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August 2012 Issue No. 144 Bay of Plenty & Waikato Farm, Orchard & Rural Lifestyle news

Future in good hands New Zealand’s top young growers are from the left back Jos Bell of Nelson who won the Young Fruitgrower of the year title, centre Ben James 2012 Hawke's Bay Young Grower of the year, front left Joel Wanhill 2012 Bay of Plenty Young Fruitgrower and Andrew Scott who won the 2012 Grower of the Year Award.

See story page 8. Photo by Ivor Earp-Jones courtesy HortNZ.

INSIDE THIS MONTH’S ISSUE

August 2012

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August 2012

Beagle’s nose more reliable than my memory I was standing at a carousel in Auckland’s International Airport waiting for my suitcase to swing by when an adorable, lop-eared beagle sat down beside me.

“Do you have fruit in your bag?” his young woman handler asked. The bag was over my shoulder, well above the beagle’s nose, but he was interested.

“There’s no fruit in there but you’re welcome to check,” I said, lowering the bag, with its many idealfor-traveling pockets. The dog gave it an enthusiastic going over and the handler checked it too but no fruit was found.

“Have you had some fruit in there recently?”

I was asked. “No, I don’t think so,” I replied so the handler and one of the best noses for trouble (in the form of biosecurity risks) in the land moved on to sniff out other potential incursions.

I’d been flying for 12 hours so my brain was more than normally foggy but on the road trip home I remembered there had indeed been a pear in my bag. I’d taken it from breakfast at the hotel to eat in the Brussels airport some five days and many thousands of kilometres ago. Despite the time lapse, the beagle had detected the scent of fruit. But I’d completely forgotten it had ever been there and I began to wonder what else I might have neglected to declare or dispose of as I arrived home.

The Ministry for Primary Industries says Australian and New Zealand travellers pose up to nine times less biosecurity risk than travellers from other parts of the world. That’s partly because they are more aware of how vital it is to keep foreign pests and diseases out of our country.

However, despite the best of intension, I wonder how many of us do forget what’s in our bags as we fill in

Regular & Reliable

the arrival forms in a sleepdeprived state of jetlag.

How much faith should we put on travellers’ honesty, memory and good will to help protect our primary industries?

The standard of this country’s biosecurity systems has put HortNZ which represent 6000 growers, at logger heads with Minister for Primary Industries David Carter who has taken exception to the organisation’s on-going criticism of his department. (see story page 3) Dairy, sheep, beef, pig farmers and beekeepers also worry about new pests and diseases which could threaten their livelihood and their industry’s futures and all are anxious to be reassured border controls are stringent.

Our feature story this month is about one of this country’s most devastating biosecurity incursions – the arrival in 2010 of the kiwifruit vine-killing disease Psa-V. Growers like Braden Hungerford (See pages 4) have begun re-establishing their Psa ravaged orchards with the new variety SunGold in the hope that it lives up to its claims of being more tolerant of the disease.

The Bay of Plenty and the New Zealand economy as a whole needs that to be correct as the kiwifruit industry has been a major employer and export earner returning $1.62 billion in 2011/12, second only to the wine industry which is the country’s largest horticultural export earner.

August 2012

COAST & COUNTRY

Page 3

Biosecurity Minister takes exception to HortNZ criticism speech that if New Zealand’s fruit and vegetable growers are `ill-informed’ about bio-security it was because the Ministry for Primary Industries is not keeping them informed about its border protection.

“I was concerned that the minister said growers were ill-informed because if we are then MPI is not telling us all they are doing.”

ports and mail centres too. “There has been a 45 per cent increase in the use of amnesty bins where people are consciously disposing of risk items before they cross the border, following Government’s decision to double the infringement fine to $400.

Major concern

Full baggage screening

HortNZ’s 6000 grower members rank biosecurity as one of their major concerns and want assurances that everything is being done at the borders to stop “That is not a risk that should be taken lightly,” incursions. Confidence has been shaken by among David said during his opening address to the conferothers, the arrival 12-years-ago of the varroa mite ence before an audience of around 450 growers in which attacks bees, the kiwifruit vine-killing disease late July.

Psa-V in 2010 and in May this year the discovery of a In what some conference attendees later described single dead fruit as a ‘grumpy’ address, the Minfly in Auckland. ister roundly criticized articles The cost of the Crossing NZ’s borders: in the July issues of HortNZ’s bio-security $80 billion of imports and exports per year two magazines, The Grower response to 10 million travellers per year and The Orchardist. that insect was 700, 000 shipping containers of cargo per year He said the publications $1.5million.

100,000 items of mail each day Andrew has 10,000 mail biosecurity risks intercepted last year been on the 45 per cent increase in the use of amnesty bins receiving end (Source Ministry for Primary Industries) of a disease which made it into New Zealand. The Te Puke kiwifruit grower has cut out his 4.5ha gold kiwifruit orchard because of Psa and is now re-grafting with a new variety.

He said growers are nervous about new bio-security protocols which allow some passengers ‘direct exit’ from their international flights into New Zealand, a move away from x-raying all Andrew Fenton. luggage, a reduction in sniffer dogs at airports, plus changes to inspections for shipping containers of “clearly have an axe to grind with our household effects. biosecurity system.

“Reporting industry concerns is one Closer communications thing. But filling the pages with every In order to be reassured bio-secunegative angle possible, and affording rity procedures are the best they little response in reply, is unbalanced David Carter. can be, Andrew says growers want reporting of the worst kind.” closer communication with MPI. David agreed biosecurity is a Anonymous letters major concern saying in his speech that the economic The magazines published anonymous letters from front line biosecurity staff expressing concerns at staff prosperity of an island nation like New Zealand depends on biosecurity. “Despite having some of the shortages, reduced use of x-ray machines, the ‘Direct most robust systems in place, and no matter how Exit Policy’ for some airline passengers and the small much we spend, or how many precautions we take, numbers of detector dogs. It also featured comments things can and do get through. from industry leaders voicing their angst about how “The challenge we face is to get the right balance safe New Zealander’s border are. between facilitating tourism and trade while keeping In response the minister defended his department New Zealand safe from pests and diseases.” and the Government.

To do so biosecurity risks were countered at three “This Government takes biosecurity very seriously. levels. Firstly offshore to reduce the risks posed by It is quite simply the greatest risk to our economy. It goods and people before they arrived then at the is, and always will be, my highest priority.” border, and not just through airports but at sea HortNZ president Andrew Fenton said after the

By Elaine Fisher

“We have full baggage screening in place in our airports for all passengers except some New Zealanders and Australians travelling to New Zealand.”

The final level of the system is surveillance and detection.

If an exotic pest or disease is detected – like the Queensland Fruit Fly in Auckland earlier this year, a sophisticated system of response swings into action.

“New Zealand does have the best biosecurity system in the world but it will always need improving because things are always changing.

This Government wants to work with industry to boost biosecurity preparedness and response activities and the Government Industry Agreement initiative is an example of this work,” he said.

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August 2012

New hope for Te Puke orchard Hope has returned to Braden Hungerford’s Te Puke kiwifruit orchard and it came in the form of bundles of plastic-wrapped sticks. Elaine Fisher reports.

In the early days of the spread of the disease Braden was on the receiving end of many calls from upset growers.

“I took a lot of calls from people who did nothing but shout at me – but that was OK because they needed someone to vent to. Later they’d call back and be your friend.”

The disease knocked the confidence out of growers.

“We had been 10 foot tall and bullet proof. We had an apex product (Zespri Gold) and business was good.”

All that changed in November 2010 when Psa-V, a disease which had hit Italian kiwifruit hard, was found in Te Puke.

Those ‘sticks’ were budwood for Zespri’s two new varieties Gold3 and green G14 which Braden, and the wider industry, hope will bring back an income for growers hard hit by the bacterial disease Psa-V. In mid-July a team of workers grafted the new varieties onto root stock in blocks on Braden’s orchard which haven’t produced fruit since 2010.

“By 2014 we should have a good crop,” said Braden, who within two Gold debt weeks of finding Psa-V on his orchard While Hort16A yielded superior cut out 3.5ha of vines and within the returns over green for growers, investmonth the rest of his block was gone.

Richard Sharpe from the UK (left) and Jessa from Canada ing in land, support structures and The first time I met Braden was in licenses to grow the fruit came at a (right) were among the team grafting the new variety 2010, on a day when workers were removing diseased canes and loading Gold3 for orchard owner Braden Hungerford (centre). cost. “Many growers have significant gold debt and they can’t just switch them onto trucks to be destroyed. He to some other crop or land use, or walk away. found it hard to talk about the emotional Before Psa, kiwifruit was one of the few primary impact of what was happening, but had no industries in which you earned enough to pay off doubt it was the right thing to do. a mortgage without relying on capital gain when it “I don’t want to be the one to infect my came time to sell. Hopefully we’ll get back to that neighbours’ orchards and I don’t want to situation again,” says Braden. lose this land because it’s family land.”

For the last two years the Bruno kiwifruit rootstock on the Hungerford orchard has been No crop nurtured in the hope it could one day be grafted Aneta Braden had been involved in the converBajer from with new, more Psa tolerant varieties. sion of the former Hungerford dairy farm the Czech to kiwifruit and 2011 was to be the breakTolerance Republic even year for the investment in Hort16A, “We let the root stock grow a canopy just to keep seals a new but instead there was no crop because the it healthy, and managed any Psa which showed budwood canes were gone. Not only did Braden up.” graft with face the financial and emotional impacts And it did. Even as the new budwood was being of Psa-V on his own orchard, but he also tape to keep helped others going through the same out infection grafted, some of the mature stumps showed signs experience. and help it of discolouring and ooze typical of the disease and others were marked with pink tape to indicate they He took on a role as mentor for other grow. had been infected.

Psa-V affected growers and according However, Bruno, like Hayward green and the two to Kiwifruit Vine Health chief executive, Barry O'Neil, played an important part, thanks to his knowledge as an orchardist and his first- new varieties, show more tolerance to the disease so Braden hopes it will be possible to manage Psa and produce commercial crops. hand experience of the disease.

The first threat to the new vines however, comes not so much from “Braden has an extensive network of relationships within the indusPsa but from slugs and snails. “They love the new shoots and can try and was able to get out and give growers the latest information make quite a mess in just one night.” on how to manage the disease. “Like other KVH staff with Psa on The grafts will be closely watched over the next few weeks but by their orchards, including Terry Richards and Ian Greaves, Braden had September should be in leaf and that’s when the real work begins. real empathy for affected growers.” Braden has now left KVH (the “We will be monitoring the canes closely and applying fertiliser to organisation set up to lead the industry’s recovery from Psa) to take help keep them healthy.” up the role of manager grower services for Western Bay and Waikato with EastPack and Barry says he was sorry to see him go.

Significant contribution

Mike Chapman of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc says Braden has made a significant contribution to the future of the kiwifruit industry through his work with growers and on Psa-V. “Braden played no small part in helping with the industry recovery from Psa thanks to how he related to growers and helped them plan a way forward.”

Mike says it was tough for Braden who was dealing with the disease himself however, crisis often brings out the best in people.

Italy

Braden says New Zealand’s road to recovery from Psa is vastly different from Italy’s. He visited Latina in 2011 and saw growers struggling to continue to produce fruit when adjacent infected orchards had been abandoned.

“You can’t grow successfully with those kinds of infection levels around. Cutting out infected Hort16A this winter to graft to new varieties in New Zealand is the right thing to do. “We are just lucky we have new varieties which are more tolerant to graft over to.”

The kiwifruit industry in Italy is fragmented with no one organisation taking the lead to help green and gold growers recover from the disease. By contrast the New Zealand industry is led by marketer Zespri and industry organisations Kiwifruit Vine Health and New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc. Because it is a significant export earner, the industry also received government support and significant research and development investment from Plant & Food.

It was Plant & Food and Zespri which developed the new varieties Gold3 and G14, however, they were bred before Psa was in this country and while tolerant of the disease, they are not resistant to it. Further research is underway to find varieties which are.

COAST & COUNTRY

August 2012

Page 5

SunGold grafting in full swing More than two million pieces of budwood for the Zespri kiwifruit SunGold will be grafted onto vines this winter in the biggest transition to a new variety the kiwifruit industry has experienced.

Growers have been collecting bags of the budwood from a coolstore in Tauranga and in orchards throughout the Bay of Plenty teams are working to remove existing vines and replace them with the young graft wood.

Zespri General Manager Grower and Government Relations Simon Limmer says sourcing, recording and distributing the budwood for the new gold and green fruit called Gold3 and G14 is a significant logistical operation but so too is grafting it onto vines on 2,274 hectares of orchards.

It is the impact of the bacterial disease Psa-V which has prompted such a huge conversion to new varieties in just one season and 1750 hectares of the hardest hit Hort16A orchards, most of them in Te Puke, are among those to make the change.

“That represents about 65 per cent of the total Hort16A in the industry. We have never seen anything on this scale in this kind of time frame before.” In addition some Hayward green orchards will also convert to new varieties and some orchards are likely to be grafted during the second window of opportunity in November.

Teams of workers have cut back mature canes and in Psa infected orchards, the plant material is buried, (which is Kiwifruit Vine Health’s first recommend way of disposal) or burnt under controlled conditions to avoid spreading the bacteria. The removal of most of the badly infected Hort16A vines from Te Puke is hoped to decrease bacteria inoculum levels in that area.

Collecting enough graft material has been a huge operation and its coming from established new orchards outside the Bay of Plenty.

“Because of Psa we can’t collect budwood from the Bay of Plenty and most of it is coming from orchards in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne with some from the Waikato, Northland and the top of the South Island.

Lisa Ferguson from the budwood collection team grades budwood for packing.

Photos by Tracy Hardy.

Orchardists will need to do all they can to protect their vines and a series of field days are being held by both Zespri and postharvest companies to support growers and outline best practice management procedures. “We are not out of the woods regarding Psa with G3 or with Hayward, which we know is more tolerant that Hort16A but not immune to it,”says Simon.

We are confident we can source enough budwood to meet demand, however, harvesting budwood does come at a cost to growers as it will reduce their crop for next season.” One hectare of established orchard generally yields enough budwood to graft 100 ha of vines and each hectare requires 1000 pieces of budwood or two buds per vine.

Once the budwood was harvested it was sent to a Bay of Plenty coolstore where Zespri staff prepared it for distribution to license holders.

“Every piece of budwood is traceable. We know where it has come from and where it is going.”

The budwood is best used as quickly as possible but because it is kept in a coolstore, it will remain viable at least until November. The new variety SunGold of G3 doesn’t have the distinctive `beak’ of Hort16A, marketed as Zespri Gold and so far has shown more tolerance to Psa-V than Hort16A but Simon says it is still susceptible to the bacteria.

“The most testing time with the juvenile grafted vines will be this spring which is when they will be at most risk of infection and also when they will demonstrate the extent of any infection they may have.”

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August 2012

Red deer returnes to improve Irish bloodline About 160 years ago the first red deer arrived, by sailing ship, in New Zealand.

Last month Tirau veterinarian and deer farmer Ian Scott air freighted a stag and four hinds to Northern Ireland, the first red deer to return to the region in 20 years.

Ian finds it slightly ironic that New Zealand red deer are now in demand in the part of the world where their ancestors originated, but in the century and a half since they’ve been ‘down under’ their blood lines have dramatically improved.

That’s largely due to intensive deer farming and Ian was there almost from the start.

“As a young vet graduate, I used to fix up animals which had been captured live by helicopter operators and after a while got involved in live capture myself, working with net guns and tranquilisers.”

Feral deer

The first deer Ian owned in 1978 were livecaptured but those which now graze on the Scott family’s Oraka Wapiti Deer Park are very different from those original feral animals.

It’s the genetics Ian has developed which mean his

Breeding hinds at Oraka Wapiti Deer Park.

Right: Oraka Wapiti Deer Park animals grow up to 1.4 tonne of velvet each year.

animals are in demand. The young stag he exported to Ballyedmond Castle Farms, a large Irish country estate, grew a remarkable set of antlers as a spiker and shows promise of an even larger head as it matures, which was why the buyers wanted it. The hinds that accompanied the stag were all artificially inseminated with semen from top performing sire stags and will improve the genetic base of the existing breeding herd in Ireland.

Shipping the animals was a complex logistical operation that began with keeping the deer in isolation for 60 days and carrying out an extensive range of tests to ensure they were free of disease. They flew with Air New Zealand, via Los Angeles, and according to Ian probably had more room than many of the upstairs human passengers on the plane, but then their tickets did cost a total of $39,000.

Ian breeds both wapiti and red deer, concentrating mainly on velvet and meat production, but also raising stags for their trophy heads.

“At first we thought animals which produced great velvet heads would also grow excellent trophies, but that’s not the case. With velvet you don’t want multiple tines, but heavy growth in the main beam of the antler itself.”

Trophy heads

However, some of his best sire and velvet stags do produce impressive heads. No. 374, the father of the stag which went to Ireland, ended his days on a safari park where he returned $50,000 as a trophy for an American hunter, but not before an extensive bank of his semen was retained.

Last year another stag entered the record books as a world record for a bow shot red deer.

Air travel

Ian says the animals arrived safely, which is more than can be said for those original imports which made the arduous journey here by sailing ship in the 1800s.

It’s not the first time Ian has airfreighted deer overseas. Twenty-one years ago he was involved with deer industry and aviation pioneer Sir Tim Wallis in the export of 400 deer to Ireland in a DC8 chartered for the purpose and 1000 deer at a time to Canada in 747s.

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All attitude – one of the stags on Oraka Wapiti Deer Park.

Oraka Wapiti Deer Park produces between 1.3 to 1.4 tonnes of velvet a year, out of a national total of 440 tonnes.

Ian was among the

COAST & COUNTRY

August 2012

Page 7

Artificial insemination and embryo transplant lift genetic gain effectively as they have different grazing habits,” says Ian. Tourism is another aspect of the family

venture with Linda Scott running a homestay and garden/deer tours while Ian conducts educational farm tours.

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COAST & COUNTRY

August 2012

Industry’s future in good young hands The future of New Zealand’s fruit and vegetable industries is in good hands if the four finalist in the 2012 Young Grower of the Year competition are representative of the caliber of the next generation of growers.

The four young men who pitted themselves against each other and gave speeches to more than 400 growers during the two day HortNZ Conference in July each showed they have a bright

future in an industry which values and fosters young talent.

It was Andrew Scott (29) from Ashburton who won the 2012 Grower of the Year Award, with Jos Bell of Nelson taking the Young Fruitgrower of the year title. The Bay of Plenty’s Young Fruitgrower for 2012, Joel Wanhill (24) of Te Puke was runner-up in several sections of the competition and 2012 Hawke's Bay Young Grower Ben James (28) also performed well.

Over two days the young growers were tested on their knowledge of plants, horticultural inputs, management and

Ben James works for Mr Apple in Hastings. His role practical skills. They were asked to demonstrate their innovation skills by developing proposals for new prod- includes managing the day to day tasks of fruit growing on the apple orchard including spraying, pruning, ucts of value to their industries and their leadership grafting, harvest, frost protection and general up keep skills were tested too. of the property, repairs and maintenance of machinery.

Finally each gave a speech to the conference’s dinner Ben is currently studying towards his National Certifiguests before the winners were announced. cate in Horticulture.

The competition is designed not only to find the industry’s top young talent but to give those people the chance for significant personal development and to network with industry leaders. The four finalists are chosen from similar regional competitions.

Andrew Scott (29) Andrew Scott is the operations manager for from Ashburton Ross Hewson in Pendarves,Mid-Canterbury where he has worked for 11 years. Andrew is won the 2012 involved with growing potatoes, onions, and Grower of the Year other seed and arable crops. In total with his Award announced own 200 ha block he manages 1800 ha. at the HortNZ He is member of the Young Farmer club conference in and has been a regional finalist in the Young Auckland.

Farmer Competition.

Jos Bell works for Hoddys Orchards, a family owned integrated pipfruit operation on the Waimea Plains. He has been with Hoddys for eight years, splitting his time between the orchard in the off season and the packhouse during harvest. He is a jack of all trades and can turn his hand to most things.

He is committed to the horticultural industry and says his primary focus is quality. Jos enjoys golf, hunting and sailing.

Joel Wanhill (24) is in the business of growing kiwifruit and works for Ken and Helen Edkins who own kiwifruit orchards in the Te Puke region. He has been an employee with them for just over a year as an orchard worker doing general orchard tasks from vine work, tractor work, spraying and supervising staff. He has been in the kiwifruit industry for six years. Joel enjoys the outdoor working environment along with the challenges and rewards that come with growing a crop. He is currently studying a certificate in horticulture at the Bay of Plenty Polytech to gain the skills he needs to move into a management role.

FINANCE

August 2012

Page 9

Gold crop, returns up last season In an ironic twist, production of gold kiwifruit increased by eight per cent last season, despite the severe impact of the vine disease Psa-V.

reported net profit has risen to $20.5 million. The increase was partly due to accounting issues around the timing of the industry funding for Kiwifruit Vine Health, the organisation set up in response to Psa. A final dividend of

eight cents per share will be paid in August.John said the current selling season was again marred by on-going global economic instability resulting in weaker general consumer demand, and the high New Zealand dollar.

By Elaine Fisher

st sea son .

ri sp Ze

and disciplined quality execution, aided by a strong storing year, resulted in global revenue increasing by 7.2 per cent, or by over $100 million, to $1.62 billion in 2011/12.

“As a result, fruit and service payments to growers were up 11 per cent, from Zespri chairman John Loughlin $883 million in 2010/11 to $980 told growers at the agm in July million last season.” that the gold crop was up by 38 By category, lower per trays per cent and was met by an returns for green were offset by increased demand across all higher orchard yields, meanmarkets. ing per hectare returns for “This meant while per growers were slightly higher tray returns were down by this year. For organic grow$1.23, per hectare returns ers the higher yields only increased by 9 per cent,” partially offset lower per he said. tray returns resulting in a However, many growers reduced per hectare return. in the Te Puke received “I recognise that average no income from gold fruit per tray returns of $3.80, or after they removed their $3.66 on a 10-year average infected vines. The industry foreign exchange-adjusted is now bracing itself for a basis, puts a number of green sharp decline in gold fruit this growers under significant coming season as 1750 hectares financial pressure. Delivering of Hort16A convert to new Go varieties. la on a strategy for improved green ld p u returns is a priority for the board and k iw The 2011/2012 selling season had ere Zespri executive.” After a sharp fall in ifruit returns w been one of Zespri’s most challenging.

Zespri’s net profit in 2010/11 to $7.5 million, “The strong sales and marketing performance,

What happens when companies go ‘bad’ and the receivers arrive Companies are a great ownership structure for farms and farmers. It is all in together with shares held and traded by various stakeholders.

But the rub comes when the bank decides to foreclose. Recently I was out assisting some farmers who had all their assets in a company. The bank has been annoying them for some considerable time but clearly had lost patience and decided to act.

As I drove out the gate the receivers drove in. More than that, they had a farm consultant with them to cover off animal welfare and stock health issues. The farm had a herd of winter milkers and was integrated with the neighbour so the impact will be huge.

The difference between a farming company structure and a partnership or trust is at least you know what and when will happen.

With a partnership or trust, the bank will serve notice that they are going to call up the mortgage as compared to company, where a receiver walks in unannounced.

Now, I am sure there has been plenty of notice given in the past with regard to the example company, but there is a difference and it is not too subtle.

Once the receiver is in you have no say, no control, nothing! All your assets are frozen as are all your company accounts. The receiver is in control and the bank interest stops accruing.

You are given a specific time to remedy otherwise the receiver will sell the farm as he sees best. Receivers are often not that understanding of farming and its complexities and issues will inevitably arise.

This story is not saying companies are a bad thing,

it is just highlighting what can happen when “the balloon goes up” so to speak.

Whenever possible, avoid giving any type of security which provides for the appointment of a receiver in the case of default.

If you have a farming company and the bank is making noises, heed them and take action before they take control and effect their action on your business. Receiverships bring a feeling of incredible powerlessness.

These are the opinions of Don Fraser of Fraser Farm Finance. Any decisions made should not be based on this article alone and appropriate professional assistance should be sought Don Fraser is the Principal of Fraser Farm Finance and a consultant to the Farming Industry. Contact him on 021 777 675.

Te Kuiti/Otorohanga Te Awamutu

Cambridge

WE ARE HERE! Ohaupo Hamilton

DAIRY

Page 10

Worthwhile investment

There are many benefits to be gained from protecting and managing farm waterways and time and resources put into it should be considered an investment, not a cost.

The investment creates direct benefits for the farm, for the waterways and for the broader environment as shown in the accompanying table.

Waterways include rivers, streams, creeks, drains, ponds, swamps and wetlands that go through or border the farm – basically anywhere that natural water runs or ponds. The area beside waterways that forms the connection between water and land is the riparian or waterway margin. The waterway (or riparian) margin is an important buffer between activities on farm land and the natural waterway.

Managing Waterways articles in upcoming issues of Coast & Country will provide practical, how-to advice for planning and getting started, fencing, planting and

Benefits for …

Action Steps

August 2012

… the farm

… water quality

… the broader environment

• Contributes to stock security and health • Can improve stock control and grazing management • Slows down the build-up of silt and cuts drain maintenance • Contributes to bank stability

• Reduces faecal bacteria entering waterway • Reduces phosphorus levels • Reduces sediment inputs • Eliminates stock induced erosion

• Less health risk for adults and children swimming or playing in the stream • Water generally looks cleaner • Improves habitat for fish and other freshwater life

Low Planting Grassy margins, flaxes, sedges, etc

• Further improves bank stability reducing channel maintenance costs

• Further reduction in faecal bacteria • Filters phosphorus and sediment from runoff

• Better habitat for fish and other freshwater life

Full Planting Riparian planting and re-vegetation

• Further contribution to bank stability • Reaches with good shade will grow less weeds, so need less weed control • Shade and shelter for stock contribute to their health and production • Provides an attractive asset for the farm landscape

• Adds to the benefits noted for low planting • Shading keeps the water cooler

• Further improves habitat for fish and aquatic life (e.g. provided by leaf litter, shade, shelter and temperature moderation) • Provides habitat for native insects, birds and plants • Shade reduces growth of nuisance plants and algae

• Slows flow of water off the land during flooding • Releases water in dry periods helping to maintain flow in waterways • Can improve stock safety and make grazing management easier • Enhances aesthetic quality of the farm

• Captures sediment and phosphorus • Removes nitrogen from resurfacing groundwater

• Saves unique features of the landscape • Habitat for fish, birds and native plants • Creates recreational opportunities (e.g. duck shooting)

Constructing and maintaining drains

• Helps channel surface runoff (and pollutants) from paddocks • Reduces flooding and lowers the water table

• Reduces sediment inputs • Reduces animal dung and urine deposits into the stream • Improves water quality

• Can provide habitat for endangered wetland species (e.g. eel, trout, whitebait and water birds)

Putting in sediment traps

• Limits downstream movement of gravel, sand and course silt • Helps maintain channel capacity • Reduces need for more extensive waterway clearing • Cuts excavation costs

• Reduces re-suspension of sediment and any contaminants in it

• Protects habitat for fish and other freshwater life • Helps minimise removal of invertebrates, fish, eels and crayfish from the channel

Fencing Waterways

Protecting wetlands

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re-vegetation, controlling weeds and pests, protecting wetlands, and constructing drains and sediment traps.

If you want to get into it now, this information is all summarised in a series of DairyNZ Farmfacts. You can check them out at www.dairynz.co.nz. Find Farmfacts on the home page, then go to Environment and Managing Waterways.

While the Farmfacts have been

prepared to assist dairy farmers, the information is equally relevant for sheep, beef and deer farms – for any rural property, really, with a waterway on or adjacent to it.

Horizons Regional Council and a dozen keen and experienced dairy farmers assisted DairyNZ in developing this information – their support is appreciated.

Dairy Price recovery predicted for 2013 • We have built hundreds of high producing sheds • Completed to your requirements and budget • Innovation, workmanship and experience Ph Jim 07-850 5971 Mob. 0274 936 693 Ph Chris 07-849 3630 Mob. 0274 936 692 0800 P.O. Box 10 188, Te Rapa, Hamilton

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Favourable weather conditions kept milk production strong through to season’s end, with supply up 12 per cent up year on year in the three months to May according to the latest Rabobank Global Dairy Quarterly report.

Dairy commodity prices fell through April and May before a small

rally in June brought a 14-month bear market to at least a temporary end. Prices were pushed down by exceptional supply growth in export regions, which generated more product than could be soaked up amidst weak demand in western markets and only modest growth in import buying from emerging markets. A small ‘realisation’ rally followed in June, as stock accumulation through the Northern Hemisphere peak proved lower than feared, and buyers moved to cover short-term needs.

Supply growth is expected to lose momentum as farmers see further reduction in milk prices and as weather normalises.

Demand will remain lacklustre in the face of a weak global economy, slowing the pace of price recovery, even given relatively limited excess stocks to work through. The market looks most likely headed for stable pricing through the third quarter, yielding to a slow squeeze in fourth, with the price recovery gaining legs in early 2013.

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PITGATES

DAIRY

August 2012

Page 11

Growing more with less fertiliser nitrogen What if the increasing quantity of nitrogen fertiliser being applied is resulting in declining pasture production?

Generally since the 1960’s an increase in pasture growth has been achieved by increasing the levels of all the major growth nutrients.

Not applying fertiliser will result in low fertility plant species again dominating pastures with maximum pasture production of around 10 tonne/ha annually.

In the early 1980’s, some 30 years ago, MAF recorded annual growth rates for pastures in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Manawatu were as high as 18.5 tonne, without the use of fertiliser nitrogen, about 20 per cent more than is grown now with 200kgN/ ha, and more.

Our farming survival depends on growing low cost high quality pasture. Bought in feed can seldom be shown to be profitable, it is pasture and pasture alone that turns a profit particularly when returns

from the market are declining.

Lower interest rates and fuel costs over the next few years will help, but it is only by growing more pasture at a lower cost that we can retain our much loved family farms, supported by strong, stable and vibrant rural communities.

And growing more at a lower cost is being achieved by an increasing number of farmers and growers

prepared to observe carefully, trust their own judgement, make their own decisions and learn from the results. Pasture production measured at the Berryman property at Otakiri near Edgecumbe was 18.28 tonne for the 12 months ending April 30, little different to the 18.42 tonne recorded for the previous twelve months, with minimal fertiliser nitrogen input.

Milk solid production for this last season was 94,000kg from an estimated grazing area of 70ha. Per cow production (herd test figures)

of 550kg MS/cow was recorded with an 8 per cent MT rate. Much of the success of the enterprise is due to an excellent plan, astute daily management, and many years of successful selective breeding.

To steadily increase pasture growth over time requires an understanding of the nutrient requirement of clovers. The major nutrient inputs at the Berryman farm are based on the conventional model for dairying, however the nitrogen required for the high levels of pasture produced comes direct from the soil.

DoloZest is applied in autumn and CalciZest in spring to ensure the two other aspects of soil fertility, physical structures and biological activity, are as close to ideal as possible at all times and with a steady increase in humus, there is the potential to produce more every year.

With big leafed long stemmed clover growing throughout the season a high level of milk solids is a given with sufficient nitrogen fixed for strong growth in early

spring and late autumn.

Pasture renewal is only required for areas damaged during wet spells and although the occasional grass grub and black beetle is seen there is no requirement for costly intervention.

Will we look back on the era of high nitrogen fertiliser inputs and ask, “How did we ever get involved in that?”

Milking can be painful for heifers Heifers are calving, and it can be a stressful time for both animals and staff.

It can be a challenge for milk harvesters who have not handled heifers before and have to remember how sore a hard stretched udder can be, and how even basic handling can cause pain, never mind putting on teat cups.

It’s disappointing to learn about the high number of heifers calving with mastitis each season, and over the years this has clearly got worse - with some farms today having up to 50 per cent of their heifers with mastitis.

It’s something few want to make public. Nobody seems to know why, although there’s plenty of speculation.It never was a problem in past decades but then so much has changed. The current recommendation is to treat heifers with antibiotics or teat seal (or both) before calv-

ing, along with teat spraying three times a week. This is all extra cost and hassle which both farmers and heifers could well do without, and it’s certainly not developing a long-term sustainable solution.

Asking why things have got worse leads to considering the heifer’s immune system, and especially its development from the calf stage up to 10 months of age. After this, little can be done, other than to boost the animal’s (genetic) immune system set by the rearing environment. Farmers drenching their heifers with Oral Mineral Supplement (OMS) from Wormade Ltd as part of the Mastade Nutritional Supplement Plan, two to four weeks before calving have found that this provides a very helpful nutritional supplement, which boosts the immune system and can cut mastitis incidence down to very low levels.

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DAIRY

Page 12

August 2012

Researcher studied soils where plants thrived world wide Dr Peter Lester, the man who pioneered the philosophy of 'coordinated soil, plant and animal nutrition' in New Zealand will, for the first time, be holding a series of seminars throughout New Zealand.

At the age of 73, Peter from Quantum Laboratory should be retired, but instead he is working

harder than ever developing and finalising more revolutionary tools to assist farmers, including the 'Agfeed' programme and the cropsensitive soils programme. Both of these farm health and nutrition programms are the result of more than 20 years comprehensive development, and like his previous projects, they're all 'world firsts.'

The next day-long seminar by Peter will be on October 24 at Mystery Creek.

Peter’s career started in the 60s

when he was working as operations manager for a crop dusting firm.

He travelled to the United States and studied under the famous Dr William A Albrecht – 'the father of soil fertility research'.

Six years later, Peter returned to New Zealand and set up Quantum Laboratory Ltd which soon became quarantine certified and he worked closely with DSIR (Department of Science and Industrial Research).

Peter did something simplistically vital to unlock the secrets to com-

bined soil, plant and animal nutrition.

He gathered more than 470 soil samples Before – Ragwort infestation. from all over the world from species of grasses, plants and trees in their most natural native state; wherever possible from places where man had not interfered.

He then analysed the soil composition and ratios of the 17 vital trace elements and major elements within the soil where each species was growing so prolifically.

If these, plants and trees grow like weeds in the wild, defending themselves from predators and disease for 1000s of years, then the soil is obviously perfectly suited for that specimen. These soil compositions are the benchmarks set by nature and are the fundamental and essential templates used by Quantum Laboratories today for complete soil nutrition on your farm. After: One year later - No herbicides were used but The results of these farmers applied fertiliser to Quantum Laboratory templates being applied recommendations within their normal fertiliser to farms and many budget. Production is also 59.7 per cent. claim the results have been nothing short of one drop of herbicide applied. Says remarkable. The 17 element counterPeter "Californian Thistle and Ragwort poise fertile soil has not only proven to infestations are a sure sign of infertile soil drastically improve the health of crops with its nutrients out of whack. These and pasture but also the health of stock sick soils are the only reason these weeds that graze off these pastures, creating an thrive." all over healthier farm with a resistance Peter describes soil fertility like baking a to disease. cake. "Just because you only need a small Customers of Quantum Laboratories amount of an ingredient, doesn't mean have reported large reductions or in it's not important. You imagine making a many cases complete annihilation of a loaf of bread with the two smallest quanhuge range of problems on their farms tity ingredients removed - salt and yeast. including, grass grub, facial eczema, fly The result is a revolting brick. You'd be strike, mastitis, aphid infestation, fungal lucky if starving birds would eat it." disease and reproduction issues includBut Peter also discovered that all 17 eleing prolapse uterus - the list goes on and ments can be present and still have soils on. Most of these same farmers have also with low productivity. This is because reported increased fertility, increased ratios play such an important role. Once growth in pasture, stock and produce, again like the loaf of bread, this time salt and vastly improved drought resistance and yeast are present but with too little and better drainage. or too much, the end result is the same But the results which have really got - hard to stomach. The soil is the plants people talking are the eradication of Cali- stomach, a point that Peter has been fornian Thistle and ragwort, by changing preaching for 50 years.

By Doug Raikes the composition of the soil and without

Institutes help Kidney Kids The Federation of Women’s Institutes countrywide are fundraising for Kidney Kids New Zealand, which supports children with kidney problems and their families.

The institutes’ aim is to equip the new haemodialysis unit at Starship Children’s Hospital for all New Zealand children.

There are currently more than 1500 ‘kidney kids’ and over a dozen of them throughout New Zealand are on haemodialysis, which means they need a transplant. In 2010 there were only four transplants carried out due to the lack of donor kidneys.

All children on haemodialysis must travel to Auckland from wherever they live in New Zealand and all transplants for children are conducted in Auckland, where the only children's nephrologists practice.

For more information about Kidney Kids NZ Inc go to http://www.kidneykids.org. nz/ or to learn more about The Federation of Women’s Institutes go to www.wi.org.nz

DAIRY

August 2012

Page 13

Drench families in New Zealand It’s the active ingredients which count

When it comes to dairy cattle, there are three main types, or families, of worm drenches that are used in New Zealand.

It is useful to be familiar with the active ingredients rather than just trade names, as trade names often give no indication which family the product belongs to. Endectocides (Macrocyclic Lactones, ML’s or Mectins);

cattle, so endectocides on their own are still control both internal parasites (worms) and useful in adult cattle. external parasites (lice); includes abamectin, In general terms, the two main types of ivermectin, moxidectin, doramectin and worm treatments used on dairy farms are: eprinomectin and are available as pour-on’s Replacement Stock and injectaDrenching; because of bles. White the Cooperia issue, any Drenches drenching programme (BZ’s or benafter weaning should rely zimidazoles); heavily on combination control only with Ravensdown Vet Gavin Goble BVSc MRCVS products that contain worms and are levamisole (still very generally oral drenches. effective against Cooperia).

This means Levamisole; controls ideally a combination oral drench (eg worms only and are availBZ/Levamisole) or else a combination able as oral and pour-on. pour-on (Abamectin/Levamisole).

Because of widespread Adult Cow Drenching; commonlyresistance to the white practised timing of treatment varies drenches and levamisole, these widely from late lactation, through the two types should generally only dry period to early lactation. be used in combination. There Products used are generally singleis also widespread resistance in a active endectocide pour-on’s because particular worm called Cooperia to most have nil milk with holding the endectocides, but this parasite periods (WHPs) and some also have is mainly only an issue in young

vet’s view

Covered feed-pads a positive for farm profitability Properly designed and managed covered feed-pads have a significantly positive effect on dairy farm profitability.

That’s due to enhanced feed conversion efficiency and cow performance, improved animal health and welfare, increased pasture production, decreased pasture or soil damage, improved water use, and decreased environmental impact of the dairy system.

Aztech Dairy Housing Systems (by Aztech Buildings), consult with dairy farmers to develop the right layout for stand-off areas, feed-pads, loafing areas and free-stall barns to cater to the herd’s specific requirements. As specialists in dairy housing, Aztech is working on a variety of projects including innovative

Where cows like to be – the Aztech covered feed pad at Smiley Farms is popular with both the farm owners and the animals.

feed-pad covers to dairy goat barns to New Zealand’s latest dairy stand-off barn for Bruce Woods of Edgecumbe, (where Aztech was awarded the tendered contract through Opus Consultants).

Well designed and managed cow housing by Aztech has been demonstrated to be more cow friendly than pasture alone. Combining both pasture grazing and Aztech Dairy housing offers the opportunity to enhance the dairy system and improve productivity without compromising the welfare of cows, people or the environment. Even the cows love the design.

One happy Aztech covered feed-pad owner (Smiley Farms) comments; “It is pleasing to see that our herd has no hesitation to get to the shade and cooler temperature of the permanent roof structure”.

nil meat WHPs (when used in late pregnancy, meat WHPs also apply to the bobby calves).

They are also generally very effective against lice as well. Milk production responses from post-calving drenches are common but some worry about the sustainability of this practice.

If you are considering drenching cows, a more sustainable approach may be to treat only the ‘at-risk’ cows (ie the ones that need it the most) eg thin, old and young cows, and cows that have had previous health issues or are high producing and/or stressed.

CALVING

Page 14

August 2012

Children compete One of the largest events of its kind in the country, if not the world, will be held in Hamilton in October when the Waikato A&P Show again hosts the Waikato King Country Boys and Girls Agricultural Competitions.

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More than 400 entrants are expected to compete in calf, lamb and kid goat events on Friday October 26, says Waikato A&P Show manager Jim Keyte.

“The show is open to children from throughout the region and most have already taken part and won ribbons in group days in their own regions. However, it is not necessary to have done so to enter our event,” says Jim. Waikato A&P Show president Noel Smith, himself a former calf club entrant, says the Waikato competitions continue to be an important part of both show and rural life.

Rearing and training animals teaches children not only how to care for them, but also personal skills such as responsibility and Noel says for many children it is a step towards a career or life-long interest in agriculture.

This year the ribbons the children win will be even more special as the Waikato A&P Show is hosting New Zealand’s Royal Show for the second year in a row. The Royal Show ribbons are coveted by not only boys and girls but also adults taking part in the three day show.

The annual boys and girls agricultural competition and the A&P Show at the Claudelands Showgrounds in Hamilton are also a chance for city children to

experience a taste of rural life.

For the second time, the show will hold its Farm School programme, offering Hamilton-based primary and intermediate school children the opportunity to interact with the rural community through a structured, guided programme held on the Friday.

Show secretary Trish Lloyd says the first Farm School held last year was highly successful.

“Each student receives a 20 page interactive book which focuses on the livestock and rural section featured at the show and last year the children just loved the experience.” The book includes a map of the Animal Walk, developed to lead children on an easyto-follow walk of discovery through the show’s animal attractions. Included on the Animal Walk is the Children’s Farmyard, where they can have a close encounter with some of the cuddliest goats, piglets and lambs.

While on the walk the children use their activity book and receive stamps as they visit each attraction.

The programme is supported by an educational supplement to be used by teachers for classroom activities after the event.

“The end result is that we expose young Hamilton children to rural and farming lifestyles and allow them, for a short time, to live and breathe life on the farm with access to real animals, shearing and machinery demonstrations, tours through the animal pens and a chance to talk to farmers about what they do.

“Within the greater Hamilton area there are an estimated 16,000 school children in Years One to Eight and we hope to reach some of them each year,” says Jim.

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Gary Wilson is flat out building calf feeders as demand continues to increase for the innovative product designed by Whakatane based Wilco Engineering.

“We produce hay and meal feeders that help make farmers’ lives easier,” says Gary who is Wilco’s manager.

“We have feeders on skids and wheels that we’ve designed after raising calves ourselves for some years.

“Farmers like our products because they are quick and easy to use and farmers can use them for hay or meal. People seem to

like the fact that we raise calves ourselves and build calf feeders for people just like us.

“We’ve been going to the National Agriculture Fieldays for four years now and each year we get more orders than the last.

Many of the people we’ve sold to in the past come back for more, so that just says a lot about how good our products are.

“We used to raise 350 calves per year ourselves between June and December. From that experience we designed the Premiere Calf Rearing Aids. They are hay and meal feeders with the latest innovation being a lightweight removable meal bin.

Because if you buy a hay feeder you can buy one or two bins and put in hay feeders which makes them more multi-purpose,” says Gary.

The bins vary in size from small to large and Wilco Engineering is also building calf trailers for ATVs.

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CALVING

August 2012

Page 15

Rumen development vital for healthy calves - Part two The faster you get calves adapted to digest plant cell walls, the better (and the cheaper).

Calves should have access to clean water. Their water requirement will increase with the amount of dry feed in their diet. The availability of water has a significant impact on liveweight gain.

By Charlotte Glass

Signs of ill-health

This means that you need to develop their rumen as much as possible so that they have a smooth transition from milk to pasture. Milk causes no rumen development at all because it by-passes the rumen and goes straight to the fourth stomach (abomasum - similar to a human stomach) – as an interesting aside… calves suckling and wiggling their tails madly is a good indicator that the oesophageal groove (channel that forms to directs the milk to the right stomach) is in fact operating.

The concentrates (barley/maize) in calf meals assist in rumen development to a greater extent than grass, straw or hay do. This is because the products of their fermentation in the rumen vary in proportion with these different feeds – and some fermentation products are more effective at developing the projections on the rumen wall (papillae) that absorb nutrients. There is also some evidence that those products that you add into the meal to stop coccidiosis.

The better developed are those papillae then the more surface area there will be in the rumen to absorb all the “goodies” and nourish the calf.

You should introduce meal early (in the second week of life) to encourage calves to eat it - good quality hay is also good to strengthen the rumen muscles and aid papillae growth (Lucerne hay is a good option).

Good grass

Some people have calves on grass while they are still fed milk. This will also provide some transition (regardless of whether you feed meal) – but if you have big strong calves fed only milk and then you wean them on to grass (with or without meal) – expect a check in their growth. Those calves will have to deal with harsher climate, new stressors and won’t be equipped with a working rumen immediately. Rumen development (with or without meal) is integral to the continued growth of calves post weaning.

When you do wean calves make sure they are grazing on high quality pasture – they still have a high energy requirement and need to be gaining weight (especially if you want the best production out of your future dairy herd replacements). Too often calves are weaned and spend the summer on dry, tough old pasture that isn’t “good enough for the milkers” – remember, calves need good quality pasture too.

tantly, prepare well and react quickly.

Summary of the integral components of rearing calves: 1. Transport from paddock to shed 2. Adequate colostrum 3. Calf shed environment 4. Quality feed

5. Rumen development 6. Adequate water 7. Good people who can identify a sick animal 8. Know what your system is costing you – it is all part of a larger business!.

Observation is the key to detecting sick calves early. Make sure you have a thermometer in your kit to check out if a scouring calf has an infection or just over indulged at breakfast.

As a general rule, calves will have a normal body temperature with a nutritional o scour (38-39.5 C). Calves affected with a viral or bacterial infection will always show a fever above 39.5 – 42oC. Look out for calves that have droopy ears, dull, sunken or overly teary eyes, or abnormal posture (this includes those that won’t stand up).

Calf rearers have identified scours as the biggest problem they had when rearing calves. Diarrhoea results in a loss of water, salts (electrolytes) and energy from the calf. A scouring calf urgently requires water and electrolytes to correct imbalances and must also have a source of energy. Most commercially available electrolyte products are suitable for feeding with milk (but check the packet label just in case – there is a chance that if fed in conjunction with milk it will upset the “milk clotting” required for the calf to digest the milk. Home- made electrolyte mixtures are often used however ensure that you have the recipe correct – it can be dangerous to get salt concentrations out of balance – consult with your vet if you have concerns.

Internal Parasites

Once calves are grazing they will be burdened with internal parasites that live as eggs in the pasture and hatch once they are eaten by the calf. It is important that you have an effective programme for dealing with these parasites – your vet should be able to help you with this.

The Poukawa survey highlighted that over half of the calf rearers surveyed on dairy farms had no idea how much it was costing them to rear a calf. Calf rearing is an important part of your business but there are expensive and cheaper ways to meet the same end – don’t use an open cheque book approach to your calf rearing system.

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What to do if you have problems

There is a lot of information out there for people rearing calves. There are usually training seminars around calving time that you can use as a refresher or to learn any new findings. Speak to your vet or to another calf rearing colleague for help, or write in to the daily digest for women in dairying. Most impor-

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PLACEMAKERS STORES EXHIBITING AT THIS YEAR’S FIELD DAYS: HAMILTON

07 846 6700

ROTORUA

MT MAUNGANUI

07 575 4009

THAMES

07 345 6892

HUNTLY 07 828 2000 07 376 0220 PLACEMAKERS STORES EXHIBITINGTAUPO AT THIS YEAR’S FIELD DAYS: MORRINSVILLE 07 889 8057 TE KUITI 07 878 8149

HAMILTON 07 ROTORUA PUKEKOHE 09 846 237 6700 0020 WHATAKTANE HUNTLY 07 828 2000 TAUPO WHITIANGA MORRINSVILLE 07 889 8057 TE KUITI MT MAUNGANUI 07 575 4009 THAMES PUKEKOHE 09 237 0020 WHATAKTANE TOGETHER, WE’RE BUILDING NEW ZEALAND WHITIANGA

07 868 0130

07 07 345 306 6892 0320 07 07 376 867 0220 2000 07 878 8149 07 868 0130 07 306 0320 07 867 2000

PLACEMAKERS STORES EXHIBITING AT THIS YEAR’S FIELD DAYS:

Page 16

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

August 2012

Lack of sleep as dangerous as alcohol when driving Driving while very tired can be as bad as driving under the influence of alcohol.

Research has shown a person who has had no sleep for 24 hours will have a driving impairment equivalent to someone with a 0.05 per cent blood alcohol concentration, according to the New Zealand Transport Agency.

The maximum permitted blood alcohol concentration level for driving in New Zealand for someone over 20 years old is 0.08 and for a person under 20 years of age, 0.03.

Fatigue is one of the most mysterious causes of crashes, because unlike most causes, which are usually the actions, or inactions, of drivers, there is no reliable method for testing for fatigue impairment after a crash.

Driver fatigue can be an issue in the agricultural and horticultural industry where demands of harvest, transporting stock and weather conditions can mean long work hours.

But fatigue can affect anyone and is believed to be a contributing factor in at least 12 per cent of motor vehicle crashes.

When a driver or operator is fatigued, their judgement and decision making become badly affected and they react more slowly than normal. What's more, they are less able to judge how tired they are, which means they are even more at risk of falling asleep at the wheel which can have fatal consequences.

The agency encourages taking proactive steps to avoid fatigue.

Improve your everyday habits: • get plenty of quality sleep before working • seek medical advice without delay if you have trouble sleeping • exercise regularly • eat healthy, regular meals • drink plenty of water.

While driving: • plan ahead • allow time for meal breaks and rests • drive smoothly • make sure your glasses (if any) are suitable for your eyesight

• wear sunglasses in bright weather • keep your windscreen clean • maintain the inside of your vehicle at a moderate temperature - too warm and you may doze off • drink plenty of water • stop every two to three hours for a break.

Get off the road immediately if: • you find yourself weaving in your lane or drifting into other lanes • your eyes start to play tricks on you, eg a motorway off-ramp looks like your lane, or a road sign looks like a person standing on the side of the road • your vision becomes blurry • you lose mental focus and become unable to concentrate for more than a few seconds • your eyelids become heavy or difficult to keep open and may close by themselves • your head nods or falls toward your chest • you become drowsy or overly relaxed.

To find out more visit the New Zealand Transport Agency http://www.nzta.govt.nz/

Tungsten adds edge to cutting, grinding plates Applying tungsten to cutting and grinding wear plates of hard working equipment, including that used in the horticultural industry, can save time and money, says Ross Schultz Managing Director of Active Engineering Solutions, Rotorua.

Called TACA, the company’s unique hardfacing process provides a cost effective method of increasing the life span of cutting and grinding wear-plates and points on machinery and equipment across a wide range of industries.

“Some clients say the process has extended

the life of parts by up 10 times but we can’t guarantee how many extra hours operators will achieve because that depends on the conditions in which they are working,” says Ross.

However, the process also provides other benefits, especially when it reduces the frequency with which cutting and grinding plates have to be replaced. “That’s particularly true when it may take some time to make the change, as in the case of rock crushers for instance.”

Tungsten hard surfacing is by no means all Rotorua Engineering Solutions does. The company, formed in 1997, imports and sells new commercial machinery but also manufactures custom built roll-over cabs for forestry machinery and truck bodies for service personnel

Tough work – tipping cutting and grinding blades on this type of machinery can extend their life.

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August 2012

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 17

New dealership for Whakatane company Italian tractor manufacturer Argo Tractors, in conjunction with its New Zealand distributor Agtek, has announced the appointment of Gateway Mechanical 2012 of Whakatane, as their new exclusive dealer for Landini and McCormick tractors.

of Landini and McCormick products. As well we have the market-leading range of kiwifruit tractors from Goldoni and the heavy duty mulchers of Falconero. If you’re thinking of buying a new tractor then you need to talk to us first.”

Agtek Director Gayne Carroll says it was important to find the right dealer. “The Bay of Plenty region is where Agtek itself is based and is a most important market to our company, and finding a company with the same ethos as our own has taken time.

Gateway Mechanical 2012 (from left) Karl Stevenson, Dion Stevenson and “Agtek is a company proud of its history; we have been selling Matt Dick. Tyler Blythe will join the team in August. tractors in New Zealand for almost 10 years now and pride Argo Tractors Export Sales Director, Mario Ribolla says; “The ourselves on our after sales service, something that Matt and his New Zealand tractor market is acquiring a growing familiarity with team at Gateway Mechanical will continue to do for their clients.” tractors manufactured by Argo Tractors and as such is one of the Matt Dick of Gateway Mechanical says Landini and McCormick few manufacturers able to boast that none of its product are built or are popular brands in the Bay of Plenty and Gateway Mechanical has assembled in third world countries and its buyers can be assured of its serviced some of these tractors for years. “We know the earlier product well and are excited by the new models coming through now. The quality coming from countries like Italy.”

Matt says that with the close support of Agtek, Gateway is able opportunity to join forces with Agtek and to represent such brands as to establish extremely competitive prices and an excellent warLandini, McCormick and Goldoni was simply too good an opporranty programme. “Gateway Mechanical 2012, headquartered in tunity to pass by. We’re excited by the opportunities ahead, and we Whakatane in the Bay of Plenty, will be representing the full range promise to provide an after-sales service that our customers deserve.”

Roll-over cabs for 60 tonne forestry machines including mechanics, plumber and electricians. “Both operators and forest owners are requiring purpose built cabs for their machinery and we make these cabs to withstand the roll- over of a machine weighing up to 60 tonne.

The cabs use all the original controls, but ‘Active’ take care to install them in a cab which is designed with a lot of consideration around operator comfort and convenience.

For many operators the cab is the ‘main office’ of the business and they spend more time in that ‘office’ than they spend at home.”

Ross says the vehicle bodies built for field service operations often outlast the life of

the trucks they are fitted to. “Some of our truck bodies are 14 years old and fitted to their third vehicle. They have definitely stood the test of time. We design them to be user friendly and able to carry the equipment, tools and parts needed to carry out work on site.”

Rotorua Engineering Solutions employs 22 staff and is owned by Ross and Juliet Schultz.

Ross’s early career was in the operation and maintenance of agricultural contracting and later rural transport and civil contracting trucks and machinery.

Ross studied at WINTEC where he gained his qualification, a New Zealand Certificate in

Mechanical Engineering (NZCE Mech.).

Today Ross oversees the general operation of the company, while taking responsibility for some of the challenging projects.

His biggest satisfaction is still that of creating a solution for his customers engineering needs.

Juliet began her career in banking and then moved to clerical work. Following a stint as a full time mother to the couple’s children, a move to ‘front line reception’ and ‘workshop administration’ followed.

The expansion of Active Engineering Solutions has seen her become administration and financial manager for the company.

MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

Page 18

August 2012

Walk through history at Katikati museum The Katikati Heritage Museum, home to an eclectic and fascinating collection of artefacts, technology and memorabilia from New Zealand’s last 130 years, has recently been purchased by a community trust.

The museum is based on a collection, including hundreds of bottles, was built up by the late Dick and Marg Goodwin and purchased and added to by Ken and Nancy Merriman. They displayed the collection of items from the 1880s to the mid1900s in an engaging and interactive manner which encourages visitors to `walk through history.

Coast & Country readers have the chance to win admission for two to the museum. Just identify the object on the right and send in your answer, along with any stories you may have about it, to Museum Mystery elaine@thesun.co.nz or post to Elaine Fisher, Coast & Country PO Box 240 Tauranga 3110 to arrive no later than August 17, 2012. The winner will be announced in the September Coast & Country. This month’s object is an example of the kind of technology found in rural towns mid last century.

The museum, just south of Katikati is open seven days a week from 9.30am to 3.30pm in winter.

To find out more visit http://www.katikatiheritagemuseum.co.nz/ or phone 07 549 0651

What’s this? This is a picture of part of a much larger object from the Katikati Heritage Museum which is itself an example of the kind of technology found in rural towns mid last century.

Safety around machinery and equipment If the hazards associated with machinery and equipment are not safely managed, then serious injury or even death can occur.

ARE YOU PREPARED?

Quakes making you nervous?

Don’t be without power for your vital electrical appliances!

Fridge, Freezer, Water Pump, TV, etc

Machinery designers, manufacturers, suppliers and employers have obligations under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 to ensure machinery is safe

to use and won’t cause harm.

Employers also must ensure employees and machine operators are not exposed to hazards.

The Labour section of the new Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment recommends the best way to identify the dangerous parts of machinery is to visualise how someone could be injured.

Examples include where parts of the body can be squashed

or dragged into machinery or where the speed of machine parts could cause injury, or hair, rings, gloves, or clothing could become entangled in moving machinery.

Machine parts that are sharp or abrasive, or the risk that a ‘workpiece’ may be thrown out of a machine and injure or impale someone, are also of concern.

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Page 19

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SOUTH & EAST WAIKATO

August 2012

Indoor facilities boost A&P Show attendances

Winning ribbons at the Waikato Show is a goal for many children.

Wet weather is no longer a deterrent to attending the Waikato A&P Show thanks to the new indoor facilities at Claudelands.

Show president Noel Smith says the multipurpose buildings mean many of the October show’s major attractions, including livestock and the highly popular Feast Waikato food court, are now under cover.

“In the past the public may have been put off attending if it rained, but now with so much to see and do under cover, that’s not an issue.”

While the new complex was under construction, the show downsized but Noel says that’s all changed.

“The completion of this high profile Hamilton project has allowed the Waikato A&P Show to relaunch itself as a major rural and entertainment event.”

This year the society again hosts New Zealand’s Royal Show, on behalf of the Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand, attracting entrants from throughout the country keen to have their livestock judged alongside the best in the land and win coveted Royal Show ribbons.

With the new indoor facilities, the organisers are able to allocate separate areas for sheep, alpaca, goats and

Noel says helping close the urban/rural divide and ensuring people understand where their food comes from and how important agriculture is to the country’s economy is a role the show continues to play. Its Farm School programme for local primary and intermediate schools is among the ways the society sets out to capture the interest and imagination of young children.

Volunteers Horse events are among the most popular at the Waikato show. cattle and give the public the chance to view the animals up close too.

120 year history

As well as livestock events and the boys and girls agricultural competitions, there are wood chopping competitions, sheep shearing, horse events, trade exhibits, entertainment and Feast Waikato showcasing the best in locally produced foods.

Show manager Jim Keyte says the annual event relies heavily on the work of volunteers, including the committee which runs the event.

“We have around 247 volunteers, who annually give around 3700 hours of their time to help the show happen.”

Jim says many, but not all, have a farming background and the society is always keen to recruit more volunteers.

The Royal New Zealand Show will be held at the Claudelands Event Centre from 9am to 4pm from October 26 to 28. For more information go to www.waikatoaandp.co.nz

It’s a very modern twist to the show which has been held every year since 1892.

“In the early days the show was probably the biggest event of the year, but times have changed and every weekend there’s something to see and do, so we have to compete with those attractions,” says Noel.

However, the Hamilton show continues to draw competitors and the public and Noel says it’s a tradition well worth preserving.

“We have to move with the times and be innovative but the basics stay the same – showing and judging quality livestock.

“The show has an important role to play in giving city people the chance to experience and gain an understanding of agriculture. There was a time when almost everyone in New Zealand knew someone on a farm and A supreme winner - the spent time there, but that’s ribbons say it all. no longer the case.”

SOUTH & EAST WAIKATO

August 2012

Page 21

Homeopathic book popular with dairy farmers Tineke Verkade wrote the first version of the Homeopathic Handbook for Dairy Farming way back in 1997, and a revised edition came out in 2002.

It was produced as a response to some of her homeopathic clients, who were dairy farmers, asking for information on how to use it on their animals, having experienced its efficacy for them and their families.

With another dairy season getting under way, it seemed appropriate to review it for those dairy farmers who have thought about trying homeopathy, but haven’t known where to start. Certainly, if the huge mailing list for Homeopathic Farm Support’s newsletters is an indication, there are a great many farmers already using homeopathic methods and remedies on their animals and themselves, with many claiming this book as their ‘bible’ for animal welfare.

The book begins by

explaining what homeopathy is, how long it has been around, the principles it works by (like cures like), and how the remedies should be chosen and used. But Tineke, having been a nurse for many years before setting up her business, has made sure the leadin to almost every chapter stresses that ‘when in doubt, call your vet’.

Using homeopathy is not about deciding that an animal has a ‘disease’, it’s about observation and recording of symptoms and then choosing the appropriate remedy for what is actually happening to the animal. As animals can’t tell you in words what and where their problems are, it’s up to their human carers to work on their observational skills.

An initial reading of the whole book (it’s just over 100 pages) gives one an overview.

In chapter 5, 48 areas of potential ailments in dairy cows and definitions of the most relevant remedies for each. Chapter 10, which was added in the second edition, deals with every aspect of calf rearing you could think of.

Chapter 6, entitled Materia Medica gives a lot of detail about the 78 individual remedies, what each is for and what to look for as indications for them.

To assist farmers make best use of the book, there is a quick reference chapter, a comprehensive index, and a helpful glossary of what the ‘new’ words they may

Coast & Country has one copy or write those details on the of the Homeopathic Handbook back of an envelope addressed to for Dairy Farming to give away.

Homeopathy book draw, PO Box To enter send an email to elaine@ 240 Tauranga, 3144, by August thesun.co.nz with the heading 17. The winner will be announced ‘Homeopathy book draw’ and in the September issue of include your name and address, Coast & Country.

Winner of the July book prize – Tucker Time by Phil Tucker and Barbara Jamieson-Tucker of Rotorua published by Halcyon Press is Marco Anderson Tauranga. ofofNZ Concrete

WINNER Technology Award

New price index for farm sales A new prize index which adjusts for property specific factors such as location, size and farm type in measuring changes in farm prices has been released by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand.

The new measure has been developed in conjunction with the Reserve Bank.

“The REINZ Farm Price Index is less influenced by the type of farms that happen to sell, providing an improved measure of underlying farm prices,” says REINZ Rural Market Spokesman Brian Peacocke.

“The index will take into account macro-economic variables which typically account for a third of the price trend movement. These include interest rates, exchange rates, commodity prices, farm input prices and other items that are not directly linked to a property’s location, size or farm type. In addition, by capturing and adjusting for specific farm data in the calculation of the index

we can more accurately assess the impact of off farm influences on price changes.”

REINZ will continue to publish median price per hectare data each month, as this is used by many farmers as a guide to assess the initial value of properties.

The index will enable farmers and non-farmers to assess the impact of nonproperty specific variables on the trend and direction of farm prices.

“One of the issues we face with a measure like price per hectare is that larger farms tend to sell for less per hectare than smaller farms, so when we have a greater percentage of larger farms being sold in any particular period, a measure like median price per hectare may tend to understate the actual values of properties being sold,” says Brian.

Similarly, the price per hectare can be influenced by a large number of sales in one region compared to the rest of the country.

not have encountered before actually mean. And at every useful point throughout the book there are repeats of how to administer the remedies, whether individually or on a whole herd basis through a trough.

An alert approach to watching for signs of ill health or specific symptoms

in your dairy herd can not only prevent pain and suffering, but by using homeopathic remedies promptly, get them back to full health and production in short order, and there’s no withholding periods for any of these remedies.

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Page 22

FORESTRY

August 2012

Goodbye from me and hello to Gerry...

This will be my last column for Coast and Country. I have been writing this column for nearly 10 years so, at 12 publications per year, I must have written well over 100 columns, and I guess made over 100 deadlines on time, sometimes with a little prompting from the editor.

FOREST & WOODLOT OWNERS

The reason this is my last column is that we three owners of Woodmetrics are in the process of selling the company. The new owner will be Gerry Mortimer. The Mortimer name is well-known in the farm forestry circles. Gerry's parents John and Bunny Mortimer are close to the patron saints of New Zealand farm forestry, in fact Bunny is the actual Patron of the Waikato branch of Farm Forestry Association.

John has written several books on farm forestry, many of which are considered the handbooks for new farm foresters. Gerry will operate the Woodmetrics business alongside his Mortimer Forestry business which offers forest management and Emissions Trading Scheme services. Woodmetrics was started in 2001 by CHH to offer a unique stumpage selling service to private forest owners.

In 2003 the current owners Philip Elworthy, Ian Bell and myself bought the company from CHH in a management buyout. Since then we have managed over 220 stumpage sales in the North Island.

We are delighted to be able to sell the company, which we have grown from conception, to someone who was going to continue to operate at the high level of integrity which has been the hallmark of the Woodmetrics service. Gerry Mortimer says he is grateful for the opportunity to purchase the company

with an established position in the market and a set of values which matches his own.

I will be continuing my relationship with farm foresters and small forest owners in my new role working for Scion Research, in Rotorua, where I will be managing their nursery operations. This nursery is involved with forest research, both into nursery practices, and supporting other research on the forest research campus.

The commercial part of the nursery sells top-quality genetic tree stocks into the private market. I am looking forward to keeping up my contact with the many friends I have made all over the central North Island. There is hardly a road in the Bay of Plenty, Waikato, King Country, or Coromandel that I have not travelled on in the last 12 years. There is hardly a valley or district where I don't have a friend to call on after my time with Woodmetrics.

I have been very privileged, and I look forward to keeping in touch.

That's all from me...

Waiariki student receives forestry award Larissa Anderson, a first year Diploma of Forest Management student at Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua is among the recipients of awards presented by the newly established NZIF Foundation.

encourage and support forestry-related education, training and research through the provision of grants, scholarships and prizes; promoting the acquisition, development and dissemination of forestry-related knowledge and information and other activities.

The Chavasse travel award of $3500 went to Dr Stephanie Rotarangi to assist her to travel to Ireland Larissa won the Mary Sutherland scholarship valued to attend an International Union of Forest Research at $1000, presented at the New Zealand Institute Organisations conference on biodiversity in Forest of Forestry conference dinner in Christchurch last Ecosystems and Landscapes in Cork, Ireland. She has month. The Foundation has been established to been invited to present a seminar at University College Cork and to enter a student competition for recent research. These will be based on her Otago University doctoral thesis on planted forests on ancestral land – the experiences and resilience of Maori Owners.

Since completing her Ph.D, Stephanie, who has over 15 years’ experience Do you have trees ready to be harvested in the next 2 years? in the forestry sector, has Woodmetrics’ competitive tendering process is your best option been appointed to the Māori Primary Sector to realise your investment and our complete sale management Partnership team of the process will ensure you get paid — why take the risk?

Ministry for Primary Industries, based in For further information,visit Dunedin. www.woodmetrics.co.nz The University undergraduate scholarship of $1000 was presented to Andree Callaghan, a third year Bachelor of Forestry Science student at the Be prepared — call 0800 96 63 63 now to talk about your New Zealand School of trees with Peter Harington, your Regional Manager.

Forestry at Canterbury University.

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August 2012

RURAL DRIVER

Page 23

Family friendly CRV upgraded It may be billed as the perfect family car but the new 2012 Honda CRV is far more than a round town cruiser. It corners well and has the visibility and stability required for safe, comfortable rural driving, whatever the road surface.

Bay of Plenty Honda sales manager Hamish Spall tells me a little about the new 2012 CRV, before sitting me behind the wheel and going through its finer details. It turns out Honda dealers have been unable to source CRVs since the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami.

He tells me there has been strong interest from the Honda family in the few weeks since the first cars arrived, with many upgrading already. Understandably so too – after-all the third generation CRV was released in 2007 and was needing some details freshened up.

Hamish’s introduction to the finer details of the 2.4 litre allwheel drive Sports ($48,900) covered the rear seats that fold down at the flick of a lever, a flat floor in the back seat for improved passenger comfort, lovely

leather seats – which are heated in the front, push-button ignition and a clever stereo/phone system. I bid him farewell promising to look after the smart SUV.

First impressions

It’s a stylish SUV and drives like a dream. It has plenty of power, responsive, easy steering, windows offering unobstructed vision, while big fat side mirrors ensure a great view behind. The mirrors and windows are a huge plus, as is the reversing camera which bursts into life on a screen in the dashboard whenever you engage the gear. The reverse camera takes a little getting used to – but is a huge asset once you get into the swing of using it, with lines on the screen showing your reversing path. It’s a great safety measure in all family cars – especially where there are little ones around.

My favourite detail was the ability to hook your smartphone up to the stereo system wirelessly with Bluetooth – to make hands-free calls or listen to your music through the speakers.

Now that’s the kind of detail many of today’s drivers will love.

Hooking up my phone was simple in the Sport, but for some reason the next day when I swapped the car over for the 2.0 litre front drive model ($39,900) it would not work. This was a little frustrating, and probably a simple mistake, but suggests the setup is not 100 per cent idiot proofed.

Back in the car my mind turns my wife’s to the birthday celebrations tomorrow and the need to stock up on supplies.

I head to the supermarket for beer, wine and pate. Shopping completed I return to the car with hands full of bags – and discover another of the car’s special features. Instead of being stuck fishing in your pockets or bags for the keys, the Sport unlocks automatically by the key’s sensor when you get within a few metres. That has got to be an attribute mums will love.

Then it’s the long way home – as I wonder how exactly I will wrap the car in a big ribbon. A cruise out to the top of Pyes Pa shows the Sport has plenty of ‘get up and go’. Peeling off through Oropi Gorge it handles reasonably on

the twisting back roads, but with it picking up speed quickly I need to watch the lead foot

Family friendly

The next day the children load in the car as we prepare to head off for more party supplies. Everyone is ready to go but it takes dad five minutes to eventually figure out how to do the middle rear seat belt. It turns out the belt is stowed in the car ceiling.

Then off to the fresh market and party suppliers, where three boxes of produce then a box of party hire plates barely make a dent in the decent-sized boot.

Before returning the car we drive through the suburbs. The children pick the great sound from the stereo as their favourite feature, while the easy-clean leather seats also have to be a big plus in dealing with messy kids.

2.0 litre front wheel drive

We swap over to 2.0 litre for a comparison. It offers reasonable power and is pretty comparable overall. The 2.0 litre offers extremely good value for a similar product, if you can cope without the leather seats and the few other finer details.

For CRV fans the generation four continues to build on the model’s reputation as a versatile car – that offers plenty for family motorists through to retired couples. For newcomers to the CRV it competes well against the many other SUVs in the market.

My preference would be the Sport, but at $9000 less my Scots heritage would probably prompt me to settle for the 2.0 litre.

What about the birthday girl? She happily settles for a matchbox t CRV S model and my CRV Spor m 7.7 L/100k km help preparing 00 /1 7L y 8.

114kW Fuel econom for the party. “It W 140k looks good from Engine s Velour Leather seat here,” she says $39,900 Interior $48,900 looking out the Price kitchen window.

By Hamish Carter – The Family Guy

SPECCRSV Honda

Lean. Mean. And clean.

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RURAL DRIVER

Page 24

August 2012

New Colorado for old cause Steve Law is an orchard contractor and regularly carts heavy equipment around.

New ride for old roads.

The 2WD LT Colorado is ideal as it keeps him legal with all the weight on the back, says Steve of the new ute, his fourth Holden in eight years.

“I just step out of one and into the other. When I was first looking for a ute I went all over town comparing models but to be honest I pretty much just head to Ebbett’s now,” says Steve.

“This is my second Colorado. Before this wagon I had two Holden Rodeos. The Colorado rides as good as a nice car. The five-speed manual gearbox is very quiet and all the bells and whistles are controlled from the steering wheel.”

Steve is talking about stereo controls and blue tooth connectivity controls on the steering wheel.

“The 3.5 tonne towing capacity was a big attraction. I regularly tow a big tractor on a trailer with a mulching machine on board too. On the road it is quite unbelievable and the power of the 2.8-litre diesel has more torque than the 3-litre model I had before.”

A double cab provides more than enough space for five burly blokes.

“Last night we had five guys on board. One of the guys is quite tall and he was impressed with the ample amount of leg room in the back. It’s a very

comfortable ride. I do have a car too but you could happily drive the Colorado around town. The cloth trim is very comfortable and you can also adjust the height of the seats.

“You feel more comfortable being up a bit. It’s got good versatility and that’s part of what I liked about it. I’ve been very impressed with the ride. It is a very nice vehicle. It isn’t hard like you might expect a ute to be. It is quite smooth. You could use it for everyday driving without too much problem.”

Steve has opted for a tough deck as he likes the visibility of a flat deck when reversing.

The Colorado features full safety specs including driver and passenger air-bags and full curtain air-bags the length of the cab.

The armour is high strength steel and incorporates full-length frame rails. A built in safety cell offers maximum protection in a head-on or side crash.

Electronic stability control offers traction from the snow to the paddock and all points in-between.

To find out more – visit Ebbett Holden on the corner of Cameron Rd & Wharf St, the home of Holden in Tauranga.

By Paul Kendon

Be prepared for winter driving Driving in winter can sometimes be a daunting prospect. Good vehicle preparation, knowledge and driving technique are critical. Here are some winter driving tips from MTA (Motor Trade Association) for making sure your journey is safe, enjoyable and hazard-free.

Make sure your vehicle is winter ready Is your vehicle approaching its next scheduled service? If so, don’t put it off. Book your vehicle in for a pre-winter check with your local MTA member business.

Tyres

Start by making sure your tyres are in good condition; they have at least the minimum tread depth and are free from cuts and damage. When you’re driving in

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wintry conditions it is essential to keep the tyres rolling and not allow them to spin or slide.

Good visibility

Reduced visibility means you have to budget extra time for every drive. Use a proper windscreen scraper or de-icer to remove ice from your vehicle. Do not use warm water, as this may cause your windscreen to crack.

Things you might have with you...

While having things like a first aid kit and fire extinguisher make good sense at any time of the year.

A torch, perhaps a mat to protect you from the ground should you need to change a tyre. Protective gloves and some form of reflective warning device are always a good idea too.

August 2012

RURAL DRIVER

Page 25

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Page 26

August 2012

Water plan will impact farmers Farmers are likely to face future stringent new conditions now the Waikato Regional Council’s land and water quality sub-committee has recommended a new draft regional plan change to help protect and restore the Waikato and Waipa rivers.

The draft plan change process – which still needs to be signed off by the policy committee and full council at a future date - will involve close collaboration with river iwi, stakeholders such as the farming sector, and the wider community, a statement from council says. The five river iwi involved as partners in the draft plan change are Ngati Maniapoto, Raukawa, Te Arawa river iwi, Ngati Tuwharetoa and Waikato-Tainui.

The recommended draft plan change process reflects the fact that water quality in the Waikato and Waipa rivers has been degraded by many factors over the years, such as discharges of nutrients from agricultural land, industrial and municipal discharges, and sediment from land. Under the guidance of co-management legislation for the two rivers, iwi and the council will work in close partnership, and with stakeholders, on policies and

PRE-CAST CONCRETE & STEEL CONSTRUCTION SPECIALISTS

rules designed to protect the health and wellbeing of the two rivers. The draft plan change process is designed to give effect to the Waikato and Waipa riversrelated treaty settlements and agreements between the Crown and the five river iwi.

A key part of the negotiated outcomes was the introduction of a vision and strategy designed to protect and restore the rivers and the health of their catchments. The Government’s new national policy statement for freshwater management also requires action on this front.

The draft plan change process is due to examine a change to the regional plan rules to address the priority issue of the effects of discharges to land and water on the rivers. This is particularly relevant to the effects of discharges of nutrients and sediment from agricultural land. Having water quality limits and targets will be a central part of the considerations.

A joint working party involving the council and iwi agreed the scope of the work should be limited to the effects

on the two waterways of diffuse sources (leaching and run-off from land) and point sources (such as industrial discharges) as a matter of urgent priority, with further work on updating the plan to be carried out in future.

It is intended that a possible plan change for the Waihou-Piako and Coromandel catchments, and the west coast catchment area, would be looked at in subsequent stages to help fulfil council responsibilities under the national policy statement for freshwater management.

It is intended that actual work on the draft plan change process will begin in September and involve discussions between the council, iwi, key stakeholders and the wider community on how best the parties can chart the way forward together. A formal proposed plan change is expected to be publicly notified for submissions in 2015, triggering further opportunities for stakeholder and community input into the shape of any plan change.

Home industries to feature at A&P Show The home industry section was once among the highlights of New Zealand agricultural and pastoral shows but in recent years fewer have included classes for home baking, hand crafts and fruit and vegetables in their schedules.

We specialise in driveways, entranceways, tanker tracks, hard stands and more.

We can offer you metal for farm races, shed sites etc deliver to site ex quarry.

The exception is the Tauranga A&P Show, which in January next year will again feature home industries, thanks to the organisational skills of members of local branches of the Federation of Women’s Institutes and Rural Women New Zealand.

Among the organisers is Pam Hawkins, who says schedules outlining the types of competitions open for entry will be available soon.

“We are encouraging people to go through the schedule, decide what to enter and then make and bake and hopefully win prizes.

“The 2013 Tauranga Agricultural and Pastoral Show will be held on January 19 next year and if the last show is anything to go by it will be another

resounding success,” says Pam. In 2010 members of the Federation of Women’s Institutes and Rural Women New Zealand came together to resurrect the show’s home industry section and its popularity with both competitors and the public has grown each year since then. Taking on the event as a joint venture is an example of the kind of community involvement both groups have shown for decades.

Women’s Institutes

The Federation of Women’s Institutes is the largest women’s organisation in New Zealand which began in 1921 and has remained relevant for women in town and country communities since then. The institute offers friendship and fun, travel and walking groups, involvement in local communities, and encourages leadership, teaching and sharing of homemaking skills, as well as providing opportunities for members to be involved in choral, drama, floral art, and all types of handcrafts and writing. But most of all they offer friendship and fun.

There are six institutes in the Tauranga District

about with Rick Rangi’s birthday The phone rings in a country police station.

“Hello, is this the police?”

“Yes it is. How can we help you?”

“I'm calling to report my neighbour, Rangi.

He’s hiding cocaine inside his firewood!”

“Thank you very much for the call...”

Early next morning, police officers descend on Rangi’s house in great numbers. They search the house and then go out to the shed where the firewood is kept. Using axes, they bust open every piece of firewood but they find no cocaine. They swear at Rangi and leave.

The phone rings at Rangi’s house.

“Hey, Rangi, did the cops come?”

“Yeah!”

“Did they chop up your firewood?”

“Yeah.”

“Happy birthday Bro!”

CONTRACTORS

August 2012

Page 27

Training brings income benefits Gaining industry qualifications can lead to a three to seven per cent growth in income, research by the Department of Labour has shown.

The study found that trainees who completed a qualification at level 2 or above experienced earnings benefits and these generally increased as the level of the qualification increased.

Level 2 qualifications were associated with a three per cent increase in earnings growth on average, level 3 with a five per cent increase and level 4 with a seven per cent increase.

Completing limited credit programmes was associated with a two per cent increase in earnings growth on average.

However, the study found that trainees

who did not complete a qualification and those who gained level 1 qualifications only, did not experience any increase in earnings growth relative to the comparison group, over the pre-training to post-training period.

Industry Training Federation Chief Executive Mark Oldershaw says both employees and their employers benefit when staff gain additional qualifications.

"Gaining qualifications improves the retention rate of staff.

“Industry Training is workplace based training that is linked to national qualifications. It requires considerable commitment from the trainees and their employers.

For the employers, the advantage is that it helps their staff gain skills that improve the productivity of the business. This research shows a concrete advantage to the trainees as well.

“This is in addition to the advantage that industry trainees have over students in that they can earn while they learn and gain national qualifications.

“The advantage for Government is that qualifications gained through industry training cost a fraction of those through other parts of the tertiary education system. It is a win-win system,” says Mark.

The study focused on people who were employed both before and after their spell of training and used longitudinal administrative data from the Employment Outcomes of Tertiary Education data set to estimate the impact of training on their subsequent average monthly earnings. A difference-indifference approach is used to compare the earnings changes experienced by the trainees over the one-year pre-training to the oneyear post-training period, with the changes experienced by a matched comparison group of working adults who did not participate in industry training over the same period.

About 40 per cent of trainees in the study population completed a qualification (mostly at levels 2–4 on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework), and a further 10 per cent completed a limited credit programme.

Qualifications at level 2 and above were associated with earnings benefits for women and men, and all age groups.

Industry training offered for contractors

The New Zealand Contractors’ Federation offers a range of courses for members in locations throughout the country.

The courses cover topics from industry best practice to safety and first aid.

Slinging, lifting, moving and placing (SLMP) is the topic for a course for those using lifting equipment.

In the event of an incident, or site inspection, the Department of Labour inspectors look for evidence that operators and staff associated with slinging and lifting activities are suitably trained in SLMP. Revisions

to the Department of Labour Crane Code in 2011 require that people working in and around plant being used for lifting must be adequately trained.

This course is an opportunity to get staff up to speed and qualified with the Unit Standard 20875.

First Aid, Work Based Training is an eight hour work-based

course covering the important requirements to administer first aid at work. The course also meets the Department of Labour Good Practice Guide (September 2009) and is the minimum requirement for high risk workplaces.

For more information on the courses and their locations go to www.nzcontractors.co.nz/

Organisations at forefront of rural issues Federation – Aongatete, Arataki, Gate Pa/Kaimai, Otumoetai/Omokoroa, Papamoa Beach and Te Puke/ Paengaroa.

Rural Women

Rural Women New Zealand is a charitable, membership-based organisation which supports people in rural communities through opportunity, advocacy and connections.

Its members are diverse but all share rural interests that connect them. It is described as the leading representative body promoting and advocating for rural health, education, land and social issues. RWNZ provides information, support, practical learning and leadership opportunities and has groups throughout New Zealand. Some groups meet for networking and friendship, often supporting their local com-

munities through events or fundraising. Others are focused on education, learning, and facilitating training days and workshops.

RWNZ was established in 1925 by women who wanted better social and economic conditions for rural people. For more than 80 years it has been at the forefront of rural issues, working to grow dynamic communities in New Zealand. Its mission is ‘Strong, Enduring Rural Environments’.

For more information about the Federation of Women’s Institutes go to www.wi.org.nz/ or about Rural Women New Zealand visit www.ruralwomen. org.nz If you would like to receive a Tauranga A&P Show Home Industries Schedule email your name, address and phone number to pam.and.brian@xtra.co.nz and a copy will be sent when printed.

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Page 28

August 2012

El Nino may bring feed price increases We have good quality grass silage and hay available The effects of storms in Europe and drought in America are likely and are taking orders for the coming season for to be felt here in coming months if predictions about the rising cost now maize and grass silage. of supplementary feed are correct.

Feed shortages were not an issue last summer. In

By Bill Webb

The big chill in Europe saw an increased demand for feed including palm kernel and the severe drought in the US is having similar effect which will almost inevitably impact on supplies and therefore prices for New Zealand farmers.

It’s probably a good idea for farmers to consider their budgets and feed options now and place orders for maize silage, locking in a price before the increases hit.

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fact the reverse was true with many farmers growing around 18,000 kg per hectare compared to 14,000 in a normal season, thanks to a wet, warm summer.

Extra food

Some turned that extra 4,000 kg into additional feed in the form of silage or hay, or used it for grazing, putting it in the vat in the form of milk.

However, now weather patterns are switching from La Nina – wet, to El Nino which is generally dry, this coming summer is unlikely to see the kind of exceptional grass growth we had during the last one.

Calving has got off to a good start in the Western Bay with farmers reporting many herds are up to a week earlier than normal. The heavy rain in late July made conditions unpleasant for cows, calves and farmers and was also hard on paddocks with increased pugging which can impact on spring grass growth.

Calving was a little later further south in the Rotorua district but by the end of the month they too were sending milk off to the factories.

Slow drying

Soils have struggled to dry out this winter because of the wet summer and heavy winter rain. Most summers our maize paddocks are so dry the soil cracks meaning it can receive more water when the rains come, but that didn’t happen this summer.

The cooler summer also meant maize was later in maturing and in turn that’s affected our timing for re-sowing pasture. While higher areas are growing good grass, the lower paddocks are slower with water logged soils and frosts combining to drop ground temperatures.

Ingrid Ennis of Terranova Seeds on the company’s stand which won the award for the best display at the HortNZ conference.

Black Mamba and Snake on the menu Black Adder, Black Mamba, Snake or Labrador may not sound like something to eat but all could be on the menu this summer.

Black Adder and Black Mamba are zucchini and Snake and Labrador the names of beans in the catalogue of Terranova Seeds, a company which supplies New Zealand’s commercial vegetable growers.

Ingrid Ennis, the company’s territory manager says international seed companies select names for their varieties which will readily translate into languages around the world, even though some may sound a little strange to English speakers.

The company’s stand at last month’s HortNZ conference in Auckland won the prize for the best display which featured large purple egg plants, tiny tomatoes and photos of vegetables.

Ingrid says much of the seed is imported but Terranova conducts trial with growers to determine how seeds perform in different parts of the country.

This is not a company which sells seeds in tiny packets. Many customers buy bags weighing up to 25 kg.

By Elaine Fisher

PK / SILAGE BUNKERS

DESIGN – SUPPLY – BUILD

August 2012

HORTICULTURE

Page 29

HortNZ future to be voted on New Zealand fruit and vegetable growers will be voting soon on a referendum which will determine the future of the collective body which represents them.

If the proposal to change the levies growers pay to Horticulture New Zealand fails to achieve a positive majority, then HortNZ will cease to exist after June 2013, because there will be no more funding and no support from growers.

If the levy vote is successful HortNZ will apply to the Minister for Primary Industries for the levy to be officially approved. The existing levy expires in June 2013.

The proposed change would mean a grower levy of 15 cents for every $100 of sales on all

fruit and vegetables, taking effect from the first year of the new levy (2013–14).

The proposed levy rate is forecast to raise about $2.5 million for HortNZ work on industry wide issues in 2013–14.

HortNZ president Andrew Fenton says the levy could be $300 to $400 a year for growers but in tough economic times any increase in costs is of concern.

Currently vegetable growers pay 15c in every $100 but fruitgrowers pay less because until now the Fruitgrowers Charitable Trust topped up their levies.

Research vital to grower group Lemon, lime and grapefruit growers are facing increasing restrictions on pesticide use, says Gwynne Jones Chairman of the Lemon, Lime and Grapefruit Product Group whose research committee is working with Plant and Food scientists.

“The wealth of knowledge and experience is enormous. The research our sector needs is by no means easy and with the advent of ever increasing restrictions on pesticide use we are des-

perately requiring help that only specialists can provide.

“The need to discover parasites and pathogens to minimise our losses to the two major pest challenges (both citrus flower moth and white fly) is very clear and the research committee is focused on these issues.”

The results will necessarily be slow because of the staggered nature of this type of research so growers must be patient, he says.

However, Andrew says HortNZ can no longer rely on the trust funds because the trust’s major asset, the Huddart Parker Building in Wellington requires earthquake strengthening which means the trust does not have funds available for grants. Also, many of HortNZ’s activities cannot be funded by the trust because they do not fit the charitable purposes of the Trust.

However, HortNZ appears to have strong support across the many product groups it represents and the 460 growers from throughout the country who attended the HortNZ conference in Auckland in July.

Page 30

HORTICULTURE

Cicada not welcome in orchards The summer song of cicadas is not music to the ears of kiwifruit growers, especially now they have been linked to Psa infections.

Scientists at Plant & Food have found that cicada egg-nests do present a potential infection port for the vine-killing bacteria Psa, but the extent of the risk they represent has yet to be determined.

The insects were already unpopular because the large flying insect’s loud chorus and flight habits make working in orchards uncomfortable. In addition, cicadas have been linked to sooty mould, which causes fruit damage; their egg-laying habits weaken canes causing breakages and crop loss; and their tendency to feed on kiwifruit roots during their nymph stages are also detrimental to the kiwifruit.

The incursion of Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) has led to Zespri to fund research aiming to discover the importance of wounds, in particular cicada egg-nest sites, as Psa infection points. The study found that Psa can enter canes of ‘Hort16A’ and ‘Hayward’ through cicada egg-nest wounds.

August 2012

Growers resilience drives ‘fresh approach’ to business The huge obstacles that were thrown at kiwifruit and avocado growers in the past 18 months have provided horticultural supplies company Horticentre Limited a great incentive to take stock and apply a ‘Fresh Approach’ campaign to their business.

BOP Regional Manager Gavin McMillin sees the positives returning slowly to the industry but knows it’s a long haul. Gavin is in the midst of reshaping a business out of the adversity growers have faced and he is acutely aware that the food chain as he calls it ‘spares no-one’.

“There’s no free lunch in the current environment and we need to attract the grower’s attentions and then service them in a way the grower dictates.”

Many growers would have seen the early aspects of the ‘Fresh Approach’ campaign reaching the marketplace recently including the new bold billboards placed around the country, the eye catching graphics on the new delivery trucks and the revamped national advertising campaign. Gavin also explains

that the company’s technical field capabilities have been strengthened recently and suggests growers contact their nearest branch to book a technical field expert to review their crop.

Horticentre Limited has supported growers for more than 30 years and in 2008 it became the principal sponsor of The New Zealand Horticentre Trust.

Growers that support the trading activities of Horticentre Limited are assisting the Horticentre Trust fulfill its charitable purposes of funding grower education, welfare and research and development.

The Horticentre Trust is proud to be the principal sponsor of the Young Grower Competition and recently assisted in the funding of a delegate to the World Potato Congress in Scotland.

The team at the Pukekohe Branch of Horticentre recently won the highest honour in the International World of Environmental Respect competition (Australia/New Zealand) for operating a safe, secure and environmentally responsible business unit. The Pukekohe branch epitomises the operating guidelines which are adopted by Horticentre (6 stores in North Island) and Tasman Crop (three stores in South Island).

Sweet result for mandarin growers Manardin growers have enjoyed more `realistic returns’ this season thanks partly to a drop in production says Brad Davies, chairman of the Mandarin Product Group.

“A big reduction in overall production volume and seasonal timing has resulted in greater regional split in supply to market and as a result a longer season.

“Significant pressure has been applied by Northland growers to maximize early harvest volumes and spreading out of the peak volumes has been a great achievement and resulted in increased returns to our growers.”

By July growers had exported 9000 tonnes, which was similar to last season despite

(according to data collected by New Zealand Citrus Growers Inc) overall production being down by around 30 per cent.

“All growing regions have been negatively impacted by large volumes of small fruit this season, a common theme with other crops and most likely a result of a poor summer with lower than desired heat units. Thankfully much of the volume of smaller fruit had acceptable internal quality and met export requirements.

“This was very lucky as had this not been the case I envisage we would have faced a disastrous situation in the domestic market with huge volume of 50-60mm fruit depressing market sales and returns across the board.”

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August 2012

HORTICULTURE

Page 31

Kerf grafting focus of field day The kiwifruit industry has embarked on a big journey, a huge step in the face of the heartbreak of Psa and on the pathway to financial recovery – the grafting of new varieties, mainly G3.

decay, the vines have still seemed to grow well.

However this year, with such a focus on Psa and a desire to minimise the entry point for the bacteria, new techniques have been sought to reduce the size of the grafting wound.

Trevelyan’s held a grafting field day last month for

Much of the infected gold crop that is converting to the new G3 variety is now cut and the task of grafting is well underway.

Traditionally, when a vine is grafted, the trunk is split and the graft wood, called scion, is inserted into the split. This technique (cleft grafting) has worked well in the past even though the split wound would often collect moisture and organic matter, resulting in decay in the trunk.

History has shown that despite the appearance of

the innovators to present their solutions to growers.

In attendance were Murray Jones from Sure Union, Ryan Plank from the Tool Centre, Graham Fraser from Fraser Gear, Cedric French from The Kiwi Grafting Co and Kevin Jensen (The Simple Scion Cutter), Steve Whitehead, Grant Fowlie and three innovative Trevelyan’s growers.

Many of the innovations were around a type of grafting technique called kerf grafting. A kerf graft is where the vine is cut, rather than split. Using tools,

such as a chainsaw or skillsaw, the cut can be much more precise and limited in size.

Many of the companies which took part have developed special tools to assist with the cutting of the vine and the preparation of scion wood to fit tightly and neatly into the cuts.

“We have been really impressed with the innovation in the industry. Two months ago people were not too sure about kerf grafting as it was seen as

a more precise technique requiring greater accuracy to be successful. But with the new tools that have become available it is now seen as a real option for growers.

Kerf grafting is definitely seen as a less evasive way to graft in a Psa environment and these new ideas provide some real options for growers looking to reduce the opportunity for Psa to enter the vine” says Ash Lee of Trevelyan’s.

“For us, packing and storing fruit is personal” Optimising

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growers is something we do as a team and we have fun doing it.

We know how to look after your fruit and we will show you what happens when a professional, family-like team operates with the best quality systems in the world.

Experience the difference the team at Trevelyan’s.

310 No 1. Road, R.D.2, Te Puke, 3182 · Phone (07) 573 0085 · www.trevelyan.co.nz

HORTICULTURE

Page 32

August 2012

Biosecurity - Our Future New Zealand depends on agriculture and horticulture to make much of our overseas money. To make our money we have to export our produce around the world – in kiwifruit’s case to over 70 countries world-wide.

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It’s therefore important for those countries to allow our produce to enter their countries without unnecessary restrictions. The New Zealand Government sees this as a two way street. It therefore believes we should let produce enter New Zealand as freely as possible. This is where the problems start.

Take Australia as an example. Australia is one of New Zealand’s most important trading partners. Australia is however one of the toughest countries for us to get our produce into.

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My Name is Neil Woodward.

I am a director of Z-Contracting- we are family run business, our team consists of three, being myself, my son and my brother.

Our organisation has been established for over 18 years. I have been involved in applying crop protection programmes within the horticultal industry since 1966.

We specialise within the kiwi fruit industry, We have the equipment to spray orchards with our two Atom sprayers and one recently purchased Tracatom Formula tractor which is also available for mulching and mowing.

Today Australia will not permit New Zealand grown potatoes into Australia and, although the ban on New Zealand apples has been lifted, getting our apples across the border into Australia is still not easy.

The ban on New Zealand apples going into Australia lasted over 90 years and was found by the World Trade Organisation to have no legitimate basis.

I think the New Zealand Government needs to take a leaf out of Australia’s book and start watching our borders more closely. A whole series of events gives the kiwifruit industry great cause to be concerned: • Psa-V wiping out Hort16A – this will cost the industry over NZ$1 billion and the effects of this cost will greatly affect the Bay of Plenty economy. In Te Puke for example growers are spending over $66 million converting their Hort16A over to more tolerant varieties.

• The find of a Queensland fruit fly in Auckland. There aren’t enough fruit sniffing dogs at the border and there’s no longer 100 per cent x-raying of baggage – over 2 million people had entered NZ without a biosecurity X-ray. Container inspections for household goods were down from 50 per cent to 24 per cent.

• And now there is a proposal to allow Queensland tomatoes and capsicums into New Zealand when the chemical that has been used to treat them and kill fruit fly eggs and larvae is no longer available for use.

Psa-V has been absolutely devastating for the Bay of Plenty kiwifruit industry.

Fruit fly would be many more times worse. Unsurprisingly we’re submitting against these tomato and capsicum imports.

Just turning back to how Psa got to New Zealand. We don’t know. Perhaps

we never will know. But thanks to a Ministry for Primary Industries (formerly MAF) independent review into what sort of job was done protecting New Zealand's border from Psa, we know what didn’t happen at the border. The review makes sobering reading and asks more questions than it answers.

It doesn’t say how Psa got NZ, but it does show how Psa might have got here. The entry points into New Zealand that the review found to be insufficiently protected include: the import conditions for pollen were inadequate; the import requirements for nursery stock were not robust enough; an import of kiwifruit flower parts (anthers) was incorrectly allowed into the country; consignments of gold kiwifruit were incorrectly allowed into the country; and a consignment of nursery stock was released from quarantine without being tested for Psa. The review also concludes that the industry should have been consulted about whether pollen should be imported into New Zealand. The review finds correctly that the industry leaders and organisations were not consulted about pollen imports and knew nothing about them.

It is important to note that the review was never meant to find how Psa got to New Zealand; it was set up to see if any of the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Biosecurity processes and border protection operations were inadequate and needed to be improved.

The review was set up as a result of requests made by Kiwifruit Vine Health. The Director General of the Ministry for Primary Industries has announced a 16 point action plan to remedy the problems identified in the review.

The end result will be a much better biosecurity system which is cold comfort to everyone affected by Psa. The review has highlighted what needs attention and the 16 point action plan is the start of improving our biosecurity. The Minister and Director General by both setting up the review and by particularly releasing the results of the review are to be congratulated.

This could have been buried and never got public attention.

As far as what has happened with Psa, NZKGI is seeking legal advice on what options may be open as a result of the review’s findings. Psa has destroyed orchards and livelihoods. If further action can be taken, we need to know about that.

I’ll continue to report on biosecurity in future articles. We have a total commitment to make sure we have the best possible biosecurity system protecting our industry.

Our Atoms are set up with radar speed sensors, this combined with fully automated sprayer controllers and three nozzle rings enhances application efficiency and accuracy.

We also use a quad bike for strip weed spray applications.

We hold all certificates needed to meet Globalgap compliance.

We look at all challenges to help ensure we protect your crop with excellence.

216 Pongakawa Bush Road Te Puke

To contact us: Phone: 021 907 621 E-mail: zcl@zanadu.co.nz

HORTICULTURE

August 2012

Page 33

Psa-V infects rapidly Psa-V can infect a kiwifruit vine after just one day of exposure to the bacteria, researchers at Plant & Food have discovered. However, development of the disease depends on weather conditions and infection only occurs on rainy days, says Roger Bourne, Plant & Food Corporate Communications Manager.

“We don’t exactly know how long it takes Psa symptons to appear following infections, as we are obviously not allowed to infect a vine in the field and record what happens from that time. What scientists have done expose young plants for one to seven days in an infected

orchard, removed them then observed development of the disease.”

Within 10 days there were signs of leaf spotting on some plants. This is the early indication of Psa, the bacterial disease which is proving deadly to one variety of kiwifruit in particular, the once highly lucrative Hort16A. However, Roger says the rate of infection for mature plants probably varies greatly depending on the variety, the season, (in spring the plant is more active) and control products that kiwifruit growers can apply.

Psa doesn’t thrive in very hot and dry conditions.

Capillary matting reduces plant stress Drying out between watering, or too much water, can cause stress in nursery plants but a new product which helps overcome those problems is now available for nurseries.

Lysdrain Plus capillary matting from Cosio is three layers in one.

Lysdrain Plus matting from Cosio Industries has a capillary action which means water is equally spread over the surface of the field so all plants receive the same amount of water and grow equally.

The matting takes only 500 ml of water per square meter while traditional systems take about 2000 ml. This means that in wet weather, plants dry faster. It is proven that plants which are too wet, stop growing, and humid-

ity created by wet conditions, is also the cause of disease.

Several tests have shown that the quality of plants grown on Lysdrain is improved. If a plant can take water between two spraying turns, it has less stress and the less stress, the better the plant will grow.

Lysdrain is easy to install as just one layer is required and because the mat is heavier than three traditional separate components it is also easier to lay in windy conditions.

For more than 25 years Cosio has been serving commercial growers in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and the Pacific with top quality, well proven products to ensure crops have the best chance of reaching market in prime first grade condition.

Impressive yield!

Impressive grain!

Impressive silage!

Blackwood among elite timbers Driving through plantations of pinus radiata is a common experience for motorists in the Bay of Plenty and central North Island but increasingly other species are being grown for timber production.

Promoting the growth and use of timber is the role of the organisation called NZ Wood which features information on exotic species, their growth and end use on its website www.nzwood.co.nz Among the trees profiled is acacia and its species include Australian blackwood, silver wattle and black wattle. There are over 700 acacia species native to Australia, but only a handful of acacias were introduced to New Zealand during the 1860s, and have subsequently naturalised.

Among these is blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) which is the most widely recognised, and the most widely planted acacia in New

Zealand. Two others are Acacia dealbata, Acacia mearnsii and or silver wattle and black wattle.

Blackwood

The highly decorative hardwood of blackwood outshines almost every other timber in the range of colours which it possesses. It is classed with an elite group of woods for fine furniture, such as mahogany, teak and walnut.

The heartwood of blackwood is moderately durable (5 to 15 years in ground contact) and is very resistant to impregnation with preservatives, but the sapwood is perishable.

The heartwood is a rich golden brown through which there may be streaks of reddish brown or almost black. There is little sapwood (30 to 50mm) which is a pale creambrown, contrasting strongly with the heartwood. The grain is usually straight but sometimes wavy, producing a fiddleback figure.

Blackwood is easier to convert into sawn timber and easier to dry than the ash type eucalypts. It shrinks comparatively little. It is

very easy to work, easy to nail and glue; and it steam bends well.

Silver wattle

Silver Wattle, with a rotation age of 25-40 years, has sawn timber which exhibits few growth stresses, and is of a similar appearance to blackwood, having the same characteristic lustre and straight grain, only slightly paler. Silver Wattle a basic density of 600kg/m3. It splits easily along the grain, and planes and dresses well. The timber is dimensionally stable.

Black wattle

P1253 • Grain & silage companion for 34P88 • Impressive yields of highly digestable silage with great energy content • Strong agronomic profile

In Black Wattle the heartwood is a pale cream with darker red-brown markings. The sapwood is pale cream. It has a fine textured and overlapping grain. Black wattle has very high basic density of 550590kg/m3, and is much lighter in appearance. The timber is less dimensionally stable than the other acacias, and should be used quarter-sawn to prevent cupping. Black wattle has excellent durability, and has been used for marine applications.

AreA MAnAger BAy of Plenty

Robin billett Mobile: 027 273 0497 Phone: 07 544 0957 rbillett@genetic.co.nz

• Combines high test weight & grain quality digestability To find out if this hybrid is right for your growing environment, talk to your local Merchant or Pioneer® brand products Representative.

746633 Pioneer® brand products are provided subject to the terms and conditions of purchasing, which are part of the labelling and purchase documents. ®, SM, TM, Trademarks and service marks of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.

LYSDRAINPLUS PLUS LYSDRAIN 1 capillary matting 3 in3 1incapillary matting

Reduced installation time 1 layer to install

Reduced installation time - 1 -layer to install

Reduced water usage - less water absorbtion

Reduced water usage - less water absorbtion

Equal plant growth - good capillary action

Equal plant growth - good capillary action

Increased plant quality - proven results

Increased plant quality - proven results

Long - UV stabilised 4 year warranty

Long lifelife - UV stabilised 4 year warranty

Large width rolls - 3.95m wide, fewer joins

Large width rolls - 3.95m wide, fewer joins

Contact ourour sales team for a sample andand youryour nearest stockist Contact sales team for a sample nearest stockist

COSIO COSIO COSIO COSIO INDUSTRIES INDUSTRIES

Cosio Industries Ltd, 0800 109 093, www.cosio.co.nz Cosio Industries Ltd, 0800 109 093, www.cosio.co.nz

Page 34

AVOCADOS

August 2012

Spray unit design specifically for avocado trees A spray unit designed in Italy specifically for the avocado industry has been imported for Craig Bettjeman of Avomax Ltd.

Craig Bettjeman of Avomax Ltd with his new Italian designed avocado sprayer.

Unlike the majority of current avocado orchard sprayers which are mainly converted kiwifruit orchard sprayers, this unit has been designed for tree spraying says Craig who is proud of what he describes as the latest in avocado tree spraying technology. The unit was designed by Andreoli Engineering in Italy and imported for Avomax Ltd

by R & R Tractors, Te Puke.

“The team at Andreoli Engineering are able to model the fan dynamics on computer fluid flow programmes to maximise the performance of the fan output.

The result is a fan that has unparalleled air output over a 180 degree spectrum,” says Craig.

“We have further increased that output by adjusting the fan blades to their maximum pitch. As an indication of the huge volume of air shifted, a 100 Hp tractor is required to run it.

“We believe this spray unit provides superior spray coverage through the whole tree canopy from ground level up to 10 meters high on both sides in one pass. Our trials have shown that

this unit penetrates inside dense foliage displacing existing air with spray laden air, ensuring good coverage on top and underside of the leaves which is very important when targeting thrips and six spotted mite.”

Avomax has been in business for 12 years and specialises in avocado orchard services, with three units serving the wider Western Bay of Plenty.

“From the outset we have concentrated our efforts on servicing avocado growers, with our main emphasis on spraying. We are constantly on the lookout for improvements in design and believe we have found a sprayer that is a step up from anything that’s currently in operation.”

The advantages for growers include increased efficacy of orchard spraying and consequence higher export pack-out percentages.

To launch the spray unit Craig is making new clients who sign up before the end of November, a special full spray management service offer.

To view a video clip of the sprayer in action check out the Avomax website www.avomax.co.nz

AVOCADOS

August 2012

Avocado in baking Fresh avocado makes a great spread for toast or sandwiches but it can also be used as a butter substitute in baking.

Substituting with avocado can cut the amount of fat in muffins, cakes, or cupcakes by close to half, and while the

food will definitely be lighter, it'll still be delicious and rich.

However, it’s also necessary to change cooking technique a little. Because avocado doesn’t melt like butter it doesn’t coat the dry ingredients the same, so it’s a good idea to use half butter and half avocado. You'll need to mash up the avocado really well to get it as smooth as possible, but other than that, you won't need to change much about the recipe or the cooking process. You may need to decrease your oven temp about 25 degrees if you're going for a 100 per cent substitution, just to prevent over-browning.

Fruit mature but unripe at harvest

Many growers claim the best place to keep an avocado is on the tree – that’s because fruit will not ripen while attached to the tree.

The avocado is unique in that it is harvested mature, but unripe. The age of fruit at maturity ranges from 9-12 months at which point once the fruit are picked they will begin to ripen. In the case of Hass, fruit change from green to black and soften to a creamy texture that makes the avocado ideal for consumption.

Avocados are a nutritious and delicious fruit native to South America. Seed was brought to New Zealand in the early 1900s and since this time the industry

Eat an alligator pear for health Alligator pear is another name for one of the most unusual looking and nutritious of the world’s fruits.

Some avocados are also known as alligator pears because of their shape and the colour and texture of their skin. There are over 400 varieties of avocado found throughout the world, growing commercially in New Zealand, Mexico, South America and Chile. Did You Know?

• Avocados contain 81 micrograms of the carotenoid lutein, which some studies suggest may help maintain healthy eyes.

• Avocados are included in educational programmes to promote increased consumption of fruits and vegetables

for good health.

• Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds that can contribute to the nutrient quality of a healthy diet.

• Avocados, due to their mono and polyunsaturated fat content, are a healthy substitution for foods rich in saturated fat.

• One-fifth of a medium avocado has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals making it a good nutrient choice.

• Avocados contain 76 milligrams beta-sitosterol in a 85 gram serving of avocado. Beta-sitosterol is a natural plant sterol which may help maintain healthy choles terol levels.

Make the switch to Aerocool With the highest return per tray in New Zealand for the past 3 years, it makes sense for avocado growers to switch to Aerocool.

Call the team at Aerocool on 07 533 6212 www.aerocool.co.nz

orchard management

packing services

Page 35

coolstorage

has developed to become New Zealand's third largest fresh fruit export.

The main growing region is the Bay of Plenty and Whangarei and areas in the Far North are also favourable growing regions. Small pockets of production can be found throughout the east coast of New Zealand and even at the northern most end of the South Island.

Hass is harvested for export from late August through to late March. About 80 per cent of export grade fruit goes to the Australian market with the balance going to Japan, USA and South East Asian markets.

SPRING FERTILISER

Page 36

August 2012

Two-tone lamb keeps family guessing A Tauriko family with an unusual new member is appealing for help from the public to identify it.

Leah Gautron, 9, with her pet lamb.

Two Tone – an eight-day-old black lamb with a white tail – has Mel Gautron and her family puzzled. “We think it is very unusual for a black lamb to have a white tail - there are one or two breeds

Photo by Tracy Hardy.

that do have white tails as a breed standard, but not our breed,” says Mel. “It must be a gene mutation.

The mum and dad were both black and we got them from friends who have breed black sheep for years.

“However, the ram did have a very small amount of white on his face. It is quite common for black lambs to have some white, depending on breeding, but we have still never seen this breed with a

white tail. Usually they have white patches but black tails.”

Two Tone is of usual size and has a twin that is black all over.

Mel hopes someone will come forward who has seen a similar lamb to enlighten the puzzled members of her family.

She was not sure of Two Tone’s sex but hoped to at least solve that mystery while administering injections this week.

By Ben Guild

NE

W

NE NE NENE NE W W WW W

a range of smart fertilisers engineered by Dr Bert Quin for pasture yield, nutrition, and performance.

Backed by of science notfertilisers mystery! a range smart a smart range of smart fertilisers a range aofrange of fertilisers smart fertilisers a range of smart fertilisers

More effluent ponds to be built Dairy effluent ponds must now meet new standards.

It is estimated around 4,000 new dairy

engineered Dr Bert Quin engineered by Dr Bert Quineffluent ponds will be needed over the engineered engineered by by Drby Bert by Dr Quin Bert Quin engineered Dr Bert Quin next three to four years to meet or pasture yield, nutrition, and performance. for pasture yield, nutrition, and performance. sture for pasture yield, nutrition, yield, nutrition, andand performance. and performance. pasture yield, nutrition, performance. new industry standards.

Backed by science not mystery!

Contractors who construct those ponds will need Backed by science not mystery!

Backed Backed by science by science not mystery! not mystery!

Backed by science not mystery! to be up to speed with the new standards and enrolfor more info

www.fertme.co.nz 0800 FERTME (337 863)

ments are now open for a short course for the design and construction of dairy effluent ponds, offered by the training organisation Infra Train.

The course will enable contractors to meet the standards outlined in Practice Note 21: Design and

Construction of FDE Ponds, recently released by the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ). The course includes a series of workshops, with an emphasis on practical learning. It has been developed by industry professionals, led by Opus International Consultants, and is fully endorsed by Dairy New Zealand.

On completion of the course, contractors can become part of a network of InfraTrain recognised pond designers and/or contractors.

2012 course dates: Rotorua August 14 to 16 and Hamilton August 21 to 23. To find out more go to www.infratrain.co.nz/Dairy_Effluent.htm

Fertiliser must feed microbes forinfo more infoinfoinfo for more for more for more for more info www.fertme.co.nz www.fertme.co.nz www.fertme.co.nz www.fertme.co.nz www.fertme.co.nz (337 863) (337 863) (337 863) (337 863) (337 863) 0800 FERTME 0800 FERTME 00 0800 FERTME FERTME 0800 FERTME Last month we looked at 14 facts about soil and fertilisers. This month we review even more.

By Brett Peterson

Not all N, P, K, Mg, S etc is equal. Natural forms are far superior to chemical forms, and some chemicals are worse than others. The bio-available forms of nutrients are the healthiest options.

Groundspread

Groundspread

Petroleum

A fertiliser programme must feed the microbes first, which will then feed the plants. Microbes include bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nemotodes, algae, ciliates, arthropods and earthworms.

Bacteria have a Carbon Nitrogen ratio of 5:1 which means for every six bacteria eaten, five parts of N are released. Nematodes are 100:1, so for every 20 bacteria they eat, 19 parts of N are released into the soil. This is why it's so important that the soil life be in balance.

The number of earthworms in the soil is an excellent visual sign of a healthy soil, and they can

Petroleum

August 2012

SPRING FERTILISER

Page 37

Bio-available forms of nutrients are the healthiest options produce 30-300 tonnes /ha of casts per year. Worm • Stock health problems are caused by poor fertiliser casts from 20 worms per spade square contain 5xN practices.

(1.2/ha), 7xP, 3xMg,11xK and 1.5xCa, far more than • Insect problems are a symptom of poor fertiliser ordinary soil (62 earthworms per square metre).Sulphur programmes. iron, zinc and trace elements also increase. Pasture fibre • Fungal and bacterial diseases are symptoms of poor increases by over 100 per cent. fertiliser programmes.

Sixty per cent of the • Fruit and vegetables that sugars manufactured in do not store have been leaves are dumped into grown with incorrect the roots at night. Because fertilisers. sugar content in leaves is • If you are dipping, daghighest then, endeavour ging and drenching, your to cut hay or silage in late fertiliser programme is not afternoon or evening.

Fifty per cent of that root working. sugar is exuded into the • If you have to constantly soil to feed the microbes. re-grass areas of your Microbes in turn make minfarm, your fertiliser is failing erals available to the plant. you.

The nutrient responsible for Most people confuse sympthat happening is boron. toms with causes. This is Brix levels are a measdeeply ingrained in our lives. urement of soluble solids The disease itself is not the (superior nutrition.) Ureacause; it is a symptom of an fed pasture tends to have Earthworms in the soil is an excellent already failing and deficient low brix readings. The minisign of healthy soil. system. Once you accept mum reading for pastures that, you will have control able to resist pests and diseases is 12, while an excellent over whether you and your property will be as susceptipasture will measure 24. A bee will not work flowble to disease and other stresses (e.g. drought) or not. ers/nectar with a brix level below 7; otherwise it will Replacing the nutrients removed on an annual basis expend more energy in collection than it will get back. will not keep your soils in top efficient working order Using a refractometer regularly will aid in monitoring if you do not do that from a balanced platform. brix levels.

Organic matter (OM) is the single most important factor determining profit, yet just one kilogram of There are 74,000 tonnes of free nitrogen above every excess nitrogen will account for a loss of 100kg of soil hectare. This can be sequestered in the soil by having carbon, so organic matter will decline slowly but surely.

Ca at 65-70 per cent and Mg at 10-12 per cent of Most farm soils being "fed" by chemical fertilisers are base saturation, available phosphorus, iron, cobalt and molybdenum. If one of these five requirements is miss- losing organic matter and the ability to hold nutrients and moisture. They are becoming more drought-prone, ing, you may have to import nitrogen.

Dr Linus Pauling, winner of two Nobel Prizes, stated: and pasture growth rates are decreasing, especially with applied chemical urea.

"In my opinion, one can trace every sickness, every Over time, correct fertiliser policies substantially disease and every ailment to mineral deficiency." If you drought-proof the soil, build organic matter and accept this statement, then:

improve health.

If 1 per cent humus soil can only hold 24,000 litres, or the equivalent of 24mm rain before the water runs off, then 5 per cent humus soil can hold 144mm of rain. More than 144mm of rain falling on soil with 5 per cent humus will be lost to runoff, (depending on intensity). If soil does not have good levels of humus, it will not store enough water to feed rivers over summer, which is why summer river flows are decreasing.

On average, 73 per cent of acid

phosphate products complex (tie up) with aluminium, calcium, manganese and iron within six weeks of application.

Alkaline phosphate products are better value, as they do not have that problem.

Use pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, and nitrogen in minimum amounts and only when absolutely necessary. Always add a carbon to those substances. These inputs are only a quick fix and are a sure sign that soil health is not optimum.

Kiwi fertiliser can show you how to at least halve these substances for equal or better results.

Page 38

SPRING FERTILISER

August 2012

Carbon helps soil organisms work effectively JORDAAN

Bacteria and fungi need a carbon source when breaking down fertilisers, so if you add fertiliser without one, you deplete the soil and if the soil is not sufficiently rich, the fungi and bacteria will simply not be able to do their job properly.

New Zealand Humates (NZH) has a product that contains up to 67 per cent carbon says Dave Whitteker, sa;les and operations manager for NZ Humates Ltd. Humates is full of beneficial fungi and bacteria. Its other two key ingredients are Fulvic and Humic, he says.

Fulvic acids are very small molecules. They are also loaded with

oxygen. Because they are so small, they can easily move through the cell wall, and enter the cell of the plant. Fulvic acids are the carriers of nutrients which transport the nutrients to the plant. It’s the fulvic acids that allow the plant to absorb the organic formula so quickly.

“Let’s not forget to mention carbon, and its tremendous benefits to the soil microbes. Fulvic acids are the “carbon carriers” in the fertilizer. Humic substances and humates are an excellent source of carbon, which is vital to all life. When humic substances are blended with other soil amendments it can make a very powerful combination in the organic development of plants.”

All soil has a CEC (cation exchange) rating, indicating its ability to hold fertiliser. In effect

this is the number of “parking places” it has. Peat has a high CEC; sand a low one.There is also a direct correlation with the amount of carbon in the soil. Average soils have a CEC around 20-25 per cent. “Humates which has a CEC of over 85 (and up to 250) will therefore increase the CEC rating of any soil.”

Other products that NZH have include Nitrogen Express which is an easy and effective way to increase the nitrogen levels in pasture at a time when this is required the most. Nitrogen Express can be applied through centre pivots or fertigation as well as the usual application methods. Nitrogen Express will not leach through the soil contaminating waterways etc. and is environmentally friendly.

Apply at 20 – 30 litres per hectare.

No crystal ball for predicting coming season Calving is in full swing. Everyone on the farm is preparing for another busy season with many decisions to be made and plans to be formulated.

By Japie Jordann

Looking back to last season, The Bay of Plenty most certainly lived up to its name, with “grass a plenty”. We experienced one of the best growing seasons for many years; however in many other cropping regions around the world, farmers find themselves experiencing some of the most severe droughts for many years - the consequences of which are driving

up grain prices worldwide. We are already seeing the impact of this on the price of imported concentrates and palm kernel. As we sit pen in hand, we wish we had a “crystal ball” in that second drawer down or maybe just some long sunny days. It’s so much easier to make a decision then, but we have no idea what the season will bring us - extreme wet or dry.

This coming season many may give locally grown supplements more thought. Maize silage is the best supplement for conditioning cows and also one of the most cost effective supplements to grow on a farm or to buy in.Jordaan Contracting specializes in growing maize from planting the maize until it is in the stack. We will monitor the crop through every

SPRING FERTILISER

August 2012

Page 39

Choosing the best maize silage hybrid The maize hybrid you plant will determine maize silage yield, quality and ultimately the profitability of your cropping enterprise.

By Genetic Technologies

To choose the best maize silage hybrid this spring consider the factors below: • Days from planting to harvest. Maize hybrids require varying amounts of heat and therefore days to reach harvest maturity. For best results select a hybrid that’s not too long or too short for your growing environment.

• Agronomic strengths. Selecting hybrids that have the right agronomic strengths for your area will help to ensure yield stability. This ensures you will achieve good yields year after year. For example: if you are planting maize on light soils in a low rainfall area, chose a hybrid with a good drought tolerance rating.

• High quality seed. Seed harvesting method, handling, drying, seed treatment type and process, shipping and storage can all influence the emergence and growth potential of the maize seed that you plant. For best results pur chase high quality New Zealand produced seed from a company that has ISO certified quality control systems in place.

• Seed treatment. Research has shown that highest yields result from uniform, well grown crops of high yielding hybrids planted at populations selected to optimise drymatter yield and nutritional quality. Quality seed treat ment protects your maize seed investment from birds and common insect pests such as Argentine

Stem Weevil, Black Beetle and Greasy Cutworm.

Pioneer Premium Seed Treatment is a stamp of approval guaranteeing growers that advanced technology and the greatest of care has been used to apply their seed treatment.

• Yield is the key driver of maize silage profit ability in New Zealand. Use statistically signifi cant side-by-side comparison yield data to help you select the highest yielding maize hybrid. A side-by-side comparison is one where two or more hybrids are grown in the same paddock, alongside each other.

• Nutritional quality. The final consideration in selecting a hybrid should be nutritional quality.

The majority of the energy in maize silage comes from starch which is stored within the maize kernel. Small increases in the percentage of maize grain in silage will have a large positive impact on silage feed value. There are a number of factors that will influence the grain content of maize silage. These include harvest maturity, climatic factors (heat, moisture and sunlight), soil fertility as well as the choice of maize silage hybrid. To maximise maize silage grain content use laboratory starch analysis results to help you select a high grain content hybrid and always ensure the crops nutrient requirements are met.

Finally, take a close look at the company that is marketing the maize silage hybrid and ask yourself what they can offer your farming business. At Pioneer, as well as providing proven, high yielding maize hybrids we have a local in-field team that can help you with all aspects of growing, harvesting, storing and feeding your maize silage crop.

Double mower means better quality grass silage stage. No worry, no stress. Just the confidence of knowing you have on farm feed.

With our business growing, we offer you a comprehensive service delivered by a highly capable and qualified team.

We have expanded our business to guarantee reliability to all our clients whatever your cultivation or grass needs are.

Locally grown supplements can be cost effective.

We have recently invested in a double mower conditioner for better quality grass silage.

To enable us to be on time with the job, we have also invested in a second loader wagon to increase our capacity at busy times.

Here at Jordaan Contracting we believe in the importance of communication, punctuality and reliability. We endeavour to exceed your expectation every time we visit your farm.

Put a positive ‘SPIN’ on your next fertiliser application

Page 40

COUNTRY LIVING

Small school wins big Awakeri School near Whakatane may only have 350 pupils but four of them beaten the world to win an international literature prize.

Students Katy White, Jessica Robbie, Jessica Schuler and Hannah van der Horst bested the top teams from around the globe in the Kids Lit Quiz world

final at Auckland University.

The annual literature quiz for students aged 10 – 13 has celebrated the reading hobby since 1991.

Awakeri’s victory was the first time a New Zealand school has won the worldwide competition, beating teams from Australia, United Kingdom, South Africa, China, Canada and United States.

The United Kingdom has won the

finals four times in the last five years.

Runner-up this year was awarded to Roedean School from South Africa, University of Toronto School in Canada placed third and George Watson’s College in Scotland were fourth.

Awakeri fought off rival team - last year’s winners, South Africa in a nailbiting final says Principal of Awakeri School, Peter Fitzgerald.

“It was a two-hour event, with a break in between, like a rugby match. It was as thrilling as any rugby match I’ve ever seen.”

Quiz master Wayne Mills, led teams through a 10-round challenge of seven questions complet-

August 2012

The world beater – Awakeri School’s Hannah van der Horst, Jessie Schuler, Katy White and Jess Robbie with the hand-made koru trophies for winning the International Kids Lit Quiz. ing each round, with each team racing an anonymous story. “They got The Hobbit after just five words,” says Peter. to answer first. “Our team got off to a East Coast MP Anne Tolley, offered her really good start, but the others caught congratulations to the Awakeri winners. up. At one stage we were ahead of “Awakeri Primary has set the bar for the South African side by only three future New Zealand teams. Their win points,” says Peter. A different theme also demonstrates the world-class standwas allocated to each round where the ard of education we have in our region. quizmaster would test competitors’ “Congratulations also to Awakeri knowledge of picture book, novel and principal Peter Fitzgerald, Coach Ann poetry authors. Peter said one segment Petersen, and assistant coaches Irene quizzed contenders’ familiarity with Cronin and Margo White who have theme music from film adaptations of been extremely supportive of the stuparticular stories. “That round threw dents every step of their journey.” our girls. They scored no points and The win adds to the school’s proud the other teams began to catch up.” history – it celebrates its 100th anniOne round emphasised Awakeri’s versary next year. ability to recognize storylines from

By Zoe Hunter

Bay of Plenty’s biggest saddlery store Hoofcamp Saddlery, located in the heart of Whakatane, is the ‘One-Stop Horse Shop’.

Now importing a new range of Western attire including awesome western hats of various styles, shapes and colours from pink or purple for the little girls and leopard coloured to blue, black and straw coloured selection for adults.

There is a large range of t-shirts with lovely horse

Hoofcamp Saddlery now has horse floats for hire. pictures printed on the front, including wild mustangs, mares, foals and many more, with all sizes ranging from small children through to adults.

Hoofcamps other new venture is having available a float for hire or lease.

It is a modern float with extra room in the front for gear. Hoofcamp also offer sales and servicing floats.

Hoofcamp Saddlery are known throughout the extended Bay of Plenty as a business which covers all disciplines of riding.

They have a huge equestrian range for the pony club rider, the showjumper or the dressage rider.

They also cater for the western rider with imported western saddles and bridles.

Bitless bridles made to order and their own design of bareback pad made for the mini pony or full size for the larger horse.

Their range of Fibre Fresh Horse feed is the best priced in the area and they now stock extensive Pryde’s Horse feed range.

They also sell home grown horse hay and balage.

Now in store is the Cavallino winter range of horse covers. These covers have the unique extra insert to allow for movement over the neck.

Hoofcamp are also now making custom made canvas rug to order for the difficult to fit horse for spring and summer rugs.

COUNTRY LIVING

August 2012

Page 41

Waipa submissions closed but still time to subdivide Following the notification of the new District Plan, submissions closed on July 27.

Council now need to process the many submissions and prepare for public hearings to consider the various points of view put forward by both professionals and the general public.

Many submissions will have been made against the proposed new minimum rural subdivision area of 40ha - up from the current level of 25ha. I see this as being a big hurdle for land use diversification, having the potential to add tens of thousands to the cost of resource consent applications. Approval will become less certain also if they become discretionary or non-complying under proposed rules.

People will still want smaller properties to carry out agricultural and horticultural activities that are not just 'dairy farming'. The proposed rules are just focussed squarely on dairy. The proposed minimum will make it harder for those starting out as well, particularly if they need to invest in development of the property.

Those who were planning on subdividing off a small block under the 'long association' rules may be out of luck now unless they get in quick while submissions

to the new rules are being dealt with. There is no provision for these in the proposed rules so, if you have owned your property for 14 years or more, you should consider this now. Likewise, there is no provision for subdividing off a surplus house from your farm under the proposed rules so this will have to be dealt with quickly now.

All of these rules will have submissions against them, which means that the public have a chance to influence council before it makes its final decision. Even though you may like to think you can persuade them, I believe that it is extremely unlikely given the resources that council can put to supporting their proposal. l advise anyone with any subdivision plans to act now while you still have the opportunity under the existing rules and avoid disappointment. Whilst proposed rules have unresolved submissions against them they have very little, if any, weight at all. An exception to this is rules that protect air, soil, water, flora and fauna; or relate to historic features or aquaculture. These rules have immediate effect now that they have been publicly notified. Over the next several months you can still make an application for subdivision under the existing rules. So, now is the time to sort out any plans that you

have for subdivision. If you have any such plans I am happy to discuss the situation so don't hesitate to give me a call. Brent Trail, Managing Director of

Surveying Services, specialises in resource consent applications for subdivisions across the Waikato, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty.

SPOT the

difference?

Beef & Lamb worshops to lift production Beef & Lamb is holding a number of events, funded by farmer levies and aimed at helping improve production, around the regions this month.

Waitomo

Tuesday August 7: Waitomo Farming for Profit – “there is good dollars in good doers” Where: Piopio Rugby Club Rooms, Aria Road, Piopio When: 9:45 cuppa for 10am start.

Details: Julie Everett-Hinks: “lamb survival, autopsy demonstration” Steve Morris: “feeding ewes, best strategies at lambing, High performance cropping, high weaning

weights” Rebecca Hickson: “Beef cow efficiency” Contact: Rob Macnab, facilitator rob@ruralbusinesssolutions.co.nz or 027 472 014

Turangi

Thursday August 9: Lake Taupo Monitor Farm Day – Focus on farms under 300ha Where: Alex and Anne Richardson’s, 390 Hingarae Road, Turangi Details: Key issues and management options for farms under 300ha captured by variation 5.

Contact: Erica van Reenen, 07 839 0286 or Erica.vanReenen@ beeflambnz.com

Rotorua

Tuesday August 21: Rotorua Feedsmart Workshop

Where: Rotorua – venue TBC Details: Tom Fraser presents the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Feedsmart Workshop II, all about feed budgeting and managing quality.

This is workshop comes with some helpful software and an excellent resource.

Registration essential: Contact: Erica van Reenen, 07 839 0286 or Erica.vanReenen@beeflambnz.com Farmers who would like a workshop in their area and think they can get minimum of 10 people together, should contact Erica who says it’s first in first served.

If there’s high demand, Beef & Lamb can repeat the workshops on a different date and location.

To find out more about these and other events visit www.beeflambnz.com/

EXCELLENCE IN DERMATOLOGY

Page 42

COUNTRY LIVING

Big tyres no match for supersized scissors Some of the largest tyres from the biggest machines can now be recycled and turned into twoinch rubber chips.

With a locally made supersized scissors, even two tonne tyres can’t escape Carbon Recovery’s recycling programme.

Since the inception of the recycling programme for end-of-life tyres, Carbon Recovery has been determined to keep all tyres out of landfills and find a better

Giant scissors for cutting up large tyres are put to good use by Carbon Recovery. use for them, regardless of their size. Representatives of the company have visited tyre processors, recyclers, manufacturers and government officials in Canada, the USA, Korea, China and Australia.

Having studied and adopted the best tyre recycling approaches used overseas, Carbon Recovery has introduced tyre recycling technology and recycling programme to New Zealand for all sizes of tyres, even giant off the road and solid forklift tyres. “Almost anyone can collect car tyres and some will take truck tyres, but once you get tyres weighing over 100kg, there are fewer options. Some of these tyres weigh over a tonne, which makes them tricky to deal with,” says General Manager Ray Austen.

“If you can imagine cutting up a pizza, that’s what we do with a tyre of this size. Once cut into smaller pieces of around 50 kg each we can put them through our tyre chipper and even the largest of tyres come out the other end as two-inch chips.”

Thanks to some local ingenuity from a Tauranga engineer, Carbon Recovery is able to cut up and recycle tyres of any size. “We had a look around for this type of gear overseas, but in the end it was decided to have the giant scissors made here.”

Carbon Recovery has seen more of the larger tyres coming into their Waikato facility over the past year and it’s surprising how many of them are out there says Ray. “You don’t see these tyres sitting around your local tyre shop because machines of this size don’t come into town for a tyre change.”

Some of the largest tyres are from mining trucks.

“They’re absolutely huge, but we can handle them.”

August 2012

Diversity in rotational plastic mouldings Markers at Rotorua Airport have been manufactured and supplied

by Plastic Systems.

A Rotorua company formed 11 years ago to manufacture composting toilets for the Department of Conservation has evolved into an innovative manufacturer of a wide range of rotational moulded plastic products from water tanks to bait board.

Rob Marsden, manager of Plastic Systems Ltd says the company still makes composting toilets for its parent company but the range and diversity of what it manufacturers continues to grow.

That diversity includes producing glowing navigational markers for the barrier on the Ohau Channel diversion in Lake Rototiti and lids for recycling bins for the Ruggamuffin concert for the local council Supplying ten, 10,500 litre water tanks for Rotorua International Airport earned Plastic Systems an endorsement from airport chief executive George White who said: “I have found the Plastic Systems team very professional, easy to deal with and they come highly recommended

from the Rotorua International Airport”.

Attention to detail, customer service and most of all producing a quality product is the focus of the company which is a member of the Association of Rotational Moulders Australasia. The company uses only virgin grade resin and its well-known Kiwi Tanks exceed industry standards for wall thickness and quality.

“We use low density, polyethylene food grade resins and the tanks, which are customized to meet our client’s needs, are UV stabilised.”

Tanks for above and below ground installation, including detention stormwater tanks, are sold throughout the country and often it’s Rob who makes the deliveries.

“We pride ourselves on prompt, personal service which is something our clients really appreciate.”

Plastic Systems has two rotational moulding ovens, one of them being one of the largest in the country, and it’s in these it makes the extensive range of products including dog kennels, bait boards, tanks for camper vans and caravans, fresh water tanks, silos, tanks for molasses, diesel, spray and grey water tanks.

ND NEW ZEALA IGNED MADE & DES Freephone 0800 BIO LOO

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COUNTRY LIVING

August 2012

CanTeen boxing fund raiser CanTeen along with staff at Waikeria Prison, have organised a charity amateur boxing event on August 24 at the Te Awamutu Events Centre.

The evening will promote awareness and raise money for people aged 13-24 living with cancer in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty/East Cape regions.

Rebecca Scott, CanTeen’s Regional Manager for Waikato, said CanTeen is thrilled to be the beneficiary of this event. “We are very appreciative of our local community’s support, and their generosity makes a big difference to young people living with cancer as well as their families.”

Since 2007, the Department of Cor-

rections and Prison Services has staged three charity events which have raised more than 80,000. Neil Fynn has two of his kickboxing students participating in the event, and has the support of Jack Biddle to co-coach and help with their preparations and corner on the night.

“When the opportunity came up to box in the CanTeen event, Jono Kara Snr and Eruera Tihema put their hands up fight to support a cause that touches so many families and whanau.”

Ticket are still available. Table seating with supper is $45 per person, and grandstand seating is $25 per person.

Tickets are available from T.A. Copy Centre Limited and Henry’s in Te Awamutu or contact Rebecca Scott directly by emailing waikato@canteen.org.nz

Student wanted for summer of pest research If the idea of spending the summer near Lake Taupo, trekking through the bush, helping with the conservation of native bird species, all in the name of research, sounds interesting, then a University of Waikato Summer Research Scholarship may appeal.

Associate Professor Carolyn King from the University of Waikato’s Biological Sciences department is looking for a student to undertake a Summer Research Scholarship investigating the efficiency of a pest control

programme in Pukawa – a village at the south end of Lake Taupo.

The successful student would be working with the Pukawa Wildlife Management Trust, a community–based conservation project, investigating the effectiveness of their pest management regime.

“The basic idea is to make this and other community-based conservation projects as effective as possible. There are a lot of people in communities nationwide who are out there doing what they

can to defend their own little patch against pests.

But, because some pests are very clever at avoiding being caught, the community groups often have little idea if their efforts are making as much difference as they hope.”

A large part of the 10-week project would be checking traps and testing suggestions of how to make the community’s pest operation more efficient, says Carolyn.

For more information, contact: Alistair Gray, 07 838 4775, or aligray@ waikato.ac.nz

Page 43

Programme revealing rural women potential

Adrienne Wilcocks’ children had left school and the Matamata dairy farmer was seeking the next challenge in her life when she heard of the Agri-Women’s Development Trust and its programmes to help rural women discover their potential.

“It sounded just what I was looking for so I enrolled in the Ahsburton First Steps Course because I couldn’t wait for it to come north,” Adrienne says.

“It was an intense two days but at the end all the pieces came together like a jigsaw and I also knew I wanted to help other women benefit from the same experience.” She’s doing that by helping co-ordinate the September First Steps in Hamilton on September 3 and 4 and Matamata on September 6 and 7.

First Steps is specifically designed for rural and provincial women who have developed skills and strengths within their communities, families and farming lives, are self-motivated and involved, but may not fully recognise the value of their skills and contribution.

Adrienne encourages women thinking about making changes to their lives to put their names forward for the course and take their skills to a new level. First Steps aims to give women greater confidence and insight into the value of their skills, confirm competencies and, if necessary, reframe them, to open up opportunities and provide support for the development of an individualised plan of action. Women taking part gain greater confidence to explore and take the next step in their lives Adrienne says. The programme brings insights into the value of their skills, strengths and potential and there’s the opportunity to receive on-going support while they

implement their plan.

That plan of action might include future study opportunities, developing an off-farm business idea, a business plan for their farming business, re-entering Adrienne Wilcocks was so the workforce impressed with the Agri-Women’s or a commuDevelopment Trust programmes nity project. she wants to help other women Applicabenefit from them too. tions are now open for the September courses and Adrienne urges women not to be shy in nominating themselves to take part. “Among the valuable things I learned on the programme was to recognise my own attributes and we were told not to worry about what others think – because what other people think about you is none of your business.”

The Agri-Women’s Development Charitable Trust was founded in September 2009 by Alfredton director and farmer, Lindy Nelson, following extensive research. Trust Patron Mavis Mullins, and founding Trustees Jane White, Sue Yerex and Lindy formed the initial backbone of the trust.

AWDT’s first programme, Escalator, was launched at Parliament by Agriculture Minister David Carter in September 2010.

For more information go to: www.awdt.org.nz/

Supported growth

www.awdt.org.nz

COUNTRY LIVING

Page 44

August 2012

Miners’ strike among art competition themes An unhappy chapter of Waihi’s past, the 1912 miners’ strike, is the theme for a special category in this year’s ARTWaikino competition.

It was during the unrest that Frederick George Evans, a striking miner, was killed by a policeman’s truncheon. Artists can submit a piece in any medium and the committee is expecting some unique pieces of work. There will be one prize of $250 and the judge is Waihi identity, Doreen McLeod This will be the twelfth annual art exhibition held at the Victoria Hall on SH2 at Waikino and ARTWaikino has been well supported over the years by artists and art lovers. It is the major fund raiser for the upkeep of the historic community hall which is badly in need of a makeover itself.

There will also be a category for mosaics again this year as well as painting, craft and photography.

Express, Waihi Toyworld, The out on receiving an entry form The overall winner of all the ArtMarket, GoldFM or phone they can be picked up from categories will win the supreme 07 863 6974 or 07 863 9509.

Waihi Information Centre, award with prize money of $500 Harcourts, Waihi sponsored by Newmont

By Helen Wilson Library, Barron’s Kodak Waihi Gold.

The committee has organised Bob Kerr from Wellington to judge the painting and craft section of the competition. Bob is holding his own exhibition of paintings depicting the miner’s strike at the Waihi Art Centre and Museum in November. It seemed fitting he should be the judge at ARTWaikino this year.

ARTWaikino is on at Labour Weekend and is open to the public from Saturday October 20 to Monday 22 from 10am to 4pm. Entry ARTWaikino’s 2011 supreme winner Val Tubman from Waihi is a gold coin donation. If anyone missed with her painting “Flowers and Pears.”

Important facts about employment agreements Employment agreements have been required by law since the introduction of the Employment Relations Act 2000.

Waterless Dehydrating Odourless Toilet

e or m o h r o f

elsewhere

Since July 2011 employers have been required to keep signed copies of all employment agreements on record.

For this reason, more than ever before, employers should review and attend to their employment agreements.

If you are an employer you will need to ensure you have on record a signed copy of an employment agreement for all your employees. Check to see both parties to the employment agreement have signed the agreement. Store these agreements in a safe and secure place. Ensure your employees receive a signed copy of

their agreement. If agreement with an employee is unable to be reached, or the employee has not signed the agreement, as an employer you must retain a copy of an intended agreement or current terms and conditions of employment, and record the steps you have taken to put an employment agreement

in place. This is a good time to ensure your employment agreements contain all the required necessary information.

All employment agreements must include the mandatory clauses (refer the Department of Labour website).

Individuals found to be non-compliant with employment relations law can be penalised with a fine up to $10,000.00.

If you have any employment queries that you would like assistance with, please email Wendy directly at wendy@accordservices.co.nz This article is intended as a point of reference and should not be relied on as a substitute for professional advice. Specialist advice should always be sought in relation to any particular circumstances and no liability will be accepted for any losses incurred by those relying solely on this article.

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COAST & COUNTRY

August 2012

Page 45

4x4 tours take in remote high country Drivers are taking their shiny, street going, high clearance 4x4 vehicles off-road in the South Island to discover the high country on guided tours which go places the public seldom gets to see.

NZ Adventures offer 4WD tours through some of New Zealand’s greatest high country stations and iconic landscapes, described as a must do for any adventurer or sight-seer.

There are several choices of tour including the Mackenzie Explorer Safari centred on the Mackenzie Basin; or one of the

suitable for drivers without off-road experience, however they must be competent and confident of their general driving skills and be familiar and confident driving on loose gravel roads.

The pace set off road is gentle and deliberate (forget Barry and Scotty in the Hilux ads) and drivers follow close to the

well-established favourites; the six day High Country Heritage tour, the five day West Coast Explorer tour, and the five day Southern Lakes Explorer tour.

All of the tours are fully guided experiences for the discerning traveller and include great hotel, motel or lodge style accommodation and quality meals. NZ Adventures prob-

vehicle in front. All vehicles are supplied with radios. NZ Adventures guides will be monitoring progress and helping with advice both at the briefings and throughout the day. Malcolm Langley of NZ Adventures says the company’s qualified guides are all enthusiastic about New Zealand’s back country, its people and heritage. “NZ

Adventures genuinely enjoy taking you further into this remote, secret world than you ever imagined possible and will give advice and tips on off-road driving if required as well.”

There is a chauffeur option which allows guests to just sit back and enjoy the experience while someone else does the driving.

Looking after your blood vessels Blood vessels are a lot more than just pipes to hold blood. They are living tissues and can be greatly affected by disease.

If the lining of blood vessels becomes damaged by free radicals or inflamed, the surface of vessels offers greater resistance thus increasing blood pressure.

Research

by Rodrigo, R et al.

(Hypertension Research, 2007) concluded that free radical damage to blood vessels is one cause of essential hypertension. In a following paper they conducted a double blind placebo trial on 110 people with essential hypertension and found a close relationship between antioxidant levels and blood pressure.

Of real interest they noted significant decreases in blood pressure after giving

antioxidant supplements. I have found that many people with essential hypertension can respond well to intensive nutritional therapy aimed at restoring the health of our blood vessels.

I am regularly contacted by people with various problems caused or worsened by poor circulation in their legs. These

include general muscle weakness and pain, cramps, swollen ankles and feet, restless legs, and chilblains. People with cardiovascular disease, diabetes or people who smoke are at much higher risk of these common circulatory problems.

The most important nutrients to help blood vessels are some antioxidant vitamins especially vitamin C and vitamin E and a wide range of botanical antioxidants

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including flavanols found in grape seed extract, ginkgo biloba, acai berry, bilberry, resveratrol and citrus bioflavonoids such as hesperidin. These nutrients help blood flow by reducing blood platelet aggregation and additionally help to maintain the integrity of blood vessel walls. These antioxidants strengthen the walls of blood vessels by ensuring that the proteins collagen and elastin are protected from destructive enzymes and from free radical damage.

Circulatory problems can respond very well to increased nutrient intake through careful food selection and appropriate supplementation. Once you have had medical advice it is worthwhile considering a complementary nutritional programme to help restore healthy circulation and in doing so you may gain a real improvement in your quality of life. Give me a call if you need help. To join my weekly newsletter go to www.johnarts.co.nz and visit www.abundant.co.nz John Arts is the founder of Abundant Health. To contact John phone 0800 423 559. To read more go to www.sunlive.co.nz

ably has by far the largest off-road vehicle access resource in New Zealand, travelling through many private and conservation areas often restricted to vehicles. The company is continually expanding its horizons.

This is no bush bash – the routes are chosen for their scenic, cultural and historic values. The Heritage Safaris are

Page 46

TRADES & SERVICES

August 2012

Ph 07 928 3042 or classi@thesun.co.nz

adult entertainment

MENS SAUNA/STEAM/ SPA GuyZ Male Bath House 856a Victoria St Hamilton Tues-Sat 4pm Sun 1pm GuyZ Ph 07 839 5222 farm supplies

MODULAR FARM BRIDGES Phone Pat now 0800 222 189 www.bridgebuilders. co.nz BRIDGE IT NZ LTD for sale

MULCH FOR SALE Must pick up in KatiKati. $40 per cube.

Ph Scott today 0274 624 769 PULLETS Brown Shaver. Point of lay, good layers. Ph 07 824 1762

e We servic of all makes pumps

house for sale

FANTASTIC LIFESTYLE BLOCK AT PIKOWAI Within easy commuting to Tauranga, Te Puke and Whakatane this 4 bedroom brick home is in paradise!

Beautiful sea and rural views 6 acres grazing land, horse pens, heaps of shedding, butchery and chiller for own use single garage with sleepout/office big games room or can be converted to extra double garage, chook house, drenching race for the cattle.

11.5 x 4.5 metre in ground swimming pool which is fully decked and fenced.

This is a beautiful home and comes with a share in the community woolshed, tennis courts and cattle yards. Own water scheme.

Fantastic community to belong to - be in quick! Price of house has been slashed! to $550,000 - urgent sale.

Ph 027 281 7427 today.

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trades & services

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0800 382 828

Keep your cows in milk over summer Plan your summer crops now • Pasture Sprayout

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Book early—Call us on 07 549 1075

BUILDERS Murray Pedersen licensed builder with his experienced team will undertake additions renovations also reclads.

We can arrange plans & consents. Ph 575 7870 BOSTOCK SHELTER TRIMMERS LTD we have a keen eye and work hard to achieve a satisfactory finish.

Phone Rob on 027 222 4157 GORSE SPRAYING do you have a gorse problem? Ph today for a FREE quote for all gorse control. Scott 0274 624 769 TREE FELLING, PRUNING & Removal/chipping. No job to big or small. Phone Scott 0274 624 769 TREE SPADE SERVICES 44” Vemear spade behind 4WD tractor. Specialising in Orchard work or one off small to medium sized trees.

Ph Vince 021 152 4481 ADVERTISE YOUR TRADE or services in the Coast & Country RunOn listings for only $20+gst conditions apply. Phone Tasha on 07 928 3042 or email classi@thesun.co.nz

August 2012

COAST & COUNTRY

feature properties & auctions ADVANTAGE REALTY LTD MREINZ

Page 47

www.harcourts.co.nz

Advantage Realty Ltd MREINZ Licensed Agent REAA 2008

Tauranga Central Office – 07 578 0879 Cherrywood Office – 07 576 8770 Bethlehem Office – 07 579 2206 Mount Central Office – 07 575 6384 Papamoa Office – 07 542 9012 Te Puke Office – 07 573 4754

Page 48

COAST & COUNTRY

August 2012

GO KARTS DIRECT

COAST & COUNTRY

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PRIZE PACK UP FOR GRABS!

Pictures and details can be emailed (high resolution jpgs) to contest@thesun.co.nz “Country Camera” or posted to Coast & Country, PO Box 240, Tauranga. Please include a name, address and phone number with every entry.

Kirstin and Zane Osborne bringing home the cows.

Sent in by Darrell Osborne.

Charlie 18 months & family sheep Billy, Katikati.

Photos by Kerrie Thornton.

“Do you like my horns too?”

Liam at Marshall’s Animal Park, McLaren Falls, Liam and the Animals.

Photos by Kerrie Thornton.

GO KARTS DIRECT

www.driftgokarts.co.nz

Two and a half year old son, Ryan Lambert, settling in for the evening with his favourite cat “Baby Sweep”.

Sent in by mum, Iona Lambert.