RNZ: Country Life

Sheep Milk NZ held its 4th annual conference this week in Palmerston North. 150 people attended and Craig Prichard from Massey University says it's a very exciting time for the industry.

Federated Farmers president Katie Milne, the Sheep Milk New Zealand conference, animal behavioural scientist Dr Lindsay Matthews and the Regional Wrap.

Black nosed Valais is a breed of sheep new to New Zealand. Originating in Switzerland in the 1400's, the sheep are undeniably cute -  with black ears, faces, knees and feet and if they're a girl, a black bottom too.

Inter-Weave is the largest manufacturer of woollen fabric in the Southern Hemisphere. It produces 150,000 metres of fabric a year on looms at its Auckland mill.

Denis Wright is a former high school English teacher - and now full time writer of young adult fiction, and today he's reading a piece he wrote for us about the overwhelming excitement as a child attending a stock sale in the South Canterbury township of Pleasant Point.

Extremely heavy downpours of rain in the central North Island this week have resulted in massive slips, road blockages and power cuts. West Coast dairy farmers are starting to de-stock and pregnancy testing is past the half-way point. In South Otago meetings are taking place to discuss Mycoplasma bovis and on-farm biosecurity.

Kim McGlashen of Mac Hops says picking is well underway at his properties in Motueka and in the Moutere Valley near Nelson. He is also a shareholder in New Zealand Hops, a grower co-operative that processes, markets and ships most of the sought-after hops grown in the region.

[image:144173:full] Country life meets up with a very cute sheep breed that's new to New Zealand it has black feet, ears, knees and face. Inter-Weave is the Southern Hemisphere's largest woollen fabric manufacturer

The Hurunui Race and Gala Day is a highlight on the local calendar. The biennial community event was held recently at Medbury in North Canterbury and attracted more than 2000 race-goers.

Tamsin Wilson's carefully picked flowers are airfreighted twice a week to Hong Kong, where chefs and home cooks are snapping them up.

Thousands upon thousands of posts have been made during a social media campaign celebrating dairying during the month of February. Country Life talks to Dr Jude Capper, the woman behind Februdairy.

Weaner fairs are just starting in Northland and prices are expected to be on a par with last year. Waikato farmers are still making silage which is a rare occurrence for early March. More rain at the start of the week in Canterbury has been great for pasture and greenfeed growth, but continues to make harvesting crops very difficult.

Country Life's nibbling on flowers and hears about the success of Februdairy - a month long social media campaign to celebrate dairying… Also, the team goes behind the scenes at the Hurunui Race and Gala Day. The biennial community event was held recently at Medbury in North Canterbury and attracted more than 2000 race-goers. Proceeds from the gate are destined for cancer support groups in Hurunui, Cheviot and Amberley...

Niva and Yotam Kay grow vegetables on just 1000 square metres of land in the Kauaeranga Valley and last year produced a staggering 8 tonnes of vegetables from it. They say they can do even better.

Mid-Canterbury farmer and Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year, Jessie Chan-Dorman, tells Cosmo her remarkable family story that begins when her mum arrived in New Zealand from Hong Kong as an 11-year-old orphan and was placed with a family in Invercargill. Jessie and her husband Hayden lease 420 hectares and milk 950 cows at Dorie. Prior to farming she received an honours degree in animal science and has worked in various roles across policy, research and development and sustainable farming.