HARVESTING TIME

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 31 December 1940, Page 6

HARVESTING TIME

IN THE WAIMEAS PEAPICKING IN FULL SWING 30 PER CENT INCREASE IN BUTTER PRODUCTION Just at present peapicking is in full swing, the main crops in the Appleby | districts having matured almost at the | same time with a result that every able-bodied person, young or old, is being pressed into service. Thousands of bags of peas are being I rushed into the factory each week and though the acreage sown is smaller than in former yeais crops are well up to the standard of former years. Outside tomatoes too are making splendid growth and it will not be very long now before these commence to ripen. Though the weather is splendid for harvesting purposes of all kinds, rain is now urgently needed. RECORD BUTTER SEASON IN SIGHT The favourable season experienced so far is reflected in the returns of the Waimea Daifj’ Company. The butter output for six months ending 30th November shows an increase of 81 tons over that for the same period last year. This expansion means an increase of 3232 boxes or 30 per cent over last season’s output. This increase is being steadily maintained, the increase having been maintained through the present month and if conditions remain at all favourable a record season with an output of 1000 tons of butter is in sight. The large total of 230 boxes per churn day is being put through, this being equal to almost 13.0001bs of butter daily—an increase of 40 boxes or one ton per day over the output last December. i The well equipped factory is having no difficulty in dealing with this increased output. The call for greater production to assist the Homeland has fortunately come at a time when seasonal conditions from a dairying point of vis\/ have been better than for many years past. The increased turnover will assist to counteract the rising costs which today are difficult to combat. Altogether dairy farmers can look forward to a most successful season.