Country Life

Massey University is looking at the costs and benefits of farmers moving out of the wool business and into farming fleece-shedding Wiltshire sheep.

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 utitlisation is good.

Dr Sue Bidrose talks to Cosmo about her role as CEO of AgResearch.

This week Country Life is visiting a vegie patch on the Canterbury Plains and takes us to Nightcaps- a tiny coal mining town in the foothills of Southland's picturesque Takitimu mountains.

Strange fishy sculptures made out of recycled stuff are popping up on the shoreline at Riversdale. They're the work of country plumber Jeff Burnett, who can't keep his hands off junk.

When Jeremy Naylor bought Okainamu farm in the Upper Wairoa Gorge in 1982 it was a neglected grazing unit. Over time he's planted heaps of trees on the secluded property and transformed it into a BioGro certified orchard and market garden. He also runs beef cattle and sheep and sells his produce at the Nelson Farmers' Market.

Scion's new $14m building has been designed to welcome in the public and to showcase the sustainable use of wood.

Matamata dairy farmer Tracy Brown is among a batch of Nuffield scholars taking a closer look at New Zealand agriculture with overseas travel out of the question due to Covid-19. The Nuffield programme is one of the agricultural world's most prestigious.

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

Mid Canterbury farmer Rhys Roberts was badly hit in the floods last weekend. As CEO of Align Farms, he farms mostly dairy on two properties on the south side of the Ashburton River. The river was still surging through one of the farms at the end of the week.