September 30, 2025 • 7 mins
Our Moa Flat correspondent says lambing is getting through, although some sunshine would be appreciated for grass growth.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
This interview brought to you by agriss Into South Branches
in Lawnville, Gore, Cromwell, Milton and ranfully dropped by your
local Agressenter South Branch today.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
James Eka Farms at mar Flat joins us once again. James,
good afternoon. You'll be pleased to see the back of September.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
YEP, that's one way to put it. It was better
than last year. I think for us overall, probably had
less grass growth. We probably were we once bitten twice. Sure,
I think we sort of set the farms up for
worst case scenario after last year and we're getting to
now and we're pretty pleased that we've done that because, Yeah,
(00:45):
I don't know it was all that much conder was it?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
As far as rainfall grass growth? What was it like
compared to twelve months ago.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I think it's been a lot colder, definitely a lot
lower grass now. Certainly started off with great hopes, but
we never grow that much cover at Mile Flat that
early because it was quite nice in the winter. Yeah,
it's sort of been I don't know if it's unusual
usual what it's sort of been, but it's it's been
a bit of a test and you've had to work hard,
(01:15):
but you've been well rewarded for when you have worked hard,
I guess is what what i'd call it. We put
on our SA quite early and seen a massive difference
in the pasture covers well not they cover so much
as a color, and how it's holding on to the
set stocking from the ground that didn't get any It
hasn't even bothered growing yet, so it's not all that ideal. Yeah,
(01:38):
we're just about to see the heap of kettle up
from Tapanoi back up to mile Flat. So yeah, October
really needs to start growing. Would be quite nice, wouldn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
So you're through the lambing season pretty much now, Well
how fast? How much would you have left to go?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Well, yeah, we start on about the twentieth of August
on Tapanoi and we're just about finished down there and
we'll finish the last lambs about the tenth of November
is when we sort of finish up the last of
the Hoggitt lambs. So we're probably halfway, I guess, as
were will be. But as a team, we sort of
share the load and you know, everyone's we do a
lot less physical lemming. I guess at mile flat. It's
(02:15):
gonna work hard, but yeah, just make sure trying to
be mindful that everyone gets a break and we share
the workload round and everyone's in good spurts, and yeah,
quite exciting for the year going ahead.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
I think that's a hell of a stretch for lambing.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, I no, we get everything, but yeah's just the
way it sort of works. So we probably pushed the hogits.
There's probably early enough to lend the hogits in terms
of when we start lamming them, which will be fifth
of October. We shall get our first lambs there, but
we too is not to go any later than that
in terms of when we make them and then leamd them,
just just for basically for all of us that have
(02:50):
to work because you're mentally about finished with lemming for
tom November Hits.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, that's something that's really interesting for me anyway, when
you're looking at a hoggt lambing gone through the stretch
of September as such, mentally, are you mounted when it
comes to say another four or five hundred Hoggets that
you've got to lamb.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
I think it's worth when you're a one man band actually,
in my opinion, so you know, we started very small
when we first started out, but now now with that
with Holly and Matt and I, we just really make
sure we're like the dairy guys in carving, make sure
we give structured days off and just try and work
as a team. So nobody's left doing lembing for weeks
(03:29):
and at an end, you know there's always leafy turn
up around to spray out or other jobs doing attractors?
Are you just try and ye swap all the jobs arounds.
It keeps you fresh and nobody's getting pumped away, so.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
You've all managed had a little bit of time off though,
That's what it comes down to.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, I think so. Yeah, you're just making sure as
a team we're we're into it because you get that
when you're tired, you don't make good decisions. And I
think that's something that sticks out the more older I get.
I guess, I guess Andy. When you're in your twin
you're just wanting to go hard every day, but sometimes
you've got to work a bit hard and not don't
hard and not harder?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Don't you sounds like social life?
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Oh no, quite good, No, it is the year like
the fruit of all your whole year's worth of labor,
isn't it, especially when we are always say the Lemming's
basically how hard you've worked in the winter at mile
flat just lose weight on sheets so easily. So now
you slip your rams and you put your rams out,
and then you get to scanning time, and you get
sort of a report card at scanning time, and then
(04:33):
you set stock you use and you get a bit
of a report card on how heavy or light they
are in terms of conditions, score and your past to cover,
and then it's about tailing time, isn't It's quite nice
to see the lambs running around that your bred.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Because we talked about mindset last time I spoke to you.
When we get to this time of year and the
weather's still being in, let's be honest, you just the
end is night. You can see light at the end
of the tunnel as such, so you can start planning
a few trips in just a couple a jaunts of farm.
If you've got to go to town, go and do it.
And just a job that can hold off to tomorrow.
You getting to the time where you can perhaps do that.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Yeah, absolutely, Actually, something I've probably changed this year, and
I'll we shared out there to ad Jesse at the
shred Shed. Andy is that I started going to the
gym and actually I've found that greatly beneficial. To be fair,
I've you know, just on the whole mindset thing and
you go down there and you forget about things and
throw some tin round and yeah, I think it keeps
(05:30):
you fresher for farming, to be fair. So just to
way share it there, I think she's doing a great,
great job for the community what she does there, and
it's quite impress effectually.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Are you a morning jim bunny or an evening bunny?
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Ah been evening? It just depends yea when I can
get there, but during you know, at the busy time.
But yeah, the mainly at night to be fair the
morning by the time I drive down there, I don't
want to lose any more sleep than what what you
already dot leaming to him.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Do you it's incredible how many people are at the
gym's here and go at five am.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, look, it's great. It's seriously impressive. You're sort of
you think it's not you know, you think you're going
to be farming fit. But I couldn't believe how my
range of mobility, you know, is a lot less than
you think. You see a lot of it's just the
stretching And yeah, no, I've enjoyed that and it would
be something i'd recommend to other farmers out there. It's
good just to get away and get off farm and
(06:24):
do something a bit different.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, speaking about this with Bryce McKenzie offair the other
day about if you have the ability to play sport,
just keep going as long as you can because one
day you're not going to be able to. And like
you say, it's all about having a work life balance,
which you can never underestimate, right.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
No, absolutely, it makes you more passionate about what you
do too, because let's be honest, as farmers were all
that passionate about what we do and that's why we
do it. But you know, when you can get away
and think about something else, but it just leaves you
more keen to get back and get back into it,
in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
So when do you start tailing.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
In that we entued a day last week and then
we're hoping to have another day on Friday down here
just wee ones because yeah, the weather hasn't been super
conducive to big day's tailing but chipping away. I would't
say we when I have seen any records, but oh
equally it's not, yeah, not going to be a disastrous
main things to get about of hitt here, something will
(07:18):
be nice.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Good on you, James, all the best this afternoon. We
always appreciate your time on the Master.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Cheer, said ending.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
James eggerma flat. This song is City of New Orleans
by L. A. Guthrie. It's a ripper that next Russell
Drummond a train city. I'll be gone five hundred miles
when the day
This interview brought to you by agriss Into South Branches
in Lawnville, Gore, Cromwell, Milton and ranfully dropped by your
local Agressenter South Branch today.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
James Eka Farms at mar Flat joins us once again. James,
good afternoon. You'll be pleased to see the back of September.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
YEP, that's one way to put it. It was better
than last year. I think for us overall, probably had
less grass growth. We probably were we once bitten twice. Sure,
I think we sort of set the farms up for
worst case scenario after last year and we're getting to
now and we're pretty pleased that we've done that because, Yeah,
(00:45):
I don't know it was all that much conder was it?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
As far as rainfall grass growth? What was it like
compared to twelve months ago.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
I think it's been a lot colder, definitely a lot
lower grass now. Certainly started off with great hopes, but
we never grow that much cover at Mile Flat that
early because it was quite nice in the winter. Yeah,
it's sort of been I don't know if it's unusual
usual what it's sort of been, but it's it's been
a bit of a test and you've had to work hard,
(01:15):
but you've been well rewarded for when you have worked hard,
I guess is what what i'd call it. We put
on our SA quite early and seen a massive difference
in the pasture covers well not they cover so much
as a color, and how it's holding on to the
set stocking from the ground that didn't get any It
hasn't even bothered growing yet, so it's not all that ideal. Yeah,
(01:38):
we're just about to see the heap of kettle up
from Tapanoi back up to mile Flat. So yeah, October
really needs to start growing. Would be quite nice, wouldn't it.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
So you're through the lambing season pretty much now, Well
how fast? How much would you have left to go?
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Well, yeah, we start on about the twentieth of August
on Tapanoi and we're just about finished down there and
we'll finish the last lambs about the tenth of November
is when we sort of finish up the last of
the Hoggitt lambs. So we're probably halfway, I guess, as
were will be. But as a team, we sort of
share the load and you know, everyone's we do a
lot less physical lemming. I guess at mile flat. It's
(02:15):
gonna work hard, but yeah, just make sure trying to
be mindful that everyone gets a break and we share
the workload round and everyone's in good spurts, and yeah,
quite exciting for the year going ahead.
Speaker 2 (02:25):
I think that's a hell of a stretch for lambing.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Yeah, I no, we get everything, but yeah's just the
way it sort of works. So we probably pushed the hogits.
There's probably early enough to lend the hogits in terms
of when we start lamming them, which will be fifth
of October. We shall get our first lambs there, but
we too is not to go any later than that
in terms of when we make them and then leamd them,
just just for basically for all of us that have
(02:50):
to work because you're mentally about finished with lemming for
tom November Hits.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, that's something that's really interesting for me anyway, when
you're looking at a hoggt lambing gone through the stretch
of September as such, mentally, are you mounted when it
comes to say another four or five hundred Hoggets that
you've got to lamb.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
I think it's worth when you're a one man band actually,
in my opinion, so you know, we started very small
when we first started out, but now now with that
with Holly and Matt and I, we just really make
sure we're like the dairy guys in carving, make sure
we give structured days off and just try and work
as a team. So nobody's left doing lembing for weeks
(03:29):
and at an end, you know there's always leafy turn
up around to spray out or other jobs doing attractors?
Are you just try and ye swap all the jobs arounds.
It keeps you fresh and nobody's getting pumped away, so.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
You've all managed had a little bit of time off though,
That's what it comes down to.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, I think so. Yeah, you're just making sure as
a team we're we're into it because you get that
when you're tired, you don't make good decisions. And I
think that's something that sticks out the more older I get.
I guess, I guess Andy. When you're in your twin
you're just wanting to go hard every day, but sometimes
you've got to work a bit hard and not don't
hard and not harder?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Don't you sounds like social life?
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Oh no, quite good, No, it is the year like
the fruit of all your whole year's worth of labor,
isn't it, especially when we are always say the Lemming's
basically how hard you've worked in the winter at mile
flat just lose weight on sheets so easily. So now
you slip your rams and you put your rams out,
and then you get to scanning time, and you get
sort of a report card at scanning time, and then
(04:33):
you set stock you use and you get a bit
of a report card on how heavy or light they
are in terms of conditions, score and your past to cover,
and then it's about tailing time, isn't It's quite nice
to see the lambs running around that your bred.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Because we talked about mindset last time I spoke to you.
When we get to this time of year and the
weather's still being in, let's be honest, you just the
end is night. You can see light at the end
of the tunnel as such, so you can start planning
a few trips in just a couple a jaunts of farm.
If you've got to go to town, go and do it.
And just a job that can hold off to tomorrow.
You getting to the time where you can perhaps do that.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Yeah, absolutely, Actually, something I've probably changed this year, and
I'll we shared out there to ad Jesse at the
shred Shed. Andy is that I started going to the
gym and actually I've found that greatly beneficial. To be fair,
I've you know, just on the whole mindset thing and
you go down there and you forget about things and
throw some tin round and yeah, I think it keeps
(05:30):
you fresher for farming, to be fair. So just to
way share it there, I think she's doing a great,
great job for the community what she does there, and
it's quite impress effectually.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Are you a morning jim bunny or an evening bunny?
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Ah been evening? It just depends yea when I can
get there, but during you know, at the busy time.
But yeah, the mainly at night to be fair the
morning by the time I drive down there, I don't
want to lose any more sleep than what what you
already dot leaming to him.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
Do you it's incredible how many people are at the
gym's here and go at five am.
Speaker 1 (06:03):
Yeah, look, it's great. It's seriously impressive. You're sort of
you think it's not you know, you think you're going
to be farming fit. But I couldn't believe how my
range of mobility, you know, is a lot less than
you think. You see a lot of it's just the
stretching And yeah, no, I've enjoyed that and it would
be something i'd recommend to other farmers out there. It's
good just to get away and get off farm and
(06:24):
do something a bit different.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Yeah, speaking about this with Bryce McKenzie offair the other
day about if you have the ability to play sport,
just keep going as long as you can because one
day you're not going to be able to. And like
you say, it's all about having a work life balance,
which you can never underestimate, right.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
No, absolutely, it makes you more passionate about what you
do too, because let's be honest, as farmers were all
that passionate about what we do and that's why we
do it. But you know, when you can get away
and think about something else, but it just leaves you
more keen to get back and get back into it,
in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
So when do you start tailing.
Speaker 1 (06:56):
In that we entued a day last week and then
we're hoping to have another day on Friday down here
just wee ones because yeah, the weather hasn't been super
conducive to big day's tailing but chipping away. I would't
say we when I have seen any records, but oh
equally it's not, yeah, not going to be a disastrous
main things to get about of hitt here, something will
(07:18):
be nice.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Good on you, James, all the best this afternoon. We
always appreciate your time on the Master.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
Cheer, said ending.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
James eggerma flat. This song is City of New Orleans
by L. A. Guthrie. It's a ripper that next Russell
Drummond a train city. I'll be gone five hundred miles
when the day
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