Hurunui farmers are a little more optimistic after the rain. Photo: Supplied / Sara Black
North Canterbury farmers remain cautious, despite recent summer rain.
Hurunui mayor Marie Black said the rain over the Christmas period has left a green tinge in paddocks across the district, giving farmers a boost after a challenging year.
As recently as last March, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay declared a medium-scale adverse event in the Hurunui district as there had been no significant rainfall for several months.
Rain at Labour Weekend was the first significant rainfall in nearly a year and recent rain has provided a good follow up.
But Black acknowledged the summer rain will not have pleased everybody.
''While it has been cold for campers, the rain has been good for farmers.
Marie Black Photo: Supplied / Hurunui District Council
''It is hard to find a perfect world, because there are crops ripening and farmers will need some warm weather now to finish those crops and get the harvest in.
''So it is a double-edged sword. We just have to take what we get.''
Black said it had been a season of contrasts so far, as there has already been a couple of large fires, and there is snow on the mountains.
''We've had summers like this before. It is just nature doing what it does.''
Last year was a dry one for Hurunui farmers. Photo: Supplied / Dan Hodgen
North Canterbury Federated Farmers meat and wool chairperson and Marble Point Station farmer Sara Black said coastal areas received up to 100mm of rain, while the Amuri Basin received up to 50mm.
''I think in Hurunui, we know what the sun looks like, so we don't mind if it goes away for a couple of weeks.
''Last year on New Year's Day we had northwesterlies and it stayed hot and dry, so it is a nice change.''
A green tinge has returned to North Canterbury paddocks. Photo: Supplied / Sara Black
But she said farmers were looking forward to some sun to ripen their crops and get some hay cut.
The Hurunui Adverse Events Committee is due to meet again on 21 January and chairperson Dan Hodgen said he looks forward to a positive meeting.
''We will be able to pass on our rainfall totals with a smile, instead of a grimace.''
But he warned the drought was not over.
The Christmas rains were mainly coastal, so while it was good for soils and pasture, groundwater tables and river levels across the district were still low.
Hodgen, a Waikari sheep farmer, said he had already sold his lambs, mostly as store lambs, so the focus was on getting his ewes in condition for mating and preparing for winter.
Improved meat prices have provided some additional relief, he said.
''The mood among farmers is generally pretty good. We are looking forward now, which is quite nice.''
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
