On the Farm

Hawkes' Bays grape harvest is 80 to 90 percent through. Horowhenua's had good grass growth but temperatures have taken a dive. Some rain and cooler temperatures this week in Canterbury have seen… Read more Audio

North Island grape growers have had ideal weather for their harvest so far and, in the South Island, Canterbury has had its first frost of the season. Read our guide to what's happening on NZ farms… Read more Audio

Hawkes Bay is looking for rain to freshen things up and get autumn growth moving. There is plenty of feed on farms but it is not good quality. Calf sales have got underway in South Otago and prices… Read more Audio

Paddocks are greening up in many North Island places while in the South Island Marlborough is going quickly from brown to green. Read more Audio

In Bay of Plenty the kiwifruit export picking season has started, and, for the first time ever, Zespri will pack more gold kiwifruit than green this season. Marlborough farms are looking a picture… Read more Audio

Beautiful gentle rain has been falling in King Country and Nelson/Mouteka has had a good dose too. Read more Audio

The tomato harvest is coming to an end in Gisborne, maize silage is being cut across the North Island and in south Otago, shearing continues. Read more Audio

Even previously green areas in the North Island are suddenly looking very dry. Southland's still got green grass and crops are growing, but all farmers, and some orchardists, want the predicted rain… Read more Audio

Coastal North Taranaki is very dry. There's a lot of feeding out taking place and, because of the shortage of feed, animals are being culled. Another hot dry week in Mid-Canterbury's allowed arable… Read more Audio

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The North Island is generally coping well with the summer conditions, but in the South Island the Tasman district and Eastern Marlborough are very dry. Irrigation supplies are… Read more Audio

Both the North and South Islands have been dripping under sweltering temperatures but generally the North Island farms have good amounts of feed. In Canterbury spring barley is going off for Gladfield… Read more Audio

Taranaki is well set up. There's been plenty of rain and lots of silage and hay cut. Milk production is about 7 percent. In Southland there's heaps of baleage being made and everyone's getting the… Read more Audio

Taranaki is looking very green and farmers are complaining that it's harder to manage a surplus of feed than a deficit. Milk production is about 7 percent ahead of last season. Artifical insemination… Read more Audio

In the Bay of Plenty, kiwifruit orchard bees are pretty well all through their pollination work. Some places here got well over 100mm of rain this week. Contractors on the West Coast are flatstick… Read more Audio

Mainly light winds with some sunshine and showers graced South Auckland. Ideal conditions for strong growth of outdoor crops and the transplanting of new ones. Lamb growth has slowed with the poor… Read more Audio

Rain in Wairarapa has set the region up for December, but pumps are draining floodwater from Taieri farms in the South Island. Read more Audio

Gisborne farmers are thrilled with the prices they're receiving for their lambs - $140 dollars straight off their mothers. Southland arable farmers need the rain to stop. Read more Audio

Bay of Plenty's had glorious days. Silage is being cut here too, there's plenty of grass around. The West Coast is mopping up after a deluge. Queenstown had snow in the hills and then 22 degree days.

South Auckland received 50 millimetres or more of rain. It was most welcome but delayed spuds, onion and carrot harvesting. It's been a typical wet and windy October for coastal Southland. It's a… Read more Audio

Jessie Waite works for Federated Farmers.The 26-year-old is one of three winners of the 2018 NZ Young Farmers Excellence Awards recognising members who are leaders, achievers and role models. Read more Audio

The North Island is desperately waiting for rain while snow fell on Central Otago ranges. Welcome rain arrived in many South Island regions, but more is needed. Read more Audio

In Waikato cows are milking well, maize is going in, silage is being cut, asparagus is shooting away. Farmers in South Otago are preparing paddocks for winter crops. Read more Audio

Welcome rain has fallen in the North and South Island. Substantial snow has fallen in Central Otago but elsewhere in the south lambs are growing well in good conditions. Read more Audio

Waikato welcomed a drink this week and the West Coast is flush with grass. Read more Audio

Marlborough farmers and grape growers have been revelling in the sunshine. In the North Island it's been bitterly cold in places and wet - again. Read more Audio

Vegetable growers around Pukekohe had been contemplating turning on their irrigation systems but rain saved the day. Read more Audio

The North Island has warmed up this week as the southerly died away and the sun appeared. In the South Island it was similar with plenty of sunshine and fruit trees in blossom. Read more Audio

A cold southerly has been ripping through the North Island, and despite the southerly blast in Canterbury, lambing and calving have gone very well and farmers are in good spirits. Read more Audio

Waikato farms are very wet underfoot and farmers are waiting for a spring surge in grass growth. In Canterbury winter feed paddocks are being planted into a range of crops and spring fertiliser is… Read more Audio

Many North Island regions are swimming in water again after heavy downpours this week, while in Central Otago apricot trees are in full blossom Read more Audio