SMASH has been set up to help dairy farmers, particularly those with smaller operations, to run successful businesses. We mainly achieve this by running events throughout New Zealand. These give farmers the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills which will stand them in good stead back on their own farms.
We also want to foster a supportive farming community – we are all in it together! SMASH is run by a group of New Zealand dairy farmers with a passion for the industry and for helping to build a strong and sustainable future for dairy farming. Read more
It's certainly hot out there at the moment. Here's some great tips from DairyNZ on looking after our cows in the heat.How are you keeping your team and cows cool this summer?
Check out our simple tips at online.flippingbook.com/view/341183/20.
Our blogger, Noldy Rust, and his wife Bev have made the big shift off the farm. In his latest blog he talks about how they came to the decision that it was the right time, found a partner to take up the reins, and set up their new farm business structure. If you are thinking about stepping back from the day-to-day running of your farm you may be interested in reading about how Noldy has done it.
www.smallerherds.co.nz/passing-on-the-torch-to-a-new-generation-noldy-rust/
We visited Graeme Edwards' farm in Northland at the end of the year and had a look at the AgResearch trial underway to test the forage value of bananas and their possible impact on effluent measures. It was pretty interesting, and apparently the stems are delicious! There is some summary info. up on our website now, if you would like to take a look... www.smallerherds.co.nz/knowledge-hub/crops/bananas-on-northland-dairy-farms/
Merry Christmas from SMASH. We hope you have a fabulous day with family and friends - we will see you in the New Year!
We have a new blogger! Welcome on board to Lisa Groen. Lisa is a keen 32 year old running her parents’ 65 ha, 250 cow, spring calving, family farm just outside of Te Aroha. In her first blog she talks about pushing their production to the max this season. www.smallerherds.co.nz/going-for-gold-lisa-groen/
“Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past and present are certain to miss the future”. This John F Kennedy quote rings especially true for us as we break into 2021. Last year was a year like no other in many ways, but in saying that, so was the […]
I am currently having the best season on farm to date, with everything going to plan so far. Before the government’s rules, regulations and restrictions kick in we have decided to go ALL IN for production results and have a farm target of 2,000 kg MS/ha. We are fully pushing the farm, cows, and us […]
So far, the season has been mild and grass growth favourable. I guess after the drought last year we were due some good fortune. Still, I am trying to put as much silage in the pit as possible, especially with the price of PKE holding up. Two silage cuts are in and the third cut […]
I thought before I go on about the farm, I would recap my current situation. This is a small farm with a small herd, 80 cows, and there has been a need to diversify to defy the trend of small farms merging into bigger ones. My decision to go with timber has been a good […]
It’s a great little country that we live in! As I watch the rest of the world struggling to cope with Covid I really do appreciate this slice of paradise. The cows are just starting to calve and at time of writing there is plenty of grass and it has been mild weather. Cover is […]
Strange how life can be thrown a curve ball by a bug. We went from planning a holiday to hunkering down on the farm and making face masks! The Waikato Times ran an article from the French Embassy about travellers stranded in NZ. We replied to their request for help and then received a large […]
I’m not going to mention the “C” word at all as I strive to focus on something other than what has been on the minds of most New Zealanders for the past 4 or so weeks. Today is the 21st day of lockdown and once again I extol the virtues of being a person of […]
The way things are going it is going to be a long summer. Feels like it started last November! My rainfall records show last year as the third driest on record, with annual rain 300 mm below the average. Going back to 1992 my records show a year like this about every 10 years on […]
Welcome to 2020. The beginning of a new year and all the promises, plans and New Year resolutions that we are all bound to keep and break, some of us more one way than the other. I find the Christmas season is always so enjoyable, with so much happening throughout December, culminating in a very […]
Thank you and your committee for your great work re SMASH events. We have gained several life changing ideas from these events.
At SMASH events we met like-minded people doing similar things.
It gave us confidence to know that there are people out there doing the same thing we are doing.
The positive vibe and the feeling of community amongst the farmers here was a highlight.
Can't sleep as am too excited after events!
This was a brilliant day. Refreshing, informative, varied and motivating.
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“We have kind of gone off discussion groups because they tend to just look after our little district. Discussion groups are mainly people checking up on what the neighbours are doing whereas SMASH events are different, we get a lot more from them. I wholeheartedly loved it. It is good getting out of the area too.”
The strong working partnership of smaller herd farmers Matt and Sarah-Jane Yates has been a cornerstone to the success of their farming business. Matt started his career drystock farming on the family block, but its sale enabled him to buy his own property.
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