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Western Southland dairy farmer Kaylene Bennett’s Kellogg research explores the hidden mental load carried by rural women and the impact it can have on their wellbeing, careers and communities. Western Southland dairy farmer Kaylene Bennett has turned her own experience of reaching capacity into Kellogg research examining the mental load carried by rural women and the impact it is having on their wellbeing, careers and communities. For Kaylene Bennett, the realisation that she

Georgie Woods was named the 2026 Royal Agricultural Society of New Zealand Rural Ambassador after being nominated by the Northern A&P Association. For Georgie Woods, being named the 2026 Royal Agricultural Society Rural Ambassador was more than a personal achievement. It was recognition of the role young people can play in ensuring New Zealand’s A&P movement has a future. Nominated by the Northern A&P Association, Woods progressed through the competition before taking out the

Record crowds attended the 2026 Wānaka A&P Show, with more than 44,000 people through the gates and an estimated $19.3 million generated in additional regional spending. Supplied After attracting the biggest crowd in its history, the Wānaka A&P Show is heading into its 90th anniversary with a new title partner and a clear message: bigger is not necessarily better. More than 44,000 people attended the two-day Show in March, around 10 percent more than organisers had anticipate

Our farmers work every day to maintain healthy soils, protect waterways, and care for animals — often under intense regulatory, financial, and climatic pressure. Yet online, the public often sees only a narrow slice of this reality. Selective images of muddy paddocks, wet weather events, or isolated moments taken out of context circulate widely, shaping perceptions in ways that feel deeply unfair to the people who live this work. I’ve seen our own animals basking in mud, with

Halter’s new calving detection feature uses collar behaviour data to alert farmers when a cow is calving, helping them prioritise checks and respond sooner. Supplied A new calving detection tool is giving farmers an early heads-up when cows are calving, using behaviour data already being collected through Halter’s virtual fencing collars. The feature analyses changes in cow behaviour and sends an alert directly to a farmer’s Halter app when signs of calving are detected, help

As politicians ramp up rhetoric and roll out the policy ahead of the November election, most New Zealanders want to hear what their solutions are for getting the cost of living down. Whether you’re a farmer out in Stavely or you’re living in the middle of Ashburton, we’re all interested in cutting out things that unnecessarily add to costs. In the last few years, a big focus of Federated Farmers has been to encourage central and local government to streamline and simplify res

Women make up around 40 per cent of New Zealand’s horticulture workforce, but new research suggests many are still working harder than their male counterparts to be heard, recognised and given the same opportunities. And while women want change, they are not necessarily asking for special treatment. Independent research commissioned by Women in Horticulture found 80 per cent of women had experienced discrimination during their careers because of their gender, compared with 28

Growing up on a farm, the dangers that came with working in our sector were ingrained in us from a young age. We all had near misses, even as children. It was almost a rite of passage. On quad bikes, driving the farm ute, working in the yards and discovering very quickly what happens when you get on the wrong side of a sheep. Most of the time, they were just that. Near misses. Sadly, some weren’t. We lost young members of our community in farm accidents in relatively quick su

Once upon a time, I was sent to a Management 101 course to learn how to do the job I was meant to already be doing. Over lunch, I met a lovely lady who managed a team supporting minority women to engage with women’s health services. She spoke about how a core part of their job was simply chatting with small groups of ladies within their own communities, creating safe spaces with women who understood them and their backgrounds, breaking down the educational, social and cultura

Celebrating rural women and their trusty utes. Name: Wita Svensson Where and what are you farming? I’m not farming, although based in Canterbury, a lot of my family and friends are. I’m a Registered Nurse. What year, make, and model is your trusty ute? She is a 2021 Mazda BT50 XTR 4x4 (Australia Model)She’s called “Kaldr” (old Norse - loyal wolf/hero) What’s your favourite feature (or quirk) about your ute? The 9 inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and the roo b

A new Mid Canterbury summit aims to cut through conflicting health advice and help women better understand what is happening in their bodies. Lauren Stokes hopes the Women’s Hormone Summit will help rural women better understand their health and feel less alone. Women struggling with heavy periods, sleepless nights, hot flushes or unexplained fatigue are too often left confused and unsure where to turn, says Mid Canterbury naturopath Lauren Stokes. It is a pattern Stokes sees

Young Farmers are the future of New Zealand agriculture, so each issue we shine a spotlight on a Young Farmers Club member. Today we talk to Oliver Teale from Nightcaps Young Farmers What is the name of your club, and how long have you been a member?I have been a member of Nightcaps Young Farmers for three years. What has been the highlight for you of joining Young Farmers? What benefits and experiences have helped you most?The highlight has been meeting new friends an

Island wisdom, delivered without fuss: a weathered sign offers a reminder that poor quality is remembered long after a bargain is forgotten. A rain-soaked family escape to Rarotonga delivered spectacular snorkelling, slow days and a reminder of what it takes to live and grow food on a remote Pacific island. The first thing I noticed when we stepped from the plane in Rarotonga was the air. Warm, sweet and impossibly soft, it felt like a balm after the chilly, damp days Christc

Waipara Winehouse has undergone extensive refurbishment since Stuart and Judith Clumpas took ownership in 2023. When Scottish music promoter Stuart Clumpas first visited Waipara Winehouse three years ago, he immediately saw an opportunity. The vineyards. The wide North Canterbury skies. The proximity to Christchurch, while still feeling unmistakably rural. “I looked at it and thought: this could really work,” he says. Now, just a few years later, Stuart Clumpas with wife and

Lincoln Young Farmers vice-chair Hillary Cooper says greater investment in young farmers is essential to secure the future of New Zealand agriculture. With New Zealand now in an election year, political debate is beginning to sharpen. Inflation, infrastructure, health and the ever-rising cost of living weigh on the public mind. But for young farmers, there is another set of questions looming just as large: who will take over the farms, who will support young people entering a

From left, Emily Horne, Natasha Moore, photographer Liv Gorman, Jess Letham and Lauren Pearce, part of the team behind A Lauriston Harvest. A new cookbook from Lauriston School is serving up much more than tried-and-true recipes, capturing the people, memories and community spirit of a small Mid Canterbury school along the way. There is a particular kind of culinary nostalgia attached to recipes handed down through families. They are the cakes made for every family birthday

Kelly Shakespeare is photographing the ordinary. Old sheds. Quiet streets. Faded shopfronts. Brick homes with overgrown gardens. Hand-painted signs. Rusted roofs. The kind of places most people drive past without a second thought. But in a rapidly growing town like Lincoln, those ordinary places are disappearing fast. And Shakespeare knows it. “I’ll photograph something and six months later it’s gone and replaced by new houses,” she says. “That’s become a big driver for me. I

The Canterbury A&P Show’s return to its traditional Wednesday-to-Friday format has gained a significant vote of confidence, with farmer-owned co-operative Ravensdown signing on as naming-rights sponsor for the next two years. Now known as the Ravensdown Canterbury A&P Show, the partnership comes as the Canterbury A&P Association continues to strengthen the event’s financial position and sharpen its focus on agriculture, farmers and the rural businesses that have long been at

My husband and I recently returned from a holiday in Vietnam. I found myself thinking about culture. Not the big obvious parts of culture, like language, history or food, the tiny unwritten rules people just know. In Vietnam, one of those rules is crossing the road. A raging river of scooters, cars, bikes, people and horns greet you at any road. The first instinct is wait for a gap. Except, there is no gap. On our first day I ended up messaging a local friend to ask how one

Ashley Rakahuri School pupils get behind the PTA’s ambitious Ford Ranger raffle fundraiser for a new playground. From left: Emmy Gregory-Hunt, Brody Gregory-Hunt, Stevie Dyer, Lucy Young, Zoey Gascoyne, Milla Dyer, Evie Clifford and Beaudan Clifford. Supplied. After five years of fundraising for a new playground, Ashley Rakahuri School parents realised they were facing a frustrating problem. They were raising money, but inflation was rising almost as quickly. “We were finding