An Ashburton Guardian Advertising Feature

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Making the most of water resources . . .Making the most of water resources . . . page 3page 3

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Guardian

interesting • informative • essential

Advertising: Phone 307-7900Email: emma.j@theguardian.co.nz

Publication date: August 2, 2011

Next issue: September 6, 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.

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• FATHER’S DAY

Mon 01Tue 02Wed 03Thur 04Fri 05Sat 06Sun 07Mon 08Tue 09Wed 10Thur 11Fri 12Sat 13Sun 14Mon 15Tue 16Wed 17Thur 18Fri 19Sat 20Sun 21Mon 22Tue 23Wed 24Thur 25Fri 26Sat 27Sun 28Mon 29Tue 30Wed 31Thur 01Fri 02Sat 03Sun 04Mon 05

August 11 August 11

Biosecurity is it all it can be?July was biosecurity month and I

have been bombarded with emails from MAF Biosecurity NewZealand

regarding its successful interceptions of pests at the border.While it is interesting to the potential

biosecurity threats that had been stopped at the border, I’d rather read about how much progress Biosecurity New Zealand has made in regards to their managed response to potential threats through imports.Furthermore, I would like to know just

What’s happening

Page 2 GUARDIAN FARMING

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

Please direct any correspondence to: Amanda Niblett, on 307-7927email: amanda.n@theguardian.co.nzor to: Lance Isbister, on 307-7953email: lance.i@theguardian.co.nzor write to PO Box 77, Ashburton.

how the organisation plans to tackle the Rugby World Cup, during which time, the country will be at its most vulnerable to a biosecurity incursion.It would be good to have a better understanding about the preventative measures Biosecurity NZ will take when thousands of people from all over the world fl ock to this country’s major urban centres over the seven-week long period.Biosecurity NZ may be good at catching the odd traveller who brings in undeclared items which could threaten New Zealand’s agricultural industry with pests and diseases, but I wonder if they are truly ready for the

Rugby World Cup infl ux and have the resources needed to thoroughly check for foreign pests and diseases at the border.Beekeepers know all too well the damage a biosecurity incursion can cause to an industry as they suff er the costs of treating for the varroa mite.Pig farmers are just as anxious about porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome having an even worse impact on their industry should imported raw untreated pork be allowed past our borders.To me these are the real priorities.

Lance Isbister Ashburton Guardian

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Making the most of water resources

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 3

Lance Isbister, Ashburton Guardian rural reporter

Eiff elton arable farmer Ian Mackenzie has had his diff erences with Federated Farmers in the past, but now re-joins them on the national board as Grain

and Seed chairperson.

The former Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers provincial president can still remember his frustration of the organisation’s short sightedness when it opposed Fonterra’s Clean Streams Accord, an industry initiative which aimed to mitigate the impact of dairying on waterways.

“I think there are some issues where Federated Farmers hasn’t been that well led in the past, especially with water,” he said.

Having considerable experience in water and especially irrigation issues, including Chairman of the Eiff elton Irrigation Scheme, he believes he is well qualifi ed to become spokesman for water for Federated Farmers.

He is hopeful that with the change in the organisation’s national board , attitudes will change and that Federated Farmers may be more enlightened and receptive to industry-driven changes, which he believes off ers the best way forward with farmers more likely to buy into them.

Ian said although the Eiff elton Irrigation Scheme was relatively small, it still shared many of the same issues of larger schemes in the country.

The Scheme is about to sign off an Audited Self Management agreement with Environment Canterbury (ECan) which refl ects a maturing of attitude between irrigators and the regulatory authority and a willingness to work together for a mutually benefi cial outcome.

Eiff elton has invested a lot of money into technology to ensure that ECan can check compliance of the conditions

of the resource consents, whilst ECan has given the Scheme greater fl exibility in the way the scheme is managed.

Ian has been heavily involved in the Canterbury Water Management Strategy over the years and believes in a collaborative community approach to solving water issues and supports the eff orts and purpose of our local water zone committee.

However, Ian said working towards a solution in this manner was easier said than done because, from his experience, just when the community started to settle on a solution through the prescribed collaborative approach,

other people or groups would come along and oppose or at least criticise the proposal.

“Our zone committee needs our help and support”.

Ian said the great paradox when it came to New Zealand’s water was that there was an abundance of it, but Kiwis had yet to harness its potential through storage.

“Once we have developed our infrastructure around storage and reticulation and all who would like water have access to it, then the fi ghting and competition stops. We can achieve this by working together”.

He believes New Zealand needs to take a more holistic approach to solving water issues as dairying bore the brunt of criticism regarding poor water quality, when other sectors were just as responsible.

Ian said critical generalisations made by people who did not understand the dairy industry tended to be inaccurate.“If you fl ing enough mud, it starts to stick, but it doesn’t make it any truer.

“We need to stop bias against particular sectors of the industry, people need to understand it’s a New Zealand issue we have to attack, not blame one sector.”

Ian said urban New Zealand was just as tough on water quality, especially when it came to estuaries. One only has to look at how the people of Christchurch treat their urban rivers.

Through his new role Ian intends to work towards developing better water utilisation, management and quality for recreation, the environment and farmers to ensure New Zealand can live up to its clean-green image, which makes our commodities all the more attractive in the global market.

PHOTO LANCE ISBISTER 270711-LI-006

Federated Farmers national Grain and Seed section chairperson Ian Mackenzie wants to drive change in improving water quality and quantity in New Zealand after taking Federated Farmers water portfolio.

The value of business relationships

Page 4 GUARDIAN FARMING

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People tend to do business with people who share the same values and beliefs and this is something you

see every day in the farming sector.

In previous columns I have commented on the value of great customer service and the eff ect that staff can have on a business, good and bad, depending on the type of service you, as a customer, may receive.

Many of you reading this column will own or manage various types of businesses and also understand the value of relationships with your suppliers. There are a lot of similarities between a customer’s experience at the shop front, and your experience as a manager, buyer or business owner, working for a company dealing with supplier representatives.

Ultimately you and your supplier are in business to run at a profi t and therefore develop and grow your business, and take advantage of more opportunities as being in a healthy fi nancial position allows you to do.

So what do you look for in a relationship with a supplier? What’s the value to your business? Is it merely the price you pay for the product?

My belief is that it is so much more than this; product reliability, availability, competitive terms of trade, the level of service provided to you as their customer,

and the ability of the representative negotiating with you to make you feel as though they are working for you and growing your business, while in fact also delivering results for the company that they work for.

In today’s market there is plenty of choice. This creates competition, the supplier to your business knows this, as you will be able to purchase your goods from any one of the number of suppliers that will actually provide a similar outcome.

It has been my experience over the years that relationships are what matter and when things aren’t going well, having a supplier that works with you to assist you in clearing old stock, to make way for the newer, cheaper product coming through,

or taking that old stock off your hands and replacing it with new stock to enable you to be more competitive, is where you fi nd the real value.

This also relates to the farming sector where service providers can assist in moving produce in times of diffi cult selling conditions in order to improve your cash fl ow, or advise you of product shortages or price rises and create the opportunity for savings to be made.

A number of companies have the same products and services available and the diff erence comes down to the relationship that the staff have with the customer (in this case the farmer). Farming is a business, and as a business owner, a farmer will be asking “what is the value in this relationship?”

There are a number of service providers to the farming community, whether it is the bank, the accountant, legal advisors,

supply companies for inputs or supply companies purchasing the outputs. All of these things need to be working together well to ensure a productive business unit. In a word this is ‘teamwork’ and without it many businesses fail to realise their potential.

The recent changes to the way banks lend for farms and the changes to existing loans for many farmers has in some cases created tension as banks move to minimise risk in what has been a highly speculative market, lending on the promise of increasing land values is no longer an option.

Family dynamics can also aff ect the productivity/performance of a business, particularly when one partner in the business wants to pursue other interests while the other wants to continue to run the business but is required to pay out the other partner. The eff ect on the existing business can be devastating with a lack of equity remaining forcing the complete sale of that business.

The price paid by the businesses for their input costs versus the returns for their products sold have a signifi cant infl uence on the profi tability of any business. The more you can reduce your expenses and increase your profi tiabilility, the stronger your business becomes.

The common thread through all of these relationships is the willingness to work together to achieve a common goal with like-minded people providing very diff erent products and services, but sharing a similar business culture, values and desire to succeed.

Neal Shaw, ATS Chief Executive

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 5

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Twenty-fi ve years of learning

Page 6 GUARDIAN FARMING

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When the late Jack Brand arrived in the shearing shed of our Wakanui farm, twenty-fi ve years ago this

month, as I was shearing a few dry sheep, my immediate thought was “Oh no, not another fundraiser for the National Party.” This time I was wrong.

After a quarter of an hour or so of “local and general” the reason for his visit became clear. Would I agree to accept nomination as his replacement as Wakanui Riding member on the Ashburton County Council? This frankly left me fl oored.

While I had great admiration for Jack Brand as a hard working and highly respected community and farming leader I certainly did not see myself as a political person in any way despite thirty years involvement in farming and community organisations. Along with wife Lyne our main focus was expanding our 200 odd acre dryland family farm into an economic fully irrigated unit.

Despite having recently added to our holding (and subsequently seen valuations drop 40 per cent) I allowed my name to go “into the hat” for the elections in October 1986, believing if successful, the time could be found for the “couple of days a month” that I was assured were all that was required. Unopposed election was not anticipated.

I took my seat as sole representative for the Wakanui Riding at the October meeting, joining the eleven other councillors under the Chairmanship of Roger Tasker.

Helped by experienced councillors the expectation of the role soon became clear – I was the link between ratepayers and the council, particularly within the area I represented. While the riding was small, within its

boundary were fi ve licensed slaughterhouses including the two major freezing works, the airport and the rapidly developing deep aquifer irrigation development areas. An economically important part of the county.

Discussions at meetings revolved around forestry, bridges, water races, hydatid control, Town and Country Planning Act (often pig farming), shingle crushing, township water supplies, roading (new seal 30 km a year), plant purchasing etc. All very hands-on subjects.

If controversy surrounded a proposal, more likely than not the whole council would pile into three cars and visit the area concerned, to get hands-on appreciation of the issue with relevant staff , before a decision was made.

Staff tended to be multi-talented. The grader drivers all carried a water race drag to clear troublesome road crossings or blocked culverts. All were directly on the council payroll and in constant contact with the ratepayers. The practical nature of council work suited me. Payment of $10 a meeting was a real bonus.

Much of the discussion in the 1986-89 period revolved around the impending amalgamation of the Ashburton County and Borough Councils. Meetings between the two councils and the Local Government Commission brought about a voluntary amalgamation to form the Ashburton District Council in the October 1989 elections.

The agreement allowed for an eighteen person council for one term (nine urban and nine rural) to be reduced to twelve councillors (six each from urban and rural) at the 1992 elections. The inaugural Mayor, Geoff Geering was elected at large across the total district.Widespread concern of amalgamation that power

bases of rural or urban councillors would cause real problems have subsequently proved groundless, despite the change in 2007 to a seven urban and fi ve rural representation split brought about by new Government policy.

With Ashburton District’s clearly defi ned river, ocean and mountain boundaries, this was one of the most logical amalgamations, and history has shown it to be one of the most successful.

Interdependence of the rural and urban sectors is vital for the continued growth of the district; however I fi nd little evidence that further local government amalgamation in the Canterbury region would improve governance eff ectiveness.

I’ve never believed big is necessarily beautiful – I much prefer being effi cient. I’m sure all are watching the Auckland Super-city model with interest.

I was somewhat intrigued while visiting Queensland last month to be made aware of the debate surrounding governance issues in that state.

Like New Zealand, many Australian local councils (shires) were forced to amalgamate some years ago on the pretence of effi ciency. At the upcoming state elections later this year the opposition party is campaigning strongly to respond to public concern and has pledged to de-amalgamate the regional authorities if elected, and reinstate smaller authorities.

Published opinion poll ratings indicate a 60 to 65 per cent chance of defeat for the incumbent decision-makers. I’ll be watching with interest.

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 7

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Every year when council announces its rating requirements for the new fi nancial year commencing July there is a public outcry that increases are in many cases above the level of infl ation. In Ashburton’s case less than 1 per cent above today’s (July 23) announced annual infl ation rate at 5.4 per cent).

Comments about core functions and sticking to the knitting are predictable; however Central Government requirements of its Local Government partners have changed immeasurably.

The current Local Government Act clearly states that councils do have signifi cant responsibility for the economic, educational, social and cultural outcomes within their communities. Clearly the councillor role is vastly changed from 25 years ago.

Unfortunately when Government gave added responsibility it virtually ignored the funding implications.

If in 1986 I had been warned that a part-time local government career would involve dealing with any or all of the following:

• power of general competence• policy on signifi cance• need for Auckland University qualifi cation• pandemic planning• prostitution bylaws• physical activity strategy• cultural representation and integration• Social service issues, health advocacy and a myriad

of other topics, I would probably have run a mile.

One of the most frustrating aspects of council work is the apparent lack of interest and understanding of council’s role by all but a few of the 8000 plus ratepayers.

With the need for public consultation on signifi cant issues clearly mandated by Government, it’s very disappointing that only about 100 persons in total took advantage of the opportunity to attend public meetings at six diff erent venues to have explained and to discuss this year’s fi nancial proposals.

This level of apathy does not seem to balance well with media representation of what many residents see as controversial proposals.

As always the opportunities for community input are readily available.

Looking back on the last 25 years I’m proud to have been part of both the county and district councils, and to have witnessed signifi cant upgrades to much of the core infrastructure of our district assets, always admitting that there is more to be done of course.

Ashburton’s wastewater plant commissioned in 2006 has the in-built capacity to handle double the number of current households to a treatment level equal to the highest standards anywhere in the country and is future proofed for several generations.

An added bonus of signifi cant pasture sales income assists with costs.

Similarly the 2002 decision to dispense with the outdated river gallery intake for the towns water supply and change to deep bore aquifers has been fully met

with the eighth bore soon to be commissioned at Tinwald.

Most rural supplies have been similarly updated. Again a future proofi ng consent secures this service for future generations.

When it comes to roading much has been achieved in the last quarter century with several hundred kilometres of shingle roads upgraded by area wide pavement treatment and 54 per cent of the network now sealed.

Unfortunately the Government’s funding policy and lack of support for rail alternatives, together with farming expansion and development, has severely challenged council’s ability to do anything more than maintain its network in recent years.

Under current rules expansion of the sealed network will only come if totally funded locally. Is that what the ratepayer wants?

When councillors of the time went against public opinion and supported the establishment of Lake Hood, loud was the outcry. The subsequent usage, development and recreational opportunities of the site surely justifi es that vision.

Sometimes we need to remind ourselves we are not decision makers for only today’s generation.Yes being a district councillor is a challenging role. The level of bureaucracy at times overpowering.

The role is one I fi nd interesting, frustrating, time consuming and on occasions really rewarding.

One thing is for certain – you never stop learning.

g

John Leadley

Farming confi dence up

Page 8 GUARDIAN FARMING

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For further enquiries or a no obligation free quote, call Greg today on (03) 308 8479 or 0274 326 915 – email greg.gdc@xtra.co.nz

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Farmers are more confi dent now than they were in January, according to the latest Federated Farmers Farm

confi dence survey, taken at the beginning of the 2011/12 season.

Federated Farmers president and economics and commerce spokesperson Bruce Wills said most farmers were looking on the bright side, both for the general economy and particularly, for their own farm businesses.

“This is despite commodity prices coming off recent peaks and a dollar being at record highs against the greenback. Any gloss taken off returns seems to have been balanced against an outstanding spell of weather at the tail end of last season.

“However, since the survey was in the fi eld the dollar has appreciated further. Relatively few believe the Government should tackle the Kiwi dollar head-on. Rather, most identifi ed Government-led spending and borrowing as being the priority.

“Economically, a reduction in Government-led spending and borrowing could help moderate the exchange rate.

“The Farm Confi dence Survey was also undertaken before some major political policy announcements. While the Labour Party’s policy to fast-track agriculture into the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) was

known, full details of its proposed Capital Gains Tax wasn’t.

“Overall, I am particularly encouraged by the way debt retirement is prioritised along with productive investment on-farm,” Mr Wills said.

Highlights from the July 2011 Federated Farmers Farm Confi dence Survey

A net 16.4 per cent of respondents are expecting improvement in the general economy over the coming 12 months, up 11.6 points on January. Confi dence has increased for all industry groups

and regions, but that of dairy farmers increased by somewhat less than that of meat and fi bre farmers and grains farmers• As has been the case in previous

surveys respondents are considerably more positive about the profi tability of their own farms. A net 45.8 per cent of respondents are expecting improvement in their profi tability over the coming 12 months, up 20.3 points on January. Optimism about profi tability was up for all industry groups, although again the increase for dairy farmers was less than the other groups. After lagging in January, North Island respondents have caught up with those from the South Island.

• Production is expected to increase with few concerns at this stage about adverse weather conditions. A net 50.4 per cent of farmers expect to increase production over the coming 12 months, up 25.6 points on January. In January, the weather was the major concern of farmers and this was impacting on production forecasts and on farm profi tability.

• More farmers are expecting to increase spending. A net 33.3 per cent of farmers expect to increase spending over the coming 12 months, up 11.7 points on January. In part this refl ects improved confi dence but there is also a price eff ect with many farmers concerned about increasing input costs.

• Farmers are even more focused on debt reduction with another large increase in the proportion of farmers expecting to reduce debt. A net 45.6 per cent of farmers expect to reduce spending over the coming 12 months, up 20.3 points.

• The farm labour market is highly seasonal, but it also appears that it has tightened. A net 5.7 per cent of respondents reported it harder to fi nd skilled and motivated staff over the past six months, down 0.1 points compared with January 2011, but up 7.6 points compared with the same time last year.

• Refl ecting recent comments from the Labour Party on when agricultural biological emissions should be brought into the ETS, climate change policy and the ETS has once again become the biggest issue for farmers. 14.5 per cent of respondents cited it as their single biggest issue, up 10.4 points on January, but still lower than the 30.1 per cent who cited it this time last year when the ETS was implemented.

• As with the January survey, farmers consider that fi scal policy, like reducing government spending and/or government debt, should be the Government’s highest priority. 26.3 per cent of respondents cited this as their highest priority for the Government, down 1.2 points on January, but up on the 14.4 per cent who cited it this time last year.

Bruce Wills

No hoof, no horse

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 9

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Along with the cold weather, winter brings with it a host of challenges for our horses’ health.

Hand in hand with the icy weather, comes pugged-up paddocks, and muddy conditions under foot. This charming combination of conditions leads to an increase in our call-outs for the dreaded “hoof abscess”.

Hoof abscesses can start as a number of diff erent conditions, but usually by the time we see the horse, pressure has built up in the foot due to an accumulation of serum, blood and pus, leading to a very lame horse.

Foot Abscess (nail prick, sub solar abscesses)

A hoof abscess is probably one of the most common causes of a sudden onset severe lameness in the horse. The abscess generally results from the horse standing on something like a small stone, or a prick from a horse shoe nail, which penetrates the sole or the soft white line of the hoof, introducing bacteria.

The bacteria set up shop, an abscess forms, and pressure builds up in the foot. The rigid capsule of the hoof prevents it from swelling, and as the pressure increases the horse fi nds it extremely painful to stand on the foot.

In human terms it is like us hitting our thumb nail with a hammer. It is incredibly painful as the bleeding causes pressure build up under the nail, but as anyone who has drilled a hole into a black nail will know there is almost immediate relief from releasing this pressure!

Sometimes this reluctance to stand or walk on the foot will lead to swelling forming up the leg, which can lead to misdiagnosis by owners. If we do not release the built up pressure, it will eventually burst out either the sole (often with under running of the sole), or more often out the coronary band at the top of the hoof.

We diagnose the hoof abscess “spot” by gently squeezing the sole all around the hoof, until we fi nd the sensitive area. If the horse has a shoe on we will usually need to remove the shoe to allow treatment. We pare away the hoof to open up the abscess and create drainage,

and release the pressure, relieving the bulk of the pain (some bruising will remain). We then use a poultice to draw any remaining pus and infection out, and prevent the drainage sealing up and the abscess reforming.

Generally antibiotics are not necessary, but tetanus cover is a VITAL part of treatment. It is no good treating the abscess successfully only to have the horse develop a fatal bout of tetanus afterwards!

Better still, have your horse’s tetanus vaccinations up to date so in the event of an abscess the horse is already protected.

Corns

A corn is a small hematoma (bruising) that forms between the sensitive inner and non-sensitive outer layers of the hoof. They form at the heel, between the bars of the hoof and the wall.

Corns are a man-made problem, as they are caused by the heels of the shoe due to a poor fi tting shoe, or leaving a shoe on for too long. Again, lameness results due to the pressure of the hematoma in a foot that cannot swell.

However, because the corn is an ideal growth site for bacteria, they are high risk spots for an abscess to form. More attention to the shoeing of the horse is needed to prevent corns recurring. It should be noted that although corns are frequently present, they are not always the source of lameness in a horse.

Stone bruises

As with corns, stone bruises form due to concussion of the sole, for example from the horse standing on a stone. Again, a hematoma forms between the insensitive outer sole, and the sensitive deeper tissues, resulting in pressure and pain for the horse, but this time it can be anywhere over the sole.

Sometimes we need to release the pressure, but often a few days off , appropriate pain relief, and a pad under the shoe to protect and cushion the sole are required.

However like corns, bruising is a likely site for bacteria to inhabit, and an abscess can form. Many of the abscesses we see begin as stone bruises.

Hoof Cracks (wall cracks, sand cracks)

Hoof cracks are given diff erent names depending on where on the foot they occur. At the front of the foot they are called toe cracks, on the sides of the hoof they are quarter cracks. Most cracks run vertically, up and down the hoof, usually starting at the bottom and working up towards the coronary band.

A healthy hoof should be elastic; to expand and absorb the load as the horse lands, then regain its shape as the load is removed. If the elasticity is lost, the hoof can crack and split.

One of the most important factors for elasticity is moisture. If we compare the horse’s foot to a sponge, when a sponge is wet we can bend it, or squeeze it, and it will regain its natural shape when released. However a dry sponge will break or crumble when we bend or squeeze it. The hoof is the same.

It does have a natural outer layer protecting it from drying out. However damage to this protective layer, or dry ground conditions, will sometimes lead to the foot drying out, making it more brittle and prone to cracking. This is where hoof oils and dressings come in handy.

A lack of regular foot maintenance can also result in problems, e.g. long toes can

lead to excessive stress being applied to the hoof wall, leading to cracks forming.

Most mild cracks will not cause any lameness and are more of a heads up for the owner than anything, but if they extend into the deeper sensitive structures of the foot, infection can result, and an abscess will form.

Any of these conditions can be problems in their own right, but as vets we generally become involved after they have developed into an abscess, leaving you with a very lame horse that needs time off work even after the appropriate treatment.

Often the horse’s vet and farrier will need to work together to prevent and correct some of these conditions, to achieve the best results for the horse. The vet is there to off er their professional opinion on the diagnosis and treatment of the condition, while the professional care of the horse’s feet is the role of the farrier.

There can be some overlap in these roles. Sometimes this will require the vet and farrier to talk directly to one another, as Chinese whispers through the owner can lead to confusion for all concerned!

If you have any concerns about a hoof abscess or any of these conditions in your horse, please contact your equine vet.

Sarah Morten , Mountainview Equine

Irrigation matters

Page 10 GUARDIAN FARMING

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As I sit to write this article my initial theme appears to be about to be tossed out the window. Blue

Skies started the rumour and now today (Saturday July 24) all the weather forecasters are on the same page. So, a little rethink of an irrigation theme. Seemed a little strange to write about irrigation when we have a forecast of snow to sea level for the next couple of days.

The lack of winter thus far “theme” of last month’s article was to be continued. Rainfall has remained below average, temperatures are about average (despite a week of pretty severe frosts) and only day length is limiting growth.

Interestingly there are a few plovers and oyster catchers about in paddocks and, according to “nature” that is a sign of pending spring. According the “bird books” it is the spur-winged plover we see most commonly and it originally came from Australia. The fi rst breeding pair was recorded at Invercargill airport in 1932 and now they are everywhere.

Good breeders they are – any time between June and November with a peak in August. They diet out on insects, worms and other small insects. So given the mild winter to date and their need for food, little wonder a few have returned to start their spring breeding. However, they might have misjudged spring if the forecast for Sunday through Tuesday holds true.

We here in Christchurch received some added misery with snow to sea level, the fi rst since 2008 from memory. With such a forecast furthering the discussion regarding groundwater recharge and the “pending” 2011-12 irrigation season might just be a little premature.

The past few weeks have seen a steady infl ux of requests regarding the value of water permits or part thereof. “I have water I am not using or no longer have use for – what is it worth?” is the common question.

Through my HydroTrader connection we have now developed a standard valuation report for those genuinely interested in trading part or all of their water permit(s). We have removed the “cost” of water from our website scorecard in preference for a “formal” report to the interested party.

There are a few reasons for this such as the diff erential between various types of trades, the “freeloaders” who use the information for their own purposes and the ammunition for those who vehemently object to trading (despite trading being a recommendation of the Land and Water Forum report). Analysis of the sales and leases has shown a diff erence between:

• The value of leased permits compared with permits sold;

• The value of short-term (one to two years) leases compared with long-term leases;

• The value of small permits (less than 10L/s or 1000m3/day) compared with large permits; and

• The duration of the permit(s) where short duration is often less valued than longer term.

When you look at these results you would conclude they are all logical economic “no-brainers”. We would agree with the “no-brainer” conclusion, except the fi rst year or so of trades did not follow this logic:

• More was paid for leased permits than permits sold;

• Leases were preferred to outright sales; and

• The price paid for small permits, in terms of our common trading unit, was greater than for larger permits.

Now when someone calls for valuation we can provide a quick and simple “formal” report based on the size of the permit

(L/s, m3/day or m3/season) and the duration left on the permit. What the enquirer will receive by return email looks something like the “Water Permit Valuation”.

For this example largish groundwater permit, the range in value is quite large being somewhere between $348,000 and $795,000. It is obvious there is not a simple, single or narrow range of permit value. The value does depend on the demand for the permit (a willing or urgent buyer) and the ease of transfer (meeting the regulatory requirements (the localised interference eff ects).

I guess that is widely referred to as “supply and demand” or “market forces”. The range is not dissimilar to the range in prices paid for water in Australia where the trading market is highly developed – neither rhyme nor reason for any particular price paid.

Tony Davoren, Hydroservices

Rural sales continue improvement

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 11

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Data released recently by the Real Estate Institute of NZ (“REINZ”) shows there was a further

improvement in the number of rural sales across New Zealand in the three months to June 2011.

Overall, there were 393 farm sales in the three months to end of June2011 compared with 364 sales in the three months to May 2011 and 302 sales in the three months to June 2010.

The median price per hectare for all farms sold in the three months to June 2011 was $15,568 compared to $17,199 in the three months to May 2011 and $17,772 for the three months to June 2010.

The median price per hectare is now at its lowest point since July 2004 and continues the downward trend in median prices evident since early 2009.

The Otago region recorded the strongest increase in sales between May and June, followed by Canterbury and Manawatu/Wanganui. Two regions recorded a fall in sales between May and June, although these falls were minor.

The number of farm sales for the year ended June 2011 was 960, 30 more than the number of farm sales for the year ended May 2011, and up from 931 sales recorded for the year ended June 2010.

“The increase in farm sales for the three months to June continues the turn around in volumes that began in April, although with the onset of winter the rate of increase has slowed,” said REINZ Rural Market Spokesman Brian Peacocke.

“Most of the sales activity was in the grazing, dairy support and fi nishing sectors in the South Island with Southland again recording the largest number of sales.”

“We are seeing a noticeable increase in enquiry from purchasers targeting potential transactions in the spring, as well as an increase in the number of appraisals being done for sellers. The overall increase in activity from both buyers and sellers is being matched by a reinvigoration of interest in rural lending coming through from the banking sector,” said Mr Peacocke. The easing of farm prices, as shown by the median price data has now brought

farm prices more into line with the long term underlying trend, line with the long term underlying trend. Included in sales for the month of June were 13 dairy farms at an average sale value of $24,081 per hectare and $35 per kg of milk solids (MS).

The average farm size was 192 hectares with a range of 27 hectares in the Waikato to 541 hectares on the West Coast. The average production per hectare across all dairy farms sold in May 2011 was 693 kgs of milk solids.

Grazing properties accounted for the largest number of sales with 53.2 per cent share of all sales over the three months. Dairy properties accounted for 14.8 per cent, Finishing properties 15.0 per cent and Horticulture properties 6.1 per cent. These four property types accounted for 89.1 per cent of all sales during the three months ended June 2011.

For the three months ended June 2011 the median sales price per hectare for dairy farms was steady at $30,828 (58 properties) compared to the three months ended May 2011 (60 properties), and $32,609 (31 properties) for the three months ended June 2010.

The median dairy farm size for the three months ended June 2011 was 116 hectares. For the three months ended June 2011 the median sales price per hectare for fi nishing farms was $10,377 (59 properties) compared to $10,860 for the three months ended May 2011 (55 properties), and $8,262 (38 properties) for the three months ended June 2010.

The median fi nishing farm size for the three months ended June 2011 was 157 hectares. For the three months ended June 2011 the median sales price per hectare for grazing farms was $12,892 (209 properties) compared to $13,490 for the three months ended May 2011 (186 properties), and $12,904 (146 properties) for the three months ended June 2010.

The median grazing farm size for the three months ended June 2011 was 90 hectares. For the three months ended June 2011 the median sales price per hectare for horticulture farms was $132,401 (24 properties) compared to $129,572 for the three months ended May 2011 (28 properties), and $148,221 (51 properties) for the three months ended May 2010.

The median horticulture farm size for the three months ended June 2011 was 7 hectares.

The lifestyle property market also saw a further lift in volume in the three months to June 2011 although the median price remained at the same level compared to May.

All regions apart from Northland and Gisborne saw an increase in sales, with Canterbury recording the strongest increase (up 28 sales).

Nelson and Otago also recorded notable increases in sales volumes. The national median price remained steady at $460,000 for the three months to June 2011, and rose $15,000 compared to the three month to June 2010.

Total sales completed for the three months to June 2011 were 1386, up 75 (5.8 per cent) compared to the three months ended May 2011, and up 273 (24.5 per cent) compared to the three months ended June 2010.

Commenting on the lifestyle property market statistics Brian Peacocke said, “The lifestyle property market is also demonstrating rising sales volumes with a 6 per cent increase in June compared to May and an almost 25 per cent increase compared to June last year, with almost all regions recording an increase in volumes.

The median price for lifestyle properties was fl at in June compared to May at $460,000, but was $15,000 higher than June last year.”

Flicking the switch

Page 12 GUARDIAN FARMING

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The recent Making irrigation Pay workshops held in Hinds and Darfi eld were very successful with

a large enthusiastic attendance at both workshops.

The workshops had the title of “When to start and when to stop irrigating”. This simple title and concept belies the complexity and uncertainty around the simple act of fl icking the switch to start or stop the pump.

These workshops were two of 22 that Irrigation New Zealand is taking around the country to pass on some tools, concepts and knowledge that is useful and relevant to irrigators.

The workshops are tailored to the diff erent areas and land uses that are encountered throughout the country but the simple concept is the same whether you are irrigating a broad acre or horticultural crop.

Presenting the workshops were Irrigation NZ staff with Ian McIndoe (Aqualinc) and Dan Bloomer (Page Bloomer associates) who provide a wealth of technical and practical knowledge that the irrigators can download.

The question was asked “when did you start irrigating” and then “why” with the typical and common response of – “cause the neighbour started” or the

slightly more scientifi c “when I saw the ridges burning off ” . . . Although these are legitimate responses and may be well reasoned, Irrigation NZ through the workshops gave some basic tools and an overview of technology available to enable a more robust and accurate method of determining the right time to fl ick the switch.

With energy costs rising and limitations on total volumes of irrigation water allowed it was shown that there are benefi ts to be gained from accurately determining the timing of fl icking the switch.

The workshops were aimed at being able to manage the soil moisture profi le over the season enabling optimal production and cost. The fi rst rule of managing is being able to measure and monitor what you are actually dealing with. For soil moisture we use the analogy of a bucket as the available water in a soil profi le.

The trick is knowing how big the bucket is, how fast it is emptying and then how your irrigation system can keep it topped up to the right level depending on the stage of the season. The interaction is summarised in Figure 1.

Determining the size of your bucket is related to your soil type. A simple fl ow diagram was presented with step-by-step instructions on how to get your hands

dirty and determine the soil type in your paddocks.

Once the soil type is identifi ed it is able to be inputted into a simple program called Soil Profi le Builder, developed by Plant and Food Research. This program calculates the available water that your soil holds and this gives the base information that is used for a water budget. Both the fl ow diagram and soil profi le builder program is available on the Irrigation NZ website.

There is widespread use of fi nancial and nutrient budgets and the same basic concepts of deposits and withdrawals determining a balance are no diff erent for a water budget.

Taking a simplistic approach, a deposit is either rainfall or irrigation and withdrawal is plant use. Using a simple spreadsheet with a water budget calculation and accompanying graphical analysis (also available on the Irrigation NZ website) it was shown how, using easily accessible data (PET and rainfall) from the nearest climate station, a more accurate measure of timing to “fl ick the switch” was possible.

So the combination of some simple tools and measurement of critical factors enabled a more informed decision. Typically irrigators err on the side of caution when they decide to start

irrigating. If however through better, more informed decisions you are able to start irrigating seven to 10 days later there can be some substantial savings.

For example a 15kW pump delivering 20 litres per second at 500 Kpa costing approximately 17c per Kw hr over a 24 hour period is costing $61.20. Multiply this over a 10 day period and there is a saving of $600 not to mention the labour cost and the saving of water from an allocation that may be better utilised later in the season.

Spare a thought though for the farmers that have measured and have held off fl icking the switch as their data has shown – the comment was made from a farmer that it was nerve-racking watching all the neighbours start irrigating around him, however his decision was justifi ed when he did not lose any production and saved money, time and water.

An explanation of managing soil moisture, varying the level depending on the stage of the season, and of the technology available to measure and monitor soil moisture was provided.

Knowing where the moisture levels are in the soil profi le throughout the season can minimise risk and enable the soil some leeway to capture free irrigation – rainfall. See Figure 2

Supplied by Irrigation NZ

Figure 1 PICTURE: MARC GREVEN, PLANT & FOOD RESEARCH

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 13

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During the shoulder periods of the season, when the demand is less (lower ET), the soil moisture can be kept closer to the stress point so if it rains, the fi eld capacity of the soil is not exceeded and valuable moisture is not lost to run-off or drainage.

During the peak of the season when

ET is at its highest the soil moisture can be ideally kept at a level nearer to fi eld capacity to minimise the impact of breakdowns or water restrictions.

The most eff ective way to measure this is to use a soil moisture monitoring device, of which there are good options

available. As always there is a cost to do all this but it has been proven that the monitoring and active management of irrigation practice has more than paid for the investment in a matter of months.

The key word here is investment.

Water meters are now a mandatory requirement and the initial reaction is one of “another ... cost” but it should be seen as an investment, the data generated is of infi nitely more value than just the compliance component of water meter installation.

The use of telemetry of soil moisture, water metering and energy data combined with some simple tools and active management of your water resource will provide a powerful tool to lift your game and bottom line.

Irrigation NZ is embarking on a research project in the zone between the Rakaia and Selwyn rivers that will combine all these components to benchmark and improve water use effi ciency.

This is an exciting project that should see some real benefi ts for the participating farmers and region as a whole.

Once this project is under way this irrigation season we hope to bring you some more information on how it is progressing. So watch this space.

Irrigation NZ is going to carry on running the workshops as they are a successful way of enabling irrigators to maximise the use of their resources so watch out for them again next year.

Figure 2

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Page 14 GUARDIAN FARMING

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Federated Farmers High Country section:

Hon David Carter, Minister for Biosecurity, addressed the Federated Farmers’ High Country

Conference last month when he spoke on three specifi c issues: the Government’s plan for high country management, the Government’s focus on biosecurity and the Emissions Trading Scheme.

He said that Government had been working on a new system for setting rents for high country pastoral leases during the past 2½ years.

The system now proposed is designed to charge rents based on the earning capacity of a property and to take into account a number of factors, including the productive capacity of the lease and pastoral economic conditions.

Setting in law a system that will achieve a fair rent allows farmers to get on with the job of farming and looking after the high country, rather than fi ghting bureaucracy.Because of parliamentary time constraints there is pressure to get this passed before the election.

New Zealand is recognised internationally as having a very good biosecurity system, but risks exist every day so there is a need to review constantly the system to ensure we are doing the best possible job. Currently the Biosecurity Law Reform

Bill is before Parliament which proposes a number of changes. One of these is Government Industry Agreements designed to ensure that we are better prepared by working with industry prior to an incursion, rather than dealing with it after the event. It’s the ambulance at the top of the cliff , not the bottom.

The Bill also proposes changes to the way

established pests are managed in New Zealand and in March this year the Pest Management National Plan of Action was launched. This plan defi nes how we will all work together to achieve our goal of delivering the best overall outcome for New Zealand. This means all landowners in New Zealand, including the Crown, will

be bound to control pests such as rabbits and wildings trees, so that they don’t spill over and aff ect their neighbours.

The minister gave some brief examples of its current work with communities on supporting rabbit and wilding pine problems. The Government has also changed the status of Canada geese, so that this pest can be more easily managed by farmers, rather than by Fish and Game only which, he said, has failed to manage the numbers responsibly in most regions.

The National Government is currently reviewing the legislated 2015 date for bringing agriculture into the ETS, with another review due in 2014.

The Prime Minister has stated categorically “we’ll only bring agriculture in if it’s consistent with what we see from other producers around the world - and at this point, we are not seeing a lot of movement in other countries.”

The Primary Growth Partnership, a government-industry partnership launched just 20 months ago has so far pledged a staggering $477 million towards cutting-edge primary sector innovation. This is the largest-ever funding injection in this space.

Government can also take credit for our international initiative, the Global Research Alliance.

David Carter, Minister for Biosecurity.

Check that stored grain

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 15

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Have you checked your grain stores? A number of farmers report they have signifi cant populations of bugs in silos.

Grain has now been in store for four to fi ve months. Grain in store at above ideal moisture content or temperature will generally store for three months before any signifi cant problems occur.

Similarly increases in pest populations will not generally be obvious until grain has been in store for approximately three months. Farmers should now regularly monitor all silos for changes in grain quality and increases in insect populations.

Moisture content and temperature of grain will change in the store. Moisture increases will generally occur near the surface of the grain bed in the centre of the silo. Moisture changes will occur even if grain has entered the silo at safe storage moistures.

As the silo cools in autumn, cool air will move down the sides of the silos and warm air will move up through the centre of the silo. When it reaches the cool grain near the surface it will condense on the grain at the surface in the middle of the silo, hence increasing moisture.

Insect feeding will also result in increases in moisture content of grain as they produce carbon dioxide and water from the starch they consume. For each one per cent of grain eaten the moisture content will increase by 0.65 per cent.

Moisture increases from insect feeding may be localised initially but will result in moisture accumulation near the surface.

Temperature increases in the silo are a general indicator things are not okay. Temperature can be easily measured at a number of locations in each silo. Temperature increases typically result in a build-up of moisture.

• Localised increases occur in areas where insect populations have increased or moulds are developing.

• High temperatures near the surface particularly in cold weather indicate deterioration.

Aeration using cool dry air is the best way to reduce temperature and moisture problems in silos. Aeration equalises the moisture throughout the grain.

Increases in insect populations will often occur near the doors, or at points in the silo where they can over-summer or enter the silo. Aeration with cool air is a very eff ective way to minimise insect activity in grain, as populations of the major pests will not increase when temperatures are below 15°C.

Optimum temperatures for reproduction are over 26°C. Insect pitfall traps can be used to eff ectively monitor insect populations.

Localised treatment with a registered insecticide can be eff ective, but can also leave residues in fl our and other cereal products, always check the label. For example, products such as Actellic have long residual activity so should only be used once in a season.

It is imperative that stored grain is checked regularly - the longer it is stored the more checks need to be made.

Winchmore update - July

Page 16 GUARDIAN FARMING

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Unlike last year, this July has been almost normal with regard to the met data comparisons, 20 frosts

to date ranging down to -7.9° C, soil temperature average 4.0° C, however the rainfall to date (July 21) is the second lowest ever recorded.

Pasture growth rates have been as expected and are below the 23 year average data that I have available.

Surprisingly the growth rate from the cage in the very old (as in 40 plus years,) sown pasture grew at twice the rate of the more recently sown pasture.

This has happened before and I suspect that maybe the diff erence in the swards may be part of the reason; the much older pasture is much denser compared to the newer pasture.

Only 230 dairy cows remain out of the 800 that started grazing the kale paddocks and soon they will be heading home as well. Once again there has been very little mud which makes the days much more pleasant; one small problem has been the occasional water pipe fi tting to the troughs freezing in the frosts and springing a leak.

These are always easier to fi x while the ground is still frosty and you can stand on top of the mud in your ordinary boots rather than later on when it has thawed

out and a trip back to the yard to get the gumboots on is required.

The 180 rising one-year dairy heifers were in the yards last week for a drench and copper bullet capsule and also weighed. They have averaged 0.3 kg per day live weight gain which is slightly more than I had budgeted their feed plan for, nevertheless, they should continue to do okay even though I have had to adjust their feeding allowance

and increase their baleage ration a small amount.

Ewes scanning happened two weeks ago, with one science mob scanning 199 per cent while the other mob only scanned at 169 per cent, the result of one ram fi ring blanks with his small mob of ewes, a potential problem of single sire mating.

In hindsight, we should have found rams

from similar family groups and swapped all mobs half way through mating, although the science guys have not had a problem in the past.

“If we knew about hindsight we would never be in the crap to start with”, a friend of mine recently told me.

At the recent Beef and Lamb day at Invermay, Landcorp, in conjunction with AgResearch, presented a paper on triplet lamb survival; details of which have appeared in some of the weekly farming papers.

They found that separating the triplet scanned ewes early and feeding them to fully meet their body requirements, which often doesn’t quite happen, translated into an average 0.4 kg of birth weight per lamb born and resulted into an increased 6 per cent survival rate.

In rough fi gures it works out to be “money for jam”, just by being more particular and exacting on feeding those high producing ewes better. It is certainly an area I am concentrating on this season to try and better my production results.

In the meantime, spring is not far away and preparation for the busy time ahead needs to be completed and last minute details and work organised. Let’s hope for a kind season.

John Carson

With a little extra attention to detail triplets can easily be the result.

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 17

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Page 18 GUARDIAN FARMING

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, pfergus@xtra.co.nz

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

25 McNally Street, AshburtonPh (03) 307-2027

www.plainsirrigators.co.nz

Your locally owned and operated Zimmatic importer & distributor

Design, Installand service

Spaldings Flatlift Sub Soilersp

Dale Plough SharesPlough Conversion Kits

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0800 472 563Fax 03 308-6512plameragriparts@xtra.co.nz34 Robinson St, Industrial Estate, Ashburton

Ashburton Industrial Estate

Get the job done right

Story: Amanda NiblettTHE PLACE for agricultural parts

and equipment When it comes to your farm machinery parts, Palmers Agri Parts Direct Ltd has the knowledge, equipment and suppliers to get the job done right, and now with a larger showroom, they have over 1,000 parts in stock to ensure that the job can be done immediately.

After knocking out a wall in the showroom, Palmers re-built the display walls and have tripled the stock on display, ensuring that there is an extensive range for sale at all times. The increased range of consumable parts and replacement machine equipment increases the chance that their customers won’t have to wait to get a replacement part, which is imperative to get machinery back up and running.

The agricultural engineering business operates out of 34 Robinson Street in the Riverside Industrial Estate, Ashburton and can manufacture and repair almost any on-farm machinery, managing director Paul Rowland said.

“We make and sell many grubber points and parts for New Zealand and European implements, from your common Clough or Duncan grubber to your Sunflower or Vibroflex cultivator and to your European Kverneland or Lemken plough.”

Palmers stocks many plough parts, shares and points, chisel plough parts, s tines, bale forks, plough conversion kits, mouldboards, dale plough shares, plough share rebuilds, plough nuts and bolts, manufacture and supply combine

crop lifters, knives, fingers, mower and chopper blades, irrigation border dyke gates, Blo thru gates and one off designs, irrigation gate arms and irrigation clocks.

From the Robinson Street workshop, Paul says he and his staff members have the space and gear to make up, not only one single part, but thousands if needed.

As New Zealand’s sole agent and distributor of Spaldings UK European agricultural parts and accessories and importers of Spaldings Flatlift Subsoilers, Palmer Agri Parts Direct Ltd can offer clients almost any part required for any earth-engaging machine.

Spaldings are Europe’s leading distributor of agricultural replacement parts for soil and crop engaging machinery.

The subsoiler is a versatile machine and as well as having a five-year frame warranty, available in 3, 4, 5 or 7 leg options it has hardened hinged legs with shear bolt or hydraulic auto trip, replacement points and wings on legs, been built and designed in the UK. The subsoiler will improve drainage, aids germination, is efficient, has a durable design and will improve your soil structure and cuts running costs.

Palmer Agri Parts is an installer and servicer of Yarroweyah/GEA Westfalia milking platforms and manufacturer of dairy yard systems, general engineering and maintenance and repair work.

The business also stocks Bare Co tractor parts and accessories, PTO shafts and safety covers, Stock feeders, Bird scarers , and much more.

Top from left to right: Paul Rowland

(Managing Director),Mark Horrell

(Tradesman Engineer) and Corey Thomson

(Tradesman Engineer)Centre:

Extensive parts in stock. Bottom Left:

Our shop department.

Bottom Right: Our engineering

department.

T 03 308 5577 www.spraymarks.co.nz

· Maintenance · Manufacturing · General Engineering· Compressors· Sales

The red herring of astrologyKen Ring

GUARDIAN FARMING Page 19

0800 4 PALMERS - 0800 472 563 - 34 Robinson St, Riverside Industrial Estate, Ashburton

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“Fear makes you concentrate on signifi cance and certainty”

-Tony Robbins

It is okay to disagree with one’s father but not okay to disrespect him for he gave you life. You would not be if not for him.

Astrology gave life to the sciences. Not the star signs and your love life - that is not the forerunner of science. Astrology was prediction, based on cycles of planets, including sun and moon and the notion that they somehow infl uenced life on earth. Some of that is blindingly obvious. There is no problem with astrology in non-western countries because it incorporates spiritual life.

The argument against astrology is not science vs pseudoscience because in these dark days of climate-gates, fake hockey-stick graphs and emissions-taxes no one knows anymore what true science is. Science should always be honest and prepared to doubt itself, because admitted vulnerability provides redress. The debate about astrology is between religion and politics, and when science gets involved it is when both of these have hijacked science.

Western Christian religions still promote their core ethic that any prediction is some sort of subversion. The founding statement of the USA is still “In God We Trust”. You will never see ‘In Astrology We Trust’ on any nation’s banknote, because astrology never felt the need to promote itself to the position of providing political mottos.

From Barne’s Notes on the Bible (http://bible.cc/matthew/7-15.htm) we read of False Prophets. The word prophet meant one who foretells future events. A false prophet was a teacher of “incorrect doctrine, one falsely and unjustly laying claims to divine inspiration”.

What possibly could be false when foretelling a future event. How can a prediction be wrong if it hasn’t yet happened? It was considered false if it was something which the masters did not authorise, because it questioned their authority. We fi nd the same attitude today among science academics.

It isn’t the nature of the prediction but who states it that is the eternal problem. There was once no intellectual property because it was a given that God would do all our thinking for us, and all we needed to supply was

faith. Not so in the East, where the power structure of society was not wholly dominated by the people of the temples because these had their own subculture, like neighbourhood health clinics.

They even had their own cities and compounds. You went to a holy man if you wanted advice, a good date for an event, a cleansing before your own event, or a time-out meditative vacation.

They did not go around the neighbourhood knocking on doors cajoling anyone who would listen to “save” themselves before it was too late. Nor did they presume to dictate what others should think. The path was yours to choose - or not and you reaped any consequences. No one’s nose was put out of joint if you did not join.

Politics is the problem. The anti-astrology brigade think they can dress their objections in a science cloak but do not realise their put-downs are religious fervour.

That astrologers are respected in foreign cultures helps create suspicion here for foreigners, and fuels fears of takeovers by immigrants. Back comes the security of the Church, driving home the doctrine of Lord-knows-best; making predictions anathema to the Hand and Will of God and His Works. Prediction=astrology=evil.

It could be argued that this debate is what is left of the seek-and-destroy zeal of The Crusades, a battle for hearts and minds that gave rise to persecutions, inquisitions and deaths of innocent non-believers for about 2000 years and perhaps still continues in spirit among the academia of the West when feeling threatened by alternative viewpoints.

It is a debate you will never see widened too much, because both sides have something to lose. The ‘astrology’ camp (for want of a better description) are aware that battle would separate them, and many are practising religious people; Catholics, Jewish, Protestant etc, and spiritually comfortable with at least parts of the religion they were brought up in.

They have no stomach to be labelled heathens. On the other side, the Church would not want to reopen the old Galileo debate, just when the Pope has fi nally exonerated him 400 years after he expressed a diff erent viewpoint.

It is why politicians and scientists will take a random stab at alternatives but then move quickly on before debate festers, lest they become bogged down in a side road that opponents have better learned to negotiate.

While each side will take healthy little jabs at each other now and again as playful entertainment, the ruling church/government/media/science community would secretly love more of the type of allegiance many have for astrology - if only they could dream up an angle. That they can’t is why they attack it out of market jealousy.

Sometimes attacking makes the news, but it is not sustainable, and sooner or later the bullied are always given power through empathy. I have been mistakenly labelled an astrologer by scientists who know zilch about astrology and less what my methodology is.

They only think my science diff ers from theirs, astrology diff ers from their religion, so therefore I must be an astrologer. They are wrong on all three counts.

That alternatives are worthy of attack is a recognition of some status. Alternative practitioners should take that and with silent grace as a victory, and quietly get on with it, because they are ahead - the science crowd are watching them like a cat watching a mouse and itching to pounce.

The best policy would be for science to stop pillorying eg astrology and let the market decide. Why do people rush to their horoscope pages before reading even the headline news? It is because astrology purports to be about them, and each person is his own favourite subject.

Unless geologists and seismologists get out from behind their computer models and statistics and move more among the people, addressing their concerns with information and understanding, the public perception will be that science’s prime focus is self-protection, as for religion and politics. That is when credibility gets lost.

When earthquakes aff ect us quick answers are required because suddenly it is all about us and we are suff ering. Unless science can supply information it can be knocked aside in the rush for information from anywhere.

When certainty is lacking some fi nd comfort in horoscopes because there they will at least fi nd predictive talk, which is all they really seek. Since September adequate answers have not been forthcoming and the Christchurch earthquakes have shaken the foundations of earth-science in this country.

Cracks have appeared. I am interested to see if they will patch or rebuild.

General August is another dry month, in an overall dry winter, and average to cloudier. Apart from wet periods of around the 9th, 13th and 25th, most mornings see frosts. From 1-7 and 30-31 August is good for planting and weeding. From 15-21 is best for pruning and spraying. High kingtides are expected around 4th and 30th. Potentials for seismic disturbance may be around August 1-3, 7-9, 14-19, and 27-30. Averages for maxima may be 12°C and for minima -2°C to 1°C.

Approximately 3 to 6

August 3rd, 9th 13th-14th, 25th, 28th

August 1st-8th, 15th-24th, 26th-31st

August 13th, 25th

August 6th-7th, 24th-25th

August 11th-12th

August 7th

August 5th-10th

August 2nd-5th, 15th-24th

August 15th-24th

August 6th-14th

7mm

13mm

17mm

130 hrs (August average 142hrs)

Number of rain days:

Precipitation potential times:

Mostly dry

Wettest periods:

Warmest maximum temperatures:

Coolest maximum temperatures:

Warmest minimums:

Coldest minimums:

Sunniest days:

Best days for outdoor recreation:

Cloudiest:

Estimated precipation for Ashburton:

Rakaia:

Methven:

Estimated sunshine amount for Ashburton:

Weather by The Moon: August Forecast

Page 20 GUARDIAN FARMING