Rnz: On The Farm

Stock are getting through broken fences on sodden farms in the North Island and gobbling feed normally shut up for the lean winter months while in Southland and parts of Otago no substantial rain has fallen for the past four months leaving paddocks dry and feed supplies low.

Stock are pushing a mouthful of feed into the ground every step they take on the East Coast after downpours this week and in dry South Otago, some sheep farmers are having to tup ewes on supplementary feed while dairy farmers are thinking of drying off early.

Conditions on Horowhenua dairy farms are challenging enough to keep people on their toes. It's been nearly a month since the last rainfall. Grape harvesting's kicked into gear this week in Marlborough. Winter crops are struggling and grass growth is slow in Southland.

In the Pukekohe district the fine weather is ideal for kiwifruit harvesting but vegetable crops are still relying on irrigation. Contactors in Central Otago are doing a third cut of lucence and lambs are being drafted and going away at good weights.

Cool and damp conditions in Gisborne have been good for leafy crops but not so good for grapes and squash which love the hot and dry over ripening. On the West Coast a farmer at Hari Hari has been making silage and putting in the last of the winter crops this week.

Rain and now sun mean grass growth has been phenomenal around the country but the grain and seed harvest in Canterbury have suffered.

The weather in Taranaki has calmed down and farms are drying out after storms two weekends in a row. The early variety Smitten, Breeze and Gala apples are being picked and packed for export in the Nelson/Motueka region.

Significant rain has caused damage on farms in parts of the country but elsewhere it has been welcomed.

Waikato is teetering on the edge of a drought and grape crops are looking bountiful in Marlborough.

Nets are going on in a Hawke's Bay vineyard. Grapes are at or just past the veraison stage. In Canterbury there are large areas of grass seed crops cut waiting for warm dry weather for harvesting.

Manawatu and Rangitikei farmers will spend much of summer cleaning up the mess after this week's flooding, and in the south, boysenberry crops have suffered in the wet.

Shearers are running behind in King Country because they haven't been able to get dry sheep and Marlborough winegrowers are keeping a close eye out for black spot and powdery mildew.

Unvaccinated shearers are a vexing issue for East Coast sheep stations, the feed situation's come right in Manawatu and between showers, everyone's making baleage in Canterbury.

Pukekohe's potatoes are being harvested and Marlborough's pear crop is looking light so very little thinning's required.

Hot, windy weather has been very drying for Hawke's Bay and in Nelson, the bees have been taken out of gold kiwifruit blocks and are now in with the green.

Rain and hot weather has split cherries in Hawkes Bay. Southland's had a stunning week for getting crops in the ground,

Damaging winds around Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty have blown over shelter trees in kiwifruit orchards and whipped flowers off the vines. On the West Coast of the South Island mating is going well on dairy farms and contractors are finishing making baleage on run-off farms.

Find out what's happening on farms and orchards around the country. Hawkes Bay had a 29 degree day this week and a bit of rain. That makes it a risky time for fire-blight in apples. Spring sowing of next year's winter feed paddocks is in full swing in Canterbury.

There've been three days of sun in a row on the West Coast. Hawke's Bay sheep farmers are thrilled so many new-born lambs have survived.

Waikato has hit peak milk production a couple of weeks early and in the south, heavy snow has fallen in Central Otago