RNZ: Country Life

Fourteen years ago Colin and Lynette Wilson left Lower Hutt for the far north. Colin liked eating olives - so he thought they should grow them. They have 1000 trees on their property that borders the beautiful Mangonui Harbour.

Calves are arriving thick and fast in the North Island and in the South, farmers are winter feeding, moving breaks and trying to get sheep shorn before scanning.

Rob Livesey is a sheep, beef and cropping farmer from Scotland. Farmers there have finally had a break from 14 months of winter.

Each week you'll find Wholegrain Organics at the Feilding Farmer's market, but what many people don't know is that the baked goods are produced deep in the countryside on a small rural holding 5 kilometres from Kimbolton. The property is also home to an enviro-preschool and a health centre - all run by a church group which aims to be a blessing to their community.

Southland farmer David Rose is concerned about the future of the Sheep Industry in New Zealand.

Calves are starting to appear around the North Island as a more wintery week hits most regions, and in the South Island break fencing and general winter maintenance continues.

Tyron Southward is one of New Zealand's top exponents of preserving nature in still life. He specialises in preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of big game animals from his taxidermy workshop in Dunsandel, mid-Canterbury.

Bernadette Casey and Peter Thompson run Wellington company the Formary. It blends New Zealand wool with a range of waste fibres to create new textiles. Its products aim to help overseas firms and countries reduce pollution, recycle waste, and gain a few more green ticks for sustainability.

It's the calm before the calving storm in the North Island while in the South; temperatures reached 20 degrees which is unusual for mid-winter.

Andy Shaw is an ex kiwi farm boy who, for the past few decades, has been running his own trucking business hauling feedlot cattle hundreds of miles into the USA.

Lindsay and Philippa Cairns were pioneers farming angora goats. They were also early adopters of large scale bull beef farming. Then in 1989 they purchased a small weaving company right in the middle of Masterton. Here they make mohair and alpaca rugs with a soft downy finish which is achieved using a centuries old brushing technique using the dried teasels from the thistle plant. Products are sold throughout New Zealand and overseas, some even being exported to China.

Lavender's Green is a Wairarapa based firm which makes a range of lemon and lime based products that sell throughout New Zealand and internationally. It was set up about 15 years ago by Mary Biggs who wanted something to do when her four children were at school. She and husband Peter now live most of the year in Melbourne, and Greg Kerr does the day to day business management.

Nicola Holmes is project manager for the Pasture Renewal Charitable Trust, an independent entity working to increase the rate of pasture renewal in New Zealand.

The North Island is damp underfoot and lacking sunshine while in the South it's back to normal winter mode now that the snow storm has passed.

Tokanui organic wool producer, Norman Strang. For more information about the wool survey call Norman on 03 246 8447 or email normandkimstrang@woosh.co.nz.