| 47 nzdairy Wetland development all part of the plan Colin and his wife Shelley have farmed their 200-hectare dairy unit between Rotorua and Taupo since buying it in 2002. Having circled the sun sixty times, Reporoa dairy farmer Colin Guyton has a philosophy that if he has one joint that is any good when he departs the planet, he probably hasn’t used his body hard enough. Colin and his wife Shelley have farmed their 200-hectare dairy unit between Rotorua and Taupo since buying it in 2002, and now milk about 570 cows. With a river running around the back of the farm and a creek running through the middle, Colin says the farm can get pretty wet, and flood on occasion. In recent years wetland development has been done in conjunction with Environment Waikato and Fish & Game. “We’ve probably developed about six ponds with the biggest covering more than a hectare and planted with native trees. It’s a really cool spot now, just alive with croaking frogs.” Three years ago the couple’s son Jamie and his partner Rachel, came onto the farm as contract milkers, enabling Colin to focus on fertiliser application, re-grassing, putting in crops and general farm oversight. “I have a lot of mates whose sons are not interested in farming, and they’re very envious that Jamie has come home. It’s really cool having family back on the farm, but that does create challenges of course, and we’re learning to communicate better. It’s a lot better having a family member on the farm, because with someone you don’t know you might not ask those hard, challenging questions. You tend to let things slide, and they build up. But when they are family, there’s no hesitation is addressing something that you see happening that you don’t like. Sometimes that causes tension, but it doesn’t build up if you discuss issues as they arise. Shelley tends to deal more with Jamie. She will see something she isn’t happy with, but has the right approach and he will listen to her.” When Jamie came home as contract milker a decision was made to invest in Allflex Collar technology, something Collin says was driven by time and the farm’s mating programme. “Our plan is to move away from natural mating so that we don’t have bulls on the farm. The technology does work and it means no cows on heat are missed through the automatic drafting process. When you move away from bulls you also move away from bobby calves. Aside from mating, it also picks up animal health issues. I think technology has a big future in farming, it always has, but it’s getting a lot more advanced now.” A farmer’s son, and proud to be a farmer, Colin Richard Loader DAIRY PEOPLE » Colin Guyton says most farmers want to do the right thing. “Why would they not want to. So, yes, I’m proud to be a farmer and I think that farming still has a big future in this country.” Another bonus for having Jamie and Rachel on the farm, is that Colin and Shelley also have two wee grandsons close by; Beau 2 and Jai 1. “Being their grandparents is just the coolest thing in the world,” says Colin. “It’s such a cool privilege.” AGRICULTURAL CONTRACTORS Miers Contractors(1995) Ltd • Harvesting • Cultivation • Supplements for sale & supply • Undersowing (all pastures & crops) • Earth moving • Truck cartage • Balage & Hay • Effluent Management 198 Butcher Road, RD2, Reporoa Gordy 021 593 163 | Reece 021 240 5090 | Mark 021 948 472 E mierscontractors@farmside.co.nz INDUSTRIAL | COMMERCIAL | RESIDENTIAL | RURAL PH: 027 495 4615 ELECTRICAL S T E V E N H A Y 24/7 BREAKDOWN SERVICE “We’ve probably developed about six ponds with the biggest covering more than a hectare and planted with native trees. It’s a really cool spot now, just alive with croaking frogs.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=