Fieldays Exhibitor 2008 Issue 3 - Wintec

Proudly Supported byFriday 13/06/2008 Issue 3Tractor totA youngster at Fieldays tries out a big toyPHOTO: Naomi WilliamsSITTING PRETTYDon’t pooh-pooh Adam’s newinventionPage: 6HOT POTSFirefighters show their skills inthe kitchenPage: 7CHEERY CHAPSBachelors get pom pom tipsfrom the expertsPage: 8Call 0800 2 WINTEC (0800 2 946 832), text ‘info’ to 8283 or visit www.wintec.ac.nz

2 Fieldays ExhibitorThe ExhibitorFieldays Exhibitor is createdby Wintec students anddistributed to exhibitors atFieldays.The Exhibitor has beenpublished since 2003 andwas last year recognisedby the NZ National FieldaysSociety for its OutstandingContribution to the Successof Fieldays.If you would like to contactthe team at the Exhibitor withfeedback, story suggestionsor to discuss sponsorshipopportunities, please emailjulie.starr@wintec.ac.nzInsideA whip-cracking goodtime........................page 5Simple works best withavocados..............page 6ContributorsEDITOR’S BENCH• Julie StarrEditor in residence• Charles Riddle• Kirsty Armstrong• Jeremy SmithJOURNALISTSKarla Akuhata, KellyBadman, Shaun Bamber,Julian Beresford, SophieBoladeras, Matt Bowen, BalajiChandramohan, Amanda Gray,Mary Holmes, Janine Jackson,Matt Mylchreest, Luke Parker,Sarah-Lee Ryan, Ben Stanley,Katie Stone, Robin Thomsen,Aaron Goile, Bianca Kaipara,Courtney Mellor, Aden Morunga,Nakita Wairepo, AmandaWisnewski’DESIGNERSGemma Conn, Emerson Moore,Ilana McMorran, Lesley Daniel,Michelle HaseldenPHOTOGRAPHERSTammy McCloughen, KellyPetersen, Trish Macky, NaomiWilliams, Kirstie Smith, KaiFisher, Claire Goldsworthy,Alysse Brown, David CookSponsorsWe would like to thank oursponsors, Gallagher Groupand Print House Ltd, fortheir valuable support.Proudly Supported byWe’re not creamingit, say dairy farmersBy Karla AkuhataDairy farmers are annoyedthe public thinks that they arecreaming it.Last month when Fonterra announcedit would increase theforecast payout from $7.30 to$7.90 per kilogram of milk solidsmany, including the Green Party,claimed dairy farmers were gettingrich off the price of milk.However, ASB rural bank managerand former farmer GlennHolmes disagrees with reportsthat many dairy farmers have iteasy.“What has not been reportedis that the cost side has gone up.And I think that is something thatthe media don’t do well.“They talk about this massiveincrease in income but never aword about how the costs haveincreased. Income has gone up indollars but all those dollars havebeen spent in restoring feed onthe farm. So the net result is nodifferent from last year.”Holmes believes that the impactof the drought and the subsequentrise in the cost of supplementaryfeed is not beingtaken into consideration whenthe media report that the averageNew Zealand farmer is nowearning an annual income of$800,000.The Great Indoors with Kingsley FieldDay Two was at least as goodas Day One, and Day Three islikely to be at least on a par.We’ve been inundated, rightfrom the get-go on Wednesday,and it’s by a group of peoplewho are seriously in a buyingmood.Sure, there’ve been the tyrekickers,and those who weresimply out to see what therewas to see, but for the rst twodays of the Fieldays there wasa steady and solid stream ofpeople who knew exactly whatthey wanted - and they wantedto buy it right now.On numerous occasions Ihad young farming coupleswho were buying not just forthemselves but also for farm“The drought has made lifetough for all farmers. The priceof feed has risen astronomically,for instance next year’s price ofmaize silage is nearly doublewhat it was 12 months ago.“So that is a signicant cost increaseand that is because we areshort of feed around the place.Even despite the fact that thegrass is growing we are still shorton feed.”“They talk aboutthis massive increasein income, but nevera word about howcosts haveincreased.”And with the price of petrolnow over $2 a litre, Holmes saysthat the increased fuel costs haveimpacted on the costs of runninga farm.“Increases in oil prices meanjust about everything. They havean effect on freight, obviously,even on the price of clothing.“So I think you can say thatthere has been a dramatic effecton the farm-cost side of theemployees, and they wantedmultiples in gumboots, raincoats, bib-fronted overalls andother such goods.They were happy to write outcheques or sign Visa slips forupwards of a $1,000 a time.There were others - trampers,hunters, orchardists, retired menwho “just like to keep an eyeon the young fella on the farm”– who also wanted similar attire.And there was plenty of talkabout farming too.Mainly the talk was upbeat– yep, the drought had beenharsh, and some farmers spent aheap on buying in stock food.But mostly they were surethings were going to get better.Farmers from the Bay ofbudget with the drought and risingoil prices.”However, Waikato FederatedFarmers president Stew Wadeyhas been pleased with the media’scoverage of the payout.“It was all pretty accurate. Imean there was a bit of poeticlicense taken from some of thejournalists, and I am mostly talkingabout the business writers,but I have no problem with that.It has been factual, no airy fairystuff.”The Ministry of Agricultureand Forestry has predicted thatglobal dairy prices will ease overthe next few years as major exportingcountries increase supplyand developing countries expanddomestic production.However, New Zealand exportprices in US dollars will continueto increase in the longer term asrising middle-class incomes shiftpreferences from cereal-basedfoods to protein-based foods.Also the demand for dairyproducts is still growing andthe Common Agricultural Policyreforms in the European Unionmean that the outlook for dairyproducts continues to be promising.The nal payout for the 2007/08season will be announced in Septemberand the forecast for nextseason is already $7.Plenty were happiest – theyhave had a number of reasonablerain showers in the pasttwo months and say it’s beenenough to get them through.Others, from the Waikatoregion, are still skimping butsay it’s not as bad as it was inMarch.“We’ll know how bad it’sgoing to be this time nextyear,” one said.“We’re doingall right in the meantime.”Farmers are like that - theyinvariably talk about “we”rather than “I”. It’s all aboutbeing part of a community.And that community hasbeen having a good time anda fair spend-up at the Fieldaysso far.

FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2008 Fieldays Exhibitor 3Kiwi ingenuity shown inFieldays top inventionsBy Sophie BoladerasInvention competitions haveproved popular at this year’sFieldays – not surprising giventhey have been running for theentire 40 years.The judges found a consistenttheme of simple and effectivesolutions to common farm problemswere prominent when theyannounced the winning entriesin the Fieldays Innovation Centreyesterday morning.The awards are broken intotwo major sections, Equipmentand Inventions. The Inventionof the Year is named the GoldenStandard award and there is alsoan award for young inventorsunder 25.Inventions category MeritAwards were presented to AlexTaylor from Morrinsville for hispost-puller and to Richard Pilbrowfor his Automatic GateOpener.The 2008 Golden Standard wasawarded to Morrinsville manMurray Lopes for his ultimatemobile gate post. Mr Lopes becamefrustrated with the gates hewas using to shift stock aroundthe farm and, in the true traditionFANCY STUFF: Some of the winning entries in the inventions categoryof farmyard inventors, thoughtthere had to be a better way. Hisinnovative invention is a simpleaddition to standard gates andfencing that provides the exibilityto create pens and foldinggates, creating stock drafting solutionson-farm.Cameron Ardern receivedThe Young Inventor of the Yearaward for his multipurposefeeder. The versatile feeder catersfor the changing needs of calvesand supplies them with a rangeof sustenance including molasses,palm kernel, hay and meal.Judges referred to Ardern’s inventionas a “practical solution toPHOTOS: Stephen Barkera real problem”.The Equipment of the YearTrophy was awarded to TechnipharmInternational for the Se-lectA Cow Split Drafter, a solutionthat integrates speed detectiontechnology and a split drafter toprovide inline drafting.The Software Entry of the YearAward went to Gallagher AnimalManagement Systems ‘SmartTSi’, a touch screen rugged computerwhich incorporates weighingand animal managementsoftware. Judges said that “thedurability of the product takesanimal management out of theofce and back onto the farm.”Dairy NZ wins best Premier Feature site awardThe best site awards announcedlast night saw Dairy NZ (PA16)win Best Premier Feature site.Other awards included:Best Mystery Creek Pavilion Site:Milk Bar (PD10). Merit: Telecom(EM20 and 21).Best Indoor Site: LIC (LICBuilding). Merit: Southern Clams(Kiwi’s Best). Best Large OutdoorSite: Goughs (E105-107). Best MediumOutdoor Site: Husqvana(G76, F75, K7-9). Merit: Bell-Booth(C4, N26-28). Best Small OutdoorSite: TRS Tyre & Wheels (B57).Best Eastern Exhibition Site:Village Stone (EAST13). Merit:Horizons Regional Council (O9-11). Best Food Site: Wild Bills RibHouse (C Street). President’s SiteAward (best long-time exhibitorsite, a special award for 40thanniversary): Gallagher Group(Gallagher Building).Bite of the DayWok-fried musselsBy Aden MorungaToday’s bite of the day iswok-fried mussels presentedby Mussel Madness.The fl amed mussels areaccompanied by shallots,garlic, chilli, pineapple andtopped with coconut cream.Mussel Madness wascreated two years ago byFabian and Carmen Steel,who fast became known fortheir fantastic Jumbo MusselFritters.To put it simply, this is dishis a fusion of ingredients thatproduces a hot and tastydish that can be enjoyedas you walk through theexhibits.The wok-fried mussels canbe found on J road.Thought WallIt beats aday at theofceEnvironment to feature strongly at next FieldaysEnvironment Waikato is to be thesponsor of the Premier Feature atFieldays next year to be entitled“My Land, Our Environment”.The announcement was madetoday by Environment Waikatochairman Peter Buckley andFieldays chairman Lloyd Downing,who are both Waikato dairyfarmers.The Premier Feature is at theheart of the Fieldays site and isa major part of event marketing.“My Land, Our Environment”will showcase the New Zealandrural environment anddiscuss ways of protectingit so future generationscan continueto enjoy economicallyrewarding lives.“Being associatedwith this Premier Featureis a great way forEnvironment Waikatoto promote its visionof an economically rich and environmentallysensitive agriculturalsector in our region,” saidCr Buckley.“The regional councilis very keen to workside by side with farmersto help them farmsuccessfully in a waywhich minimises anynegative impact theiroperations have on theenvironment.“Our sponsorshipof ‘My Land, Our Environment’will be a very usefulway of getting our environmentalprotection messages across,”said Cr Buckley.Mr Downing said having a“My Land, Our Environment”theme for Fieldays’ PremierFeature next year was very relevantgiven the environmentalchallenges associated with farming.“It’s timely to have our mainfeature next year focused on solutionsto these challenges.“The farming sector is veryaware of the need to strike a goodbalance between economic ef-ciency and environmental protection.”

4 Fieldays ExhibitorPHOTO: Kai FisherFACE IN THE CROWDOlivia Charles, 4, from OhaupoIs this your first time at Fieldays?“Mmm hmm.”Who picked out your outfit?“I did.”(Her mum has the same pants but optednot to match her daughter today.)FIELDAYS FUNK: entertaining the crowds every nightFunk band in the ‘zone’By Sophie BoladerasLate Eighties Mercedes, a ninememberswing funk band, areat the centre of the revelry at theParty Zone and will be beltingout tunes every night.This Hamilton band have performedat an impressive array ofevents and corporate functions,including gigs for Parachute,Vodafone NZ, TVNZ, The NZ(Axis) Advertising Awards, A1Grand Prix, V8 Super-cars andthe Flight-Centre National Ball.Late Eighties are inuenced bymany styles of music from ‘emo’to metal and Rod Stewart, andperform covers of songs by anyonefrom Britney Spears to StevieWonder.The band describe themselvesas being the ultimate entertainmentpackage and are all abouthaving fun and putting on a goodshow.The high-energy group don’tcome from a signicant farmingbackground.“We have done a stint of blueberrypicking… but that’s aboutit,” member James Hannah said.Late Eighties Mercedes arekeen to have a good time at Fieldaysand encourage everyone tocome to the Party Zone.What are you hoping to see at theFieldays?“The cows and the other animals.”What has been your favourite thingso far?“My hot chocolate.”Young Farmers turns 40By Balaji ChandramohanThe Fieldays this year shares its 40th anniversary with the YoungFarmers Competition which has its nals next month.The contest is run by New Zealand Young Farmer (NZYF) organisationwhich had its 75th anniversary last year. National Bankis the main sponsor for the contest. Headquartered in Methven,the Young Farmers is a social development group mainly targetedat people aged under 32.NZYF co-ordinator Brooke Mullooy said: “We want our membersto see our commitment in social development and the Fieldaysserve as a wonderful opportunity.”

FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2008 Fieldays Exhibitor 5Cracking good time on offerPHOTO: Trish MackyWhat’s On TodayFriday June 139AM Wiremark and CycloneFencing Championship SilverSpades fi nal in the fencingarea8.30AM to 3.30PM WaikatoDraught Carving CompetitionFROM 10AM RuralBachelor of the Year events10.00AM and 2PM AgArt Wear Competition atSpantech PavilionA CRACKER: Ashley Turner demonstrates his skills11AM, 1PM and 2.30PMSuzuki Extreme AirdemonstrationBy Rob ThomsenVisitors to the Karaka Whipsexhibition are in for a crackingexperience.And if you are brave enough topick up a whip yourself, you canget a lesson in how it is done.Whips are commonly used infarming, particularly for cattlework.The whips are not normallyused directly on an animal, as thecrack of the whip is sufcient tomake them move away.But Karaka Whips owner operatorAshley Turner says youcan use them on feisty animals.“They make good protection.”Karaka Whips are produced asa quality work tool. Made out ofdurable synthetic materials, theyrange from 1.1m to 4.9m.Unlike leather whips whichneed frequent maintenance, syntheticwhips require no more thanan occasional clean with water.Turner is happy to demonstratehis whip-cracking prowess,including using two whips atthe same time.“Once you know how to usea whip, you can come up withsome amazing ways to crack it.”The whole Turner clan – Ashley’swife Carol and sons Sean,11, Callum, 10, and Logan, 8 – getinvolved in whip cracking.Accidents happen. “The whipdoes hit me sometimes but youget used to it,” says Sean.Karaka Whips is a familyowned business and the whipsare made on the Turners’ propertyin Masterton.11AM and 2.30PM NZCutting Horse demonstrationin Area 411.45AM Al Brown presents‘Hunger for the Wild’ recipe12.30PM and 2.30PMSupermodifi ed Tractors roarinto action3PM Possum Fur FashionDesign awards

Fieldays ExhibitorDon’t pooh pooh this ideaBy AaronoileThe rst year of lawnmower racinghas inspired the creation of amotorised toilet.The Sportaloo is the latest creationby Adam Pendred of Tauranga.Pendred owns a mower shop inTauranga, and is at the Shindaiwastand on G Street at the Fieldays.While he has some faster, moretraditional, mowers for racing, itis the four-wheeled novelty racingtoilet that is catching the eye.Pendred found the toilet in ascrap heap at a local school andthought it was too good to throwaway.“The rest of it is made completelyfrom lawnmower parts –the frame is made of lawnmowerhandles and the wheels are fromride-on mowers,” he said.Complete with a roll of toiletpaper on one side, the creationis said to reach speeds between10 and 12 km/h and is provingpopular with site visitors.Pendred started racing whenhe modied an old mower tocompete in a mower race for aschool gala fundraiser.In 2006 at the Fieldays, hestarted riding round on a hot-rodtype mower, resulting in ofcialstelling him off.Ironically, the ofcials askedhim back to compete in the mowerracing this year.Pendred is racing against threeother competitors before theAvocado tube eases picker’s taskBy Luke ParkerWith a drive for cheaper alternatives,and a touch of Kiwi ingenuity,father of seven WarwickGilmour has created a new userfriendlyinvention – the avocadopicking tube.Three years ago, Gilmour cameup with the idea after yet anothertiring day up a ladder in the orchard.He went down to a friend’slocal hardware store and boughta two-metre plastic stormwaterpipe with a 90mm diameter.After experimenting, he realisedthat if he placed the pipeover the avocado and pushed, itsstalk snapped, and it slid downthe pipe into the palm of hishand.For greater productivity, hemodied his contraption by cuttingtwo L-shaped incisions intoSITTIN PRETTY: Adam Pendred tests the Sportalooweekend and he is modest abouthis chances.“I’m expecting a top three nish,”he jokes.His racing mowers can reach80 km/h but will be racing at asafer speed of 40-45 km/h.the picking end of the pipe, andmade an extension with a socketand inner piping, for those “hardto-reach”avocados.It now has a possible reach ofup to ve metres.The stalk is slid into the L-shaped incision, and after a simpletwist and push, the avocadois released, sliding to freedom.Gilmour says, “I’ve come upwith cheaper alternatives… notso much new ideas. It’s more Itry to nd another way… anotheroption.“If I can save someone a brokenarm from falling off a picking orhydro ladder, then I’ll be happyand feel like I’ve succeeded.”There are other pipe-pickingproducts on the market, but theseare laden with technical cuttingsystems and accessories.“The less of that stuff I can puton the better.”PHOTO: Kelly PetersenHe treats the racing event asa bit of fun but it also helps himpromote his shop and his products.“It helps draw people to thebusiness and they see the likesof the Sportaloo and think, wow,that’s a hard case,” Pendred said.Gilmour wants to gauge publicand investment response tohis new invention at Fieldays,and intends to manufacture thetubes by hand, supplying localavocado growers.The tube will cost around $30.EASY REACH: WarwickilmourVintagetractors arestill pullingtheir weightBy Mary HolmesA 90-year-old hacksaw, oldstationary engines and 1920stractors are all in action downon History Lane.The Waikato Vintage Tractorand Machinery Club havean impressive exhibit of theworking machines and tractorsthey have restored.Mystery Creek has apermanent tractor featurebut they are not workingmachines. Eric James whohas been a club member since1989 says, “We like the gearto be going, like they usedto once, so we like to restorethem.”John Dickson found his 1928Hart-Parr tractor as a wrecklying under a tree, and spentthree years putting it together.“This is our second love, we’relucky to have wives whotolerate it.”There is a 1938 Lanz Bulldogtractor from Mannheim,Germany which, says EricJames, “blows beautiful bigsmoke rings” when workedhard.Bill Troughton has a 1952Lanz Bulldog. The two-strokediesel has one cylinder, 40horse power and he says it’spretty economical to run.He also owns an older one,built in 1931.As well as the tractors thereis an impressive display of oldstationary engines.Bill Troughton owns 40-50of these, and 90 per cent ofthem work.“It’s a full-time job justkeeping them going.”Graham Freegard has beenbaling hay for 54 years andbought his 1958 New HollandSuper 17 baler about six yearsago. “It still bales a coupleof thousand hay bales everyyear.”There are a couple of oldvintage ploughs on display,and a wagon built around1910-20, owned by RonArnott, and pulled by twoClydesdales.Willy Willetts, the presidentof the club, says, “You coulduse all the machines tomorrowto go collect hay.”

FRIDAY, JUNE 13, 2008Fieldays ExhibitorRural folk shown fire risksBy Shaun BamberRural property owners face ahigher risk from re than theirurban counterparts and need tobe more aware of the dangersand how to avoid them.That’s the message the NewZealand Fire Service continuesto put across to the rural communityat Fieldays.Their kitchen re demonstrationtrailer is set on re everyhour dramatically illustratinghow quickly and easily a simplepot re can get out of hand.Todd O’Donoghue, re safetyofcer for the Waikato and Bay ofPlenty region, has been attendingFieldays for the last eight years asa re safety advocate.Primarily involved in education,legal compliance and reinvestigation, he delivers the resafety message at public eventsaround the district.Leaving a pot of cooking oilon the stove, he demonstrates theright and wrong way to put outa fat re.Smothering the re with a potlid, a wooden chopping board, ora damp tea towel is recommended.Water, however, is not.From a safe distance andkitted out in full safety gear,O’Donoghue dumps a cup or soof water on the aming pot.Instantly, ames leap up to 3mSweet treats successfulHOT POT: a firefighter demonstrates how uickly a pot of oil can ignitein the air, causing many in thecrowd to take a step backwards.It’s a popular and strikingdemonstration.While the re service has longmaintained a presence at Fieldays,this is the rst time they’vedone so in conjunction withFarmers Mutual Group (FMG),New Zealand’s leading rural insurer.It’s a mutually benecial association,as FMG’s focus this yearis on risk management and prevention,which coincides with there safety message.FMG offers insurance discountsto homeowners withet your kicks here...PHOTO: Naomi WilliamsPHOTO: photographer heresmoke alarms installed and reextinguishers on hand.They’ve attended Fieldayssince the beginning and havebeen servicing rural New Zealandfor more than 100 years.Check out the re safety demonstrationat the FMG site on InnovationLane.By Katie StoneFrom a family-owned fruit andvegetable shop to a world-famousbusiness that produces 26million bars a year; Annies is aclassic Kiwi success story.In 1986, Ann Giles’ husbandbought her a dehydrator. Shebegan experimenting with convertingapples into dried fruitleathers, and soon her humbledehydrator was 26 trays high. Asecond dehydrator also reached aheight of 26 trays. It wasn’t longbefore the demand for the sweet,chewy fruit leathers outstrippedthe capacity of both dehydratorsand the couple invested in a commercialdrier.Today, Annies produces anextensive range of 100 per centdried fruit bars. All products arefree of added avours and articialingredients, making them agreat alternative to fresh fruit.Founders Graeme and AnnGiles still work in the factory andAnn is the name and face behindthe product packaging.Regional Sales and MarketingManager Stephen Julian saidthere is more to Annies than justbusiness.“She’s very believable, verypassionate and engrossed in thecompany,” he said.Annies is also a major player inMission On, a Government-wideinitiative campaign that encourageshealthy eating in schools.Annies is also a sponsor of BikeWise and Starship Hospital.“The biggest thing for Anniesis giving back to the community.It’s not about the money; we’retrying to help people by deliveringa healthy, cost-effective solutionfor everyday lifestyles.”Based in Blenheim, Annies operatesthree factories and exports70 per cent of its products.By Luke ParkerIf you fancy the strength ofyour kick there’s a chance youcould win a car for six months.The fastest ball-kick intothe net during Fieldays,as calculated by the JugsProfessional Sports Radar,gets to keep the brand new KiaRio Diesel for six months withfuel included.Kia Motors sales andmarketing manager JasonGroube said the car wascapable of getting 100km outof 4.5 litres of fuel and wasbrought in especially for theFieldays.“The Sportskick Challengeis a great way to interact withpeople coming through,” hesaid. “It’s a bit of fun.”Kia is the principal sponsorof the Euro 2008 internationalsoccer tournament under wayin Europe.Earlier this week SamRusso was leading the kickchallenge with 116km/h.Following in second place wasWintec Sports and ExerciseScience student, Kieran Hill, at106km/h.“I have a bit of a bad kneeat the moment… I think I’llcome back a bit later and haveanother crack,” Hill said.Launched at this year’sFieldays, the Kia Rio Dieselhas a 1.5 litre engine. “We arerunning the Kio Rio Diesel $10Challenge where, based onfuel effi ciency, the car can runfrom The Dome (Fieldays) toAuckland, Tauranga or Turangion $10,” Groube said.The ball-kick challenge isstaged at the Kia stand in TheDome.