Country Life

Wet rules around the country, with good dumpings of snow on higher altitude South Island properties.

Country Life heads out with a very young fisherwoman - 9 year old Isla Vahry - to find out how she's learning to fish for trout and the benefits of fishing especially for families cooped up because of the pandemic. And a sustainable agriculture group works on improving water quality.

People swoon when they visit what was once a bare block of land in Hawke's Bay, according to Natalie Tolchard, who launched full tilt into growing dahlias without any experience but plenty of passion. Country Life takes you back to the autumn when her commercial dahlia crop was a riot of colour and hears how good research and plenty of determination has opened up a new direction in horticulture.

This week an open letter was sent to the prime minister by the New Zealand Women in Medicine Charitable Trust warning that New Zealand's health system was at risk of a "catastrophic collapse." Anthea Prentice is a Cheviot rural GP who took part in the survey.

Sheep and beef farmers In Northland are dealing with sodden ground and surface water up to seven centimetres high. Southland farmers say they missed the worst of this week's bad weather and some early lambs are already skipping around paddocks.

Authorities are seeking to reassure farmers about the threat of foot and mouth disease for New Zealand livestock. Biosecurity New Zealand's Deputy Director-General, Stuart Anderson says vaccines here could be rolled out within days.

Best of 2022 - Country Life visits the 64th annual Ashburton cattle and sheep dog sale.

The Dahlia Field, Working dogs go under the hammer, A Rural GP Speaks Out, Keeping a close eye on foot and mouth, and the Regional Wrap.

Paul Ensor farms sheep and cattle at Glenaan Station in the Rakaia Gorge and co-owns a clothing brand that blends merino wool with hemp fibre.

Can dairy farmers be tempted to put aside some of their pasture for human digestible protein? New Zealand scientists have developed the technology but how would it work in the paddock?