Unweder – bad weather; storm; tempest.
How do Highlanders’ fans get north?
21/07/2017Floods have closed roads which would allow people on the right side of the Waitaki to go north:
. . .The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) has closed State Highway 1 between Pukeuri, about 9km north of Oamaru, and Morven, South Canterbury.
Journey manager Lee Wright said it was “a major event”.
“There are no safe detour routes off [SH1] because they are all significantly flooded as well. We’re really advising anyone travelling south of Christchurch to delay their journey.”
SH 79 between Fairlie and Geraldine, SH 77 between Ashburton and Methven, SH 83 between Pukeuri and Peebles, and SH 82 between Waimate and Kurow are also closed due to surface flooding.
Wright had earlier urged motorists “to get home now”. . .
Is this a plot between the weather and the Crusaders to stop Highlanders fans getting to Christchurch for the Super Rugby quarter final tomorrow?
How will the Highlanders fans get north?
Rural round-up
21/07/2017Surrender now and we’ll pay a huge cost in future – Will Foley:
If the dam is dead, as its opponents are claiming, we’ve missed a great chance to smooth the jagged edges of Mother Nature.
Right now, Hawke’s Bay is sodden. A welcome but uncharacteristic (in the current weather pattern) wet autumn set us up to be wet right through the winter and that’s exactly how it’s playing out.
We’ve swung from one extreme to the other; as recently as February we were fretting about another dry summer. . .
Patangata Station shortens supply chain and buys own butchery – Kate Taylor:
An overheard conversation led to a Central Hawke’s Bay farming couple diversifying into retail butchery. Kate Taylor reports.
The market wants to know where its meat comes from, say Duncan Smith and Annabel Tapley-Smith, the owners of Patangata Station and the new owners of Waipawa Butchery.
“When people buy meat from Waipawa Butchery they now know it’s finished at a farm just 10 minutes up the road,” says Smith.
The couple took over the butchery at the beginning of the month. It was sold by 77-year-old Murray Stephens who had worked there for 60 years and owned it for 40. The Smith family has been farming in Central Hawke’s Bay for just as long and has been shopping at the butchery for many years. . . .
Variety is the spice of life on Miranda Farm – Andrea Fox:
If Waikato agroforester and dairy farmer Graham Smith could bottle his energy, he’d make a killing.
Running four businesses from his 37 hectare farm in the Korakonui area, 25km south east of Te Awamutu isn’t enough: he’s about to launch a fifth, and just for fun, excavate a submerged ancient forest and create a little sport museum.
Profitably milking 80 crossbred cows provides the base for all these entrepreneurial efforts, but it’s growing an unusual tree with multiple uses and benefits that sets him apart and proves it is possible to make a small farm a good earner. . .
Researcher using milk protein to help regrow human muscle – Amy Wiggins:
Milk could be the key to helping regrow muscle and eventually body parts.
A Canterbury University PhD student is using milk protein to create biodegradable films with 3D imprints in the shape of muscle and bone cells on them in the hope they may influence the shape and growth of cells.
Azadeh Hashemi is focused on creating those films using casein – one of the two proteins found in milk – so they are biodegradable and would not need to be removed if used as an implant. . .
New animal welfare regulations progressed:
Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy has confirmed 46 new animal welfare regulations will be developed this year.
“Changes we made to the Animal Welfare Act in 2015 have allowed us to create directly-enforceable regulations. This has given the Act more teeth, and creates more tools to deal with mistreatment of animals,” says Mr Guy.
“These 46 regulations include stock transport, farm husbandry, companion and working animals, pigs, layer hens and the way animals are accounted for in research, testing and teaching. . .
New app to measure success of wildings control:
For the first time, authorities fighting the spread of wilding conifers will have a complete picture of infestations throughout the country, says Minister for Land Information Mark Mitchell.
“Land Information New Zealand has developed the Wilding Conifer Information System, a web-based mapping and monitoring tool, to ensure control of this invasive species is carried out in the most efficient way possible,” Mr Mitchell says. . .
Seafood New Zealand applauds paua relief package:
The Government’s financial assistance package for the Kaikoura commercial paua divers has been welcomed by Seafood New Zealand chief executive Tim Pankhurst.
“The package will help support paua divers in Kaikoura who have been under considerable financial stress since last year’s earthquake,” Pankhurst said. . .
Carrfields acquires Farmlands’ livestock business:
Carrfields Livestock has grown to a national heavyweight player in its sector following the purchase of Farmlands’ livestock business this month.
Under the deal, Carrfields Livestock has acquired Farmlands’ entire livestock business, which includes a team of nearly 30 agents mainly based in the South Island.
This extends Carrfields’ coverage of the livestock market to all major regions of New Zealand, said Donald Baines, General Manager Carrfields Livestock. . .
Bayer Wairarapa Young Viticulturist of the Year 2017 announced:
Congratulations to Ben McNab-Jones from Urlar who became Bayer Wairarapa Young Viticulturist of the Year 2017 on 20 July. This is the second year McNab-Jones has entered the regional competition and he is over the moon to be going through to the National Final to represent the Wairarapa.
Congratulations also to Scott Lanceley who came 2nd. Lanceley is currently self-employed and contracting to different vineyards within the region. Congratulations also to from Te Kairanga who came 3rd. . .
Friday’s answers
21/07/2017Andrei and Teletext get my thanks for posing Thursday’s questions.
Should they have stumped us all they can claim a virtual batch of chocolate hazelnut biscuits by leaving the answers below.
There and then, here and now
21/07/2017This time last week we were in Noosa.
The locals thought it was cold but 20 – 24 degrees suited us perfectly for four days of walking, biking and reading.
That was there and then.
Here and now we’re back home and the forecasters were right:
Time | Forecast | Temp. | Precipitation | Wind |
---|---|---|---|---|
09:00–12:00 |
|
9° | 17.3 mm | ![]() |
12:00–18:00 |
|
9° | 27.8 mm | ![]() |
18:00–00:00 |
|
8° | 29.9 mm | ![]() |
Time | Forecast | Temp. | Precipitation | Wind |
---|---|---|---|---|
00:00–06:00 |
|
8° | 19.2 mm | ![]() |
06:00–12:00 |
|
8° | 10.0 mm | ![]() |
12:00–18:00 |
|
7° | 0.7 mm | ![]() |
18:00–00:00 |
|
6° | 0 mm | ![]() |
Time | Forecast | Temp. | Precipitation | Wind |
---|---|---|---|---|
00:00–06:00 |
|
6° | 0 mm | ![]() |
06:00–12:00 |
|
2° | 0 mm | ![]() |
12:00–18:00 |
|
7° | 0 mm | ![]() |
18:00–00:00 |
|
5° | 0 mm | ![]() |
It’s not perfect timing for the calves which have started to arrive.
Here’s hoping the forecasters are right that it will be improving by Sunday.
P.S. – that forecast is from YR, a Norwegian service which we’ve found to be very accurate.
Quote of the day
21/07/2017You’re only given a little spark of madness. You mustn’t lose it. – Robin Williams who was born on this day in 1951.