News

April 2014 Banarach Farm Manuals now has a Facebook page!
It will be used to post updates on any changes that may be required, handy tips about the farming industry and information on what I am doing with our own manual.
I am only 1 – so a Facebook page will create an opportunity for you all to share your experiences and ideas on how you manage your farm operations manual.
Make sure you 'Like' our Page to keep up-to-date

February 2012 Balance Farm Environmental Awards
Andrea has just completed being part of a preliminary judging team for the Balance Farm Environmental awards. "It is always a privilege to be able to go onto peoples farms and see their business and get to discuss with them the in's and out's of what they do and why they do it." From a personal note Andrea finds it a valuable way to be able to reflect on their own farming and business practices.

Dairy Industry Awards 2012
Banarach Farm Manuals is proud to be associated with the awards for the fourth year in the company's five year history. As part of this year's sponsorship agreement I am delighted to be able to offer entrant's a further 10% discount on the purchase of a full Banarach Farm Manual - taking the cost to $1966.50 (inclusive GST). It is interesting to note how many past winners at both regional and national level have had an operations manual as part of their farming business and the value they place in it.

Rotorua Dairy Women's Network Workshop | July 2011 | Braeside Resort Rotorua
On Tuesday 5 July from 10:30am Andrea will lead a workshop on all aspects of farm manuals – why, what and how. Andrea will share from her experiences in writing a manual as well as how it has helped her family's farming business. The aim of the session is to have participants go home with at least two practises written and the knowledge and power so they can formalise their farming business practises onto paper. For further details see www.dwn.co.nz or contact Andrea.

She's Motivated Lunch | Invercargill February 2011
Andrea travelled to Invercargill in February this year to be the guest speaker at the Luncheon for She's Motivated, a women's business group which aims to inspire, inform and support like-minded women. She spoke about her work-life balance - managing a young family, involvement in her local community and the pathway that lead her to the development and launch of Banarach Farm Manuals. www.shesmotivated.org.nz

PM shows interest in Banarach Farm at Southern Field Days
Andrea and Richard with Banarach Farm Manuals had a great time at the Southern Field Days at Waimumu in February 2010 - even finding time to chat with John Key. A light and jovial conversation was had but the underlying message was that regulation and continuing compliance will make an operations manual an even more valuable asset to any farming operation.

Proud to be a Sponsor of Dairy Industry Awards
Banarach Farm Manuals is pleased to again be involved with the Dairy Industry Awards. For each of the 12 regional Sharemilker of the Year winners, a complete Manual worth $2300 will be awarded. We have had such positive feedback from the winners of the 2009 competition that it is exciting and motivating to network with those at the forefront of the industry. For more information on the awards see www.dairyindustryawards.co.nz

A breakthrough for West Coast 2009 Sharemilkers of the Year
Discovering the Banarach Farm Manuals

Creating a point of difference was one of the many aims that Walter Hwata and Olga Mashazhike had when they set out to write their own farm manual two years ago. The labour market was tight and there were many parts of their sharemilking operation they were looking to develop and improve. They wanted to create systems within the farm that would achieve several goals: consistency; traceability; and peace of mind.

The West Coast 2009 Sharemilkers of the year winners saw that writing a farm manual as one way of achieving these goals. Having completed a Dairy NZ Mark and Measure II course confirmed their ideas about how important documenting is. Walter acknowledges the while the documentation and writing process takes time, it saves even more time once those procedures are in place. Finding out that there was one already available from an Oamaru based organisation - Banarach Farm Manuals meant that they were not starting from scratch. Walter reports that he found this farm manual system incredibly easy to use, simple and well laid out with a good amount of information. The template system meant that they were able to change details relevant to their farms operations and it provided prompts about aspects they might not have considered initially. Walter is glad that he used it. “Again – the manual takes time to do but once it’s done, we’ll always have it.” He thinks that having the Banarach Farm Manual made the task a lot more time efficient.
Do Olga and Walter believe that they have achieved the goals they wanted to in using a farm manual? Absolutely is the reply.

“Consistency is accomplished as once a procedure is documented, we know that our team are able to go to that page in the manual and reproduce the task they are needing to do the same way every time – whether they have done it a lot or a little, this season or last. It means that when we are inducting new staff that we remember all the steps that there are to tell and there it is written down to help re-enforce what we have been teaching.”

Traceability is created with maintenance charts, wash schedules, effluent management and the like. For Walter it means not having to remember that information in your own head, because you can look up to see if it’s done and know who to follow up if it’s not. Walter is of the opinion that too much information is stored in heads, so if that head leaves, then information can be lost.

Consistency and traceability gives peace of mind. By creating a strong, systematic, efficient work place Walter and Olga have faith in the team to be able to run their business in the manner that they want and that means alot when you want to have time off or away from the farm. Walter says that it’s given him the confidence to know that he could employ a 16 year old straight from High School and empower them to achieve results.

Walter and Olga are about to embark on a new agricultural adventure – an equity venture in the UK. The tool they created in a Farm Manual will be one aspect they will be sure to pack!

Banarach Farm Sponsors the Dairy Industry Awards

Banarach Farm Manuals was proud to sponsor the Dairy Industry awards this year. Regional winners in the Sharemilker section received a full Banarach Manual Kit worth $2070. Andrea has received wonderful feedback about the prize. “We are seeing current clients names pop up in award lists quite frequently.”

Graeme and Shelley were the winners and current users while Julia and Warren received the manual as part of their prize.