Guardian Farming December

An Ashburton Guardian Advertising Feature

A decade of development ... page 6

December 2010Guardianfarming

interesting • informative • essential

$2.00

Taking baby steps to a big vision ... page 3

ASHBURTON GUARDIAN_DAIRY SUPPLEMENT APR 2010

ATS—we understand real farmers

You are in ATS country

www.ats.co.nz0800 289 287Call us today

GUARDIAN FARMING

What’s inside/happening

GuardianfarmingfarmingfarmingGuardianfarmingGuardianfarmingGuardianfarmingGuardianfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarmingfarming

interesting • informative • essential

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

Please direct any correspondence to: Amanda Niblett, on 307-7927email: [email protected] to: Lance Isbister, on 307-7953email: [email protected] write to PO Box 77, Ashburton.

Advertising: Phone 307-7900Email: [email protected]

Publication date: December 7, 2010.

Next issue: January 11, 2011

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

IRRIGATION & DOMESTIC WELLS, AQUIFER TESTING, ELECTRONIC WELL MONITORING, WATER QUALITY TESTING

120 High Street, Southbridge,Canterbury, New Zealand

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Improving e� ciency, production ..........................P4

Health report raises rural concerns .......................P5

A decade of development ................................... P6, 7

Industrial estate ...................................................... P8, 9

Water whisperings ....... ........................................... P10

Winchmore update .................................................. P11

Services 24/7 ....................................................... P12, 13

Early drought predictions ..................................... P14

‘Dairy cow-itis’ in horses ........................................ .P15

Irrigation feature ................................................ P16, 17

Ken Ring - tides of the earth ...........................P18-20

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December 10

GUARDIAN FARMING

Taking baby steps to a big vision

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Linda Clarke, Reporter, Ashburton Guardian

Farmers on the May� eld Hinds Irrigation Scheme have taken baby steps towards a $100 million project to pipe most of their open race network.

It is a big picture, best scenario project, requiring long-term vision for the largest irrigation scheme in New Zealand.

The May� eld Hinds scheme draws water from the Rangitata River via the Rangitata Diversion Race and distributes it to 145 farmers to irrigate 32,000 hectares.

Forty-� ve per cent of the receiving farmland is in dairying, with the remainder dairy support and cropping.

Change is inevitable for the scheme, as it plays catch-up to the ever changing land use.

Scheme general manager Hamish Tait said reliability of irrigation water was the biggest issue for users and piping the scheme would eliminate seepage and evaporation and free up more water for farmers.

It is generally accepted that most scheme races will ultimately be piped and this project is about optimising the design to supply pressurised water to existing and new users.

The May� eld scheme’s farmer shareholders have already agreed to the construction of three big storage ponds, so water not needed by farmers on rainy days could be saved and used when water-takes were restricted.

Mr Tait said reliable water was essential for farmers, 75% of whom had converted from border-dyke to spray irrigation.

“High value crops su� er if they get moisture stress. It is de� nitely not about putting more water on but getting it on when you need it.”

The RDR takes water from the Rangitata and Ashburton Rivers, and restrictions are all but inevitable on the latter.

“Immediately we go on restrictions, we have to cut � ows to farmers. Autumn is the worst time, if there has been no nor’-west rainfall.”

Water is also lost through seepage in the earth-lined open channels of the scheme, which was developed in the 1940s by the Ministry of Works. The network has some 220km of races.

Mr Tait said the storage ponds would go a long way to providing a bu� er against restrictions, but piping would bring even more e� ciencies in water use. Piping will reduce losses, and could increase the water available to farmers by 20% (enough to irrigate another 6500 hectares).

The increased allowance will allow irrigators to meet demand from scheme water, reducing the volume of supplementary water abstracted from underground aquifers.

With pipes, pressurised water could also be delivered to farmers’ gates, reducing the need to pump water to irrigators. Savings on electricity could be around $190/ha a year.

Mr Tait said the natural gravity of the plains allowed pressurisation in pipes, though main feeder lines would remain open.

To help prepare more detailed costings of the piping project, the scheme applied for money from MAF’s Community Irrigation Fund. The Government department has agreed to provide $158,125, half the total design cost.

Mr Tait said farmers would be kept abreast of developments and would eventually have to vote on progressing the project.

“We are under no illusions. It will be di� cult to get across the line without some support from Government and various parties.”

He said farmers needed to take an inter-generational view of the project, though that was di� cult given on-farm decisions were usually dictated by pro� t margins.

He said farmers also needed to monitor what it was costing them in energy to pump water through irrigators.

“Over time we anticipate that energy costs will continue to increase, historically electricity prices have increased at a rate of 4% per annum, though this may increase with things like ETS.

“Farmers need to look at ways to keep costs down and subsequently the cost of food production.”

The scheme has also been able to watch developments as other RDR schemes have converted to pipe networks. Ashburton Lyndhurst piped part of its scheme 18 months ago, and is considering expansion.

The Barrhill Chertsey Irrigation Scheme is also piped and just coming on stream.

Mr Tait said while water would boost production for farmers, there were economic bene� ts to the wider community.

It would create more work for local agricultural service and support industries, boost school rolls and the district’s population as more workers were needed.

He said pipes also created a possibility of hydro-generation, and electricity could be sold on the national grid.

Hamish has been managing the May� eld Hinds Irrigation Scheme since June 2009. He grew up at Lowcli� e, went to Canterbury University and emerged with a mechanical engineering degree.

He has worked in Scotland, and returned last year, attracted by the challenges of the May� eld Hinds scheme.

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Improving e� ciency, production Neal Shaw, ATS Chief Executive

The new national regulations for water measuring should be welcomed as an additional on-farm management tool aimed at improving production and e� ciency and not bemoaned as just another compliance cost to farmers.

The Resource Management (Measurement and Reporting of Water Takes) Regulations 2010 came into force on November 10, 2010 and mean all water takes of more than � ve litres a second need to be metered.

There is a staggered approach to the introduction of this legislation, with existing consent holders having between two and six years to comply – depending on their water take allocations.

The regulations are a central Government initiative aimed at creating better management of New Zealand’s freshwater. It’s a move which has been welcomed by Environment Canterbury which is charged with issuing and monitoring water consents in our region.

According to Environment Canterbury, more than 1700 (or 23 per cent) of wells in Canterbury already have water meters. That means there’s still around 5600 yet to comply and that doesn’t include the 1200 or so surface water takes also without water measuring systems.

Environment Canterbury estimates around 185 water meters will need to be installed each month over the coming two years –

both to meet the new regulations and to accommodate the usual allocation of new consents.

The regional council has been working with other industry players to come up with a set of guidelines to best meet these new regulations and this process has included the establishing of standards for the installation and veri� cation of water measuring systems.

There are around 70 companies in this region which are authorised by Environment Canterbury to provide water measuring services and one of these is Watermetrics NZ Ltd. ATS owns 50 per cent of this company, while two local farmers make up the remaining 50 per cent shareholding.

This business has evolved into being a key provider of water management solutions to

the rural industry throughout Canterbury.

Instrumental to this rapid growth and strategic vision is the Hydrocom Alliance. This alliance is made up of three partners – Watermetrics NZ Ltd, Streats (Aqua� ex), and Boraman Consultants. As a result of this alliance, Watermetrics is able to o� er a complete service for water and e� uent management.

ATS recognises the importance and signi� cance of water in our district, and this was the main reason we decided to become involved in this company. The cost of irrigation and the e� ective management of our water resources are important issues facing our members and the farming community as a whole. ATS sees the relationship as � tting very well with our core business of lowering input costs for farmers.

Companies such as Watermetrics also have the added bene� t of helping farmers not just comply with the new regulations, but to also take monitoring and measuring to another level. Farmers have many options available to them by way of new technology, which is continuing to evolve. For example, farmers can go o� -farm and still access on-farm data remotely to determine whether irrigation is needed or not.

More in-depth monitoring can help with more e� cient farm practices, which can save time and money. For some farmers the compulsory measuring and reporting regulations will be their � rst taste of this sort of technology

and will provide them with the opportunity to develop these skills further. It is a bit like the introduction of GST reporting, which has encouraged and made budgeting the norm for many of today’s farmers.

Environment Minister, Dr Nick Smith has been quoted as saying “We can’t manage what we don’t measure.” He said the new regulations will a� ect 11,000 water take consents around New Zealand and that currently only 31 per cent of allocated water is measured.

The information gained from improved measuring and reporting procedures will help determine how much water is actually taken and when this valuable resource can be best managed in the future.

It is important when faced with the task of installing meters that farmers remember we all have a responsibility to manage this � nite resource.

I would encourage farmers to not look at it as a compliance cost, but instead see it as the management tool it is – one that is capable of improving e� ciency and production.

The farming community has a reputation of often resisting change, with much legislation interpreted as being anti-farming. This isn’t the case with this legislation and it is important farmers get on with complying with the new rules and make the most of an opportunity to improve their farming operations through better and meaningful measuring and reporting practices.

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Health report raises rural concerns

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A recently released Ministry of Health report estimating a 24% shortfall in regulated health sta� by 2021 should be of great concern to everyone. The report predicts these shortages are a “key threat to the health system’s ability to provide a full range of accessible, high-quality health services” which may particularly a� ect rural and provincial areas.

New Zealand has a complex system with each of the country’s 21 District Health Boards (DHBs) developing their own strategies for provision of health services and apportioning funding and resources in line with Government policy and priorities set in those strategies.

With a predicted shortage of 23,000 health workers by 2021, there is a dangerous potential for a lack of consistency which could see New Zealand slip into a “post code” style health system, where the level, availability, and access to health services depends on where you live.

Already we see di� erences in the delivery of services around New Zealand, particularly in the area of homecare. DHBs have contracts with service providers for delivery of homecare services. However each is di� erent in the way the DHB pays for the services both in terms of wages and travel costs.

The potential outcome is that support workers might be paid di� erent rates for the same work depending on which DHB is involved. And where travel costs are insu� ciently paid for, it becomes increasingly di� cult for service providers to adequately support rural clients. DHBs also seem to have slightly di� erent interpretations of the entry criteria which must be met before a client is deemed eligible to receive support, and also the level of support that will be provided.

Most of these di� erences appear to be driven by � nancial

constraints, leading to cuts in the amount of support o� ered to clients. These factors cause real concern that there is disparity and inequity creeping into the health system, with rural communities likely to be the losers in terms of access to services.

The Ministry has identi� ed a signi� cant challenge for New Zealand’s health system and the impact on rural communities, and must now take action. Well trained and experienced health workers don’t just appear by magic. Rural Women New Zealand appreciates that it is not practical or realistic to have a full range of top level specialists and health services in every rural location. However it is essential that equitable access to services is retained for people in those rural communities.

The Ministry needs to ensure they have plans in place to ensure there is su� cient funding to provide advanced training, better recruitment and retention policies for sta� , improve the availability of resources and services, widen the range of services which can be provided by appropriately trained rural practice nurses and homecare workers, and develop some practical and innovative enhancements to the way services are provided. Issues such as distance from specialised services, and personal costs for travel and accommodation to access those services must be more appropriately addressed.

Initiatives which could be further investigated might include enhancing and extending the range of mobile bus services currently in place such as the mobile surgical bus, the Breastcreeen Aotearoa bus, and the mobile dental clinics. Perhaps mobilising other services could be investigated such as radiology, pharmacies, outpatients clinics, physiotherapy/occupational therapy to name a few.

Perhaps, also, the Ministry could look at the great

untapped volunteer workforce that is available. These people already do amazing support work with hospital visiting, providing transport for people to get to appointments, delivering prescriptions, calling on the sick at home, and so on. But with appropriate training, these people could become an even greater resource by providing health and well-being information and education, domestic help, and other general well-being services.

The key to successfully negotiating the challenges facing communities which the Ministry’s report has highlighted, is for the Ministry and DHBs to work collaboratively with the community it serves, for everyone to be practical and realistic, and to not be afraid of change and innovation.

GUARDIAN FARMING

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Mid-Canterbury’s trusted human resource professional.

Rob Stevenson

A decade of developmentWhen I exited active farm ownership 10 years ago I was aware that the industry was poised facing huge challenges, both in the area of range of production and product marketing.

Equally the rapid expansion of dairying in the Ashburton District was challenging the environmental sustainability of our soils and water, to a degree previously unknown.

Since ceasing active day-to-day farming involvement eight years ago, I’ve watched with interest the changes taking place not only on our own family farm but across the District and indeed the total farming industry.

What I have observed has reinforced the view that intensi� ed farming will continue to play a key role in the wealth economy of the District, both now and in the foreseeable future.

My preference would be for no greater expansion in land use for dairying.Latest published land use survey � gures indicate that half of the arable land in the District is now utilised either for dairy farming or dairy support grazing. Much of this support land is also producing a variety of other crops as well of course.

My opposition to further dairy expansion stems more from a desire to see land use � exibility maintained on our diverse

range of soil types, than any signi� cant concerns over environmental issues often focused on dairying.

I acknowledge that current product prices point � rmly to dairy expansion as the most pro� table land use at the present time – I doubt this will always be the case.

In the 150 year history of farming in the District it has always been a cyclical industry - no doubt this will continue to be the case.

Recent negotiations and trade deals point strongly to Asia as the main export destination for food items over the next generation.

Rising living standards and an almost insatiable demand for protein in these Paci� c neighbours provide huge opportunities for positive trading options.The key to make this happen is land use e� ciency.

The years since I left farming have seen

three particular areas where these e� ciencies have been generated, and as yet have nowhere near reached their full potential to ensure sustainable production.

Firstly the universal acceptance of the need for nutrient budgeting to maximise crop and pasture yields. Gone forever are the days when a couple of hundredweight of super annually and a ton of lime per acre every few years was the norm.

GUARDIAN FARMING

When you’ve got both quality and quantity you know you have come to the right place

ADAMS SAWMILLING Malcolm McDowell Road, Ashburton Phone 308 3595

Adams Sawmillings Timber yard not only provides you

with a wide selection of timbers, from post to palings,

kitset pump sheds to calf sheds, they also provide

you with quality untreated and treated timber that will

probably last longer than you!

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Together we can build a better team!

• • •• •

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Mid-Canterbury’s trusted human resource professional.

Rob Stevenson

116 Cairnbrae Road, MethvenPh/Work 03-302-9231 - Fax 03-302-9242

email: [email protected]

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Much more is known about soil health, speci� c crop nutrient requirements, time of application and relationship to growth stage, than was the case in the past. Fertilisation is now more about a prescription for the crop to be raised to full potential, than previously.

This knowledge coupled with enhanced crop breeding programmes has enabled consistently increasing average yields without detriment to latent soil fertility.

Secondly and closely linked is the ongoing e� ciency improvements in respect of irrigation dirtribution and e� ectiveness brought about by modern irrigation applicators, particularly centre pivot and lateral move systems.

The ability to apply small amounts of water frequently to meet crop demand has enabled much better use of our precious water resource with signi� cantly lower labour inputs.

Changing from the high volume demand of the border-dyke system to overhead distribution has enabled much more land to be covered with the same amount of water with no production decrease. No more the attitude “I better take the water while it’s available” (even if moisture levels were average). On-farm storage has largely alleviated this issue.

A less dramatic but third enhancement

to productive capacity has been brought about by the increased use of crop residue incorporation and feedlot manure to raise organic content of the soil. Modern multi-till equipment has enabled this to take place with resultant signi� cant improvement in water retention capacity.

An additional bene� t is quick re-establishment of ground cover and root development preventing wind blow which was a signi� cant problem 50 years ago.

Twenty-� ve years ago I purchased land which had not been cultivated for 47 years. Olsen phosphate test 2, Ph 4.5. Eyre stony silt loam and about six inches of topsoil. The latent fertility of this land with its cover of brown top, sorrel, hair grass, thistles and even some tussocks was virtually nil.

Within six months we top-dressed six tonne of lime plus 500kg superphosphate/Ha and installed irrigation (Rotarainer) and fallowed for winter feed.

After losing much of the � ne topsoil – and no doubt some of the fertiliser – in a howling nor’-wester, the resultant green feed crop was very disappointing, despite fortnightly irrigation.The soil quite simply had no “guts”.

Under today’s modern farming systems that same land consistently produces 12+ tonne/Ha crops of wheat and 20+ tonne/

Ha of maize silage using feedlot manure, straw incorporation and green feed winter dairy grazing under centre pivot irrigation.

Most signi� cantly the ground water nitrate level continues to decrease despite being in the groundwater plume of an area of large dairy farms and two major meat processing works. This surely is sustainable farming production.

Each of these three areas provides ongoing potential for further improvement with the knowledge base and technological advances that now surround the agricultural sector.

Other areas which o� er signi� cant e� ciency opportunities with rising Asian living standards and demand for protein include;

• A high fertility sheep breeding industry focused on high quality portion packed cuts from high yielding 20 -25 kg lamb carcases. Carcase conformation already plays a major role in product value.

• The use of gender and breed selection techniques in the dairy industry to enable a signi� cant dairy beef industry to be developed to service the growing Asian market for this product.

• Opportunities for high yielding dairy beef stock are only touching the surface currently – more research is needed.

• Furthermore – I continue to believe

that water use e� ciency still has many gains available – we are still only using less that 10% of available water and most of it only once.

Piped gravity fed sources for power generation and irrigation are logical multi-bene� t means of e� cient water use without compromising recreational and environmental values. The Opuha scheme is a wonderful win-win-win example.

I � rmly believe that the Canterbury Water Management Strategy has the mandate to achieve and deliver these outcomes.

If the Government is serious about increasing food exports for long term bene� ts to the total economy the need for inter-generational monetary support is obvious in these areas of development.

Surely a much more worthwhile investment than some of the current “feel good” projects like Rugby World Cup that seem to be the focus for Government largesse.

In the next 10 years agricultural expansion can continue and gain momentum from the previous decade, and can be achieved without environmental degradation.

So please Mr Key and friends, don’t sell o� our productive land to overseas owners.This family (country’s) silver should remain in New Zealand ownership.

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 7

John Leadley

GUARDIAN FARMING

Ashburton Industrial Estate

· Maintenance · Manufacturing · Sales· Compressors· General Engineering

39 Robinson Street - Canterbury7700 - 03 308 5577

TRUCK SERVICINGIf you purchase a longrun roof between now and the end of March

2011, you could winthe cost of your roof back.

Applies to a new roof or re-roof.*Conditions apply

Phone 308-1850 or 0800 IRON 4 U5 McGregor Lane, Ashburton

16 Robinson StreetAshburton 7700

Phone/Fax 03-3089623Dave Stockdill

Water Ballast RollersSpiral Welded Pipe

Grain Augers

Hydraulink Mid Canterbury Ltd

(Locally owned and operated)

Paul Fergus39 Robinson Street, Ashburton

Phone 308 8848, [email protected]

• Installation and repairs to hydraulic hoses• Service & supply of hydraulic components• 24 hour - 7 day service

GEOFF FREW 0274 311 115JOHN SMITHERAM 0274 311 114

PO Box 5010, Tinwald

PH/FAX 03 308 4606

Take the stress out of buildingWe’ll take your

project from inception to completion

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Specialising in new homes, kitchens, additions & renovationsWE DO THE LOT

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at a realistic priceFor any enquiry call us today on:03 307 8900or AH 03 347 8018Fax 03 308 2742027-4323-356

26 Robinson Street, Ashburtonwww.stevensseeds.co.nz

Spaldings Flatlift Sub SoilersDale Plough SharesPlough Conversion KitsEuropean Plough PartsCultivation Points & TinesTractor Parts & EquipmentCombine Harvester Croplifters

0800 472 563Fax 03 [email protected] Robinson St, Industrial Estate, Ashburton

Smitheram and Frew have long been well known names throughout Mid-Canterbury, previously on the rugby fi eld, and now their reputation for building unique, quality homes is well established within the community.

11 years ago Geoff Frew went into business with John Smitheram, and the combination has been a success. Geoff was a builder, while John a joiner, so together they could offer a one stop package to fully complete a wide

variety of homes. Now the business focuses fully on home construction, but well respected joiner Steve Beveridge works on site at Smith-eram and Frew’s Industrial Park site, so they are still able to offer the complete service.

Smitheram and Frew like to make the build-ing process easy and stress free. From start to fi nish, they can handle every step, ensuring when they hand over the house, your home is ready for you to move into immediately. They

have the ability to offer unique plans, specifi c to your requirements. This enables you to alter any specifi cation, increase or decrease any space in any room and add any additional feature, making your new home truly unique and stunning.

Smitheram and Frew will sell you the com-plete package. From the initial design of the plans, taking care of all consents, inspec-tions and code of compliance, to ensuring all

structural and fi nishing details are completed to a high standard. When they quote your new home, everything is included so there are no suprises at the completion.

What you have been quoted is what you will pay, unless you have made specifi c changes during the building process. They will work with you on every detail, offering cost effective solutions, or sourcing the highest quality fi ttings.

Story: Amanda Niblett

A Unique Building Experience

Top Left: Owners John Smitheram and Geoff Frew, along with offi ce administrator Caroline Sinclair are the friendly faces that will assist with your next house build.Top Right: Smitheram and Frew were contracted for the commercial exterior and offi ce renovation at Mead Motors.Right: A home currently under construction with Smitheram and Frew in Tinwald, featuring exterior columns, three car garaging and Oamaru Stone cladding.

GUARDIAN FARMING

More security

SKYFARMERSSpecialist in All Types of Agricultural

Aviation Applications

Aerial Topdressing • Aerial SprayingPoison Baits

Suspension Fertiliser • GPS Application

Contact: Duncan HartPilot/Owner

0274 811 91503 302 8400

SKYFARMERSSpecialist in All Types of Agricultural

Aviation Applications

Ashburton Industrial Estate

We service what we sell

5 Range Street AshburtonPhone 307-7055

25 McNally Street, AshburtonPh (03) 307-2027

www.plainsirrigators.co.nz

Your locally owned and operated Zimmatic importer & distributor

Design, Install and service

The quickest most convenient way for the working man to

enjoy lunch on the GO!

Open 5 days 5.30am-3.30pm

Large Selectionof hot and cold drinks

- PH 03-308-2288

All prepared fresh on the day for a

Because they are local lads and here for the long haul, they use local contractors, to ensure the quality of the end result.

They personally guarantee all their work and as members of Certified Builders New Zealand they are able to offer a 10 year guarantee. As well as building new houses they do alterations and renovations and have travelled as far as Central Otago in the south and North Canterbury in the north.

Currently they have 8 building staff, working on different projects throughout Canterbury. Geoff makes a point of being on-site at every project regularly, and encourage you as the home owner to visit the site regularly, to make sure that what you initially envisaged is what the end result is heading towards.

If you are considering building a new home, drop in and see the friendly team at Smitheram and Frew, for a truely personalised service, allowing your new home to be as unique as you.

Top: Exterior columns give the home a classy, European feel.Middle: The home is given a touch of class with a natural wooden look on the large 3 car garaging exterior. Above: The Meads Motors renovation will look great once completed, a building to be admired on State Highway one.

PGG Wrightson Finance Limited has been accepted as a participant in the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, one of the few � nance companies that meet the quality criteria of being � nancially sound and having a strong customer ethic under the newly expanded scheme.

Under the Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008, retail � nancial service providers are required to belong to an approved dispute resolution scheme by December 1, 2010.

The Banking Ombudsman recently extended its Dispute Resolution Scheme to some non bank deposit-takers who are regulated by the Reserve Bank, have a minimum credit rating of BB, and can demonstrate high quality internal dispute resolution services.

CEO Mark Darrow said joining the scheme will be seen positively by customers. “PGG Wrightson Finance has a robust complaints handling process which is now further strengthened by working with an independent and well respected scheme

through the Banking Ombudsman.

“More broadly, today is a signi� cant day for non-bank deposit-takers with a raft of further new regulatory requirements coming into force. In addition to the requirement to join a disputes resolution service, other new requirements include capital adequacy, liquidity and registration as a � nancial services provider.

This is part of signi� cant change in the � nance sector to increase transparency, governance and robustness.”

Mr Darrow said PGG Wrightson Finance has been an early adopter of these signi� cant regulatory changes, not only meeting but exceeding the new standards.

“Ultimately, we believe this raises the bar for � nance companies and provides another layer of oversight and surety for our investors. We fully support the new regulations as a positive step towards the promotion of good governance in the sector.”

PGG Wrightson added to scheme

GUARDIAN FARMING

Get the job done! Have you got jobs building up around the farm?

Cameron Contracting

Available for:· Water Race

Cleaning· Irrigation Race

Cleaning· Irrigation Trenching· Trenching· Soakholes· Clamshell Holes· Calf Sheds Cleaned

· Sheep Yards Cleaned

· Rootraking· Gorse & Hedge

Removal· Landscaping· Driveways· Compactor· General Farm Work

Operating:• 2x 14 ton Wheeled Diggers• Bob Cat• Tip Truck• Pole & Post Hole Borders

Phone Graeme021 888 084 or 303 5128

Call in G Cameron ontracting.G

403 West StreetP.O Box 60Ashburton Phone 03 308 8155Fax 03 308 8155Email [email protected] Free 0800 808 155(A division of North End Engineering and Mechanical Ltd)

For woolsheds, grain sheds, or any type of farm building, see the experts...Micanta Construction offer a range of truly kitset buildings designed with the farmer in mind. You can erect them yourself, or we can erect for you.

Tools required – a level, hammer and spanner - it’s that easy!

If you require a commercial building, see us first, from start to finish we ensure value for money.

A slow irrigation season? In some cases and in some locations, the weather and subsequent crop growth has resulted in a repetition of conditions experienced in part of the 2009-10 season.

No blatant equinox stories this month. The spring is almost over and o� cially will be over when you read this article. We seem to be in a holding pattern of “up and down” weather, especially the rainfall and temperature variation. This has meant a little stop and start for some irrigators.

I do remember writing a very similar article about the same time last season – though because I am a bit of a computer hoarder I � nd it was actually January. However, the comments I made then apply to what is panning out again this season.

The season has been somewhat “up and down” with:• Rainfall varying last weekend

(November 21-22) from 15-18mm to 35mm and similarly with previous rainfall events (assuming the rain gauge is correctly sited),

• Temperatures also varying quite wildly, with a minimum of 3 degrees last Tuesday after the cool southerly of the weekend.

• Some “bitterish” southerly winds decreasing the “feels like” temperature for a couple of days, and

• This pattern occurring every 10-14 days until now.

So returning to my article last January describing conditions in December 2009, this same weather pattern has meant some crops, “cereals and ryegrasses in particular have grown in their optimum conditions”. That these crops are in the “zone” has resulted in healthy leaves and plenty of them.

They are able to intercept much of the incoming radiation with photosynthesis and transpiration at close to potential rates. Fortunately, nor’-west winds that rapidly increase the demand for water have been largely absent. For crops, this has resulted in a holding pattern of sorts for irrigation. It has not resulted in time off , but rather a pick and choose for irrigation with some crops like clover requiring little or no irrigation. In addition, there has been less pressure on pasture irrigation with everyone keeping up.

Rainfall measurement? Above I noted “I assumed” rain gauges are correctly sited. Not only is the type of rain gauge important but so is the siting of it. If you use a manual gauge, (the ones you read after each rainfall) and write the amount in your diary, the best is a Marquis or Nylex 1000 (as shown).

This is the standard for measuring daily

Water WhisperingsTony Davoren, Hydroservices

The rule of thumb:The rain gauge needs to be located as shown in the little schematic. The “rule-of-thumb” (the o� cial standard) is four times the height of any object away from the object. Obviously, if the gauge is too close to the tree for example, then if the rain is left-to-right the gauge will under-catch. And, if the rain is right-to-left, the gauge will over-catch. If the “correct” rainfall is not being measured, irrigation management decisions will not be right.

rainfall, unless you invest in a tipping bucket type that meets the measurement standard. But, you will spend much more than $50 on such a gauge.

Other rain gauges (the wedge type, small opening tipping buckets and the like) tend to under-catch rainfall compared to the standard. What is important is where you site your rain gauge. There are some obvious no-no’s:

• Somewhere where you will measure rainfall• Not anywhere where irrigation will aff ect

the catch, or• Preferably not on your roof (it is too

exposed and/or sheltered).

GUARDIAN FARMING

New Text

Can you believe how fast this year has gone? Universities are breaking up, high schools are sitting exams and primary schools are winding down.

In light of some recent events I guess now is the time we should be thinking of safety on the farm with children wanting to be out helping, or showing their city cousins or friends visiting the machinery and how it all works.

Machinery and water hold a fascination for a lot of children so rules or guidelines need to be reminded of or set. I mention all this simply because of having contact with a young guy who these past two weeks has been � nishing o� his work experience as part of his engineering diploma with us here on the farm.

Health and Safety and OSH guidelines that I am required to follow mean that Andrew is able to leave the farm as � t and healthy as he arrived, satis� ed with the work he has done and to go on to start a new opportunity to contribute his skills to our future.

So many times I have been frustrated with the rules and regulations of Health and Safety, only because it is “common sense” to those of us who have been around a while, but our responsibility is to safeguard as best we can, the generation that will be taking over from us.

Our rainfall has this month decided to catch up to being almost “average” with 55.4mm as at today the 23rd, even though most of it has fallen in two big dumps, it will and has helped crops and pasture alike, especially with soil temperatures ranging between 10.6° C and 17.2° C.

The maize drilled on the 3rd has had a good start and is well away, although a few plants have been attacked by greasy cut worm and so I will be spraying them, followed next week by a weed spray. I am really quite impressed with how easy the maize is to manage, after the spraying there will be a split dressing of urea and then irrigation as the cobs start to � ll.

It actually � ts in well with regard to irrigation for us. We can keep our pastures well watered up to January and then the maize gets its turn and then the rest of the season the water is split between the pasture and kale.

There is no problem then with irrigating everything required on a fortnightly round.

The stock are doing well with most of the science sheep performing as they should, the exception being the few lambs who insist on getting tangled in the � exinet electric fences.

In between tractor work and irrigating we have had a chance to tidy up a few areas on the farm where the electric fences needed attention in preparation for some more young dairy grazers arriving next month.

In the meantime the days are hot and sunny, we have had no water restrictions, crops, stock and sta� are � t and well and most things we have control of are looking okay. Remember to be safe.

Winchmore update – DecemberJohn Carson

Farms and especially farm machinery can be dangerous especially to the unwary. Keep a close eye on any visitors to your farm over the holidays.

GUARDIAN FARMING GUARDIAN FARMING Page 13

24/7 on farm servicing

Contact Warren and Gerard to know more! Bremners Road, Ashburton Phone: 0274 192 554 Email: [email protected]

Ashburton Crane Hire Ltd

· Servicing all your requirements over Christmas & New Year period· 24 hour service, 7 days a week.· Free on site quote

The team at Ashburton Crane Hire Ltd wish you

a Merry Christmas!

These two words say it all and when it comes to Laser Plumbing and Laser Electrical, you can depend on them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

They are a highly skilled team of locally based electricians and plumbers committed to meeting and exceeding your expectations. Being part of a small rural community they have adapted their services to ensure their teams provide a complete solution to all their clients. Give them a try and you’ll learn why they remain their customers’ fi rst choice when selecting an electrical or plumbing contractor.

Laser Electrical Rural and Dairy Services Division are experienced in installations of all types of new dairy sheds and pumping systems. They are able to carry out repairs and maintenance on any brand of milking and pumping system and also specialise in irrigation and grain handling systems, operating their own digger, crane truck, bucket truck and scissor lift for heavy duty jobs, and a valuable 24 hour breakdown service many have come to rely on.

Become a member of their Dairy Maintenance Programme and Dairy Shed Database to avoid breakdowns this holiday season. Using thermal imaging technology the team at Laser Electrical can detect faults before a breakdown occurs. This service also includes complete checks of electrical, refrigeration, pumps, plumbing and dairy plant helping to ensure your shed runs smoothly and effi ciently.

With the launch of Laser Plumbing in Ashburton they are pleased to be able to offer the same on call services from the Plumbing Division and will also be available for all repairs and maintenance over the festive season. Laser Plumbing also specialise in all your plumbing, gas fi tting, drain laying, sheet metal fabrication, and butynol requirements.

Full services around the clock include all domestic, commercial, industrial and rural electrical and plumbing requirements. Offering the highest level of responsiveness and reliability to ensure your plumbing and electrical needs remain headache free combined with years of experience and qualifi cations of both teams ensure that Laser can deliver the promise of being – ‘Totally Dependable’

“Totally Dependable!”Left: Laser Electrial

Ashburton team Bottom Left: Laser Plumbing

Ashburton teamBottom Right:Steve Ellis

(Technical Manager – Rolleston) and Brent

Christie (Managing Director) working on a touch screen PLC programme at PGG

Wrightsons

GUARDIAN FARMING

24/7 on farm servicing

Web: www.ashcon.co.nz

ACL can service your Heavy Vehicle or Agricultural Machinery, keeping it reliable during the busy seasons.

We can assist with pre COF checks and repairs.

Don’t let a mechanical breakdown cost you time and money! ACL have a fleet of service vehicles, operating 24 / 7, to visit you on farm to get you rolling again.

Give us a call to stock up on quality Caltex oil and Baldwin filters, available in pails and 200l drums.

Book your engine maintenance or overhaul with our Book your engine maintenance or overhaul with our expert servicemen.

Unblock that drain...Make sure blocked drains are not an issue.

ACL - The Drain Clearing Professionals!

ASHBURTON CONTRACTING LTDPhone 308 4039, South Street, Ashburton

Drains are never a problem until they become sluggish or are blocked and then you need to clear them fast. Using ACL’s high pressure jetting service can have your drains flowing with debris flushed out.ACL uses advanced technology operated by our highly skilled team. We can be positive that whatever is blocking your drain will be quickly identified and then addressable.High Pressure Water Jetting can clear blockages quickly and effectively clean pipe work such as effluent lines.as effluent lines.as effluent lines.

ACL Workshop –Here when you need us!

ASHBURTON CONTRACTING LTDPhone 308 4039, South Street, Ashburton

expert servicemen.

ACL has established itself as a leading company in the local civil contracting fi eld with a workforce in excess of 90 staff and has proven itself in a dynamic and challenging market through performance and quality.

We operate a modern fl eet of excavators, trucks, graders, loaders and specialized plant as well as light vehicles and construction equipment.

ACL specialises in road sealing, asphalt supply and placing, subdivision siteworks, kerb & channel construction, utilities installation and maintenance as well as transport and excavation jobs and dairy underpass supply and installation. We also operate a modern truck and heavy vehicle workshop, Aggregate production yard, bulk landscape supplies and a Readymix Association certifi ed concrete plant.

ACL Workshop

ACL are here if you need us over the holiday break to repair your heavy vehicle if the unexpected occurs.

Our workshop closes at mid-day on the 23rd of December, and re-opens again on the 29th of December.

We close again for the Statutory holidays only, returning on the 5th of January.

We have an on-call mechanic available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including public holidays, if the unexpected occurs and you need an emergency repair to your truck, trailer or excavator.

Repairs can be conducted at our fully equipped workshop, or we can visit you on the road or farm should you break down.

We also have a range of Caltex oils and Baldwin fi lters

available if your stocks run low during the holiday season.For our emergency after hours mechanic, 24 hours a

day, 7 days a week, please phone us on 308 7400 and you will be given the number of our on-call mechanic.

ACL Plumbing

The ACL Plumbing department has been responsible for the Ashburton District Councils Utilities Contract for over 16 years. The contract involves the repair and maintenance of the entire Mid-Canterbury water, stormwater and sewer network in Ashburton as well as local towns and communities.

We have experienced and fully qualifi ed staff maintaining the regions three sewage treatment plants and 13 water treatment plants to ensure trouble free, continuous service.

The department also runs a CCTV camera to check the integrity and quality of new and existing drains and water mains.

ACL has its own fl eet of diggers, drain clearing equipment and plant service vehicles and we are the Mid-Canterbury agent for Biolytix Septic tank systems.

We offer a 24 hour per day, 7 days per week service, should you need us.

Should you have an emergency with blocked drains, stormwater, effl uent or sewer systems, we are here to help.

We are here to assist with both domestic and commercial issues, to keep you fl owing over the holiday period.

For emergency help over the holiday season, please phone 308 4039 and you will be directed to our emergency on call plumber.

ACL – Your contracting company

ACL is on standby to handle even the biggest of problems, to make sure your holiday season fl ows without issues. The ACL Drainage truck and qualifi ed

technicians are ready to tackle your drainage and fl ow issues, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. ACL’s fully equipped workshop and qualifi ed mechanics are on call

this holiday season to attend to your heavy vehicle emergencies.

GUARDIAN FARMING GUARDIAN FARMING Page 15

ASHBURTON

South Street, Ashburton PHONE (03) 308-3147

Email [email protected] FREEPHONE 0800 452 522

Full range of engineering supplies &accessories for all your repairs andmaintenance

Locally owned & operated family businesswith over 57 years experience.

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Early drought fears Wellington – Federated Farmers leaders say they are worried that dry conditions starting to develop around the country may signal a summer drought.

“In the Waikato, we’re seeing low soil moisture levels that we don’t normally expect to see until the end of January and after the winter we’ve had that’s not good at all,” said the lobby group’s Waikato provincial president Stew Wadey.

The Waikato regional drought committee will meet next week to discuss the situation, but Mr Wadey said that in the meantime he was warning farmers who were struggling to lower their stocking rates.

“I myself am running fewer cows than last year to ensure I don’t run out of feed,” he said.

Many regions were also experiencing higher temperatures than normal: on Sunday Hamilton recorded the highest temperature for November in 90 years: 28.1degC.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research last week released � gures that show several warm weather records were smashed last month, especially in the South Island, where temperatures were up to 3.5degC higher than the usual average.

The month’s warmest day was recorded in Cromwell (32.3degC), which was the town’s highest November temperature in more than 60 years.

Towns across the central North Island, including Taupo, New Plymouth, Wanganui, also broke records, and some farming areas have had no rain for more than four weeks: Wanganui and Dargaville had 10mm in November, and Taupo and Hamilton both received 16mm — all well below average.

The top of the North Island is bracing itself for a dry summer too, with many areas drier in Northland than this time last year, and Agriculture Minister David Carter said he was considering declaring a drought in both Waikato and Northland.

“It’s abnormally dry at this time of year... and there is no signi� cant rain forecast,” he said.

“I think we are going to have potentially quite serious drought issues over the next month or two.

“We may consider — in the not-too-distant future — declaring drought.”

Farmers did not usually see such dry conditions until at least January, and climate records show the Southern Oscillation Index — which calculates the di� erence in atmospheric pressure

between Tahiti and Darwin — has moved in ways similar to the summer of 2007-2008, when a severe La Nina drought cost the New Zealand economy $2.8 billion.

Mr Carter also urged farmers to make decisions on stocking rates sooner, rather than later.

“Those that make the hard calls early, are the ones that tend to get through the drought best,” he said.

“It would be my strong advice to take

early decisions and look at getting rid of any surplus stock.”

The return of dry conditions showed New Zealand was already facing climate changes from global warming, such as intensi� cation of rainfalls: “In many cases we’re seeing annual rainfall � gures being the same as normal but the rainfall occurrence are far larger, and in shorter periods of time,” said Mr Carter.

“It is a clear demonstration of the e� ects of climate change.” - NZPA

GUARDIAN FARMING

Maxlite Hay Covers are designed with only the best of materials to ensure your top layer of hay stays in premium condition. They are proven to be waterproof, UV resistant and super strong.

Morrison’s Saddlery And Feed provide a good stock standard size Maxlite covers (3.6m width or 7.2m for double stacks) however all our covers are made to suit any requirements and Can be specifically custom made to ensure your hay stack is fitted with the perfect cover.

Maxlite stands the test of time, that’s why Morrison’s stock them. We believe in providing high quality produce to all of our customers. Ask the friendly team at Morrison’s Saddlery and Feed today to see how you can keep your hay in premium condition – With minimal waste! And competitive prices!

We doubt you’ll find a better Hay Cover than ours

MORRISONS SADDLERY & FEED32 Racecourse Road - Ashburton - Ph 03-308-3422

IrrigationLayout & design

Guaranteed results.No Problems.

Money back guarantee.

Phone 03-308-7722Fax 03-308-0187e-mail: [email protected]

128 Moore Street, PO Box 165, Ashburton

“Keeping New Zealand Beautiful”

CONTRACTORS LTDRiverland

NOXIOUS WEED SPOT SPRAYING

– Gorse – Broom – Blackberry –

Quick Spray Equipped

Health & Safety Qualified

Registered Chemical Applicator

Phone 03 302 9444 any [email protected]

Equine Jenny Paterson B.Sc Horsemanship NZ Ltd

Lots of horses get ‘dairy cow-itis’. In other words they are consuming lots of feed but you would never know it by their appearance! Like most dairy cows these horses have ‘no top-line’, you can see their ribs and sometimes back-bone. This translates in horses to saddle-fitting problems from trying to fit a saddle to a hollow shaped back. Usually there will be other associated issues concerning health of the hind-gut flora and behaviour.

To reverse this syndrome is actually easy if you have the right setup. You just do exactly the opposite to what dairy farmers do!

A horse with ‘dairy cow-it is’! Look at the similarities in condition.

A combination of the following points will get excellent results.

1. Feed as much hay as the horse will eat. If your horse is chronically thin and has soft to sloppy manure, you may need to turn an area into a ‘dry lot’ by spraying out or scraping the grass off. This is the best thing you can do to ensure the flora in the hind-gut is healthy.

2. Feed the right minerals. The disturbance to the horses electrolyte balances caused by high potassium, low sodium, calcium & magnesium from the grass is a major cause

of the ill-thrift. New formula Alleviate C and Premium New-Zealand-Horse Minerals are perfectly designed for this and you can add plain salt to help balance their potassium:sodium ratio

3. Add calories in the form of extruded barley and maybe some oil. Extruded barley is ground and cooked so it is very digestible and we have found it excellent for giving these horses a boost.

The mineral balances play a huge part in rectifying this condition. Provide It has been collecting forage tests to verify our feeding recommendations. You will really ‘get it’ after

listening to the whole story as explained on “Changes in the Grass Make Changes in the Horse”.

You should see a marked difference in one-two weeks and they will continue to improve from there. Contrary to popular belief horses don’t actually NEED green grass to be fabulously healthy!

The same horse just two months later.Fabulous side-effects of making these

changes to the diet:1. Amazing hooves & hair-coat2. Great behaviour

‘Dairy Cow-it is’ in Horses!

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 17 GUARDIAN FARMING

Irrigation Andrew Curtis CEO Irrigation New Zealand Inc www.irrigationnz.co.nz

Accurate water measurement is consistent with the future direction of the irrigation industry. As from November 10th, 2010, a new national regulation will require the majority of permit holders to measure and report

their irrigation water use. In order to optimise water management in

New Zealand, water measuring and reporting of water takes is an essential part of the equation. Quite simply – you can’t manage water if you don’t measure it.

A detailed explanation of the new regulation can be found on the MfE website www.mfe.govt.nz/rma/central/measuring-reporting-water-takes.html.

In summary there are four requirements of the regulation: • all consented takes greater than 5l/s to install and maintain an accurate water measuring device (+/-5% for full pipes and +/-10% open channel)• daily readings to be taken and recorded• annual records to provided to your regional council• have your water measuring device checked for accuracy (verifi ed) every fi ve years

So why is water measurement important?Better resource management

We are at or rapidly approaching water allocation limits in many regions of NZ. However, the science council’s use to set these limits is plagued with assumptions, one of these relates to actual water use. Currently a variety of methods are used to convert the allocated volumes on your resource consent into ‘guesstimates’ of your actual use. If we are to improve on the status quo, and more importantly enable greater certainty (reduce risk) in the setting of allocation limits, we need to provide accurate water use data to better inform the decision making process.

Much of the allocated water in NZ is underutilised, tied up on paper (resource consents). This is currently preventing us realising the potential of our greatest asset – the water resource. In reality 100% use of the allocated water in NZ is not possible as we have variable rainfall inputs – wet and dry years. Growers don’t pump water unless they have to because it costs! Despite this, there is potential to increase allocation effi ciency by 10-15%. This would have signifi cant positive impacts on both regional and the national economy. Water measurement (particularly real-time) provides the framework to allow this transfer of water to easily occur. Irrigators need to get smart and move forward with this opportunity.

Increased profi tability through better irrigation management

Despite the extra cost associated with water measurement, there is much opportunity for improving crop and irrigation management, and therefore grower profi tability.

Both quality and yield are paramount for profi tability so knowing your crop is getting the irrigation it needs, and at the right time is essential (irrigation scheduling). The simplest way of checking this is by using your water measuring device to work out the applied depth (mm) using the volume of water applied and the area irrigated. Growers can then fi ne tune their irrigation system applications with confi dence.

Simple water measurement checks can be combined with other simple checks such as energy use (pump effi ciency) and system pressures to determine irrigation system performance. This allows timely preventative maintenance to be carried out rather than growers dealing with major breakdowns during the irrigation system. A number of simple practical tools have been produced that walk growers through these useful checks. They are available at www.irrigationnz.co.nz – follow the link to the IrrigationNZ Knowledge Centre.

Another opportunity lies in the area of benchmarking performance against both peers and the ‘optimum’ water use. IrrigationNZ currently has a project underway to establish a framework for this using the growers in the Rakaia-Selwyn zone, Canterbury, as a practical case study

What do growers need to know when

installing a water measuring device?Unfortunately installing an accurate water

meter is not straight forward, particularly in ‘cramped’ existing irrigation headworks with multiple valves and fi lters. Turbulent fl ow causes eddies in the water fl ow that make it diffi cult for many water measuring devices to accurately record the fl ow. IrrigationNZ has produced a user guide to walk growers through the decision making process, available at www.irrigationnz.co.nz.

Growers also need to undertake a ‘whole of life’ cost analysis of their proposed installation. From this you’ll likely fi nd the cheapest upfront capital cost water measuring device is not the cheapest option long-term. You get what you pay for – quality meters result in a long lifespan and cheaper verifi cation costs.

Types of water measuring devices

ElectromagneticAn electromagnetic meter consists of a

section of pipe with a magnetic fi eld around it and electrodes to detect electrical voltage changes. When a fl uid passes through the pipe an electrical voltage is created which is proportional to the fl uids velocity. The electrodes detect the voltages generated by the fl uid which is then converted to a velocity from which the fl ow rate can be derived.

Advantages• high degree of accuracy (+/- 0.15% - 2%)

Optimising water management

Andrew Curtis

GUARDIAN FARMING

Irrigation Andrew Curtis CEO Irrigation New Zealand Inc www.irrigationnz.co.nz

Healthy SoilsHealthy Soils Biological Farming Consultant

Donald Hart 0274320187

Also to optimise fertiliser and nutrient availability with all essential soil nutrients, not just NPK, with balanced solid

mineral programs and specific liquid bio stimulants and microbial food.

Including - a comprehensive SOIL or PLANT SAP test analysis, interpretation and

recommendation.

“We can not solve the problems of today using the same thinking that we used to create them”. Albert Einstein.

HEALTHY SOILS principal objective is to offer a range of products and services that can restore the MINERAL and

MICROBIAL balance in the soil, thereby reducing the need for high analysis fertilisers and chemicals.

and consistent over full fl ow range• wide fl ow range and no obstructions to fl ow• robust with only minimal routine maintenance required• no moving parts and long life span

Disadvantages• repairs require skilled technician and specialised equipment

MechanicalAn impellor is rotated by water passing

through the meter, which is translated to a volumetric reading. The mechanism is calibrated by an adjustable device which is pre-set and security sealed. The meters are available in various sizes and have to be full of water during measuring.

Advantages• reliable and accurate means of measurement providing correctly installed• relatively low initial cost• in-line maintenance with simple effi cient mechanism• headworks replacement readily available

Disadvantages• diffi cult to detect malfunction or interference to meter while operating if operated without a datalogger• prone to wear (silt, pumice, glacial fl our), resulting in loss of accuracy• some head loss characteristics

UltrasonicThese use sound waves to measure water

velocity and convert this to a fl ow rate. Transducers are fi xed on the outside of the pipe and a transit time method is used to calculate the velocity of water within the pipe. The transit time method calculates velocity

from the differences in time for an impulse to pass between the two transducers.

Advantages• robust with minimal routine maintenance required• simple to install and no moving parts• same meter can be used in a wide range of pipe sizes

Disadvantages• repairs require skilled technician and specialised equipment• power supply required• electronic components vulnerable to lightning damage.

IrrigationNZ Implementation Package

INZ, in partnership with MfE, MAF and stakeholders from the Water Measurement Taskforce (including HorticultureNZ), has led the development of an implementation package to run alongside the regulations. The aim of this is to give irrigators certainty around the water measurement installation, verifi cation and data provision. The package includes industry guidelines and a quality assurance program – an accreditation program for water measurement service providers. This will ensure quality and consistent water measurement throughout NZ, driving cost effi ciencies and giving certainty as to the accuracy of water measurement.

Included in the industry guidelines has been the establishment of a system to register service providers of water measurement services. This builds on the Environment Canterbury Water Meter Request for Proposals Panel (RFP) process and the

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council approved installer program.

Growers can learn more about water measuring, its challenges and opportunities (including the accreditation scheme for service providers), with a visit to www.irrigationnz.co.nz.

Finally, IrrigationNZ encourages irrigators to ‘get things in motion’ when it comes to the water measurement regulations. There are

likely to be challenges with respect to both supply of water measuring devices (NZ is one of many countries globally that have recently introduced mandatory water measurement) and their installation within the regulatory timeframes. Discretion will likely only be shown by regulators if you’ve genuinely embarked on the process – leaving it to the last minute will not cut the mustard.

IrrigationLayout & design

Guaranteed results.No Problems.

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Phone 03-308-7722Fax 03-308-0187e-mail: [email protected]

128 Moore Street, PO Box 165, Ashburton

GUARDIAN FARMING

To all of our wonderful customers

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From the team at Hoopers have a merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year.

Tides of the earthWe think we know about high and low tides, king tides when the moon comes closer, and when this occasion combines with a full or new moon. We think we know about neap tides, when tidal variation is less and the sea doesn’t come up the beach as much or go out as far.

We are taught in school that tides are the sea’s surface rising and falling, caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and to a lesser degree the sun. This pull of the moon bulges up the sea on the side of the earth nearest under the moon and, for symmetry, a smaller bulge develops on the other side. As the earth spins under the moon every 24 hours, any one point will have two high tides and two low tides.

All very reasonable and logical. Pity that it’s wrong. The behaviour of the ocean does not follow the way we were taught. In fact, the sea acts just the other way, and when the moon is overhead it is more often low tide, not high tide.

In Kaikoura, Otago, Adelaide and Melbourne, moon-overhead is closer to low tide. But � shermen, sailors, surfers and swimmers live happily with the standard idea of tides because the calculations to predict them work well enough. Tide tables based on a formula can accurately predict years in advance.

The formula must be corrected for shape of the coast, shape of the depth contours o� shore, local water currents and other conditions such as changes in salinity and water � ow from estuaries.

The tidal formula predicts relationships of earth, sun and moon then calibrates the results to particular localities using fudge factors. Once you know the o� sets, all you do is add or subtract this from where the tide should be,

given the position of sun and moon. So why is it wrong? Well, the theory of tides was devised before we realised what the planet itself was made of, before we understood how gravity works, and before we knew anything about the deep ocean. The original idea was simple - solid Earth, liquid Ocean. Sea lifts up when moon passes over, with lots of rushing tidal currents in and out of coastal passes. Sea being � uid can move, land being solid cannot.

Now we know better. Our whole planet is in� uenced by the pull of the moon, and Earth is mostly liquid, being composed of a molten core, with the continents, which includes the land under the oceans, � oating like icebergs on the surface. The moon distorts the inner liquid sphere making the resultant earth tides measurable even in the middle of the largest continent.

When the moon is over the equator, the land rises about 55cm, over Moscow about 30cm and over New Zealand about 20cm. The land is the true tide - both the sea � oor and what rises above the sea. Sea-tides rise and fall the same amount in the middle of the ocean as at the coast. The land rises and pushes the sea up; but not as much. Daily, as the moon transits overhead, the land rises more than the sea, and the sea drains away.

Local tidal height is determined by di� erence in rise between land and sea. The massive movement of water from estuaries and lagoons is only indirectly caused by the gravitational e� ect. It is not a tidal wave rushing in and out of the harbour. The harbour is lifting up and descending and the water is, quite naturally, sloshing in and out as this happens. This is not what we were taught.

The closer the sea is to land, the more the ocean level changes, with the open sea changing least, because land and sea react di� erently to lunar gravity. While the

liquid ocean follows the moon-controlled bulge exactly, land masses less � exible than water distort the curve. Small ocean islands are exposed summits of submerged mountains and have tides of about a metre either side of the mean sea level. The smaller and more remote the island, the less the tide range. Far from the in� uence of continents, the tide is usually low or near low when the moon is directly overhead.

Tidal motion lessens moving away from continents. There are exceptions. Tahiti has only one tide per day because the massive continent of Eurasia sits exactly on Tahiti’s opposite side of the earth, its greater movement dampening the gravitational bulge on the Tahiti side. The larger continents cause more drastic dampening on the distortion of the planetary crust.

When the gravitational e� ect causes the continent to warp or tilt, ocean tides can exceed 10 or, in rare cases, 20 metres as the edge of the land lifts out of the sea. The reason Japan has the most earthquakes is because it is right next to a huge land mass. New Zealand has a lot of shakes because we are over the conjunction of two great tectonic plates.

Like water, land is always trying to move. Earthquakes always occur because land � nds other land in its way so seeks pathways around the blockage, as a stock car wends its way past other cars.

It is time to look at the larger story of the tides in order to understand tectonics and with recent Canterbury events well overdue to look at the moon and sun in a deeper understanding of how they a� ect everything on this � exible earth.

Gravity happens right now, to the whole planet at the

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GUARDIAN FARMING

Ken Ring

same time. The bulge created by the moon is a collective change in molecular motion created by the gravitational pull of the sun and moon. The greatest change in molecular motion is on the part of the planet nearest to sun and moon - the surface.

Imagine pushing down on a soft rubber ball as you roll it along a table. The whole ball distorts. In that way the gravity e� ect of moon and sun mis-shapens Earth everywhere, right to the core and through to the opposite side of the planet.

As with the egging of a ball, as earth rotates under the moon, the molecular e� ect remains at its maximum directly under the moon. If the moon vanished instantly, the e� ect would vanish in the very short time it would take the planet to bounce back to a more uniform, unbulged, shape. The gravity bulge from the moon remains perfectly stationary under the moon. The gravity bulge from the sun stays perfectly stationary under the sun.

So the tidal e� ect does not move water around the planet every day, although it appears to. It does not directly move water anywhere. In the open sea, when the moon daily passes over, the water stays where it is, moving in whatever direction it happened to be moving anyway.

The e� ect of the moon is that the water molecules alter their motion, along with all the rest of the molecules of the planet, so the whole mass elevates by an amount relative to the diameter of the planet. The land does the same.

Although the e� ect of gravity is instant the resultant rising or sinking land mass takes time, and only after that is the water tide determined. The time of high and low tide varies depending on local topography. Where there is a

large coastal plateau or lagoon, the ocean may require two or more hours to � ow away from the rising land. There will be strong tidal currents in these areas, continuing an hour or two after the actual high or low tide has passed.

There are many little known studies that have reported a positive correlation between the earth tide and earthquake occurrence. Cantabrians have experienced thousands of land-tide aftershocks akin to ripples after a big splash, or surges after a kingtide high watermark.

The changing distance separating moon and earth a� ects all tide heights. When the moon is at perigee, the range

increases, and when it is at apogee, the range shrinks. Every 7½ lunations (the full cycles from full moon to new to full), perigee coincides with either a new or full moon causing perigean spring tides with the largest tidal range. September 7 was such a date.

A lunation is 29.53 days. The next such dates are 20 February 20, March 22 and April 18. Until then New Zealand should have a relatively quiet landscape.

Further reading:http://www.zisin.geophys.tohoku.ac.jp/ohtake/ohtake1-51.pdf

GUARDIAN FARMING

Weather by The Moon: December Forecast

General December may be average to drier, with less sunshine than normal and average temperatures. Two distinct precipitation spells are likely, around mid month and about the last days. There may be chances of localised fl ooding at the end of the fi rst week. Atmospheric disturbances bring windier conditions about 1st-3rd, 6th, 13th-14th, 20th-22nd, 25th-29th.The potential for maxima averages is 17-20°C and for minima 6-9°C.

About 6-8

December 8th-15th,28th, 30th

December 1st-7th, 17th-25th

December 14th-15th, 28th

December 14th, 23rd

December 29th-31st

December 20th-21st

December 1st-2nd, 24th

December 24th-26th

December 1st-7th

December 11th-18th

63mm

94mm

80mm

157hrs (Decemberaverage 195hrs)

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodummary, outlook periodNumber of rain days:

Precipitation potential times:

Mostly dry

Wettest periods:

Warmest maximum temperatures:

Coolest maximum temperatures:

Warmest minimums:

Coldest minimums:

Sunniest days:

Best days for outdoor recreation:

Cloudiest:

Estimated precipation for Ashburton:

Rakaia:

Methven:

Estimated sunshine amount for Ashburton:

Guardian Farming December

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