Country

In orchards around the country apples are coming off thick and fast. Paddocks are greening up in front of farmers' eyes in the North Island but in the South Island, North Canterbury is worryingly dry.

The North Island has had soaking good rain this week. Dairy cow pregnangy rates are generally down this season, between 15 to 20% are empty. In Central Otago high country weaning is in full swing and… Audio

Rain's fallen in Northland, East Coast and Hawkes Bay, but follow-up is crucial and the drought's not broken. In the South Island farmers in South Canterbury and central Otago have plenty of… Audio

Hawkes Bay is worryingly dry but it's been hosing down in Taranaki. In Mid-Canterbury arable farmers have been harvesting grass seed this week. Audio

It's been exceedingly windy over the whole of the North Island for the past three months, Northland and the East Coast and Hawkes Bay are getting very very dry, while the West Coast of the South… Audio

Ewes are being dagged and shorn in Southland and everyone's trying to get their lambs to the works before Christmas. In the North Island maize is finally growing well and the order has gone out for… Audio

Helen Slattery's rural contracting firm is one in a small network of businesses across New Zealand that collects used plastic wraps from bales of stock feed and sends it for recycling. Audio

Gentle amounts of rain have tickled the grass on many North Island farms, although eastern parts such as Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa are drying quickly in the strong winds. In the South Island Canterbury… Audio

Wind has ripped newly sown crops out of the ground in Horowhenua. In the South Island it's much greener than usual for the time of year but the ground is starting to dry out. Audio

Singer-songwriter, self-proclaimed rascal and longtime NZ folk and country music advocate Bernie Griffen joins Melody Thomas for the latest RNZ Music Mixtape. Audio

The Bay of Plenty avocado harvest is half way through and in Waikato, the harvesting of outdoor blueberries started this week. Lamb weaning is gaining momentum in Canterbury while in Central Otago… Audio

The recent Kaikōura earthquake has resulted in a dramatic downturn in business for Debbie Anderson of Two Rivers Cafe in Cheviot. She talks with Cosmo Kentish-Barnes. Audio

Forty Waikato teachers met last week to hear about bringing agri-science alive in the classroom. Audio

Parts of the North Island have had sweltering temperatures this week but Horowhenua has been cool and gloomy. Audio

Fruit growing roots run deep in the Gilchrist family – with Jack joining forces with his grandad John to become a fifth-generation orchardist on the slopes of the mighty Clutha River. Audio

Fonterra's announcement of a lift in the dairy payout has been just the tonic farmers needed as they come out of a tiring, wet spring. Marlborough farmers should be drafting lambs and cattle now but… Audio