RNZ: Country Life

The Whangarei area has an estimated 1500 kilometres of dry stone walls. Some were built as early as the 1860's. Fred and Jim Osborne build and maintain walls, Catherine Ballard has written a book about them and Les Donaldson farms with them.

Sara Newman talks about a new book she has co-written with Michelle Frey about the community halls of small town New Zealand.

Greg Buck from Premier Orchards in Hope, Nelson.

The buzz of top dressing planes can be heard in parts of the North Island and in the South, windmills have been whirring and helicopters hovering over frost prone crops.

Many of the plants in Jamie McFadden's Hurunui Native Plant Nursery in Cheviot are grown from seeds collected in the North Canterbury area. The hardy plants are used by Jamie and his team to help restore streams and waterways on dairy and sheep farms in the area.

After years of fine tuning and investment a group of farmers are now getting paid a premium for their super tender lamb in a European market. The secret is in what happens in a lamb's final hours on farm. The on farm system's come from mixing scientists driving the concept, farmers working out how to do it practically on farm, and a marketer selling the picture that backs up the product.

A selection of primary industry stories from throughout the week.

Tim Aitken and Lucy Robertshawe have just won a major international award given out by the British food and clothing retailer, Marks and Spencer.

High winds have battered the North Island and in the South, it's been raining cats and dogs.

Colin Guyton has a dairy farm in Reporoa. He's one of 25 farmers taking part in a three year project Called Tomorrow's Farms Today where they're aiming for minimal environmental footprints with optimal farming systems. Headlands Consultancy Alison Dewes is overseeing the project.

The dream of a building a new life in the country became a reality for Urs and Ursula Fricker, who came to New Zealand from Switzerland with their 3 children and settled on a lifestyle block in Waikari, North Canterbury.

A selection of primary industry stories from throughout the week.

Barry Hanna of Cheviot Transport.

In the North Island, Hawkes Bay's apple orchards are in full bloom. On the mainland tailing's all but finished in coastal areas while hill farmers are well into lambing.

Dan and Mandy Shand farm sheep and beef on a high country station near Culverdon. They also have a beekeeping business and run the Hurunui High Country Track that winds its way through their scenic property.