Guardian Farming October 2011

An Ashburton Guardian Advertising FeatureAn Ashburton Guardian Advertising Feature

Guardian

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Life off the farm pages 4-5pages 4-5

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Guardian

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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 307-7900Email: [email protected]

Publication date: October 4, 2011

Next issue: November 1, 2011

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

The Ashburton A&P Show is on at the end of the month, an annual occasion when all things rural are celebrated in town.This year’s theme is the family unit, the backbone of agriculture. Talk to anyone who grew up on a family farm and they will validate this. Kids are slave labour – they help in the woolshed, they help at tailing time, they move stock, they trek afternoon tea to the top paddock. The seasonal farming calendar dictates when family holidays can be taken, even when events like weddings can take place.Youngsters learn how to be farmers before they actually become farmers. In a process like osmosis, information is passed from generation to generation – experience on the job starts young. There is one skill-set in which the younger generation naturally excel, and that is in the fi eld of technology.Computer software, GPS, equipment that measures moisture in soil and nitrogen in crops . . . all designed to make better use of the resource at hand, be it soil or water.Embrace this new technology, says retired farmer Noel Lowe (pages 4-5). The A&P show

stalwart is gearing up for another whirl. Noel’s family epitomises the theme of the show, that the family unit is farming’s backbone. His ancestors were among the fi rst big farming families in the district, his own children continue on the land.Another story in this month’s edition is about Lisa Harper, a woman who learned traditional skills like cheesemaking while serving as slave labour on her family farm. She has turned those skills in a business.It never fails to impress me how innovative some of our farmers in Mid Canterbury are too. You won’t hear them shouting from the roof-top about their successes though, they run sharp businesses, using technology to make sure their crops are high-yielding, their lambs are fetching top prices or their herds producing more milksolids.To be average is not something they aspire to, and good on them for it.

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What’s happening

Page 2 GUARDIAN FARMING

Linda Clarke Ashburton Guardian

rural reporter

What’sINSIDEWinchmore update ................................. P3

Town living for farmer ....................... P4-5

Taste of country for city kids ............... P6

Wanted: Host families ............................ P8

Cheesemaker: Loving it ................ P10-11

Customer demand

drives future ............................................P12

John Leadley’s

monthly musings ..................................P13

For the love of spuds ............................P14

Gray Engineering ...................................P15

Irrigation feature ............................. P16-18

Spraying feature ....................................P19

Earthmoving feature ............................P20

Wakanui farmers

at top of their game ..............................P21

Rural Business Solutions feature ......P22

Irrigation matters ..................................P23

Baby, oh baby .................................. P24-25

The Moom Man ............................... P26-28

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Winchmore update – September

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 3

John Carson

What can I say, this has to be one of or if not, the best start to any season that I

can ever remember.

The ewes are lambing well and the lamb survival rate is looking quite exceptional, I can say that now because 90 per cent of the fl ock have lambed after starting on the 5th of the month; they have fairly raced along and now the few that remain are close to the lanes and tracks, only needing a quiet check on my way to the offi ce in the morning and again on my way home at night.

It would be interesting to know from others who have been in the area much longer than I have, how this season to date, rates in their experience.

The met data is close, once again to normal, although with another week of the month to go. The 17 frosts so far are more than the long-term average which in turn has lowered the soil temperature to an average of 6.8 C compared to long-term average of 7.7 C.

In saying that the soil temperature on the day I wrote this is 8.1 C and the pasture cages I have just measured show an average pasture growth rate of 38 kgDM/ha/day, just above the average growth rate chart I have

on my offi ce wall.

The 25 ha I have saved up for silage are starting to really kick along, the split dressing of urea has certainly made a diff erence.

I am planning on being able to plant some maize once the silage is gone, in most of it that is irrigated. The 5 ha of dry land will be set aside as part of the kale block, to be

drilled in November.

A small amount of irrigation water is fl owing down the supply race at the back of the farm, in readiness for the watering to start.

Most of the winds have been cooler and with some evenly spread rainfall so far we might get another week or two before we need to start setting up clocks and gates and

worrying about watering speeds for diff erent paddocks, diff erent grass lengths and so on. The fi rst few waterings are always not quite exact until we all get our eye in.

It must make having spray irrigation quite simple I would think.

Plans for next week include a fair bit of offi ce work preparing and fi nalising my forecast budget through to March next year.

Most of it will stay the same, other bits will only need some fi ne tuning, and other bits will be taken right out as “not going to happen”.

It’s not always a case of doing it and then sending it up to head offi ce in Ruakura as in previous years, this year the Business Manager and assistant are coming down to “help where necessary”. . . wonder what they are like tailing lambs?

Last month I mentioned I had been to the North Island and spent time

with Mum for her 84th birthday. I scored “points” for being there and lost them when she found out I mentioned she was 84; she is only 82 years young. Apparently, “I am just like my Father was”.

With Christmas less than 100 days away, I think I will have time to fi gure out how to make up for my mistake.

Lowes living in town, but still farmers!


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Linda Clarke, Ashburton Guardian rural reporter

Noel and Audrey Lowe have special farming genes. They both hail from farming families and raised

four children of their own on a farm at Ashburton Forks.

There is no doubt some of their eight grandchildren will grow up to be farmers.

Though Noel and Audrey have retired to live in Ashburton, they are still farmers. Country people living in town.

Noel still likes to kick the dirt and help out on the properties run by his children, the 4WD utility in his driveway means he is still a useful member of the labour pool.

He and Audrey’s farming roots are well entrenched. Audrey’s parents were sheep farmers in Otago prior to moving to Mid Canterbury to farm, and their parents were farmers too.

Noel’s parents were sheep, beef and crop farmers at Ashburton Forks, his father Archie a member of the pioneering Lowe family in Mid Canterbury.

Noel was one of six children in the family and said his early farming memories were of feeding pet lambs, helping out in the shearing shed, and at tailing time.

“All those memories involved the family working at home on the farm.

“You graduated from taking the ear markings out to holding the lambs . . . that same scenario happened with our children.”

Three of Noel and Audrey’s four children are farming.

Sharon and husband Gordon Duthie farm sheep at Montalto; Sharon works on the farm when she is not at her fulltime job as a paramedic in Timaru.

Philip and wife Donna run a dairy farm at Springfi eld, on Ashburton River Road, while Alley and husband Michael Hendren are in dairy support and farm sheep on a property near Oxford.

Cindy lives in Sydney, where her husband Warwick Lucas is an agronomist employed by a worldwide company in the agriculture fi eld.

Noel said farming activities were planned around when the children were around to help – “we always shear in the Christmas holidays” – and family holidays were taken in May despite the cold weather because that was the quietest time on farm.

Audrey says the children could shift sheep,

check on stock, help with tailing and break fencing from an early age.They could drive the farm truck around a paddock and spot an ailing animal.

She encouraged them to “go outside and help their father” rather than become domestic helping hands about the house.“The best way to get good staff is to breed them . . . but it takes time,” Noel says.

Snow and motorcycles spelled trouble though. Noel remembers the children graduating from two-wheelers, to three-wheelers and then quad bikes; he also remembers when they tried to test a theory that three-wheelers could fl oat in the nearby Ashburton Riverbed.

That adventure ended when the bike rolled over and the engine was water-logged.

Snow, depending on how much had fallen, meant moving some 3000 sheep into mobs so they could be fed. All family members were called into action.

Weather will always be a challenge for farmers, but the current crop have access to technology that helps their decision-making.

Noel says embracing all the new forms of technology, from smartphones to

computers and GPS, is vital for those wanting a sustainable future in agriculture.

But just as important is not losing the ability to “farm by the seat of your pants”, he said, to use the knowledge built over years of experience to know when water is needed, or when stock need veterinary attention.

Noel and Audrey are looking forward to this year’s Ashburton A&P Show. Noel is a past president of the Ashburton A&P Association and Audrey a long-time helper in the produce shed.

The show is an event not to be missed on their social calendar – unless you are in hospital recovering from a heart attack, like Noel in 2006. It is the only show he can remember missing in his lifetime.

He said the show was a chance for rural and urban folk to mix.

“This is a really good area. You have the infl uence of both sides, town and rural, and we all depend on each other to do well. The show is all about that.”

The 134th Ashburton A&P Show is at the Ashburton Showgrounds on October 28 and 29. The theme this year: Backbone of Agriculture – the Family Unit.

LEFT: Noel and Audrey Lowe, with Jack Russell KC, have adapted to town life.

City kids jump into some gumboots


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Lauriston dairy farmers Rob and Debbie Mackle opened their farm to a special group of visitors from St James Primary School in Aranui,

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farm worked. They met calves, lambs, horses and farm dogs, all captured by Guardian photographer Kirsty Graham.

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The world’s largest agricultural exchange organisation is seeking Mid Canterbury host families as it establishes its agricultural programmes in New Zealand.

Communicating for Agriculture Education Programmes (CAEP) recently opened a New Zealand offi ce in Cambridge and with growing international interest is seeking hosts families to meet the demand from international students wanting to come to New Zealand.

CAEP NZ manager Robyn Baron has trainees from South Africa, Europe, Canada and the Philippines all set to come to New Zealand over the next couple of months but more host families are needed.

A group of experienced dairy trainees from the Ukraine is geared to arrive in New Zealand before the end of November, and as

well there is keen interest from a group to come from Uruguay.

“We are getting quite desperate for host farming families to meet this infl ux of agricultural trainees due to arrive in New Zealand over this next couple of months.

“Certainly the present infl ux of trainees wanting to come in October and November is well outstripping placement families,” Baron said.

Current trainees cover all sectors of the agricultural industry in particular dairy, sheep, viticulture and horticulture, including nursery and fl owers.“I am very keen to recruit hosts for all these areas.”

The CAEP programme enables experienced trainees to be placed on farms and agricultural operations for up to 12 months and creates opportunities for a cross-cultural exchange of ideas.

Generally a trainee is currently pursuing studies or recently graduated in a related fi eld through a university and has at least one year’s experience.

The intent is that the international trainee will arrive experienced, gain additional training, share their knowledge with the host farm, and return to their home country to further their agricultural career and improve their community.

In return the host farm gains a motivated participant to fi ll temporary agricultural roles, while also gaining an international perspective for their business and making long lasting global relationships.

“We are really looking forward to welcoming participants to New Zealand through the CAEP programme that off ers host farms the benefi t of motivated, qualifi ed trainees, keen to learn about New Zealand farming methods, and share some of their own knowledge, and of course the helping hands at busy times are welcome too,” Baron said.

About CAEPNew Zealand

CAEP is an international company that matches agricultural and rural businesses with qualifi ed interns and trainees from around the world that are interested in pursuing a career in agricultural fi elds ranging from dairy, cropping, sheep and beef, and pigs, and horticulture, to viticulture, cellar and lab operations in oenology or a wide range of equine fi elds.

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CAEP now has 18 international offi ces, including the recently opened NZ offi ce in Cambridge, and works with 71 partners in more than 40 countries to help recruit and screen applicants.

To fi nd out more information about hosting an intern or trainee, please contact CAEP New Zealand at 07 823-5700 or email Robyn Baron at [email protected].

More information can also be found on the web at www.newzealand.caep.org.

CAEP New Zealand manager/inbound and outbound co-ordinator Robyn Baron.


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Loving the lifestyle she sells


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Lisa Harper works 125-hour weeks. She makes cheese, teaches cheesemaking, and is a wonderful host to tourists

who venture into her neck of the woods for an authentic farm experience.

She lives the lifestyle she sells. And it keeps her very busy.

Lisa was raised on the family farm she now shares with her mother Julie, and two brothers. Pre-1984, the farm ran romney sheep, but has diversifi ed operations to include tourism and beekeeping in order to survive.

Lisa said it was pretty, but diffi cult land . . . “you can’t eat the view”.

As a child, she was slave labour for her mother and grandmother, while they made butter, cheese and sausages for the family. Those traditional skills would serve her well in the future, though she didn’t know it at the time.

In fact, she left the farm for the bright lights of Wellington and its university, becoming a research scientist.

She developed a career in the specialty fi eld of biosecurity, looking into pests in vegetable crops – and spent a lot of time around rotting onions and potatoes, working with fungi and bacteria.

It was there, she also developed a voice in the back of her head that constantly

warned about what her hands were touching. It was to serve her well in cheesemaking.

On a break between contracts eight years ago, she returned home to fi nd Julie ill and her brothers holding down the fort. Just.

She stayed, and ended up farming. She and her brothers have developed diff erent interests all based on the farm. The separation was necessary to avoid family homicide, she jokes.

They work the hilly 480ha in a co-ordinated fashion, not stepping on each other’s toes. Over the years they have built four houses, a cheese-making factory and a high-tech honey plant that produces 10 tonnes of honey a year.

Lisa said tourists love their part of the country. “The land is gorgeous and we decided tourism was worth doing. Customers say “you are so isolated” not knowing that 10km away is the Queen Charlotte walkway, which hosts 30,000 people a year.”

It was not so hard providing an authentic farm stay. “We had been running along organic lines for 25 years because in 1984 the cost of inputs was so high. I started making cheese again and feeding these tourists.”

It was inevitable some would ask to buy her cow and goat milk cheeses.

Lisa couldn’t sell any because she was not licensed under food and health regulations, but it did not stop her showing tourists how she made it.

“I showed them in the kitchen and that ended up growing into a teaching business.”

With her head around food safety and compliance regulations, she began selling to specialty markets and restaurants around the country.

Her niche is in the hand-made cheese she creates. She has chosen recipes with a history, some 300 years old, and they appeal to the European palate.

She says the fl avours are mild, medium or deadly, with 8-10 diff erent varieties. She still wraps her blue cheese in calico bandages, practices abandoned by bigger cheesemakers pressed for time.

She is hands on at every stage of the process, but is planning for a future that includes a casual pool of local labour – giving family members a break.

She is learning to delegate, and this season bought goats milk from a local supplier instead of milking her own herd.

“It is still on the farm if I need it in times of peak demand.”

Marketing comes naturally, though it is not

in the form of conventional advertising.

Lisa says being connected to her community contributes to the success of her business. She likes the locals, she is one of them; she attends farmers’ markets and wine tastings.

Winning the Rural Women businesswoman of the year award was a genuine thrill, and validation the business was doing well.

“When you are on your own in the middle of nowhere, you have no idea how you are doing.

“You only see the stuff you should be doing better or things you are not coping with.

“Someone from outside coming along, looking at the business and saying you are doing okay . . . it was a shot in the arm that I needed. It made all the diff erence.”

Check out the family farm and business at www.sherringtongrange.co.nz.

RIGHT: The view of the Marlborough Sounds from a hill behind the homestead.

FAR RIGHT: The “family” blue cheese, a cows’ milk variety called Sherrington Blue.



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as a guest of Women in Arable. Reporter Linda Clarkewent along to hear her story.

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Commodity market reports and especially projections for the future can sometimes lead us into crystal-

ball territory with little real or useful information.

That’s certainly not the case with the latest Sheep and Beef New Season Outlook 2011 – 2012 produced by the Beef + Lamb New Zealand Economic Service.

It is a valuable document with plenty of information and insight into the current economic conditions and the projected outlooks for lamb, beef and wool sectors. Executive director, Rob Davison and his team are to be commended on their report.

One of the fi rst things to strike me was the rate of growth in emerging markets over recent years. Nearly a third of our beef and lamb related exports go to North Asia compared to almost a quarter of exports 10 years ago.

We have a strong tradition of exporting to Europe and North America and while those markets remain, the growth in developing countries such as China, India and other parts of Asia is gaining momentum.

Given the economic times we are continuing to experience, these markets are becoming even more valuable.

As stated in the Beef + Lamb report, the collapse in business confi dence and recent turmoil in the fi nancial markets suggest

the world could already be in the grips of a recession.

There’s been plenty of media coverage of the fi nancial troubles being experienced in the United States, and across the Atlantic in such countries as Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy.

The report suggests some dependence on Asia trade provides some protection from this, as long as the likes of China and India continue with their demands for food.

“This growth is underwritten in these countries by increasing urbanisation, middle-class size and affl uence.”

As long as this continues, there remains a great opportunity for New Zealand sheep and beef producers to maximise returns from this valuable market.

It also means we can’t take our eye off the ball. To do so would be opening the door to lost opportunities.

Instead we need to continually look at ways of maximising our returns and value added production.

There’s often a perception that other agricultural sectors do this better than beef and lamb, but I don’t think that is necessarily so.

Many meat processors have long established practices of maximising the

whole carcass in an eff ort to achieve optimum returns, but maybe the general public fi nds some of the uses and by-products of beef and lamb less than palatable. If it isn’t what we are used to seeing dished up on a plate, many would rather not know. Maybe this is another example of what I believe is a growing lack of knowledge of where food comes from.

It is important to remember what may be a by-product to us could be a premium product to our many and varied overseas customers.

The Beef + Lamb Outlook Report also comments on the correlation between commodity and equity markets saying “raw materials (commodity) fell in the 1980s and started a long bull run in equity markets that peaked in 2000. This has now reversed with equities weaker and commodities strong – but the diff erence this time is the big growth engine from developing countries”.

To quote from the Economist – “Normally a weakening economy leads to a fall in commodities. But the commodity prices are still double their level in December 2008 (as measured by The Economist’s all-terms index), indicating that prices are now set not by Western consumers but those in the developing world.”

North Asia and Middle East lamb markets are expected to hold in the coming year as a result of generally tight global supplies

and continued economic growth in these economies, according to the report.This is in contrast with predicted EU demand, which is expected to follow a similar pattern of decline established over the past year.

Lamb export fi gures showed demand from North America and the European Union slipped during the year ended 30 June 2011 when compared with the previous year, while North Asia’s demand has remained much the same with China’s share of this up 38 per cent on the previous June year.

It is a similar scenario for beef, with exports to North America decreasing, and North Asia taking 26 per cent of New Zealand’s beef exports (and a greater percentage of high-value product than North America).

While there is obviously some comfort to be taken from the emerging Asian markets, the current global fi nancial position, especially in Europe and North America, will continue to impact on our export driven industries.

The fall-out for us will show itself in exchange rates and interest rates. Our ability to continue accessing all of these markets will be about our capacity to value-add and to keep meeting the demands of our customers.

The full Beef + Lamb New Zealand Sheep and Beef New Season Outlook 2011 – 12 report can be found at http://www.beefl ambnz.com/main.cfm?id=261

Monthly musings


Phone 308 4079

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John Leadley

It’s hard to believe we are only eight weeks away from a general election – maybe other priorities prevail!

Rugby fever is alive and well. Fortunately attendances to date are right up to expectation meaning the likely cost of hosting may yet come in under the estimated $40 million loss.

A highlight to date for me after two weeks has been the performance of some of the so-called minnows, and the style of rugby they play.

It’s such a pity their match scheduling (time between matches) is so inconsistent with that accorded the ‘seeded’ teams. So much for a level playing fi eld, and incentivising rugby in the global context.

The chaos and disappointment surrounding the opening ceremony has sent politicians and local government offi cials into a “blame game” mode.

Mayor Len Brown has asserted that if he had been given the extra $2.3 billion dollars earlier requested and had the work been carried out, the situation would not have arisen. This shows just how far out of touch he is with the nation’s overall transport requirements.

I sincerely hope Government’s reaction is not to pump an even greater proportion of Transfund’s allocation to Auckland city, at the expense of the rural productive sector.

Maybe time spent counting the number of single passenger vehicles using the harbour bridge daily would be a good starting point to address the issue in the short to medium term.

I have just learnt that Transfund’s contribution to the roading budget for Ashburton District will be further reduced by $86,000 next year. Once again the poor relation.

- - - - -

As I canvass the emerging party policies being presented as bait to the electors, I’m struggling to fi nd the mix of promises that will meet the expectations I have for a lifestyle that my children and grandchildren will fi nd rewarding and worthwhile.

The advent of the welfare state brought huge benefi ts to needy Kiwis when it

was implemented – and continues as an essential backstop to those most in need. The fact that lifetime dependency has become an alternative to active employment for a large number of educated, physically able young people is an indictment on successive administrations.

It will take a government with real “guts”

to reverse the trend. There is certainly little fortitude in policies announced thus far that magnetises my vote.

Perhaps it’s time to reconsider a four-year parliamentary term to make real progress in this disturbing trend?

John Key’s off er to resign rather than address the age of entitlement to universal superannuation is a classic example of weakness.

Government is funding young persons (either directly or by interest-free loan),

often up to age 25 or more, and current life expectancy for both males and females (government fi gures) now is up to an average 80-plus years.

It’s fi nancially illogical to expect only 40 years in the workforce to fund 40 years of government support in childhood and retirement. Simple mathematics!

I believe the seeming reluctance of some employers to take on young people is more about attitude than ability. Sixteen per cent of 16- to 24-year-olds being unemployed is an abysmal statistic.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. Employment is a privilege, not a right.

Sue Newman’s (January 17, 2011) editorial comment relating to a proportion of 18- to 24-year-olds (Gen Y) is very apt.

“They’re the immediate generation, they

have high expectations, they don’t do boredom, they’re very ME and if they don’t like the job or the people they work with, then they’re just as likely to scarper. A work request is often challenged. Many don’t do instructions without debate. And it’s not their fault – never is.”

Simple answer. Make the benefi t less attractive!

The work ethic of many of our newer citizens is one that young people would do well to emulate as a real role model.

The link between crime statistics and employment is plain to see. Just read the local court proceedings and proportionalise the miscreants either unemployed or benefi ciaries, as opposed to those in the workforce.

It would be a much greater deterrent if judges fully utilised the penalties available at the fi rst or second off ences.

An example from a recent local court list:

Seventh drink driving conviction – a few hours’ community service, nine months supervision and one year disqualifi cation. Totally inadequate. Mitigating factor – sober for eight months. Many if not most overseas countries would impose a life ban on driving.

Where is the political party that will make penalties meaningful?

In mentioning the unacceptable cost burden of the welfare state there is of course another way to address our climbing fi scal defi cit and that is to signifi cantly increase the volume and variety of our primary sector produce by government injection of loan capital.

Policies announced thus far provide scant promise or acknowledgement of that opportunity. What about an intergenerational loan to expand regional irrigation in an environmentally sustainable manner? We already have the resources of water, productive soil and people to make it happen.

I’ve always thought life was about making the most of opportunities, not fi ghting the fi res of mismanagement and lost chances.

Searching for the party that shares my priorities is a diffi cult scenario.

Rugby fever is alive and well ...A highlight to date for me after twoweeks has been the performance ofthe some of the so-called minnows,

and the style of rugby they play.

Kiwis’ love aff air with the potato shows no sign of waning.

A recent Colmar Brunton poll revealed potatoes are the single most popular fresh vegetable/starch choice to compliment a meal.

Of more than 1000 respondents in the ‘What are New Zealanders having for dinner?’ survey, 40 per cent chose fresh potatoes as their preferred vegetable/starch and 39 per cent choosing fresh green vegetables. Rice scored just 15 per cent, with dehydrated pasta/noodles at 9 per cent and fresh pasta/noodles at only 4 per cent.

“This result fi ts with the overall message of the survey, which is that

Kiwis are making healthy, value-for-money food choices and fresh potatoes certainly fi t the bill,” said Potatoes New Zealand Food and Education Consultant Glenda Gourley.

“Further evidence of the healthy focus is that nearly 50 per cent of Kiwis like their potatoes boiled, a great way to cook these nutrient-packed vegetables for prime health benefi ts.”

When it comes to gender, fresh potatoes are the equally adored starch of choice for men 41 per cent and women 40 per cent compared to rice at 18 per cent for men and 14 per cent for women and dehydrated pasta/noodles at 6 per cent for men and 10 per cent

for women. “Another key message is that the older we get the more health conscious our food choices,” Gourley said.

“Consumption of potatoes in particular increases signifi cantly with more than half of our 60-plus age group choosing fresh potatoes while the younger age groups tend to eat more rice, pasta and noodles – though potatoes are still the all-out winner.”

Potato grower full of heart


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Raymond Bowan says you’re never too old for a challenge.

The Geraldine potato farmer could have opted for retirement when Bluebird closed its chip factory at Washdyke last year; it was the end of a long-term supply relationship, and Bluebird had been taking a third of his potato crop.

Instead, he bought the factory, rehired staff that had been made redundant, and began making his own potato chips under the Heartland brand.

He says you are never too old to pursue a dream, even if it means stepping outside your comfort zone.

Raymond left school at 15 without any formal qualifi cations. His parents were dairy farmers, but he worked on a cropping farm, and picked potatoes in his school holidays. At 15 he had a contract to supply potatoes to a local fi sh and chip shop. Three years later he started growing spuds himself.

By 1973 he was growing chipping potatoes on a large scale – and has grown in the last 40 years for Bluebirds, Mr Chips and Talley’s.

He and wife Adrianne farm 1375ha near Geraldine, but in 2008 got news that Bluebird was closing its crisp making factory at Washdyke. “I was a major supplier to the factory, it took 35% of our potatoes.”

He didn’t want to stop farming, though being phased out by Bluebird could have been a catalyst for early retirement. “Deep down, I didn’t want to.”

Raymond revived a long-held dream to grow and make a fully-traceable paddock-to-plate product himself. His family provided support and Heartland Potato Chips was born.

He approached key people and for information and advice.

The Bowans needed a factory, and even considered building one on farm. But the consenting process would have been long and hard . . . and Bluebird’s factory was sitting empty, and on the market.

The building had been stripped of its crisp-making machines, but it had all the consents necessary to run a chip processing factory.

Through an agent, the factory was acquired. Bluebird might not have been happy, Raymond concedes.

He put local labourers to work in the factory, relining walls and fl oors and installing machinery sourced overseas. Some of those machines arrived at the port of Lyttleton a day before the September 4 quake.

While the physical work was underway, so was the process of registering Heartland Potato Chips as a company, and designing packaging that would stand out from the crowd. It took months.

By late October 2010, the fi rst chips were on the shelf.

Heartland re-hired many of the factory staff made redundant by Bluebird and Raymond’s dream was a reality. The factory runs fi ve days a week and can process 12 tonnes of potatoes a day.

He says consumers like his crisps, which are gluten free and cooked in canola and sunfl ower oil.

“They are fresh. The farm is only 30 minutes from the factory, and the chips are traceable.”

He says people also like the story behind the product, which has become part of its marketing strategy. “People like a story and they like to buy New Zealand owned and grown.”

Raymond and Adrianne’s son James and daughter Charlotte are also involved in the potato chip process, and Fallgate Farm still grows 700 acres of potatoes – continuing to supply four diff erent varieties to Talley’s and Mr Chips as well as their own crisp factory.

Heartland is still a young business, yet to complete 12 months of trading, but hopes are high. “We are working hard to establish a brand.”

Raymond says he has met many good people on his journey. People he can share a bag of crisps with.

Next time you’re in the supermarket prowling the potato chip aisle, look for Heartland crisps. Founder and owner of Heartland Potato Chips is Raymond Bowan, a Geraldine

farmer who made a dream come true.


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now have a more reliable power source, thanks to the contribution of

local engineering firm, Gray Engineering, to the new Kowhai Power Scheme in Central Otago.Located in Ashburton’s Industrial Estate, Gray Engineering has a reputation throughout New Zealand for excellent construction of spiral welded steel pipes. Gray Engineering provided 1.6km of spiral welded steel pipe for the construction of the new hydro station scheme, built on the Teviot River, by Central Otago power company Pioneer Generation.Located 3.5km east of Roxburgh, the scheme will generate a maximum of 1.9MW, enough power for about 500 homes to meet some of the growing demand for more power in the region, supplying homes in Roxburgh and Alexandra.Gray’s spiral-welded steel pipes have also been used to create the wind generation machines seen in their hundreds throughout Marlborough vineyards, as well as being exported throughout the globe.It is the only company in Mid Canterbury to fabricate this spiral-welded steel pipe, which can also be used as a well liner and in irrigation, ducting and hydro generation.The business was started in 1974 by Geoff Gray, and in April 2003 was purchased by current owners Dave and Karen Stockdill.Dave is part of the engineering team, while Karen looks after the administration. They have four other full time employees, and one part time, to keep up with the steady demand for agricultural equipment.Gray Engineering also specialises in grain augers for a number of different applications, and can make to order.

During its time refining and making augers, Gray’s has developed its augers to be a simple and straightforward design, with ease of operation, dependable and most importantly producing a labour-saving performance.Another specialty is water ballast rollers.

Rolling land to make the surface more level and firm is still a popular practice amongst the local farming community.The benefit of these rollers is that they can be filled with water to increase the weight and efficiency of compaction. Gray Engineering constructs the rollers to any

size required. It also repairs augers and rollers throughout the South Island.For precision and general engineering, pipes, fabrication or certified welding, visit the experienced team at Gray Engineering to get the job done.

Editorial & Photo: Amanda Niblett

The experienced team at Gray Engineering, your local experts in the construction of spiral welded steel pipes. From left: Karen Stockdill, Dave Stockdill, Bruce Moore, Kerry Bradford, Davey Bradford, Ross Arbuckle. Absent: Sam Moore.

An Ashburton Guardian advertising featureAn Ashburton Guardian advertising feature

Irrigation feature


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Innovation in irrigationInnovation, discovery and achievement making a positive contribution, impact or benefi t to irrigation is set to be rewarded by the industry’s national body. Irrigation New Zealand, in association with Aqualinc, will open nominations this month for the second biennial “Innovation in Irrigation” award.

Every two years IrrigationNZ recognises innovative invention, ideas, systems, widgets or gadgets that are constantly coming out of the irrigation sector. The award is to celebrate, encourage and promote innovation and the benefi t irrigation provides to communities. It is open to anybody doing exceptional things with irrigation.

Individuals, groups or companies who are making a positive contribution, impact or benefi t to irrigation in New Zealand are invited to highlight their innovation. The award is run in conjunction with the association’s biennial conference, to be held in Timaru April 2 – 4, 2012.

The 2012 award is sponsored by Aqualinc and has a cash prize of $2500, not to

mention the publicity, recognition and kudos gained from winning the award. “IrrigationNZ is looking to recognise and reward the positive initiatives being undertaken in our communities with irrigation, and as a result of irrigation,” IrrigationNZ business manager Chris Coughlan said.

The inaugural award in 2010 was won by ‘Precision Irrigation’, a Fielding-based fi rm that has developed a variable rate irrigation (VRI) system for pivot and lateral irrigators.

The system uses mapping and GPS technology to intelligently alter the amount of water applied over the area under the irrigator. The technology has immediate impacts and can benefi t the farmer with greater water use effi ciency and power savings.

Since the Irrigation Innovation award Precision Irrigation has gone from strength to strength also receiving awards at the Manawatu Business awards.

In the past year they have sold double the systems that they had envisaged and will

this season have 60 VRI systems operating on pivots and laterals around the country. They are expanding overseas into Australia, South Africa and America.

The technology and company also caught the eye of ‘Lindsay Manufacturing Co’, a worldwide irrigation company and the suppliers of Zimmatic irrigation equipment. ‘Precision Irrigation’ was purchased by ‘Lindsay’ in November last year. With the support and backing of a major corporation they are now able to expand and continue to develop leading edge technology.

Precision Irrigation development engineer and client relations manager Sarah Wilson said the Irrigation Innovation Award “meant a lot” to them and gained them publicity, recognition and promotion.

They won amongst a varied fi eld of fi nalists that included electricity generation, on farm systems, irrigation schemes and technology developments.

Too often irrigation is portrayed as a negative activity without also acknowledging the huge associated

benefi ts to the community, economy and the environment that good management practice irrigation undoubtedly delivers.

This award gives the industry the opportunity to showcase the steps it is taking to improve and deliver on the wider community demands of effi cient use of water and consideration for the environment.

“This is the chance for everyone to get involved and highlight the innovation that is happening and encourage more of it,” Coughlan said.

Entries and nominations from irrigators, schemes, water user groups, environmental groups, industry, university students and researchers open on October 20 and close on February 1, 2012.

So if you have quietly been working away, or know of someone who has, on a good idea and believe you want some recognition and promotion now is the time to enter. Keep an eye out for details at //www.irrigationnz.co.nz/events/innovation-in-irrigation/

Contributed by IrrigationNZ – www.irrigationnz.co.nz

Irrigation feature


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Farmers awaiting pipe plansF

armers on the Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Scheme are waiting to see plans for a multi-million project to pipe

around 160km of their water network.

Scheme chairman John van Polanen said three companies were working on design-and-build plans for the project, which would cost between $50-80 million.

A plan that best fi t the scheme’s diverse farmer-shareholders would then be chosen and some open channels could even be converted to pipe by this time next year.

Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Scheme (ALIS) has already converted half its scheme to pipe, providing pressurised water to some of its 230 farmers. The work is aimed at using irrigation water more effi ciently.

Mr van Polanen said the remainder of the scheme was likely to be a mix of piping and open channels, with storage, aimed at satisfying the diff erent users – which ranged from large scale farming operations to lifestyle block owners.

“We defi nitely have a group who do not want to go there. That is the challenge for

the design-and-build process, trying to cater for as many of the shareholders as we can.”

The project must be approved by 75 per cent of the farmers on the scheme.

Mr van Polanen said some farmers could not aff ord to put in pipes or convert from border-dyke to spray irrigation. Others were nearer retirement, or already heavily mortgaged.

Water effi ciency is driving many of the farmers supporting the project. ALIS currently irrigates 21,000ha; converting to pipe would eliminate water losses from evaporation and seepage and provide water for another 4000ha.

“My personal belief is the status quo is not an option and we have to move on,” Mr van Polanen said.

If the design process went smoothly and farmers agreed, contracts for the new network could be signed prior to Christmas.“But we will keep the current system fully operational until the pipeline is already to change over.”

Open channels on the Ashburton Lyndhurst Irrigation Scheme could be replaced by pipes.

Irrigation feature


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It doesn’t seem 35 years since a small group of irrigation enthusiasts, eight or 10 in total, met regularly over a year

or so to prepare for a three-day irrigation conference in Ashburton in April, 1978, at which nearly 400 people attended.

Towards the end of the conference the New Zealand Irrigation Association Inc (NZIA) was formed with Brian Cameron its fi rst chairman.

Subsequent conferences were held at two-yearly intervals, in Oamaru, Rangiora, Kerikeri, Alexandra and Blenheim.

People under 50 years of age, whether involved in farming or not, would struggle to understand the contrast between Ashburton plains-land farming prior to the 1970s and farming in the present day.

Prior to the 1970s, Ashburton District was a “fragile” rural economy based largely on sheep and cropping farming, with extremely variable results depending on seasonal rainfall and soil types.

Over the years, pro-irrigation pioneers including Brian Cameron, the late Ron Cocks and the late Jack McKendry had battled to try and progress irrigation for the benefi t of the district and other areas in Canterbury and North Otago.

The late Ron Cocks recalled to me on his drive from Christchurch airport to his farm in Eiff elton, with Israeli irrigation expert Sam Mendel, that Mendel commented at the end of the trip that the area they had driven through had to be one of the best areas in the world for irrigation development, given its gentle slopes, free-draining and consistent soils, fl at contour and favourable climate.

After the arrival of “Rogernomics” in 1984 irrigation development came to an abrupt halt, with many irrigation design, supply and installation companies disappearing from the scene. In this environment the NZIA struggled, and eventually went into recess in the late 1980s.

With the recovery of farming in the early 1990s and a return of progress in irrigated agriculture, interest was renewed in an organisation to represent irrigation in all its facets. In September 2001, following a series of meetings, again by a small group of enthusiasts (some of whom had survived from the late ‘70s), NZIA was reformed at a meeting at Hotel Ashburton, by a small but motivated committee.

Without the necessary fi nancial resources and no longer any signifi cant support from central government, we struggled for the fi rst four to fi ve years to make any progress.

This changed with the appointment of Terry Heiler as the association’s inaugural chief executive with his aggressive approach to funding from irrigators throughout the main community scheme areas and some individual irrigators. Real progress and momentum was achieved together with a change of name to Irrigation New Zealand in 2004.

Over the past 50 years, many farmers have experienced the technical changes that we have seen in irrigation development. These include wild fl ooding, contour furrow, borderdykes with wooden frames and canvas sheets, automated, laser leveled wide borders, hand-shift pipes, end-tows, siderolls, big-guns, rotorainers, lateral shift and centre pivots. The modern high-tech centre pivot is “light years” ahead of earlier models.

Who could have imagined, in 1978, a centre pivot irrigator, computer-controlled and managed by GPS, where the manufacturing company in Europe or USA could monitor the drive wheel bearings for adequate lubrication or other potential faults from the other side of the world, or pivots that could hinge and irrigate around buildings or other obstacles unable to be commanded by a straight pipe, or irrigators that could apply variable application rates relative to the soil moisture holding

capacity of diff erent soils within the same paddock.

Ashburton plains-land, now around 80 per cent irrigated is a high-performance powerhouse farm production area, regarded by many as the most dynamic farming district in New Zealand, almost exclusively as a consequence of the availability of irrigation.

Breeding ewe fl ocks have been replaced by dairy cow herds, conventional cash crops with process vegetables and specialist high value seeds to be exported to the rest of the world.

I, like many of my generation, wish we were 30 or 40 years younger to enable us to experience the developments that may be ahead. We can only imagine what these may be.At the same time, perhaps we can feel somesatisfaction in the progress that irrigation development and management has made to the Canterbury plains-land since the early 1970s, as well as increasingly to other districts in New Zealand.

Contributed by Bob Engelbrecht, farmconsultant and former Irrigation NZ board

member. He was a guest columnist inIrrigation NZ’s spring magazine; it is

reproduced with their permission.

The irrigation revolution and how it all began

IrrigationNZ workshopsConference 2012 –

Timaru Events CentreApril 2-4

Irrigation – building prosperity, opportunity and resilience for all IrrigationNZ, together with fi ve key partners, will present the only specialist irrigation industry conference of 2012.

In delivering the conference, IrrigationNZ acknowledges the partnership of ANZ, DHI Group, Meridian Energy, Siemens and WaterForce for their support and development of the 2012 programme. Alongside the conference the expo will be thought-provoking with loads of new innovation being rolled out.

The IrrigationNZ conference and expo has traditionally drawn the interest of scheme directors, leading irrigators, central and local government policy and regulatory decision makers, technical, trade and related service industry providers.

IrrigationNZannual meeting

The IrrigationNZ AGM will be held on October 20 at the Darfi eld Community Centre. The day starts with a workshop at 10am with the AGM scheduled for midday, to be followed by lunch. More detail on the workshop programme, annual general meeting and call for nominations can be found at www.irrigationnz.co.nz

Spraying feature


Member of Rural Contractors New Zealand.

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Phone 03 303 7546 - Mobile 027 436 0151

When it comes to spray

we lead the wayMark Henderson Spraying Ltd operates a Househam

self-propelled sprayer with a 24m boom.From March 2012, will be operating a 2012 Bateman RB35 with 24 / 32m boom. Auto-steer and auto-section control.Covering an area between Ashburton and Rakaia Rivers.

Please call Owner/Operator Mark on027 405 9134 for all your crop and pasture

spraying requirements.


Government backs Ballance’s research programme

Support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Primary Growth Partnership

programme has enabled Ballance Agri-Nutrients to launch a $32 million programme to increase the productive capacity of New Zealand’s primary sector while minimising environmental impacts.

Ballance’s research programme has secured $9.75 million in funding, announced by the Government’s Primary Growth Partnership today. The New Zealand owned farmer co-operative will match this dollar for dollar over the next seven years in addition to its normal planned investment in research and development of $12.5 million over that period.

Announcing the programme recently, Ballance Chief Executive Larry Bilodeau said the scale of the co-operative’s investment was a measure of its confi dence in the programme’s potential in lifting profi table production while reducing the eff ects on the environment.

“Through more effi cient use of agri-nutrients, farmers will be able to produce more with less. This is a win-win for farmers, the environment and for New Zealand as a whole.”

“Up to 60 per cent of New Zealand’s primary production depends on the continued use of fertiliser. Fertiliser has enabled the intensifi cation of our farm systems in New Zealand, and environmental pressure is building.

“By reducing reliance on traditional

fertilisers and targeting the nutrient losses which have environmental impacts, we are safeguarding the pastoral sector’s productive future. This is one of the most signifi cant investments in sustainable farming research in recent years and will deliver long-term returns for New Zealand.

“By 2025 we envisage a pastoral sector operating with a lower chemical load thanks to new biological forms of pest control and we will see both yield and economic gains. Nutrient effi ciency will be much higher and there will be a reduced impact on our waterways.”Ballance Agro-Sciences General

Manager Willie Thomson, responsible for setting the strategic direction of the co-operative, said rising costs, growing environmental pressure at home and global consumer demand for food produced sustainably were all increasing challenges for farmers.

“New Zealand’s global point of diff erence is our high quality, safe food. To retain this advantage, we need to reduce our environmental footprint and reassure consumers that the food we produce is both safe and sustainable. Making bold changes now will enable the sustainability of New Zealand’s primary sector, both economically and

environmentally.” Ballance Head of Research and Environment Warwick Catto, who will lead the programme, said it will focus on two key areas; product improvement and development and education programmes for farmers to encourage rapid adoption of new technologies.

“Our core business is providing plant nutrient products and advice. We will ensure what we provide now is even more sustainable by improving the nitrogen and phosphorus effi ciency of our products.

“We will also be working on new biologically-based products to improve nutrient and pest management with fewer environmental eff ects.

“Finally, for farmers, seeing is believing, so our extension programme will see us working very closely with them, showing them the science, and proving the results and the cost benefi ts.”

Mr Catto said the impacts of the programme would extend well beyond the farm gate.

“The government is increasingly trying to balance the need to grow the economy while protecting the environment and our international reputation.

“By solving environmental issues on-farm, we are helping to achieve all of these objectives, helping to secure New Zealand’s long-term competitive position as the world’s preferred supplier of premium quality, safe and sustainable food products.”

Warwick Catto and Willie Thomson.


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A hot summer on the horizonB

ring the sunblock and floppy hat outof hibernation, and get your irrigation systems up to scratch, as this late

spring and early summer will be hotter and drier than usual.

The Niwa national climate centre released a report on Friday stating that rainfall was likely to be normal or below normal, with soil moisture levels and river flows belownormal in all regions, including Canterbury.

La Nina conditions redeveloping in thetropical Pacific would build through spring and continue into summer, with sea levelpressures likely to be above normal acrossthe country, bringing more settled weatherand weaker westerlies

The warm, dry soil could be potentiallydevastating if farmers don’t have theirirrigation system operating efficiently.

To help protect precious crops, many farmers opt for the added security of anirrigation pond.

Irrigation ponds have great potential to improve agricultural water security through the capture, storage, and provision of water.

Ponds can be filled by rainfall, or can befilled with tailwater from irrigation, whichcan then be recycled. Ponds can also befilled by diverting water from streamsat peak winter flows, offsetting waterwithdrawals during the dry season when higher instream flows are needed.

Currently large irrigation ponds are underconstruction near the Rangitata River, which will supply much needed water to more than 30 farmers. The irrigation scheme ismarked to cost $80 million and is estimated to irrigate 16,000ha of farmland using water from the Rangitata River.

Projects such as this require a large earthmoving effort, as over the 300ha sitetrees need to be removed, land flattenedout and scraped, dug, and then more than 1000 cubic metres of concrete will be used in spillways, dams and in pond liners.

The completed scheme will take waterfrom the river when flows exceed 110 cubicmetres per second (cumecs) and store it inseveral riverside ponds which will hold 16million cubic metres of water at capacity. Water will flow via a race system to on-farm storage ponds belonging to irrigating farmers.

It was hoped that water for irrigation would begin flowing by 2013.

Mid Canterbury have a range of experienced earthmoving companies, who can complete large scheme irrigation ponds and raceways from start to finish. From treeclearing to dairy tracks, irrigation ponds toaggregate delivery, our local earthmoving companies will move heaven and earth, and everything in-between, to get the job done.

Story: Amanda Niblett

A big job requires big equipment. Mid Canterbury’s earthmoving companies will have a busy yearahead to accommodate the construction of extra irrigation sources.

Water is the lifeline of every farm. With a warm, dry summer predicted, local earthmoving companieswill be busy clearing and digging the land for new irrigation schemes, ponds and raceways.


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Award-winning Ashburton farmers Eric and Maxine Watson will host a fi eld day at their Wakanui farm on October 21.

The Watsons’ 490ha farm has been described as on its way to becoming one of the best arable operations in New Zealand. A desire to excel earned the couple the Canterbury Ballance Farm Environment Awards supreme award this year. They also won a nutrient management award, a water effi ciency award and harvest award.

The fi eld day later this month will cover ways to make the most out of your soil, getting more from fertiliser, and how variable rate irrigation takes water use effi ciency to new levels.

Eric and Maxine bought their farm in 1992 and with the help of one staff member grow a wide range of crops for seed production, including cereals, grasses, vegetables and pulses.

Ballance Farm Environment Award judges said the couple’s “fi rst class management” has helped them consistently achieve yields in the top fi ve percent for arable operations.“Eric and Maxine have been quick to apply new technology to the farming system, and every management decision is reasoned, fully understood and science- based.

“Variable rate irrigation, self-steer machinery and minimum tillage equipment

are features of the farm that make it stand out from the crowd and contribute to its outstanding performance.”

The Watsons were pioneers in the fi eld of Variable Rate (VR) irrigation and fi ve of their nine lateral irrigators are fi tted with VR equipment.

Controlled via GPS wireless technology, this system utilises electromagnetic mapping to ‘recognise’ the soil being irrigated and vary application rates according to the soil’s needs. This means crops get the exact quantity of moisture required and no water is wasted. For Rangitata Holdings,

this saves an estimated 100,000 litres of water annually. Judges said the Watsons are clearly focused on soil health, regarding this as the “life-blood” of the operation. They are very aware of their proximity to the Ashburton River and the responsibility they have to avoid nitrate leaching.

All wheat, ryegrass and fescue crops are tested for residual soil nitrogen in the spring and this information is used to calculate the amount and timing of nitrogen fertiliser application. With their fi brous root systems, ryegrass and fescue crops are viewed as an essential part of the crop rotation. “During the grass

phase, soil structure and organic matter levels improve to the extent that soils coming out of a fi ve-year stand of fescue are visibly superior to those under other crops,” judges said.

Instead of conventional cultivation methods, a considerable investment has been made in non-inversion equipment aimed at incorporating residues and creating a seedbed without turning the soil.

Judges said these measures are part of Eric and Maxine’s constant vigilance for the environment they rely upon, and their concern for the property’s ongoing viability.Judges were also were impressed with the effi cient use of manpower on the property, noting staff levels were remarkably low considering the scale and intensity of the operation.

They praised the couple’s desire to constantly improve farm performance and described their business as a “clear partnership” that shares strategic planning and overall management.

Knowledge and practices are gleaned from conferences, shows and displays, both nationally and internationally. The Watsons try to travel overseas most years to visit family and other farming operations.Maxine is an active member of Victim Support and community organisations in Ashburton and also works at the college library.

Eric and Maxine Watson are at the forefront of arable farming after winning the supreme award in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

PHOTO LANCE ISBISTER 260410-SC-064


Rural Business Solutions

ATTENTION FARMERSTough Times?New Venture?Or just want some good honest advice?

We are here to help, call us NOW!

with farming in their blood. We guarantee you’llget positive results or your money back!

Rural Business Solutions has recently welcomed Reuben Edkins to the team. Reuben grew up up on a Canterbury dairy farm and has extensive experience in farming employment and irrigation engineering.

I look forward to using my knowledge and experience to assist people to develop and run farm systems that are productive, profitable, enjoyable and sustainable.

Reuben EdkinsMobile 027 472 7092

“Our primary focus is to help you understand the importance of financial performance and the positive impact that it brings your farm business. We’ll help youput in place goals that suit your lifestyle and situation,and then work strenuously with you to achieve them.”says Rural Business Solutions owner and consultant Duncan Coull.

Rural Business Solutions offer consultationservices in:

Business planning

Equity partnership facilitation

Farm advisory and supervision

Financial management

Sustainable farm system development and implementation

“We’ve been working with RBS for around 11 months and they have been great - Paul Schuler has great all round knowledge of dairying from the practicalities of milking and managing a team, through to exceptionalfinancial skills - his budgets are very accurate.

We’re quite a big conversion property so the combined knowledge of the RBS team has been really helpful - I’d recommend them any day.”

Gerald Spain, wife Keryn, their two children, his brother Mark and father Graeme run a dairy conversion on land at Mokotua near Invercargill

“18 months ago I saw an advertisement for RBS in the local paper and gave Rob a ring. We’d been having an “interesting” time with the bank who hadnumerous changes in staff and whose only financial advice was to sell up –at a time when you couldn’t sell sheep and beef property even if you wanted to! I come from a farming family and selling up wasn’t what I had in mind.

Rob’s really enthusiastic and explains everything really clearly – we get regular reports and now know where the farm is at. Having Rob involved has really reduced our stress levels and now we feel we are in charge of our future. I’ve referred a couple of other farmers to Rob because he has made such a difference for us.”

Graham Wheeler, Taumarunui, 400ha sheep and beef property, running 350 cattle and 1200 sheep

“Rural Business Solutions have worked with us on both our Waikatoand Southland farms since 2006 and the value they have added to our business is enormous. The key areas that they have made a difference areinfluencing us to adopt systems that improve cashflow, control costs, have better accountability from staff and increase efficiency. In these tougher financial times, the advice and support Rural Business Solutions provide has given us confidence to keep our business moving forward.We would encourage any farm owners looking to grow their business to use Rural Business Solutions. If we could clone these guys and share them amongst all farmers we would!”

Susan Cullen, Wairau Agribusiness

0800 4 RBS NOW (472 7669)www.ruralbusinesssolutions.co.nz

RBS team has strong skills in farm management and rural finance –

Left to Right: Dave Kilbride, Reuben Edkins, :Kerry Bryant, Grahame Fitzgerald, Paul Schuler, Rob Macnab, Duncan Coull

Rural Business Solutions is a well established advisory service, passionate aboutimproving the financial performance of

your farm.

In the current economic climate, manyfarmers are considering changing their farmsystem or structure, with many farms alreadyundergoing conversion. The changes may benecessary for long term financial success, butin the short term, many farmers are faced withincreased debt and pressure to satisfy shortterm financial deadlines. Our primary focusis to help you understand the importance of financial performance and the positive impactthat it brings your farm business.

Our business was established in 2006 by Duncan& Julie Coull, to fill a gap in the marketplace to assist a growing need for advice and supportwithin this unpredictable climate.

They witnessed this movement because theyare farmers, and have also been rural bankingconsultants, so understand first hand thefinancial pressures of running a successfulfarm.

Between the team of six consultants, Ruralbusiness Solutions own and lease multipledairy farms and a sheep and beef property. Sothey not only understand the challenges youface but can show you how to put in place a

"working" structure that brings you rewardingresults.

They now have a consultant based in MidCanterbury, Reuben Edkins, who has a wealthof knowledge and experience in both dairyfarming and irrigation legislation, making himwell placed to assist farming requirements.

Reuben was born and raised dairy farming,who moved from Northland to Mid Canterburyin the 1989.

He completed a B.Com. (Ag) in 2000 and aM.Com. (Ag) in 2004, at Lincoln University,including preparing a thesis investigatingemployment issues in the dairy industry, whichinvolved a two year study of the Amuri DairyEmployers Group.

Before, during and after his studies he hadbeen dairying in operations ranging in sizefrom 180 cows to 5,500 cows exposing him toa wide range of production systems, practicesand policies.

From 2005 to mid-2008 Reuben worked for aconsulting engineering firm that specialisedin water and other environmental issues.This work involved; providing advice onirrigation systems and management, projectmanagement, and resource consents as relatedto farming activities.

This experience makes Reuben well placed to

assist clients in relation to what is a major issue

in farming today.

In mid-2008 Reuben’s first son was born and

at this time he returned to dairying, working

initially on a 5,550 cow operation and for the

last two and a half years on the family 800 cow

operation near Ashburton. The home farm

runs a high input system, producing over 600

kgMS per cow.

This experience with a range of supplements

is highly relevant given the increasing use of a

range of inputs on dairy farms.

Reuben joined Rural Business Solutions to

help clients develop and run farms systems

that are profitable, productive, enjoyable and

sustainable.

Reuben is here to help you put in place goals

that suit your lifestyle and situation, and then

work strenuously with you to achieve them.

If you have the motivation and need more

"know how" to make your farm a success, give

Reuben a call to help you to develop and run

farms systems that are productive, profitable,

enjoyable and sustainable.

Improving your farm’s performanceyyyyyyyStory: Amanda Niblett

Introducing the Rural Business Solutions MidCanterbury Consultant, Reuben Edkins. His skillsand experience are helping many rural enterprises get the most out of their farms, their finances andtheir future.


Irrigation matters


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Now is the time. We have passed that critical day and we can look forward now to supplementing the plant’s

thirst for water. Yes, irrigation is upon us for another season.

Now is the time is sort of a take-off of “Now is the Hour” – the popular New Zealand song thought to be the fi rst million selling Kiwi song.

But damn it, a quick google search seems to suggest it is an Australian song fi rst becoming known in 1913 as the Swiss Cradle Song. But we made it truly popular adding Maori words to it in 1915, in particular

Po atarauE moea iho nei.......Or in English:Now is the hour,when we must say goodbye......

There is a whole lot more history and it was recorded by heaps of famous singers like Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Eddy Howard and others. So what has this to do with irrigating?

Well as the English translation says, “now is the hour, when we must say goodbye” – the hour was some time last Thursday and we said goodbye to short days and long nights.

Thursday was September 22 – the equinox, an important time for crop growth and demand for water. Following the equinox, the tilt of the earth’s axis is towards the sun for us here in the southern hemisphere and incoming solar radiation increases signifi cantly.

Solar radiation is a key ingredient for plant growth, increasing day and night time temperatures, increasing day length and increasing demand for water. I look to the equinox as the turning point for irrigation requirements. Prior to this time there is insuffi cient day length, a wide fl uctuation in day-night temperatures too

little radiation to have a marked eff ect on soil temperatures (ie keep them on a rising plane) and therefore too little by way of key inputs to raise or continue to raise the crop demand for water.

Interestingly, when we fi rst became involved in the irrigation management business I was told “you didn’t need to irrigate before Ellesmere show”.

Before they changed the date to the second weekend of October how prophetic that was. The fi rst weekend in October was so close to the equinox and the soils of Ellesmere County have (in general) high water holding capacity that Ellesmere show ticked all the boxes for crop demand for water – longer days, warmer temperatures, increasing solar radiation etc.

We are now seeing the evidence of this change since the equinox in soil temperature records. The plot of soil temperatures over the last week shows:

A steady rise in the soil temperature – the trend is up; temperatures consistently above 10°C; and reaching 10°C about or just before noon, whereas a week previous to the equinox soil temperature didn’t reach 10°C until late in the afternoon (4:30-5:30pm).

Now crops (in this case pasture) is growing in favourable temperatures for more hours in the day, increasing the demand for water to transpire to stay cool and therefore decreasing soil moisture reserves.

Logic tells us that without rainfall the defi cit will need to be replaced – aka time for irrigation, not a lot, but irrigation nonetheless.

With irrigation upon us, how do the groundwater reserves shape up?

Last month I showed the state for the deeper bore K37/up to August 23, too early to see any eff ect of recharge from the August snow.

A month on and there has been a rise of 0.4m in the water level and seemingly still rising. This is great news for the groundwater in this aquifer (aquifer 2) – it is

in excellent shape for the 2011-12 irrigation season. The weather is still changeable as the weekend cold snap warned. At this time of the year such a cold snap of a day or so sets optimum growing conditions back a little.

The soil temperature plot shows just this – Saturday and Sunday saw a fl attening of the rising soil moisture trend. It is important to keep these changes in conditions in mind when making irrigation decisions.

g

Tony Davoren, Hydroservices

Baby, oh baby


Farmers who don’t follow these safety steps risk penalties under the Health and Safety in Employment Act if someone working on their farm is seriously injured or killed.

QUAD BIKE INJURIES CAN BE PREVENTED – THEY AREN’T PART OF THE JOB.

1. Riders must be trained/experienced enough to do the job

2. Choose the right vehicle for the job

3. Always wear a helmet

4. Don’t let kids ride adult quad bikes

PEOPLE ARE INJURED ON FARMS RIDING QUAD BIKES.

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850We’ll be visiting farms in your area in October and November

to check these steps are being followed on your farm.

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For more information please visit

www.dol.govt.nz/quad-bikes

The ‘people’ issues your business faces are unique to your business, so wwill tailor a solution to your specific needs.Can I help? It costs NOTHING to find out. Give me a call and put me to the

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Rob Stevenson

Spring is the most exciting, and sometimes most nerve-racking time for horse owners and breeders.

It is the time when our champions of the future are born and next year’s crop of superstars is conceived.

Due to the long pregnancy of the mare (340 days or 11 months on average with a range of 290 to 393 days, or just under 10 months to 13 months), we are always on a tight schedule to get one foal out, and the next one back in.

Mares are ‘long day breeders’. During the winter, their reproductive cycles shut down. As the days lengthen in spring, this stimulates the mare’s hormones to kick back in, and they begin to cycle again.

During the spring changeover, mares go through what is known as the ‘transition period’, where the mares are often showing heat (sometimes at irregular intervals), but are not yet fertile.

During these transition periods it is tempting to breed the mare, which can result in over-working the stallion, unwarranted expense to the owner, and an increased risk of infection of the mare.

Once the mare starts cycling properly she will come into heat every 21 days on average (18-24 days), until either she gets pregnant, or the shortening days of autumn reverse the process and she enters

another transition period, and then shuts up shop for the winter.

Due to the massive advances in the technology available to us, such as ultrasound machines, and modern drug programmes, our knowledge of the animals’ reproductive cycles has vastly improved.

Hand in hand with this knowledge has come a huge increase in human intervention when it comes to mating all domestic animal species, and the mare is no exception.

Hormone manipulation of the mare’s cycle has been used and refi ned since the 1970s, and a large-scale study in the UK in 2002 confi rmed that there was no diff erence in the conception rates of mares treated with hormones, compared to mares that were not, giving us confi dence that these interventions are not causing a detrimental eff ect on fertility.

Our horse owners now have access to some of the best genetics on the planet, via AI with chilled or frozen semen.

It is a regular occurrence for us to inseminate a mare in Canterbury with frozen semen from a stallion living and competing in Europe, or chilled semen from Australia.

We have foals sired by stallions after their death, when owners have preserved their

semen. Even when we geld colts now it is possible to send off the testicles to collect and freeze the semen in case he turns out to be the next Cardigan Bay.

While certain stud books and breeds will not recognise a foal unless it is a result of a natural service (thoroughbreds being the most notable example), today it is common place for standardbreds and sport horses to be bred via such means.

For a mare to become pregnant, our aim is to breed or inseminate her in the window from 24 hours before until 12 hours after she ovulates (or releases her egg).

Ovulation generally occurs 24-48 hours before she comes off heat – a hard thing to predict!

With frozen semen, this window closes considerably, as the thawed sperm’s life span is reduced to 8-12 hours, so insemination needs to occur even closer to the time of ovulation.

If chilled semen is being shipped from elsewhere (eg the North Island or Australia) particularly if the stud only collects on certain days, we need to be able to accurately predict when she will ovulate in time for us to order the semen and have it arrive when we need it.

On average, it takes 2.2 cycles to get a mare pregnant. Even if we do everything perfectly; nature still has the fi nal say after

all. Experienced breeders and stud farms have the skills and facilities to accurately pick mares as they come into heat (by using teaser stallions etc), and generally will have a crush and regularly scheduled vet visits (often daily) to scan such mares to accurately determine when the optimum time to breed, or order semen is.

However, one of the most diffi cult aspects of breeding work is the single or inexperienced horse owner trying to breed their future superstar at home.

They can have unreal expectations of what to expect, the costs involved, and the success rates.

Mares will not always show obvious signs of heat if there are not “interested” boys around, and the owner can have a hard time picking that she is on.

Without a crush to contain the mare safely for scanning, there are dramatically increased risks to both the vet performing the scan, and the mare herself.

Some studs and agistment properties will take in outside mares to foal, and to breed. This is an excellent option for any owner wishing to breed their mare, but concerned about their lack of experience, or if they do not have facilities such as a crush.

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However, if you do wish to go ahead and breed your mare from home, programmes have been designed to synchronise mares, so we can relatively accurately predict when they are due to ovulate, meaning the owner does not have to try and observe heat.

Often we would combine a course of hormones to bring the mare into season, and then start scanning her once we had bought her on.Alternatively, if the lack of facilities,

fi nances, or the mares’ temperament prevents us from scanning her

at all, we can “blindly” inseminate the mare at a specifi c time, following the hormone course.

With such programmes, conception rates of up to 85 per cent can be achieved with synchrony programme plus scanning, and 65-75 per cent with synchrony and blind insemination.

While the drugs required do have a cost, they can reduce the number of vet visits and can result in a saving of both time and money for the owner, and avoid us missing the golden insemination window.

Other reasons to synchronise a mare include:

• Early season mating in maiden or barren mares, particularly in racehorses where early foals have an advantage in the sale ring and age group races. We can speed the mare out of her transition period, which in the South Island can continue well into September in some mares.

• Sending the mare away to stud – if we prime the mare so she arrives at stud as she comes into season, it allows owners to book transport in advance, and ensure the mare’s stay away from home is as brief as possible (therefore reduce grazing costs).

• Owners that live a long way away from the vet clinic, as they reduce the number of vet visits required (and associated mileage charges).

• Mares that are still competing. This

allows us to manipulate the timing of her heat to ensure it does not clash with her being away at an important competition.

• Mares being bred to stallions that are competing, or that only collect on certain days. Again, we can drive ovulation to occur at a convenient time to avoid the mare coming on when no semen is available, and we have to wait until the next cycle.

• When owners are going to be away. Ensure the mare comes on before you head away on your summer holidays!

• To treat lactation-related anoestrus. Some mares will have a period of infertility after their foaling heat, while they are feeding a foal. To help preserve the 12-month foaling interval some mares will require treatment to ensure they continue to cycle.

• For embryo transfer (where a fertilised embryo is taken from one mare and implanted in another to carry). This requires the cycles of the donor mare and any recipient mares to be the same, therefore we synchronise them.

Obviously, synchrony programmes are not needed for every mare, or every owner. But in certain situations, they are a valuable tool to aid with breeding mares.

If you are planning on breeding your mare this season, I would encourage you to contact your equine vet early to discuss your many options, to fi nd the one that is right for you and your mare.

Sarah Morten , Mountainview Equine


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Please don’t ignore the moon

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change and the realist

adjusts the sails”.

On 29 Nov 2010, GNS said: “GNS now believe the largest aftershock has already occurred” (ref 1,

below).

What followed were earthquake events at least as devastating, if not more so.

By 1 June 2011, GNS were saying “Even if we consider the broader Christchurch City area (there is) only a 5 per cent chance of a similar event to 22nd February occurring again in the next year”, or a 95 per cent chance of one not occurring (ref 2, below). The 13 June 6mag proved that to be awry.

Science is always a moving work in progress.

Geological debate is never settled and no-one has all the answers. Those that think they do are not scientists.

Science must look at past patterns and from them extrapolate trends. Events alter patterns and have to be re-extrapolated. You cannot ignore anything just because it looks at fi rst glance like a can of worms.

Local scientists are still turning a blind eye to what others are saying.

Dr Victor Gostin, Planetary and Environmental Geoscientist at Adelaide University, told news.com.au there may be some correlation between near-equatorial large-scale earthquakes and new and full moon situations.

“This is because the Earth-tides (analogous to ocean tides) may be the fi nal trigger that sets off the earthquake,” he said (ref 3, below).

University of Washington in Seattle seismologist John Vidale agrees that particularly dramatic land and ocean tides do trigger earthquakes (ref 4, below).

And every day I am being sent more papers and studies that seem to be in progress around the world, all pointing to the moon.

Although so far no New Zealand scientist has investigated a moon link, it had to happen.

Dr Mark Quigley now acknowledges that there is evidence of earthquake-triggering by the solid Earth tides caused by the moon (ref 6, below) which he quotes on his website as “controversial research”.

If there is any slender truth to moon/earthquake correlations, even if they are contentious, I think the New Zealand public should at least be made

aware of this possibility, seeing as odd large earthquakes are still arriving at Canterbury’s doorstep around signifi cant moon times.

Let me put this another way. Imagine if three published overseas university researchers found that bananas may be “the fi nal trigger that sets off ” cancer, whereas one university (Canterbury) head of department said they can fi nd no evidence for it – only someone with their head in the sand would say it would not be worth researching.

Perhaps it is multiple coincidence that the 4 September, 26 December, 22 February, 20 March, 13 June, and 19 August dates all occurred on lunar combination days ie neap/kingtides, apogees/perigees, and/or new/full moons.

For instance full moon featured for 22 February, 20 March, and 13 June, and with this September full moon (12th) have come fi ve above-4mag shakes, three being in the South Island, as well as the 7-mag in Canada. There is no way Canada would be getting Christchurch “aftershocks”!

In the last week in this September the new moon position matches that of the fi rst week of last September.

Again an equinox month, the new moon of 27-28th is in perigee and rising on the equator, just as it was 7-9th Sept 2010.

In the natural world we have whales uncharacteristically staying south around Australia right now when they should have migrated north a while ago. What do whales know? Could it be expected undersea disturbances in the Coral Sea due to forthcoming powerful September alignments? (ref 5, below).

In other cultures, whale behaviour has long been linked to earthquake prediction. What I am saying is that earthquake indications are perhaps not as local as local scientists would have us believe.

The moon theory is not that hard to follow. Due to peaks/troughs of the three lunar cycles, stress is brought to earth’s electromagnetic fi eld.The three cycles are apsidal (perigee/apogee), phase (full/new moon), and declination (north, south and equatorial). The cycle peaks manifest as atmospheric disturbance in the air (storms, gales etc), kingtides and higher waves and swells in the seas, and extra pressures and stresses within the land.

When combinations of these cycles occur, any of these land/sea/air eff ects become magnifi ed. By plotting the next occurrences of these we have a simple predictive tool.We don’t have to look back far for a pattern – let’s consider the last dozen ve-4mag earthquake events for the South Island.


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They have only occurred on the following dates.

The fi rst in this list was on 4 August (perigee 3rd), the second and third on 20 August (apogee 19th), fourth and fi fth on 22 August (northern declination 22nd), sixth and seventh on 31 August (perigee 31st), the eighth on 2 September, ninth on 4 September (southern declination 4th), tenth on 11 September and eleventh and twelfth on 12 September (full moon 12th).

Some of these were not reported in the media but all can be found on the internet (see ref 7).

There were big gaps between these dates, for example 22 -31 August and 4-11 September, so it cannot be suggested that all possible days were covered by 1-2-day leeways.

Our next dates are apogee (15th) and northern declination (19th), but the combination on 27th-28th of the three most powerful lunar factors together warrants attention.

One can do no more than point out a pattern and leave it at that, to reduce anxiety, not to cause it. Science could do the same.

It is still a long way from predicting anything and people can and should make their own decisions.

ref 1: http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/ParlSupport/ResearchPapers/f/a/8/00PLEcoRP10071-Canterbury-earthquake-facts-and-fi gures.htm ref 2: http://sciblogs.co.nz/shaken-not-stirred/2011/06/01/christchurch-no-more-risky-than-wellington-but-does-that-make-a-good-news-story/ ref 3: http://www.news.com.au/technology/moonageddon-on-march-19-our-nearest-neighbour-will-be-biggest-and-closest-since-1993/story-e6frfro0-1226015795421 ref 4: http://www.sott.net/articles/show/225820-Is-The-Big-One-About-To-Hit-California- ref 5: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-09-09/marine-biologists-bavvled-by-unusual-whale-behaviour/2878754 ref 6: http://www.ipgp.fr/~lalmetiv/metivier_etal_epsl2009.pdfref 7: http://quakemap.co.nz/

Ken Ring


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General The last wintry blast may be in the fi rst 10 days. The second half of October may give way to spring conditions. After much rain in the fi rst week there is little precipitation of signifi cance to be expected for the rest of the month. From 1st-2nd and 28th-29th is good for planting and weeding. From 13th -16th is best for pruning and spraying. Higher kingtides are expected around 1st, 13th and 27th-29th. Potentials for seismic disturbance may be around 1st-3rd, 20th-22nd, 25th-27th and 30th-31st. Averages for maxima may be 16-18°C and for minima 4°C to 6°C.

Approx 5-7

October 3-7, 13, 18-21, 29

October 9-17, 22-31

October 4-7, 21

October 16-17,21

October 5-8

October 17-18, 30-31

October 1, 8-9

October 8-17, 22-25, 27-31

October 23-31

October 2-7

84mm

101mm

83mm

207 hrs (September average 171hrs)

Number of rain days:

Precipitation potential times:

Mostly dry

Wettest periods:

Warmest maximum temperatures:

Coolest maximum temperatures:

Warmest minimums:

Coldest minimums:

Sunniest days:

Best days for outdoor recreation:

Cloudiest:

Estimated precipation for Ashburton:

Rakaia:

Methven:

Estimated sunshine amount for Ashburton:

Weather by The Moon: October Forecast

Documents

Guardian Farming October 2011