coast & country news june 2014

InsideInsideJune 2014June 2014June 2014June 2014

KIWIFRUIT 4-5POLARIS BIG FOUR 9-11FIELDAYS 12-21 CALVING 22-23DAIRY 24-27RURAL DRIVER 33-37DISTRICTS 38-53HORTICULTURE 54-55AVOCADOS 56-59Bay of Plenty & Waikato Farm, Orchard & Rural Lifestyle

June 2014 Issue No.166

Gunning for gloryUnited in their enjoyment of the Polaris Big Four and all wearing Stoney Creek bush shirts are keen hunters Barry Griffi n (left front) from Waikura Valley, Lottin Point, Ian Griffi n

from Australia, and (Left back) Ryan Griffi n of Christchurch (right back) and Marie Huxtable of Katikati. This years prizes include two black Polaris Sportsmen, Stoney Creek Limited Edition ATVs valued at a total of $23,000. See stories on the contest and details of all the prizes on page 9,10,11. Photos by Tracy Hardy.

COAST & COUNTRY

The winner of Jims Letters by author Glyn Harper and illustrator Jenny Cooper, published by Penguin Books, is Ross Kilgour of Aria, King Country. The winner of Fur, Fish and Phantom Red by Phil Walsh, published by Halcyon Press, is Chris Rugass of Tauranga.

The kiwifruit industrys recovery from the vine disease Psa-V in little more than three

years is nothing short of impressive but in reality it had no choice but to make a

comeback its too valuable to fail.Kiwifruit accounts for at least 20 per cent of the

Bay of Plentys GDP. Its export earnings are more than $1 billion annually and 2650 growers have at least $3 million invested in the industry.

Many millions more are invested in the post-harvest sector and orchard and industry support companies.

No wonder that the response to the discovery of the aggressive bacteria in 2010 was swift at both Govern-ment and industry levels. A new cultivar, which was hoped to be Psa tolerant, was released earlier than planned and research and development sprang into action. Banks, by and large, stuck by the industry as grower equity was rapidly eroded by dying vines and uncertainty. In truth the banks probably had little option than to hope recovery was possible so big was their investment.

The industry could have collapsed there were no guar-antees the disease would be managed or the new gold could survive. Orchards in other parts of

the world, including Italy, France and Chile, were dying. The unified and co-operative nature of the industry and its single desk structure under marketer Zespri is central to the way the disease response has been handled and the rapid return to productivity (see pages 3-4).

Without that cohesion, big though it is, the New Zealand kiwifruit industry could indeed have failed, seriously impacting the livelihoods of thousands and hurting our economy.

Psa now appears manageable, but there are other biosecurity threats out there (see Mike Chapmans column page 54), including fruit fly, which is why Kiwifruit Vine Health has signed an industry agree-ment with the Government on how to respond to future incursions.

As the kiwifruit harvest draws to a close, the dairy industry gears up for its busiest time of the year, with farmers and cows moving farms on the annual June 1 Gypsy Day, and ensuring preparations are in place for the testing time of calving.

Farmers keen to discover services and amenities in their new areas will find this months Coast & Coun-

try Welcome to the District a useful guide see pages 44 to 52.

Just how big, high tech, innovative and economically crucial our pri-mary industries are is showcased this

month at Fieldays at Mystery Creek see pages 12 to 21.

Too big to fail

By Elaine Fisher

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COAST & COUNTRY

Farmers face elevated health risksthemselves from the sun, by wearing sun hats, covering up and using sun-screen nor are they diligent in having regular skin checks.

Brent says when the programme was being designed, there were concerns farmers might be worried about pri-vacy, given tests are not carried out in clinics.

However, it seems most farmers are quite happy to share their results with others at the same events, says Brent.

NumbersFarmers are used to knowing the

numbers relating to their cows health but they dont typically know their

own numbers. We found they like having their own numbers.

I really admire DairyNZ for running this programme and seeking long-term results in looking after dairy farmers.

Brent says for decades the industry has focused on animal and pasture health and now its time to improve the wellbeing of farmers biggest asset themselves.

Sixty per cent of 2500 farmers participating in a Dairy Farmer Wellness and Wellbeing Programme have elevated blood pressure

and the majority are overweight.New Zealand Institute of Rural Healths business

manager Brent Nielsen says the programme, Funded by DairyNZ and the Primary Growth Partnership, has been running for four years.

It aims to gauge physical and emotional wellbeing of farmers throughout NZ by hosting a series of tests at DairyNZ discussion group days, industry training events and conferences, includ-ing last months DairyNZ Farmers Forum at Mystery Creek.

There the Health Check Pit Stops measure body mass index, based on weight and waist measurement, and check blood pressure, blood sugar levels and cholesterol.

We do have concerns about cardiovascular disease among farm-ers and measure both Body Mass Index and waists because the problem is not just the amount of weight carried, but where it is carried, says Brent.

The majority of farmers we measured have a reading above the World Health Organisation rec-ommendation.

While the percentage of those with health risk fac-tors is high, whats pleasing is the number prepared to do something about it.

When we identify farmers we believe to be at risk, we ask if we can follow up with them and of those who agree, 46 per cent have gone to their GP,

engaged in active weight loss programmes or made conscious decisions to improve their diet and exercise regime, says Brent.

Less exerciseBrent says the role of farm owners is changing from

hands-on to administration, farms are getting bigger; and theres more mechanisation, seeing farmers becoming less active than they used to be.

Farmers owners are getting older and also have ready access to red meat and milk, which are good

foods, but in moderation.Farmers are also asked questions to assess their

attention to health and safety on-farm and their emotional wellbeing.

Assessing stress levels among farmers is important, says Brent, given suicide rates are 60 per cent higher in rural than in urban areas. We had wondered if farmers would be prepared to discuss their stress levels but most are happy to do so.

Many say the farmer social networks are not as strong as they used to be and there is

also less social interaction.

CombinationBrent says it is normally a combination of factors

that raise stress levels.Typically, its not just one factor but may be rela-

tionships with staff combined with tough climatic conditions like drought or wet weather. It could be worries about feed shortages, animal health issues, and fi nancial pressures.

Farmers are not as good as they should be at seek-ing help when under stress, which is why it is good to see rural support networks being established and more willingness to talk about issues.

Wearing helmets when operating farm bikes is increasing but farmers are not so good at protecting

Don Jolly has his blood pressure taken by Gytha Lancaster of the New Zealand Institute of Rural Health, at the Farmers Forum conference.

Farmers are not as

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COAST & COUNTRY

known as Psa-V, was found in orchards in almost all of the countrys growing regions.

Fortunately for the industry, a new gold, now mar-keted as Zespri SunGold, was in commercial trials and as it appeared more tolerant of the disease, its release was fast-tracked, leading to 4000 hectares eventually grafted or planted with the new variety.

The kiwifruit industry and the communities like Te Puke and Katikati which have economies relying heavily on it held their collective breaths, hoping the bold move to a new variety, and research into Psa management practices, would be fruitful.

Restructuring Many growers were without an income as they

waited for vines to come into production, while meeting signifi cant costs in grafting and managing their orchards. Orchard contractors and packhouse operators were also hard hit by the dramatic fall in crop volumes. Skilled workers left the Bay of Plenty seeking jobs elsewhere, while restructuring, amalgamation and cost-cutting took place in the post-harvest sector. Marketer Zespri also reduced staff and cut costs.

Industry now openly optimistic about futureTodays kiwifruit industry with rapidly increasing production,

incomes of up to $245,000 per hectare and strong demand for orchards couldnt be more different from that of three

years ago, when many questioned its future.

By 2012 productive vines on orchards in Te Puke, the heart of the kiwifruit country, were dying from the effects of

the bacterial disease Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae V.

First discovered in New Zealand in November 2010, it eventually led to the removal of virtually all susceptible and previously lucrative gold variety known as Hort16A in Te Puke. The Hayward Green variety was also affected, but not to the same extent.

Despite the industrys best efforts to stop its spread, during the next two years the disease,

known as Psa-V, was found in orchards in almost

Young visitors to New Zealand are among those harvesting kiwifruit in Te Puke this season.

Green kiwifruit is carefully emptied from a picking bag on the Te Puke orchard.

COAST & COUNTRY

The new organisation Kiwi-fruit Vine Health was formed to manage the response to Psa-V which included research and development.

Support networks and a range of meetings and resources to help grow-ers struggling with the emotional and fi nancial impacts of the disease and loss of livelihood evolved quickly, with some of the programmes still operating today.

ProudNew Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc

president Neil Trebilco says the way the industry responded to the welfare of growers and others whose livelihood depended upon it, both formerly and informally, is something hes especially proud of. Neil says as far as hes aware, there were no suicides attributed to Psa.

As recently as last season, few in the industry were willing to be overly optimistic despite what Zespri described as a vintage year with fruit of high quality and taste and good returns from the markets.

Quietly optimistic described the mood. This season the quietly has been dropped and opti-mistic is in vogue and with good reason.

Millions SunGold has performed well through the last

two seasons without succumbing to Psa and fruit volumes are steadily rising. About 17-18 million trays of gold kiwifruit, including about nine million trays of the new varieties Zespri SunGold have been harvested this season, up from about 11 million trays last season. Together, green and gold fruit will account for a total crop volume of about 85 million trays of kiwifruit.

Last season the total volume was down 15 per cent from 101.3 million trays last fi nancial year to 86.1 mil-lion trays in 2013/2014. As a result, total fruit returns

to NZ growers fell to $800.8 million from $959.1 million in 2012/2013, due to a 55 per cent fall in gold kiwifruit volumes.

Returns are up for green growers with Zespri announc-ing its highest per-hectare return of an average $42,659 which underlines confi dence in the industrys future, says Zespri chairman Peter McBride.

After the impact of Psa over the past three years, there is a real sense of optimism in

the industry now. Orchard prices have rebounded, invest-ment has started again and the future looks bright, says Peter.

However, industry leaders warn grow-ers must not become complacent about Psa. Its current quiet state could be due to hot, dry summers, and mild autumn weather, which doesnt favour the bacteria that is most active in cold, windy, wet conditions.

While Psa is here to stay, the industry has rapidly learned to deal

with it and is well placed to meet the predicted crop volumes of 117 million trays by 2018 and to grow from the current $1 billion to a $3b industry within a decade, contributing up to $10b annually to the NZ economy.

to NZ growers fell to $800.8 million from $959.1 million in 2012/2013, due to a 55 per cent fall in gold kiwifruit volumes.volumes.

growers with Zespri announc-ing its highest per-hectare return of an average $42,659 which underlines confi dence in the industrys future, says Zespri chairman Peter McBride.

the past three years, there is

Page 5

the industry now. Orchard prices have rebounded, invest-ment has started again and the future looks bright, says Peter.

leaders warn grow-ers must not become complacent about Psa. Its current quiet state could be due to hot, dry summers, and mild autumn weather, which doesnt favour the bacteria that is most active in cold, windy, wet conditions.

Graders at Trevelyans packhouse check the quality of fruit

before it is packed.

Left: Margaret Williams, quality controller at Trevelyan packhouse, checks fruit taken at random from packed trays.

Trays of kiwifruit are stacked and strapped onto pallets, ready

for export.

Modern grading, sizing and packing equipment are part of the quality control and effi ciency measures at

Trevelyans packhouse Te Puke.

By Elaine Fisher

Kiwifruits impressive comeback from Psa-V

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COAST & COUNTRY

Growing maize is an important part of Eric and Karen Zinks farm management systems and not just as a supplementary

feed for their 240 cows.It enables the couple, who farm near Edgecumbe,

to use nutrients in dairy shed effl uent and to renew pasture by changing maize paddocks each season and

re-sowing grass seed over the stubble.We are not using the same paddocks year after

year for maize, which is a very hungry plant in its demands for nutrients, says Karen.

However, close attention is paid to the nutrient demands of their maize crops, which during recent years have yielded 30 tonne per hectare.

Its no accident the crops perform so well Eric and Karen have a deliberate strategy for

achieving top results.Because their farm is totally fl at,

they are able to change paddocks each season. The soils, however, are pumice, light and free-draining, with not a lot of top soil.

When we fi rst started cultivat-ing for maize the plough was going so deep it turned the pumice to the surface and left a lot of mounds and hollows.

I converted an old Clough plough so I could do the ploughing myself, only going down 15cm and retaining the top soil, says Eric, who is an engineer by trade.

Effl uent from the 14-aside herring-bone cowsheds two ponds is pumped onto the maize paddocks by George Oakes of G & R Pumping Services of Pukehina.

He has about 800 metres of hose and can spread it over 80 metres, after covering up the water troughs before-hand, says Karen. The farm is also irrigated with whey from the nearby Fonterra dairy factory.

Soil tests are carried out by Robin Boom, of Agronomic Advisory Services Cambridge, who uses them to prepare an individual fertiliser pre-scription for the farm.

Robin uses Brookside Laboratories tests for 16 elements and minerals; and those that are lacking are added to the mix prepared for us, says Karen.

Soil healthEric and Karen believe the general

excellent health of pasture, maize and livestock is largely credited to paying attention to soil health.

The couple also work closely with Robin Billett, Bay of Plenty regional manager for Pioneer, to decide which Pioneer maize seed is sown on the farm and to conduct trials.

Robin is delighted with the trial results achieved on the farm this maize growing season.

The average across the eight plots is 34.7

tonnes of dry matter per hectare, which is a very pleas-

ing result, and is an increase over last season which was also an exceptionally good growing season.

Robin says the two top-performing varieties are P1253, which has been in the market place for three years, and the brand new P1636, which will be available this season.

Eric and Karen have been Pioneer trial co-operators for several seasons. These trials are undertaken to evaluate potential new hybrids alongside exist-ing commercial hybrids, says Robin.

This means frequent visits from Pioneer staff, who are on-hand when the maize is sown and throughout the growing season, right up until harvest.

InsightIn late March the 3.5 metre high host

crop included several research strip trials, sections of which were cut out and sampled before the harvest began.

The results are added to data gath-ered throughout the season, informing decisions about which varieties will go forward for commercial release.

Eric says hes happy to have the trials conducted on his farm, as it gives him an insight into varieties which perform well on his property; inside informa-tion which helps when deciding on seed for next season.

Some varieties do really well, others not so well, says Eric.

an ideal fit for farming system

Maize

light and free-draining, with not a lot of top soil.

plough was going

old Clough plough

ploughing myself, only going down 15cm and retaining the top soil, says Eric,

The average across the eight plots is 34.7

tonnes of dry matter per hectare, which is a very pleas-

Trial rows of maize are sampled before

harvest.

Ripe and ready to harvest

Eric Zink checks a cob

from one of his maize blocks.

Maize growing is a perfect fi t for Karen and Eric

Zinks dairy farm management

strategy.

Robin Boom CPAg MBSPCIndependent Agronomy &Soil Fertility Consultant

COAST & COUNTRY

Dairy farmers Eric and Karen Zink receive whey effl uent from their local Fonterra dairy factory

at Edgecumbe as a fertiliser source.

Whey is high in phosphorous and potassium levels, which build up over time in excessive amounts causing animal health issues.

When I fi rst started soil testing for the Zinks nearly 20 years ago, they were beginning to experience some metabolic problems.

I took soil tests, which I sent to Brookside Laboratories in the US, and herbage tests were sent to Ruakura to diagnose what was going on.

The soil test results showed adequate soil pH levels, but there was an imbalance of high potas-sium and low calcium in the

base saturation percentages, and phosphorous/calcium imbalances in the pasture, which can cause milk fever.

So my fi rst piece of advice for them was to increase the calcium levels using the cheap waste lime from the local Kawerau timber mill.

Other defi ciencies found were sulphur, sodium, boron, copper, manganese, cobalt, selenium and iodine, which have all been applied in customised blends to the soil from the local Ballance store in Edgecumbe.

All up, the annual fertiliser cost for the Zinks farm averages about 10c/kg MS which is less than one-quarter what of the typical NZ

dairy farmer spends. Herbage analyses of the Zinks

pasture showed high molybdenum and this

along with high iron levels in the soil reduces copper availability in cattle.

To circumvent this, the Zinks use

Agvance Solutrace trace mineral mixes containing copper glycine, which go direct into their in-line dispenser to the water troughs, and is an effective method of addressing molybdenosis and

other trace mineral defi ciencies in their pasture.

Robin Boom CPAg, member of the Institute of Professional Soil Scientists. Phone

07 829 8369; Mob: 0274448764. Email: [email protected]

Correcting mineral imbalances in the soil

Trialling new varieties brings advantagesNeither Eric or Karen planned to become farm-

ers. Eric grew up on a farm owned by his German immigrant parents Oswald and Elizabeth Zink, but perused a career in engineering and went on to hold a senior position at the Bay Milk dairy factory in Edgecumbe.

Karen trained as a teacher and the couple were living at Matata when Erics parents suggested they should manage the farm.

Twenty-two years on they have no regrets about their decision. Together they ran the farm and brought up daughters Jessica, Eren, Ashlee and Kristy; and recently employed Karens brother Eddie Elliot as herd manager.

The property is 88ha, with 84ha effective, includ-

ing 11ha leased across the road and 25ha leased from nearby lifestyle blocks for raising replacements and collecting surplus pasture, silage and hay for the milking platform.

Our system is pretty simple. We are not over-stocked and we grow our own supplements so we can roll with the punches in the tough seasons and not get caught up in variable costs of buying in feed.

Maize silage is fed to the herd in long grass in the paddock. That way the cows hoover it up and theres not much waste.

In spring, when the new grass growth starts, they arent very interested in the silage.

Maize silage is fed from April through winter to put condition back on the cows. By Elaine Fisher

The Zink farm near Edgecumbe is on fl at,

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inedible tallow to produce 20 mil-lion litres of pure biodiesel.

Jonathan says the biodiesel plant will produce 20 million litres of sustainable biodiesel per year.

BlendTypically, what happens with

biodiesel is you take the 100 per cent biodiesel and you blend it into mineral diesel so the vehicles run on what you call a biofuel blend.

A typical vehicle will take a B5 level, which is a fi ve per cent biodiesel blend, yet some heavier vehicles can use up to a 10-20 per cent blend.

A portion of the biodiesel will be trucked to Mount Maunganui to blend with mineral fuel, brought in by boat.

We have a major fuel storage facility in Mount Maunganui. So there will be some investment in building infrastructure at the terminal.

Jonathan says fuel from the Mount Maunganui terminal sup-plies a good chunk of the upper North Island, from Taupo north, excluding central Auckland which is supplied from its South Auck-land Wiri terminal, where the second biodiesel blending facility will be installed.

Z chief executive Mike Bennetts says while Zs publicly discussed potential for this project before; the Z Board has now approved it, subject to completing regulatory and resource consenting includ-ing approvals from competitor companies to construct a blending facility at the Wiri fuel terminal and fi nalisation of key contracts.

We appreciate that others have tried and failed to bring domesti-cally produced biodiesel at this sort of scale to the New Zealand market.

Refi nedHowever weve refi ned and

investigated this particular option rigorously over the last four years, we are not trying to grow a feed-stock supply and with the core of our business in distribution and marketing liquid transport fuels we have confi dence in our ability to successfully bring biodiesel to the New Zealand market.

Jonathan says the plant has future ability, at a cost of another $2.5m, to double production to 40m litres.

We expect to be producing biodiesel from this plant about this time [April] next year.

Mike Bennetts says Zs biodiesel, manufactured from a by-product

of New Zealands agriculture industry, will create jobs and enable customers to choose a diesel option that lowers their carbon footprint and produces cleaner emissions.

Economics I want to be clear the econom-

ics around biofuels remain very challenging and weve worked this project non-stop for four years to get to this point.

We believe we have the knowl-edge and capability to manage the various operating and fi nancial risks while offering our customers a quality product at a similar price to mineral diesel, says Mike.

While were mitigating the level of downside risk through feed-stock supply chain agreements, the extent to which this project is a success will be determined by how much customers value a cleaner, more sustainable alterna-tive.

Mike says initial production is likely be allocated to commercial customers whod typically use the B5 to B20 (fi ve to 20 per cent biodiesel to mineral diesel) blends in heavy vehicles but the com-pany expects to later supply upper North Island retail sites with a B5 biodiesel blend.

Turning NZ beef fat into biodieselInedible tallow from NZ beef is set to be used to produce biodiesel to be blended with mineral fuel and sold to Zs

commercial customers.

In the pipeline for four years, Z has announced its investing $21 million in building a domestic biodiesel manu-facturing plant in Wiri, Auckland, and

associated supply chain infrastructure at fuel terminals both there and at Mount Maunganui.

Zs corporate communications man-ager Jonathan Hill says all beef fat used to produce the biodiesel in Auckland will come from NZ farms through a supply agreement.

New Zealand produces about 150,000 tonnes of what we call ined-ible tallow per annum well be using about 10 per cent of that.

So we need about 14,000 tonnes of

By Merle Foster

An artists impression of Z Energys $21 million domestic biodiesel manufacturing plant to be built in Auckland.

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POLARIS BIG FOUR COMPETITION

Hunters have two ATVs in sights

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Smoothest riding and hardest working

thats the catchline for the latest 4x4

from Polaris, pretty darn good value.

The Sportsman 400 H.O. has a whole bunch of keen hunters clamour-ing to win the major prize of two Sportsman 400s at this years Polaris Big Four hunting compe-tition based in Te Puna, near Tauranga. Polaris New Zealand and Stoney Creek have worked together to style up the units up for grabs and they look great.

A quad bike similar to the Polaris prize was dem-onstrated, tantalisingly, for a gather-ing of club members on a Wright Road farm and Coast & Country went along for the ride. While the demo bike has a few more accessories than the Big Four prize, it gave those present a teaser of the machine that will soon be in the hands of a successful hunting team.

The full size quad features the same chassis as the Sportsman 500, delivering improved ride and

handling, reliability of a 455cc water-cooled engine and some important refi nements.

Its a good looking machine and impresses from fi rst glance, with aggressive design offering improved sight lines for the rider, especially forward to the terrain ahead.

New Zealand and Stoney New Zealand and Stoney

continued to page 10...

POLARIS BIG FOUR COMPETITION

The Polaris 2014 Big Four Competition

is a highlight of the hunting calendar for

entrants who compete this month for a share of the

$80,000 prize pool.

Stoney Creek is also offering Coast &

Country readers the chance to get into the spirit of the event by winning one of its stylish

caps, valued at $29.99.

To be in to

win, answer the following question: What are the four species

competitors target? To enter, email your answer

along with your name and address, with Stoney Creek Prize as the subject, to: [email protected]

Or put these details on the back of an envelope and post to:

Coast & Country Stoney Creek Prize, PO Box 240, Tauranga 3110, to arrive no later than June 17. The winner will be announced in Coast & Countrys July issue.

Name the Big Four and be in to win

Load up and ride out

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The Lock & Ride composite front rack system, with a matching rear rack look practi-cal and handy for carrying gear. The test bike, and the Polaris Big Four prize, are both fitted with a gun scabbard.

The radiator is mounted higher in the chassis and angled to the rear, designed to keep it clearer of debris and mud.

We were impressed with the ride, the Sports-man claims to have been the worlds first ATV with independent rear suspension, a feature that continues to be its claim to fame. Boast-ing 24.1cm of travel keeps the ride smooth and minimises body roll.

Ground clearance of 29cm means it has plenty of ability to tackle rugged terrain. During our review the Polaris took on some particularly meaty river boulders with ease.

The on demand, true all-wheel-drive auto-matically engages when you need the traction, reverting back to 2WD when youre through the rough. Its smooth and easy to engage.

Other features of the Sportsman 400 are integrated front storage, ideal for hat, lunch, ammo or whatever to be protected from the elements; 555kg tow hitch capability; 15.5 litre fuel tank for excellent range; digital dash, 81.6kg rear and 40.8kg front rack capacity and accessory rack extenders available for both.

Best feature is the price, at $8,257.00 plus GST makes it one of the most affordable machines on the market.

Available in blue.

...continued from page 9

SPECIFICATIONS

Polaris Sportsman

400 H.O.

555.7 kg hitch towing

capacity

81.6 kg rear rack capacity

40.8 kg front rack capacity

15.5 litre fuel capacity

Independent Rear Suspension

On-Demand True All-Wheel

Drive

Price: RRP $8,257.00

Contact: 0800 440 290

for your dealer in NZ

www.polarisindustries.co.nz

Barry Griffin having a play on the Polaris Sportsman

400 H.O. Photos by Tracy Hardy.

By Brian Rogers

SA

Thank you to the farmer, you know

who you are.

POLARIS BIG FOUR COMPETITION Page 11POLARIS BIG FOUR COMPETITION

Hunting the Big Four and $80,000 in prizes

An idea for a hunting event to enliven a small rural community, which evolved over

a few quiet beers, has in four short years become one of national and

international signifi cance.This years Polaris Big Four Competition 2014 at

Te Puna on June 24-28 is expected to attract 100 four-person teams from throughout New Zealand, America and Australia all keen for a share of the $80,000 prize pool.

Its a big event, with major sponsors, but its run by the very small eight-person Te Puna Hunting and Fishing Club with Ken Griffi n and Shane Paterson the key co-ordinators.

Every year it just gets bigger and its not hard to get the sponsors on board because they can see how popular it is and that competitors do support their brands, says Ken.

The teams will target a stag, a boar, a pheasant and a trout. The fi rst prizes up for grabs for teams which secure all four target species are two black Polaris Sportsmen, Stoney Creek Limited Edition ATVs valued at a total of $23,000. (They are similar to the bike featured in the front cover picture but dont include all accessories on that model). Second prize is $10,000 in cash from Pacifi c Toyota and an $8500 portable chiller from Spencer Contracting is third prize.

Sixty per cent of teams which enter do get all four animals, but the winning teams wont be the ones with the heaviest of each species. Instead, to make the con-test fair to hunters of all levels of experience, the major prizes will go to the teams that have all four species with a combined weight closest to the average weight of all species entered.

There are individual prizes too. Hunting & Fish-ing Tauranga is sponsoring the heaviest bore and the

heaviest trout categories, with product to the value of $1500 fi rst prize in each category, $700 for second and $300 for third.

McFall Fuel is sponsoring the heaviest stag competi-tion with prizes worth a total of $2500 and Maimai Supplies of Katikati is presenting $2500 worth of product to winners in the best pheasant category.

Marshall Innovations is the sponsor for the $1500 prize for the best fi ghting spurs on a cock pheasant and Bradley Smoker is sponsoring $1500 worth of product for the closest to average weight trout.

The best boar tusks will win a dog box from Katikati Marine Fabrication and the best Douglas score for stag antlers will win a $1500 chopper fl ight, sponsored by Raukumara Red Venison.

The best hunting photo uploaded to the Polaris Big Four Face Book page will win a $550 Game Trail Camera from Hunting & Fishing Tauranga.

During the weigh-in day more than $5000 worth of spot prizes from Penguin Sea & Surf will be given away, along with a major spot prize from Bradley Smokers worth $550.

Every competitor will receive an entry pack with a bush shirt from Stoney Creek along with other spon-sored products and vouchers worth at least $100.

Shane and Ken are urging competitors to attend the briefi ng night on June 21 from 5pm at the Top Shot Bar Te Puna, when spot prizes will be given away and late entries can be accepted if spots are left.

The weigh-in on Saturday, June 28 starts from 10am and will be a family-orientated community day with a bouncy castle for children, sponsors stalls and food. Any other groups, businesses, or people who want to help, or be part of the days activities, should contact Shane on 021 267 4083.

Hunting in the Polaris Big Four starts 6am Tuesday, June 24, and weigh-in is on Saturday, June 28 from 10am to 3pm, with prize giving from 4pm. The club wishes all competitors the best of luck and wants to thank all of its incredible sponsors.

Cover story

By Elaine Fisher

SA

FIELDAYS

Rural Contractors New Zealand holds its annual conference just days after many members pack up their sites at Fieldays.

RCNZ chief executive Roger Parton says the organisations annual conference is being held at New Plymouths Devon Hotel from June 23-26.

The conference has an agenda chock-full of inter-esting and pertinent issues to the rural contracting sector along with a number of top-line speakers, says Roger.

Speakers include outgoing Federated Farmers chief executive Conor English; ASB rural economist Nathan Penny and Taranaki Regional Council chief executive Basil Chamberlain.

A highlight of the week will be our fi eld trip to Dow Agro Science for a tour of its plant and research farm. Other highlights include the annual charity auction to raise funds for St John, as well as the big fi nale with our awards dinner and dance.

Register for the conference by emailing: offi [email protected]

Manuka forestry for honey and oil production has a bright future in New

Zealand, according to growers and wholesalers of New Zealand

native plants KauriPark.The current value of New Zealand honey exports is

about $145million, and KauriPark marketing manager Andrew Wearmouth says the Government has set an export target of $1billion by year 2025.

The key to achieving the $1 billion in annual exports is the urgent need for more area to be planted in manuka forest.

The current manuka production forestry is estimated at about 900,000ha.

Andrew believes manuka forestry offers exciting opportunities for land owners.

Manuka is New Zealands medicine plant. The methyl glyoxyl activity, mostly referred to as UMF, has strong anti-bacterial properties; unique from any other honey.

The triketones found in the oil also have anti-bacterial properties, as well as use for shampoos and skin care.

The plant grows readily in a wide range of soil types and climatic condi-tions, from peat swampland to the tops of treelines of steep hill country.

Manuka has a natural life span of 25 to 50 years.

The danger with the manuka indus-

try is much of this forest is already 30 years old and there has been little attempt to increase, manage or replace the plantings since the mid-1980s.

Manuka begins to fl ower in the third year after planting, and reaches full maturity by the eighth year. The cost to plant is about $1800 per hectare.

The honey yield from a fully mature forest is currently estimated at 25-50kg/ha and the average price to the beekeeper is currently $20-$25kg. This works out at $500-$1000 income from honey per hectare.

The manuka forester can benefi t from carbon credits, or from prun-ing the plants and selling prunings to manuka oil extractors at a current price of $500-$600 per tonne, says Andrew.

Research is well underway to identify superior clones that produce stronger levels of MGO, and produce greater nectar fl ows, and continue to fl ower over more weeks to spread the season.

Blooming future for manuka forestry

Page 12 FIELDAYS

Andrew believes manuka forestry offers exciting opportunities for land owners.

Manuka is New Zealands medicine

try is much of this forest is already 30 years old and there has been little attempt to increase, manage or replace the plantings since the mid-1980s.

year after planting, and reaches full maturity by the eighth year. The cost to plant is about $1800 per hectare.

mature forest is currently estimated at 25-50kg/ha and the average price to

Manuka seedlings ready for planting.

Manuka begins to fl ower in the third year after planting.

Top speakers at rural contractor

conference

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FIELDAYS

Irish companies will again be among exhibitors at

Fieldays, following success of the countrys participation

in the 2013 event.Last year 15 Irish compa-

nies exhibited at Fieldays and Enterprise Ireland/NZs trade representative Treza Gallogly says this fi gure has grown for 2014.

A strong economic relationship exists between Ireland and New Zealand, with two-way trade exceeding NZ$300 million in 2012.

NZ Fieldays general manager commercial Nick Dromgool

visited Irelands Ploughing Championships late last year as a guest of the National Plough-ing Association and the Irish Governments trade and investment board, Enterprise Ireland.

While there Nick had the opportunity to meet with Irelands Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney and senior offi -cials of the NPA to discuss the deepening relationship between the two agricul-turally-based countries.

The championships attract more than 200, 000 visitors during three days;

and Nick visited leading agri-cultural machinery fi rms, many of which have exhibited at NZs national Fieldays.

Nick says he was impressed with both the scale of the Ploughing Championships as well as the

level of innovation of the Irish agricultural industry.

Of the many synergies between our events, the focus and growth of innovations is paramount to the continued success within the primary sectors of both countries.

Both Ireland and NZ have

operations were not affected for long and they were back in business.

Norm met with the Bridge It NZ team to discuss his bridging options for the blown-out culvert and bridges.

After looking at the pros and cons of various designs and alternate access points, a 27m concrete deck 0.85 HN load capacity bridge with concrete kerbs and galvanised pipe handrails was designed, constructed and installed by the company.

Heavy rain and fl ooding washed out

major access routes on this Raetihi farm.

Irish companies again among exhibitors demonstrated resourcefulness in their approach to solving farming chal-lenges.

Nick says NZs national Fieldays is keen to explore a collaborative relation-

ship with the National Ploughing Association that will encourage a healthy exchange of information and representation at our respective events.

When heavy rain washed out a boxed culvert on Kim Young and Sons drystock farm near Raetihi, most of the back of the

farm and stock were inaccessible. The fl ooding also affected four bridges downstream

of the main culvert, causing havoc for farm manage-ment and access.

Norm Young called Bridge It NZ and within 48 hours the company had a temporary steel fl at deck bridge installed, which allowed access to previously cut-off areas of the property meaning their farming

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FANTASTICFIELD DAYS

SAVINGS!

FIELDAYS

Fodder beet or similar plants have been domesticated for 500 years. Despite this,

New Zealand is the only country in the world to graze cattle and

deer directly on the crop. There are 14,000 hectares in the South Island, but

only 1000ha in the north. Fodder beet is the ideal crop for dairy and beef cattle

and deer. It has the potential to replace maize and palm kernel, as it is so cheap to grow.

A successful crop will be the cheapest feed you grow; way cheaper than PKE or maize, being between 3c/kg DM and 13c/kg DM.

It will be the highest quality feed you can grow. Its Metabolic Energy value will remain constant at about 12 regardless of maturity stage.

Other crops lose quality as yield increases, but fodder beet doesnt. It is high energy feed. It has very high water soluble carbohydrates. It is very highly digestible. It prefers free-draining light to medium soils includ-ing sandy soils. Fodder beet can produce 40 tonnes of DM/ha and will do more, particularly in the North Island. Short of disaster, you can bank on 20-25 tonnes DM/ha. Growth rates can be as high as 200kg/ha DM, but 100 is very common.

Most crops will grow a tonne or more per hectare per week.

No harvestingA fodder beet crop can be fed from Febru-

ary to November. Stock develop a taste for it very quickly. It can be used for milking cows, dry cows, beef cows, young stock and deer.

Expect an increase in milk solids. Expect stock to gain weight.

It can be fed in situ. No harvesting is required, but you can if you need to.

If harvested, it will store in open windrows for fi ve months. The utilisation of fodder beet is as close to 100 per cent as you can get.

It loves potassium, so is an answer for some farms with high potassium build up from effl uent. It toler-ates high sodium, so can be used in saline soils. Its nitrogen requirement is relatively low, so the environ-

ment is not compromised. It is more water effi cient than brassicas, so does better than them in dry seasons. It is a better feed proposition than turnips.

It has some negative and not so negative points. Fodder beat deserves a good paddock, not a poor one. Seed bed preparation must be superior.

For best results, precision drilling is required. Do not drill faster than 4km per hour. The soil temperature needs to be 10-12 degrees Celsius for fi ve days in a row before planting. Weed control must be of the highest order.

ChemicalsIt is susceptible to certain chemicals may

be already in the soil from previous crop-ping.

There is only one animal health disorder to be concerned about and that is acidosis.Some literature suggests nitrate and

oxalic acid poisoning, and bloat may be a problem.

This is not true. Acidosis can be avoided by proper transitioning stock onto fodder beet. Acidosis is not a crop or a fertiliser problem, but a management problem. The

transition period is 10-14 days. You need to accurately assess yield, to know stock

intake. If feeding high DM allowances, some P and Ca supplementation may be required.

Keep an eye on trace mineral levels in stock. Get advice well in advance. Kiwi Fertiliser recommends Seed Force personnel. Shell be right wont work.

Fodder beet the cheapest feed to grow

BASE SATURATION PERCENTCalcium (60 to 70%)Magnesium (10 to 20%)Potassium (2 to 5%)Sodium (.5 to 3%)Other Bases (Variable)

EXCHANGEABLE HYDROGEN (10 to 15%)

80%}

FIELDAYS

A solarpoweredpurifier

of ionisation to combat algae and

bacteria in the water. One statement made

by many people in NZ is they simply dont have the

time to look after their pool, and theyre so glad to fi nally come across the Floatron, says

Melissa.With a Floatron, you swim in

crystal clear water with no taste, smell, or chemical effects that means no dry skin, or red stinging eyes, says Melissa.

You save so much time on pool maintenance, because you dont have to add excessive chemicals, or frequently test the water.

Melissa says Fieldays is the best time of year to get a Floatron, because we never discount our prices this much.

People know we have great special for a very limited time, so if you have been thinking about a Floatron now is the time to get yours. Save $275 during Fieldays, and ask about our auto vacuum deals as well.

Get a Floatron now, and have a clean pool come spring time. No big clean up just start swimming. Its that easy. Floatron is so good it comes with a money-back guarantee.

Order now, or request a free info pack by phone or online, at www.fl oatron.co.nz or 0800 161 181. See Melissa at site 44 Bledisloe Hall.

or chemical effects that means no dry skin, or red stinging eyes, says Melissa.

You save so much time on pool maintenance, because you dont have to add excessive chemicals, or frequently test the water.

Melissa says Fieldays is the best time of year to get a Floatron, because we never discount our prices this much.

People know we have great special for a very limited time, so if you have been thinking about a Floatron now is the time to get yours. Save $275 during Fieldays, and ask about our auto vacuum deals as well.

Get a Floatron now, and have a clean pool come spring time. No big clean up just start swimming. Its that easy. Floatron is so good it comes with a money-back guarantee.

Order now, or request a free info pack by phone or online, at www.fl oatron.co.nz or 0800 161 181. See Melissa at site 44 Bledisloe Hall.

If you struggled with your pool during summer, or its looking a bit murky during winter, you

need to consider a Floatron, says Melissa Growden of Floatron.Would you like to keep your pool clear

all year round with minimal effort, and hardly any chemicals?

You can with Floatron. Its the easiest way to main-tain a pool, and save yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars on chemical use.

Melissa say people are continually amazed at how easy it is, and how good their pool looks with a Floatron in it.

Even after nearly 20 years of selling Floatrons, it still gives me a buzz when clients ring up or email to tell me how good their pool looks.

Some people have looked at getting a Floatron for a few years, and when they fi nally do, they always say they wish they had done so years ago. Imagine how much money and time I would have saved if I bought a Floatron years ago they say?

Melissa says she loves selling a product that helps people, and is good for them.

The Floatron is a revolutionary solar-powered water purifi er for swimming pools, which replaces the need for chemicals by up to 90 per cent. It uses the process

PLATFORMMAGIC

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FIELDAYS

Nine hundred exhibitors, eligible trans-Tasman

bachelors, cooking demonstrations, fencing and tractor competitions and a

series of seminars are among attractions of this years

Fieldays at Mystery Creek.Organisers are expecting a large

number of international visitors and delegations to join the thou-sands of Kiwis who visit what is the largest event of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere from June 11-14 at Mystery Creek.

Eight fi nalists, including two

from Australia, will be taking part in the Rural Bachelor of the Year, competing for the Gold Gumboot trophy and a share of the $23,000 in prizes.

The National Excavator compe-tition, which tests the precision and skills of operators of the big machines, is popular with the crowds as are the fencing events and the Stihl logging competition.

Each day there are two free 45-minute sessions featuring speakers from NIWA, PGG Wrightsons, Xero, the University of Waikato and comedian Te Radar. These are held in the Fiel-days Theatre on E Street, where theres seating for 400.

Annah Stretton is head judge for Ag Art Wear, now in its 20th year, and there are two shows daily featuring wearable art garments made from materials that are used in the practice of farming.

Kiwis best kitchen is an exclu-sive area designed to showcase quality New Zealand food and beverages.

It has 45 exclusive exhibitor sites; Good George will be running the bar/kitchen and Josh Emett returns as the Kiwis Best Kitchen Celebrity Chef.

There will be a full schedule of demonstrations in the Kitchen Theatre with grandstand seating for spectators.

Tractors, food, art all part of Fieldays appeal

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FIELDAYS

Shirley Bills cooks all of the vegetables for a meal in 10 minutes stove top to table using one piece of cookware and just three

tablespoons of water. She can also cook a complete meal, from meat to

vegetables and even a desert, on one stove top ele-ment, using the DineRite system.

Shirley has been cooking this way for eight years now and thanks to its high quality, her cookware looks as good as new.

She not only enjoys using the system, Shirley also demonstrates and sells the cookware.

I believe in the system. It not only saves time but is also healthier, as nutrients are not boiled away and it is a fatless system for meat.

DineRites cookware system works by cooking with less water, heat and air. Excessive amounts of water, heat and air will destroy most, if not all, the nutrients from food.

For faster more even cooking, the cookware features a five-ply construction with a thick core designed to give even heat distribution.

The multi-layered core conducts the heat across the bottom and up the sides of every piece of cookware for even heat efficiency, thus elim

coast & country news june 2014

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