Farms turn into deserts as drought conditions worsen

Hayden McLennan's farm is usually lush and picturesque, but this year it is a dusty desert. Photo / RNZ, Alexa Cook

By Alexa Cook of RNZ

Lush farms are turning into deserts as drought conditions worsen and farmers struggle to grow grass.

A drought has been declared in the Northland, Waikato, href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/horizons-regional-council/" target="_self" rel="" title="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/horizons-regional-council/">Horizons (Manawatū-Whanganui), Marlborough-Tasman, and Taranaki regions – and there are fears about feed shortages as temperatures begin to drop.

It is something Waikato farmer Hayden McLennan constantly worries about.

“It is what it is, and we have to keep feeding out to our stock,” McLennan said.

“We don’t want them dying in the paddock.

“As farmers, we love our stock and want to keep them going.”

The rolling farm is on the banks of the Waikato River, near the Whakamaru Dam.

McLennan’s property is usually picturesque and green, but now it’s a barren wasteland.

“It looks like a desert basically, especially when the wind blows and blows the dust up, it feels like you’re living in a dust bowl,” he said.

“You go home covered in dirt and with dirt in your ears.

The earth is so dry, his autumn kale crop simply won’t grow; it should be above his shoulders at this time of year, but is currently barely ankle height.

“It’s depressing driving past it and seeing it.”

He’s been feeding palm kernel to the cows since January 1 and they have eaten 500 tonnes, which was meant to last until June.

“It’s tough. You just keep telling yourself it’s going to rain eventually,” McLennan said.

“I gave up on rain dances in January, my mates keep telling me they’re doing a rain dance for me and I say, ‘don’t bother, it’s not going to help'.”

‘It’s a slow strangle’

Rob Simpson is desperately hoping for rain this month so he can grow some crops and grass before winter. Photo / RNZ, Alexa Cook

Further south, farmers are suffering under the same dry conditions.

Near the town of Marton, farmer Rob Simpson has sold 500 bulls because of the lack of feed and said everyone is trying to make it through this tough time.

“It’s a slow strangle with the drought; it wears everyone out,” he said.

Some properties in Rangitīkei have recorded their driest February in 40 years, and with winter looming, Simpson is thinking about the colder months to come.

“The concern is if we don’t get enough rain now to build up a feed bank for winter.”

The main challenge is feed and water.

“The dams are all drying up on the sand now and it puts a bit of pressure on the water system to keep up,” Simpson said.

Roger Dalrymple feels lucky the family farming business invested in a stock water scheme and irrigation system decades ago. Photo / RNZ, Alexa Cook

Fellow farmer Roger Dalrymple reckons this drought is one for the history books.

“You look out at that paddock there, and there’s not much,” Dalrymple said.

“It’s probably the driest I’ve seen it for 20 years,” he said.

Dalrymple’s family have been farming near Bulls for over 100 years and he is grateful some of that land is getting a well-needed drink from an irrigation system they invested in nearly 20 years ago.

Cows graze the remnants of a maize crop near Whakamaru in Waikato. Photo / RNZ, Alexa Cook

“We are lucky. And as far as drought goes, water is key – there’s no doubt about that.”

He and his brother Hew installed a water scheme back in the 1980s.

“An animal will live on no grass if they’ve got good water,” Dalrymple said.

Farming on the sandy coastal soils has taught him to be prepared for lingering dry spells.

“We farm every year ready for drought,” he said.

“We put in grasses for drought, and we just have relief valves.”

– RNZ