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Bringing higher germination & greater flexibility
Erik's story
Down in Woodlands is Horizon Flowers’ famous tulip farm managed by the Smak Family. They came over from Holland more than 30 years ago to help Horizon grow tulips in Southland’s ideal tulip-growing climate and soil. The 162-hectare Mabel Bush farm is divided into 27-hectare plots with planting on a six-year rotational growing cycle. When they’re not in tulips, some of the paddocks are leased and planted in sugar and fodder beet by local agricultural contractor and farmer, Erik Smak.
Erik’s contracting business covers a wide area from South Otago right down to the bottom of Southland. He not only grows the beet but runs his own big, self-propelled beet harvester to lift sugar beet and sells them to farmers for winter feed.
His partner is also a customer as she takes care of the livestock side of their business running some 200 beef cross and rearing another 200 plus calves.
We caught up with Erik on the Horizon Flowers farm to talk about his operation and the CONVISO SMART system.
As a contractor, Erik is always on the lookout for innovation. From advances in seed drilling to efficient crop sprays, he welcomes change.
“I suppose without innovation in farming we won’t grow, and we won’t ever change…and there’s always change,” says Erik.
Cleaner crops. No more gaps.
The benefits of the CONVISO SMART system to Erik are more than sugarbeet bred to be herbicide resistant. It’s the high germination rates that have impressed, as Erik explains.
With KWS, we’ve had both sugarbeet and grazing fodderbeet and both have very high germination rates…it comes up nice and even, I don’t like seeing gaps…plus it’s very palatable to cows.
Every farmer knows stock can be fussy at times so Erik likes to hedge his bets by running a mixed paddock of sugarbeet and fodderbeet.
“You can never tell which one the cow’s going to choose or leave behind so giving them a choice works. The cows put on good weight and really enjoy eating them. That’s the main thing.”
Erik also likes how easy the CONVISO SMART system makes life.
“You get the seeds supplied with the chemical. So, it's easy, you don't have to ring later on for the chemicals or anything like that.”
As a contractor, you want to get the most out of the land you’re leasing. It’s all about yields and efficiency. Higher germination means every seed planted is going to grow. Flexibility on spray dates and crop stage spraying is also key in Southland as weather can get in the way.
“The spray system that KWS gave me, completely knocked out every weed and the crop is very, very clean and healthy because of that. So, definitely give it a go. It's an easy, simple system with good proven results. So, if you're considering it, just go and do it,” vouches Erik.
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