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International Farmers Trips : Notes from New Zealand   • The climate is complex and varies from warm subtropical in the far north to cool temperate climates in the far south. • They have much more daylight, - in farming they start very early and have finished a large proportion of work by breakfast!  • Grass management is king and the New Zealanders are experts. They keep grasses young for optimum productivity. • They have made good, free use of hill pastures, which they can add nutrients to easily by airplane. In the UK we have to get permission to re-claim land • It’s a very practical way of farming - in NZ, they’re prepared to kill lambs at a lighter weight if they think the grass quality won’t support them up to a normal weight  • They use teams of dogs to herd livestock – particularly the large Huntaway breed. Some larger units have up to 40 dogs. • The largest farm the Buckleys saw had 40,000 sheep and 2,000 cattle  • Trees and vegetation grow very quickly – North American Redwoods grow twice as fast in New Zealand than in the U.S. • Farmers are increasingly working to capitalize on carbon trading by planting new forest areas.  • Farm tours are a common activity in New Zealand, with farmers regularly visiting other farms to share experience and knowledge. • There are vast amounts of space and as a result there are very few two-storey buildings! |
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