Farming
A blast from the past - Mustering in Marlborough
It's 1956 and in the heat of February seven shepherds, a pack train and 40 dogs drove 4000 ewes from remote Bluff Station, 90 kilometres down the back country to Kekerengu for shearing. Audio
Country Life for Friday 15 March 2024
From woolshed to bed - two sisters spin their homeware dreams, Young fruit growers climb the hort ladder, A blast from the past - Mustering in Marlborough and a wrap of the week's rural news Audio
A wrap of the week's rural news
More government support will be heading the way of farmers and growers in the Marlborough, Tasman and Nelson districts where an intense dry spell has been labelled a medium-scale adverse event. Audio
Minister walks back environment announcement experts say is unlawful
"It would be unwise to bother," Andrew Hoggard told councils this week, but he says he was misunderstood.
Auckland lecturer buzzing as she heads to the US to study bees
Auckland computer scientist heading to the US to work on predicting stress levels in bees.
Midday Rural News for 13 March 2024
News from the rural farming sector. Cuts are coming for the Ministry for Primary Industries, but an MPI boss says it won't be to core frontline services like its quarantine officers, veterinarians or… Audio
'Pretty barren': Farmers desperate for downpour as lake runs low
An irrigation scheme is running dry with only a week's worth of water left.
Midday Rural News for 12 March 2024
News from the rural farming sector. Lake Opuha only has a week's worth of water left. The dam near Fairlie which generates electricity for the national grid and supplies water to 16-thousand hectares… Audio
Farmer confidence 'still in the gutter'
Federated Farmers says it is good to see an improvement in confidence, but it is coming from the "lowest base we've ever had".
Farmers Markets celebrate success
At the weekend, tens-of-thousands of New Zealanders supported their local growers at the country's 25-or-so Farmers Markets.
The markets, which comprise more than 1000 small food businesses, have… Audio
'Give us a break!' say surfing farmers
Every Thursday afternoon, Banks Peninsula farmers head to the beach in Hickory Bay and ride waves to forget about work. Farmer and surfing coach, Kristin Savage, runs the Surfing for Farmers… Audio
"Fresh ideas, younger muscles" - taking on the family farm
Sarah Maxwell switches from inseminating cows in the morning to shifting cows and sheep in the afternoon, working at the local sale yards and more besides. Audio