Photo: RNZ/Carol Stiles
Northland's damp and it looks like it'll continue to be until the other side of the weekend. The farmer we called was out shifting cattle in the drizzle when we rang - he says the ground's wet, the grass isn't long but it is good quality and cattle are looking in exceptional condition. He says hardly anyone at recent stock sales in Dargaville and at Kauri was wearing a mask and you wouldn't know they were supposed to be physically distancing. He says even though people are breaking the rules it's really obvious farmers are needing to connect with one another.
The Pukekohe district had 35 millimetres of rain at the start of the week followed again by dry, cloudy days. It's Guy Fawkes week and every night this week, some residents on Pukekohe Hill have been lighting the night with their fireworks but not nearly enough to compensate for the low sunlight ! The early sown cucurbits, which are members of the cucumber and squash family have now pushed up through the soil. Bees are busy pollinating kiwifruit.
Photo: RNZ / Carol Stiles
In Waikato grass is leaping out of the ground. There was a 13 degree day this week sandwiched between 22 degree days. The bull is out on dairy farms impregnating cows that didn't get in calf during the AB period. Some Waikato blueberries are appearing on the market but they've been grown in tunnel houses - the main outdoor crop is still a few weeks away.
The Bay of Plenty's had some well-received rain, farmers are in a good position because grass is growing very nicely and silage paddocks have been shut. However orchardists in the east of the region have had a tough time of it this week - damaging winds around Opotiki have blown over shelter trees on kiwifruit orchards and also have whipped flowers off the vines. Some avocado orchards have also taken a hammering and there's lots of windfall fruit.
King Country's been cloudy. A farmer near Taumarunui was out mustering the lambs for their first drench for tapeworm when we called. He says the grass is a bit soft - there hasn't been enough fine weather to harden it up. Sales are going well for store stock - people are wanting animals to keep control of the pasture. A cold snap on Tuesday and Wednesday was bit of a shock - it brought snow to the top of Ruapehu.
Burst of growth
Taranaki has finally had a burst of growth . Farmers are only shutting up silage paddocks now - that usually happens in the middle of september not at the beginning of November! The province has had a southerly blast with strong winds - they dry out Taranaki's free-draining soils.
Photo: RNZ/Carol Stiles
Parts of Gisborne's fertile flats are underwater following this week's heavy rain - about 240 millimtres fell and newly planted squash, corn and maize will need to be replanted. The deluge was mainly confined to the coast - our contact said he barely needed a raincoat 40 km inland.
Hawke's Bay's also had rain - but not nearly as much as its northerly neighbour. Hasting's had 40 millimtres. Apparently Hawkes Bay farmers never say 'no' to rain in November. An ag consultant says he was on a farm on Thursday and the lambs were looking dull and the farmer was disappointed. But he says with a bit of sun and the clover growth that'll come with it, they'll rocket way.
In Manawatu and Rangitikei farmers are still struggling to get crops in the ground - farms north of Feilding are very wet and there's a lot of seed still sitting in sacks. A farm consultant says if the chicory goes in three weeks late, it'll be ready for grazing three weeks late and, because there won't be an abundance of silage around, there'll be a bit of a squeeze on summer feed. He says the region really needs a string of fine days. This week's been cold, wet and miserable, Milk production's back a bit. Even though the payout's going to be very good, he says rising farm expenses will suck it all up.
Photo: RNZ / Sally Round
Wairarapa has snuck back into winter again - it's felt like August. Grass though has been growing well and stock are picking up condition after a tough early spring . Farmers are busy finishing docking and are drenching lambs. Docking results are mixed as some districts were tickled up with storms and some ugly weather over lambing . Dairy farmers are making their first cuts of silage where they can.
Te Waipounamu
A Nelson hop garden in Tapawera is busy hop training plants … it requires the young growing bines to be manually wrapped around the two strings running up from each hop plant to the trellis wires 5 metres above. There are numerous bines - or shoots - leaping out of the soil but only three are selected per string to give the optimum crop at harvest. Our contact says this is the most labour demanding time and this year he has been very lucky to have secured a team of 14 Tongan RSE workers - who are also working on a Motueka apple orchard. Hops are vigorous growing plants and once the soil warms up they're away.
Photo: RNZ / Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
Grass is really moving in Canterbury, although a couple of sharp frosts in the last two days might slow it up a bit. Baleage contractors are busy, mowing carting and wrapping. The sudden changes in fertilizer, fuel and some chemical prices have caught farmers out and will erode the benefit of the great prices they are currently receiving.
The weather's been mixed in Otago. There's moisture and longer days so no one is short of pasture, it's a matter of keeping on top of it for quality. Mating on dairy farms is underway. Silage is being cut flat out, crops are going in, everyone is very very busy. The cracks are really starting to show with the labour shortage, farmers are doing very long days and getting very tired… we're told it's a real concern. Our Central Otago orchardist is busy thinning apricots. They have a very heavy crop this year because last year frost killed off their fruit, which gave the trees had a good rest. A worry is they don't know yet what export markets will be open to them.
Southland is pumping. Temperatures are reaching the early twenties and there've been spots of rain to keep pastures happy. Tractors are rolling, baleage and silage is getting cut. Lambs are going well now., and dairy production is good. Everyone's in a good space. Young grass is getting planted as well as crops like fodder beet . Cash crop cereals are all in, which is ahead of last year when it was still too wet at this stage to even have tractors on the paddocks.
Photo: RNZ / Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
