Duncan Smith

With all the near-by pubs now closed, a woolshed is now the informal gathering spot for Manawatu locals on a Friday night. 'Happy Hour On Now For Mental Health' says a sign on the fencepost outside. Audio

In days gone by, Northern Manawatu farmers haven't gone in for group activities, but now a group take social days off the farm together for the mental wellbeing of their community. Locals Jason… Audio

The kumara harvest is 95 percent complete and growers have had a dream run. In the South Island pasture growth in Marlborough is up 30 to 40 percent on usual for the time of year. Audio

Ag Consultant Phil Journeaux says skinny cows take months to recover and will cost farmers next season because they'll be too thin to be productive. Audio

Food for Thought, Pop Up Pub and a Social Day Out, Beefing up Cows and the Regional Wrap. Audio

Taranaki has had cold southerly winds and heaps of rain. Dairy farmers are mainly still milking but will dry off earlier than they had hoped. Pasture growth remains higher than normal in Canterbury… Audio

It's been a marvellous week for harvesting kiwifruit in Bay of Plenty. On Marlborough hill farms calf weaning has finished and ewes are on a fast rotation while the ram is out. Audio

Hawkes' Bays grape harvest is 80 to 90 percent through. Horowhenua's had good grass growth but temperatures have taken a dive. Some rain and cooler temperatures this week in Canterbury have seen… Audio

North Island grape growers have had ideal weather for their harvest so far and, in the South Island, Canterbury has had its first frost of the season. Read our guide to what's happening on NZ farms… Audio

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

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

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… Audio

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… Audio