Blue Shed Diary

Welcome to Blue Shed Diary-- a podcast for growers, farmers and rural communities.

With El Niño beginning to make its mark this spring, what can our pipfruit growers be doing to prevent the predicted super dry weather from pipping them at the post with their crop?

Joining the conversation for this month's Tech Talk is Technical Manager for Fruitfed Horticulture, Kevin Manning.

For this episode of Tech Talk, we chat Joseph Watts, a member of PGG Wrightson's Technical Team who specialises in agronomy.

When the weather is predicted to be super dry or super wet during this super El Niño -- what can farmers do to prepare and how do they keep their pastures growing throughout the season?

Welcome to Blue Shed Diary, PGG Wrightson's podcast for farmers and growers.

El Niño is on everyone's lips. Since Earth Sciences New Zealand (formally NIWA) declared it three months ago, we have begun to see 'signs' of this super or godzilla El Niño.

Spring has brought a mixed bag of weather to the regions, but the worst of the predicted weather has yet to arrive. So, to get the latest information and for a better understanding of what spring and summer have in store, we turn to Chris Brandolino, Principal Scientist of Forecasting and Media and Earth Sciences NZ.

Before picking a chemical option to tackle pests in your crops, is there a more natural option? Biological control agents are growing in popularity to deal with pest and disease problems.

Rather than turning to pesticides, beneficial insects, mites, and microbes are part of Integrated Pest Management programmes. Bioforce Ltd, a New Zealand owned and operated company, is helping you find the most natural tools to combat pests. How does it work? How effective are biologicals? And what does this mean for farmers and growers?

Joining the conversation is Chris Thompson, General Manager of Bioforce Limited.

Māori agriculture is a major economic powerhouse. The average area of Māori farms is two and half times larger than all farms in New Zealand. Nearly half are iwi-owned and operated. However, if you only compare livestock numbers and land area, you miss a large part of what Māori agribusiness entails, including how success is measured.  

Joining the conversation to talk about the quadruple bottom-line and the future of Māori agribusiness is Carlos Cressy, Iwi Relationship Manager at PGG Wrightson.  

Accidents happen, especially on farm. But that doesn't mean we need to accept the status quo.

One group, Safer Farms, is working with farmers, growers, industry organisations, like PGG Wrightson, government, and safety experts to de-risk the industry…because EVERYONE deserves to get home safely after a day on the tools.

Who do farmers listen to? Farmers. So, Safer Farms selected three Regional Champions earlier this year to share their safety experiences with their peers in the industry.

Joining the conversation is Roger Barton, a Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer, Nuffield scholar, and former provincial President for Federated Farmers.

Since slips and trips are one of the leading causes of injury on farms. One safety measure you can take today is making sure your footwear is up to the job.

PGG Wrightson and Safer Farms have teamed up this October to give you $50 off on eligible boots worth $149 or more. To get your discount code visit, saferfarms.org.nz/slips-trips. Then visit PGG Wrightson online or go in-store to upgrade your kit.

Welcome to Blue Shed Diary podcast.

This year, PGG Wrightson had a big birthday, 175 years. 175 years of helping Kiwi farmers and growers adapt and change. It's a legacy we want to continue for another 175 years.

To celebrate, we have offered two scholarships to agriculturaland horticultural uni-students in their final year who had the best answer for this question:

“Looking ahead to the next 25 years, what do you believe will be the biggest challenge or opportunity facing New Zealand’s agricultural and horticultural industries, and how would you build on the legacy of those who came before us to addressit.”

Xinyu Wu had a unique and refreshing answer. She is a Plant Science student, minoring in Molecular cell Biology at Massey University.

She joins the conversation now.

Welcome to Blue Shed Diary's Tech Talk--where we get advice from PGG Wrightson's Technical to help you on farm.

Today's Tech Talk is about Clover. The small plant doing some very heavy lifting in our pasture systems. Clover can improve feed quality, support animal performance, and most importantly-through Nitrogen fixation-supply valuable Nitrogen to the wider pasture.

Getting it is established and keeping it productive isn't always straightforward. Joining the conversation to answer those questions and more is Dr. Jay Howes, PGG Wrightson Technical Specialist - Soil Science.

Welcome to Blue Shed Diary!

Many farmers and growers listening to the podcast know this year's 'Godzilla' El Niño conditions are set to impact those living from the land. Predictions show strong winds and dry conditions to large portions of the country, particularly the eastern parts. Those in the south will likely face more storms and flooding. But one farmer is taking these predictions into his decision-making process. This Hawke's Bay arable and livestock farmer grows a mix of vegetables, cereals, and pasture seed. However, this season, he's put a plan into motion that allows him to respond to what El Niño delivers.

Joining the conversation from the field is Huge Ritchie of Drumpeel Farms.

PGG Wrightson celebrated a big birthday this year - 175!

175 years of helping Kiwi farmers and growers adapt and change. This is a legacy we want to continue for another 175 years. So, to celebrate this legacy, PGG Wrightson offered two scholarships to agricultural and horticultural university students in their final year who had the best answer to this question:

"Looking ahead to the next 25 years, what do you believe will be the biggest challenge or opportunity facing New Zealand's agriculture and horticultural industries, and how would you build on the legacy of those who came before us to address it"

Hamish Shaw had a great answer. He is at Lincoln University studying Agricultural Science with a major in Animal Science, he joins the conversation with a vision for Bobby Calves.