Country Life

Graeme Atkins has collected the "Noah's Ark" of endangered wild cuttings, including the beautiful ngutukākā or kakabeak flower.

South Otago's biggest organic dairy farm might go conventional after news the dairy company which picks up the milk is reviewing the premiums for organic milk.

It's been a kind winter for most North Island farmers now busy with lambing and calving. Meanwhile sheep farmers in the South Island hope to see prices rise again.

This week the Country Life team heads to a small-scale salt farm in Northland and meets a conservationist collecting endangered wildflowers.

James Moore is up to his knees in the waves at Cable Bay in Northland, a bucket in each hand. He's a small-scale salt farmer, with a plan to help others into salt farming.

Down to earth Methven farmer Hamish Marr is proud to showcase farmers and growers' innovation to overseas governments "and anyone else who is buying our products."

Aaron McCloy nurtures plants which produce luscious and exotic fruit like longan, jackfruit and bananas from a hillside overlooking Doubtless Bay.

Wayne Hall, general manager of Wi Pere Trust's horticulture team in Gisborne, shares his love of persimmons and a recipe for how to best enjoy the fruit.

A round-up of the week's agricultural news.

This week the Country Life team introduces us to New Zealand's agricultural trade envoy, Hamish Marr on his family's arable farm near Methven and demand for tropical fruit trees like longan, jackfruit and bananas is keeping a Northland horticulture teacher busy.

Rebecca farms sheep and beef in Scargill with her husband and father. She's also authored a project aimed at building collaboration with farming communities and Runanga in the Hurunui District.

Meet the Steenkamp family behind The Brooklyn Creamery, supplying Wellington locals with fresh goats milk and goats milk products from just outside the city centre.

Meet the Steenkamp family who are milking it in Wellington. The family runs The Brooklyn Creamery, supplying the city with fresh goat's milk and goat's milk products from just outside the city centre. Also, trees are helping to combat erosion on hill country in the Hurunui District. Six farms in the Blythe Valley are getting willow and poplar poles planted on land at risk of slipping and slumping.

Willow and poplar poles are one way to help secure land that is at risk of slipping and slumping.

A round-up of the week's rural news.