Business Rural Winter 2021

| 111 Servicing bigger farms drives growth RURAL SERVICES » Joe Herbert Contracting Sue Russell L ooking back on his journey to date provid- ing agricultural contracting services in South Otago, Joe Herbert, says he didn’t intend to necessarily grow the business to the size it is today. “When I started out we had one plough and a couple of tractors and today we have seven tractors and associated gear. I think the main reason why we grew was that some of our clients invested in much larger farms,” says Joe. The fleet includes John Deere 6150M, 6175M, 7810, 7280R and two 7230Rs, two McHale fusion 3 Plus balers, SaMase triple mowers, two Kverneland rakes, a 4.8m Taege direct drill, a Titan roller drill, a Monosem precision planter, two kverneland ploughs, Quivogne ripper and a Shelbourne hedge cutter. He covers an area 30km north of Milton, where the business is based, to 50km South, an area he says is plenty big enough to keep the team and the fleet busy. Joe Herbert Contracting offers fencing, baling and cultivation services to the rural sector and as such, the year follows a pattern of activity and service offering. In September, discing and ripping the ground that has been in winter crop occurs and through October these paddocks are ploughed ready for regrassing while other paddocks are prepared for winter crops to be grown. In October summer crops are also sown and right through to the end of April land growing oats and MILTON LTD • General Engineering and Repairs • Hydraulic Hoses and Fittings • Aluminium and Stainless Welding • Certified Welding • Mobile Welding and Repair Service Kelvin Maguire 027 392 6373 maguire.eng@xtra.co.nz 303 Union Street, Milton For all your Trucking needs, call: 027 227 2324 or Proud to be associated with Joe Herbert Contracting www.agpac.co.nz is proud to support Joe Herbert Contracting Ltd grass are baled. “We precision plant from October till January and we are hoping to cut hedges from February till September.” Fencing is another service the business offers clients. Joe has used new fencing technology, in the form of recycled plastic posts and says the drop in the cost of these is pleasing to see. “A couple of years ago each post cost $25, now that price has dropped down to $15.50 making them a really good option, both in terms of per- formance once in the ground but also from a cost perspective.” He thinks these posts will become more and more popular as the old standard wooden posts of come up for replacement. “They don’t perform well under irrigation, expe- riencing wet-dry-wet-dry conditions, whereas the plastic posts are not impacted by changes in soil condition.” Asked about plans ahead for the company Joe says he isn’t really sure he wants to grow the size of the business much larger. “I have three sons involved and they may decide in time to grow the business in new directions but as it is at the moment I am happy with what we do and how many we have on board.” His main concern is just how much productive farmland is being taken into forestry. When Rural South spoke with Joe in April he was expecting the arrival of a new tractor and roller. He’s loyal to the John Deere brand, saying his experience is that he gets very good mileage out of their equipment and solid service when needed. Pleased to be of support to Joe Herbert Contracting Ltd Joe Herbert Contracting offers fencing baling and cultivation services around their Milton base in South Otago.