Waikato Farming Lifestyles, February 2018

Waikato

FARMING Lifestyles

February 2018 Edition

29,458 copies DELIVERED FREE to every rural delivery address in Waikato and King Country

Keeping horse and rider safe

The return of a treasure

An emerging rural professional

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The low impact life Page 4–5

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FEBRUARY 2018

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Ensuring fish safety

The Waikato Farming Lifestyles is published with pride by NorthSouth Multi Media Ltd, a privately owned NZ company.

Waikato Regional Council will look for funding partners for a three-year trial to reduce native fish mortalities as they pass through flood control pumps.

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Attention Farmers

Problems with Iron and Manganese?

Councillors approved half of the $1.494 million requested by staff during budget talks and it is proposed the council share be funded from its investment fund.

The regional council last year led a national research investigation into the potential impact of land drainage and flood control infrastructure on migratory native fish.

This resulted in a nationally endorsed issues and options report that now supports the council’s intended response to the issue.

The trials showed that during eel migration, in particular, up to 100 per cent of migratory female eels more than 600mm in length would die if they were to travel through existing pump stations during their operation.

“Many of these assets were installed by central government a number of years ago and with little Alan Livingston, Waikato Regional Council chair consideration for their impact on native aquatic ecology. We are eels are still alive and this suggests dealing with an inherited legacy issue, the pumps are performing as hoped. that current and future generations now This information will provide us with face and need to address and resolve,” greater confidence, that they will be in a state capable of undertaking the long said council chair, Alan Livingston.

“This issue is not unique to the migration to their breeding grounds in Waikato, however, we do have the the tropical Pacific islands.

“We have recognised that more needs largest number of flood pumps in New Zealand, so as part of our response to be done and are proposing a research to the issue we last year installed an and development programme, including imported ‘fish friendly’ pump at the a series of safe fish passage trials over Orchard Road drainage scheme in the the next three years.” lower Waikato floodplain.

The trials will include a range of “Downstream eel migration has just potential technological solutions and begun and we are cautiously excited decision-making tools, not just trialling about initial monitoring results from the new ‘fish friendly’ pumps. site, which indicate survival rates may This research, along with the potentially be higher than 95 per cent. development of a strategy and “Our scientists are holding the eels implementation plan, will guide the under controlled conditions to examine council’s future investment decisions and document their longer term on flood protection assets that improve internal and external health. All these fish passage.

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES FEBRUARY 2018

Rural creativity encouraged

3

by Denise Gunn

Farmers are encouraged to demonstrate their creative talents using natural materials and items they can upcycle from around the farm, for an inaugural rural sculpture competition in April.

The New Zealand Rural Sculpture Awards will be part of a one-day arts festival to be held at the Kimbolton Domain in northern Manawatu. A group of like-minded people grouped together and formed an arts trust to host the national rural sculpture festival. The six northern Manawatu villages will work together to create the event.

Trust chairman Tony Waugh said he wants to see farmers and others, who live on the land, try their hand at sculpting using wood, metal or anything hanging about.

“It could be fence battens, machinery parts, bailing twine or old drench containers. We are looking to provide an incentive for anyone who works on the land or has something to say about the New Zealand landscape, to leave their worries about making ends meet behind and engage with bigger ideas.”

Tony said the Australian town of Lockhart has held a rural sculpting festival for ten years and now attracts thousands of people to the fourday event.

“The Spirit of the Land Lockhart Festival began during the worst drought

in the town’s recorded history. It revived community spirit and inspired enthusiasm. We know we have problems with rural mental health in New Zealand too.

“This is a way of bringing people together and doing something more practical than just talking about the challenges we face. Many issues face farmers in New Zealand — there’s an increase in farmer depression and suicides.

“This annual festival will encourage farmers throughout the country to take some time out and head to their workshop to create a sculpture that says something about their relationship to their landscape.

“It is an opportunity for rural people to have a go, as many may not have considered themselves artists.”

There is $11,000 in prize money and enough time to get the creative juices flowing and move a bit of gear around in the shed before entries close in late March.

“It’s about seeing what there is already around you that could be used to say something about rural

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New Zealand,” said organiser Stewart Morton. Sculptures should reflect the resilience, heart, soul and humour of those who live and work on the land, and entrants can express their cultural heritage, unique experiences and

individual interpretation of ‘The Spirit of the Land’. The Kimbolton Arts and Sculpture Charitable Trust offer a New Zealand-wide sculpture award of $5,000 and a Creative Cocky award of $2,000.

Entries are accepted at ruralart.nz.

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

by Anna Harding With a dream to live sustainably and teach others about it, Lisa Isherwood, alongside Bryan Innes and Jo Pearsall, created Awhi Farm in 2010. Translated from Maori, Awhi means to embrace, care for and foster.

Photo credit: Claire Catelan

A

s someone who has always been into gardening organically and sustainability, Lisa said: “I got inspired after I did a permaculture course in 2008. It changed my life. It gave me a new understanding of the environment, a whole new way of looking at life and exciting new ideas.”

“I give my gratitude and thanks to my teachers Bryan Innes and his partner Jo Pearsall. I owe it to them for designing and helping startup this place.”

In 2010 Lisa found ten acres of land to create Awhi Farm on. “It belongs to hapu Ngati Turangitukua and tribe Ngati Tuwharetoa. It’s had a few entities on it, but for 30 years before us, it was vacant. So it was awesome to come here and wake it up.”

The first thing built on Awhi Farm was an oven made out of clay and sand, an ancient cooking method that involves a pit in the ground used to trap heat and cook food. Next was creating a permaculture design over the property, led by Bryan.

“During the visioning of Awhi Farm we got the opportunity to run a community max programme, which is about upskilling local youth and giving them a basic wage. We cleared the land with hand tools. It was amazing, they were the ones who did all the groundwork.”

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and restore the earth. “Permaculture is not just about gardening it’s about living sustainably. It’s about how to get use out of everything and using it to its highest usage.” said Lisa.

Today the land has around 100 fruit trees, extensive gardens that can feed up to 50 people a day, beehives, and a community of family, friends and travellers.

Volunteer travellers from the website, World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or WWOOF, help Lisa out with farm work and school visits, in exchange for food and accommodation. “They have come since the start. The backbone of this place has been the ‘woofing’ network,” said Lisa.

The farm uses solar power and six composting toilets. “I would never have a flush toilet in my house again. I wouldn’t swap it for anything,” said Lisa.

She said they produce valuable organic matter that’s used on their fruit trees, which in turn are all very productive.

“We don’t have smelly toilets or anything like that. We empty them into compost bins and use EM1 (effective microorganisms), from EMNZ. When you put it into your compost bin, over your garden, or in your compost toilet, it invites good bacteria as it has microbes that support organic breakdown. I couldn’t live without it.”

Educating people to live sustainably is one of the most important things to Lisa.

As well as hosting school visits and camps, in 2015 she started working with the local Maori language school, Te Kura kaupapa maori o Whakarewa

Lisa has a passion for educating people to live sustainably and she’s starting with her local school

Lisa’s volunteer backpackers at Awhi Farm, who help out with the day to day running of the place, as well at school visits

Ki Ngati Tuwharetoa, on their gardens.

“It’s been hugely rewarding. A huge investment on their part to trust me to teach the kids.

“They’re very attuned to nature, the children. You help them and show them the way and they get it. It’s a beautiful thing. The school already had a smaller garden and 15 fruit trees before Awhi Farm came. Now there’s 65 fruit trees and around two acres of gardens. “We can feed the school and we can feed the families. It is incredible.”

Lisa is looking forward to the future with the school and plans to plant more

C853

fruit trees and make things like a juice bar and earth oven.

“The focus will be the food chain, learning about food ethics and what it means to have waste.”

She hopes that working with the students will help grow enterprising young people, which will filter out into the rest of the community, creating employment and inspiring people to come together and use school and community land, to grow their own organic food to sell. To help make Lisa’s dream a reality, she runs a Sunday market every summer and uses the website Airbnb to make

an income. “We’re not funded. I’ve been enterprising. Sustainable enterprise.

The whole point is about learning and teaching rather than making money.”

Although Lisa’s unconventional life can come with challenges, she said “I love living this way. I’ve reduced the cost of life. I don’t have a food bill really. I can grow everything I need. I love to be outside with people, working the land and taking care of the land. I get a lot out of it and working with like-minded people. They come my way because they want to experience this way of life. My passion is with my people.”

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FEBRUARY 2018

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

Keeping horse

AND RIDER SAFE

by Ann Morgan Marijke Lindgreen has been riding horses since she was a young girl and with many years’ experience says road users and horse riders can better share the road by understanding the dangers.

H

er comments follow a National Ride for Road Safety event when hundreds of riders across the country joined forces to bring awareness to motorists and cyclists that if they give a two-metre berth, and pass at 20km/h — as they would with a school bus — they could save a life.

“I love riding and my horse is a good friend to me, and as any rider will tell you they become part of your family.

There are many disturbing stories of road safety regarding meeting a horse and rider whilst people are out driving.”

She said drivers at times have driven close enough for her to touch them with her riding whip.

“We enjoy riding our horses as much as other people enjoy their bicycles, vintage cars or motorbikes, but people don’t realise simply slowing down and giving us two metres can save lives, including the people in vehicles.”

A horse can weigh 500kg and a spooked or injured horse can jump through the windscreen or on the roof of a car, and cyclists and motorcyclists are also at risk.

“If you are approaching on a motorbike, in a truck or with a trailer in tow, the noise can spook a horse and it can bolt sideways with fright.

Slowing down gives us a safety barrier to work in.”

A rider will signal for traffic to slow down if necessary for various reasons such as a learner rider being present

THE FUTURE

Planting a billion trees in ten years is a huge challenge.

The government’s aim is long term – for employment and climate change targets decades into the future.

Today’s children will get the rewards when they are grown up.

The new trees could add 500,000 hectares to New Zealand’s established 1.7 million hectares of plantation forests.

That land is our contribution already. We’ll produce 32 million cubic metres of logs for timber this year and we replant the land after we harvest.

We look forward to sharing; with government, iwi and farmers, all of the great future which comes with growing trees.

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES FEBRUARY 2018

She says with more city people relocating to rural areas education of country roads is important.

“Younger people are also learning to ride on country roads as well as drive on them. It is the same when you approach a herd of cattle or sheep being moved on the road. Slow down — all animals can get a fright.”

Knowing a horse rider’s hand signals is very important.

“The signal for you to slow down is the rider extending their arm outstretched with an open hand, palm out and moving their arm up and down.

“If they need you to stop they will show a raised hand out front. This might be because they are training an inexperienced horse in using the road or something has happened.

“To turn right we will point with our right arm outstretched and point left with our left arm outstretched to turn left.”

A horse will hear a vehicle approaching from the rear, but won’t necessarily see it and modern cars such as hybrids are very quiet. Ambient noise like high winds or farm machinery also means the horse might not hear you which could startle it, and it may lurch sideways into your path before the rider can regain control.

“Loud stereos and noisy blow-off valves or exhausts as you accelerate away can also cause a fright. Gently accelerate away once you pass the horse and don’t use your horn.” At a roundabout a horse rider will stay left the whole way around, even though they might be turning right — watch for hand signals.

Marijke says riders need to remember to always wear a helmet and be

courteous on the road. Don’t ride more than two abreast, or on the right of any moving vehicle.

‘If you are leading another animal always keep it on your left away from the traffic, and if at night wear reflective clothing and carry a torch.

“It is courteous to give a friendly wave, smile or nod to motorists when they pass safely. If you face a negative experience refrain from rude gestures or shouting because this can lead to an altercation and startle the animal.

“Be aware of everything going on around you and if riding in a group approach the road single file with the most experienced rider in the lead. Before crossing the road, get your animal’s full attention and cross together when it is safe and then continue with one horse length between each person.”

Mail boxes, flags, or garbage tossed into the ditch could startle animals.

Horses use their ears to focus on sounds and may hear something before you do so stay aware. Engine sounds give clues as to what type of vehicles are approaching and the speeds they may be travelling.

“Always respect private property and ‘No Trespassing’ signs and leave gates the way you found them — open if they are open and close them behind you if you open them to pass through,” she says. Ultimately, if everyone respects each other, rides and drives in a safe manner and pays attention to other road users, we can all enjoy ourselves and certainly have way less unnecessary accidents or incidents.”

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FEBRUARY 2018

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

The return of

a treasure

by Anna Harding

A greenstone adze which was lost on the very day Captain James Cook’s Endeavour sailed New Zealand’s east coast in 1769 has found it’s way back to its owners after being ‘lost’ for 248 years.

I

was present at an emotional ceremony when the greenstone known as Kanohi Pounamu was handed back by members of my extended Wynyard family from Dargaville, Wellsford and Auckland, to the people of Ngati Maru at Kopu in Waikato.

My paternal great-great-grandfather, Monty Wynyard, came into possession of the Kanohi Pounamu sometime before 1953. From Monty the adze and

its history have been passed down, with many failed attempts to find the owners along the way.

A 1953 document by Monty tells the story.

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but treasured heirloom of the tribe, with presumed mythical attributes as attested by its name Kanohi Pounamu — Greenstone Eye,’ he wrote.

Suddenly, the boat builders saw Captain James Cook’s Endeavour sail by and they dropped their tools and headed for the pa to tell others of ‘the largest canoe in the world moving with white wings.’ The craftsman who had the Kanohi Pounamu kept it with him.

Unfortunately, while going up a hill, he fell and dropped it.

When the drama of Cook’s visit died down, the tribe tried to find the Kanohi Pounamu but it had disappeared.

More than a century later a kauri gum digger found the adze, minus its handle and broken on one end, buried about 30 centimetres deep. He gave it to Monty, then a lawyer who acted on behalf of gold mining companies in Thames. The extended Wynyard family became the guardians of the Kanohi Pounamu for around 78 years.

Barbara Gaston, my dad’s cousin, tried to find an owner again last year.

“I remember hearing the story when I was pretty young, around eight or nine — I thought it was a fascinating story” said Barbara.

For my own part, I had heard the story from my grandmother years ago, but it wasn’t until these plans to give it back that I learnt the true significance of it. For me as a family member and descendant of Monty, I felt proud and honoured to be part of this occasion and part of this family. I think Barbara sums it up well by saying “the significance

The Kanohi Pounamu

for Aotearoa is the issue of returning taonga to the rightful heirs.

“Many people have carvings, pounamu, walking sticks and other taonga which probably have much more significance to the iwi they belong to than the people who ‘possess’ them.

“Giving back taonga is an important part of acknowledging the results of colonisation and starting the reversal process by showing respect for the people and culture of pre-Captain Cook times and the Maori culture which is still very much alive today.”

“Of the hand over she said “it was very emotional and special. Something I’ve wanted all my life.” Wati Ngamane,

Monty Wynyard

chairperson of Ngati Maru said “it was magic, really nice to get it back as it was a treasured possession of our ancestors. It was a coming home of something that has been lost,” as he remembers elders speaking of the Kanohi Pounamu in the 1980s.

Even though Monty translated it’s name as ‘Greenstone Eye’, Wati says there is no real English word that encompasses the full meaning. “It doesn’t translate into the spiritual significance.”

He explained the Kanohi Pounamu is different from everyday tools because of its history and how it’s personified.

Not all tools get a name, but once they

do, it places a different significance and meaning on them.

“It has a spirit, a being.”

So after negotiations between Barbara and Wati, I, along with other Monty Wynyard descendants, were welcomed onto the Matai Whetu marae in Kopu. Speeches were made and songs were sung and I could see that Ngati Maru were very appreciative to have their Kanohi Pounamu home.

Two different families and cultures with awe and admiration in common for the sacred stone, both with respect for its mana and seeing finally it come home.

It certainly felt like a long time coming.

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Getting good pasture foundation The farming diary needs to look forward by several months, and it is not too early in fact to plan for next spring and getting the foundations right for a winter feed management programme.

Rural contractors can be a key player in pasture preparation and getting the expert assistance with quality machinery can play a big part in successful planning and preparation. Pasture management for dairying though June, July and August, is about transferring autumn and winter grown pasture into early spring to achieve target average pasture cover (APC) at calving and meet the feed requirements of the milking herd.

DairyNZ’s advice is that this is achieved by lengthening the rotation in late autumn and winter, beyond the time taken to grow three new leaves.

Moist, cool conditions mean tiller death is low. Ryegrass is forgiving of stress, such as severe grazing, except where high soil moisture leads to pugging damage.

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winter to spring and ensure appropriate covers are reached in spring.

Winter is the time of year where grazing below 7 clicks/1,500kg DM/ha does not appear to damage ryegrass growth.

Poor management that will reduce persistence includes pugging, which reduces tiller density and allows weed ingress and reduces subsequent pasture production. Consider standing cows off on races/feed pads.

Grazing at high stock density on wet soils (reduces subsequent pasture production by up to 45% the following year). High farm covers in August (leads to shading and loss of tiller density).

It is important to determine the leaf stage of your own pastures. Leaf appearance rates mainly depend on temperature and water availability with leaves taking longer to appear in colder temperatures, or where water is limited.

Italian or short rotation ryegrasses offer

a pasture renewal opportunity, which can kick-start the milking season, according to research led by AgResearch senior scientist David Stevens and scientist Andrew Wall.

Key findings are that short rotation ryegrasses have greater cool season growth potential than perennial ryegrass.

However, they have shorter lifespans and are less persistent.

Using short rotation ryegrasses as part of a pasture renewal strategy can boost spring pasture production, decreasing reliance on supplements.

Researchers used shorter grazing intervals to maintain pasture quality.

Short rotation ryegrasses have a greater cool season growth potential and have superior dry matter (DM) production over winter and early spring when compared with perennial ryegrass.

Some studies have also indicated that herbage may be of a higher feed value during the winter and early spring period.

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A G R I C U LT U R A L C O N T R A C T O R S

Don’t leave equipment idle There’s often many thousands of dollars tied up in farm machinery, and the days when it could just be parked in the shed until needed are long gone. Farm equipment needs to earn its keep.

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you only respond to ones in the area of your existing services and expertise.

‘Even if the contract is relevant to your business, you should first consider how much preparation will need to go into the application process, and whether your business is able to sustain that effort — especially as winning the contract isn’t guaranteed. ‘Losing a tender can be disappointing, but it can be an

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Many rural contracting enterprises have started over the farm kitchen table and agriculture equipment standing idle is not going to help the bottom line.

Many farmers take the opportunity to undertake contract work to boost their income sources and like any business venture, care is the keyword and the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment has some advice on how to proceed in tendering for contracts.

It says tendering for work can be time-consuming, but it can also lead to substantial rewards.

‘You should think carefully before, during and after the process. Finding the right opportunities, doing the preparation work and being vigorous during the tendering process will increase your chances of winning contracts,’ it says.

Tendering is the process involved in responding to an RFx, a catch-all term meaning Request for information, a quote, a proposal, or tender.

‘An RFx can come in many shapes and forms. If it’s for a small amount of work, it will be fairly straight forward, but applying for larger or long-term contracts will require a significant amount of time, thinking and resources to complete.

‘You’ll need to be strategic when you decide which tenders to respond to.

Going for every RFx you come across is a waste of time and energy. Your probability of success will increase if

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

AgFirst dairy consultant Stacey Belton is making a career in the farming industry by helping others produce well and succeed on their farms.

“I

grew up on the family dairy farm outside of Matamata that was handed down from my grandparents,” said Stacey.

“Most of the farm work I did while at school was relief milking on weekends and summer holidays — a bit during calving. It was until I went to University where you have to do three summers of practical on-farm experience that I learnt the most.”

Stacey was named the Farmax Emerging Rural Professional of the Year and the judges noted that she had an extensive knowledge base of farm management systems.

“I gained a Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours at Lincoln, before joining AgFirst in its Northland office three-and-a-half years ago and have been based at the Waikato office for the past 18 months.

“I really love my job and put a lot of effort into it. I was surprised and delighted to win in the face of a very strong line-up of finalists. It is a really great feeling to be recognised as contributing to the industry.

“As a farm consultant I work specifically with clients in the dairy area and mostly work around a 4-8 week cycle.

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“I go through the current situation on each farm, including feed plans, cow conditions, accessing feed needs or if feed is economic. I plan crop, fertiliser and financial management and cover everything to do with running the farm.”

Some clients just want management help with their stock and grass and others want financial and strategic business plans.

“I still do a lot of training in the nutrient management area especially with the environment management regulations,” says Stacey.

“I chose this career path because halfway through my first year I really enjoyed doing the plant, soil, animal science and farm management. I enjoyed all four subjects and thought with consulting you cover so many topics and it gives me a good range and I wouldn't get bored.

“I contacted Ag First and started going out with them occasionally on their visits to see what the career entailed.

“I enjoy one-on-one consulting and there is scope to get more into project work, farm supervision or the environmental space. There is a great range of choices available for personal development and advancement.

“My ultimate goal would be to have a farm but farm ownership doesn’t appeal to me unless it is our family farm. Whether that is achievable or not is a different story unless I went into equity partnership.

“You need to be in a job where you get significant equity gain but as I am only a few years into my career I don’t have a huge amount behind me yet.

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Stacey gives farmers advice on everything to do with running their individual farm including pasture and feed plans “I relief milk on weekends because I love the practical side of farming life and with my job I treat each farm as though it is my own with the effort that I put in.

“It is a good job and well worth it. There is a lot to know, so the first couple of years was a bit of a shock and I still had training to do. You need the practical experience, it is only now for me that it is starting to come together after threeand-a-half years.

“With winning the award, my project will investigate business models to attract,

train and retain young consultants.

“There is a great satisfaction seeing others get good results and when you personally get something right it is great. We make decisions with our farmer clients on things like moving toward more cows on-farm for more milk production or not.

“Decision making can still come back to the weather and things but getting it right and seeing fantastic results is a cool feeling. It is exciting when you get things really accurate.”

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A passion for olives Nestled in the foothills of the Brynderwyns, near the small town of Mangawhai in Northland, sits the picturesque olive grove, Olives on the Hill, owned by Chris and Linda Smith.

With its Mediterranean climate, the beautiful rural setting is also home to The Grove Supply Co. They provide anything that a small to medium olive grower would need, from harvesting equipment including the fantastic Mambo Karbonium, brilliant deleafers, nets, rakes and bins.

“We have a huge range of fustis and stainless steel tanks, taps, filters, cappers, fruit presses and an amazing olive press/ malaxer combination,” says Linda.

“We also have equipment for orchardists to crush and press other fruits.”

Chris and Linda recently took the opportunity to travel to Italy, visiting Sansone and Zanon, their two main suppliers of plant and machinery. Sansone and Zanon are high-quality brands; and The Grove Supply Co. is the only official distributor of Sansone products in New Zealand.

She reflects that the trip was incredibly successful.

Meeting the people who they do business with face-to-face has enabled strong relationships to be established, that will result in benefits being passed on to customers of The Grove Supply Co. “We’ve managed to negotiate very good deals with both Sansone and Zanon, which will form the basis of a review of all our equipment prices this year. There will be

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some very special deals resulting from the prices that we have negotiated.”

After visiting their Italian suppliers, Linda and Chris moved on to Spain for 10 days, joining an Olives New Zealand tour of olive groves led by its president, Andrew Taylor.

Deeply passionate about New Zealand’s growing olive oil industry, Chris and Linda say the visit to the Spanish groves was very encouraging. “I really believe that the olive industry can compete on the world

stage but we have to compete on quality, producing really top quality oil. I think we can definitely do that,” explains Linda. “We just have to work out the best way to do that for our climate.”

The Grove Supply Co. customers can visit the website — theolivegrove.co.nz.

Chris and Linda welcome customers to call in at their grove where they can chat about olives, taste the oil and view the equipment.

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Reforming conservation law enforcement Department of Conservation staff will be able to issue infringement notices and reduce the number of costly prosecutions under a bill that has passed its first reading in parliament.

“The Conservation (Infringement System) Amendment Bill updates eight separate Acts to allow the Department of Conservation to issue infringement notices, instead of prosecuting for minor offences.” says Minister of Conservation, Eugenie Sage.

The bill was introduced under the previous Government. Currently all conservation offences under the Acts and regulations have to be dealt with either as a formal warning or through the courts.

“Our national parks, public conservation lands, and indigenous plants and wildlife need to be kept safe from illegal human activities, but I don’t want to see people prosecuted and get a criminal conviction for a minor breach of the whitebaiting regulations, or dropping litter in a park.”

Ms Sage said the offences in the current law covered a wide range of offending.

“Someone who fishes in a marine reserve inadvertently, and does not catch any fish or do any harm, may now get an infringement notice. Someone who deliberately flouts the rules, and poaches fish is still likely to end up in court.”

The bill has been drafted so serious offences, such as using a firearm unsafely or harming threatened species, will not be given infringement notices

100 Eugenie Sage, Minister of Conservation

but will be prosecuted. “These changes bring DOC’s powers in line with how lowlevel offences are dealt with in fisheries management, biosecurity, dog control, resource management, traffic and parking. The bill has been referred to

the Environment Select Committee for consideration and public submissions.

“I welcome the unanimous support received in the House and look forward to receiving the Select Committee report in due course,” says Ms Sage.

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Travel Italy in Style The best of

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Bathe in the Mediterranean Sea; visit seaside villages and ancient gardens with stunning views! Meet our friends in Tuscany for lunch on the farm, enjoying their deliciously fresh produce and wines. You will not be bored by lots of facts and figures! No standing in long queues, because we make appointments and book suitable times well ahead. You will be immersed in the daily lives of Italians because you are travelling with an

Italian!! Most tourists do not have this opportunity!!

Accommodation in 4 and 5 star quality small family run hotels for 3 and 4 nights in the historic centres, so you can be immersed in the daily lives of the locals! We will introduce you to our Italian friends who accompany us during parts of our daily programme!! Daily ‘a la carte’ dining in local restaurants, including wine and beverages of your choice.

Entry fees and all tipping included. Your luggage will be handled by porters during your travels with us! You will NOT be coach bound – we only travel short distances – refreshments en route included!

Our regular clients choose to travel with us because “quality is better than quantity”!! They thank us for immersing them in the real culture that the average traveller would never see.

The age group of our ‘discerning’ travellers is generally 40’s to mid 70’s, professional and like minded people – all wanting to experience something new, have fun, relax and travel hassle– free and at a gentle pace!

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(2015) (1,089km's) (200 cc) 1 owner from new. An attractive refurbished bike. New front fender, chain guard, chain case, side covers - $1,595 + GST (2014) (6,090km's) (150 cc) 1 owner. A really good looking refurbished bike. New chain case and side covers. Painted front fender - $1,195 + GST (2014) (2,296km's) (150 cc) 1 owner from new. A great looking refurbished bike.

New tank, chain, chain case, side covers, front carrier and front fender - $1,395 + GST (2013) (1,333km's) (150 cc) A nice looking refurbished bike. New chain, front fender, seat and side covers - $995 + GST Created

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WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES FEBRUARY 2018

DAIRY

Test results flow in Initial results from the first round of milk testing from all producing dairy farms for Mycoplasma bovis indicate eradication of the disease remains a viable option as work to contain it ramps up.

As the first round of the joint industry MPI surveillance programme neared completion, there were no positive detections. Tests have been completed on the tanker milk from 9,100 dairy farms without a positive detection.

“This is a good result and gives us confidence we are on the right track as we hunt down this disease,” says Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister, Damien O’Connor.

“There is still a big job to do to determine the extent of the spread — we have two rounds of discard milk testing to complete. The discard milk comes from animals displaying an illness of some type and may paint a different picture.”

In addition to the milk testing, MPI is working with urgency to build a complete picture of the scale and location of the disease in New Zealand, to fully inform whether eradication from the country is feasible and economically viable.

“MPI’s own tracing programme is a critical part of this. To date a vast web of some 1,500 farms has been connected from animal movements, and more than 85,000 samples from at-risk herds have been tested. Clearly most of these farms have been ruled out from having the disease, but the task is intensive and MPI has accelerated this work through additional laboratory and field capacity.”

This work includes boosting on-farm blood testing teams.

The effort to date has exposed one significant ‘hub’ of infection in Southland. MPI’s tracing programme has been made more difficult by the fact

Damien O’Connor, Agriculture and Biosecurity Minister

there appears to have been significant unrecorded movement of young calves around this hub.

MPI will shortly start a public campaign encouraging farmers to report any at-risk animal movements that are not captured in recording systems such as NAIT. “Despite the complexity, we remain committed to getting rid of Mycoplasma bovis, if at all possible. We know we are up against a hard deadline.

“It is vital farmers who have purchased animals they believe might be at risk, and who have not been contacted by MPI already, get in touch

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“We need this information to locate any infection out there and get rid of it. It is crucial for the future livelihoods of all New Zealand dairy and beef farmers.”

Full information on Mycoplasma bovis and the response is at mpi.govt.nz.

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WHEELS

The legend of bigfoot

by Andy Bryenton

Tough, durable, and right at home on steep slopes and high, rough terrain — that’s the legendary description of bigfoot, the socalled yeti of Tibetan mythology and North American legend. But it’s an apt description for another bigfoot as well — the Kawasaki Mule bigfoot.

From the start, Kawasaki engineers designed their mule range to be tough and hardy, like their namesake.

Simplicity of construction and design means that it’s easy to keep a mule going in harsh conditions, and it spans the sweet spot between power and fuel economy as well.

You can tell that this side by side offroader has been designed by motorcycle

legends. Kawasaki are no strangers to both the road and the dirt on two wheels, and they’ve adapted their engine tech to the task of powering a slower, but more strong and stable working machine. A 400cc overhead valve aircooled engine sits low in the frame for good weight distribution, and draws its air from high up in the tubular roll cage structure, ensuring clean air through

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Simple and tough — the Kawasaki Mule has even been used as a search and rescue vehicle

the motor even in dusty conditions. A simple four-wheel drive system with locking rear differential and a limited slip front does the job in tough terrain, and this is where the bigfoot part of the mule’s name comes in. Literal ‘big feet’ — 12 inch rims with massive, knobbly off-road tyres allow for old fashioned off-roading tricks to be used, adjusting tyre pressure and floating over mud and slush where others would bog in. This wider footprint also prevents wheel ruts on pasture, protecting the substrate beneath as you pass.

Simplicity too, dictates the cargo

space — a tipping deck made of hardwearing diamond plate steel covered in scratch proof textured black paint can accommodate all your tools and hardware on the farm. And when the day is through, the simple and unfussy styling of the Kawasaki means it’s easier to get the mud off with the water blaster.

There may be other machines out there with higher top speeds, larger engines or flashier paint jobs. But the mule — and especially the bigfoot variant — are designed for work rather than show. If that’s what you need on the farm, give them a look this field days in Northland.

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Drought undermines confidence A marked drop in farmer optimism and growing concern about the ability to recruit suitable staff are stand-out features of the Federated Farmers Mid-Season Farm Confidence Survey.

For the first time in two years, farmer optimism has decreased, including negative perceptions of the economy, farm profitability, farm production and farm spending. Farm debt levels have also increased and fewer farms are now debt-free.

The Federated Farmers survey is conducted by Research First twice a year (January and July) and 1,070 farmers responded to the questionnaire last month.

In terms of optimism about general economic conditions, there was a drop of 23 points compared to July last year and a 50 point drop when asked about the 12 months ahead.

“That’s quite a hit, but it needs to be viewed in context,” said Federated Farmers vice-president Andrew Hoggard.

“Pretty much all recent surveys of businesses have found a drop in confidence because of the disruption and uncertainty over October’s general election.

“In mid-January, when our survey was done, farmers in many regions had endured weeks and weeks of little or no rain.”

The survey found that optimism about future farm production fell for the first time since January 2016, with dairy farmers the most pessimistic. Mr Hoggard said it was telling that farmers in all regions expected production to decrease, but particularly those in Taranaki-Manawatu and OtagoSouthland, the two areas most affected by drought.

Just over half of all farms are currently making a profit (53.6 per cent), which is slightly lower than six months ago, but the proportion of farms making a loss has stabilised at 9.3 per cent. Optimism about future profitability has halved over the past six months and pessimistic perceptions have quadrupled.

“Again, some context. Dair y commodity prices were on a downward trajectory for the last half of 2017, and

19

at the time of our survey were only just starting to go the other way,” Mr Hoggard said.

“It was the dairy sector, which suffered the biggest drops in production, farm spending and similar indicators. Meat and fibre farmers weren’t so bad.

“Similar to the July 2017 survey, the greatest concern for farmers was regulation and compliance costs. The dry weather was also on their minds, and worry about climate change policy and Andrew Hoggard, Federated Farmers vice-president the potential for livestock emissions to be included in the ETS the needs of rural New Zealand are showed a marked increase.” very different from what’s going on The ability to recruit staff is becoming in Auckland. increasingly hard — the hardest in the “Biosecurity (21.3 per cent) 18 surveys that have been carried out leapfrogged the economy and business since 2009. environment (16.1 per cent), as “Federated Farmers is trying to head the issue that farmers wanted the this off with initiatives such as our new Government to treat as the number dairy apprenticeship, but this trend is one priority — no doubt a reflection of also a message to politicians that as worries over the spread of the cattle they tinker with immigration settings, disease Mycoplasma bovis.”

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Over 30 Year Experiencs e

Fill and Test Welding Bottles

www.completehydraulics.co.nz PO Box 5686 • 12 Peregrine Place, Frankton, Hamilton PH: 07 847 1514 A/H: 0274 876 475 Fax: 07 847 1521

Oxygen • Argon • Argon Mixes • CO2

Fill and Test LPG Cylinders

• GENERAL REPAIRS • WOF SERVICE • TUNE-UPS • EFI REPAIRS • LUBES SCAN TOOL DIAGNOSIS • AIR CONDITIONING SERVICE & REPAIRS Manager Peter Cranch: 027 442 0219 Phone: (07) 883 8272 Fax: (07) 883 8165 Email: putarurutowing@xtra.co.nz

7-9 Neal St, Putaruru

PHONE 027 278 8442

taupodiggerhire@xtra.co.nz | www.taupodiggerhire.co.nz

• SELF DRIVE (DRY HIRE) • NEW KUBOTA 2.5 tonne ON TRAILER

134 Grey St, Hamilton East • 07 856 7022

WAIHOU EXCAVATION LTD EXPERIENCED OWNER/OPERATOR - FRANK TEAGUE P: 07 873 8900 F: 07 873 8905 M: 027 688 0324 E: shaynek@landmore.co.nz

4 Ranfurly St PO Box 216 Otorohanga 3940 www.landmore.co.nz

Shayne King Manager

DAIRY | WATER | EFFLUENT | MEAL FEEDING | POULTRY

WE SPECIALISE IN SANDBLASTING Farm Machinery, Truck Chassis & Much, Much More!

34 Kohunui St, Ngatea 3503 • Phone: 07 867 7561 Email: ngateapanelbeaters@gmail.com www.ngateapanelbeaters.co.nz

Waikato

WAIKATO TRACTORS LTD • John Metcalfe 07 843 7953 • Ted Murphy 07 889 1505 • Keith Stewart 07 854 4048 • Glenn Greay 027 243 1750 • Neil Lawrence 027 654 0913 www.waikatotractors.co.nz Kahikatea Drive, Hamilton

CLASSIFIEDS

Reach 30,000 Rural Homes

Phone 0800 466 793

6, 13, 16 & 18 Tonne Excavators with tilt bucket & thumb • General Excavation • Site Work and Demolition • Race Preparation • Tractor Hire • Truck Hire • Suppliers of Race Rock

• Trenching • Drain Cleaning • Silage Stacking • Transporter Hire • Roller Hire • Tractor and Scoop Hire

A/H Ph 884 8986 Frank & Shelley • Frank Mobile 027 530 7279

For Sale

Animal Health Products

CONCRETE POST specialist, Posts, Angles, Strainers, Stays, Foot, Buy Direct. Phone 0800 876 844 (0800 TROUGH).

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

CONCRETE TANK Specialist. Water, effluent, septic tanks. Price quoted, delivered to site. Buy Direct.

Phone 0800 876 844 (0800 TROUGH).

Read the paper online farminglifestyles.co.nz

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

20

WAIKATO FARMING LIFESTYLES

FEBRUARY 2018

FREE DELIVERY ORDERS OVER $1000.00

Retailer of Rural Piping and Farm Supplies

0800 RURAL DIRECT

r al l e o m S s s al l e l i o c ilab av a

FEBRUARY 2018

LDPE Water Pipe

Maxi Drain

Punched & Unpunched Drain Coil

110mm OD x 100m 160mm OD x 45m

Rural Nominal Bore Pipe

310 $299 $

HOT DEALS

100m LD 25mm x

MEGA ROLLS AV AVA VAILABLE

165

Drainage Contractors call for a quote

Enviro Culvert Pipe Recycled HDPE Culvert Pipe Diameter

200mm 250mm 315mm 375mm 450mm

.00

$

110mm x 425m & 160mm x 190m

MDPE Pressure Pipe 9 Bar Rural Pressure Pipe

6m Price

Outside diameter

$ per 100m

$ per 200m

$ 95.00 $135.00 $240.00 $305.00 $425.00

25mm 32mm 40mm 50mm 63mm

$127 $159 $216 $325 $495

$248 $310 $421 $634 $965

tt t ings available Joiners and custom fitt

Other pressure ratings also available Suits compression and electrofusion fitt tttings

Effluent Pipe

Drag Hose

8 BAR RAT A ED – SUITS CAMLOCKS AT

$

$ 6.87 per metre $ 8.90 per metre $ 11.68 per metre

75mm 90mm 110mm

90mm

8.90

per metre

LDPE Irrigator Drag Hose Hard-wearing LDPE suits AG camlocks 63mm x 50m 63mm x 100m

Suitable for above ground use.

Av A ailable 50m and 100m

75mm x 50m

199.00 $ 389.00 $ 299.00 $

Maxi Culvert – Tw T inwall Culvert Pipe SIZE NOMINAL ID

6M PRICE

3M PRICE

100mm 150mm 225mm 300mm 375mm 450mm 525mm 600mm 750mm

$ 30 $ 65 $ 159 $ 275 $ 367 $ 525 $ 585 $ 788 $1100

$95 $165 $220 $315 $378 $473 $663

WAIKATO BRANCH

4813 State Highway 29, Hinuera Phone (07) 888 1593 Fax (07) 888 1594 Email matamata@ruraldirect.net.nz

525mm x 6m

$

.00

585

Incorporating the strength of corrugated outer shell with the smooth Mad e in inner wall to optimise hydraulics new Zea land Full range of fittings available Rubber ring seals available for water tight joins Shop Hours:

Weekdays Saturdays

8am - 5pm 9am - 12 noon

100% NZ owned and operated

All items in this advertisement are while stocks last. Phone Rural Direct for conditions of delivery. ALL PRICES INCLUDE GST.