Guardian Farming March 2013

March 2013March 2013

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An Ashburton Guardian Supplement

Guardian Farming n South Island Field Day March 2013.indd 1Guardian Farming n South Island Field Day March 2013.indd 1 12/03/2013 11:12:45 a.m.12/03/2013 11:12:45 a.m.

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Any feedback is welcome,any comments about our magazine, letters or story suggestions.

Please direct any correspondence to: Linda Clarke, on 307-7971email: [email protected] write to PO Box 77, Ashburton.

Advertising: Phone 307-7974Email: [email protected] date: March 12, 2013

Next issue: April 9, 2013

An advertising feature for the Ashburton Guardian. Any opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Guardian Farming or the Ashburton Guardian.

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A slice of farming from days gone by will be on show at the Mid Canterbury Vintage Machinery Club’s wheat and wheels rally

near Ashburton next month.The rally on April 13-14, will be held at Peter

Butt erick’s Wakanui farm, and organisers have gone to great lengths to show old machines harvesti ng wheat and potatoes.

They have also invited the owners of some of the district’s state-of-the-art big tractors to bring their machines along as a comparison.

Mr Butt erick is no stranger to big events on his farm, and the rally is expected to att ract several thousand visitors if the weather plays ball. Organisers hope plenty of people who att end the nati onal ploughing champs at Lincoln the weekend before will sti ck around in the district to come to the wheat and wheels rally.

Mr Butt erick’s Christys Road farm was the site of the world tractor challenge in 2006 and 10 loading bays used for that massive eff ort (when 1836 tractors were on site) sti ll remain. They will be used by the vintage and classic machines coming to the rally. The event marks the club’s 30th anniversary.

Organiser John Hall said a special paddock of wheat had been sown late for the rally and Cates grain and seed rep Paul Winter was doing his best to keep it from ripening too early. A poor yield is also wanted as the old machines would not be able to cope with the crops farmers grow today. The 14ha has been sprayed

with fungicide to try and delay its development, but that has been tricky with the warm and sunny weather.

Also in acti on at the rally will be old potato harvesters, some originally drawn by horses.

Mr Hall said the modern tractor display would be the largest display of pivot tractors ever seen in New Zealand.

He said many old harvesters had been scrapped so it would be a chance for restored machines to be seen in acti on and for people to see how farming ti mes had changed.

“These new tractors get through a vast amount of work, compared to the old ones.

“We will have old vintage tractors but we have invited farmers with the big ones to bring them along just to parade them. They will not work, it would take up too much land.”

The rally will also celebrate 110 years of Ford vehicles, with Ford cars and tractors in the lineup, plus military vehicles and other classic and vintage vehicles, and chaff cutti ng displays.

An entertainment arena constructed of 500 hay bales will also house food stalls.

“It is a good excuse for everyone who owns an old vehicle to get it out of the shed.”

Mr Hall said vintage machinery enthusiasts from around Mid Canterbury would be att ending, as well as those from further afi eld. Tractor owners in Takaka planned to take a week to travel here.


Methven farmer Don Hart has a soft spot for his 40-year-old John Deere pivot tractor.

The farm workhorse was amongst the fi rst big pivot tractors in operati on in the South Island in the mid-1970s and while it has been superseded by bigger and bett er models, it remains an important machine on the Hart family’s intensive arable farm just out of Methven.

The 1973 240hp John Deere cuts quickly through farm work and is one of several machines that shape life on the Hart property.

Don and Sandy Hart have lived on the Methven highway since 1985. The farm stands out not only because a fi xed-wing aerial topdressing plant and its hangar are visible from the busy road, but because the Harts have stuck with growing wheat, grasses, peas and radish seed crops, and fi nishing lambs, while others around them have turned to dairying.

Don’s sons have stepped into bigger roles on the farm, Andrew running the arable side and Duncan the aviati on topdressing business started by Don when the family farmed in Waimate. Don remains acti vely involved, helping on the farm and fl ying when needed, and running a healthy soil business helping other farmers take a biological approach to

their operati ons.The 1973 John Deere, built in the United

States, was among the fi rst of a new breed of tractors and considered a big machine at the ti me it arrived in New Zealand for the Harts in 1975. The 11.5 tonne tractor made light work of the rolling South Canterbury farmland, pulling wider farm implements and generally improving the whole farm’s producti vity.

The 240hp dual-wheel beast is considered small now, with machines twice its size commonplace on big farms in the district. But in 1975 it was power personifi ed.

"It really proved its worth and the four wheel drive was great on the rolling country in Waimate. It was an extremely modern tractor in the day, and shortly aft er everyone was getti ng into four wheel drives."

On the fl at land near Methven, it was the farm’s main workhorse from 1985 unti l only a couple of years ago. It has all the creature comforts including sound-proof cab, stereo, air conditi oning and full hydraulics.

Don says while smaller tractors could tow implements 4m wide, the powerful John Deere tows implements 10m wide, making short work of big paddocks.

Being able to chew through work quickly in someti mes small windows of ti me is crucial.

The John Deere pivot now has a back-up role

on the Hart farm, aft er the family bought a new dual-wheel 360hp John Deere a couple of years ago.

Don says the older tractor is sti ll in good working order though technological progress between the two machines is obvious.

"I don’t want to part with it. The value of machines in the agricultural sector is low, but it is worth more to me as senti mental value."

Don’s hard-working tractor will be on show at the Mid Canterbury Vintage Machinery Club’s 30th anniversary wheat and wheels rally on April 13-14.

While the event will celebrate farm machines of yesteryear, organisers have also invited the owners of the most modern pivot tractors to att end. Don will drive his John Deere from Methven to the rally in Wakanui; it has a top speed of around 35km/h.

The other important machine on the Hart farm is a bright yellow fi xed-wing Airtractor, spott ed by eagle eyes in skies around Mid Canterbury and all over the South Island.

Don, a keen pilot since the age of 17, started the aerial topdressing business Skyfarmers in Waimate and brought the operati on to Mid Canterbury when they moved to Methven. The farm has its own 800m runway.

Son Duncan is now in the pilot’s seat, with Don lending a helping hand.

Tractor proves it worth

3Linda Clarke, Ashburton Guardian rural reporter

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4Contributed by Nathan Guy

It’s been a very busy fi rst month for me as Minister for Primary Industries with some big issues to deal with, in parti cular water

– or lack of it.This summer has been extremely dry

for most of New Zealand and especially in the North Island. It’s a tough ti me for many farmers, which is why I’ve declared a medium-scale drought in Northland. By the ti me this arti cle goes to print it is likely to have been extended to other areas.

What this means is that extra Government funding is now available to co-ordinate support through local organisati ons like the Rural Support Trusts. They are able to sit down at the kitchen table with farmers and give practi cal guidance and support.

In extreme cases there will also be Rural Assistance Payments available to farmers in severe hardship.w

Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Federated Farmers, DairyNZ and the Ministry for Primary Industries are all providing good

support to farmers with things like feed co-ordinati on services.

It’s important to note that support is available from Government agencies in all regions, even without a drought declarati on. Farmers should contact IRD if they need help or fl exibility with making tax payments, and standard assistance is available from the Ministry of Social Development.

Farmers have been taking practi cal steps to deal with the dry, such as destocking and switching to once a day milking. Most farmers are resilient and are prepared for dry spells, but it’s important to ask for help when needed.

Personally I’ve visited several farms around the North Island recently to see the dry conditi ons for myself. I’ve also visited the sites of potenti al irrigati on projects in Central Hawke’s and in Canterbury, which could help in future dry spells like this one.

As a country New Zealand doesn’t have a shortage of water, it’s just that it oft en falls

in the wrong places at the wrong ti mes. This is why the Government has signalled around $400 million towards regional-scale schemes to encourage third-party capital investment.

A few weeks ago I announced that experienced director Alison Paterson would oversee the establishment of a new Crown company to invest in these projects.

The new company will be established on July 1 and will act as a bridging investor for regional projects, with $80 million to be set aside in Budget 2013.

Done properly, this has the potenti al to deliver a major boost to our primary industries and support many new jobs. If current proposals are advanced there could be another 420,000 hectares of irrigated land available over ti me.

I’m also working closely with Environment Minister Amy Adams on water reform, which you can expect to hear more about very soon.


5Contributed by Kerry Maw, Rural Women

Rural Women – an enterprising lot

Rural New Zealand is full of enterprising women, if the fi nalists of Rural Women New Zealand’s Enterprising

Rural Women Awards in recent years are anything to go by.

These inspiring women have established and successfully run companies ranging from forestry logging trucks to livestock computer soft ware to woollen baby clothing to bra manufacturers, and even dog-sled harness manufacturers. You’d have to admit, that’s a prett y diverse range of successful businesses run by some very impressive and enterprising women.

It takes a fair amount of inspirati onal courage, determinati on, and sheer hard work to fi nd your niche and set up any company. Add to that the parti cular challenges of doing so in a rural setti ng – isolated locati on, access to broadband, diffi culty fi nding suppliers, marketi ng,

staffi ng, postal/courier services – and you can imagine just how innovati ve and enterprising these women must be. Many have achieved this while sti ll raising a family, running the family home, and helping out on the farm.

Rural Women New Zealand celebrates these amazing women and wants to support them to achieve even greater goals. Hence, the Enterprising Rural Women Awards.

These awards were insti gated by a desire to recognise the contributi on of women to the rural economy, their work and achievements, and to off er them real support and encouragement to further their endeavours and grow their businesses.

Of course it’s not only RWNZ which recognises and supports these women and their businesses. We are delighted that the business community also acknowledges

these awards and are, this year, well supported by sponsor partners such as Agrisea NZ Ltd, Telecom, and Access Homehealth.

The awards generate a signifi cant amount of media interest for all the businesses entered, raising their profi le and further helping establish their place in the rural business economy.

Many past entrants have found the process incredibly positi ve in helping them with consolidati on and further growth of their business. Last year’s supreme winner, Rose Voice, of the NZ Real Dog Company has said she found the awards to be a validati on of what she has achieved; her ideas, goals, and hard work.

Each year the awards themselves have developed and grown to refl ect the diversity that is found among these small rural businesses.

This year there are four categories to refl ect diff erent business types:

• “Love of the Land” for land-based businesses

• “Help! I Need Somebody” for businesses off ering any type of service

• “Making It In Rural” for manufacturing or creati ve businesses

• “Stay, Play Rural” for rural tourism/hospitality

Informati on, entry criteria and entry forms are available on the Rural Women New Zealand website www.ruralwomen.orgl.nz. Entries close on March 15.

A winner will be judged in each category and each category winner will be able to profi le their business at the Rural Women New Zealand Nati onal Conference in Christchurch in May, where the supreme winner will be announced.

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Recent publicity highlighti ng the prevalence of suicide in the farming community is nothing new. Alarmingly

the problem seems to be increasing across the nati on.

Across all 34 OECD countries, suicide among young males in New Zealand is the highest.

Stati sti cs show that on average in rural communiti es, 16 persons per 100,000 commit suicide each year. The comparable fi gure across urbanised New Zealand is 11 persons per 100,000.

Why should this be the case? The answer is far from simple.

More oft en than not the outcome is caused by a combinati on of factors, some within, but many outside the control of the rural operator.

Fift y years of acti ve involvement in the farming industry leaves me with several observati ons.

On a nati onal scale the lack of understanding of urban dwellers in respect to New Zealand’s reliance on the rural sector to build the prosperity of the nati on, has led

to an unfortunate “them and us” situati on among many. This manifests itself in various ways from snide remarks across the bar, to misguided interference by ill-informed media personnel att empti ng to highlight a parti cular farming practi ce (oft en without researching the reasons).

The bigger the centre of populati on the worse the scenario in my view.

Thankfully in Ashburton the interacti on of rural and urban persons has signifi cantly improved over the past 50 years to today’s relevant cordiality. I well remember when a farmer’s new car was the topic of much resentment in town. Today as I watch urban dwellers delivering their children to school and pre-school, manoeuvring their spacious 4WDs, the gap has closed completely.

Many acknowledge that the farming industry has put them in this situati on.

Without a doubt one of the most common contributi ng factors to depression (and suicide) is fi nancial pressure.

Recent fi gures highlight a disturbing increase

in suicide caused by marital (or partnership) break-up, accounti ng for many cases.

I’m certainly no expert on moralisti c values and don’t intend to provide answers. Suffi ce to say that in my 70 odd years there has been a real decline in acceptable behavioural standards and a noted change in the meaning of commitment.

Entering the farming industry has always been a huge fi nancial challenge, certainly not for the faint hearted. Risk taking is a necessary part of the scenario, with ulti mate success so dependent on nature and internati onal factors. Timing is pivotal!

Many of my schoolmates and peers were forced to exit farming and other industries in the downturn of the 1980s. This was oft en not a consequence of poor work ethic, mismanagement or incompetence. Factors way beyond the control of farmers themselves formed a pot pourri of measures that simply could not be tolerated.

Doubling of interest rates on borrowing almost overnight, sharemarket crash


7Contributed by John Leadley

never been easynever been easyrepercussions, failure of banking insti tuti ons, product price collapse etc were all among a myriad of contributi ng issues.

Success or failure is oft en about nothing more than ti ming. All businesses need to borrow to expand and over the years banks have bordered on irresponsibility with their largesse.

I fi nd it interesti ng as an investor rather than a new borrower, that our bank is almost disinterested in our custom. Certainly no great gift Christmas hamper like a number of heavy borrowing acquaintances!

Like all children, I was given many gems of advice by my parents. Probably as a result of family circumstances early last century, the most useful was “always look aft er your equity”. It certainly came into play when valuati ons plummeted 40 per cent within weeks aft er expanding our farm size in 1984.

That piece of advice is just as relevant today, and is not limited to business. Note the reported increase in family violence as Christmas credit card debts start to bite. Stress

is oft en self-infl icted.Stati sti cs have long proven that one of

the best means of coping with stress and depression is communicati on. The advent of technological communicati on tools has left many unable to converse freely in a group situati on – so much easier to send a text or email!

Far less personal than in a situati on where facial expression and voice infl ecti ons can add so much emphasis and sincerity to advice.

I would strongly encourage those rural persons struggling to cope with their present situati on, be it work issues, family issues, fi nancial issues or whatever concerns they have, to share their burdens.

Commendable initi ati ves are in place via Federated Farmers, Rural Women, Dairy Women’s Network, Rural Support Trust (0800 787254), among others who all operate with utmost confi denti ality to assist.

The demise of Federated Farmers branch meeti ngs, community acti viti es associated with rural halls, closing of country churches

and even the demise of the dog dosing strip has lessened opportuniti es to share real concerns. A problem shared is a problem halved.

Whatever the occupati on there will always be good days and bad – but not many occupati ons bring people so close to nature.

Life in a 40 hour-a-week job never appealed to me. Given my ti me over again I would change very litt le. The sati sfacti on of a well-shorn sheep, a high yielding crop, a good wool clip or lambing percentage was well worth the eff ort.

The challenge of adapti ng to nature, the thrill of water pouring from 50 metres underground in 1969.

Working with animals and watching them respond to kindness. Being part of a community.

The reward of physical labour, planning and commitment, not necessarily in dollar terms but job sati sfacti on, are diffi cult to quanti fy.

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The beautiful Sequoiadendron, or Wellingtonia, outside the All Saints Church in Methven, is a tree

registered with the Ashburton District Council

What a diff erence trees make to our lives; the long hot summer days make us appreciate them even more. Lunch

under a shady tree or out in the bright heat? There’s no comparison.

Ashburton is home to many beauti ful old trees such as those along Oak Grove, the ones between the railway line and East Street, in the domain and near the college. Many of these lovely old trees are “registered” or “heritage” trees: that is, they are registered on the District Plan and marked on a LIM report.

This gives them some form of protecti on against development: the tree cannot be felled without a resource consent and there can be no excavati on within 10 metres of the tree. The Council undertakes to do any work that is needed on the trees, such as pruning.

Currently there are 73 sites within Ashburton District with registered trees. Some sites have more than one specimen, such as the trees on public land at Barrhill village.

How does a tree become a “registered tree”? David Askin, manager of the Parks and Recreati on department at Ashburton District Council, says that people are welcome to write

to the council to nominate what they consider to be a parti cularly notable or historically valuable tree.

The tree will be assessed against nine criteria: its heritage/historic value; scienti fi c/botanical value; the importance of the tree’s positi on in the landscape; its cultural, social or spiritual value or if it is commemorati ng a personal sacrifi ce; size; age; form and conditi on; suitability in relati on to setti ng or site conditi ons; and its functi onal value (such as whether it is valuable for shelter, shade, soil stabilisati on etc).

Points are allocated on a scale from zero to 32; for instance under heritage/historic, eight points are given for a tree that has “local area/community signifi cance”; 16 points for “early sett ler planti ngs or trees associated with historic/heritage buildings or places or important historic events” and 32 points for “trees commemorati ng important regional or nati onal historic events or planted by historic identi ti es”. Under the age criteria two points are given for a tree 5 to 50 years old and 16 points for one that is 150 years or over.

In rural areas on the plains, trees are not in great abundance but where they are found they

are highly valued for shade, shelter, a home for insects and birds, as repositories of nati ve biodiversity and as beauti ful elements within our landscape.

The foothills sti ll have considerable areas of original nati ve forest, some of which are protected by the Department of Conservati on, and many other trees and patches of nati ve remnants are on private land.

David Askin says he would welcome more nominati ons of notable trees from rural areas. Both nati ve and exoti c trees have high value in the rural landscape and should be protected.

The Queen Elizabeth II Nati onal Trust covenants protect some remnants of nati ve forest but QEII local representati ve Rob Smith says the Trust no longer recommends “life of tree” covenants. He suggests that landowners with trees they would like to protect should fence them off from stock, make sure there is no culti vati on around them and to make no changes to the existi ng drainage regime.

Members of the public are welcome to nominate trees on public land (such as roadsides) that they think are worthy of the council’s protecti on.

8Contributed by Mary Ralston, Forest and Bird

The large oak tree outside the convent in Methven is also a registered tree


Bucket list ticked at Golden ShearsCanadian Doug Kennedy, 74, is one very

happy man. Att ending the Golden Shears in Masterton recently has been a

dream come true for him. “It’s been on my bucket list for years and I

can’t believe I’m here,” he enthuses. “I’ve just left temperatures of 20 below and a metre of snow, so I’m happy to be in New Zealand on many levels.”

Doug knows what he’s watching too. He’s been shearing and teaching the craft for decades in his home state of Ontario. A teacher of elementary school children (9-13 years olds) by profession, he was literally forced into learning how to shear when his father died and he was left as a 20-year-old with a 125 strong fl ock of large Suff olk ewes to shear. It was a small farm of 50 acres that he had been raised on and he wanted to make it work, in honour of his father.

Being self-taught, his shearing method is novel, if not a bit unorthodox. He shears equally well with both hands, a trait which has worked perfectly for him when he took on the teaching of students at the shearing school near his home town, Thamesford, a rural based township of just over 8000 people.

“Shearing students can watch what I do with either my left or right arm and see the mirror image to copy. It makes for very fl exible learning.”

Doug also did some competi ti ve shearing too in his younger days, mainly at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. “I loved the competi ti on, rubbing shoulders with people aiming at excellence. It’s good stuff .”

He says one notable feature of the intake at the shearing school in recent years is the increasing number of females learning to shear. Last intake, 75 per cent were women, he said.

It’s a mixed bag of sheep that Doug has been involved with in Ontario. There are the large Suff olks, along with Rambouillet (French Merino), and the Dorsets which dominate the English breeds there.

Asked if he had a favourite sheep breed, he laughed saying the best ones to shear would be ones without legs or heads “they just get in the way.”

Following the Golden Shears, Doug is heading to the South Island of New Zealand with two other bucket list ambiti ons. He wants to see the merino sheep of the high country and also to visit earthquake damaged Christchurch city.

“Because of my interest in sheep and shearing, I have always a close affi nity to New Zealand without ever visiti ng unti l now. When I watched what happened to Christchurch, I was surprised how visibly moved I was for that poor city.”

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A beaming Doug Kennedy visiting Golden Shears from Canada.

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Chinese delegation visits Alliance Group

A Chinese delegati on visited Alliance Group last week as the meat processor looked to launch a major consumer research

programme in China.Representati ves of Alliance Group’s in-market

partner Grand Farm, China’s largest single importer of New Zealand sheepmeat, and two Chinese Government offi cials, toured the company’s Lorneville processing plant near Invercargill, the Mataura beef processing plant, and the venison plant at Makarewa.

Mr Xibin Chen, Grand Farm President, Ms Jiao Chen, Grand Farm General Manager, and Mr Paul Wang, Grand Farm Manager of Internati onal Trade, also visited an Alliance Group supplier farm.

The delegati on’s arrival coincide with Alliance Group and Grand Farm developing a fi ve-point blueprint designed to further grow business between the two companies.

The blueprint includes the launch of a consumer research programme in China, new product development and ensuring Alliance Group products conti nue to meet the changing tastes of Chinese consumers. The two companies will also discuss the possibility of Alliance Group exporti ng New Zealand venison to China in the future.

The consumer research programme, funded by Alliance Group, Beef & Lamb and Grand Farm, will see Chinese consumers surveyed on the taste and quality of New Zealand lamb, compared to that of Chinese and Inner Mongolian lamb.

China is now the Alliance Group’s largest export market for lamb and mutt on by volume and is closing the gap on the UK for value.

Murray Brown, General Manager, Marketi ng, Alliance Group, said the visit on March 5-7 would further cement the strong partnership between Alliance Group and Grand Farm.

“Grand Farm is one of Alliance Group’s long-standing customers in China and it has enabled us to grow and expand our various lamb and mutt on cuts into the country from lower valued cuts to higher end retail product.

“Grand Farm processes 70 per cent of the lamb supplied by Alliance Group into lamb rolls, kebabs and fi nished retail ready products. They also have a number of retail outlets displaying products co-branded with Alliance Group’s Pure South brand.”

He added: “Grand Farm has a wide range of customers including most major Chinese and internati onal supermarket chains within China.

“As well as supplying a number of large

restaurant chains and boasti ng its own retail outlet stores, Grand Farm also has strong plans for growth.”

China also promised signifi cant growth opportuniti es for Alliance Group, he said.

“With the reducti on in tariff s, and the growth in populati on, New Zealand has become an important supplier of protein to China. As distributi on and logisti cs improve, higher valued cuts including chilled lamb will evolve and there is already interest in some of these product types.”

As part of their fi rst visit to New Zealand, the Chinese Government offi cials hope to learn more about the partnership between Alliance Group and Grand Farm, said Mr Brown.

Alliance Group has been working in China since the mid-1990s and is now the largest exporter of New Zealand lamb to the country.

The co-operati ve began exporti ng to traders in Dalian in the mid-1990s and has been working with Grand Farm, since 2000. Grand Farm is the best known distributor and marketer of top quality red meat in Northern China.

Alliance Group is a co-operati ve owned by about 5000 farmer shareholders and is the world’s largest processor and exporter of sheepmeat.

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11

Mid-Central Canterbury in national spotlight

Contributed by Irrigation NZ

PHOTO PAUL REESE, IRRIGATION NEW ZEALAND

The recent Campbell Live story about the Selwyn River showed North Canterbury Fish & Game with John Campbell on an

aerial tour pointi ng out irrigated paddocks contrasti ng with dry riverbed. Pictures paint a thousand words but don’t tell the whole story. The emoti ve scenes of dead fi sh and dry river beds off ered up as proof of complete degradati on and desolati on are hard to come back from, but as irrigators we are easy targets unless we respond.

Prime ti me television, reliant on rati ngs for income, and the percepti on of balance to keep the audience, target the urban middle class that are easy to convince with a 10-minute bite. Tugging at the heartstrings is easy television but actually fi nding a balance in real life to deliver our hopes and dreams for the next generati on is not so simple.

Irrigati onNZ was invited to present an alternati ve view and CEO Andrew Curti s, accompanied by Selwyn farmer John Sunknell, countered with messages of effi cient irrigati on and measures in place to minimise eff ects. Unlike the 10-minute sound bite, Irrigati on NZ, John and many others like him are acti vely engaged in the long-term conversati ons and deliberati ons on how to address the issues that confront our region.

As farmers, our acti viti es can impact on water quality and quanti ty but alternately we can improve the environment. More than any other industry group we need to pull together and come up with pro-acti ve soluti ons. Constructi ve and collaborati ve remedies will always be more successful than regulatory responses.

Water is offi cially back in the headlines and as farmers we need to be prepared for public scruti ny. Mid and Central Canterbury have returned to the nati onal spotlight with the Water Conservati on Order covering the Rakaia River lift ed, and the recent $1.7 million Government funding to support Central Plains Water (CPW).

CPW constructi on could start as early as September with ‘fi rst water’ being delivered for the 2014/15 irrigati on season. The introducti on of alpine water via CPW will be part of the soluti on to help restore lowland streams and lakes. The positi ves of this story need to be told.

With a thriving economy, the right policy framework, signals and support from industry, innovati ve and eff ecti ve soluti ons

will be found to improve the environment.It is not Kiwi nature to brag about

achievements and what we do but maybe it is ti me for some balanced and reasoned promoti on of agriculture. One way is to get involved in the processes aimed at delivering a more sustainable environment.

Last month, we emphasised the value of ‘user groups’ to represent irrigator interests and act as a conduit and advocate with regulatory bodies. Stepping up to engage and off er soluti ons with decision-makers and other parti es is criti cal. Irrigati onNZ cannot stress enough how important this is to the future of our industry.

The water quality limit setti ng process is the most obvious example and every farmer in Canterbury will be aff ected, so you need to get involved. Hearings for the Proposed Land and Water Regional Plan, which will set the regional policy framework, began last month. The fi rst of the 10 sub regional plans, Selwyn Waihora, to be noti fi ed through the Zone Committ ee (ZC) process is drawing to a close. In late March the ZC will recommend to commissioners water quality and quanti ty regimes.

All industry organisati ons are involved informing both the ZC and Environment Canterbury staff on implicati ons and possibiliti es of how proposed limits could be managed.

These are diffi cult problems to solve with a balancing act to achieve economic prosperity for the region and also meet stringent environmental limits.

Importantly the cultural aspects, which are based on values not that diff erent to the general populati on’s, are part of helping to shape those recommendati ons. Our Maori community as citi zens, business people and farmers have the same aspirati ons.

The limits will have impacts but the key will be allowing ti me to digest and change. This ti me must refl ect the 150 years that has led us to this point. The water quality objecti ves proposed will decide how our environment will look in the future but how they are managed and transiti oned will decide the social and economic implicati ons. Any social and economic cost to individuals and the region must be minimised and industry is working hard to this end.

Getti ng the big picture right will lead to good news stories in the future.


12

Setting up Setting up

Have you ever left a bowl or bucket out in the rain and watched your dog or cat drinking from the soft rainwater the next

morning? Plants love rainwater water too – there is something about it.

Last winter we set up a rainwater tank as a project with some friends who were visiti ng. It has been such a bonus this summer to connect the hose to the tank fi tti ng and water the garden with warm soft rainwater through a soaker hose system. The plants love it.

It was great to be able to source a locally made RX Plasti cs tank. We set it up on some posts and built a frame for it to sit on so the water could be gravity fed onto the garden. The black plasti c tank fi lled with water stores heat from the sun so it also creates a mini micro climate and additi onal sheltered area in our permaculture garden in which to grow a citrus tree or other more exoti c plants. You can hardly see the black plasti c tank in the garden already as the buddleias have taken off around it and there are clouds of monarch butt erfl ies fl ying above on a sunny day.

For a number of years we have had several 200 litre open barrels under the downpipes at several locati ons so water can be bucketed out onto container plants or overfl ow onto the garden alongside. It is interesti ng to watch how they fi ll so quickly with only a gentle shower overnight and to listen to the water trickling in off the roof as you lie in bed. The barrel on the veranda has been a saviour for us when we have had power cuts or snow as our water is pumped from a well so no electricity means no water.

When collecti ng rainwater it’s crucial to ensure that the roof, gutt ering, pipes and other features do not contaminate the water before it goes into the storage tank.

Water from roofs can be contaminated by decaying vegetable matt er such as leaves, faecal matt er from birds, possums and rats; and dead birds and animals.

To reduce the risk of contaminati on set up leaf screens and/or guards over the gutt ers. These are available from your hardware store and relati vely cheap and easy to install.

tank or tank or


13

Setting up

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Collecting and using rainwater

Rainwater is a free, perpetually-renewing water supply. Installing a rainwater tank is relati vely simple and inexpensive, and the benefi ts are ongoing.

Is it for me?Even if you’re connected to the town supply or

have your own well, you may want to consider using rainwater for your garden or lawns. By doing this, you can reduce your demand on mains water supply and avoid the summer water restricti ons by having your own independent water supply as well as give your garden a treat with soft rainwater.

How do you collect and use rainwater?

In principle, a rainwater collecti on system is simple: rainwater is collected from your roof and stored in a tank unti l you need it. Exactly how you set the system up will depend on how much rainwater you need and what you want to use it for.

To collect rainwater for watering the garden, you might not need anything more complex than a 44-gallon drum or a 200 litre rain barrel with a tap or connecti on to a soak hose. Generally, systems for outdoor use only rely on gravity with no need for pumps.

How big?The size of tank you’ll need depends on your

rainfall; on what you intend to use the water for, and whether you have access to mains water supply.

You don’t need to have a huge tank to make a diff erence – even a rain barrel will reduce your outdoor water use and provide water in an emergency.

You can set up several small 200 litre water barrels or a larger tank. For garden watering, you can install one or several 200-litre rain barrels or a rainwater tank (500 litres or more).

CostsA basic rainwater collecti on tank is easy to install

and can be relati vely inexpensive. Costs vary depending on the tank material, and installati on and delivery requirements.

Check your local hardware store or contact the rainwater barrel supplier.

Black Barrel Soluti ons in Christchurch supply recycled 200 litre black plasti c barrels along with all the high quality fi tti ngs you need to set them up for approximately $150.

Have a look at the water harvesti ng barrel they have supplied for the Eco Educati on Centre www.blackbarrel.co.nz or call the Mastagard Recycling Helpline for advice on water conservati on phone 0800 627 824.

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If it’s not sticky when wet, it’s not clay

As we head into the last days of summer and begin autumn at the end of the week we are just a few days away from the South Island

Agricultural Field Days. Coff ee with a couple of diff erent clients lately raised the subject of the clay under our topsoil – is it really clay?

It got me thinking about the oft en heard comment about the yellow-brown clay most of you have underlying that dark black topsoil (I hope).

Most of the soils on the Canterbury Plains are derived from wind-blown fi ne sand or silt (loess) or alluvial material laid down by rivers in fl ood. The fi nest material (clays) are held in suspension and travel the furthest in the fl ood waters from the mountains – so they have ended up at the bott om of the plains – ask the Irwell and Leeston farmers

about clay soils. So the vast majority of the soils as we/you know them are silt loam soils – obvious by the names you all know them. Like Lismore silt loam, Templeton silt loam, Wakanui silt loam, Chertsey silt loam etc.

The topsoil is not in questi on in this discussion – seems everyone knows they have a loam soil. It is that pesky yellow brown material that sits between the topsoil and the gravels underneath that has become synonymous with the term “clay”.

So is it clay? No, it is not clay. I don’t get enough room to write a book about all the Canterbury soils, so let’s just consider the common of soil types, the Lismore shallow silt loam – the Lismore series of soils cover a bit more than 180,000ha between the area south of the Rangitata River north to the area north of the Waimakariri (a fair

way ahead of the second place-gett er as I recall the Waimakariri Series at 91,000ha). Typically the soil profi le will be described, see Table 1.

Soil Bureau (now Landcare Research) once had a bevy of pedologists (soil scienti sts) and New Zealand is indeed fortunate for the work they carried out characterising our soils – including measuring how much stones, sand, silt and clay is in the soil layers. For the Lismore shallow silt loam, the layers in the table above would typically have stones, sand, silt and clay proporti ons, see Table 2.

The “clay” layer has very low clay content and the clay types are illites and hydrous micas. These are not swelling type clays and are less sti cky than swelling clays. The yellow brown “clay” layer is predominantly

silt and rather than feeling sti cky when wet will have a silky feel to it – and someti mes even a litt le gritt y (depending on how much sand is in the layer). Oh, and just a litt le aside – ploughing this material up is not a great idea. It has yet to weather into something useful for plants, has litt le or no organic matt er and therefore litt le or no value for crop growth.

For the South Island Agricultural Field Days (March 20-22) we have made the soil our theme. Come and check out what the “clay” and what a true clay soil really feels like. Look for us at site 469, somewhere on a corner. It might “look like clay”, it might “go hard like clay”, but unti l you get it wet and in between your fi ngers it probably isn’t clay.

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Table 1Soil Type Depth, cm Soild DescriptionLismore shallow silt loam

0-20 Dark grayish brown silt loam

20-40 Friable yellow brown silt (can be a litt le stony)“The clay layer”

40-onward Stony, fi rm greywacke gravels

Table 2Soil Type Depth, cm % Stones % Sand % Silt % ClayLismore shallow silt loam

0-20 0 5-30 45-80 15-25

20-40 10-15 5-30 33-75 10-22

40-onward 60-75 85-95 0-2 1-4

Regular soil Extemely dry soil

14Contributed by Dr Tony Davoren

Organic and inorganic material, water, air and organisms

Inorganic and less organic material, water, air and few organisms.Commonly referrred to as the “clay”

Inorganic material, water, and air - gravels


15

Gardening with diggers and chainsawsNothing very exciti ng has happened

lately – we’ve had no muck-ups of any sort.

As always there is something to do, but Tom and I haven’t mucked it up. Maybe we are learning - only took just over two years but that’s not bad.

At this point we are feeding out to the cows as everything is a wee bit dry at the moment.

We can’t water or should I say irrigate our paddocks as we don’t have water rights for that. We’re glad that we only have four cows and three sheep otherwise we may have to get rid of them.

It always makes me laugh when I say I had to feed out before coming to town. The look on people’s faces is “how good am I” and “I’ve really taken to farming”.

I wait for a while before saying how many cows I have. I think some people think it is quite a few more than what we have got.

When I tell told it is only four cows and three sheep they then fi nd it really funny.

Our next important job is to oil the road as it is so dusty with all the trucks at the moment. Yes, it’s okay, we have council consent to do it. I did the paperwork and it’s all good. Some days I used to wonder why I hung the washing out. The dust that comes through the hedge is amazing.

I’ve even had to keep windows closed on the south side of the house - I don’t like dusti ng at all. My windows are disgusti ng and I will not be cleaning them unti l we have been out and done the road. That should be a laugh; I may have to help this ti me to get it done. Last ti me our neighbours helped but they are all busy at the moment.

So maybe just Tom, me and the kids. I wonder how many arguments will go down before we start. How ever it happens, it will make a huge diff erence when done.

I know that people in town will think that it’s not good for the environment doing this but we have to out in the country if you have a shingle road right at your gate. It is not that much oil really but it makes a huge diff erence. When living in town we got cross with the neighbour lighti ng their fi re and the smoke blowing onto your washing.

But it wasn’t every day that your washing smelt of smoke whereas with the road it is all day that dust blows through. I have had four trucks not cars go down the road this morning while writi ng this and it’s not even 8.30am.

Luckily today it’s blowing into the neighbour’s paddock, only a litt le is coming my way. I have sti ll put the washing out - what can I do? Putti ng it in the drier is not the best as the power bill is high enough at the moment.

The garden is coming along really well, as Tom has had the digger in again - we have cleared the back garden ready to fi x the fence

along the roadside. While doing this the whole lot went in a moment of madness (which in this house can comes regularly.) We started just taking out the plants that were in the way, now there are only the trees left and dirt. It took all day, and happened to be one of those hot ones.

For now we will plant it in lawn and plant some more trees to replace a few that didn’t the digger and chainsaw Tom had. Tom, as you can see, likes chainsaws and diggers very much but tends to do a lot of damage really fast when he gets started.

I will admit that I decided some trees should come out but a few more came out when I decided to go inside to check on what the kids where doing.

Mind you it does look nicer than before. A bit bare that’s all.

Photos show what we can do in a day, no fi xing this.

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16

Getting it right for the horseThe average recreati onal or show rider

spends thousands on the horse, more thousands on the saddle, and many

more thousands on the horse-truck or fl oat. Yet the idea of investi ng some resources in the constructi on of a good Dry Lot doesn’t go down at all. Yet this is the one asset that will ensure you achieve the real results you’re aft er.

If you’re one of those fortunate people who never have any problems keeping your horse on the pasture you have then by all means don’t change a thing. But if you are in that growing category of horse owners whose horse is oft en nok OK, who spends a constant stream of money on various treatments, has endless trouble fi tti ng saddles, whose horse is somehow not the horse they originally purchased, who has lost confi dence due to their horse doing scary things or who gets to the show and their horse disappoints them, then the answer lies in getti ng complete control of the diet by eliminati ng the culprit which is the forced consumpti on of unsuitable grass.

Wild horses are never confi ned behind fences and forced to eat the unbalanced re-growth grass.

Wild horses trickle feed all day long on low nutrient density grasses and bushes growing on predominantly unferti le country.

What do we stuff down their gobs? High producti on grasses and legumes meant for rapid weight gain and milk producti on, plus kilograms

of other high nutrient density feeds and top them off with high carbohydrate molassed grains. Are we mad?

The horses in the picture haven’t had any green grass since last winter. They live on the Dry Lot in the background on ad lib hay and a small daily feed containing premium minerals to ensure they don’t lack anything. They don’t need any extra salt, or any extra magnesium because they are not eati ng anything that unbalances them. They are extremely chilled out and contented ‘lovely to be around’. We feel safe riding them. They are the same all year round. We hardly ever noti ce the mares coming into season. Funny there is no longer any need for various treatments.

More and more people are doing it, building a Dry Lot that is. If you have a horse that is prone to head-fl icking or laminiti s then a good Dry Lot is an absolute necessity. (Please note I am not talking about all horses this way, I am talking about your riding horses and ponies. Broodmares and foals have diff erent requirements for instance.

By the way a good Dry Lot is not a stable or a yard. They are far too small. A good Dry Lot is a safe strip or area where the horse can make choices to stand behind shelter or shade, to eat or lie down. Where he can trickle feed on a constant supply of suitable hay. Your pasture grass will have a chance to grow to bett er length. Then you can allow appropriate access

to this grass as you see fi t, depending on the weather, season, how he is and so on.

A good Dry Lot pays for itself over and over, not only in a reducti on in ‘maintenance costs’ of the horse but in vastly increased safety around and enjoyment of your horse.

Forget forever trying to get the horse right. Just do the things necessary to get it right for the horse. You won’t believe how good they can get!!

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17

Horsing around for a good causeHorsing around for a good cause

Pete Langford, not unlike James Bond, is a man on an ambiti ous and someti mes dangerous mission. But instead of

travelling in super-cars, speedboats and helicopters, all Pete will be using to complete his mission are two horses, Ed a seven-year-old gelding, and Maddie, a slightly younger mare, creati ng Team Equs.

Originally from Doncaster, England, Pete moved to New Zealand a litt le more than nine years ago, but living the Kiwi dream soon took an unfortunate detour, which saw Pete lose his business and Northland home.

His home renovati on business took a major hit during the recession, and the bank moved in to sell his home under a mortgagee sale.

It took the advice of a good friend to turn a bad situati on into a positi ve one, when she suggested to Pete that with no employment ti es and no mortgage repayments, he was free to live out his dreams and ambiti ons.

That ambiti on has led to Pete embarking on the greatest challenge of his life to date, travelling the length of New Zealand, from Bluff to Cape Reinga on horseback, through the rugged back country.

The trek will consist of 2500 KM through some of New Zealand’s harshest and most beauti ful terrains.

From rugged sub-alpine barren mountains of the south, to the lush semi-tropical wilderness of the north, the trek is certainly not for the faint of heart.

Not only will Pete be living out a dream, but he is also raising donati ons towards New Zealand’s air emergency services.

The trek began early in the morning on November 11 from the famous sign post at Bluff . Pete soon discovered that anything can happen on the trail, and due to some minor problems, Ed was exchanged for a new horse named Cloud, and Maddie replaced by Two-Shoes. But where there are challenges, there is also triumph.

Fift y days and 583 KM later, the harshness of the ride was taking its toll on the horses and fi nances. Pete made a quick trip home and aft er some generous sponsorship off ers were made, Pete returned to Barossa Stati on where Cloud and Two-Shoes were keen to conti nue with the trek.

One of Pete’s more dramati c encounters

happened recently on theRakaia River, where he and his horse accidentally rode into quicksand which was hidden by the shale and rock. Peter and his horses fortunately managed to climb out relati vely unscathed.

This journey conti nued for “10 days in the wilderness, almost!” as Pete wrote in his blog. “Getti ng from Lake Coleridge to Grassmere started out well enough, unti l I realised I had just spent the last hour following the wrong creek up a dead end!”

These trials are becoming a familiar occurrence for Team Equs as they navigate the treacherous backcountry.

In the past two weeks alone Pete has encountered what he describes as “the gnarliest riding I have done, ever…”

A parti cular incident he described would send shivers up even the most confi dent of horsemen’s spines. On the journey to Grassmere along a steep track Team Equs “rounded a corner to fi nd a 3 to 4 metre drop where the original track had been washed out…”

The new track, being a near verti cal bank was scatt ered with “tree roots backfi lled with soil for

steps and, just to make it more lively, two very ti ght switch-backs whilst coming down”.

If this wasn’t bad enough he tells of a 30-metre drop awaiti ng him should either Pete or his horse lose footi ng.

“I wasn’t happy, in fact for the fi rst ti me I was frightened for the safety of the horses, and one misstep would spell disaster of the terminal kind.”

With a nine-hour back-track the only other opti on, Pete ‘and the horses conti nued on the possibly fatal track with all of the skill they had. Aft er some kind words on Pete’s behalf and some “equine gymnasti cs” on the horses,’ Team Equs made it safely down the slope and on to Grassmere.

Today Pete conti nues north through the South Island, where he travels west of Hanmer and is pushing through the Rainbow Valley as he heads through Marlborough on his way to the Picton Ferry.

To follow Pete on his journey, off er some words of encouragement and assistance, or to donate to the fundraising eff orts to support New Zealand’s air emergency services, visit www.freewitheveryhorse.com.

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Two-Shoes escaping the Rakaia River quicksand.

One of the many mountains between Coleridge and Grassmere.


18 18

Dollar versus droughtDollar versus drought

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By Bruce Wills, National President of Federated Farmers

Drought is a low point for any farmer and passing drizzle on the day Hawke’s Bay requested drought be declared

seemed like nature’s way of pulling a practi cal joke.

Our farm joins others as far afi eld as Northland and the West Coast that are in or fast approaching drought. If you want the economic bill, ANZ puts it at $1 billion and counti ng.

With anything aff ecti ng farmland there is a lot of interest and comment. Some of it has been supporti ve, some regretf ully not. What I can say is that the days of farmer welfare are long gone.

It surprises many to discover the biggest thing farmers welcome from an offi cial declarati on is psychological. A declarati on confi rms events have spiralled well beyond your control as a farmer so it is okay to ask for farm advisory and counselling services; largely delivered by the Rural Support Trusts.

This is about speeding recovery and helping families to cope with huge business and personal stress.

An offi cial declarati on tells the banks just how bad things are and if farmers keep their banks fully informed, I am confi dent the banks will work with them in return. It also means that Inland Revenue has discreti on on things like income equalisati on, but you are not excused any tax obligati ons. Rural assistance payments can also be available in genuine hardship cases.

Like all farmers, we adapt to our ever-changing climate and on our farm that includes building 60 dams over the past fi ve years. With no water I am digging them deeper to increase storage when it does eventually rain.

But given how tough things are, it makes me shake my head at the New Zealand dollar.

Driving to Wellington from the Hawke’s Bay I noti ced the conditi on of livestock seemed to

be very good but there weren’t many about. DairyNZ indicates large swathes of North Island dairy producti on is now down between 15-20 per cent on 2012.

A gravity-defying dollar ignores that with a fair proporti on of the dairy season left to run, dairy farmers are either on once a day milking or considering drying their cows off unti l August.

Federated Farmers Grain & Seed is working with feed manufacturers to see if they can economically get South Island feed into the North Island. This could extend the season for dairy and help sheep and beef farmers to get their remaining stock up to target weights.

But when you put dairy together with the way meat and fi bre farmers rapidly destocked over summer, New Zealand’s two leading exports are under the gun. What is overlooked is that the drought-hit North Island is now the centre for New Zealand’s sheep and beef catt le industry.

It is why Federated Farmers agrees with the Reserve Bank Governor Graeme Wheeler; New Zealand’s economic fundamentals provide no justi fi cati on for the overvalued Kiwi dollar.

Of course we could print money but that is like throwing a hand grenade into a confi ned space.

Like Graeme Wheeler, farmers are telling the Government that it must take the pressure off the dollar through prudent spending choices.

While a strong Kiwi is here for a while, investors need to know just how risky buying an overvalued Kiwi is.

Yes, our economy is ‘less bad’ than the sequestered United States or Europe, where dole queues grow daily, but it is sti ll bad.

The dollar is why we need policy reform to help exporters become as competi ti ve as they can be; making the best of a rum situati on.


South Island Agricultural Field Days18

Financial software that helps farmers plan

YEARS30 Cashmanager RURAL has been assisting New Zealand

Farmers to improve farm performance for over 30 years.

Simplify your livestock management with Cashmanager RURAL’s livestock upgrade - the month by month ‘stockfl ow’ view makes it easy to keep your stock fi gures up to date, gives you access to ‘today’s’ farm information, simplifi es reporting and keeps your Accountant happy with a detailed livestock reconciliation.

The farm management software of choice for Farmers, Accountants, Rural Managers and Consultants all over New Zealand - Cashmanager RURAL enables you to:

• Create a fi nancial plan for the future and review your plans against actual activity

• Manage your commitments and control your costs

• Keep everyone in your business up-to-date and connected with multi-site access through ’The Cloud’.

OR VISIT US AT SOUTH ISLAND FIELD DAYS SITE C58

CRS Software Ltd, PO Box 692, Masterton, 5840 �www.cashmanagerRURAL.co.nz

Livestock information at your fi ngertips whenever you need it!

Call us today for a free trial on 0800 888 080 www.cashmanagerRURAL.co.nz

Livestock information at your fingertips

Guardian Farming n South Island Field Day March 2013.indd 19 Guardian Farming n South Island Field Day March 2013.indd 1912/03/2013 11:16:52 a.m. 12/03/2013 11:16:52 a.m.

South Island Agricultural Field Days 17

PMR GRAIN SYSTEMS CROP STORAGE AND HANDLING SYSTEMS

Visit us at the South Island Field Days

Site 740-741

Crop Storage Specialists

GSI SILOSFlat bottomed or hopper. 10 tonnes to 10,000 tonnes. Can

Q-SAGE SEED CLEANING EQUIPMENT

ELEVATORS & CONVEYORS

10-40 ton

HARVEST MAXI-STIRRER

CHC GAS HEATERS

Dairy feed systems now available

PHOTO SUPPLIEDPaul Whitbread.



Introducing ANGUS DRAGMASTER IRRIGATION HOSE

- the improved drag hose you’ll want to get your teeth into...!

resistance

Angus Dragmaster Irrigation Hose -

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LEADING THROUGH

Contact your Angus dealer for more information

Angus Dragmaster irrigation hose - designed for the farmer who wants the best



Exhibitor numbers swell for field days

With more than 400 exhibitors signed up so far, the 2013 South Island Agricultural Field Days to be held at Lincoln University Farm March 20-22 promises to be one of the most successful in the 60 year history of the event.

year in that it will be the last one staged on the present Lincoln site.

The South Island Agricultural Field Days takes place on the 35 hectare Lincoln University farm.

The event concentrates on focusing on

experts.

It is the only agricultural show in New Zealand to

tractors, headers, mowers, seed drills and other machines being put through their paces each day.

“However space is now at a premium and we’re

next month.

This year there has been increased interest from the North Island as well as solid interest from other parts of the South Island, including Otago/Southland and the Top of the South, as well as two exhibitors from Australia.

The theme for the 2013 Field Days is Ag-

half billion people.

The SIAFD will be held at the Lincoln University

This event has more than 400 exhibitors over 35

visitors over the course of three days.

5pm 20-22nd March 2013.



183C Alford Forest Road, Ashburton

Phone 03 307 8903 www.dairycool.co.nz

24 7 Service

Come and visit us at the South Island Field Days Site 466

YOUR MILK COOLING AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY EXPERTS

New technologies save you money and protect your milk

Milk Silo Refrigeration UnitsDairycool Milk Silo controllersSpecialist Robotic Farm Milk Cooling Systems and ControllersMahana Blue and Desuperheater heat recovery hot waateter heatingggMilk Silo Insulation WrapsGlycol and water snap-chillingPlate cooler and Refe rigeration Unit alarmsElectronic Expansisionon Valves

Dairycool Products24 7 refrigeration breakdownserviceMilk cooling troubleshooting and consultancyRefrigeration, plumbing and Electrical InstallationMaintenance service Programme

Dairycool Services

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ince 1987

JFM

Site 960

Portable saw mills off to Field Days



Whole Grain Moisture and Protein Analysis

Portable Thresher

Phone +64 3 962 2960 Fax +64 3 962 2962

Hay/Silage Moisture Portable Grain Moisture Meters Soil Moisture Sieves and Shakers

-

In any supply chain, businesses must be based

links with merchants or end-users. However,

become ever more stringent. Failure to meet

grain match each other well. Achieving this

in New Zealand do not have set standards to

leads to incorrect moisture readings!

handheld combine harvester to combat this.

content using a moisture meter.

represent the bulk.

This helps the grower:

(<14%) to avoid spoilage

straw, immature grains etc.

on grain or meter.

20±2o

ground grains.

content.

Grinding or Whole Grain Moisture meters?

grains and seeds (eg grass seed) can only be accurately tested on a grinding moisture

results.

less sample than the Wile whole grain analyser.

meters is necessary as this is needed to ensure

This can be achieved by comparing meter

moisture contents.

call 03 9622960 and See us at South Island

Proper grain sampling and analysing



Coomeeee aannd see us at SSoouutthh Island Field Days 20-2222 MMarch CCalll 0000008880000 223333 6645 or visit AADDFFmmilking.comHHeeaaalltthy coows,, hhheeeaaalthhyy pprroofifitts

RRReeedddduucccee MasttiittiissRR SSaavvee TTTiiimmmeeeSS SSavvee MMoonneeyy

End of milking -the process starts

Dip is applied toentire teat

Liners cleaned, ready for next cow

Teat dipped and protected

444

ADF - making milking twice as easy

Installing ADF in his new herringbone dairy shed was a “no brainer” according to dairy farmer Mark Williams when he converted his sheep farm to dairy in July 2012. Mark and wife Kelsey own a 100 ha, 600 Friesian cow dairy farm, as well as an 80 ha cropping farm, in Burnham, Canterbury.

seconds from the end of milking, the cluster is ready for the next cow.

It was over the breakfast table that Mark

handed him an ADF brochure. Mark then called ADF who took him to see a farm with the system installed just down the road. “The farmer spoke highly of his ADF system so I took the bank manager for a look. He said ‘why don’t all dairy farmers have this?’ so from that point it was let’s do it, let’s go.”

looked back. “Our cell counts average around 120,000 and we’re only having to

they’ve said they wouldn’t milk again in a shed without ADF! That’s because it makes their life so much easier. Manual teat spraying would be a problem where

being missed and you’d end up using more

milking ensures the teat is fully coated. And

happen.

ADF has made our milking twice as easy. It’s brilliant. Installing it is the best thing I’ve done.”

Visit ADF at South Island Field Days, site 784, 20-22 March 2013. To arrange a visit to

quote, call ADF on 0800 233 645 or visit

PHOTOS SUPPLIED

Mark Williams in his ADF-installed milking shed .



Variable rate irrigation equals water savings

Producing very high yield grain crops is dependent on

reality.

PHOTO SUPPLIEDRoz and Craige Mackenzie.



www.visioninsurance.co.nz

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not loss of income.

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Farmers are now becoming more aware of the importance of having the correct insurance covers in place to protect their business. If any were not aware, recent events in Canterbury have highlighted the need to have adequate insurance cover in place and to have professional independent advice in arranging and discussing those covers.

Farmers can incur loss in a varied number of

insurance companies have their individual

than others.

he thought was a good priced product, however

reading his policy document it turned out he did

as he advised the insurance company he was

agents and accountants for their advice,

own insurance programme. With the varied

various changes that the insurance industry is

dealing with insurance claims and various issues that some claims cause. This is an important

very inexperienced and can give misleading

company over a claim you want to have an insurance professional on your side.

clients on a regular annual basis to ensure all

another example of how this can go astray is a client that had arranged insurance direct with an insurance company had never had a visit from them and no updates on his insurances

farmer did have some uninsured buildings and

and because no one had ever called to see him

There are any number of horror stories out there, whilst price is important, having the correct insurance cover is more important, as is

are many ways of lowering insurance premiums.

and there are other areas that can apply dependant on your individual circumstances.

insuring irrigators so whenever you do amend

what the consequences will be.

The do’s and dont’s of insuring your farm

About Vision InsuranceVision Insurance - insurance brokers and consultants, Ashburton. Vision Insurance has a wealth of experience and knowledge, which you can rely on for all your insurance needs.

The company director is David Rush in Ashburton. With branches in Ashburton, Christchurch and also Rangiora, they have a wealth and real depth of knowledge of the insurance industry, having worked in the industry most of their lives. The commitment of the Vision Insurance team is demonstrated


Come home to

Rosebank Village




Exhibitors site numbersFrizzell Agricultural Electronics Ltd 834-835Gallagher CRT LaneGallagher CRT Village

Generac All About Fencing AreaGenerator Place 908

Living Earth Ltd 479

358

Orica CRT Village

OSKA CRT Village

Paslode - Stockade All About Fencing Area

Plasback CRT Lane

Purina Pet-care CRT Village

Rurtec Ltd C35

Shoof CRT Village

Southfuels 578

All About Fencing Area

Stoney Creek CRT VillageStrainrite All About Fencing Area

T L Parker Ltd CRT VillageTaege All About Fencing Area

Taragate All About Fencing Area

Te Pari All About Fencing Area

Tornado CRT Lane


United Fisheries Ltd C54



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3D Rural Group Ltd 6224AG Ltd 225-227A W Harper Ltd 755Aabbas Industries CRT LaneAakland Chemicals (1997) Ltd C47-48

ADF Milking 784Advantage Feeders 114

Ag Brand Products 656Agbits Ltd 716AgITO 787Agmech Ltd 550 &600AgRecord CRT Village

AgRural Ltd 223-224

All Power Industries - Shindaiwa, Echo, All About Fencing Area

Allen Custom Drills Limited 64 &65

Allied Concrete 323Allied Petroleum Ltd 324

Aqualinc Research Ltd C5

ASB Bank 272Aspect Environmental Lining C74Atlas Agriculture Ltd 808-809

704-705 & 729-730

Backstop Ltd T/A Liquid Containment C39

Bertolini Australasia 326-327

Bio Ag & Hort Ltd 919BioAg CRT Village

Black Duck Ltd 579Blackwell Loadmaster Ltd 945Blackwell Motors Limited 376-377BLM Feeds C16

Bob Howden Engineering Ltd 910

Bridgestone CRT VillageBridon/Cookes 270BRP Canam 276

Calder Stewart 750

Canzquip Ltd 116

979-981C-Dax Ltd 669 -671Cochranes, Case IH, Duncan Ag, Origin Agroup

56-62, 106-112Combi Clamp Ltd 325Coombridge Industries 250Cooper Tires 760Coopers CRT Village

Cridge Seeds Ltd 500Croplands Equipment Ltd 100-101Cross Slot 251

CRT CRT LaneCRT Feed CRT VillageCRT Finance CRT VillageCRT Fuel / Gulf CRT LaneCRT Grain & Seed CRT Village

CRT Online Hub CRT VillageCRT Real Estate CRT VillageCRT Real Estate/CRT Livestock CRT Village

CRV Ambreed C66

DataCol Group C26

Deane CRT Village

Denis Cunningham Ltd 369Designa Sheds Ltd 946

Dickie Land Developments - HW Industries 322Diggalink Ltd 66-67

Donco Services Ltd 707Donnithorne Simms 718-721Dow Agro Sciences CRT Village

Drench Gun Services Ltd C1DuPont Ltd CRT Village

Ecolab CRT Lane

Electrodip Ltd 531Elite Trailers and Floats 126 Corner siteEllesmere Engineering (2007) Ltd 48

Euro Agri Imports 220-222Euro Corp CRT VillageEurocorp - X Fence All About Fencing AreaEzWireless C82


Farm to Farm Tours C25

Farmgard Ltd 51-53Farmside CRT VillageFarmside Technologies C75-76

Fencepro All About Fencing Area

Fiber Fresh Feeds 753Fieldmaster (Ag) 1955 Limited 507-509FlexiTunnel 829-830FMG Advice & Insurance CRT LaneFMG Advice & Insurance CRT VillageFond Foods Ltd CRT Village

Forestquip 68-69Forrest Engineering 949



FREE on-site consultations PHONE 0800 333 075VISIT www.lemacon.co.nz

LEMACON brings the power to you – efficiently and safely

If you have new irrigation in mind, upgrades to your existing power

supply or a new dairy conversion on the horizon, now is the time to

start planning all your overhead & underground electricity needs.

To discuss your plans call LEMACON’s General Manager - Allen

Glasson on 03 307 6622.

FOR 2013?

DAIRY CONVERSIONIRRIGATION SYSTEMOR ELECTRICITY SYSTEM

ARE YOU PLANNING A NEWSITE #

4 1 6CCOMEO SEE US AT THE

SOUTH ISLAND FIELD DAYS

It’s a long way from keeping an eye on the use of Coca-

systems at the South Island Agricultural Field Days.

As farm management technology advanced and

at the forefront of the manufacture of remote monitoring equipment.

managing director Peter Munn in 1990.

the largest wireless network of its type in the world with 60,000 vending machines online.

monitors telemetry equipment – machines which

sources – using GSM cellular networks and the Iridium satellite network.

designed to assist farmers.

The compact, solar-powered and weather resistant

areas from one system and do not usually require towers or radio repeaters to run.

South Island Agricultural Field Days provides

From Coca-Cola to the South Island Agricultural Field Days



With the environment at the top of the rural news these days, there is a need for farmers, especially those in dairying, to look

systems. This is the focus for Hynds Pipe Systems’ exhibits at the South Island Agricultural Field Days at Lincoln.

investment for dairy farmers," Hynds southern rural technical sales manager David Nichols says. "However, they provide a comprehensive

storage systems," he says.

several Environment Southland awards.

David Nichols says the concrete ponds are

The concrete ponds are also earthquake resistant and not subject to cracking and leaking as well as being easier to clean than

The systems feature standard panel heights and are designed to be easily transported and installed.

ensures consistency and quality while

Once the tank area has been excavated, a

compacted GAP 40 base is put down for the

The Hynds ponds include systems to allow

the NZ Fencing Safety Act.

David Nichols says. "It’s a great chance for farmers to get a closer look at how our systems work."

Effluent systems address environmental issues



Drilling excellence in Mid Canterbury

Contour Drill Air Seeder

Our C-D Series is a specialist direct drill ideal for working on tough undulating country.Your choice of working widths from 3m to 6m, 5” or 6” row spacings and multiple bin options!

Physical: 32 Robinson Street, Ashburton Postal: PO Box 71, Ashburton 7740Ph: 03 308 4094 Email: [email protected]

Fax: 03 308 4093 Web: www.allencustomdrills.co.nzCRAIG ALLEN: 021 861 440

2012Best Seller!

5208519AA

Visit us atSouth Island Agricultural Field Days

Sites 64 & 65

For some crop farmers and contractors, the

farmer or contractor in all aspects

We take into serious

consideration any factors that will provide a

cost effective, low maintenance

and long lasting product.

air drills and chose the

and performance of

there is no mechanical

controller and Accord electric feed rollers has

and once the controller has determined the

and performance

David Clark

Testimonial



Day 1 Wednesday 20 March

2013 Programme8am Gates open9am10am10.30am10.30am11am11.30am12pm2pm2.30pm3pm3pm5pm

8am Gates open

10am

10.30am

11am

11.30am

12pm

2pm

2.30pm

3pm

5pm

8am Gates open10am10am10.30am11am11.30am12pm2pm2.30pm3pm3.30pm

5.00pm

Day 2 Thursday 21 March Day 3 Friday 22 March

5555Tasman Young Farmers Fencing Competition 5.5.5..5.55.5 00000000000000000pmpmpmpmpmpmppmp5555

MARCH 20-222013,

LINCOLN

Help Farmers in one of NZ’s most affluent farming markets make informed decisions about

your products and services.

The magazine for all South Island dairy farmers. A free monthly publication packed with interesting and informative news, views and essential dairy related reading.The circulation area for Dairy Focus covers the entire Mid-Canterbury rural district, plus every dairy farm, South Island wide.Dairy Focus has a targeted delivery to all RD box holders in the Mid-Canterbury district plus every dairy farm South Island wide. Over 7,500 households and farms.

The monthly magazine for the Mid Canterbury farmer, packed to the brim with the latest news, profiles and comments from local farming personalities including everything that is relative to the industry.The circulation area for Guardian Farming covers the entire Mid-Canterbury and Selwyn District.Guardian Farming is delivered to every RD box holder in the circulation area, plus all Ashburton Guardian subscribers. Over 10,000 households and farms.

GGUARDIAN

FARMING

f

Discover the good life p 8-9

Dairy Focus Guardian FarmingAn Ashburton Guardian Supplement

Page 2-4

Dairy women in the spotlight

SOUTH ISLAND WIDE

February 2013

ONLINE.co.nz

For further information contactDesme DanielsSales ManagerAshburton Guardian

Phone: 03 307 7974Mobile: 027 468 8186Email: [email protected]

ONLINE.co.nzGuardian Farming n South Island Field Day March 2013.indd 35 Guardian Farming n South Island Field Day March 2013.indd 3512/03/2013 11:18:52 a.m. 12/03/2013 11:18:52 a.m.

March 2013

AG TECHNOLOGY

MARCH 20-222013,

LINCOLN

AG TECHNOLOGY

An Ashburton Guardian SupplementGuardian Farming n South Island Field Day March 2013.indd 36 Guardian Farming n South Island Field Day March 2013.indd 3612/03/2013 11:19:02 a.m. 12/03/2013 11:19:02 a.m.

Documents

Guardian Farming March 2013