Rnz: On The Farm

Hawkes Bay's grape vines are enjoying the dry, hot summer but most areas are hoping for rain.

Taranaki could be heading for its driest January in 40 years and central Otago's waiting for its first drop of rain for the year.

Country Life's whipping around the country to hear about 'the year that's been' for our food producers.

There was flooding to all the main alpine fed rivers in Canterbury last weekend while in many parts of the North Island paddocks and orchards are drying out. Some welcome rain elsewhere in the North has given a boost to feed crops.

Waikato's become a bit dry in the past week but good rain, forecast for the weekend, should help set farms up well for summer. A hop grower at Tapawera in the Nelson region says the focus this week has been getting the growing hop vines trained up the strings.

Hawkes Bay's cherries are being picked and Southland and South Otago have finally had the chance to dry out...

Welcome rain has set many farms up for the summer. It hasn't really warmed up in the far south and grass is struggling to grow. Marlborough has finally transitioned from what has been a fickle spring into summer.

Welcome rain has set farms up for the summer but hail in Hawke's Bay and Pukekohe has caused some fruit damage. It hasn't really warmed up in the far south and grass is struggling to grow.

Hot temperatures have seen pasture growth bolt away over much of the North Island. In the South it's been warm too. Farmers in Canterbury have been planting kale for grazing next winter and hopefully by the end of next week all the tractor work will be done for the season.

In Bay of Plenty pasture's been bolting away and the good quality feed's been putting weight on cattle and lambs. Dairy farmers have finally put their silage wagons away in Canterbury and yearling bulls on lucerne are currently growing at two kilos per head per day.

In Waikato asparagus production is down significantly because of cooler wetter conditions this spring. Apple orchards in the Nelson/Motueka region are coming to the end of flowering. There has been stop start rain in South Otago so farmers haven't been able to get much groundwork done.

In Northland it has been an exceptional week in terms of pasture growth on the back of some good rain. Canterbury has had another variable week of weather with only a couple of good days in which to get on the tractor.

Warm wet weather in the North Island will give grass growth a boost and the West Coast of the South Island could do the chance to dry out!

This week unsettled spring weather included damaging hail in Hawkes Bay, hard frosts in Marlborough and it's been wetter than wet on the West Coast. 

Blustery winds, spring chills, a touch of frost and for some a little too much rain. It's been a mixed bag, in other words typical spring weather, around the country this week.

The West Coast had a good dollop or rain this week but generally there's been fine spring weather around the country which has got grass pulsing and helped lamb survival rates. With buds bursting on trees and vines, growers are on the alert for frost.

Gisborne has had the rain it's been waiting for. Hoggets have been going through the shearing sheds in Central Otago. Lambing is underway and a minus seven degree frost on Monday had the babies rubbing up against mum to keep warm.

Rain has been welcomed in Hawkes Bay and in Otago farmers would like ewes to hold onto their lambs until the threat of snow passes.

Bay of Plenty kiwifruit growers are finishing off winter pruning and having the end of season tidy up. With good weather across Canterbury and winter feed crops mostly finished, tractors have been busy cultivating paddocks for spring sowing.

Vegetable crops are on a bit of a go-slow in the Pukekohe district because it's been so wet and in Southland farmers are doing the rounds to check for cast ewes...