Business Rural Summer 2021

| 59 ready for a busy balage season Bleeker Ag is equipped to wrap bales for silage either individually or as long tubes. The South Canterbury based contractor is well-equipped for every job with an up to date fleet of four Fendt and two Massey tractors and a telehandler for lifting. RURAL SERVICES » Bleeker Ag Services Ltd With farmers increasingly conscious of both the financial and environmental costs associated with balage plastic, Josh says tubes are gaining in popularity as they need way less plastic. “We are equipped to do individual bales or tubes, whatever the preference.” While the Covid situation has contributed to a shortage of skilled machinery operators in the rural contracting sector, Josh is not personally struggling with seasonal staff issues. “I’ve been quite lucky in being able to get three guys from England who came out of quarantine in October, along with another who migrated to New Zealand to live with his wife, who is a Kiwi. He arrived in early September. We could probably still do with another one once we get really busy.” Josh and wife Beth, who manages Bleeker Ag office administration, also have a 170 hectare lease farm just out of Waimate, used for mixed cropping to grow sugar beet, maize and high yield Milton forage oats for seed multiplication (supply- ing PGG Wrightson). Farm machinery and farm production is in Josh’s blood, having grown up on his parents’ arable farm in South Canterbury. “Dad always had a silage chopper on the farm so as I was starting out it was a logical step to use that because making silage has always felt natural to me. Then I started growing more maize and sell- ing it to dairy farmers and just began diversifying more and more. “In the beginning, all I was doing was baling but that isn’t enough to rely on in a dry year. Now that I do seeding and lifting as well, it generally means there’s always something going well!” “I started growing more maize and selling it to dairy farmers.” Enhanced Engine Performance Improved Fuel Consumption Smoother Engine Operation Reduced Harmful Emissions Extended Shelf Life Road legal, unleaded petrol with advanced formulation to provide: High Octane Petrol www.npd.co.nz/100plus Available at selected NPD sites. PHONE: 027 306 1809 EMAIL: bleekercartage@xtra.co.nz VISIT US ON FACEBOOK @ Bleeker Cartage At Bleeker Cartage we solely focus on your rural transport needs. We are all to do with farming, stock feed, fertiliser, cartage and spreading. As well as a blower truck for filling silos. For all your bulk blowing and fertiliser spreading requirements. Scarletts are proud to supply Bleeker Ag with Scannell machinery