Business Rural Autumn 2021

8 | RURAL PEOPLE » Mark Adams A problem shared ... is a problem halved Mark Adams, South Canterbury Rural Support Trust Chair says that working together on a problem “isn’t asking for help, it’s sharing our expertise.” Virginia Wright T he Adams’ farm is 480 hectares of steep to rolling downs in the Fairlie Basin. They run 2700 Romney-Texel sheep plus 600 hoggets and they trade 100 to 200 head of cattle through the year. While the farm was bought by Mark Adams’ family in the early 70’s, he and his Swiss- German wife Maja moved onto it 28 years ago to start farming in their own right as a young married couple in 1993. Over the years they’ve worked their way through many of the typical challenges faced by New Zealand farmers such as drought and deep snow, as well as other difficulties like very high interest rates and an ever-changing market around sheep and lamb, with prices more likely to go down than up. More recently the heightened awareness around environmental impact and the regulatory changes coming in its wake adds an- other layer of challenges to their farming system. One thing Mark has learnt by experience is that weathering a storm is a lot easier if you do it as part of your community rather than trying to battle it out on your own; and while no-one would wish for the current Covid crisis there’s one thing he gives it credit for. “Covid has reminded us that community is important,” he says. “We’re wired for connection and we’re wired to be interdependent which is why we’re at our best when we work as a collective, rather than in isolation. “The thing is that as farmers we don’t like to ask for help, but we need to recognise that work- ing together on a problem isn’t asking for help, it’s sharing our expertise.” After many years with Federated farmers,including as the Chair of his local branch • to page 9 R J PRESTON LTD Farm Accountants JAMES GORDON IAN COOKE E-mail: James@rjpreston.co.nz GRANT DAVID McCULLOCH E-mail: Grant@rjpreston.co.nz TELEPHONE: 03 358 5686 FACSIMILE: 03 358 7958 www.rjpreston.co.nz 32B SHEFFIELD CRESCENT PO BOX 39065, CHRISTCHURCH 8545 PUDNEY FENCING Local experienced fencers servicing Fairlie, Albury and Mackenzie Basin l i i i i li , l i i ∙ Conventional Stock Fencing ∙ Predator Fencing ∙ Lifestyle/Commercial/Residential ∙ Yard Repairs & Replacement (Sheep, Cattle & Deer) ∙ Pole Sheds , For free quotes and consultation, contact: For free quotes and , : Chris Pudney 03 685 8711 or 027 685 8104 and a term as the South Canterbury President, his extensive network, administrative skills and com- munity awareness are again being used to good effect in his role as Chair of the South Canterbury Rural Support Trust. “We can see the strain that the issues of today around freshwater, biodiversity and climate change put on farmers, “ says Mark. “So the Rural Support Trust is about recognising that some- times farming is tough and that having someone alongside you can make a big difference if you’re struggling.” Practically speaking what this might mean, in a scenario that isn’t uncommon, is that a neighbour may notice that someone’s stock aren’t looking as well fed as they used to. They recognize that this could mean that something’s up and they can ask the Rural Support Trust to follow up. “We’ve got a bunch of people spread across South Canterbury, whether they’re farmers or rural service providers, with a massive network they “We can see the strain that the issues of today around freshwater, biodiversity and climate change put on farmers. So the Rural Support Trust is about recognising that sometimes farming is tough and that having someone alongside you can make a big difference if you’re struggling.” FAST GROWTH, HIGH YIELD, LESS DRENCHING, GUARANTEED PERFORMANCE DO YOU WANT LESS WORK? Orari Gorge Romney and RomTex actively select for FEWER DAGS AND GREATER RESISTANCE AND RESILIENCE TO WORMS. Still the ONLY STUD IN THE COUNTRY to do this on SIL. “Over 500mm of rain over ten weeks between ram lambs’ first and second drench. Many ram lambs still growing faster than the control mob that was drenched every three weeks.” Breeding MORE PROFITABLE & MORE SUSTAINABLE sheep in the HILL COUNTRY for the HILL COUNTRY. “Home of the Beef + Lamb Genetics Low Input Progeny Test” NOW ALSO SELLING TERMINAL RAMS Robert & Alex Peacock | 03 692 2893 | robert@orarigorge.co.nz Orari Gorge Station, RD 21, Geraldine, South Canterbury, New Zealand ORARI GORGE STATION Please contact us any time for more information or to arrange a visit.