Country Life

The sheep are being dagged at Carl and Tori Uren's Le Bons Bay farm this week. The couple produce cross-bred wool at the scenic Banks Peninsula property, but it's actually high country merino wool they use for their own clothing brand.

In 2008, Country Life met farmer Steve Knudsen on an extremely steep Taranaki farm he called Vertigo Station. Steve's since bought and now lives on another much more friendly farm. He's still farming sheep and singing the praises of wool.

Drought hit Hawke's Bay has had rain and in the South Island, Tekapo farmers have been working in temperatures that have barely hit five degrees.

Full Episode - Country Life 19 June 2020.

Troy Bramley and Claire Edwards are trying to fish as sustainably as possible. They're also shunning plastic and polystyrene for seaweed and compostable boxes to bring kaimoana to Kiwis from sea to plate. The Tora Collective, as they brand themselves, is concerned the best quality crayfish and paua is being exported and they want more New Zealanders to be able to experience the crustaceans as if they've dived for them themselves.

In the future, common Friesan, Jersey and KiwiCross cows may need to make way for Montbeliarde, Normande, and Fleckvieh milking cows in New Zealand. These breeds are dual-purpose – good for both milking and rearing as beef cattle.

Paula Levett saw some miniature goats in an Australian magazine several years ago and the next thing she and some others were importing two bucks to New Zealand. She felt there was a place for a milking goat which was much smaller than the common, and wonderfully productive Saanen. The Nigerian Dwarf milking goat fitted the bill nicely only standing half a metre tall, it needs a much smaller area to live on and is easier to manage for older people. The milk is high in fat and protein making it suitable for hobby cheese makers but Paula says the goats also make great pets.

Lincoln University PhD student Cameron Marshall is studying a genetic line for a trait in dairy cows that leads to less nitrogen in urine.

Farmers in the picturesque Matukituki Valley near Wanaka are enjoying being able to move stock easily now that tourist traffic has quietened down. The mild start to winter around much of the country is finally giving pasture a chance to grow.

Country Life this week is out at sea with a Wairarapa couple fishing for kaimoana for kiwis and delivering it from sea to plate. The team also meets a some recent immigrants to New Zealand ... goats and cows.