September 2, 2026 • 7 mins
Isla Pringle says that sunshine would be appreciated at Hedgehope to get the grass growing as calving moves into the middle stages.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I don't know why sometimes I get frightened. You can
see my eyes.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
This is the muster on Hokanui. Isla Pringle is based
at Hedgehope, dairy farming out that way. Also a member
of the Nightcaps Young Farmers Club and joins us once again. Isla,
good afternoon. You're on the carving beat. How's it been?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Cheers, Andy.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, no.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
I mean, pretty smooth sailing. I mean, most of August
was pretty cool unto us, to be fair, but just
the end slash start of September seemed to be a
bit different. So now I had a fair share of
muck-ups and.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Learnings.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Yeah, so that's all part of it. Everything's ticking over.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
When did you start carving officially? How long have you
been going?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Oh, we bought a wee few heifers and they calved
a wee bit earlier to AB as well. So I
think maybe like 20th of July, 25th of July we
had a few. But yeah, nothing too crazy. Just I think, yeah,
main herd was sort of due the 8th of August.
(01:16):
And yeah, we're about, I don't know, 370 in now, so.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Well, you're six weeks in. Is it as you expected
it to be, weather aside?
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, no, everything's pretty good and cows are in good nick,
which is always nice to see. And to be fair,
we've still got quite a bit of grass.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Really?
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yeah, just we dried off a wee bit earlier just
to make sure we did have those covers because, yeah,
nothing worse. But, yeah, we still have a bit of grass, but, yeah,
like we said.
Sort of disappearing pretty quick through those cows can eat.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
That landscape through the headchope way when you go through
to Winton or the back way to Lawnville or whatever
it certainly grows a lot of tucker through there, you
say that?
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Yeah no we like to say we're summer safe because
there's a lot of water but yeah this time of
year it's more like a lake view from my house
so yeah a lot of standing water in the in
the flats anyway, so, yeah. But, yeah, it does seem
to grow pretty well.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
So how wet's it in the paddocks? Are you not
aquaplaning when you're going around?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
In some paddocks. No, we did have a bit of
a flood to the pool in Hedgehope on, yeah, Sunday, Monday, so.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Oh, far out.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Monday, Tuesday maybe, so. I don't know. It is disappearing, but, yeah,
there's definitely... There's still a bit of water hanging around.
I did think that winter was pretty kind to us,
to be honest.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Winter was fantastic until about mid-June, and that's when we
went away on our holiday, and we left, and it
was nice and dry. There was grass. We came back.
It was like someone left a massive, big-ass hose on
over in Vicargill, and all the water had just dripped
down all the way down to Gore. put it into
a nutshell really it just got crazy really quick but
(03:21):
it's good to see you guys have grown a bit
of grass there at least somebody is I suppose.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yeah well yeah I'm not sure if it's growing still
but there's a bit of grass in front.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Of us at least do you carry much supplement through
at this time of year or is that pretty low
as well oh.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
It's getting pretty short to be honest um we're actually
um carting a wee bit from the neighbours at the
moment because we're a bit low so on silage yeah
um Yeah, that's just how it is, you know, just
trying to tick over and get everything off crock.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Talk a bit of young farmers, because I had Connor
on from Balfour the other day, and they still do
their Thirsty Thursday like tonight. You guys there at nightcaft,
do you do like a dinner or anything over the
busy season to catch up, or is it just too hectic?
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Bit of both. We had our meeting last night, so
that was good to catch up with everyone.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Oh, cool.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Pretty bloody good numbers. Yeah. I don't know, maybe closer to...
six or seven new faces so that was good to
meet a few new people and then yeah like not
next Wednesday but Wednesday after we'll have a pub night.
Thornberry had one last month, mid-month and we're having one
(04:33):
this month, mid-month for both of them, well anyone really
anyone that wants to come have a yarn and a
beer and buy yourself a feed and Yeah, just have
a catch-up, really. Excuse to get off farm.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
How do you find it? Do you find it hard, like,
during the day, just to stay mentally stimulated in the
job at the moment? Or is it a case of
Groundhog Day, you're in a routine, you just rip in?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, I mean, it's pretty routine in those mornings. You just,
you know, got to milk the cows and feed the
calves and get everything fed and happy. But, yeah, I
guess throughout the day, it changes a wee bit. And
when it's pretty wet and cold outside.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
It's not the.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Funnest job to go back out there, is it? Oh,
I don't know. Yeah, every day is different, isn't it?
But there's still plenty to do, I guess, and that's
the thing. The clock doesn't stop, really.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
If nothing else, it's the start of a new season,
and getting that milk out the gate is a pretty
cool feeling.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, it is. Yeah, no, it's real good, actually, and, yeah,
doing pretty good, so... Can't complain. And yeah, pretty good
community out here to be fair. So a lot of
people always checking in and bringing a beer around or
ringing or texting or whatever really. So no, it's a
(05:59):
good community feel out these ways.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
That's really good to hear that the community looks out
for each other and just catches up with neighbours or
people in the immediate area. I mean, that's really good
knowing you can lean on someone if you need to.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yeah, that's right. And everyone's on the same boat, so
just sharing stories. And that's what it was like last
night at Young Farmers too. It was pretty funny just,
you know, everyone sharing their stories and everyone's pretty similar
in the same boat.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Yeah, exactly. You're all in the same boat and everyone
is going to get out alive, but it's just a
matter of having to go through the windy, windy narrow
channels that life presents.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Yeah, that's it. That's 100% it really. And just knowing
you're not, you know, you're not doing it yourself either really,
like whatever your experience, I think I'm sure someone else
experienced at some point.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, not to say it's not hard or whatever, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
If it was easy farming, everybody would be doing it.
We'll leave it there. Hey, thanks for your time. All
the best in the trenches and yeah, keep smiling.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Cheers, Andy. Bloody awesome. We'll catch you next time.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Isla Pringle, based at Headchope. Young Farmers Meeting last, another
five or six members turning up. Young Farmers, great organisation
doing some really cool stuff as well. We talk about
it every Tuesday, but yet again, if you want to
get involved with Young Farmers, something a bit different, and
network and meet people, there's an outlet for you. Matt
McRae's up next. This week, talking in his beef and
(07:32):
lamb capacity.
I don't know why sometimes I get frightened. You can
see my eyes.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
This is the muster on Hokanui. Isla Pringle is based
at Hedgehope, dairy farming out that way. Also a member
of the Nightcaps Young Farmers Club and joins us once again. Isla,
good afternoon. You're on the carving beat. How's it been?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Cheers, Andy.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, no.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
I mean, pretty smooth sailing. I mean, most of August
was pretty cool unto us, to be fair, but just
the end slash start of September seemed to be a
bit different. So now I had a fair share of
muck-ups and.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Learnings.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Yeah, so that's all part of it. Everything's ticking over.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
When did you start carving officially? How long have you
been going?
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Oh, we bought a wee few heifers and they calved
a wee bit earlier to AB as well. So I
think maybe like 20th of July, 25th of July we
had a few. But yeah, nothing too crazy. Just I think, yeah,
main herd was sort of due the 8th of August.
(01:16):
And yeah, we're about, I don't know, 370 in now, so.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Well, you're six weeks in. Is it as you expected
it to be, weather aside?
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Yeah, no, everything's pretty good and cows are in good nick,
which is always nice to see. And to be fair,
we've still got quite a bit of grass.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Really?
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yeah, just we dried off a wee bit earlier just
to make sure we did have those covers because, yeah,
nothing worse. But, yeah, we still have a bit of grass, but, yeah,
like we said.
Sort of disappearing pretty quick through those cows can eat.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
That landscape through the headchope way when you go through
to Winton or the back way to Lawnville or whatever
it certainly grows a lot of tucker through there, you
say that?
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Yeah no we like to say we're summer safe because
there's a lot of water but yeah this time of
year it's more like a lake view from my house
so yeah a lot of standing water in the in
the flats anyway, so, yeah. But, yeah, it does seem
to grow pretty well.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
So how wet's it in the paddocks? Are you not
aquaplaning when you're going around?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
In some paddocks. No, we did have a bit of
a flood to the pool in Hedgehope on, yeah, Sunday, Monday, so.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Oh, far out.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Monday, Tuesday maybe, so. I don't know. It is disappearing, but, yeah,
there's definitely... There's still a bit of water hanging around.
I did think that winter was pretty kind to us,
to be honest.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Winter was fantastic until about mid-June, and that's when we
went away on our holiday, and we left, and it
was nice and dry. There was grass. We came back.
It was like someone left a massive, big-ass hose on
over in Vicargill, and all the water had just dripped
down all the way down to Gore. put it into
a nutshell really it just got crazy really quick but
(03:21):
it's good to see you guys have grown a bit
of grass there at least somebody is I suppose.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
Yeah well yeah I'm not sure if it's growing still
but there's a bit of grass in front.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Of us at least do you carry much supplement through
at this time of year or is that pretty low
as well oh.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
It's getting pretty short to be honest um we're actually
um carting a wee bit from the neighbours at the
moment because we're a bit low so on silage yeah
um Yeah, that's just how it is, you know, just
trying to tick over and get everything off crock.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Talk a bit of young farmers, because I had Connor
on from Balfour the other day, and they still do
their Thirsty Thursday like tonight. You guys there at nightcaft,
do you do like a dinner or anything over the
busy season to catch up, or is it just too hectic?
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Bit of both. We had our meeting last night, so
that was good to catch up with everyone.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Oh, cool.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Pretty bloody good numbers. Yeah. I don't know, maybe closer to...
six or seven new faces so that was good to
meet a few new people and then yeah like not
next Wednesday but Wednesday after we'll have a pub night.
Thornberry had one last month, mid-month and we're having one
(04:33):
this month, mid-month for both of them, well anyone really
anyone that wants to come have a yarn and a
beer and buy yourself a feed and Yeah, just have
a catch-up, really. Excuse to get off farm.
Speaker 2 (04:49):
How do you find it? Do you find it hard, like,
during the day, just to stay mentally stimulated in the
job at the moment? Or is it a case of
Groundhog Day, you're in a routine, you just rip in?
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Yeah, I mean, it's pretty routine in those mornings. You just,
you know, got to milk the cows and feed the
calves and get everything fed and happy. But, yeah, I
guess throughout the day, it changes a wee bit. And
when it's pretty wet and cold outside.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
It's not the.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Funnest job to go back out there, is it? Oh,
I don't know. Yeah, every day is different, isn't it?
But there's still plenty to do, I guess, and that's
the thing. The clock doesn't stop, really.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
If nothing else, it's the start of a new season,
and getting that milk out the gate is a pretty
cool feeling.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah, it is. Yeah, no, it's real good, actually, and, yeah,
doing pretty good, so... Can't complain. And yeah, pretty good
community out here to be fair. So a lot of
people always checking in and bringing a beer around or
ringing or texting or whatever really. So no, it's a
(05:59):
good community feel out these ways.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
That's really good to hear that the community looks out
for each other and just catches up with neighbours or
people in the immediate area. I mean, that's really good
knowing you can lean on someone if you need to.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
Yeah, that's right. And everyone's on the same boat, so
just sharing stories. And that's what it was like last
night at Young Farmers too. It was pretty funny just,
you know, everyone sharing their stories and everyone's pretty similar
in the same boat.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Yeah, exactly. You're all in the same boat and everyone
is going to get out alive, but it's just a
matter of having to go through the windy, windy narrow
channels that life presents.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Yeah, that's it. That's 100% it really. And just knowing
you're not, you know, you're not doing it yourself either really,
like whatever your experience, I think I'm sure someone else
experienced at some point.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, not to say it's not hard or whatever, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
If it was easy farming, everybody would be doing it.
We'll leave it there. Hey, thanks for your time. All
the best in the trenches and yeah, keep smiling.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Cheers, Andy. Bloody awesome. We'll catch you next time.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Isla Pringle, based at Headchope. Young Farmers Meeting last, another
five or six members turning up. Young Farmers, great organisation
doing some really cool stuff as well. We talk about
it every Tuesday, but yet again, if you want to
get involved with Young Farmers, something a bit different, and
network and meet people, there's an outlet for you. Matt
McRae's up next. This week, talking in his beef and
(07:32):
lamb capacity.
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