Colourful circular crop has down-to-earth explanation

PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
It may be a crop circle, but not as we know it. Mark Willocks inspects a patterned paddock of kale on the 200ha Stoney Creek farm he runs with brother Blair, in bright autumnal conditions this week.

Despite the striking appearance of the twin varieties of winter stock feed, Mr Willocks denied any alien involvement.

"I suppose it is deliberate in a sense, but not really for any visual reason," he said.

"Having two colours is supposed to give nutritional benefits to the animals and, when you put the seed in the ridger, you just divide it up between the boxes. Turns out to be pretty eye-catching."

He said he had received few comments about the paddock, which adjoins SH1 just north of Balclutha, although brother Blair said some had noted the similarity to an alien "crop circle".

"A few have commented, but I can confirm we’ve definitely not had an alien visitation," he said.

Despite that, non-human life forms would be the eventual beneficiaries of the bicoloured brassica.

"We’ll probably use this for bulls or hoggets."

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