Rnz: On The Farm

Hawkes Bay is looking for rain to freshen things up and get autumn growth moving. There is plenty of feed on farms but it is not good quality. Calf sales have got underway in South Otago and prices are back a bit on last year.

Paddocks are greening up in many North Island places while in the South Island Marlborough is going quickly from brown to green.

In Bay of Plenty the kiwifruit export picking season has started, and, for the first time ever, Zespri will pack more gold kiwifruit than green this season. Marlborough farms are looking a picture after about 65 millimetres of rain this week.

Beautiful gentle rain has been falling in King Country and Nelson/Mouteka has had a good dose too.

The tomato harvest is coming to an end in Gisborne, maize silage is being cut across the North Island and in south Otago, shearing continues.

Even previously green areas in the North Island are suddenly looking very dry. Southland's still got green grass and crops are growing, but all farmers, and some orchardists, want the predicted rain to arrive this weekend.

Coastal North Taranaki is very dry. There's a lot of feeding out taking place and, because of the shortage of feed, animals are being culled. Another hot dry week in Mid-Canterbury's allowed arable farmers to make full advantage of the conditions. The bulk of the harvest has been done with later crops still to go.

[image:184823:full] The North Island is generally coping well with the summer conditions, but in the South Island the Tasman district and Eastern Marlborough are very dry. Irrigation supplies are being restricted.

Both the North and South Islands have been dripping under sweltering temperatures but generally the North Island farms have good amounts of feed. In Canterbury spring barley is going off for Gladfield malt.

Taranaki is well set up. There's been plenty of rain and lots of silage and hay cut. Milk production is about 7 percent. In Southland there's heaps of baleage being made and everyone's getting the last of the winter crops in.

Taranaki is looking very green and farmers are complaining that it's harder to manage a surplus of feed than a deficit. Milk production is about 7 percent ahead of last season. Artifical insemination of cows is continuing on Southland dairy farms and the first draft of lambs are being weaned.

In the Bay of Plenty, kiwifruit orchard bees are pretty well all through their pollination work. Some places here got well over 100mm of rain this week. Contractors on the West Coast are flatstick making silage and the oat crop is being harvested.

Mainly light winds with some sunshine and showers graced South Auckland. Ideal conditions for strong growth of outdoor crops and the transplanting of new ones. Lamb growth has slowed with the poor weather in Canterbury.

Rain in Wairarapa has set the region up for December, but pumps are draining floodwater from Taieri farms in the South Island.

Gisborne farmers are thrilled with the prices they're receiving for their lambs - $140 dollars straight off their mothers. Southland arable farmers need the rain to stop.

Bay of Plenty's had glorious days. Silage is being cut here too, there's plenty of grass around. The West Coast is mopping up after a deluge. Queenstown had snow in the hills and then 22 degree days.

South Auckland received 50 millimetres or more of rain. It was most welcome but delayed spuds, onion and carrot harvesting. It's been a typical wet and windy October for coastal Southland. It's a battle to get crops in ground.

Jessie Waite works for Federated Farmers.The 26-year-old is one of three winners of the 2018 NZ Young Farmers Excellence Awards recognising members who are leaders, achievers and role models.

The North Island is desperately waiting for rain while snow fell on Central Otago ranges. Welcome rain arrived in many South Island regions, but more is needed.

In Waikato cows are milking well, maize is going in, silage is being cut, asparagus is shooting away. Farmers in South Otago are preparing paddocks for winter crops.