On the Farm

Vines are in leaf and vineyard workers are shoot thinning in Hawke's Bay while Tasman dairy herds are heading towards peak production but need more sun. Read more Audio

In Horowhenua a wet and cold period this week has slowed up asparagus production. Good weather in Canterbury has allowed for a range of tasks to be completed including spraying, drilling, dagging… Read more Audio

The north of the North Island has had a big dose of rain and West Coasters are looking skyward for sun... Read more Audio

Hawke's Bay apple trees are bursting into blossom and Canterbury farmers are dealing with wind-damaged irrigators. Read more Audio

Gales in Canterbury have toppled trees and taken out power. Avocado growers are having a rocky start to the export season. Read more Audio

Some farms are tight on feed on the East Coast and Southland farmers are having a great run of weather - great timing for lambing and calving. Read more Audio

In Northland dairy farmers seem to be well set up for feed for spring but beef farmers are feeling the pinch a bit. The vines are waking up in Marlborough and sheep are spaced out for lambing in South… Read more Audio

Harvesting of leafy vegetables has continued in unpleasant conditions around Pukekohe and on a Nelson orchard growth is about a week ahead of last year. Read more Audio

It's been cold and miserable in Taranaki where farmers are heads down, tails up calving and farmers would quite like some sunshine in Southland to help lift spirits. Read more Audio

The sap seems to be flowing a little earlier than normal in a Gisborne vineyard and sheep farmers in Central Otago are busy pre-lamb shearing but it's been hard keeping yards dry. Read more Audio

New born lambs in Wairarapa welcomed the sun on their backs at the end of the week after a wet start to the week. In Southland, calves are starting to appear across the countryside. Read more Audio

Orange growers in the Gisborne region are getting good returns and the clean-up continues on inundated farms and vineyards in the South Island. Read more Audio

Hawke's Bay orchards have had the right amount of winter chill this week, pruning and maintenance work is continuing in Marlborough's vineyards and calving's due to start in early August in Southland.

Lettuces are in short supply after frosts and rain in Southland has left farms muddy underfoot. Read more Audio

June was a fabulous month for growth in the North Island. In the South, Marlborough's welcomed 100 millimetres of rain. Read more Audio

In the North Island there's been an awful lot of rain with the whole East Coast receiving a huge downpour, in the South Island South Otago and Southland farmers are having a reasonably kind start to… Read more Audio

Farmers fill us in on their week from the National Agricultural Fieldays; one farmer has his hands very firmly in his pockets having just become a 50/50 sharemilker and an Otago farmer is busy selling… Read more Audio

Some sizable apple developments are going in around Waipawa in Hawke's Bay, but labour is limiting investor enthusiasm, while in the South Island, south Otago farms are dry underfoot and feed… Read more Audio

Taranaki is looking lush and in the South Island kiwifruit vines are being very carefully pruned in Nelson. Read more Audio

Very welcome rain fell on the East Coast, along with freezing temperatures in many places of the North Island. It was similiar in the South Island with cracking frosts and sunny days. Oturehua had a… Read more Audio

The green kiwifruit harvest is underway in the north where winter is making its presence felt and in the south feed is being trucked from the West Coast to bone dry farms in the east. Read more Audio

Lovely rain this week in the north has not been so welcome on Bay of Plenty orchards in the midst of kiwifruit harvest and there's been sleet, snow and some wicked frosts down south. Read more Audio

It's bone dry on the East Coast of the North Island, a hunter out near Hikurangi says in the 20 years he's gone out it's never been so dry and Marlborough is still hunting for rain while the West… Read more Audio

Most North Island regions that desperately needed rain didn't get any this week and snow has appeared on Mounts Ruapehu and Taranaki, meanwhile the situation is grim on many Marlborough and North… Read more Audio

In the North Island many east coast regions are desperately short of rain, and elsewhere ground water levels are still low, while conditions in coastal Marlborough are beyond dire, and a drought… Read more Audio

Farmers are starting to struggle in a drier than normal autumn in many places around the country. In Hawkes Bay apple picking conditions have been fabulous with fine, windless days. Read more Audio

In the North Island at least one Taranaki farm's on track for a record milk production season while in the South Island Southland farmers think they've dialled up one of the best possible autumns. Read more Audio

Bay of Plenty gold kiwifruit growers are waiting for clearance to pick the fruit. Tasman apple orchardists are still crying out for workers. Read more Audio

Waikato dairy farmers are doing their budgets for next year and there's no shortage of ways to spend their increased fortunes. In the South farmers are trying to set up for winter but it's dry. Read more Audio