Vivienne Lepper, NRC biosecurity manager incursions and response, left, and student chef Liam Dinsdale honing their skills for the upcoming Northland Field Days. Photo / Supplied
Vivienne Lepper, NRC biosecurity manager incursions and response, left, and student chef Liam Dinsdale honing their skills for the upcoming Northland Field Days. Photo / Supplied
Tractor engines are oiled and cattle groomed in preparation for the 35th Northland Field Days.
Starting tomorrow, 9am, and finishing Saturday at 3pm the Fields Days, held in Dargaville are Northland's largest and the country's second largest agricultural event after the Waikato field days.
Despite limited access to water, the event will go ahead as usual as organisers have taken the drought conditions into consideration.
The Northland Field Days Committee has made exhibitors aware that they will not have the same access to water as in previous years as it will only be for essential use, like the food courts and the toilet facilities.
The Taungatara Clydesdales - an ever popular attraction. Photo / John Stone
While the Field Days provide opportunity for farmers to network across the region, purchase new gear and stock, visitors will also enjoy the entertainment programme, including the popular Clydesdale rides and truck pull competitions.
Following their tradition of transforming a variety of pest animals, plants, insects and unexpected edibles into an array of tasty treats, Northland Regional Council comes on board with their latest culinary creation, venison jerky with a watermelon salsa.
NRC, together with NorthTec Level 4 cookery students and their tutor Hughie Blues, have been tinkering in the kitchen to surprise visitors' taste buds and are expecting to give away about 1000 portions of jerky from the council's usual location, site 251 on Tokoroa Rd.
The popular tractor pull competitions will run over three days. Photo / John Stone
Vivienne Lepper, the regional council's biosecurity manager incursions and response said three deer species – red, fallow and sika – are found in Northland, but until relatively recently the region had been deer-free.
"Both red and fallow deer are farmed, but sika deer are only here as a result of illegal releases."
Thirty years ago there were no known feral deer in the region, but they're now thought to be living in the wild in at least eight separate locations, three sourced from illegal liberations and five from farm escapes.
"While overall numbers are still not huge – probably just a few dozen – feral deer are very much unwanted here and an issue because they're 'selective' browsers, targeting particular forest species over others. This can significantly change a forest's make-up with associated negative impacts on the fauna that rely on those plants," Lepper said.
Northland Field Days organisers weren't able to provide further information about the event.
