Rnz: On The Farm

Pasture is bursting forth around the country in "dream" spring conditions, ag contractors are all out making silage, the summer fuit harvest is underway and in the vineyard, workers are tidying vine canopies.

Grass is climbing out of the ground around the North Island and Otago has had a 26 degree day and a frost this week.

There's been welcome rain and warmth in the north and clear patches for sowing and silage-making but too much rain on the West Coast is not helping the mating season.

Avocados are coming off trees thick and fast and retirees are putting their hands up for seasonal work in Central Otago.

Grass is bolting and tractors are humming in the North Island but farmers could still do with more rain. On the West Coast farmers are still waiting for paddocks to dry out enough to plant next winter's crops.

Farmers in the north who were getting a bit twitchy with the lack of rain are pleased they can now almost see the grass growing after a good few millimetres in the gauge this week. Trading stock are being offloaded in Marlborough which is still hanging out for rain.

Hungry lambs in Rangitikei are starting to put pressure on the amount of grass left for their mums and Nelson and Marlborough are already getting desperately dry. There's been historic low rainfall in Marlborough for the first eight months this year.

Northland's farmers are reluctant to buy in stock and the sheep farmers in the southern South Island seem to have made it through this week's weather bomb with fewer than expected lamb deaths. Find out what's happening on the farms and orchards of New Zealand.

It's been a kind spring so far with good lamb survival rates and a pleasing bud break in Hawke's Bay orchards but a lot more rain is needed around the country except in Southland and on the West Coast. They've had plenty!

Docking's started in blustery weather in the North and in Te Waipounamu it was a wild week for many on both sides of the main divide.

More kiwifruit blocks are being planted in south Auckland and lambs are skipping around paddocks with the sun on their backs.

There's huge concern about low aquifer levels around many North Island regions, and snow is blanketing Otago.

The Hawkes Bay countryside has been transformed by winter rain. In the McKenzie Basin, merino shearing is underway.

Avocado exports are just starting,  apple growers are thinking about heavily pruning crops because there'll be so few workers to pick their fruit,  a crisp minus seven degrees hit the Mackenzie country this week and most of the South Island needs more rain.

There's been perfect lambing weather in the North Island and calves are arriving early in Otago.

Big, beautiful calves are arriving a couple of weeks early in some parts of the country and for many South Island regions spring is in the air.

Waikato and Taranaki dairy farms have never looked better at this time of year, and it's been relatively balmy in the deep south...

Calving's been keeping farmers busy over a mostly dull, wet and chilly week weather-wise as hares and rabbits pester growers around Pukekohe.

Calving's started as winter arrives in the far north and stock are tucking in to winter crops around Canterbury

Winter sets in in the north and the effects of the drought are still being felt at the top of the South Island.