SEO Case Study: How I Increased SEO Traffic & Ranking by 50-60% in 6 Months
David Anderson - Planning for the future and improving capital value through tree removal
1. Planning for the future and improving capital value through tree removal
Prepared by: David Anderson
Rosebank Farm
October 2014
2. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Rosebank Farm – Our story
• We have a lifestyle property, purchased in 2003 for our
retirement
• Spent last 10+ years seeking to improve productivity
• Need to plan for future sale
• Property improvement project
3. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
An overview of what we purchased
• Purchased with 2,777 trees (now > 26 years old)
• Total orchard area 7.2 hectares
• 7m x 3.5m spacing (closed canopy)
• Steepish blocks creating significant water wash (soil erosion)
• Largely krasnozem soil
4. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
5. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Our challenges to date
• Improve and maintain soil/tree health
• Design and implement water management plan
• Ongoing pest management
• Quality improvement
• Complete top-working trial
• Trial different canopy management techniques
6. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Our results to date
• Fully paid for drying shed investment through improved NIS
quality
• Consistently achieved > 3.5 tonnes per hectare
0.00
1.75
3.50
5.25
7.00
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
NIS tonnes/ha
7. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
The issues we need to resolve
• Deteriorating canopy volume (reduced production)
• Ongoing soil erosion
• How to maintain productivity in an ageing orchard
• How best to sell the farm within 10 years
8. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Our 10 year objectives
• Maintain/increase productivity
• Reduce soil erosion
• Reduce costs
• Sell farm by 2021
9. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
The steps towards achieving our plan
• Create cash flow to determine economic viability of tree
removal
• Determine ability to cash flow the transition
• Commence program to remove every other row over 5 year
period
10. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Cash flow - income
• Calculate NIS production by block
• Estimate kg/tree by block for each year
• Increment kg/tree by 20% p.a. over 5 years to minimum 80%
of original yield after each row is removed
• Assume conservative $/kg NIS price
• Calculate NIS revenue p.a.
11. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Cash flow - expenditure
• Calculate all estimated costs, by category, p.a.
• Adjust chemical, fuel and oil, and labour costs as program
proceeds
• Adjust fertiliser costs (per tree) as canopy volume increases
12. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Cash flow – outcomes
• Will vary - need to be conservative
• Cash flow will deteriorate during the tree removal phase but
will continually improve as the orchard recovers
• We have planned for this to take five years for each block
13. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Our tree removal program
• S & G Agricultural Contractors (Simon Richens)
• Apply ethephon at appropriate time to enable early nut drop
and early harvest completion in selected blocks
• Book contractor as early as possible after final harvest pickup
• Second mulch to reduce high incidence of large debris
• Re-shape inter-rows if necessary
• Apply kaolin clay product (eg. SurroundTM) - sunburn
• Plant smothergrass and establish inter-row groundcover
14. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Mulcher
15. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Prior to tree removal
16. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Post tree removal
17. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Prior to tree removal
18. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Post tree removal
19. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
What we’ve learnt
• Be courageous
• Plan, but be prepared to modify along the way
• Breakdown and spread mulch prior to next harvest
20. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
The planned outcome by 2021
• > 1,300 trees
• > 5 tonnes per hectare
• Costs reduced by about 35%
• A great looking and saleable property!
21. 2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by
Any questions?
We’re happy for you to make contact later:
David or Ann Anderson
Rosebank Farm
Telephone: 02 66882280
Email: rosebank-farm@bigpond.com
