July 20, 2026 • 7 mins
Grant McMaster looks at "green shutes" that he is seeing with the July weather.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Grant disast McMaster farms on the edges of Lake Wakatific
at close ber In Station and catches up with us
thanks to Harvey. Rural. Good afternoon, grunt.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good afternoon, any, good afternoon, everybody?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
The basin, hell things.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
The basin's quite nice this morning, seven degrees some trying
to get out a bit of cloud about. I'm over
at the at the Hell's Block at the moment, going
to shift the hog at sea and put a few
more breaks up and shift some heifers around. But I'm
sitting looking right into the remarkable skip park and or
ski field, and there's not a lot of snow up there,
and you can see the old the poles or the
(00:46):
lift or whatever you call the buddy things sticking out
verbal chair, a lot of rocks and the chairlift is
called Chailer, Yeah, exactly, the chairlift. They've never been on one.
So but anyway, not a lot of snow up there,
and the same as we turned around to Quiet Peak
and it's the same as snow, but there's not a
(01:09):
lot and a fear of it's gone this last week
so haven't had the frost that we've had, which is
quite good. But yeah, it's still been quite cold. Forty
three miles of rain last Wednesday, so that sort of
got rid of a bit of a snow too. To
be fair, you know, just about the end of July,
and we know there's a lot of a lot of crap.
Weather can come from what it can come at any time.
(01:31):
But you know August is normally getting chucks a bit
at us. But you know, days are certainly drawing out
a little bit, and when the sun is out it's
a little bit warmer. I think that's truly because the
frosts haven't been quite so here. It's funny, how you know,
when you're dealing with the temperatures cold temperatures around the
you know, the zero is two, three, four or five,
(01:51):
and you get that bit of left another even two
or three degrees, it seems it seems almost tropical, doesn't it.
And unlike we get in the summer when it's hot
all the time and it gets colder, you feel the
cold more than you think is getting cold. But when
it's when it's cold and it gets a bit warmer,
it's a great feeling and it always feels warmer than
it is.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
But it goes from minus to plus two when you
wake up in the mornings. Certainly, yes, you don't do
a happy dance, but you notice it in your bones.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yeah, you certainly do. But now, as I say, the
days are sort of drawing out a little bit, and
the we had that rain last week and it's you know,
things that's got that real wint to look about it.
But we haven't a lot of wind, and it's just
been sort of just cool weather.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
So you're working on a few budgets at the moment.
Ground that's a good news story. Of prices the way they.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Are, well, it's a bit it's a bit more fun
doing a budget. Well, the last couple of years have
been a bit more enjoyable. And I guess you know,
you look at it, that's it's the income is looking
pretty good and you feel good, right, and you know,
a bit more positive there. But then of course the
the inputs both crept up pretty high, haven't they. And
(03:00):
and but it's all relative. So it's a good job
with with their with their with their costs rising and
what have you. That our prices are staying up. And
I think it's looking pretty good that people have spoken
to and and what you read in the papers there's
certainly still that demand for protein, and I don't think
there's you know, there's no there's no worry about us
(03:21):
not being up to supply different countries. And I think
as long as they're you know, with a bit luck,
our sheet numbers and cattle numbers, well, cattle will probably
go up, but sheet numbers stay the same, and it's
looking quite good. We're able to to supply who we
who we want. Really.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Yeah, of course farmers at the moment, based on the season,
they've had to be thinking about the three little word
that ends an eggs tax.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah, well, the old thing they say, if you're not
making money, you're not paying tax. And we certainly there's
some of those political parties would like to tax us
a bit more. But I think, you know, we've we've
got to. We do share the heavy lifting, and we
certainly pay our share of the tax. That's just the
way it goes. As long as we can keep farming
and they not have deny roadblocks in front of us,
(04:06):
what will keep going. But you know it is it's
a lot, it's a lot better doing your budgets like
this year, knowing what we're well, presuming it's still going
to stay the same or near enough, and it's a
lot you know, it looks a lot better for that
when you do first draft.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Anyway, Now you've done a bit of traveling this year
as a so you went over to the States. Would
you say you're positive for the season ahead?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, definitely, I think, come yeah, I think it's looking
pretty good myself. And you know, you take the you
take what we've got as a product, and how we're
and these these new trade deals we're getting and talk
of you know, how the States putting up putting more
tariffs on the meat we send into the United States.
But you know that meets just the number of the
(04:51):
number of lamb with lambs we put in is still
just keep it keeping up with the growing population, and
they've got a declining number of sheep anyway, So I think,
and you know, if I think we're in the stage
now with the work that people are doing in the
companies that there's lots of options for us without and
you know, going further afield into new market, and I
think that's really positive.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Now we throw to the Otago went to clubs. Of course,
you're a dog trial and correspondent here on the Master grunt.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
How was it. Yeah, a good day yesterday over at Tariff.
So my neighbor Phil McMurray, myself went over to represent
the Mighty walked up and congratulations to the Tariffs Club.
They put on a great day and they won the competition,
so they're the holders. They took it off Chapeka West
that have held it the last couple of years, so
(05:39):
they lost it to the home advantage of the Terriff Boys.
But I know, it's good to catch up and everybody's
pretty positive over there. People are having you know, good seasons.
There's twelve clubs in the Targo, so eleven were represented,
so from you know right down to Tahatoka to us
and to Tyrie. So yeah, everybody was sort of they
were pretty chipper about our things are go, and most
(06:02):
most guys said that, you know, they've had probably one
of the best winters out from you know, falling on
from when the autumn got pranked into it and a
good winter and wet in places, but pretty pretty positive
about what's happening. So that's you know, you get off
the farm and you you always have a good catch
up and that's I think that's the best way to
find out what's happening.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Really, that's a few clubs for a Tiger twelve as well.
That's pretty good. That's been pretty good. High I ought
to mention, Yeah, no it is.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
And you know they yeah, they're good, all good clubs.
So it's always good to catch up and have a
got a friendly fand and rivalry and you tell the
same stories and the bellows few more. But you know,
we had a good day out there and as they
congratulations to Tarras and being of dog twiling. The indoor
charity Trials are up next next month from the in
(06:49):
August fourteen, fifteen, and sixteenth, so no doubt we'll hear
from olat Girl Roy also known as Michael Joyce. He'll
come with a few facts and figures for us. And
it's always a good that's always good day out so
we'll see what happens here. Something you have to look
forward to.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
And it goes towards a great cause as well. Get
on your grant, get you next week, hey, before.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
We go, great news Ryan Fox winning.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
The Open probably the story of the year in a
sporting sense. Good on your grant. It's a great way
to end.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Take care.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Grant McMaster of close friend Station Weekly here on the
muster thanks to Abby Rural. Up next Chris Dillan, president
of South Confederated Farmers. A few meetings going on in
the South over the next couple of days
Grant disast McMaster farms on the edges of Lake Wakatific
at close ber In Station and catches up with us
thanks to Harvey. Rural. Good afternoon, grunt.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Good afternoon, any, good afternoon, everybody?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
The basin, hell things.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
The basin's quite nice this morning, seven degrees some trying
to get out a bit of cloud about. I'm over
at the at the Hell's Block at the moment, going
to shift the hog at sea and put a few
more breaks up and shift some heifers around. But I'm
sitting looking right into the remarkable skip park and or
ski field, and there's not a lot of snow up there,
and you can see the old the poles or the
(00:46):
lift or whatever you call the buddy things sticking out
verbal chair, a lot of rocks and the chairlift is
called Chailer, Yeah, exactly, the chairlift. They've never been on one.
So but anyway, not a lot of snow up there,
and the same as we turned around to Quiet Peak
and it's the same as snow, but there's not a
(01:09):
lot and a fear of it's gone this last week
so haven't had the frost that we've had, which is
quite good. But yeah, it's still been quite cold. Forty
three miles of rain last Wednesday, so that sort of
got rid of a bit of a snow too. To
be fair, you know, just about the end of July,
and we know there's a lot of a lot of crap.
Weather can come from what it can come at any time.
(01:31):
But you know August is normally getting chucks a bit
at us. But you know, days are certainly drawing out
a little bit, and when the sun is out it's
a little bit warmer. I think that's truly because the
frosts haven't been quite so here. It's funny, how you know,
when you're dealing with the temperatures cold temperatures around the
you know, the zero is two, three, four or five,
(01:51):
and you get that bit of left another even two
or three degrees, it seems it seems almost tropical, doesn't it.
And unlike we get in the summer when it's hot
all the time and it gets colder, you feel the
cold more than you think is getting cold. But when
it's when it's cold and it gets a bit warmer,
it's a great feeling and it always feels warmer than
it is.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
But it goes from minus to plus two when you
wake up in the mornings. Certainly, yes, you don't do
a happy dance, but you notice it in your bones.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yeah, you certainly do. But now, as I say, the
days are sort of drawing out a little bit, and
the we had that rain last week and it's you know,
things that's got that real wint to look about it.
But we haven't a lot of wind, and it's just
been sort of just cool weather.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
So you're working on a few budgets at the moment.
Ground that's a good news story. Of prices the way they.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Are, well, it's a bit it's a bit more fun
doing a budget. Well, the last couple of years have
been a bit more enjoyable. And I guess you know,
you look at it, that's it's the income is looking
pretty good and you feel good, right, and you know,
a bit more positive there. But then of course the
the inputs both crept up pretty high, haven't they. And
(03:00):
and but it's all relative. So it's a good job
with with their with their with their costs rising and
what have you. That our prices are staying up. And
I think it's looking pretty good that people have spoken
to and and what you read in the papers there's
certainly still that demand for protein, and I don't think
there's you know, there's no there's no worry about us
(03:21):
not being up to supply different countries. And I think
as long as they're you know, with a bit luck,
our sheet numbers and cattle numbers, well, cattle will probably
go up, but sheet numbers stay the same, and it's
looking quite good. We're able to to supply who we
who we want. Really.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Yeah, of course farmers at the moment, based on the season,
they've had to be thinking about the three little word
that ends an eggs tax.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Yeah, well, the old thing they say, if you're not
making money, you're not paying tax. And we certainly there's
some of those political parties would like to tax us
a bit more. But I think, you know, we've we've
got to. We do share the heavy lifting, and we
certainly pay our share of the tax. That's just the
way it goes. As long as we can keep farming
and they not have deny roadblocks in front of us,
(04:06):
what will keep going. But you know it is it's
a lot, it's a lot better doing your budgets like
this year, knowing what we're well, presuming it's still going
to stay the same or near enough, and it's a
lot you know, it looks a lot better for that
when you do first draft.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
Anyway, Now you've done a bit of traveling this year
as a so you went over to the States. Would
you say you're positive for the season ahead?
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Yeah, definitely, I think, come yeah, I think it's looking
pretty good myself. And you know, you take the you
take what we've got as a product, and how we're
and these these new trade deals we're getting and talk
of you know, how the States putting up putting more
tariffs on the meat we send into the United States.
But you know that meets just the number of the
(04:51):
number of lamb with lambs we put in is still
just keep it keeping up with the growing population, and
they've got a declining number of sheep anyway, So I think,
and you know, if I think we're in the stage
now with the work that people are doing in the
companies that there's lots of options for us without and
you know, going further afield into new market, and I
think that's really positive.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Now we throw to the Otago went to clubs. Of course,
you're a dog trial and correspondent here on the Master grunt.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
How was it. Yeah, a good day yesterday over at Tariff.
So my neighbor Phil McMurray, myself went over to represent
the Mighty walked up and congratulations to the Tariffs Club.
They put on a great day and they won the competition,
so they're the holders. They took it off Chapeka West
that have held it the last couple of years, so
(05:39):
they lost it to the home advantage of the Terriff Boys.
But I know, it's good to catch up and everybody's
pretty positive over there. People are having you know, good seasons.
There's twelve clubs in the Targo, so eleven were represented,
so from you know right down to Tahatoka to us
and to Tyrie. So yeah, everybody was sort of they
were pretty chipper about our things are go, and most
(06:02):
most guys said that, you know, they've had probably one
of the best winters out from you know, falling on
from when the autumn got pranked into it and a
good winter and wet in places, but pretty pretty positive
about what's happening. So that's you know, you get off
the farm and you you always have a good catch
up and that's I think that's the best way to
find out what's happening.
Speaker 1 (06:21):
Really, that's a few clubs for a Tiger twelve as well.
That's pretty good. That's been pretty good. High I ought
to mention, Yeah, no it is.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
And you know they yeah, they're good, all good clubs.
So it's always good to catch up and have a
got a friendly fand and rivalry and you tell the
same stories and the bellows few more. But you know,
we had a good day out there and as they
congratulations to Tarras and being of dog twiling. The indoor
charity Trials are up next next month from the in
(06:49):
August fourteen, fifteen, and sixteenth, so no doubt we'll hear
from olat Girl Roy also known as Michael Joyce. He'll
come with a few facts and figures for us. And
it's always a good that's always good day out so
we'll see what happens here. Something you have to look
forward to.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
And it goes towards a great cause as well. Get
on your grant, get you next week, hey, before.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
We go, great news Ryan Fox winning.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
The Open probably the story of the year in a
sporting sense. Good on your grant. It's a great way
to end.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
Take care.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
Grant McMaster of close friend Station Weekly here on the
muster thanks to Abby Rural. Up next Chris Dillan, president
of South Confederated Farmers. A few meetings going on in
the South over the next couple of days
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!