Country Life

Full Episode for Friday September 11 2020; soil doctor Nicole Masters, Dr Jessica Hutchings has been a leader of the Maori organics movement and is putting her ideas into practice on her small family farm, Otago organic farmer Allan Richardson and the Regional Wrap.

A micro-farming movement in the Hutt Valley is helping to feed hundreds of local people. Urban Kai set up by The Common Unity Project involves keen gardeners, state house tenants and inmates at Rimutaka Prison and demand for the veggies they produce has soared during these pandemic times.

HoneyLab is a New Zealand company that develops health products from natural sources. It's just signed a multi-million dollar deal with a North American pharmaceutical company which will market and sell a patented topical kanuka honey formulation for the treatment of cold sores, rosecea and acne.

There's huge concern about low aquifer levels around many North Island regions, and snow is blanketing Otago.

A number of out of work airline pilots are considering roles as large machinery operators and tractor drivers. Former pilot Andy Pender says he won't be surprised if they find they are happy working in the country and they don't go back to flying.

Urban farming in the Hutt Valley helps feed hundreds, a kanuka honey natural healthcare product is to be sold in North America, a former airline pilot says many out-of-work colleagues will consider driving tractors, and our look at farming conditions around the country

The Port Hills are still scarred after devastating fires burned across 2000 hectares of bush and farmland in 2017. But every year, volunteers head up into the hills to replant them with native bush.

Waikato farmers Bart and Vanessa van de Ven have battled through a couple of trying calving seasons but this year they have had time to 'cruise'. Bart says brilliant weather has helped but he's also putting a smooth calving down to meticulous planning in the dry season.

Annabel Angland from Peregrine Wines is the Corteva Central Otago Young Viticulturist of the Year 2020 and is looking forward to representing the region at the national finals in Martinborough in October. The Lincoln Uni viticulture and oenology graduate is also co-captain of the Southern Blast netball team.

The Hawkes Bay countryside has been transformed by winter rain. In the McKenzie Basin, merino shearing is underway.