Country Life

Vince Scully and Mary Shanahan farm kōura (native freshwater crayfish) at Waikōura Springs in Kaikōura. They also run daily tours of their unusual fish farm, but since the November earthquake tourism has dried up.

Frosty conditions have hit the North Island this week, but despite very little rain, conditions underfoot are extremely mushy. Canterbury dairy farmers are busy heavy rolling their dairy platforms while the cows are off farm for winter.

Young Geraldine shearer Allan Oldfield has had a successful season in the northern hemisphere with several blade shearing wins at agricultural shows in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The Manawahe Bunny Hunt, Keep the Kōura in Kaikōura, High Spec Guns, Blade of Glory and the Regional Wrap.

Every year, hunters and locals from Manawahe head out onto farmland and into the hills to shoot rabbits and other pests for the district's bunny hunt – a community event with games, skinning competitions and prizes.

Māori potatoes (taewa) grown at Koukourārata Marae have been selling like hot cakes at farmers' markets around Christchurch – and all profits are going back to the marae.

Marian and Graham Hirst started growing applies 28 years ago. They've had a good 2016, winning a number of business awards, but it hasn't always been easy on their Hawkes Bay orchard.

Dairy farmers around the country are having to build new pens to hold calves about to be trucked off their properties. The new regulations for the design of the pens aim to limit opportunities for the animals to be mishandled.

In Canterbury it's been dry enough for stock to make good use of feed and even put on condition. Most of the North Island had a good dollop of rain late in the week.

Full Episode for Friday June 23, 2017: Taewa for Tea, Good Growers, Pens for Calves and the Regional Wrap.