Rnz: On The Farm

Welcome rain has fallen in the North and South Island. Substantial snow has fallen in Central Otago but elsewhere in the south lambs are growing well in good conditions.

Waikato welcomed a drink this week and the West Coast is flush with grass.

Marlborough farmers and grape growers have been revelling in the sunshine. In the North Island it's been bitterly cold in places and wet - again.

Vegetable growers around Pukekohe had been contemplating turning on their irrigation systems but rain saved the day.

The North Island has warmed up this week as the southerly died away and the sun appeared. In the South Island it was similar with plenty of sunshine and fruit trees in blossom.

A cold southerly has been ripping through the North Island, and despite the southerly blast in Canterbury, lambing and calving have gone very well and farmers are in good spirits.

Waikato farms are very wet underfoot and farmers are waiting for a spring surge in grass growth. In Canterbury winter feed paddocks are being planted into a range of crops and spring fertiliser is being applied.

Many North Island regions are swimming in water again after heavy downpours this week, while in Central Otago apricot trees are in full blossom

Waikato farms on heavy soils are pugging again following more rain. The fabulous weather pattern just keeps on coming for Canterbury and it's making lambing, calving and ground preparation for spring crops very easy.

Grass is growing in most North Island areas with warmer than normal soil temperatures. Farmers in Marlborough are break feeding stock and calving is in full swing on most South Island dairy farms.

The North Island is generally quite mild while Marlborough has a flush of lambs arriving.

Hopes are high for a good lambing on the North Island's East Coast, Marlborough's had enough rain for now, and in Central Otago there's been some growth.

Many North Island regions are feeling very sodden, although a milder week in King Country raised soil temperatures and put a green tinge on low pasture covers. Grape pruning continues in Marlborough. One grower says his 35 hectare block near Seddon will be finished by the end of next week.

Gisborne has had a couple of frosts and quite strong nor-west winds. Karamea, on the South Island's West Coast, had a mid-week down pour of about 150 millimetres.

There was sunshine amidst the mist in Northland on Friday morning. Feed levels on farms are very low. Dairy farmers in Canterbury are getting very close to calving with many reporting to already having a few calves on the ground.

Waikato has been cold, wet and miserable but there have been three good frosts. Ewe scanning is in full swing in Marlborough and results are up about 10 per cent on last year.

It has been so wet in Gisborne that farm bikes can't be used in places and farmers are having to saddle up their horses. Marlborough started off wet and ended with frost and a fresh skiff of snow on the ranges.

Five contestants from the National Fieldays Rural Catch of the Year competition talk about conditions on the land and their love of farming.

Parts of Waikato had 100 millimetres of rain at the weekend and there was surface flooding. Pruning is underway on all fruit crops in the Nelson / Motueka region.

Apple pruning is well underway in Hawkes Bay in cold but excellent conditions. Winter has arrived in Canterbury bringing with it frosts and snow on the mountains.