| 93 nzdairy DAIRY SERVICES » Normanby Contractors 2017 Providing reliable, multi-service support The focus through spring and summer is on grass silage, hay and maize planting and harvesting. Russell Fredric From pasture to pit, paddock to platform, Normanby Contractors provides reliable multi-service support built around the realities of farmers’ seasonal workloads. The company provides silage, hay and maize harvesting, groundwork, dairy lane metal and dairy supplements and has been owned and operated by Gary Nickel since 2017, although the Nickel name in local contracting stretches back to about 70 years. His father, Jim, began bulldozing at just 18, laying the groundwork, literally, for what would become a long-standing family operation. “That’s when Dad started contracting. He began with a bulldozer doing straight groundwork jobs,” Gary says. His father passed away aged 93 just over a year ago with Gary continuing the family legacy. Today, the business remains a small-scale family operation with three full-time staff, supplemented by seasonal workers during peak periods and focused on the core services that have kept it relevant. “Mainly it’s hay, silage and metal cartage. We don’t go chasing everything. We stick to what we do.” With the seasons dictating the rhythm of Normanby Contractors’ workflow, the focus through spring and summer is on grass silage, hay and maize planting and harvesting. Metal work for farm races and tanker tracks generally ramps up from late April once the bulk of harvesting is complete. This year, the variable weather has created plenty of unpredictability. “The start of spring was all right, but lately it’s been a real challenging season. The weather just hasn’t played ball for making hay, so there’s been a lot more baleage done.” That is a sharp contrast to the previous season, when Taranaki farmers were managing drought during summer and early autumn. Gary notes that competition across the contracting sector has intensified during recent years, but Normanby Contractors continues to rely on long-established relationships. “We’ve got our own loyal clients and we stick with them. We’re loyal to them and they’re loyal to us.” “We’re only a small business; there’s no benefit in travelling miles and miles chasing work.” Normanby Contractors’ core equipment comprises two Foden trucks, four Case tractors, a Claas self-propelled harvester and a three-metre Vredo seed drill capable of planting up to 25 to 30 hectares in a long day. Direct drilling and pasture renewal have also become a growing part of the workload. “I believe demand for direct drilling has increased. A lot of farmers are under sowing their pastures now.” Rather than spraying paddocks out completely, many are opting to refresh them by drilling new seed into existing pasture. “Grass seed doesn’t last forever. If the paddock’s still reasonable, they’ll go back in and under sow instead of starting from scratch.” Under sowing can also mitigate damage from winter grazing by cattle. “Paddocks get chopped up a bit in winter, so they’ll under sow to get good pasture back into them.” This is a practical way of renewing pasture without the full cost and downtime of total regrassing, allowing farmers to maintain productivity while managing costs. Subject to seasonal availability, Normanby Contractors also has baleage, lucerne bales and hay available. Specialising in rural services with over 25 years in the trade means you are choosing an Electrician you can trust. (06) 272 8210 027 515 5442 We are proud to be the chosen electrician for Normanby Contractors. Call Chris for all your electrical needs. Available 24 hours a day 7 days a week Proudly supporting Normanby Contractors 2017 Rob Lintern - Phone: 027 272 8335 | 172 Turuturu Road Hawera, Taranaki | linternengineering@yahoo.co.nz Specialists in heavy transport and LT400 certi cation and repairs “We’ve got our own loyal clients and we stick with them. We’re loyal to them and they’re loyal to us.”
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