Country Life

This 1975 Spectrum documentary follows a day in the life of rural Gisborne veterinarian, Mac Wallace. His day begins with a cow having trouble calving and ends at Turehau station, where a group of calves have mild scours and an old mare needs some attention.

This 1975 Spectrum documentary follows a day in the life of rural Gisborne veterinarian, Mac Wallace. His day begins with a cow having trouble calving and ends at Turehau station, where a group of calves have mild scours and an old mare needs some attention.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A round-up of the week's agricultural news with RNZ rural news reporter Sally Murphy

Taupō-based, low-carbon dairy processor, Miraka has announced a strong 2024/25 season milk price.

A wrap of the week's rural news from RNZ's rural news desk.

Dairy prices continue to rise, with the average price jumping 1.7% at the global dairy trade auction this week. Taupō-based milk processor, Miraka, is also starting the new season strong with a forecast milk price of $8.42 a kilo of milk solids. You can read more here.

Things are tough for sheep farmers in Hawke's Bay. Prices for in-lamb ewes at a recent sale dropped to their lowest level in at least a decade, with auctioneers struggling to get $100. Meanwhile, Christchurch based bio-tech company Keraplast, which extracts proteins from sheep wool, has opened new premises in Christchurch as the sector continues to grow.

Fishing crews in Hawke's Bay are catching thousands of porcupinefish.

A trial underway by NZ King Salmon to use recycled water in its new salmon rearing systems is paying off, with indications the fish grow better and have better health outcomes in re-circulating aquaculture systems like this. Over in Hawke's Bay, fishers have been left pondering a rise in the number of porcupine fish, otherwise known as blow-fish, being caught post-Cyclone Gabrielle. You can read more here.

Registered deer are showing up as unregistered, Deer Industry NZ says.

Deer Industry New Zealand says some of its farmers have had issues with the National Animal Identification and Tracing system, known as NAIT, when animals they've registered show up as un-registered. A legal requirement, farmers can be charged for non-compliance if incorrect data goes through to the Ministry for Primary Industries. You can read more here.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A large part of Brian Hales' farm recently sold and will soon go into pines. We caught up with the sheep and beef farmer, to find out what was happening to his flock of rare and exotic sheep breeds.

Brian Hales had an open-door policy on his farm for people to experience rural life.

It started in Kazakhstan, where Brian Hales' brother Nigel was managing a wool scour that largely dealt with Karakul sheep.

The rare desert-dwelling sheep fascinated Brian who was looking for something to give him "a bit more inspiration", having been on the family farm in Wimbledon in Tararua District for close to 40 years.

From six Karakul sheep, his collection of rare and exotic sheep breeds has grown massively over the past 15 years. However, much of the farm has since sold into forestry and along with it, many of his sheep have also had to find new homes.

"It became a bit of a fascination," Brian said. "It was like collecting stamps. It went on and on."

From breeds unique to Aotearoa like the rare Arapawa sheep found on an island in the Marlborough Sounds to Swedish Gotlands, at its peak, his flock numbered about 300 sheep comprised of up to 20 different breeds. This was in addition to his commercial flock of 1200 Romney ewes and about 100 cows.

Arapawa Island sheep.

A sale was recently held in Dannevirke, where he sold about 70 sheep, including Arapawa, Valais Blacknose, David Tuart Stewart Island, Campbell Island, Mohaka, Hokonui, Pitt Island, Herbert, Jacob, Gotland, and Horned Dorset breeds. He was confident that had each found "good homes".

Brian will keep a few sheep on the remaining 120 acres of land, including a flock from a fellow collector who had entrusted them to him.

New Zealand's sheep population has dropped in recent years, in part as farmland has been sold and converted to forestry.

According to StatsNZ, from 2011 to 2023, the total area in grassland (excluding tussock) fell by 12 percent (942,000ha), the total number of total sheep fell by 22 percent (6.8 million), and the total number of beef cattle fell by 5 percent (192,000ha).

During this time the area in pine and other exotic forest (excluding native forest) increased by 11 percent (179,000ha).

Gotland sheep.

Brian said there was much people could learn from the different breeds, with their popularity and prevalence tied to the economic market conditions and needs of the day.

Asked if he had a favourite, he answered with the sheep that started it all: the Karakul.

"The Karakul is a brilliant sheep ... certainly a versatile animal," he said. …

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Taranaki dairy farmer Cliff Shearer's practices may seem old-fashioned, but they've helped him make his way into the history books.

When Cliff Shearer is not on his milking stool, you might find him poring over antique books for tips on how people farmed more than 200 years ago.

The hobbies and practices of this South Taranaki dairy farmer may seem old-fashioned, but they have helped him lay claim to the highest-producing Jersey herd in New Zealand.

"That's what I get up for, to break records if you like."

Meet Cliff Shearer's Jersey herd

He has thousands of antiquarian farming books, alongside his collection of Jersey cow production registers dating back to 1902.

Shearer showed Country Life his "pride and joy" - a book, dating from 1798, written by the first minister of agriculture in England. He in turn was a student of Robert Bakewell, "the greatest cattle breeder in history (who) founded the modern system of animal breeding".

Shearer says the books and records reaffirm what he has found in more than 40 years of milking Jersey cows, such as always breeding the best cow to the best bull and spreading dolomite on the pasture to prevent mastitis.

Just beyond a rose-covered fence from the house is another pride and joy, his 30-cow Jersey herd.

It may be small but it is mighty in terms of production, nearly double the New Zealand average.

"I've got the highest-producing Jersey herd in New Zealand history.

"My cows average 701kg of milk solids, and they've done over 650 kg/ms for the last 14 years."

In the 2022-23 season, 59 percent of New Zealand herds recorded milksolids production of between 300 and 450 kg per cow.

The cows are fed on just over 11 hectares of pasture and each gets a 16kg top-up of extra feed every day, a muesli including soya hull, palm kernel and molasses.

Shearer points out his highest-performing cow, standing in the shade of some tall trees.

Her claim to fame: "1062 kilos of milksolids, over 10,000 litres in 300 days."

All of his cows can be traced to one mammoth milker, Lamorna Rovers Brenda, which he bought in 1980, a year after he started farming.

While most New Zealand cows are milked in herringbone or rotary sheds, Shearer's cows stroll over to an eight-bail walk-through. He says it is one of the last remaining walk-through milking sheds in the county.

He sits on a milking stool to put the cups on, milking twice a day, single-handedly.

He hasn't missed a day's milking in 14 years, even working with six broken ribs at one stage.

That is "some 10,250 consecutive milkings", he says…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A series of dams to capture stormwater as it runs off the Port Hills are being constructed on farmland near Christchurch. It's the brainchild of Brent and Shirley Rawstron from Rossendale Wines, who are working with the Christchurch City Council to prevent flooding Early Valley.

Putting the final touches to lowest dam. The Rawstrons' old woolshed is in the background.

A series of low dams and basins to capture stormwater as it runs off the Port Hills is being constructed on farmland near Christchurch.

It is the brainchild of Brent and Shirley Rawstron from Rossendale Wines.

They own the land and have teamed up with the Christchurch City Council to prevent flooding in Early Valley.

Listen to Brent talk about the project here

Brent, a second-generation sheep and beef farmer, said the valley often flooded after heavy rainfall.

"The whole of the valley floor floods every second year and every several years the flooding covers the fences and flows across the Old Tai Tapu Road.

"The valley goes up to the top of the Port Hills and all that water comes down through this farm, so the intention was to hold the water back for five to six days," Brent said.

Shirley and Brent above the dam construction site.

The flooding was likely to worsen as the surrounding hills were built on, he said.

"When Dad moved into the valley 70 years ago there were four other residents and now there are over 100. We've just gobbled up land in the hills for housing."

The couple engaged in a public-private partnership (PPP) with the Christchurch City Council to get the project done.

Stormwater flows into the dams from this steep gully.

The council is paying for the construction work in exchange for ownership of the 12-hectare dam site.

The Rawstrons have stipulated that the land must remain a green space that can never be built on.

Brent said more housing subdivisions were planned on the hills surrounding the valley, which would likely increase the need for a stormwater holding facility.

A creek filled with rocks leads down to the dams.

"The land to the north of us is zoned residential and there's enough land there for 150 houses and run-off from them will eventually be coming down into the valley floor."

The total water storage capacity of the ponds will be about 128,000 cubic metres.

After the recent fires on the Port Hills highlighted the difficulty of helicopter accessible water, Brent said it would also be feasible to "retro fit" an emergency water source into the project…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Mt Cook Alpine Salmon in the Mackenzie District began experimenting with caviar three years ago and is in the midst of its short harvest period. Sally Murphy caught up with the company's chief executive David Cole.

Caviar is traditionally known as a delicacy plucked from wild fish in the Caspian sea but it's also being farmed right here in New Zealand.

Mt Cook Alpine Salmon in the Mackenzie District is in the midst of its short caviar harvest period. It began experimenting with the specialty three years ago.

Chief executive David Cole tells us more.

You can also read more here.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A dry autumn will make for a tough winter for many farmers across the lower North Island, meanwhile it's made a great end to harvest with growers in Hawke's Bay and Marlborough busy pruning.

Northland - Te Tai Tokerau took a bit of a battering in recent storms though there was no significant damage. Our farmer contact said the region could do with some more rain, having only recorded about 15 millimetres of rain this week. He expected grass growth to be slow and feed to be "tight" this winter.

Around Pukekohe, weather and growing conditions were good until the last week in May when squally thunderstorms swept over the district. Some crops were damaged with forceful wind and pea sized hail. However, due to the heavy supply of fresh vegetables in the domestic market place, losses are unlikely to be significant except for the grower.

The dairy season is coming to an end in Waikato. It's been a terrific autumn, "one of the best for a long time" says a local rep. The mood is pretty happy, following a "reasonable" payout and good winter cover. There have been reports of some slug damage, leading to re-grassing. Sheep and beef farmers are hurting though. Feed conditions are good in Waikato but prices are poor.

Grass-growth has been good in King Country, though it's been "knocked back" by recent frosts and rain. Some were still milking but starting to dry off. Most dairy farmers were taking a break and thinking about next steps, ahead of calving in August and a return to milking in September. Balancing the books has become harder, with rates increase proposals, high interest rates and rising costs.

Dairy farmers have started feeding out supplementary supplies.

Taranaki also had a good dowsing of rain this past week, but for farmers in the south it had come "too late" for this season. Most dairy farmers had stopped milking and dried off their cows by the start of May to help build pasture growth coming into winter. Many had already started eating into supplementary feed supplies. Milk production to the end of April was down about 4% compared to a very good season last year.

It's been a "dream run" for kiwifruit growers in Bay of Plenty, and a season "to remember". Harvest wraps up for most this week, with some gold growers already into their pruning. The kiwifruit has been good quality and there's been plenty of it. Growers are also celebrating after authorities said they can keep using hydrogren cynamide, an agri-chemical used to help buds form. Read more about that here.

Shedding sheep breeds like Wiltshires are becoming more popular…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week on Country Life, caviar being farmed in Mackenzie Country, a flood-prone vineyard in Canterbury which has created flood prevention basins to keep dry and a woollen sock company which is at the heart of the tiny town of Norsewood.

This week on Country Life, caviar being farmed in Mackenzie Country, a flood-prone vineyard in Canterbury which has created flood prevention basins to keep dry and a woollen sock company which is at the heart of the tiny town of Norsewood.

Listen to Country Life

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Norsewear factory in Norsewood is a community affair, with families, an entire volunteer fire brigade and neighbours working alongside each other over the decades. They have been celebrating 60 years since the classic flecked farm sock was first produced, and now have a new owner at the helm.

Terence Ahern started at Norsewear straight out of school.

You don't have to step too far inside Norsewood's woollen sock factory to get a sense of just how close-knit this community is.

Generations of people from the same Norsewood families, neighbours and members of the volunteer fire brigade work alongside each other at Norsewear.

The factory floor has even been known to come to a standstill during an emergency callout.

The sock, glove and beanie manufacturer is the heart of the town and contributes greatly to the local community, according to one of its longest-serving employees, Terence "Tingey" Ahern.

"Norsewear is Norsewood and Norsewood is Norsewear. That's it."

Meet the people behind Norsewear on Country Life

Ahern started as a 16-year-old and is now in his 46th year at the company, which began in 1963 when Ola Rian started making socks from his living room in Wellington.

According to Ahern, the Norwegian champion skier was looking at setting up his factory in Ohakune.

However, he settled on Norsewood, in the lee of the Ruahine range in southern Hawke's Bay, after experiencing the tiny town's Scandinavian heritage and its proximity to the mountains.

In the 1980s, Norsewear, under its original founder, was one of New Zealand's largest apparel companies, exporting 40 percent of its knitwear to Australia, Japan and the UK, according to new owner Tim Deane.

Norsewear owner Tim Deane.

The factory has been through several owners and two receiverships since then, partly due to the lifting of tarrifs protecting New Zealand's apparel industry, and cheaper clothes flooding into the market.

Ahern was involved in a staff buyout in the early 2000s just to keep the firm afloat, but they had to pay royalties to a previous owner in order to use the brand.

It is that brand and the connection to wool and New Zealand farmers which has Deane excited. From a career in much bigger business - he was in global sales for Fonterra at one stage - he bought back the logo on acquiring Norsewear in 2022.

"I could see there was potentially a really big opportunity if we could tell the story."

Instead of wool being sold in bales to head offshore or gather dust in woolsheds, he wanted to produce something of value from the raw product and make sure the value of the brand stayed at home…

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Serena Lyders has found her calling as a traditional Māori healer, giving back to rural communities and working with shearers all around the motu.

Serena Lyders of Whānau Consultancy Services.

Serena Lyders (Ngāti Porou) comes from a long line of shearing royalty, on both sides of her family.

She worked in the industry herself, before training to become a bilingual primary teacher and later a social worker.

These days, she's helping shearers all around the motu, drawing on her varied experiences and passion for rural communities as a traditional Māori healer.

It's not just finding better ways to help their bodies cope with the physically demanding work but also about "soul healing" and growing people's understanding of Te Ao Māori.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details