“To get that same production, you need to feed them the same, so bar this year we’re in with really serious drought, [the] bottom line for us has been better once-a-day milking than twice a day.
“[It’s] slightly reduced production, but cost savings across the board just way outweigh it.
“That’s without factoring in the lifestyle balance - that’s just a perk.”
Milking once a day is one of her non-negotiables, and it means she and the staff are normally finished by 3pm, outside of calving or something major happening on-farm.
“It’s better profit at the end of the day, better animal health, and the lifestyle balance is just a real bonus.”
Her other non-negotiable is farming organically.
She and her late husband Stephen were part of a group of coastal Taranaki farmers who converted to dairy more than 20 years ago.
At the time, she felt many were “just waiting for us to fail”, but they didn’t, and the public perception of organics has changed a lot since then.
KiwiCross cattle grazing on supplementary feed on Janet Fleming's organic dairy farm in Pihama. Photo / RNZ, Gianina Schwanecke
The couple converted to organics, wanting to produce better quality food they could be proud of.
She feels the challenging journey has set her up well for the hard times.
“We’d been so used to that knee-jerk reaction from urea.
“You’d put the urea on and, next day, you’d have grass.
Organic dairy farmer Janet Fleming is growing calendula as part of Venture Taranaki's 'Branching Out' trial. Photo / RNZ, Gianina Schwanecke
“If you get your soil structures, let the plants grow longer, the soil structure you’re not damaging it with urea and the plants get the better root system and they actually get the nutrients from the soil.
“That’s what I mean, we’re in recovery from a drought - a major drought.
“Two weeks ago, our cows are actually going into green grass and, like you saw, some of it’s actually starting to blow in the wind.”
Angelica seems to be performing especially well this season on Janet Fleming's organic dairy farm in Pihama. Photo / RNZ, Gianina Schwanecke
Having a good fertile foundation from the maunga - Mount Taranaki - and being near the coast helps too, she told Country Life.
Organic fertilisers are becoming increasingly popular with conventional farmers.
“Now I feel like our toolbox for animal health and fertilisers is as big as a conventional farmer’s.”
Fleming recognised that organic-certified land was especially rare - it took at least three years to become certified and even longer to really get the hang of it, she said.
After 36mm of rain in the past week, pastures are already looking lush and green again. Photo / RNZ, Gianina Schwanecke
“It’s a limited resource land - full stop.
“Organic land is an even smaller source at the moment.”
That’s partly why she signed up to Venture Taranaki’s ‘Branching Out’ trial, growing botanicals such as calendula, liquorice, ashwagandha, angelica, and garlic in one paddock.
“It’s just nice to try things out.”
Growing botanicals helps diversify the farm operation and is also part of succession planning for her six adult children.
Now in her second season, she says the angelica is thriving this year, and the ashwaganda is also doing well, despite the drought conditions.
