Evidence

Irrigation

• New irrigation - Hurst block designs (a kml file - opens in Google Earth), and approvals.

Designs and layouts:

• • Papapamu Irrigation Layout

  • Papapamu Mainlines

  • Huntly Irrigation Layout

  • Huntly Irrigation Approvals

  • Huntly Mainlines

  • Butterbarn Irrigation Map

  • Glenmorven K-Lines

  • Glenmorven Mainlines

  • Glengyle K-Line Layout

  • Glengyle Mainlines

  • Butter Barn Stockwater Layout

  • Butter Barn Irrigation Layout

  • Other irrigation maps in FEP's
    
    
    

Irrigation Scheduling 

• • Soil moisture meter is checked, or a hole is dug to determine soil moisture deficit before applying irrigation.  WhatsApp used to communicate soil moisture information between staff.

  • Irrigators are bucket tested so actual application rate is known.

  • Fixed grid can be left to turn on later because of the short return time allowing more flexibility in scheduling.

  • Metservice 3 Day Rain Forecast is used to assess probability of rain exceeding soil moisture capacity before starting up irrigation.

  • Forecasts are not accurate past three days.

  • With the exception of thunder storms which are often static, moderate and heavy rain only tend to come from the Eastern directions, particularly South Easterly, with hills sheltering the others so only light rain tends to come from the Western compass points.

  • Conversion to low rate irrigation is ongoing. New pivots and fixed grid have replaced Rotorainers.

  • Readily Available Water of soil types is considered for each farm as per Soil Maps.
    
    

Soils under K-line:

• • Glengyle flats are Mayfield soils with high Profile Available Water at 55mm to 300mm pasture rooting depth, and therefore 27mm Readily Available Water.

  • Glengyle flats are Timaru soils which have the same Profile Available Water as the Mayfield soil on the flats and therefore also 27mm Readily Available Water.

  • Glenmorven is mostly Kauru soils which have a 50mm Profile Available Water and therefore 25mm Readily Available Water.

  • Glenmorven flats are Mayfield soils with high Profile Available Water at 55mm to 300mm pasture rooting depth, and therefore 27mm Readily Available Water.

  • Glenmorven also has Timaru soils which have the same Profile Available Water as the Mayfield soil on the flats and therefore also 27mm Readily Available Water.

  • Soils under pivot and fixed grid:

  • Huntly is entirely Ngapara soils with 58mm Profile Available Water and therefore 29mm Readily Available Water.

  • Butter Barn is entirely Steward soils with 47mm Profile Available Water and therefore 23mm Readily Available Water.

  • Papapamu including Hurst Block is a mixture of Pahau, Ngapara and Mayfield Soils. Pahau Soils are 47mm Profile Available Water and therefore 23mm Readily Available Water. Ngapara and Mayfield soils are as stated above at 29mm and 27mm Readily Available Water respectively.
    
    
    

Operating Procedures

• • K-Line operations manual.

  • Pivot operating manuals are hard copy in the doors.

  • Loncel fixed grid has online support.

  • If a K-Line is over watering individual lines are turned off, individual pods are blanked, or that area skipped for a round.

  • Irrigation Applications are only managed by trained staff. An example of a training record is available here.
    
    
    

When considering whether to start irrigating:

• • Check forecast.

  • Check soil moisture and compare to what the irrigator will apply according to bucket testing.

  • Check soil temperature (shoulder seasons).

  • Check pivot circle is clear, if relevant.

  • If above conditions allow then start irrigator.

  • Recording of irrigation application is via pumping records.

  • Once irrigator is up to full pressure check for leaks or failures.
    
    
    

Incident Reporting Procedure

• • When a leak is discovered:

  • Irrigation is monitored from 5am to 5pm daily in passing.

  • When a leak, run off or ponding is discovered shut water off to leaking line.

  • Notify management and source resources needed for repair.

  • Repair, pressure test and continue to monitor before back filling.

• • Fixed Grid is monitored for correct performance. Software is used to control, schedule and monitor the system.  Application rates are optimised for each pole to reduce the risk of pooling, run off or leaching.

  • End of season checks

  • Daily checks - any leaks or blowouts are turned off and fixed before running again.

Contacts

• Irrigation Company for repairs: 

  • Kirks Irrigation 03 689 8474

  • Waterforce 03 437 2210

  • Grafton Irrigation 03 687 1234

• Engineering Companty: Irelands Engineering 03 434 6956 

• Electrician: Plunkets Electrical 03 434 8473

• Invoices available for maintenance by outside contractors.

Soils and Nutrients

• • Flag Farms' irrigation is managed to minimise the amount of nutrient that escapes the farm and becomes a pollutant, and to maximise the nutrient that stays within the root zone of the plants as a resource. Infiltration rate is optimised to minimise runoff.

  • Critical Source Areas are managed by only grazing when dry, using a 5m buffer if wet, and monitoring for run off.

  • The aim is to maintain good soil structure by using the relevant cultivation practices for the given situation, and minimise the period of soil exposure to wind and rain erosion.

  • Minimum tillage cultivation is used where soil conditions allow, and if full cultivation is necessary slopes are worked across. Steep areas are avoided where possible and weather forecasts are considered when deciding on cultivation timing. Care is taken not to work soil into fine aggregate sizes and a 5m buffer is maintained to waterways. There is minimal delay between cultivation and sowing to minimise the time that soil is exposed.

  • Waterways are protected by fencing, vegetative strips and stock crossings.

  • Pugging prevention is achieved by giving larger breaks in wet conditions and cows are allowed to leave longer residuals. Young grass is grazed only briefly and in dry conditions only to minimise damage to the softer soil.

  • Cows are given extra area in the wet to minimise plugging.

• Heavy machinery is limited to only tractor and silage wagon in wet paddocks.

• Fodder crop rotation is used to renovate paddocks to restore soil structure.

• Tractor has Amazone GPS guidance with section control to prevent overlapping fertiliser application.

• The Amazone spreader is calibrated by Claas Harvest Centre Wanaka - invoice not yet received as evidence.

Soil Maps

• • Glengyle - Mayfield and Timaru.

• Glenmorven - Kauru, Timaru and Mayfield.

• Huntly - Ngapara.

• Butter Barn - Steward.

• Papapamu and Hurst Block - Pahau, Ngapara and Mayfield.

• A Winter Grazing Plan minimises soil and nutrient loss.

• Overseer

  • Huntly

  • Glenmorven

  • Butter Barn

  • Glengyle

• Agronomy Plans

  • Huntly

  • Glenmorven

  • Butter Barn

  • Glengyle

  • Papapamu

Effluent

See effluent managment plan.

Waterway and CSA Management

Critical Source Area Management

Refer to Winter Grazing Plan for CSA Management during winter. Additionally:

• Stock are temporarily fenced from wet areas in rain.

• All waterways are fenced.

• All crossings are have culverts installed.

• Tracks, troughs and gateways are maintained to minimise loss of nutrients and sediment. 

Riparian Management

Native plantings are being planted down the drain on Horse Gully Rd and the project has involved NOSLAM, Papakaio School, Rotary and other community groups.

Rank grass strips are left along waterways to filter nutrients.

Point Source Management

Pit silage is not used. Any ensiled feed is to be individual or tube wrapped baleage.

Offal: Dead stock are to be buried of in a timely way and are not left in sight of the road. In accordance with regional council requirements, dead stock are buried:

• a minimum of 100m from any wells that supply water for domestic drinking or livestock

• a minimum of 50m from any waterway, including lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands and groundwater

• a minimum of 50m from the closest property boundary

• in an area free from ponding, flooding, or erosion

• away from any areas used for offal pits within the past five years

• away from any areas of cultural, historical, or conservation significance

Waste and by product: only steel and concrete is disposed of by burying on farm.

• Household rubbish is disposed of by wheelie bin, or dropping to a transfer station.

• Plastics and other chemical products are not burned.

• Greenwaste, cardboard, and other non-chemical product may be burned in accordance with fire season requirements.

• Bale wrap, and chemical containers are recycled. Only a minimum of chemical is used to reduce the amount of toxins stored on farm.

• Needles and sharps are collected in a sharps bin and disposed of by the vets.

• Sick or injured animals collected for pet food.

• Soil, fill and stones used elsewhere for development.

• Oil is captured in a container and disposed of at the transfer station.