Ashburton Courier: November 12, 2020

RURAL
28 Ashburton Courier, November 12, 2020
First place ‘pleasant surprise’
TONI.WILLIAMS
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Kit Johnson has been breeding alpacafor
the past 20 years.
That experience saw hiseight­monthold
SilverstreamTemplar win the title of
best junior white male at the alpaca show
heldrecentlyatthe Ashburton A&P
showgrounds.
The firstplace was apleasant surprise,
Mr Johnson said, after only taking homea
fourth at the nationalshow in
Christchurch last month.
However, the eight­month­old had the
size,frame andstature as well as awool
coat which was uniforminmicrons to
carry the win.
“He’s awell grown eight­month­old,” he
said. “With good familypedigree.”
Silverstream Templar’s sire was
KurrawaLegends Thrillseeker,who was
bought by fourinvestors into NewZealand
fromAustralia,and his dam Silver Stream
Panache.
Mr Johnson, and wife Sheryl, own
Silverstream AlpacaStud Farm near
Kaiapoi. As well as offering alpacafor sale
and in­house and mobilematings, they
also have afarmstay business which has
two self­containedcottagesand a
boutique shopsellingalpaca yarn and
garments.
The Johnsons got their first alpaca when
their children, Elliot, Lloyd and Charlotte,
now adults, initially wantedadog.They
didn’tget oneatthe time but the alpaca
studgrew into afamily affair, which
eventually branched into other ventures
suchasthe farmstay and boutique shop.
Elliot andLloyd have spent time
working on farm or judgingalpaca shows
respectively, anddaughter Charlotte,
along withSheryl, opened Paris forthe
Weekend cafe, in nearby Kaiapoi.
The stud farm has 220 alpaca, on its 20
hectaresite, and the animals are
Silverstream Templar is given the first place ribbon by judge Diane Marks in the junior
male white section of the alpaca show.
primarily white fleeced, but there was a
bit of colour, he said. White fleecewas
more commercially sought at it could be
dyed abroad range of colours.
Alpaca fibreissofterthan wool and has
minimal lanolin. It is versatile fibre which
can be carded, spun, woven,knitted or
felted for use in products frombaby
clothing to high­end evening wear to
duvets for the bedroom.
Alpaca havethree stomachs,range from
65 to 75kgfullygrown and have softpaddedhoofmaking
them less harsh on
the land than other livestock, Mr Johnson
said. They also love to eat willow leaves.
It was the goal of the Johnsons to
consistently produce fleecewith ashearweightofnot
lessthan5kg andamicron
count below21atthree years of age.
Mr Johnson is the secretary of Alpaca
Association New Zealand, which has more
than 850 members and 26,000 registered
alpaca nationwide.
In apastlife, Mr Johnson spent more
than 30 yearsinthe tourism industry and
has been able to combine his vast
experience marketingthe stud farm/
farmstay to overseas tourists.
International tourismmay be on the
backburneratthe moment because of
Covid­19 but there were other local
markets beingexplored, he said.
Judging on
Two Mid Canterbury farms
haveenteredthe Canterbury
A&P on­farm dairy competition
and will havetheircattle
judgedtoday and tomorrow.
Brothers Michael Gilbert, of
Rakaia, andNick Gilbert, of
Lauriston, havecattle among
the 92 totalentries received for
the competition put in place to
cover forthe cancellation of
the Canterbury A&P Show,due
to Covid­19.Theywill be
judgedonThursday at 4pmand
Friday at 10.30am respectively.
Winnersare announced on
Fridaynight at an event at
Springston.
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Fine for
illegal
discharge
EnvironmentCanterbury says a
$35,000fine imposed on an
Ashburton dairy farmfor
discharging sediment­laden
water into acreekshould
remind all businesses about
their responsibilitytothe
environment.
DelosDairies pleaded guilty
in theEnvironmentCourttotwo
charges laid under the
ResourceManagement Act. The
illegaldischarge was into
Langdons Drain, hometo
threatenedindigenous fish.
Environment Court Judge JE
Borthwickordered the
company to pay$35,000, which
took into accountadiscount for
goodcharacter and the early
guilty plea.
ECanchief operating officer
NadeineDommisse said the
regionalcouncil wassatisfied at
the outcome.
‘‘Ignoringthese
responsibilitiescan have
devastatingand far­reaching
impacts on rare species, our
community and precious
taonga”.
The offending occurred after
achannel in an earth bund next
to Langdons Drain was cut in
two places allowing sedimentladen
water from apaddock and
farm tracktodischarge into the
creek.
The waterlogged paddock was
being intensivelywinter grazed
by dairy cows,and the cutting
occurred afteraperiodofheavy
rain.
Intensive winter grazing of
dairy cowscanlead to the soil
compactingand effluent soil
concentrating on the surface.
Rainfall may cause sediment
and effluent to flow into water
bodies.
Langdons Drainis part of a
stockwater network managedby
the Ashburton District Council.
The drain runs for about 20km
and is fed by spring waterthat
connects toanetworkofdrains
aroundAshburton.
The spring water in the drain
offers ahigh­quality habitat for
aquatic life,including koura.
An ecologist who provideda
reportfor sentencing said
cutting the bund resulted in a
substantial inputofsediment,
affecting thehealth of fish,
invertebrateand plant
communities in thedrain.
Same great team, now with national support
Johnson Gluyas Tractors are now
part of the Norwood network.
Norwood has the largest dealerfootprint of anytractorretailer in New Zealand, with25locations
all across thecountry. And, we’re proudtoannounce thatCanterburyand North Otagocustomers
now have access to the full resourcesofthatnetwork,with newdealers in Ashburton, Timaru,
and Oamaru.This means we’re expanding on the advice, support, and product solutions
available in your region.
It’sall partofour commitementtoproviding customerswith the best rangeof
machinery, expertiseand precision farming technology, so we can help grow
the country.
• DairyNZ accredited
EffluentPondDesign
andConstruction
• Pond Constructionand
Irrigation Development
• Hedgeand Stump
Removal
• Farm Conversions
• DairyTracks–
Lime or Gravel
• PumpHire
• Wellsand Galleries
• Bulk Earthworks
• Subdivisions
• Site Works
• Tree Shear
• Transportation
2331633
Visit norwood.co.nz/locations
to find your local dealership.
0800 66 79 663