Wool pellets to boost gardens
With wool prices steadily declining and shearing costs on the rise, a Waikato couple began looking for a solution for wool from their 80ha farm.
WoolWorks, New Zealand’s largest wool-scouring company, has partnered with the Lions Club of Riverton to help raise money for much-needed repairs to the Southland town’s swimming pool.
Lions Club members gathered the equivalent of nearly 80 bales of donated wool from farmers for transport to the WoolWorks Grower Direct store in Timaru.
There, the wool was scoured and tested free of charge, then shipped to wool products company Terra Lana, which has agreed to purchase the scoured wool for use in their home insulation and other wool products.
Proceeds from the sale of the scoured wool will go directly to the Lions Club of Riverton.
Wayne Fleck, club president, said that the club usually fundraises by selling firewood and kindling, running lamb competitions, a duck race and many other events.
“The idea of collecting donated wool was a great idea. Wool was collected by members who gathered everything from a fleece to several bales.”
A total of 77 bales was delivered to the WoolWorks Grower Direct store site at Timaru Port.
WoolWorks Grower Direct has recently been established to manage wool supply direct from farm to the scour to provide an efficient model that over time will deliver additional opportunities for growers.
Rosstan Mazey, WoolWorks Grower Direct chief executive, said the company was pleased to be working with the generous woolgrowers.
“These growers are really making a difference in their local community by donating their wool to this fantastic cause.
“It is so important for Kiwis across New Zealand to have access to swimming pools as water safety continues to be a major concern, particularly as we move into the summer and holiday season.”
WoolWorks Operations CEO Tony Cunningham said the company regularly supports community-oriented initiatives.
“Farmers continue to play such an important role in our rural communities, and we are pleased to be involved and clean this wool free of charge at our Timaru facility ahead of it going to Terra Lana for manufacturing into high-performing wool insulation products.”
The Lions Club of Riverton donates to and supports a number of community projects, and the club marks its 60th anniversary next October.
Fleck said that over that time, hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless hours of members’ time have gone into community projects.
“We are always grateful for the help and support of many businesses and entities such as WoolWorks, who contribute to the community projects we serve.”
The donated wool was processed on 6th November at the WoolWorks South Island scouring facility in Washdyke (Timaru), which coincides with a visit from some members of the club.
An Auckland man who illegally killed and sold pigs and a chicken has been fined $8,000.
Ahead of the World Butchers' Challenge, the captains of 14 nations’ teams squared off in Paris over the weekend.
Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) says it welcomes recently announced consultation on Pharmac’s funding of ostradiol patches used by women going through perimenopause and menopause.
Fonterra has named Elizabeth (Liz) Coutts the chair of Mainland Group, the proposed divestment entity of the co-operative’s consumer business.
Farmer-owned co-operative Ravensdown is winding down the operations of its agritech subsidiary C-Dax following a long decline in sales.
The recent East Coast Farming Expo, held over two days at Wairoa, offered an insight into the current state of agriculture on the east of the North Island, at a time when the locals are remembering the second anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.
OPINION: At last, a serious effort to better connect farmers and scientists.
OPINION: If you believe Maori Party president John Tamihere’s claim that “nothing dodgy” occurred at Manurewa Marae during the last…