Relaxed and confident in any farming season
Collated by Brendon Walsh from GrowFarm for Agrimap
A lack of physical and mental stress in tough seasons has been a revelation for GrowFARM® client Nick Miller of Mandeville, Southland.
“The 2014–15 year provided some challenges climate-wise,” says Nick, “and the following two years varied quite a lot again, but I now have more pasture cover to feed stock even better. I also have more condition on stock, and I am making more profit!
The GrowFARM System has helped me to learn how I can do this in any year.”
After being with GrowFARM for two years, Nick turned his 2200ha farm into a very resilient and profitable enterprise. Two years further on and the business has gone to a new level again “I am amazed at how well things have worked really”, says Nick.
“My profits are up, and I am a lot more relaxed. Mind you when you understand how farm profit works, it is pretty logical. I have learned to think as a business owner first and knowing how to make a profit in any year under any conditions has boosted my confidence in the future ahead.”
Simplifying his system has created his new results. “The old thinking that ‘higher stocking rates and intensification cause profit’ just doesn’t wash anymore,” says Nick. “GrowFARM has taught me how to control my stocking rates for full feeding during profit periods and to set up well ahead of my key times. Things just seem to work! I have more time to plan and spend with family. My staff enjoy the workload too. They are responding to the workload and the better communication practices we have put in place.”
Alongside GrowFARM, Agrimap has provided plenty of benefits to help Nick stay ahead of the game as a profitable farm business owner. “I need to make accurate decisions and work efficiently with my team,” says Nick. “Agrimap is a vital part of our communication, especially when getting data to each other.”
The main benefit has been convenience. Nick doesn’t have to be present to get hold of any data he requires, and it is always available, anywhere, to any team member. “As we complete jobs we enter everything. This includes drench batch, expiry and safe slaughter data, stock handling jobs, tallies arriving or leaving the farm, paddock operations and maintenance, among others.”
Paddock information is shared with contractors meaning Nick’s presence isn’t required for tasks to be done well by those outside operators. “I share my map and instructions with my contractors so they can just get the job done with no fuss,” says Nick. “Meanwhile, I can be elsewhere ensuring other things like weighing lambs are carried out, and profitable decisions on sale timing can be made. I love it!”
Nick also stores information such as farm assurance data on Agrimap, which the auditors appreciate. “It saves them a lot of time and effort,” chuckles Nick. Other information such as newly discovered maintenance jobs are also recorded. This allows easy access when the digger or fencers are due, and lists of tasks can be shared with those operators easily. “I know my Health and Safety documents are all in there. They are safely stored and easy to get to,” says Nick.
Nick has found two hacks for using Agrimap well. To develop the habit of entering data instantly at the time of thinking it or measuring it. “It only takes a minute”, he says. Also, you have to create a detailed set of tags that are tailored to your business. This makes your data easily searchable. Agrimap has not only helped my business do better; it has helped us all be better at what we do!”
Nick and his family now view the future with a lot of excitement. “I am looking forward to creating more results to get our business into a stronger position for our next few steps. My parents are enjoying not being tied to the farm, and I can see what my next steps are. I now know how to get there.”
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