Central Otago pages10-11 MIRROR · AND BBQ CLEARANCE Check in-store for details – must end 6th...
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46 Brookes Road, Frankton, Queenstown Opening Hours Ph: 03 450 9262 7.00am – 6.00pm Monday to Friday, 8.00am – 6.00pm Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays FINAL OUTDOOR FURNITURE AND BBQ CLEARANCE Check in-store for details – must end 6 th March 2016 7115837AB MIRROR Central Otago Wednesday, March 2, 2016 Worm f armer has effluent solution JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN Robbie Dick, of Central Wormworx Ltd in Cromwell, says produce from his garden is proof his worm casting fertiliser is a high quality product and sustainable option for dairy farmers to treat effluent. However, he is seeking funding to carry out scientific testing to prove its value. PHOTO: JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN ‘‘It is the same as what has been used for centuries – the way nature has done it – just on a commercial basis.’’ Robbie Dick Central Otago worm farmer Robbie Dick plans to get his worm castings from cow effluent scien- tifically tested to prove to doubters the end product is worth the investment. Dick is in the early stages of putting a proposal together to apply for funding to support scien- tific testing of the worm castings from piles of cow effluent taken from two Southland dairy farms. ‘‘We would like to get funds to prove to farmers we have got a good product. ‘‘It is the same as what has been used for centuries – the way nature has done it – just on a com- mercial basis. ‘‘We are putting a proposal together to show this is the best way to eliminate a lot of the efflu- ent. ‘‘If winter shed effluent is cleaned out on a daily basis and the product is de-watered – that is a lot better than sitting in ponds where it goes anaerobic and there is a strong risk if it gets into the waterways of doing a lot more harm.’’ His long-term vision was to see dairy farmers processing effluent using worms on their own proper- ties, and they would be able to use the end, toxin-free and sustainable product, on their crops. Central Otago REAP Sustainable Living program co- ordinator Clair Higginson said the worm farmer was passionate about tiger worms’ ability to pro- cess food and farm waste and to then use the product as chemical and toxin free fertiliser. ‘‘What Robbie needs at the moment is some hard data. ‘‘Evidence that will convince science minded potential users that the project would improve their feedstock. Then evidence that the economics of it stack up. ‘‘That’s why it’s important to get this work done.’’ Mossburn farmer John Lang said he had supplied Dick with effluent from his dairy farm for the past year. ‘‘It is a commercial thing ... there is definitely a market for Robbie’s product.’’ Worm orders were coming in from around the country, includ- ing a company in the North Island that was freighted 80kgs of worms last week to treat organic waste. There was also an increasing demand for worms to treat human waste from composting toilets, he said. ‘‘I get about four or five plumbers in a week wanting 12 kilos of worms when they are installing composting toilets.’’ What’s On pages 10-11 Sports pages 22-23
Transcript of Central Otago pages10-11 MIRROR · AND BBQ CLEARANCE Check in-store for details – must end 6th...
46 Brookes Road, Frankton, QueenstownOpening Hours Ph: 03 450 92627.00am – 6.00pm Monday to Friday,8.00am – 6.00pm Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays
FINAL OUTDOOR FURNITUREAND BBQ CLEARANCECheck in-store for details – must end
6th March 20167115837AB
MIRRORCentral Otago
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Worm farmerhas effluentsolutionJO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN
Robbie Dick, of Central Wormworx Ltdin Cromwell, says produce from hisgarden is proof his worm castingfertiliser is a high quality product andsustainable option for dairy farmersto treat effluent. However, he isseeking funding to carry out scientifictesting to prove its value.
PHOTO: JO MCKENZIE-MCLEAN
‘‘It is the same aswhat has been usedfor centuries – theway nature hasdone it – just on acommercial basis.’’Robbie Dick
Central Otago worm farmerRobbie Dick plans to get his wormcastings from cow effluent scien-tifically tested to prove todoubters the end product is worththe investment.
Dick is in the early stages ofputting a proposal together toapply for funding to support scien-tific testing of the worm castingsfrom piles of cow effluent takenfrom two Southland dairy farms.
‘‘We would like to get funds toprove to farmers we have got agood product.
‘‘It is the same as what hasbeen used for centuries – the waynature has done it – just on a com-mercial basis.
‘‘We are putting a proposaltogether to show this is the bestway to eliminate a lot of the efflu-ent.
‘‘If winter shed effluent iscleaned out on a daily basis andthe product is de-watered – that isa lot better than sitting in pondswhere it goes anaerobic and thereis a strong risk if it gets into thewaterways of doing a lot moreharm.’’
His long-term vision was to seedairy farmers processing effluentusing worms on their own proper-ties, and they would be able to usethe end, toxin-free and
sustainable product, on theircrops.
Central Otago REAPSustainable Living program co-ordinator Clair Higginson saidthe worm farmer was passionateabout tiger worms’ ability to pro-cess food and farm waste and tothen use the product as chemicaland toxin free fertiliser.
‘‘What Robbie needs at themoment is some hard data.
‘‘Evidence that will convincescience minded potential usersthat the project would improvetheir feedstock. Then evidencethat the economics of it stack up.
‘‘That’s why it’s important toget this work done.’’
Mossburn farmer John Langsaid he had supplied Dick witheffluent from his dairy farm forthe past year.
‘‘It is a commercial thing ...there is definitely a market forRobbie’s product.’’
Worm orders were coming infrom around the country, includ-ing a company in the North Islandthat was freighted 80kgs of wormslast week to treat organic waste.
There was also an increasingdemand for worms to treat humanwaste from composting toilets, hesaid.
‘‘I get about four or fiveplumbers in a week wanting 12kilos of worms when they areinstalling composting toilets.’’
What’s Onpages 10-11
Sports pages22-23
