August 25, 2025 • 8 mins
Nigel Woodhead says keeping things in perspective is the key to getting through September.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
The Masters on the Farm brought to you by Southland
District Council working together for a better Southland.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Nigel what he had farms in south Otago between clother
and Milton and joins us skid aide nightge hell things.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yeah, things are pretty good today, Farmers shining.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
A little bit cooler, hearing go first thing. That's blue
sky now and that's pretty much the perfect deal to August.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Yeah, things are, things are taken along pretty well actually,
although I'm not I'm not not on Farmers. We speak
of just sitting on the main drag and Milton actually
giving Leanne, giving Leanne hand to do some sign riding
on the Butchers and Milkham. They're doing a rebrand, so
I'm playing sign riders today.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
No, you're a man of many talents, not to be underestimated.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Yeah, yeah, well when when Leanne used to do but
winning styling and all that sort of bits and pieces
of beat farmer during the week and wedding stylist and
knocking around at weddings during the during the weekend sometimes
in the summer as well. So it's good and it's
quite like I actually quite enjoy It's something different to farming.
And you know, it's a good week business for the end.
(01:13):
She tacks line, does that and gives me something else
to do. When when she's got jobs on, I can
give her a head. That's quite good.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
So how's your grass looking for the end of the month.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
We're looking really good. Actually, yep, yep, we.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Things I couldn't tell you whatever cover is, but yeah,
we're looking looking really good. We've got plenty attacker around
the I always reacon sometime in August. Your panic about
how you're going to get through the seat of stock,
and he's always a period of time where you say, oh,
I don't have enough feed and I'm going to have
to break all the rules and do this and do that.
You know, this year, we've I've sort of always been
(01:49):
able to see a path in front of us. You know,
even though the feed budget say is we're good, you
always panic a wee bit. But this year, you know,
you can see the feed in front. I knew where
things were going to go and what was going to
happen for the next few weeks. We'll sit stocking. So
that's a good sign. It means we're yeah, so they've
got one to got the autumn management right and got
(02:11):
window management right, and us are looking really good. Singles
or head through the yards this afternoon and get their
prelim animal health and get drafted into their sitting stocking
lines and then go back here and we'll sit stock
and probably another week ten days time here.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Farmers are always fussy about their covers though.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Oh yeah, it's one of those, especially this time of year.
You can well, I was going to say, you can
never have too much grass. You sort of can weave
it like you You want to have plenty of feed
lambing onto really good covers so that you know those
lambs get up and away they'll a good start. But
at the same time as you end up too much feed,
ye know, and then and then you get into September
and it warms up and grass really takes off or
(02:50):
you never get it back. So there's a bit of
a fine balancing act between getting enough feet to sit
stock on but not having too much. It's the quality issue.
You know, you're steering down the bell barrel of a
quality issue. So we're yeah, we're looking we're looking pretty good.
I think the google we'll be able to spread use
out on the pretty good covers and they're in pretty
(03:10):
good mac so hopefully we can turn that into good
winning weights.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
So what have you got left on wind the crops? Now?
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Just a few kettle that singles come off this morning
off their suite. There's a few hand for sweet bobs there,
so I'll probably throw the rams at the or something.
Just a tidy d mat and kettle on thot beat. Yeah,
and they've probably got another month or so on their
fot beat, which is good because we're just running around
grazing all the full rotation blocks now hooggots and twins.
(03:38):
So we'll get them tidied up and knock back in
the line and then in a month or so it's
time when the balls come off their beat, they'll be
have plenty of feed. They're ready to go on to
the spring rotations.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
And let's not forget IgE. Over the past thirty six months,
throughout the seasons, you've had some really trying times there
as far as getting these covers. So going through into
September with the way things are the moment, what does
it mean for you?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Oh? No, yeah, I think they have been like we've
had a few dry summers in there, and it's sort
of been a bit challenging, but I'll tell you what,
winter's winters seemed to be getting easier and easier. Yeah,
and it's sort of this year. If this year's winter
was what we're going to get going forward, I'll take it,
you know, like it was a dream winter. And I
(04:24):
know full well that it's not realistic that some stage
will get another week cold bugger, but you know it's yeah, summers,
summers are getting tougher, but winters are getting easier, so
you just have to tweet your management to suit it,
you know, like we're putting a bit more summer crop
and two to try and tie us through the dry
times and still be able to finish as many lambs
(04:46):
as we can and keep weighting on news. So but yeah,
I'm pretty stoked just with where my body conditions on
the US and we scan really well this year, so
I'm really happy with that. And and then you covers
are pretty good. So if we can the challenge now,
we'll be getting getting that lemming percentage to be where
(05:07):
it needs to be, you know, try and aiming for
that one fifty odd and then from tailing to weaning,
it will be all about waning weights. So hopefully we
can convert good body condition and your good scanning and
too land numbers at tailing and land weights at what you.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Tended to get the iron horse out of the shed
and turn over some worms before September proper, I was.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Thinking of thinking about that use Today, I don't think, well,
I don't think we'll open anything up, but we'll just
probably the eer eider I reckon. It's quite good to
get on and get the europe get the eurating done.
Is as Susan, you're the pedic, get that everything lifted
up and opened up, and then we get a dry,
dry pitch in September or something. You might be able
(05:50):
to get one pedic knocked down and get it into
something oats and grass or something early for bailage. But
we'll say, I don't think we our oats. Our oats
and grass crops last you yielded about course what we
were budgeting, so we've got we've still got bailage off sleeve.
So we'll probably put a pedica solid whole crops oligin
this year, and you maybe save a couple of backs
(06:13):
and not put so much of the oats and for
bailage and just go straight and through the summer crops
or young grass. So that's what I'm thinking. I've even
got a completely nailed down now.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
You're a pretty pragmatic individual, nigelre heading into the busy
time on farm. What's one piece of advice you got
for listeners out there when they things start getting tight?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I mean springtime, you know it's coming. It's it's always
busy every year. So for me, it's, you know, make
sure we've got good plans in place, and try and
do as much work as you can during the week,
and then I try and make sure I've got some
time to hang out for the family and the kids
and spend some time with yourself on the weekend. And
one thing it's really benefit of me is having like
(06:58):
just taking some time to make the week in the weekend,
because if you work all day and all night all
week and then all weekend as well, just needs to
drag on. So just just try and put yourself in
a position where you can take some time in the
weekend to yeah, sort of deep relaxed debrief, but make
(07:19):
make at least part of the weekend the weekend you
can chill out for a wee bit and then Monday
reset start again. And go edit. So these work to
be done. You've got to get the work done. And
it's a busy timing year. Everybody's in the same boat there.
But yeah, I and the other thing that I'll making
the week in the weekend thing as a kids appreciate
(07:40):
it to spend spend a week at the time, even
it's just half a day hanging out with them, making
making sure they know they spend some time with their
old men and get him to hang out and do
some fun stuff as well as as well as going
to work.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Good on your night. You always appreciate your time on
the master.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Not on your Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
And Niger Wadhead with some words of wisdom ahead of September.
Andy Coy's up next. He's involved with will Impact a
couple of meetings coming up tomorrow in the South regarding
the wool industry.
The Masters on the Farm brought to you by Southland
District Council working together for a better Southland.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Nigel what he had farms in south Otago between clother
and Milton and joins us skid aide nightge hell things.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Yeah, things are pretty good today, Farmers shining.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
A little bit cooler, hearing go first thing. That's blue
sky now and that's pretty much the perfect deal to August.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Yeah, things are, things are taken along pretty well actually,
although I'm not I'm not not on Farmers. We speak
of just sitting on the main drag and Milton actually
giving Leanne, giving Leanne hand to do some sign riding
on the Butchers and Milkham. They're doing a rebrand, so
I'm playing sign riders today.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
No, you're a man of many talents, not to be underestimated.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Yeah, yeah, well when when Leanne used to do but
winning styling and all that sort of bits and pieces
of beat farmer during the week and wedding stylist and
knocking around at weddings during the during the weekend sometimes
in the summer as well. So it's good and it's
quite like I actually quite enjoy It's something different to farming.
And you know, it's a good week business for the end.
(01:13):
She tacks line, does that and gives me something else
to do. When when she's got jobs on, I can
give her a head. That's quite good.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
So how's your grass looking for the end of the month.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
We're looking really good. Actually, yep, yep, we.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Things I couldn't tell you whatever cover is, but yeah,
we're looking looking really good. We've got plenty attacker around
the I always reacon sometime in August. Your panic about
how you're going to get through the seat of stock,
and he's always a period of time where you say, oh,
I don't have enough feed and I'm going to have
to break all the rules and do this and do that.
You know, this year, we've I've sort of always been
(01:49):
able to see a path in front of us. You know,
even though the feed budget say is we're good, you
always panic a wee bit. But this year, you know,
you can see the feed in front. I knew where
things were going to go and what was going to
happen for the next few weeks. We'll sit stocking. So
that's a good sign. It means we're yeah, so they've
got one to got the autumn management right and got
(02:11):
window management right, and us are looking really good. Singles
or head through the yards this afternoon and get their
prelim animal health and get drafted into their sitting stocking
lines and then go back here and we'll sit stock
and probably another week ten days time here.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Farmers are always fussy about their covers though.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Oh yeah, it's one of those, especially this time of year.
You can well, I was going to say, you can
never have too much grass. You sort of can weave
it like you You want to have plenty of feed
lambing onto really good covers so that you know those
lambs get up and away they'll a good start. But
at the same time as you end up too much feed,
ye know, and then and then you get into September
and it warms up and grass really takes off or
(02:50):
you never get it back. So there's a bit of
a fine balancing act between getting enough feet to sit
stock on but not having too much. It's the quality issue.
You know, you're steering down the bell barrel of a
quality issue. So we're yeah, we're looking we're looking pretty good.
I think the google we'll be able to spread use
out on the pretty good covers and they're in pretty
(03:10):
good mac so hopefully we can turn that into good
winning weights.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
So what have you got left on wind the crops? Now?
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Just a few kettle that singles come off this morning
off their suite. There's a few hand for sweet bobs there,
so I'll probably throw the rams at the or something.
Just a tidy d mat and kettle on thot beat. Yeah,
and they've probably got another month or so on their
fot beat, which is good because we're just running around
grazing all the full rotation blocks now hooggots and twins.
(03:38):
So we'll get them tidied up and knock back in
the line and then in a month or so it's
time when the balls come off their beat, they'll be
have plenty of feed. They're ready to go on to
the spring rotations.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
And let's not forget IgE. Over the past thirty six months,
throughout the seasons, you've had some really trying times there
as far as getting these covers. So going through into
September with the way things are the moment, what does
it mean for you?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Oh? No, yeah, I think they have been like we've
had a few dry summers in there, and it's sort
of been a bit challenging, but I'll tell you what,
winter's winters seemed to be getting easier and easier. Yeah,
and it's sort of this year. If this year's winter
was what we're going to get going forward, I'll take it,
you know, like it was a dream winter. And I
(04:24):
know full well that it's not realistic that some stage
will get another week cold bugger, but you know it's yeah, summers,
summers are getting tougher, but winters are getting easier, so
you just have to tweet your management to suit it,
you know, like we're putting a bit more summer crop
and two to try and tie us through the dry
times and still be able to finish as many lambs
(04:46):
as we can and keep weighting on news. So but yeah,
I'm pretty stoked just with where my body conditions on
the US and we scan really well this year, so
I'm really happy with that. And and then you covers
are pretty good. So if we can the challenge now,
we'll be getting getting that lemming percentage to be where
(05:07):
it needs to be, you know, try and aiming for
that one fifty odd and then from tailing to weaning,
it will be all about waning weights. So hopefully we
can convert good body condition and your good scanning and
too land numbers at tailing and land weights at what you.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Tended to get the iron horse out of the shed
and turn over some worms before September proper, I was.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Thinking of thinking about that use Today, I don't think, well,
I don't think we'll open anything up, but we'll just
probably the eer eider I reckon. It's quite good to
get on and get the europe get the eurating done.
Is as Susan, you're the pedic, get that everything lifted
up and opened up, and then we get a dry,
dry pitch in September or something. You might be able
(05:50):
to get one pedic knocked down and get it into
something oats and grass or something early for bailage. But
we'll say, I don't think we our oats. Our oats
and grass crops last you yielded about course what we
were budgeting, so we've got we've still got bailage off sleeve.
So we'll probably put a pedica solid whole crops oligin
this year, and you maybe save a couple of backs
(06:13):
and not put so much of the oats and for
bailage and just go straight and through the summer crops
or young grass. So that's what I'm thinking. I've even
got a completely nailed down now.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
You're a pretty pragmatic individual, nigelre heading into the busy
time on farm. What's one piece of advice you got
for listeners out there when they things start getting tight?
Speaker 1 (06:34):
I mean springtime, you know it's coming. It's it's always
busy every year. So for me, it's, you know, make
sure we've got good plans in place, and try and
do as much work as you can during the week,
and then I try and make sure I've got some
time to hang out for the family and the kids
and spend some time with yourself on the weekend. And
one thing it's really benefit of me is having like
(06:58):
just taking some time to make the week in the weekend,
because if you work all day and all night all
week and then all weekend as well, just needs to
drag on. So just just try and put yourself in
a position where you can take some time in the
weekend to yeah, sort of deep relaxed debrief, but make
(07:19):
make at least part of the weekend the weekend you
can chill out for a wee bit and then Monday
reset start again. And go edit. So these work to
be done. You've got to get the work done. And
it's a busy timing year. Everybody's in the same boat there.
But yeah, I and the other thing that I'll making
the week in the weekend thing as a kids appreciate
(07:40):
it to spend spend a week at the time, even
it's just half a day hanging out with them, making
making sure they know they spend some time with their
old men and get him to hang out and do
some fun stuff as well as as well as going
to work.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Good on your night. You always appreciate your time on
the master.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
Not on your Tuesday.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
And Niger Wadhead with some words of wisdom ahead of September.
Andy Coy's up next. He's involved with will Impact a
couple of meetings coming up tomorrow in the South regarding
the wool industry.
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