Let’s Hope The Weather Holds

The Thrasher of hunting magazines - bird hunting with Project Upland magazine

I speak to editor and founder of Project Upland magazine A.J. DeRosa about bird hunting in the USA, his dogs, how he started the magazine despite being told it won't work and how punks can also hunt.
He talks about hunters getting involved in politics, how to use climate change to get funding to secure more bird habitat, how denying climate change is not helping, how being a hunter does not automatically make you a conservationist.
He gives me tips about buying my first bird dog, he talks about working for the police and about electronic dance music, his favourite shotguns and more
Have a look at https://projectupland.com
 
All music for the podcast by Jacques van Wyk.

Selling 2000 rhino and rhino conservation in South Africa

In this episode I speak to Pelham Jones, president of the Private Rhino Owners Organisation about what it takes to conserve rhinoceros in South Africa, the sale of almost 2000 rhinoceros by John Hume, the human and animal toll rhino poaching takes, why South Africa is not allowed to legally sell rhino horn, how the sale of rhino horn is similar to trading deer antler in the way New Zealand does, we talk about sustainable utilisation,  why CITES opposes trade, the Asian black market for rhino horn and more.
We also talk about how to see when rhino are stressed, litigations against the South African government, how rhino populations in South Africa grow by over 7% per year despite natural losses and poaching, all thanks to private owners, how private rhino owners own more than 60% of rhino in the world and carry a massive conservation burden.
All music by Jacques van Wyk.
 
 

Homesteading in New Zealand

Homesteading in New Zealand is growing, especially after recent floods and the Covid pandemic.
I speak to Michael Andrew, editor of Lifestyle Block magazine about homesteading in New Zealand.
We ask are preppers crazy? (No they're not!) We talk self sufficiency, hunting, fishing, bartering, permaculture and how he is building his own homestead in Raglan, New Zealand.
Note; the interview was done late last year, so when he refers to next year he means 2024.
All music by Jacques van Wyk

The Golden Mole - lost to science for almost 100 years and rediscovered

The De Winton’s golden mole was last seen in 1937 and was declared lost to science.
But a team of researchers recently used environmental DNA to find it again and also managed to get hold of one of the moles and take DNA sample swabs.
I speak to Dr. Samantha Mynhardt, a Conservation Genetics Researcher, about their discovery on the South African West Coast.
We talk about the potentials of the use of environmental DNA in conservation, the sniffer dog they used to detect the golden mole, why it is better if some species are left undiscovered but why finding the De Winton's mole is good, the threats against it and more.
Samantha is part of the Drylands Conservation Programme, for the Endangered Wildlife Trust and an extraordinary lecturer for the Department of Botany and Zoology at the Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

Hunting with The Weekend Mish

What is better than a weekend hunting mission with mates?
So, in this episode I speak to Riley Meason and Gabe Ross from The Weekend Mish.
They talk about how they started hunting, building a YouTube channel brand, their participation in the reality TV show Tracked, how they handle criticism, their recent hunt in the USA and why it rocked, big missions and taking risks, what a trophy is, the future and more.
Gabe cuts out a few times and Riley and I just keep talking.
We laugh at our own jokes.
Good times!
Check them out on https://www.youtube.com/@TheWeekendMish
All music by Jacques van Wyk

Use less fertiliser, make more money, and have healthier animals

In this episode farm nutrient advisor Melinda Turner and Barrie Riddler talk about their theory that using less fertiliser on New Zealand farms will mean more profit for farmers and better animal health.
They talk about their deep frustrations with the idea that maximum production means maximum profit.
Some of what they say might be triggering to anyone who does not understand the curve of diminishing returns.
Barrie talks extensively about the software model, E2M, that he wrote.
He voices his frustration with how averaging is used to make decisions on farms.
Melinda talks about the connection between soil and animal health.
She talks about a need for plant system modelling in Overseer, and how soil optimal ranges are based on averages that are useless for individual farms, and how she believes farms have to be treated as individuals.
She talks about how there is little understanding of how what happens in soils has an impact on livestock health.
She says she doesn’t use the term regen as it is basically just good farm practice.
Barrie says if a greenhouse gas tax kicks in and software uses averages to calculate future fertiliser use on farms, then the best and most efficient farmers will be penalised the most.
They voice opinions on sale reps.
Some useful information.
A E2M intro and demo
https://youtu.be/kSHcWXJ08Sc
John King explaining diminishing returns  https://youtu.be/F9ytTwU_TUQ
E2M-technical-foreword.pdf (landcare.org.nz)
This is a full and at times complex overview of E2M
Sarahs Country discussion on E2M 
 https://youtu.be/bl3tuI7im3I  
E2M Detailed Overview 
https://youtu.be/SmEx7irZP14
Annette Litherland, Takaka Study
Takaka-Case-Study-3.pdf (landcare.org.nz)
https://landcare.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/E2M-technical-foreword.pdf
And last but not least a explanation by ChatGPT that Barrie provided on E2M:
"E2M (Enviro-Economic Model) is a unique farm-planning tool that can identify how to achieve a particular outcome on a farm within the many constraints that farm operates within—whether it be maximising economic performance or minimising external inputs, nutrient losses, or emissions. It is a full farm systems model, summarising farm operations in fortnightly increments including pasture growth, grazing, fertiliser use, economics, nutrient outputs, and greenhouse gas emissions. E2M works differently to other farm systems models available in Aotearoa New Zealand (and the world)—and this makes it much more efficient and effective than those models.
E2M is based on a linear-programming platform and can model whole farm systems including greenhouse gas emissions. It differs from other farm systems models worldwide as it avoids the restrictions that linear programming exhibits when integrating multiple complex systems."
 
 
 

The sheep rustler who became a legend - James Mackenzie

In the 1800's New Zealand sheep thief James Mackenzie became a legend for stealing large flocks of sheep with just the help of his dog, he took them over 100's of kilometres of mountains to a piece of land he wanted to stake a claim on.
He later had a whole area of the country named after him: Mackenzie Country.
In this episode I speak to curator Sean Brosnahan and exhibition developer William McKee from the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum.
Below are links to stories of pioneers from New Zealand history, a project Sean and Will are working on.
Journey to New Edinburgh documentary:  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeriCkBw8zMgqxdPz1XlkILIAlugr3JD_&si=JAoO6JENAJIovQJv  
100 Pioneers Stories:  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeriCkBw8zMjEtYJjSuU_HPqF3GZf9EVj&si=JP-paYudjG9iXqbp
Definition of Pakeha: A Maori term for the white inhabitants of New Zealand.
All music by Jacques van Wyk

The battle against wool

The fight against wool - a story of lawsuits, bad science and political kowtowing
In this episode I speak to Greg Smith, CEO of wool carpet manufacturer Bremworth, about how regulations and selective science is showing wool is somehow worse for the planet than synthetic materials.
We delve into government intervention and how politicians appease voters and their climate views.
The lawsuit against Bremworth.
And what the future holds.
We talk about Greg's mind-shift when he leaves the jewellery world for primary industries.
Why are governments intervening in the industry? (at min 15:44)
Did he expect the backlash from synthetic industry when Bremworth began promoting wool?
The impact of the cyclone and flooding on Bremworth's factory.
https://bremworth.co.nz
 
All music by Jacques van Wyk