grow a few carnations and rotate our planting between lilies and sunflowers to rest the soil. Alstroemeria and other plants are grown under licence, which lasts five years. Then they have done their royalty time and are removed.

“The roses can stay in the ground for years, but the trends and varieties change so we consistently replace a couple of rows each year. When replanting we get the soil correct with fertiliser first to keep the plants at optimum performance. I get the flowers up to the picking stage and then Jo takes over with her team.”

Flowerland has 15 staff who help with all aspects of the business, including harvesting, planting, framing and wiring to support the crops.

“Some staff have been with us for 30 years. Being in the North Island we plant one or two weeks later than a South Island growers,” says Jo. “The main thing is timing the crops right with planting. Timing is critical for harvest, and you have to know the local climate and what is likely to happen. You don’t want the flowers ready too early or too late.

“We don’t get it right all the time. You can plant the same time annually, and the weather changes and throws harvest out, so now we plant a couple of weeks either side to counteract the risk.

“The younger generation have a trend of dried flowers and wreaths for Christmas. Misty is a fine plant, which is great for drying along with strawflowers and excess roses. During Covid, flower growers suffered as staff couldn’t work so we ploughed in 90 per cent of our

December 2020

9

Dick and Jo Tripp have 15 staff at Flowerland with some having been with the company for 30 years

crops. Dick and I still tended to our plants and worked very long days. I also covered the packing shed windows in cardboard and cut long lengths of bamboo to create drying racks. We picked what we thought were the best drying roses, strawflowers and misty and hung them to dry.

“We send flowers overnight through Aramex, formerly Fastway Couriers.

We were their first-ever customer. My father-in-law, our bank manager and Bill McGowan had a discussion because we needed a special courier service. Bill started Fastways in Napier, and from there, it became a global entity. The company recently rebranded.

“To care for your flowers, recut them when you get home as stems dry and seal. It is like holding the bottom of a straw and saying drink.

“Make sure the containers are clean and change the water every couple of days and again recut t he stems.

“We put half a sachet of flower food in the water and a couple of drops of bleach to keep the bacteria out. Don’t sit them in the sun as they will wilt.

“Flowerland will be around for a long time yet.

“We are happy with what we do and enjoy the outside lifestyle. Having great staff also makes it more fun.”

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Stories of the wild west coast The Kauri Coast, that region of forest giants, wild surf beaches and old colonial townships in the far north-west, is a very different place to the rest of Northland.

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museum, largely run by passionate volunteers. No random collection of artefacts, the Dargaville Museum is designed to tell a story with each piece on display. From giant sawblades once driven by steam to slice through kauri as wide around as a locomotive, through to the original lighthouse which guided ships away from the dangerous Kaipara Harbour bar, each display comes with a tale or two from the rich history of this area.

The volunteer guides who often accompany visiting parties are engaged

with the heritage passed down from their great-great-grandparents, from carefully preserved old records and from the community.

The museum’s collection brings to life the hard work of the gum fields, the busy industry of the mills and shipyards, and the coming together of many peoples; Maori, Dalmatian, Scots, Irish, English and many others who journeyed here to make their fortune, when kauri gum was literally ‘as good as gold’. The Dargaville Museum’s collection spans everything from a giant pre-European waka carved from a single tree, to a

working steam-powered gum-washing plant, the nation’s smallest heritagelisted building, and the masts of the Rainbow Warrior, the antinuclear protest ship destroyed by French agents in the 1980s. The surrounding Harding Park contains a separate vintage machinery club, mountain biking trails, an authentic pa site, walking tracks and great views of the riverlands. If you’re visiting the Kauri Coast, add a new level of appreciation to your journey; stop by and delve into the history of this unique corner of New Zealand.

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2020

WATER MATTERS Small leaks — big losses

by Paul Campbell

Underground water lines on rural properties are subject to breaks and leakage, and a leaking water line can lose a massive amount of water if it’s not repaired promptly, about 14,000 litres a day, for example, through a hole the size of a small nail.

With a water meter, it’s easy to do an overnight check for problems. Just read the meter before going to bed, then first thing in the morning. The difference should be minimal.

Watching for leaks if you don’t have a meter is a little more difficult. The obvious first step is to watch for wet spots on dry ground, there could be water soaking the ground from the line below, or for pasture areas that grow more quickly than others.

Sometimes you can hear the water rushing out of the pipe, so keep an ear to the ground! So keeping an eye out, and that ear to the ground can make a real difference.

Getting the water to you; it’s not cheap and it’s not easy! We drink it, cook with it, shower under it, or bathe in it.

We use it to wash our dishes, clothes and cars. Access to fresh, clean and plentiful drinking water is a cornerstone of modern society. If you’re on town supply, it’s easy to take water for granted.

For the vast majority of rural residents, rainwater is the key to household use, with irrigation coming from streams and creeks and perhaps aquifers. So maintenance is vital. DairyNZ has some good advice.

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added protection • To prevent problems where water lines must go under races, place them inside a larger rigid pipe for protection • Where lines cross drains, strap them securely to the bottom side of a pipe or post • Bring these water lines to the attention of everyone working on the farm

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December 2020 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2020

WATER MATTERS

13

Savings on the dairy front Summer is soon to be upon us, and as usual, rural thoughts turn to water usage, whether the weather will be kind or not, and of course, new regulations that have many people looking askance at the government rules effective from September this year.

Water is a very valuable resource, and a lot is used in the milking shed. DairyNZ advises that efficient processes for milk cooling, vat wash and yard hosing can add up to significant savings.

The primary milk cooling system should use about two to three times as much water for the volume of milk cooled.

If there is a continuous flow of water when milk is coming through the cooler intermittently, more water is being used than necessary.

To cut this water use a solenoid valve can be installed at the inlet to the cooler and linked to the milk pump, or a variable flow drive so water and milk flow match.

Use correct flow rates through the plate cooler — two to three litres to every one litre of milk. Increasing water volume does not decrease water temperature.

Ensure the plate cooler is serviced regularly and has adequate pumps and water storage to function efficiently.

Cleaning and improving the efficiency of plate cooling will require the services of a technician who can align the plate’s

spacings correctly. Ensure all refill tanks and cylinders have an automatic shutoff to avoid overflows. Toilet cisterns or trough floats have been used as proven refill and shut-off options.

Improving yard washing efficiency is another way to improve the bottom line on the farm ledger.

On warm, sunny days, pre-wet the yard with a hose or sprinkler to help prevent dung from sticking.

Use a scraper or a chain inside an old yard hose on the backing gate to break up dung before hosing and wash the yard after each milking.

Hose the yard with high water volume under low pressure so you are pushing effluent not spraying it around and maybe include a timer setting on the yard washdown pump.

Set a time standard for washdown and train staff to achieve it. Flood wash with green water recycled from the effluent pond.

There are strict compliance requirements for this practice under the New Zealand Food Safety Authority’s Code of Practice for the Design and Operation of Farm Dairies (NZCP1). If

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14

December 2020 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

WATER MATTERS Keeping water systems healthy

by Andy Bryenton

Summer is here, and that means the season for our nation’s busy water carriers to hit the rural highways, bringing life-giving H2O to farm properties. The water they deliver is as pure as possible for better health, but the system it gets poured into deserves some attention at this critical time of year.

The home water tank is an unsung hero of home cooking, sanitation and garden irrigation. A modern take on a concept that dates back to the giant pottery water vaults of ancient Egypt, the tank does its duty unthought-of until trouble arises. A check of the system from top to bottom as water becomes a precious summertime commodity could save hassles and even illness further down the track. Experts in the field suggest starting with the inputs.

That usually means a trip to the roof, where rainwater is collected. Cleaning the roof itself of bird droppings, mould, leaf litter and debris is a good start when it comes to guaranteeing a healthy water supply. Gutters also tend to fill with undesirable filth; those in the know will not make the classic mistake of leaving them connected to the water tank when hosing and washing them down. The fitment of mesh or ‘bottle brush’ type inserts to banish leaves, and nest-building birds is also not a bad idea for those who rely on rain on the roof to guarantee litres in the tank.

Low ebb inside the tank itself is a good time to assess whether it needs a proper clean-out. Call in the

All parts of your water reticulation system, big and small, deserve some care and attention as we head into a hot summer

professionals to dispose of bacterial masses, algae, slime and general nasties, which can accumulate on the tank walls and floor, especially if the cover or lid is not 100 per cent tight.

It’s best not to go inside to try a DIY fix, as some tanks develop a low-oxygen environment, which can be hazardous to work in; it’s all about those bacteria.

Finally, look downstream from your tank to make sure the filter systems,

which form your last line of defence, are working at full capacity. The new season is a great excuse and reminder to change out particle filters and check the operation of ultraviolet light tubes; in combination, these can bust even the most insidious of waterborne bugs.

With a hot summer forecast, conserving water is important, but making the very most of what you have, and what you have delivered, is even more so.

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WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

December 2020

VEHICLES, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

15

Big value in a small package

by Andy Bryenton

Do you remember the days when things like floor mats, a radio, and a window demister were ‘optional extras’ on a car? In these times, when the options list usually runs to colourful components to add style and flair, the grim ‘cold war era’ practice of making the basics a tick box is long gone.

Just how far we’ve come from those dark ages is apparent when you look at the Suzuki Baleno. It’s a small hatchback, which sits in the Japanese automaker’s range just above the ubiquitous, much-loved Swift. The Baleno is that little bit larger, with more cosmopolitan styling inside and out, and it’s a miracle of well-used space, with more room indoors than you used to find in the big sedans of that bygone era we mentioned earlier.

It’s neither the unfussy, neat design, the legroom and headroom, the cargo space behind that wide hatch or even the exceptional fuel economy, close to 1,000 kilometres on $100 of fuel, which impresses the most. It’s the list of things you get in this car, which starts from less than $20,000; things that were optional extras, on even the big German luxury marques not so long ago. The list is extensive, so take a deep breath.

For safety, there’s ABS, brake assist, five airbags, daytime running lights and an electronic stability program system.

You’ll get a touch screen with full colour reversing camera, satellite navigation, Bluetooth integration for your phone, a powerful, crisp stereo system with Apple Carplay and Android capabilities, air con, cruise control with a speed limiter and electric mirrors, windows and two 12volt sockets for recharging your gadgets.

These are all on the standard car; there’s an RS Turbo with even more toys.

Think back to the days when a tachometer was something you had to buy and bolt-on for yourself, and an oil

Suzuki Baleno; a well-rounded daily drive with more toys than Santa’s sleigh for an affordable price

pressure gauge was an expensive extra, and the Baleno looks like an incredible bargain. Compare it to several modern cars of the same vintage, which have a price three times as high, and you might start to think there’s something to the argument that certain motorists are paying just for badge-related bragging rights.

The Baleno will do everything the Swift will do, with a bit more room and power, and with a bit of a different stylistic twist to help you stand out from the crowd. Suzuki just ‘get’ small cars, as evidenced by its funky trio of the Jimny, Ignis and Swift Sport.

The Baleno ticks a whole lot of boxes for an everyday drive. The best part is, it ticks them all for you, without making them optional extras.

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December 2020 WAIKATO FArmING LIFeSTYLeS

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