increase font size
Irrigation system on display at the last South Island field days.
The South Island Agricultural Field Days (SIAFD) will this year be bigger and more diverse than ever, the organisers say.
The show trades on demonstrating farm machinery, and this year it will have a bigger lifestyle section and a tractor pull contest.
The two-yearly show, started 65 years ago, usually attracts about 30,000 visitors. It will take place on March 27-29 at Kirwee.
Committee chairman Rodney Hadfield reports strong interest and a site sell-out.
“We’ve worked hard since last time, gravelling all the laneways and improving infrastructure, but the format will be the same as always.”
Visitors enjoy networking, meeting customers and seeing new machinery, Hadfield says.
By presenting working machines, SIAFD reinforces the relationship between farmers, manufacturers, retailers and technical experts, he says.
“The field days get the people who want to buy to come along and look. It is an event for people ready to make financial decisions and spend their money. We want them to come to our event and get their field days deals.”
Power Farming Canterbury dealer principal Geoff McCabe says the company has doubled the size of its site at this year’s SIAFD.
“The field days are very important to us; they’re a great place to show off machinery and showcase new gear that people haven’t seen before.
“People come from far and wide to the field days to look at machinery... and get the chance to compare all the brands.”
Trevor Goodeve, Taege Engineering Ltd, says SIAFD provides an invaluable opportunity.
“Because it is in our own area we can get feedback from our customers on the machinery we design, build and develop. So we’re able to work directly with farmers and contractors to improve our business.”
The late-March timing helps Taege Engineering to show its present products and set up its winter machinery making programme.
A lifestyle section trialled at the 2017 show convinced the organisers to enlarge it this year, said spokeswoman Michaela McLeod.
“There will be at least 100 lifestyle stalls with a wide variety of products – garden sculptures, outdoor furniture, jewellery, clothing, art, plants and food products. Noteworthy stalls include Vege Pods, Container Pools Canterbury and Mt Hutt Pods.
“Local producers including Kirwee Bees will also be there, and next door a food court will feature Funky Monkey Bars showing their jungle gyms and play equipment.”
Tickets to SIAFD cost $20 per day (children free) at the gate.
Rev it up Trev
The show's first tractor pull since it moved to its new Kirwee site will have Diesel Tune NZ as sponsor.
Tractorpull NZ general manager Vaughan Coy says the first two days of the field days will be practice days and day three will be the competition day.
“We will have three classes of competitors – standard, modified and pre-1985. Several people plan to bring their modified tractors from different parts of the South Island, so it should be an exciting event.”
Coy says tractors in each of the three competition categories pulls a sled that weighs a percentage of its weight, which means tractors of different horsepower ratings can compete against each other. A 15 tonne weight limit applies to all entries.
Entry forms are on the Tractorpull NZ website (www.tractorpull.co.nz).
The South Island Agricultural Field Days (SIAFD) gave the Landpower Vegetable Centre, a specialist division of the Claas Harvest Centres, the chance to show of it extensive product range – centred around the vegetable cultivation, planting and harvesting sector.
While the temperature was struggling to reach about 5 degrees and the horizontal hail had enough grunt to slice cheese, the SIAFD committee knocked it out of the park by delivering another great event.
The sheds have been built, the marquees are up and now the 600-plus exhibitors are busily dressing their sites.
Well known motor industry face Tom Ruddenklau has been appointed as chief of the Morrinsville-headquartered, Power Farming Group.
A couple of the machines that will be on show at the 2023 SIAFD have effectively already done their live demonstration.
Two major red meat sector projects are getting up to a combined $1.7 million in funding from the New Zealand Meat Board (NZMB).
Angus Barr and Tara Dwyer of The Wandle, Lone Star Farms in Strath Taieri have been named the Regional Supreme Winners at the Otago Ballance Farm Environment Awards in Dunedin.
OPINION: The distress that the politicians and bureaucrats are causing to the people of Wairoa and the wider Tairāwhiti is unforgivable.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
OPINION: Talking about plant-based food: “Chicken-free chicken” start-up Sunfed has had its valuation slashed to zero by major investor Blackbird…
OPINION: Synlait's financial woes won’t be going away anytime soon.
