Duncan Smith

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! Audio

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.  Audio

Children with autism get to hang out with rescued animals at a King Country sanctuary, a lifestyle block owner experimenting with burning green waste to reduce his carbon footprint and a plan to… Audio

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. Audio

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… Audio

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… Audio

Picking up the fence posts - Post earthquake farming in Waiau, Guarding the daffodils, Choosing the Right Genes and the Regional Wrap. Audio

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… Audio

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... Audio

In Waikato a dairy consultant says it's been the best winter he can remember. A good week of weather in Canterbury has allowed cropping farmers to get on with planting spring barley. Audio

It's been wet and warm in northern parts of the North Island. Lambs are appearing in Canterbury and calving is in full swing on dairy farms. Audio

Pukekohe has had near perfect winter growing conditions and vegetables are in heavy supply. Pruning is in full swing in Marlborough's vineyards while on high country properties merinos are on winter… Audio

King Country farmers are spreading out ewes into lambing paddocks and are innoculating them before lambing. Agricultural work has ground to a halt this week while farmers wait for things to dry out in… Audio

The Pukekohe district in Auckland's south has had an unsettled week with rain and showers. Temperatures have been higher than expected in mid-July which means that crops are growing steadily. Central… Audio

Gisborne has had good weather for picking mandarins but the frosty starts have growers nervous. Wintering stock is going well in Canterbury with no mud and great utilisation of feed. Audio

Frosts have catapulted the central North Island into winter. In Southland farmers are putting sheep onto crops but crutching has been held up by rain. Audio

Wet muddy conditions have halted work on some market gardens near Pukekohe and in the South Island, the West Coast's had its first winter frost. Audio

Waikato dairy farms and cows are looking a lot better now than they were a month ago, and West Coast dairy cows are getting feed supplements to keep them topped up. Audio

There's never a dull moment for Waipara Valley farmer, educator and foodie Angela Clifford. She grows 60 varieties of fruit and vegetables and has chickens, turkeys, ducks, sheep, bees, cows and pigs… Audio