Maintenance at the rural lifestyle blocks can be seen as an ongoing task where you do a bit each day or you can leave the big jobs until the work is not so busy on the farm and attack it in one hit.

It is also an area that requires attention to detail. Many farmers have their farms running in very good order, but some are not able to focus on the key farm maintenance issues.

Some of the regular and basic issues include:

1. Farm tracks and races – Poor races can cause problems. Races need regular and constant maintenance. A race should be like an inverted saucer; that is, all the water runs off the sides. Ensure you clear grass and muck along the sides of your races too. Otherwise it stops the water flow and causes all sorts of problems, which include retained moisture and mud on the race area. An angled tilt bucket on a digger can work wonders in keeping races shaped up and the sides clear of mud and slush. If you have a contractor with a small grader in your district, get him to come in every summer to reform your races and keep them trimmed up.

If you complete regular maintenance on your races, keeping them crowned and cleaned, they require very little further input. If however, you allow holes in wet areas to develop, it becomes much more difficult. Similarly ensure you keep culvert ends clear to prevent blockages. It sounds simple but the basics are required here.

2. Fences – It goes without saying that fences require regular maintenance. Be sure to have some boxes of fencing equipment at the ready, this way you can throw them on a trailer and take them down the farm to fix your problem areas.

Remember, the number one problem with electric fences is the earth system. Ensure you do it properly first time; buy some proper galvanised earth stakes, knock them into the ground, connect them with one piece of endless wire to the earth on the electric fence.

3. Farm equipment – Ensure your farm equipment is serviced regularly. This means changing the oil, checking for perished radiator hoses and caps and so on.

4WD bikes are expensive to own and run and consequently need specialist and constant maintenance. Ensure this is completed in a timely fashion.

Try to get all your farm equipment out of the weather, look after it and service it before you put it away.

4. Pastures – Remember that the cheapest feed on your farm is grass. If your pastures aren’t producing well then it may be time to up the standard. Do you need to oversow or undersow after the winter damage? You need to think about getting grass seed if they require improvement.

You also need to know about soil tests not only for NPK but also for Copper, Cobalt, Selenium, Manganese etc and take some independent advice on what your requirements are.