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
Don't forget to enter the draw for our special Christmas cakes. Only a few days left!Yes, we are doing it again!
It is time for our fabulous annual Christmas cake giveaway! We would like to give you and a dairy farming friend the chance to win a delicious cake. Entering is easy:
* Like our page.
* Tag the friend you would like to get a cake too.
**Multiple entries accepted. Competition closes Monday 7th December. Prize is for two Christmas cakes, one for you and one for your friend (we will need both of the winners' dairy supply numbers). The winner will be picked by a random draw.***
Not a SMASH day but recommend attending one of our supporters Lisa Groen's discussion group on Te Kanawa Road in Te Aroha on Thursday ... 65ha farm producing 126,000 kgms (524kgMS per cow and 2000 kg/ha). High input .... yes! but they are investigating options to reduce Nitrogen/stocking rate whilst maintaining profitability.
This tool can provide benefits for farm businesses of all sizes. If you are thinking about using it, or you have given it a try, then tune-in to this session to learn more.
Great talk on preventing mastitis from Steve Cranefield, AgriHealth NZ, at our Waikato field day. To see some of the information he shared have a look at our website www.smallerherds.co.nz/knowledge-hub/health/mastitis-management-a-challenging-future/
SMASH On-Line Milk Price Fixing - The Fundamentals
I believe every dairy farmer should be familiar with and using fixed milk pricing as part of their business risk strategy. You enter into fixed contracts with feed and interest rates on the expense side and you now have a tool to manage income risk and therefore provide assurance around profit margin. Rather than gambling over 15 months to get paid the last cent, you can bank on certainty and make decisions on that basis.
Nigel, MBS Advisors, is a chartered accountant and advisor who walks the talk. He combines hands-on farming experience with extensive business and financial insight. An active member of the dairy industry and the local community, Nigel is the Chairman of the Morrinsville Chamber of Commerce and Director of Maheno Farms. He is also a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.
Streaming live on YouTube and Facebook youtu.be/mQk7fSabg5w 12 pm – 12.40 pm, Friday 4th December
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 […]
Lately there have been quite a few thunderstorms raging around. I just wish they had deposited a bit more precipitation here! Plenty of noise but not much action, just like those politicians in Wellington. Just over the hill got 55 mm in the last storm and we were lucky (? ) to catch the edge […]
The end of another weekend is nearing, and I am home from open homes and theatre practice. Too early to relax in the chair as Sam is still milking and I get the guilts if I’m relaxing and he is working. I can’t admit to those same guilts affecting me if Bev is working around […]
It’s been a long time between blogs for the Frosties – one daughter has been to the US to be a camp counselor with camp America and is now back, working hard to save for uni next year. One son has finished his degree this week! The other son has been studying with YWAM in […]
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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