Driving Work Outline

Farming in New Zealand has very similar working calendars to those in the northern hemisphere.

About the only difference is that they are carried out in different months of the year — funny little thing called “being on the bottom of the planet”. Climate and weather are also different but similar. In England for example you go to the South for the warmer weather, we go to the North for the warmer weather. The season starts earlier in the North Island than the South Island. Some crops grow better in the North and there are some crops that won’t grow at all in the South.

Ways of farming differ too, between the North and South Islands and these have to be catered for by contractors. All contractors will have clients involved in dairy farming. The cows are outside all year round which means no dung to spread and not as much straw being bailed. The cows diet is largely grass so lots of silage and hay, also as the cows are not put in sheds they need extra supplements for the winter.

This is normally taken up with crops planted in the spring or summer, crops such as Maize, Wholecrop, New Grass, Kale, Turnips, Fodder Beet and Swedes.

The North Island grows most of the country’s maize, with crops also being grown as far down as South Canterbury in the South Island. Wholecrop is grown all over NZ.