Dry comes with the territory, say farmers

While farming in Marlborough can be a ‘‘real struggle’’, farmers say that’s the price you pay for having stock in the region.

Despite rain in April being only 15 per cent of the long-term average for Marlborough, according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa), the region is not technically in a drought.

Humphrey Askin, who has a small farm in Grassmere, south Marlborough, said the season had been incredibly dry.

‘‘I’m not a big farm, we’ve only got 60 acres [24 hectares] here, but it’s still been a real struggle,’’ he said. ‘‘Our rates have [more than] doubled since we’ve been here, and somehow you’ve got to try and cover those rates.

‘‘I think it is dry, and I can’t keep stock when it’s dry.

‘‘I have a pond in there – it normally has a lot of water in it, but in the last few years it’s slowly getting worse and worse.’’

Federated Farmers Marlborough president Scott Adams said the dry weather was part of farming in Marlborough.

‘‘But we’re getting closer and closer to winter, so it’s going to start to get cold, which means you don’t get as much growth. That’s the concern,’’ Adams said.

‘‘We need some decent rainfall across the district, with some warmth as well to get the grass growing before it really turns into winter.

‘‘Normally, if you get one year ... that’s not too bad, but we’ve had a very similar season to last year. It has probably drawn on a little bit longer than last year.’’

The latest data from Marlborough Plant and Food research shows that total rainfall from January to April was 117.6 millimetres, which was 65 per cent of the long-term average. Only 7.8mm was recorded in April.

However, more rain has since fallen, with the Marlborough District

Council rain report showing 13mm in Flaxbourne on Wednesday, and 12mm in the Wairau Valley.

Marlborough Plant and Food research scientist Rob Agnew said the total rainfall for this year was being masked by four days of decent rain in March. ‘‘That was a very short, sharp period. Essentially, apart from those four days, it has been very, very dry.

‘‘Without that decent dump of rainfall in March, we would have been in a much more serious situation, but I think that rainfall again will probably help to boost moisture in the topsoil, but that’s dropped away quite rapidly.’’

Agnew said that, fortunately, last year had quite good rainfall in May and June.

‘‘Temperatures as well are a lot warmer than usual this year. Warmer temperatures mean soils dry up faster.’’

Hauwai farmer Bruce Pattie said he thought the soil was no drier than normal.

‘‘It’s our fault for living here. ‘If you want the rain, go to the West Coast; if you want some mud, go to Southland,’ they say,’’ he said.

Pattie remembered the 2001 season as especially dry.

‘‘We were brown as anything. That year was just a complete loss,’’ he said. ‘‘But it’s not too late this year, yet.’’

Grassmere farmers Moana and Michael Johnsen said the dry soil was pretty normal for this time of year.

‘‘We farm for this – this is a dry area,’’ Moana said.

‘‘Our soil stays quite warm, so if we get a bit of rain soon, we can be OK. So we are holding out a bit for the rain, and if it comes, it will be fine.’’

Michael said they had a good water scheme, which helped to mitigate the effects of dry weather.

‘‘With good luck, and good management, you get through.’’