In the fifteen years since Ron and I farmed our land at Dorie a whole raft
of developments have progressed together to form a completely new and
different farming picture in mid-Canterbury. In the most recent dry years
underground water supplies have severely diminished. As irrigation
increases apace everywhere "water consents" are of deep concern to all
farmers. Intensive sheep farming has declined but cattle and deer farming
have continued. The big change in Dorie is the increased development of
dairy farms. High payouts for butter fat, favourable lending rates and
banks' willingness to lend have all encouraged the development of these
farms. Farmers are offered a wide range of new machinery and there is
increased use of computers.
Armadale still traditionally farmed
The farming picture is not changed on Armadale, the land that we
owned, as this is still traditionally farmed, running sheep and cattle and
growing crops. The landscape at Armadale remains the same, as
fencing, trees, buildings and irrigators are still in place.
Diminished water supplies
In the last dry years underground water supplies have severely diminished.
On Armadale one of the well dried up and had to be abandoned.
This would have cancelled any irrigation on 250 acres - a third of the
land. It would have meant reorganising the management of stock and crops on
that area and on the whole farm.
As irrigation increases apace everywhere "water consents" are of deep
concern to all farmers. Consents are supposed to be monitored and water
levels recorded, but the proliferation of consents is affecting all wells
as water levels diminish and often disappear in dry years. There needs to
be a halt to consents until all effects are properly studied. It takes
several wet years for underground water to be replenished.
Decline in sheep numbers
Intensive sheep farming has declined sharply. It was the most labour
intensive form of production and returns were very poor. Sheep numbers have
declined throughout New Zealand - from seventy million in the 1980s to
forty million by the year 2000. Cattle and deer farming have market 'ups
and downs' but are less labour intensive.
Dairy farms
Dairying too has developed on the plains. In Dorie dairying is the biggest
change in recent years. Land sales and prices have escalated with a demand
for free draining friable land to establish big herds. Many North Island
farmers left their small units to establish "big herd" farms in the South.
Land was selling at an all time premium with many forty to sixty year old
farmers selling their farms for two to five million dollars. Now the new
dairy farmers have built milking sheds for a cost in excess of $100,000.
Impact on land and water resources
The new farmers have bulldozed aside good fences and shelter belts that
took a generation to establish in order to install huge 'central pivot'
irrigation systems. This further depletes underground water streams and
exposes the local farms once again to the howling north west winds and more
erosion of the finer soils.
Increase in population
Many new houses for dairy workers have been built and the small Dorie
school has increased pupils requiring an extra teacher.
Costs for dairy farmers
The dairy farms were stocked with cows at a cost of $1,300 a head with a
further $1,000 a head levy for membership of a dairy factory. Financial
needs are staggering, but with lending rates lower then fifty years ago,
and with banks over eager to lend up to ninety per cent of capital
financing has been possible. With $5 payout per kilo for butter fat debts
could be met.
This year a $3.80 payout per kilo must have a few heavy borrowers worried.
The cycle keeps repeating itself. Nothing is learned, even from recent
history, by farmers or bankers.
Farm machinery
Recently Ron and I visited the annual South Island machinery display at
Lincoln. We inspected new inventions and watched demonstrations. In 1990 a
new 120 horsepower tractor cost $40,000. Today the same tractor costs
$120,000. On display were many bigger tractors up to 200 h.p. These were
retailing at $200,000. A cropping farmer needs several tractors of varying
sizes for different uses. Although the huge models could only be justified
by contractors the ordinary farmer must struggle to furnish basic machinery
needs.
The role of computers
The general use of computers for farm records, crop yields and stock
performance is now widespread. The lamb drafter no longer drafts by eye
and feel - all lambs are weighed to assess the required form. Similarly
wool fleeces are weighed at shearing time to help cull poor wool producers.
Farmers are required to produce more records than ever for government
statisticians and to sell stock.
Government policies on farming
Politically times have changed. Governments no longer subsidise any farm
production. The free market prevails although many of our trade competitors
are still heavily subsidised. Scientifically man can develop his
environment and conditions, but finally the old challenges of weather,
government policies and world events prevail.
Looking back
The comfort of a less challenging city life would be hard to put aside in
our mid seventies to take up a vigorous farming activity again.
Visit the previous articles in this series:
Part 1: An interview with Ron and Judith Armstrong - Farm training, farm purchase, and marriage
Part 2: An interview with Ron and Judith Armstrong - Problems developing a neglected property - too little money and too much work
Part 3: An interview with Ron and Judith Armstrong - Improvements well established, but problems insuperable - expensive electricity and labour costs and sudden government policy changes
