August 10, 2026 • 8 mins
Grant McMaster says why food production can never be under-estimated in NZ.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Fist up the.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Yeah grands us McMaster fans a closer friend station on
the edges of lake Walker Turf when he's brought to
us weekly by Batman and the team at Abby Rural.
Good afternoon, Grant, Good.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Afternoon, Andy, good afternoon, everybody. And speaking of Batman was
great catching up with him and a few of the
cohorts at at the function we had the other night.
So I must I must tell you I didn't get
to finish the story about Batman at Hot Park at
that hell, but we'll save that for another day.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
We gave up after twenty five minutes. Are you trying
to finish the story?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Well, Batman's a bag of a man, interrupt, doesn't he exactly?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Look how's everything up in the basin. We've got blue
sky and gore it's glorious.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, I know, we've got a lovely blue sky half
cross this morning. But I'm sitting talking to you out
at Loke Lake. The sun's pouring in and into the
truck that isn't it's about three degrees, but it's got
the jersey off. Have been tiding a few rams up
this morning and sorting a few things out, So really,
really pleasant in the sun. But yeah, cold this morning,
beautiful day to day.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Are you saying any signs of spring are out in
the belt?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Ah? Yeah, saw me ol mates, the oyster catchers arrive
in last week, so I reminded them again. I think
they're about three weeks too bloody early. But they never listen,
and they come back to the same place as that's
the first sign of spring. I've seen a a few
of the little native birds of coming around home a
bit more, the wax. I saw tooy this morning, and
(01:34):
a couple of bell birds, and they sort of they
sort of head away. You don't sort of see much
to them in the wonder when it's really cold, but
this time of their they come flocking back sort around.
We're surrounded by native trees and cares. Always got a
few apples in that out and so they've all flopped
back now, so it must be. Yeah, things are on
the move, the bell.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Birds and the two he's just seeing you away in
the trees.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Is nothing better, There is nothing better, just but that's
about all that's happening. That's sort of like spring. It
it's pretty boody. It's just sort of that dead look
about it at the moment, but it's you know, we're
on top of the ground, so that's the maintain.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So what's your focus at the moment then, before you
get into scanning and the lights.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Well, I've just going to bring the two d's back.
I've got I've put the twos out in the block
what we call the five miles, got quite good feed
in it, and I sort of think about bringing them
in reasonably shortly to get them on on vaillage and
barley because they haven't experienced the balley and salters yet
in their lives, so I like to get them onto
(02:33):
that before they come off the shears and straight into
padic onto that feed. So but I've still got some
nice feed on the hill block where they are, so
I'm going to stretch out out a few days, probably
bring them in probably the end of this week and
get them started on that. We've got a mile of
the ewes around it at the homestead we want to
about last week due to come back around. That's probably
(02:54):
it's about a five or six air track for them
to come around. So I was going to do that
this morning but got laid on other things, So probably
do that tomorrow morning and get them around and they'll
have another hell block to to to finish before we scan,
and the next age on another block along the road,
So probably this time next week. Well i'll do it later.
We'll get them on you for sharing on the twentieth
(03:15):
and so they'll bring them round to the yards and
then we'll be onder the feeding the barley and the
vaileage for the next three or four weeks until things
hopefully you know spring arrise.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Know what's hurt them when they've got their bally going.
I mean they'll be in what he want because chocolate factory,
they'll be in heaven.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Oh yeah, they like the rest of the years. I
you know, as soon as they see the truck. It
doesn't matter what time of the year, as they try
to bloody chase you, they just you know, they love
it that when you bring the old grain trailer out
and it's weather like this, it's it's good. It's good
to feed it because you don't you know, I haven't
got much wastedge and and of course they like salt.
So that's how I get the two ds onto the barley.
(03:54):
I just put egg salt and when I feed them,
and I once I get them on the baileage. I
just run that along the top of the vayage and
about three days later they just you don't need to
put the vootage down, you can. They just eat it
coming out of the sheet. So yeah, but a careful
driving at times, and you don't they don't know. They
know the road rules less than I do, but yeah,
(04:16):
they certainly get into it.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Now. There was an articu out the other day regarding
stock numbers in New Zealand and do they need to
be increased?
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, I just excuse me. I just read that. It
was a pole in the Farmer's Weekly, and I don't
know how many people went into the poll or answered it,
but the question should New Zealand farmers and increase stock
numbers to take advantage of a global drop and farmed animals?
And the result came back seventy one percent said yes
(04:46):
they should be and twenty eight percent said no. And
I thought, wow, it's quite an It's quite interesting because
I wouldn't have thought too many people of my generation
are the sixty five year old sort of things that
are the every day age of the farmer now apparently
would have probably said that yes, because you know what
we went through in the in the seventies and eighties
with all the you know, all the big the high
(05:07):
stock numbers and the incentives, and you know, we certainly
learned that you know, less is better and the old story,
you know, went from seventy million sheep to about thirty
five and had better better higher lamb weights and more
lambs and what have you to you know, genetics and
breeding and fertility, et cetera. So I just, you know,
(05:29):
I just I wonder where this is coming from. Because
if you were to have a look around and say
in South and then the Targa and all that good country.
You know, you look at someone that's milking five hundred cows,
they're probably not going to be able to put another
hundred on or I don't I don't know what they're
sort of thinking. But I know in places like up
(05:50):
here where it's extensive, well we're sort of what we
carry what we can, and at the end of the day,
that's what it is. And you know, we've always been
good custodians of the land and that's why it gets
us through. And so I'm just thinking, I'm just wondering
where that comes from. And then you look at forestry.
So you know, they're saying that forestry is slowed, but
(06:10):
there's been three hundred and thirty thousand hectares have gone
into tree since twenty seventeen, and thirty thousand hectares of
seat and beef farming and sold to forestry in the
last year in this last year. So you know, they say,
and the article I read said that, and this wasn't
to do with with the pole, but I think it
(06:30):
sort of goes hand in hand because it's half the
reason that we probably can't increase a lot. But so
the forestry have been slower from twenty twenty to twenty
twenty two, so basically went from sixty four thousand hectares
down to right thirty thousand years now, and that comes
at the expense of rural communities and basically, you know,
(06:51):
the vulnerable production of good farmiland. So I just don't know,
I just don't know what the what the answer is.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
And you just got underestimate food production going forward.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Well, no you can't. And I mean the bloody horse
has boulted as far as the all the land going
and the forestry, and you know, there's no doubt about it.
The right tree in the right place. Twenty five percent
of you you know your gullies and that nothing wrong
with it. But you know, for people to be saying
now that we know we need to increase, we need
(07:23):
to increase more or grow more and increase production, it's
unless it's a niche market of something. I find it
pretty difficult to understand how that's going to be.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Southern under a charity Dog Charles getting underway on Friday Grant.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Yeah, they it comes around pretty quick, doesn't it. So
you know that's at a great cause there Friday, Saturday
Sunday fourteen fift down, sixteenth down, but the im field
days shed there and all proceeds go to your hospital
South and great cause. They've been doing this for quite
a few years now and each year, you know, sponsors
come on board and people really support it. So just
(08:01):
well done. All the team down there and a few
around and one to go and have a look. That's
you know, it's indoors. It's good to see and a
lot of good dogs and good dog dog people there.
People come from you know, probably the bottom of the
North or some come from the middle of North Island.
But it's it's well supported and a great thing, So
get along and say it, and congratulations to them to
(08:22):
be still still still making it happen, and we'll be
able to some reports on it next weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Absolutely good on your grant. Go and enjoy the afternoon,
and I look forward to finding out how Batman got
on on the end of that rock.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
And another day, Yeah, the only one
Speaker 2 (08:38):
You ever got into, by the way, Grabbing Master, brought
to us by Batman and the team at Ive Rural
cal Student's up next out of open country, this is
the Muster
Fist up the.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Yeah grands us McMaster fans a closer friend station on
the edges of lake Walker Turf when he's brought to
us weekly by Batman and the team at Abby Rural.
Good afternoon, Grant, Good.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Afternoon, Andy, good afternoon, everybody. And speaking of Batman was
great catching up with him and a few of the
cohorts at at the function we had the other night.
So I must I must tell you I didn't get
to finish the story about Batman at Hot Park at
that hell, but we'll save that for another day.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
We gave up after twenty five minutes. Are you trying
to finish the story?
Speaker 1 (00:40):
Well, Batman's a bag of a man, interrupt, doesn't he exactly?
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Look how's everything up in the basin. We've got blue
sky and gore it's glorious.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Yeah, I know, we've got a lovely blue sky half
cross this morning. But I'm sitting talking to you out
at Loke Lake. The sun's pouring in and into the
truck that isn't it's about three degrees, but it's got
the jersey off. Have been tiding a few rams up
this morning and sorting a few things out, So really,
really pleasant in the sun. But yeah, cold this morning,
beautiful day to day.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Are you saying any signs of spring are out in
the belt?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Ah? Yeah, saw me ol mates, the oyster catchers arrive
in last week, so I reminded them again. I think
they're about three weeks too bloody early. But they never listen,
and they come back to the same place as that's
the first sign of spring. I've seen a a few
of the little native birds of coming around home a
bit more, the wax. I saw tooy this morning, and
(01:34):
a couple of bell birds, and they sort of they
sort of head away. You don't sort of see much
to them in the wonder when it's really cold, but
this time of their they come flocking back sort around.
We're surrounded by native trees and cares. Always got a
few apples in that out and so they've all flopped
back now, so it must be. Yeah, things are on
the move, the bell.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Birds and the two he's just seeing you away in
the trees.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
Is nothing better, There is nothing better, just but that's
about all that's happening. That's sort of like spring. It
it's pretty boody. It's just sort of that dead look
about it at the moment, but it's you know, we're
on top of the ground, so that's the maintain.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
So what's your focus at the moment then, before you
get into scanning and the lights.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
Well, I've just going to bring the two d's back.
I've got I've put the twos out in the block
what we call the five miles, got quite good feed
in it, and I sort of think about bringing them
in reasonably shortly to get them on on vaillage and
barley because they haven't experienced the balley and salters yet
in their lives, so I like to get them onto
(02:33):
that before they come off the shears and straight into
padic onto that feed. So but I've still got some
nice feed on the hill block where they are, so
I'm going to stretch out out a few days, probably
bring them in probably the end of this week and
get them started on that. We've got a mile of
the ewes around it at the homestead we want to
about last week due to come back around. That's probably
(02:54):
it's about a five or six air track for them
to come around. So I was going to do that
this morning but got laid on other things, So probably
do that tomorrow morning and get them around and they'll
have another hell block to to to finish before we scan,
and the next age on another block along the road,
So probably this time next week. Well i'll do it later.
We'll get them on you for sharing on the twentieth
(03:15):
and so they'll bring them round to the yards and
then we'll be onder the feeding the barley and the
vaileage for the next three or four weeks until things
hopefully you know spring arrise.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Know what's hurt them when they've got their bally going.
I mean they'll be in what he want because chocolate factory,
they'll be in heaven.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
Oh yeah, they like the rest of the years. I
you know, as soon as they see the truck. It
doesn't matter what time of the year, as they try
to bloody chase you, they just you know, they love
it that when you bring the old grain trailer out
and it's weather like this, it's it's good. It's good
to feed it because you don't you know, I haven't
got much wastedge and and of course they like salt.
So that's how I get the two ds onto the barley.
(03:54):
I just put egg salt and when I feed them,
and I once I get them on the baileage. I
just run that along the top of the vayage and
about three days later they just you don't need to
put the vootage down, you can. They just eat it
coming out of the sheet. So yeah, but a careful
driving at times, and you don't they don't know. They
know the road rules less than I do, but yeah,
(04:16):
they certainly get into it.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Now. There was an articu out the other day regarding
stock numbers in New Zealand and do they need to
be increased?
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Yeah, I just excuse me. I just read that. It
was a pole in the Farmer's Weekly, and I don't
know how many people went into the poll or answered it,
but the question should New Zealand farmers and increase stock
numbers to take advantage of a global drop and farmed animals?
And the result came back seventy one percent said yes
(04:46):
they should be and twenty eight percent said no. And
I thought, wow, it's quite an It's quite interesting because
I wouldn't have thought too many people of my generation
are the sixty five year old sort of things that
are the every day age of the farmer now apparently
would have probably said that yes, because you know what
we went through in the in the seventies and eighties
with all the you know, all the big the high
(05:07):
stock numbers and the incentives, and you know, we certainly
learned that you know, less is better and the old story,
you know, went from seventy million sheep to about thirty
five and had better better higher lamb weights and more
lambs and what have you to you know, genetics and
breeding and fertility, et cetera. So I just, you know,
(05:29):
I just I wonder where this is coming from. Because
if you were to have a look around and say
in South and then the Targa and all that good country.
You know, you look at someone that's milking five hundred cows,
they're probably not going to be able to put another
hundred on or I don't I don't know what they're
sort of thinking. But I know in places like up
(05:50):
here where it's extensive, well we're sort of what we
carry what we can, and at the end of the day,
that's what it is. And you know, we've always been
good custodians of the land and that's why it gets
us through. And so I'm just thinking, I'm just wondering
where that comes from. And then you look at forestry.
So you know, they're saying that forestry is slowed, but
(06:10):
there's been three hundred and thirty thousand hectares have gone
into tree since twenty seventeen, and thirty thousand hectares of
seat and beef farming and sold to forestry in the
last year in this last year. So you know, they say,
and the article I read said that, and this wasn't
to do with with the pole, but I think it
(06:30):
sort of goes hand in hand because it's half the
reason that we probably can't increase a lot. But so
the forestry have been slower from twenty twenty to twenty
twenty two, so basically went from sixty four thousand hectares
down to right thirty thousand years now, and that comes
at the expense of rural communities and basically, you know,
(06:51):
the vulnerable production of good farmiland. So I just don't know,
I just don't know what the what the answer is.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
And you just got underestimate food production going forward.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
Well, no you can't. And I mean the bloody horse
has boulted as far as the all the land going
and the forestry, and you know, there's no doubt about it.
The right tree in the right place. Twenty five percent
of you you know your gullies and that nothing wrong
with it. But you know, for people to be saying
now that we know we need to increase, we need
(07:23):
to increase more or grow more and increase production, it's
unless it's a niche market of something. I find it
pretty difficult to understand how that's going to be.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Southern under a charity Dog Charles getting underway on Friday Grant.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Yeah, they it comes around pretty quick, doesn't it. So
you know that's at a great cause there Friday, Saturday
Sunday fourteen fift down, sixteenth down, but the im field
days shed there and all proceeds go to your hospital
South and great cause. They've been doing this for quite
a few years now and each year, you know, sponsors
come on board and people really support it. So just
(08:01):
well done. All the team down there and a few
around and one to go and have a look. That's
you know, it's indoors. It's good to see and a
lot of good dogs and good dog dog people there.
People come from you know, probably the bottom of the
North or some come from the middle of North Island.
But it's it's well supported and a great thing, So
get along and say it, and congratulations to them to
(08:22):
be still still still making it happen, and we'll be
able to some reports on it next weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Absolutely good on your grant. Go and enjoy the afternoon,
and I look forward to finding out how Batman got
on on the end of that rock.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
And another day, Yeah, the only one
Speaker 2 (08:38):
You ever got into, by the way, Grabbing Master, brought
to us by Batman and the team at Ive Rural
cal Student's up next out of open country, this is
the Muster
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