Ashburton Courier: September 17, 2020

RURAL/LIFESTYLE
30 Ashburton Courier, September 17, 2020
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
IN BRIEF
WILDING PINE
REMOVAL
Anationwideplan to tackle more
than 800,000hectares infestedwith
wilding pines over the nextyear will
generate 171 newjobs and
investment of over$17 million in
Canterbury projects.Intotal, there
will be 550 jobs and $36million
throughout NewZealand but most
of the new funding –$17.2 million –
will fund projects in Canterbury
covering over 400,000hectares;
$16,845,102willfund major control
workin the Mackenzie Basin,West
Canterbury andNorth Canterbury
and $360,620will fund wilding
projects on Banks Peninsula.
LIVE EXPORTS UNDER
REVIEW
The Ministryfor Primary Industries
(MPI) haslaunchedanindependent
reviewofthe assurancesitreceives
for the safe transport of livestock by
sea.Mike HeronQChas been
appointed to lead the review
following thelossofthe Gulf
Livestock 1atsea.Hewill be
supported by retired RearAdmiral
TonyParr.Itwill assess assurances
MPIreceived whenconsidering an
applicationfor live animal exports.
The currenttemporarysuspension
of cattle livestock exportswill
remain in placeuntil the review
report is completed and considered.
It is expected to take amonth.
SKILLED DAIRY
WORKERS RETURN
Someskilledmigrant dairy farm
staffwillbeabletoreturn to New
Zealand fromoverseas, butthere
will be strictcriteria to follow. The
visa holders andtheir familieswill
needtofollowall border control
processesand go into quarantineor
managed isolation, before re-joining
theircommunitieshere. However
DairyNZ stronglyadvised migrants
and employers to understand the
rulesand confirm if theymeetthe
exemptioncriteria before submitting
applications. Some willnot meet the
criteria.
Anyoneinterested in findingout
about dairyopportunitiesatgodairy.
co.nz
OCEANIA DAIRY
PIPELINE
An independent hearing panel has
granted Oceania Dairy, in Glenavy
consents to build apipeline.
Oceania Dairyapplied for six
consents in 2019relating to the
construction of a7.5 km coastal
outfall anddischargeoftreated
wastewaterinto the coastalmarine
area,fromamilk-processingfactory
situated at 30 Cooneys Road,
Glenavy. ECanappointed three
independentcommissioners who
have granted the applications with
conditionsimposed. The
construction-relatedconsents have
adurationof10years and the
operational consents adurationof
35 years,with alapse date of 10
years.Submitters and theapplicant
have15working days to appealthe
decision.
INCREASING DAIRY
COWFERTILITY
Texas A&M University research
shows the stronger the intensity ofa
cow’s estrous(heat), the better
chance shehas of holding a
pregnancy. Findings mayhelp dairy
farmers improveherdfertility with a
heatdetection plan inplaceto
ensure animals are put up for AI
whenestrous intensity is strongest.
Keeping rural women connected
Marg Verrall has been named Rural
Women NewZealand(RWNZ) Mid
Canterburyprovincial president.
Amemberofthe Winchmore branchof
RWNZ,Marg is looking forward to the
challenge but mindfulofthe work done by
othersinthe role.
“Thepeople before me have done great
jobs, it’s abit daunting there are big shoes
to fill.”
Marg got involved with RWNZ after
beingencouraged, for many years, by
neighbourNgaireBrown.
She resisted until her three children,
now adults withchildren of their own,
were older as she supported their
sportingactivities.Itincluded being
involvedwith AllentonNetballClub,
where she is alife member.
RWNZ startedasthe Women’s Division
of the Farmer’s Unionin1925, and is vocal
at anational level on range of rural sector
services such as health,education,
environment andsocial issues.
Mid Canterburystill hasthree active
branches: Anama, Lynnfordand
Winchmore, as wellasindividual
members.
Marg moved to Winchmore after
marrying Bob in the 1970s.
Their property along State Highway 77
between Ashburton andMethvenhas been
in the Verrall family now over four
generations.Bob is the third generation
farmeronthe 205hectare farm.
There is alot of diversification on farm
with cropping, fattening cattle,grazing
and sileage operations duringthe year,
Marg said.
Theyalsorun Winchmore Gardens, by
appointment during the summerseason,
to showcase thehomestead’s 1.8 hectare
gardenstoothers.
Marg is charmed by the history of the
property andfeelsanemotional
connectiontoit.
The house sits on thesite of theoriginal
Winchmore Estate House.
The estate once spanned justover 8093
Dairy industry award
review completed
An independent review
into the NewZealand
Dairy Industry Awards
revocation of the national
title and merit awards
from Nick andRosemarie
Bertram has been
completedby Susan
Hughes QC.
The couple were
announced ShareFarmers
of theYear in July before
tweets, publishedbyMr
Bertram in 2017 became
known.
The award wasrevoked
from the couple who had
entered as apartnership.
The purpose of the
review was to understand
more detail about what
was known of the tweets
sent out by Mr Bertram in
2017,how that knowledge
(of the tweets) was dealt
with at thetime,and howa
similar situation could be
avoided in the future.
Ms Hughes said it was
important that“all
involved in these awards
recognise the dangers of
socialmedia and the need
to remind allparties of this
issue at repeated points
along the application
trajectory, so as to avoida
repetitionofthese events.”
The title of 2020 New
Zealand Share Farmer of
the Year has since been
awarded to Sarah and
Aidan Stevenson, from
Sarah and Aidan
Stevenson, from Waikato.
Waikato, with runners­up
Samuel andKaren
Bennett, from Southland,
andthird place Simon and
Natasha Wilkes,from
Taranaki.
The nationalmerit
awardswere also
reallocated with Adam and
Maria Barkla awarded the
Federated Farmers
leadership award, and
Aidan and Sarah
Stevenson the
Ravensdown Pasture
PerformanceAward, the
Westpac Business
PerformanceAward and
the DeLaval Interview
Award.
Entriesfor theNZDIA
2021awardsprogramme,
with afocus on social
mediafootprints,opens on
October 1.
Rural Women New Zealand Mid Canterbury provincial president Marg Verrall in the
grounds of Winchmore Gardens.
hectares (or20,000 acres).
It was named Winchmore by the lease
holder George Hart in 1853, whonamed it
after his birth place,WinchmoreHill, in
London.
He planted the grounds to resemble his
birthplacewith asemi­circulardriveway,
large vegetable and flower gardens.
In the past therewere dedicated
vegetable gardens full of produce to
sustain the homestead household, Marg
said.
There arestill wellingtonia trees, aged
up to 160 years, growing in the extensive
gardens which have kept many original
designfeatures, with modifications, as
well as akissing gatefrom the era.
Bob’s grandfather, HarryMiles Verrall,
bought the property in 1928 and farmed
sheep. Bob’s father, Ken, eventually
bought the Winchmore block in 1966. His
wife, Rosalie, was an avidgardener and
maintained the grounds.
On Ken’sretirement to Ashburtonin
2310239
1993653
We canassistinthe following:
Rotaryboomirrigators serviceand repairs
Dairyshedyardwork –gates, rails etc.
Trailer manufacturing and repairs
Full time workshop attendancefor
emergencyrepairss
Over countersales and courier deliveries
Chains,bearings
Phone 308 5903 weekdays l Email: agserve@xtra.co.nz
On call 7days: Doug: 027 282 2245, Matt (Tomo): 021 518 538
Nowat15Malcolm McDowell Drive
Purpose.Environment.
Partnership.Innovation.
Excellence.
• DairyNZ accreditedEffluent
Pond Design andConstruction
• Pond Constructionand
Irrigation Development
• Hedgeand StumpRemoval
• Farm Conversions
1978, the property was taken over by Bob,
andMarg continued maintainingthe
gardens.
The familyhave compiled aphoto
album withcopies of photographs of the
estate, its homesteads and some of its
people datingfromthe 1870s.The Verrall
homeisthe thirdhomestead built on the
site.
The original house burned down about
1908and thesecondhomestead needed
extensive roof structuralwork and major
maintenance. It was demolishedin1984.
Marg is hoping to use her role with
RWNZ to continueoffering womenin the
rural community achance to connect with
others throughface­to­face meetings and
by monthly newsletter sent directly to
members.
She said RWNZ have been involved in a
number of activitiesincluding knitting
Warmth Hats and are planning their
distribution aroundthe district, as wellas
Meals On Wheels deliveries.
• DairyTracks–
Lime or Gravel
• PumpHire
• Wellsand Galleries
• Bulk Earthworks
• Subdivisions
PK trailer repairs and maintenance
Wire rope supply and splicing
Alloyand stainless weldingng
Mainline repair
Pivotmechanicalmaintenance,
gear boxesand fencewalkers
General engineering
• Site Works
• Tree Shear
• Transportation
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