24 | Things looking up Simon and Jack. Karen Phelps Nothing shows the farming spirit better than the sight of Sally Officer paddling across the river in a boat to reach the road to get to work at Gisborne Hospital for her role as a duty nurse manager after the public bridge main access to their farm was destroyed by Cyclone Gabrielle. “I’m quite stubborn and I didn’t want to have to drive an hour and a half to get to work,” she says. “You gotta do what you gotta do don’t you?” Sally and partner Simon who own Mahaanui in Tiniroto have had a tough year. But things are slowly getting better. Since the cyclone caused major infrastructure damage to their 600ha farm they are still very much in recovery mode. All three access routes were taken out and the cyclone obliterated half of the tracks on the farm and filled up three quarters of their dams with silt. They estimate it affected around 15% of their land. They were unable to get stock out by truck until November and had to walk them 12kms to a neighbouring property to transport them out. “Silver lining is Simon lost a lot of weight from all the extra walking on the farm,” jokes Sally. Everything is temporarily fenced off and they plan to permanently fence off and retire some steeper areas where the recovery of grass will be difficult. They had already fenced off the 15km river boundary, which is now all native bush as well as two steep unproductive paddocks and eventually will have nearly 50ha of land retired by June. Damage to land has affected pasture production but because the cyclone happened in February a lot of the tailings from the slips have grown grass due to the autumn growth so the 15% of land adversely affected has already reduced by half. RURAL PEOPLE » Mahaanui Farm and Farmstay Proudly associated with Mahaanui Farm & Farmstay 07 378 2604 info@uptake.co.nz www.uptake.co.nz “In this day and age consumers want to know about all aspects of the production of their meat, vegetables, grains they are going to eat. Our philsophy fits in with those values.” At Mahaanui Farm, the use of suspended micro-nutrient fertiliser has found its time, particularly considering its holistic approach to supporting plant and animal health from the soil up. Soil Scientist Dr Gordon Rajendram is one of New Zealand’s leading experts in Agronomy. As an experienced environmental farm consultant he is committed to helping New Zealand farmers get the most out of their soil so that their farm can work more proficiently and be sustainable while still increasing the farm profitability. Proudly supporting Mahaanui Farm& Farmstay GORDONRAJENDRAMSOILSCIENTIST.CO.NZ RAJENDRAM@XTRA.CO.NZ KAKANUI AVENUE, HILLCREST, HAMILTON MAHAANUI FARM & FARMSTAY PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH Because they couldn’t get any heavy trucks in last year they couldn’t apply any spring fertiliser. Access to the farm is still compromised but the main bridge will be replaced later this year. Their on farm accommodation business has also suffered due to access to the farm being 4WD only during the winter months as the usual 1km of gravel road became 20kms. They operate a breeding operation and stock units include 175 cows to calve, 50 two-year-old heifers, 140 yearlings and 8-10 sire bulls – all Hereford Angus cross. They farm 1500 mixed age Romney ewes and two tooths, 500 hoggets and 230 older ewes. A good growing season over the summer has meant they could hang onto lambs longer which has been helpful. They say selling store stock on the farm has made things easier as everything goes off the farm one way rather than needing to bring stock on, which avoids the increased cartage costs. Mentally and emotionally it’s been taxing but they are determined to make the best of things. Son Jack is back home helping on the farm working on fencing. “At the end of the day you have to just get on with it,” says Sally. “I think we realise the importance of making sure the community functions well together and supports each other as we were quite isolated for a while. There have been a lot of funding and local business donations to benefit the community. Everyone goes to the local Tiniroto Hall and various functions happen there.” “There is always someone else worse off,” says Simon. “It’s been a real struggle of a year but its definitely easier now than this time last year.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=