| 57 nzdairy DAIRY PEOPLE » Troy Peterson Troy is 50:50 sharemilking on his parent’s farm near Opotiki. He has fenced off half a kilometres of waterways and wet areas and planted over 2500 native trees and shrubs on the property. Firm focus on farm environment Rosa Watson A year on from winning runner up share farmer of the year at the Bay of Plenty Dairy Industry Awards, Troy Petersen is in no way resting on his laurels. Troy is 50:50 sharemilking on his parent’s farm near Opotiki where he was brought up. It is a system two farm that has 280 cattle at peak on 90 hectares. Since the awards in 2023, he has undertaken a large amount of development on the farm, planting 2500 natives like flax, manuka and native grasses, lemon wood, totora and cabbage trees. There are 700 more trees arriving in May to be planted in more wet areas on the property, Troy said. He has also fenced up half a kilometres of waterways and wet areas. Troy said they were using a lot of what they learnt through the awards process. “We sort of learnt about microbes and ... if you can shade them, they thrive and they can do a better job cleaning up ... all that sort of stuff.” They had targeted wet areas off the creeks that run into the Otara Rive, “just so the creeks get a filter before they go into the main river. Funding for the planting had come through grants available from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Troy said they had been great to work with. “Our local guy Sammy Fox has been great. “He comes out and he has a look, and he supplies all we need. We just make a plan and go from there.” He was thrilled with how the farm was looking as a result of the development. “It’s making the farm look really nice. “We probably should have done some water tests before we (developed) ... to see where we’re at.” He said in the more intensive areas of the farm they were planting flaxes, which being a natural wormer were handy for the cows. They are also trialling an organic liquid fertiliser on an area of the farm to see how it affects the soil condition and worm numbers. A manager has been employed to oversee the dairy operation so that Troy can spend more time overseeing the development. “I’ve sort of stepped back a bit. It’s been really good. “I found it a bit hard at first, just so used to doing everything my way. You’ve got to just trust them, really.” They dropped back from a system three farm to system two due to the price of crops. However, a favourable summer had meant they had been able to make a large amount of sileage. “It worked out well this year. We made enough sileage for the next year as well. “So that’ll be a good cost saving.” It worked out to be the same tonnage as the crop they would usually grow. He said production was down four per cent this season, but that was because the cows were not put on a crop. But they had achieved a 11 per cent empty rate, “so we’re pretty happy with that.” A new effluent system was being put in to replace the 25-year-old system that the resource consent had expired on. A weeping wall will be installed with a sump behind it which will be pumped into a bladder. “It’ll be good. It needs an upgrade.” Troy is keen to enter the awards again next year. “I’ve sort of stepped back a bit. It’s been really good. I found it a bit hard at first, just so used to doing everything my way. You’ve got to just trust them, really.” FARMit Accountants are proud to support Troy Peterson (07) 307 7245 team@farmit.net.nz www.farmit.net.nz GOLD PARTNER Company Restructures Succession Planning Financial Accounts Tax Planning Equity Partnerships Budgeting and Forecas�ng Stainless steel – fabrication and welding Design Supply Install Steve King 027 4095 0054 Will King 027 615 7922 Robbie Hall 027 807 1312 * * Feed systems * Frost protection * Animal health * Detergent * Rubberware & Consumable * Trenching service c1107kwKing Milking & water systems specialists since 1988 Main Street, Edgecumbe Ph 07 304 9640 anytime
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