Current State of Play... Its not so Flash!

[@J67844]

Hang in there mate. Farming is the backbone of this country. We need to keep our farming and farmers going.

[@FarmAlert-NZ]

Thanks for yet another great video @kiwifarmer, especially showing the challenges of farming with all the market, regulatory and environmental influences. It’s bloody tough. Let’s keep this important channel alive by showing appreciation and supporting Al. Press the thanks button to add a small donation.

[@peterwallace913]

Great to hear your comments on the last 3 years of operation Hope you can continue with this format as the year goes on ,we as city dwellers don't get a real good insight to your on farm costs etc I don't want to see things become political but understand how governments can influence your life to such an extent. Have a great new year

[@chrisbird6609]

It was great to have Alistair, Genna and the girls, as well as his 2 brothers and families for Christmas in Blenheim, and to give me some confidence to take the mountain bike out on the Wither Hills with him and Georgia, and to now carry on with that ony own.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Your welcome, glad you have continued, bit hot here today tho.

[@chrisbird6609]

@@kiwifarmernz it is 30 degrees here today

[@williamsmith5514]

Good news mate , you are diversified you will survive the down turns . Praises to God mate . Geraldton WA.

[@andyjessshears6788]

Keep up the good work mate. Feeling the same with your comments. Kind regards south Canterbury farmer 🍻

[@alanmitchell7322]

Very good run down on farming and costs of day to day running of a beef and sheep farm. a very lot of people dont realise the hours of work and all the over head costs involved.

[@PeterWeir1]

You guys do a great job of showing how a real world farm works! Keep it up!

[@briananderson5634]

I really appreciate the "warts and all" explanation. Many city folk think that farmers have it easy and just sit back counting the dollars that roll in. Nothing could be further from the truth. Farming is now a high tech industry with challenges at every level. The capital investment would make most people lose sleep at night. Your channel should be compulsory viewing at high schools. Keep up the good work and remember to enjoy the good bits!

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks mate, I couldn't agree more, That's why i love the number of kids who watch along. I do have to remind myself and Genna to stop and take in the view when things are tough. We live in a pretty amazing spot really.

[@kennethfromnewzealand8782]

Your confidence, effort and attitude is inspiring. I hope you stick to the life you love and win well in the end! Love the videos!

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks very much

[@rigger314]

Love your channel mate and the great variety and detail you give us.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Much appreciated

[@deedawson6074]

396 views and 77 ‘likes’. Common guys, a ‘like’ is so little effort and so appreciated. Thanks for the thoughts on where things are at. I really hope things improve. No farmers, no food.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks Dee

[@J67844]

Exactly. The state of modern society.

[@murrayhey9760]

You are doing an amazing job, hang in there

[@johnjordan4647]

Hang in there Alistair. I can remember just after New Zealand changed to decimal currency our dairy farm made 5 cents and that was back in the so called good old days of milk and honey. Farming has always been swings and roundabouts. Surprised that the hill house is going so well with all the people supposing doing it hard. Always enjoy your videos Mate.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks mate, There is still a fair bit of disposable income out there. Just not in Our Circle.

[@geoffeverist4264]

Mate hearing you loud and clear, i have a farm in Australia and only survive from off farm equipment. Your preparedness to keep improving is your journey out to hopefully profit

[@johnjones3848]

Good video content and similar issues to our wet hill farm in North Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿.Crops looking 👀great and let’s hope 2024 will be a better year with good prices for our stock and input costs go down 🤔👏👍

[@hamishharneiss3611]

Thanks Alistair. I really enjoyed this video and hearing about your farm figures👍!

[@rodmackinnon8497]

Strange world at the moment . . . I am same age as your dad . . . always tried to keep up with what was going on in the world . . . these three years have thought me that I was in the dark . . . must be wicked to have the responsibility you have and keep going on . . . hope things improve. Cheers and Happy New Year.

[@mathewcribbs4784]

I'm in Australia but from Rotorua and I so miss the green of home so beautiful watching these videos Chur my bro thanks for the awesome views

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks very much Mate, What do you do over in Aus

[@mathewcribbs4784]

@@kiwifarmernz in construction bro I'm a steel fixer in W.A been doing that since 09 and I don't recommend it

[@kentstanley1849]

Dear KF & family.....Happy New Year to you all. I'm a Kiwi living in the UK and have been watching and 'liking' your vlogs for well over a year now. My mum's from Fairlie and its so nice to watch your videos to catch a glimpse of life in God's country......Canterbury. I was really pleased that NZ returned to reality by rejecting the lefty and green lunatics that have done so much damage to NZ in just 6 short years! Hopefully the new coalition will be good for the country and farmers in particular. All the best for the New Year...... looking forward to more vlogs

[@hilarywallace3007]

I live in Australia and I know Fairlie well, I have cousins there as my Aunty and Uncle had a sheep farm there that my cousins now run. I agree with all that you said. Have a great New Year

[@kentstanley1849]

Thanks Hilary.... my uncle was Fairlie's milkman for at least 40 years, Colin Mckinnon. No doubt they knew each other. I can't wait to get back there. I know New Zealand has its problems but living in Europe is like living in the last days of the Roman Empire (thanks to the left)❤

[@hilarywallace3007]

@@kentstanley1849 yes, they would have known each other. My Uncle was Rex Adams, my Aunty Hilary I was named after and I spent many happy days there as a child. My grandparents, parents and many extended family are buried in Fairlie Cemetery . Have a happy and wonderful New Year in the UK.

[@kentstanley1849]

Well it's a small world.....especially in Fairlie. My maternal grandparents (the Jacksons) are also laid to rest in that beautiful little cemetery. I hope you have a fabulous 2024 also.

[@alwaysgoingleft]

That's a great explanation of costs and returns. I don't think many people understand the costs in running a farm. Happy New Year to your family.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks mate, same to you.

[@caveweta]

I agree on the issues with wool use. Anyone living in town can help really easy - get some wool insulation blown into your roof space! Best insulation you can buy. Forget about the fibreglass and recycled plastic products. We used Greensheep, awesome job.

[@Finchy3732]

Enjoyed the bit at the end of the video. Good of you todo that and be honest about you’re business and what you’re upto appreciate it keep up the good work

[@bugmouthready529]

Thanks for your thoughts at the end. It is good to hear others ideas and opinions

[@ronaldlucas5360]

Almost 12k subscribers! Happy new year.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Same to you, getting closer...

[@FarmAlert-NZ]

Thanks

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks very much Steve

[@drumsandstix128]

Thanks for your vid and explanation of running costs and cost margins. As you cant control markets and demand there will always be fluctuations on income, the only thing you have some control over is the costs, maybe! Hope the situation improves for you. Currently in Australia we have a booming cattle market and have had a lot of widespread rain in the central and eastern parts tof the continent and here are high costs for store cattle. We are all awaiting the big dry now, but have some very unsettled weather in the south east corner of Queensland to contend with first. We are all at the mercy of the weather gods, and changing climate. Hopefully we will prevail! Keep up the vlogs please , we love them.

[@kiwifarmernz]

I will keep posting for sure, Thanks for the info, it will be interesting to see how the rain over your way effects our markets.

[@johncullen9177]

Happy New Year to you all.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks, and same to you.

[@beejayem42]

Hope the house on the hill continues to bring more bookings for you - although Kiwi born and still at heart, I now live in Aus - age makes it more difficult to get to travel but hope lots more get to visit. 🐨👍

[@azamyahmad]

Absolutely another beautiful update and a very interesting video to watch .. appreciate your beautiful sharing Sir .. happy holidays and a happy new year to you Sir and your beautiful family over there in New Zealand .. looking forward to more adventures from your video channel .. Merci beaucoup Monsieur

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks very much mate for all the lovely comments over the past year.

[@j.r8213]

Thanks you guys for sharing the financial a lot of people are not comfortable sharing such info happy new year all.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Yea I think that is missing from a lot of farming You Tube channels.

[@denethelning8271]

we are still farming and with no debt its easy but we farmed through the 80's with interest rates at 23 percent hit by drought in 88/89 then snow in 92 sure there were times when I thought we were finished but just carried on don't ask me why. Some of the best gems of advice I had from some old buggers was regarding sales people agents etc. was at the end of the day they all want your money! be cautious with spending but always buy the best stock and machinery you can afford. When disasters strike try and find the bright side like when we got hit by snow a dozen meat workers from the local works showed up unbidden to help snowrake I felt that if they would do that I owed it to all the people who helped to keep going as long as we could. also dont let things erode your ability to see opportunity., we recognised farming in North Otago was limited by weather and buying into the NOIC stage 2 was the best decision we have ever made I have a new enthusiasm for the opportunity its opened up. have a happy new year.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thats great to hear you have a new outlook. I agree with your comments re everyone wanting your money, I call it clipping the ticket, so many people line up to do that in these times.

[@MarkDonnelly-j9v]

Hi I like your video

[@richardmiller4104]

Its sad to see quality of farm made products are not making it financially hard. Theres not much that keeps the country a float and farming is a pretty big one. Keep up the good work hope some how there is a flip and the farming become economical to do.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks Mate

[@markmeredith5521]

A friend in the UK just had his wool cheque back. 1500 sheep....£270. But the best bit is they pay half now....and half in a years time! Makes you proud to produce what they want...sustainable,natural,local. We too are looking at wildflowers,grass strips,cover crops,less sheep; in a country that produces just over 50% of its own food. You couldn’t make it up.Thanks for the videos.Soo wet in uk,loads of crops gonna need replanting,if it’s viable at all.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Oh that's a bugger, its always something that makes things tricky. The next few years are going to be interesting with Global food supply.

[@troyallan8683]

great content

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks Mate.

[@troyallan8683]

I actually live just down the road from you at #25. Would love to catch up for a coffee or beer sometime if you'd like.@@kiwifarmernz

[@minnickfamilyfarm]

We love you guys. Hate to see such a loss. I know economy, politics and pocket books def aren’t what they used to be. That’s why we branched in buying more ewes this year for processing lamb next year and beef in ‘25. We are small potatoes compared to you but have you considered a store front to avoid the low price/pound issue and just go straight to consumer? Maybe weigh that option. Less head but maybe more revenue or split it?

[@kiwifarmernz]

Thanks very much. There are so many options with factors that involve more than just revenue, like work load and family time.

[@AllanRowland]

My ears perked up when I heard you mention going (or not yet) to Wiltshires. What will it take for you to transition to a self-shedding breed? Perhaps you could cover that in a future video.

[@kiwifarmernz]

Interesting Topic, it would be good to put some benchmarks around moving to shedding sheep. I will have a think about it.

[@markredmond987]

Did u ever consider switching to dairying..you do the sheep and beef so well and stil under presure. And all the hard work its hard to keep going..alot of beef and sheep farmers converting to dairy here in ireland..

[@kiwifarmernz]

We had the opportunity about 12 years ago to go dairying but its not our passion.

[@BraxtonWitteveen]

Would you go into dairy? I’m not sure on prices in New Zealand but in my area it’s the most profitable livestock farming

[@kiwifarmernz]

Great question, no it's not really my thing.

[@andrewj7994]

We run systems and it's the understanding of those systems regards strength and weaknesses ,we all need to get our heads around. We don't control markets, all we can control is costs. I would suggest a good modelling program like Barrie Riddler runs, very few have taken it on, i like it a lot. You could sell all your tractors, bikes, things that cost and get a horse and a couple for your children, then costs get very low. I'd suggest talking to Robert Appleton regards trees. My friend in Forestry expects a lot of pine trees in NZ won't even get milled, a lot of Redwoods and Eucalyptus going in. I am no smarter than the next guy but I can see a lot of mistakes NZ has made, re cost of living and debt levels. My friends father was a progressive farmer, bulldozers, crops, new grasses, Angus stud, everything top notch. His neighbour had an old Landrover a couple of horses and a team of dogs, that was it. He used to ride around the farm with his wife and they enjoyed smoko together, never any stress ( he was in WW2). Had a batch at a lake somewhere, children went to decent schools, (my friends father was a trustee of his). Never had to worry about the 70's and 80's recession. When he died, John said his neighbour had money in the bank he could only dream of, no debt at all. We worship the John's of this world when it's often the quiet achievers that win in the end, without the fan fare. Rep's hate them because they never buy anything off them. Simple systems are resilient ,say's the farmer who just spent 200k on flood cleanup and wonders why he bothered with present returns.

[@chrisbird6609]

Hey Andrew, I was told many years ago by a friend of my father's who said, the most profitable farm is one run with a horse, a pack of dogs and a wirestrainer. I have suggested that to Alistair but he did not listen!!? 😅😅

[@kiwifarmernz]

Stuff the horse i would rather walk....

[@andrewj7994]

It just so happens we have a horse for sale at present. Bargain price for you

[@andrewj7994]

I will play the 10th man. I see Ben Dooley is talking 250-300k less income this year which corresponds with my brother in law up the East Coast. Thats okay for a year or even two but if it goes on for five years, it's 1.5m less gross income, lets not talk ten years. Im think we are looking at a recession that we think is going to be a soft landing but it will keep going on and on. We stuffed up in the West years ago and filled the hole with debt. When I was young dad payed over 60% tax but everything was deductible. Douglas error made tax less but hardly any deductibility. So farmers stopped spending, part of the reason our rural towns suffered. When I was young one ton of fertiliser was the same price as a single lamb, (it was subsidised). My stock agent is telling me to hold off buying as prices are still sliding. Modelling your farm is a powerful tool, it's not a solution to all your problems but you can see where the money goes and where the money is being made.

[@andrewstreet4157]

I fear the threats on the right to farm in Australia will follow NZ. I hope your prices improve and the politicians see past satisfying the greens for a majority for being reasonable to those that provide us our daily bread

[@stephendickson9000]

You are far from alone on the profits being down. Inflation is killing me, and im just a lowly rabbiter. Well, inflation and what the last government did to us. Vet bills have well over doubled in the last four years, dogfood through the roof, and on it goes. .223 ammo that was around $600 per thousand is now $1300 per thousand. Haven't increased my hourly rate for five years, but I am going to be forced to soon, which will have a direct effect on several rural businesses. And being its rabbits, they will get away quickly, which has huge costs itself. We are all on a hiding to nothing.

[@kiwifarmernz]

That's rough. I feel for you.

[@bryanking6239]

5:38 5:49

[@ginaheutink968]

The girl and the dog are stealing the show

[@gregj7916]

A weed is just a plant out of place.....

[@Adrian-c9u]

Australia is flooding the market with their meat. In Deer farming the velvet prices are going good venison prices is OK, an Deer farmer has said to me. Yeah with to convicts happening over seas it's not healthy for anything.