On a sunny afternoon in Hawkes Bay, we caught up with Michael Gunn at his 900ha sheep and beef outfit, Ahiweka Station.
After tuning in to our last two webinars, Michael jumped on board with two trials.
One was the Cropmark Stampede Perennial Ryegrass with CM142 endophyte, which he’s planted across 14ha of chicory and clover paddocks. The other was Floating Peaks Wool Pole Protectors, covering 50% of the poles he put in this season.
Here’s how it’s all shaping up for him.
What do you think of the PFN?
It’s a great concept to see what technology is out there, that could help improve production while either saving cost or improving profitability.
You returned for a second Pilot Farm Network webinar which is a good sign!
I think the webinars have something for everyone, a good range of innovations and the presenters don’t muck around. The format is easy to dial into and understand, particularly in the evening timeslot.
What would you like to see in the future?
I’d be happy to see more local innovators, like the wool pole protectors supporting the NZ wool industry.
How is the Stampede Perennial Ryegrass with CM142 endophyte grass going?
So far, it’s performing really well, even after a dry period in the autumn that slowed everything down a bit.
It appears to be outperforming some paddocks nearby, that were drilled at the same time with a different variety.
Why did you want to try the Wool Pole Protectors?
I don’t like the current plastic pole protectors. It takes so much time picking up the rubbish, it’s not environmentally friendly and they’re not nice to look at.
The wool versions were super easy to put onto the pole. I’m looking forward to seeing how they go and it’s great to support our local innovators.