Our guest this week is the chief executive of New Zealand Apples and Pears, Alan Pollard. He's in Berlin, Germany at present attending a massive fresh produce trade show called Fruit Logistica. Over sixty thousand people attend the event. It's a very important show because it's the time when exporters set up their programmes into Europe for the coming season. Alan is there with New Zealand apple exporters

The Gisborne region is flush with feed. Some Marlborough grape growers have been battling powdery mildew and botrytis thanks to unusually moist conditions.

New Zealand apple experts are working with growers in Himachal Pradesh to improve production of the region's apple trees.

Phil Tregidga's family pioneered hydroponic growing in New Zealand. Almost four decades later he's still using the hydroponic system to grow all manner of herbs and vegetables with his wife Jenny and new boss, their daughter Liz.

Last year we had a musing penned by Neville Martin. He was the Dairy Board's spokesman for many years, and he was talking about growing kohlrabi in the days well well before it was fashionable. After going to the effort of growing it, his father deemed it unfit for eating. Today he's grazing over various farming terms that he picked up as a young child during many farm visits.

Jason and Trisha Delamore purchased Lavender Hill, a three hectare property 30 minutes north west of Auckland city, two years ago. It is a commercial enterprise with lavender plants, a lavender still, 400 olive trees, 200 lemon trees, alpacas and a B and B. They also host hundreds of overseas tourists during the lavender growing season. They've developed a Limoncello and lavender-infused gin. This is a couple who don't appear to sleep.

Forging Ahead, Dinky Donkeys, Public garden helps refugees settle, farm consultant Gary Massicks and the Regional Wrap.

Farm consultant Gary Massicks says the feed cupboard is bare for many downland Manawatu farmers.

East Coast cropping farmers are flat out. Sweetcorn is coming to an end, the first shipment of squash has left for Japan and brassica crops are maturing quickly. A storm on the West Coast has damaged crops, brought down trees and left a farmer in Hokitika without power in his milking shed.

It has only taken half a hectare of land to make regional Victoria, Australia feel like Africa.