An Ashburton Guardian Feature

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February 2013

GGUARDIAN

FARMING

fA life by the river

p 2-4

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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 307-7971 email: linda.c@theguardian.co.nz or write to PO Box 77, Ashburton.

Advertising: Phone 307-7974 Email: desme.d@theguardian.co.nz Publication date: February 5, 2013

Next issue: March 5, 2013

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

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A life by the riverA life by the riverThe Hinds River and the water that

flows in it is central to work being undertaken by the Ashburton Water Zone Committee as it sets water and nutrient rules for the Hinds Plains area. The local community has been providing plenty of feedback about what is important to its members. Hinds farmer John Farrell is one of them. This is how he sees it:

“I have lived on the banks of the Hinds River, north side west of State Highway 1, for 77 years. From 1956, I farmed land inherited from my father and grandfather, who purchased land at the break-up of Lagmhor Estate in the mid-1890s. That land is now farmed by my son.

I am disturbed at the state of the river and its decline since 2000, and at statements made by consultants, water traders and others with vested interests.

Having spent my whole life near the river - swimming as a child, fishing and shooting rabbits and ducks as a youth, farming in good and bad years, droughts and floods –

I have a good knowledge of the river from SH1 to above Maronan Road.

“It has never been a river.”I beg to disagree. Drovers driving a large

mob of sheep in early 1860s from North Canterbury to South Canterbury found that crossing Ashburton River they could not penetrate any further due to swamp. Re-crossing the river, they had to travel well up-country before they were able to procede. They found the Hinds River very difficult to cross.

It was a river, especially above SH1, but with no effective mouth feeding underground to the sea, hence the swamp which was drained by John Grigg from Lynnford, who opened a mouth.

My grandfather, John Farrell, drained land above SH1, known as Lagmhor swamp, which was teeming with eels, pukeko and ducks in their hundreds. He also planted willows to protect the banks of the river.

Trout were introduced later to cold water springs feeding the river, making it one of the best trout fishing rivers in New Zealand.

John Farrell

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A life by the riverA life by the riverThey were also taken to stock other rivers and lakes in Canterbury.

Before Europeans, this area was heavily forested but thought to have been burnt out by Maori who used it as a hunting ground between Temuka and Banks Peninsula. Maori artefacts and ovens were also found, and stumps are still found to this day.

“Historically always dry in summer.”Simply not true. It is fed from a small

catchment in the foothills, affected by southeast rains which are the main cause of major flooding. It is also fed from many springs in the area.

On our property bounded by Dickson, Winslow and Swamp Roads, there are eight major springs and as many in the river. Our property is the headwaters of Taylor’s drain, which eventually flows to the river.

It never went dry in summer. It was a meandering river due to a blocked mouth in time of flooding, scouring large holes in bends of the stream. Our families, from my grandfather down, all swam in it along

with many locals, picnickers and fishermen from Ashburton.

My grandfather also swam draughthorses after work in summer. In times of drought flows, it could get low in summer, but never dried up till late June-July. It still flowed underground to big holes where fish survived. It would flow again with spring rains. Drains on the property would get low but never go dry. This was long before the days of the Rangitata Diversion Race (RDR).

In 1945 was the first of the major floods in my time. It was the biggest my parents had ever seen and broke banks both sides of the river, flooding a wide areas as far as Winslow on the north side. The whole property was under water, willow trees floated past within 50m of the dwelling, bags of wheat and potatoes were later found on the railway line.

The river fairway had become blocked with willows, gorse and broom, drains had also fallen into disrepair during the Depression and war years.

The South Canterbury Catchment Board

spent the next four years straightening the fairway, felling and layering willows on banks and repairing the drainage system, work which is ongoing to this day.

In the drought of 1950, the river fell to very low levels in the summer but did not dry up till late autumn. Fish died in their thousands, there were no holes for them to survive in, but the river did not dry up in its lower reaches and when it started flowing again, fish restocked.

In our area, our drains fell to low levels but did not dry up, only minor springs fell dry. From 1950 to 2000, this happened four times, always in drought conditions. There were many freshes, mainly in the spring, and floods mainly in late summer-early autumn – the largest ever recorded in 1986 when the river burst its banks and our property was entirely covered.

You could still swim and see fish until mid-1990s. The river still flowed at very low levels but due to low oxygen levels and algae, I have not seen fish since swimming became impossible. Since 2000 to the present day, the river has completely dried

up four times. The springs were dry except for two at very low levels, drains were at record lows – this in a time of higher rainfall than usual, not a drought in sight. Four times in 12 years compared to four times in the previous 50 years.

I started irrigation with a diesel pump, pumping water out of drains in the early 1960s under strict rules set by the South Canterbury Catchment Board. When the river fell below a certain level, irrigation ceased until the flow restored. This worked very well. Two-thirds of the flow let past to neighbours and the river via a cut-off at SH1. It was mandatory that 15 litres return to the river at this point. In the 1960s, farmers east of SH1 took five cumecs at Farrells crossing to enter McLeans drain for irrigation. Due to problems with fall and safety, it was finally taken at Lynnford. In the 1970s we dug a shallow well for better supply in dry periods. This worked well till the late 1990s but we no longer use drains due to a lack of water.

Continued on next page

water limits 4

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Since the regional council took over issuing water rights and the proliferation of wells between the Hinds and Ashburton Rivers, the river has come to the sorry state it is today. In October 2010, the river was down to a small trickle; within 10 days of irrigators northwest on Swamp Road switching on pumps, the river was dry until water was spilled into it by Environment Canterbury in March last year. It was the longest period the river has been dry in my life-time and, I believe, in the history of the river. The spillage did not recharge springs in the river or on my property. Within one week, when irrigators started pumping, it was dry again.

It is interesting to note that 87ml of rain fell in this period. River flowed again in July after southeast rains in the foothills caused a minor flood. This was the first time spring rains had fully charged the river since mid-2000. With the last two seasons of higher than normal rainfall, we should have been knee deep with water. When I wrote this on December 18, the river was down to a trickle. I predicted the river would be dry within a week, the first spring almost dry,

as irrigators had been going the last two weeks.

I have not noticed any irrigators working between the banks of the river and Swamp Road. In the last three years, there has been a big increase in new water rights within a five-mile radius of Maronan and Winslow Roads and river water is being traded from another area. Barford drain, which enters McLeans drain before SH1 (feeds the river at cut-off) is pumped dry, this being a red zone, when the river is at its worst level in history.

How can water be transferred from a place 20-30 miles away to a place that’s already over allocated? According to a water trader, there was been no ill-effect to lowland springs and streams. I beg to differ – the Hinds River being a prime example. Also springs and drains below SH1. There is a shingle pit on Winslow Road that always filled with water in the spring thaw in September, and went dry within a week at the first hot nor-wester in November. This has happened rarely since 2000.

I think Hinds and Ashburton Rivers are connected to the same water flow (1860

drovers report both fall to very low levels as soon as irrigation starts, gallery well water flows norwesterly direction) and something has to be done to restore the river and springs to some semblance of their original state, giving those on the river a fair go.

I do not believe that they should be penalised at the expense of those on the other wide of Swamp Road whose water take per hectare is four times as much.

There is a theory that deep wells do not effect groundwater, there is plenty of evidence of this happening in the USA and Mexico.

Water is a finite commodity. We have not seen a major drought since the mid-1980s. I would not know what would happen to our water supply when we see the next one.

The Hinds is no longer a river, just a flood channel.”

The zone committee has another five meetings planned with the community before it delivers its recommendations to Environment Canterbury.

Contributed by Federated Farmes

climate change5

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Federated Farmers president’s farm in climate adaption case study

Irrespective of personal views around the causes for climate change, all farmers know the climate is ever-changing and impacting farm businesses. This makes the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Impacts of Climate Change on Land based Sectors and Adaptation Options, an important contribution.

“All farmers know the climate changes and whether it is man-made, natural or a combination of the two, what really matters is building resilience into our farm businesses,” says Bruce Wills, Federated Farmers President, whose own farm is one of the MPI case studies.

“The climate changes and will continue to change because we live on a dynamic planet. If we had little or no climate change our environment would be closer to that of Mars and hostile to life as we know it.

“What the Ministry for Primary Industries has produced is thought provoking because the overriding assumption around climate change has been its negative effects. The climate is

in fact neutral; it is what we make of it which counts.”

He said that in a warming cycle with higher concentrations of CO2, farmers could expect increasingly rapid pasture, crop and tree growth boosting productivity. On the downside, there will likely be increased frequencies of drought and floods with pests and disease.

“Ensuring we have the right on-farm infrastructure, systems and personnel to cope with climate variability is vital. Especially once you marry what we are doing inside the farm-gate with what is happening regionally and nationally.

“It is also vital we maintain stringent biosecurity to defeat pests and exotic diseases before the border.”

Mr Wills said the case study done about his farm, boiled down to the tactical use of plantings to stabilise hillsides, farm dams to store water and stock policies to better cope with the weather volatility.

“Environmental management is vital; it’s about being able to farm sustainably and profitably for generations to come.

“While outside of the report, the control of possums by way of 1080 has been massive to our farm’s economic and environmental sustainability. The explosion of bird life and biodiversity I have seen with the demise of possums has been extraordinary.

“The other case studies are there to show farmers by sector and type just what is possible. I think it will engender discussion within the primary communities on where we go and how we get there. That is a discussion Federated Farmers is keen to be a part of.

“New Zealand’s innovative and progressive farmers are very good at reading environmental signals. Farming will continue to adapt and evolve in response to these changes.”

Impacts of Climate Change on Land based Sectors and Adaptation Options is at www.mpi.govt.nz

water wise 6Contributed by Sheryl Stivens, Eco efficiency Coordinator Mastagard Ashburton

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We live in a watery world, with the average American lifestyle fuelled by nearly 2000 gallons of H2O a day.

What may come as a surprise is that very little of that—only five per cent—runs through toilets, taps, and garden hoses at home. Nearly 95 per cent of your water footprint is hidden in the food you eat, energy you use, products you buy, and services you rely on.

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Being water wise comes naturally when everyone is aware of its importance.

With water meters being installed on irrigation systems, farmers will now know how much water they use. It is important that we all learn how much water we really need and so we can manage our water wisely.

The more we save, the more water we leave for healthy ecosystems and a sustainable future.

1. Drop a Hippo in your cistern

About a quarter of all the clean, drinkable water we use in our homes is flushed

down a toilet. If you’re in the market for a new loo, consider buying a water efficient toilet. If your older loo is still working well but does not have a dual flush put a brick or a plastic bottle half filled with gravel into the cistern to reduce the amount of water used.

2. Stop those dripsA dripping tap wastes at least 5500

litres of water a year: that’s enough water wasted to fill a paddling pool every week for the whole summer. Replace washers and check for leaks throughout your system.

3. Fill up those dishwashers According to a University of Bonn study,

you’re likely using more water (and energy) washing up by hand than using a modern efficient dishwasher. Even if you’re using a washing-up bowl. But make sure you fill the dishwasher or you’ll be wasting even more than if you were to wash up by hand. Become familiar with your dishwasher’s cycle options. Many settings provide the same cleaning power as a normal cycle, but with less water and energy. Most modern dishwashers are so effective that you don’t even have to pre-rinse! If you do rinse do so with a plug in your sink.

4. Short, sharp, showers save water

Limit shower times to five minutes or less. Try taking shorter showers to reduce the amount of water you use.

5. Wishy-washy machinesBefore starting your washing machine,

wait for a full load - a full load uses less water than two half loads; so, you’ll be able to save money on energy and water. Familiarise yourself with your washing machine’s cycle options. Some settings provide the same cleaning power as a normal cycle, but with less water and energy.

6. Frigid waterFill a jug with water and leave it to cool in

your fridge. This way you don’t have to run the tap for ages just to get a cold drink.

7. Sparkling vegetablesBy washing your fruits and veg in a bowl

rather than under a running tap, you could cut down on water waste effortlessly. And as an added bonus, you can use the leftover water to feed your houseplants and vegetables.

8. Insinkerators versus compost

Try to avoid flushing away food waste down the sink and into waste water. It wastes water and loads up the wastewater system or septic tank. Far better to return organic waste to the earth via your compost bin. For free help with home composting contact 0800627824 or email sherylstivens@gmail.com or bholley@mastagard.co.nz

9. Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants

Mulch will slow evaporation of moisture while discouraging weed growth. Adding 2-4 inches of organic material such as compost, lawn clippings or bark mulch will increase the ability of the soil to retain moisture. Press the mulch down around the drip line of each plant to form a slight depression which will prevent or minimise water runoff.

10. Cut your lawn higher in summer

Letting your grass grow longer in hot weather will promote water retention in the soil. Only water your lawn when it really needs it. During dry spells, you can

13 water-saving tips for 2013

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water wise

stop watering altogether and the lawn will go brown and dormant. Once cooler weather arrives, the morning dew and rainfall will bring the lawn back to its usual vigour. This may result in a brown summer lawn, but it saves a lot of water.

11. Water during the early parts of the day; avoid watering when it’s windy

Early morning is generally better than dusk since it helps prevent the growth of fungus. Early watering, and late watering, also reduce water loss to evaporation. Watering early in the day is also the best defence against slugs and other garden pests. Try not to water when it’s windy - wind can blow sprinklers off target and speed evaporation. Position your sprinklers so water lands on the lawn or garden, not on paved areas. Also, avoid watering on windy days.

12. Use a bucket to clean your car.

Clean the car using a pail of soapy water. Use the hose only for rinsing - this simple practice can save many litres of water. Use a spray nozzle when rinsing for more efficient use of water. Better yet, use a waterless car washing system; there

are several brands which are now on the market. Use a broom, not a hose, to clean paths and driveways.

13. Install a rain water harvesting tank or barrell

Collect rain water by installing a water tank or other large container and use the water on your garden. Rain water is actually better for your plants as it does not contain any chlorine. Keep your rain barrel covered to prevent insects breeding and for safety reasons.

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urban spread 10Contributed by John Leadley

Safeguarding our greatest It was heartening to read an address by Conor English, chief

executive of Federated Farmers New Zealand, early this year highlighting the loss of land available for productive use that had occurred in the last 30 years in New Zealand.

He stated that land available for food production had decreased by 30 per cent over that period, basing his information on statistics relating to expanded areas of conservation estate and urban expansion to cater for increasing population.

Earlier Statistics Department figures give an average annual loss of productive land to urban expansion of about 38,000 hectares. Expansion of conservation land is not included.

This figure includes not only increased residential, recreational, commercial and industrial land holdings, but the roading and street infrastructure to service this expansion.

I accept that by world population density standards New Zealand remains at the lower end of the scale, but the figures indicate that the time for action is fast approaching.

Successive governments acknowledge that our nation’s efficient food producing industries will continue to be the source of our economic wealth.

The earlier our politicians acknowledge and action this scenario the more stable our economy will become.

As former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley often said, “talking the talk is easy, walking the talk much more difficult.”

Loss of land to non-productive purposes at the current rate of 1 per cent per annum is an unsustainable situation from a national perspective.

This situation was clearly bought home to me as we travelled through Europe by motorway, rail and cruise ship in June-July 2012.

The absence of peri-urban encroachment onto farm land was very evident in the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Belgium. The blurred dividing line between town and country virtually non-existent due to the lack of what I would call “lifestyle” properties.

Where in New Zealand would you find a high yielding wheat crop being harvested within 10 metres of a five story apartment building? This we witnessed in both the Netherlands and Belgium.

Such is the value placed on high producing farm land in these highly populated areas that in many instances rates are levied on a footprint occupied basis.

I don’t anticipate a similar rule in New Zealand or indeed Ashburton, would meet with universal appeal!

With the current media attention focussed on the unavailability of residential accommodation for purchase or rent, it is surely timely for government to look at serious incentives toward home ownership for a greater percentage of the population.

In my view the wisdom of subsidised State Advances Corporation (Ministry of Housing) three percent home loans so readily available fifty years ago, is clearly shown by the number of current superannuitants still living in their own unencumbered housing rather than taxpayer funded rest home care.

Oh for an administration willing to look beyond the next election! Too much to expect?

John Key’s State of the Nation speech last week, with its strong emphasis on housing, was a welcome if not belated acknowledgment of the current situation.

With the level of home ownership declining at almost one percent annually, a long term solution is imperative.

It’s not words we need – it’s action.

11

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urban spread

resource. Walking the talk.So what should the farming sector be doing to protect land for food

producing purposes?

Firstly I believe their organisation (“union”) needs to raise its profile back to somewhere near the level of 30–50 years ago. At that time the Agriculture Minister portfolio of successive governments was held at Deputy Prime Ministerial level e.g. Holyoake, Marshall, Talboys et.al.

These days the portfolio languishes in the teens in Cabinet ranking, at least above racing!

I would expect our most significant income industry to garner greater cabinet appraisal.

If Federated Farmers was able to raise their profile and credibility, surely lobbying would be more effective. Issues such as intergenerational funding opportunities for the most efficient use of Canterbury’s adequate water resource for both irrigation and hydro electricity production would reap huge dividends.

The establishment of farm storage ponds over recent years has vastly improved the reliability and efficiency of on farm systems.

However if a longer term perspective was taken and finance made available the ultimate system would surely feature storing greater quantities of water in the foothills area to utilise gravity for generation and distribution by pipe or sealed canal. Such a system would allow full utilisation of land holdings without the need for on-farm storage.

Prior to last election the National Party was indicating some finance could be available for water distribution in Canterbury. This seemed to be reinforced by announcements last week.

Again it’s time to “walk the talk”!

Canterbury farmers have proved time and again they are masters of production efficiency and innovation. They are the people that give us

the edge over our trading competitors.

More emphatic lobbying for research and development grants by Federated Farmers (maybe by way of tax credits) would maximise the excellent work of industry innovators.

Returning to CEO Conor English’s comments from last month’s Guardian Farming: “With the conservation estate now taking out 35 per cent of the land in New Zealand, quite simply we need to stop urban spread, stop building out and start building up. Auckland is nothing more than an urbanised series of low level villages with the corner dairy the tallest building.”

As pointed out New Zealand taxpayers have over a decade expended hundreds of millions of dollars on public transport in Auckland with little visible improvement. Quite simply, current population density cannot viably sustain Singapore, Paris, or London style transport infrastructure.

Mr English further points out “if we build up instead of out, a 400 metre section might means beds for 20–120 persons instead of a single family. Net result, affordable ownership housing. Secondly we need to be smart and spread the population across the country by investing in networks such as broadband, water, science, roads, public transport, energy and housing across the nation, not just Auckland.”

It’s time our largest city took responsibility and ceased bleeding the productive sector of the nation’s economy.

Maybe if Conor English could swap roles with his Finance Minister brother Bill English, and strongly lobby cabinet colleagues along the lines quoted in Guardian Farming, development in New Zealand would be on a level playing field.

Is this too much to expect?

With the political power base in Auckland, I expect so.

sharing knowledge 12

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An approach to farm management that enshrines, but modernises, the old adage “get the basics right and the rest will follow” has applications right across the agricultural sector, says Lincoln University Foundation chair Ben Todhunter about the South Island Farmer of the Year competition winner, Synlait Farms.

Mr Todhunter said the foundation organises the South Island Farmer of the Year competition because of the opportunities it presents to grow knowledge of innovative and excellent practice. For that reason, each year’s winner is asked to host a field day so the systems, processes and skills that contributed to their win can be passed on to others.

Synlait will host their winner’s field day on Wednesday March 6 at the company’s Robindale

property, located at 498 Te Pirita Road, inland from Dunsandel, near Hororata (Synlait Supply number 1011).

“One of the things that the judges of the competition noted,” Mr Todhunter said, “is that Synlait Farms stood out for doing the basics uncommonly well. A classic example of that was their response to their feed regime and the care of their cows in a difficult spring. They demonstrated innovation, excellence and attention to detail to produce a feed wedge that worked.”

Mr Todhunter said the field day is a unique opportunity to gain an insight into the systems and processes used by Synlait Farms; knowledge that has applications far wider than just the dairying sector.

“There’s always a lot of talk in any industry about getting the basics right, but for various reasons people often find that hard to put into practice. Synlait’s innovation and excellence of practice is embedded in its attention to the basics so they are done very well. People will be able to take away some practical, relevant knowledge that they can apply to their own situations.

“Synlait’s approach to its people, its stock and its land can be held up as an example of what can be achieved when good leadership, good people and good systems go hand-in-hand.”

The field day is free and registration is not required. Lunch will be provided.

Competition winner’s experience will benefit all

a feral problem13Contributed by Mary Ralston, Forest and Bird

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Conservation has been in the news recently with Dr Gareth Morgan’s proposal that “cats should go”. He urged New Zealanders who have a cat “make this one their last”. It is good that this issue has been brought into the headlines – it is a discussion we should have.

There are a huge number of domestic (pet) cats in New Zealand – about 1.4 million. Almost half of all households have a cat and in urban areas there are 220 domestic cats per square kilometre. The number of feral and stray cats is inestimable but there would be hundreds of thousands if not millions.

There is no doubt that cats are killers and there is ample evidence that they are major predators of our native wildlife, particularly birds but lizards, insects and bats too. Video footage has shown feral cats killing native ground-nesting

birds in riverbeds. They are very efficient nocturnal hunters which means they are out hunting when the adult birds are usually sitting on the nests – so adults are killed as well as chicks, and eggs eaten. Many of our native birds are long-lived and slow to reproduce so the loss of adults is quite serious – it effectively takes out a life-time of breeding potential.

Town cats – whether owned and loved or not – are also a big part of the problem. Native birds such as fantails are seen in many towns because of the availability of food from domestic gardens. More people these days are planting native plants in their gardens which attract birds and insects, and many exotic plants too are also good sources of nectar and pollen. But a study in Dunedin showed that species like fantails only existed in urban areas because they were “restocked” from

outside – those in town were killed by cats.

Trapping of predators, including cats, can make a big difference to the breeding success of some native birds. In just under three years 217 cats were trapped near a tern colony at Ohau. Trapping has to be kept up every year because cats disperse into vacant territory. Fortunately their movement does not coincide with the nesting season – the birds nest in spring but it is not until February or March that the young cats move out and find a territory. Over 60 cats have been trapped around Lake Heron and they have been seen as far up as the top of the Rakaia River where there are populations of wrybill and other endangered birds.

Some people suggest that cats are useful because they also kill rats, mice and rabbits. The Dunedin study showed that an average domestic cat’s prey was made

up of mice (23 per cent), invertebrates (26 per cent), exotic birds (20 per cent), native birds (6 per cent), and lizards (11 per cent). But even if native birds are only 6 per cent of the kill, this still works out at 1.12 million native birds a year – which his part of the reason why it is a novelty to see native birds.

It is up to all cat owners and landholders to help with the cat problem. If you have a pet cat, please be responsible and “make it your last”. Put a collar and a bell on it and have it desexed. Keep it inside as much as possible. Use traps and bait to deal with rats and mice. Trap wild cats – feral cats can be caught in a Timms trap baited with meat and in urban areas wire cage traps can be borrowed from the council. We all need to do what we can to reduce the number of cats. (And yes, I do have a cat, but she will be the last.)

Cats are killers

Ground-nesting birds such as these black-billed gulls are vulnerable to predation from many predators, including cats.

This 9kg feral cat was trapped using a Timms trap - it had killed six chooks and no doubt many native birds.

A Timms trap baited with meat will kill cats, stoats, ferrets and other predators.

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food safety15

DCD just tip of food safety iceberg

The discovery of DCD in milk is actually a minor food safety concern compared with other animal, human and environmental impacts from this country’s high level of synthetic fertiliser use, according to biological agriculture exponent, Phyllis Tichinin.

Fertiliser manufacturers Ravensdown and Ballance Agri-Nutrients have voluntarily withdrawn DCD from their product ranges after traces of the cyanide-based plasticiser was found in milk. DCD is a nitrogen inhibitor and is applied to pastures to reduce the harmful environmental effects of, what biological advocates claim is excessive urea fertiliser use.

However, for Ms Tichinin, DCD is just the tip of the food and milk iceberg. “There are many other chemicals that can be found in our foods that shouldn’t be there, it’s just that many are not tested for, or standards or limits haven’t been set, so food is declared ‘safe’.

“The reality is we should be working from the basis that nothing foreign should be in our food. We should be applying the Napoleonic Law for chemicals or contaminants, that is, they’re guilty until proven innocent.”

Ms Tichinin is behind the speaking tours that world authority on biological agriculture Dr Arden Andersen conducts in New Zealand and is a biological soils consultant to farmers around New Zealand. Dr Andersen is due back in the country mid-February for another round of biological farming and human health courses. One is planned in Ashburton on February 13 and 14.

Dr Andersen asserts that “urea is the cocaine of agriculture” and through his two-day soils courses shows growers and farmers how it is possible to operate more productively and profitably without need for chemicals detrimental to the environment and human health.

“Essentially it is a message of hope. There are science-based ways to grow nutrient dense food that is truly healthy for us, profitable for farmers, and helps to restore water and air quality,” says Ms Tichinin.

Biological agriculture focuses on re-establishing mineral balance and enhancing beneficial microbiology in the soil and is applicable to all production sectors. The approach uses both conventional and organic farming methods and combines chemistry, physics, biology and microbiology, with the use of sound agricultural management practices.

These practices include a focus on calcium and trace element availability and supporting microbial diversity that leads to rapid increases in humus, reduced use of petrochemical inputs, and results in nutrient-dense food, all the while sequestering carbon in the soil for better water retention.

About 200,000 hectares of land is currently farmed under biological principles in New Zealand and the interest and uptake of the approach is growing constantly.

Ms Tichinin says the dairy industry’s drive for intensification, urging annual percentage increases

in production, had lead to a mindset of “grass growth at any cost”, resulting in a massive 600 per cent plus increase in urea use on dairies nationwide in the last 20 years.

“High urea use means high nitrate, low sugar grass, which results in cows with diarrhoea, mastitis, elevated methane emissions, and high levels of nitrate in the milk,” Ms Tichinin said.

“Along with the mastitis antibiotics used to prop up ailing cows on this deficient diet, continuous growth-promoting antibiotics like Rumensin are being used to speed animal weight gain.”

In addition, Ms Tichinin says American genetically-modified distillers’ grain was increasingly used as a feed supplement in New Zealand and there was serious overseas concern with the animal and human health impacts of glyphosate residues and toxins in those grains.

“All of these serious issues that impact farmer profit and milk quality can be traced back to unbalanced fertilisation and excessive petrochemical inputs to farming. These problems can be reversed rapidly in a straight forward and scientific way through biological farming.

“We have to start taking human health and the health of our environment quite seriously. Consumers around the world do.”

Dr Arden Andersen, a world expert on biological agriculture will be conducting courses in New Zealand in February. Visit www.regonline.co.nz/arden2013

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In November last year, the water quality limit setting process for the Hinds Plains area kicked off with full houses in the Hinds and Mayfield halls. That was just the beginning.

A further six full-day meetings are scheduled to take place before the end of June to introduce a mass of information and scenarios to be analysed and sorted. Gaining a thorough knowledge of the environmental, social, economic and cultural interactions of your district is a fascinating exercise. But, if the Selwyn Waihora Zone limit setting process is anything to go by, these upcoming six meetings are just the tip of the iceberg. Many more caucusing type meetings between industry and farmer reps, interest groups and ECan staff, will be held. The Ashburton Zone committee holds further meetings of its own and is tasked with making sense of all the discussions and information to make recommendations for the sub regional planning process.

The end result - water quality limits, will undoubtedly affect everyone! The catch is that not all farmers have the time, inclination and energy to participate and

fully understand the process. So somehow they need to included, represented and informed to ensure their voices are heard.

User groups are the most effective way to engage irrigators into the process. They have an important role as the voice of users on the ground because regulators want to hear from affected parties and farmers want to be heard. A big advantage a user group provides is a face and point of contact that the regulators can have conversations with.

Irrigators in the north east corner of Ashburton District have realised this, and a user group will be formed ahead of the limit setting for this zone. A meeting, facilitated by IrrigationNZ, of individual irrigators, representatives from the Acton Irrigation Scheme and the four processing facilities in the area, has agreed to hold a public meeting mid-March to form a group. They want to create a credible group by securing a mandate from the different parties in the area. Importantly, they want to unite all water users who depend on the resource so they can work together. The uniqueness of the area and the views of those intimately involved can

then be taken account of in conversations with regulators. The water quality limit setting process has been the catalyst, but once formed the purpose of a group can encompass much more. One of the key possibilities is encouraging and facilitating good management practice in the area.

Within the Selwyn Waihora Zone there are two structured irrigation user groups, Dunsandel and Ellesmere. They have been pivotal in providing contacts, local knowledge and information into the limit setting process. In turn, having personnel involved from those groups, has meant that the wider irrigation community in this zone has been represented and has stayed informed. A core group of personnel has spread the workload and commitment needed.

Every similar process needs to have this representation at the local level. Leaders and spokespeople need to be found and a structure put in place ensuring inclusion and credibility. The Ashburton River has a user group associated with it that is well-established and actively takes part in the river’s management. So where are the gaps within Ashburton District where

irrigators are not so well represented? Every area is different so it is important locals take ownership of their problems to ensure the solutions are workable and fair.

For areas not yet organised, the challenge is resourcing the time and information hungry establishment and development phases to get a user group underway. IrrigationNZ can provide an independent facilitator to form groups for the benefit of irrigators. It is not rocket science and there are many examples across Canterbury and New Zealand. User groups can have a significant influence on the management of the water resource in your area. ECan encourages the formation of groups as a means to efficiently engage with irrigators and water users.

Given the number of people at the first two meetings in Hinds and Mayfield, there is concern about how limits will affect individuals and the district but also a commitment and willingness to be involved. What needs to happen now is for those people and others to get organised so they can efficiently spread the load and spearhead irrigators’ engagement with the process.

Ashburton irrigator user group being formed

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lifestyle 18

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To all those real farmers, I can see why you have to pick when to go on holiday - it is not easy when you have stock and animals that rely on you for water and food. Our stock are more pets and we only have 12 acres, not like a real farmer.

But we have not gone very far at all these holidays, to my children’s disgust, as we would have to find someone to look after all the animals. And of course all the friends that could do this have gone away. I would also worry about them while gone as we have had some very hot days.

The other thing is there is always something to fix or do, more than living in town. Yesterday was a good example: I was asked by Tom to check stock water and fill, not hard at all you say. But I get out there and find one of the electric fence wires is broken. I had to fix it or all the cows would get out. This small job took me three-quarters of an hour, as I had to walk to end of paddock and shut the fence down to fix it. Then I loosened the fence to tie it back to the fitting. As I said, not a hard job but very time-consuming. Please note I did not ring Tom and ask him what to do. It was pretty obvious what to do and I just got on with it. If I had got it wrong am sure I would have heard about it later.

Not so long ago I decided to take more photos of the garden and farm yard as I like to keep a running record of what we have done. I went back on the first photos taken and can now see a huge change. I hadn’t realised just how much work and of course money we have poured into this place. I think now I can call it our place; I used to refer to it as Judith’s house, but I think now we have been here over two years I can now say it is ours. We have put our mark on it and done things I hope Judith would be happy to with.

Barbara and Tom have been enjoying the Good Life now on their BeforeOld driveway

AfterNew driveway

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19

The garden that is the biggest thing for me, I have now just about got the weeds under control. I have planted new plants, like my rose garden (which Tom hates). Some trees have been moved and bark chip and pea straw have gone down so I don’t have to garden every waking moment. I still have a long way to go, maybe another year, before I can say I have finished. But I get this feeling that I will never be finished . . . by the sounds of it people with big gardens like to change things regularly. I did ask not so long ago if we could have a fish pond. Tom’s answer was a NO as didn’t I have enough to do before adding to what I have got.

May people who know us have asked all the time if I like living out here. At the start I would just say yes, because that was easier than saying not sure yet. But now I can say I do very much! The kids love it and I don’t think they could live in town now as they are too noisy for town kids. They have become country kids. They love the space and their friends like to come out here to stay. We regularly have visitors on a Saturday or Sunday and people tend to stay for the day, not just a coffee. We really love having everyone out here and in fact you could have 10 kids and not know they were here. I would say that we have all changed and would not want it any other way now.

To all those real farmers, I have a better under standing of your life, just in a smaller way. And it is the way to live, and to bring up your kids. Respect goes out to you all as I now know things don’t happen unless you put the hard work in.

I can tell you this, we want be moving until Tom or I need a retirement home.

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Incentives encourage use of recycling serviceFollowing the success of a similar

promotion in 2012, New Zealand’s leading rural recycling programme is again offering $5000 worth of rewards to encourage more farmers and growers to get recycling.

The Agrecovery container programme provides free recycling for empty, triple rinsed containers, sized 60 litres and under, from 59 supporting brand owners. Containers are shredded and recycled in New Zealand into a compliant end-use; a far better outcome than burning or burying on farm.

While the programme is already well utilised by thousands of farmers and growers, Duncan Scotland of Agrecovery suggests that the chance to win one of ten $500 vouchers may be just the nudge that others require to get started with Agrecovery, especially in the pastoral sector which has not seen the same uptake as in horticulture and viticulture.

“Last year’s promotion saw a substantial increase in the volume of container plastic collected during the two month initiative, as well as an increase in the number of new members and people visiting the Agrecovery website to find out more about the programmes on offer. It was a huge success.”

The slower uptake of recycling in the pastoral sector has recently led both Federated Farmers and Beef + Lamb New Zealand to call for those in their sectors to adopt greener, more sustainable methods of disposal of their used plastics by using the Agrecovery programme.

“Environmental stewardship is critical. Recycling is the one way we can turn a perceived environmental negative into a big positive,” said Connor English, Federated Farmers Chief Executive.

“Federated Farmers enhanced involvement with Agrecovery continues a strong record of environmental leadership and supports our strategic plan which seeks profitable sustainable farming.

“It is a big challenge but the work the Agrecovery Trust does provides a practical solution for farmers to improve their environmental stewardship which Federated Farmers strongly supports.”

According to Agrecovery an abundance of available land and the distance required to travel to dedicated landfills has meant the convenience of burning or burying has been the traditional method of waste disposal for the majority of farmers.

Burial pits and burning piles are commonplace on many farms with

all manner of waste materials, both household and farm related, included in the mix. However studies show there is clear evidence of the health risks and negative environmental impacts of this habitual behaviour, specifically in relation to waste plastics.

But it’s not only the environmental impact that farmers and growers need to be considering.

Beef + Lamb General Manager Farm, Richard Wakelin says our clean-green image and reputation is at stake every day. He says the goalposts are continually shifting, with consumers increasingly concerned about animal welfare and how goods are produced.

“Keeping the farm tidy and operating to its full potential includes careful and considered disposal of contaminated materials and hazardous substances.

“Simply put this is good management practice to support sustainable farms for future generations and it can also contribute to positive market drivers.”

To take advantage of the Agrecovery promotion, simply take eligible containers to any of the 70 plus Agrecovery collection sites nationwide during February and March 2013.

Contributed by Agrecovery