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North Canterbury farmer Roger Johnson says it makes little sense for New Zealand to rely so heavily on imported nitrogen when a rich natural source already exists within farm systems. Supplied. Āmua, a Canterbury start-up based on a farm near Waiau in the Hurunui district is developing world-first wearable technology for cows that could change how farmers manage nitrogen on farm. For Āmua co-founder and chief executive Roger Johnson, a North Canterbury farmer, the idea grew f

"Farming is like being a slave to the most beautiful master," says Nadia Lim. "It consumes you. It's your home, your workplace, your life. But it's so beautiful, and it teaches you so many lessons." At Royalburn Station, perched high above Arrowtown on the Crown Range, Lim's days move with the rhythm of the land — and the happy chaos of three young boys. It's a long way from the TV studios and My Food Bag boardrooms where New Zealand first came to know her. Now, alongside her

When Springfield engineer Andrew Gillies decided to step back into machinery design, he knew exactly what he wanted to build: a drill tough enough for New Zealand terrain and smart enough to meet the needs of modern farmers. “I used to build drills for another company, and later I hired out agricultural equipment, including seed drills,” Gillies explains. A dealer told Gillies they had lost their agent and asked if he had ever thought about building a drill – and for Gillies,

There’s an old saying that 80% of people think they’re in the top 20% of performers. It’s human nature. But are farmers any different? Fonterra tells us we’re the most efficient producers of dairy protein in the world. Yet recent water quality results suggest there’s still room to improve. So how efficient are we, really? The tricky thing about “data” is you can make it say what you want. Take the often-quoted link between nitrates in drinking water and bowel cancer. It’s fre

Back-country pest control boss on the trucks that keep his crews safe and the systems behind them.

When fourth-generation dairy farmer Olivia Cahill walks into the rotary, every cow is known by name, number and lineage. That’s because each cow carries more than a century of family breeding behind it. This winter, Olivia and her husband Jared took a bold step, shifting the historic Sherraine Holsteins stud from Ohoka to a larger property at Swannanoa, doubling their herd and creating a platform for the next generation.

When we launched our South Island Country Pub of the Year competition last month in association with Service Foods, it was about far more than just finding the best place for a cold one or a good feed. Country pubs are an integral part of rural communities. They are unassuming, unsung, and quintessentially Kiwi. We wanted to highlight that. While only one pub could take out the top spot in our South Island Country Pub of the Year Competition, every single one nominated is a w

Hanzon supports learning on the farm, an approach that appeals to students who have a more practical mindset and learn better on the job...

The old hospital was originally opened in 1922. Claire Inkson Nine months after turning the key on Rotherham’s landmark former Amuri...

When I think of the women who shaped New Zealand’s rural story, I often come back to Jane Deans.  In the 1850s she found herself widowed,...

Ingrid Smith’s Facebook page has 15,000 followers where she blends gumboots with glamour and showcases practical make-up looks and her...

Environment Canterbury Councillor Vicky Southworth  put forward the motion to declare a nitrate emergency in Canterbury. Photo: RNZ /...

Alan Jones (left) and brother Robert took over the business in 2003 Garlico’s story begins with family Alan Jones and his brother Robert...

Delilah Flavell spent several years dairy farming before making the switch to becoming a vet technician From sneaking out in her pyjamas...