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Record crowds gathered at the 2026 Methven machinery auction, much to the delight of organiser Alastair Clemens. There’s no gavel in sight. Just an auctioneer with a keen eye, and a clipboard to bang. But auction day was a huge success for the Methven Lions Club, who hit record numbers at the Methven Machinery Auction on Friday, May 15. With 224 lots on offer, the annual machinery auction has continued to grow in popularity, after beginning in 2024 with just 90 lots up for sa

Tony and Michelle Roberts with Kate Roberts and Mark Lieshout, recognised as Southland Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Tony and Michelle Roberts, alongside daughter Kate and her partner Mark Lieshout, run their Merino Downs farm near Gore as Top Deck Trading, a family operation built on long term thinking, hard decisions and a willingness to adapt. This year, that approach saw them named 2026 Southland Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance

Ignacio Perez, herd manager at Mount Rivers, with his partner Yanina Ferro. With cattle moving taken care of, they get to see a lot more of each other at home. From Ashburton New Zealand, all the way to Osorno Chile: herding cows via satellite from 12,000 km away. In Valetta, near Mayfield, Mount Rivers is the latest in a growing community of Kiwi farms to adopt an innovative approach to farming, connecting family and technology, and stretching all the way from rural New Zeal

The Whitcombe Landcare Group has been quietly building real momentum across the upper Rakaia catchment, with the past year marked by practical progress in freshwater monitoring, pest management and community-led environmental action. Backed by facilitation support and targeted project funding, the group has been turning local knowledge and landholder commitment into meaningful work on the ground. One of the group’s main areas of focus has been developing a coordinated pest ma

Scott and Stacey Mackereth were named the 2026 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards in Rotorua. Supplied. Southland couple Scott and Stacey Mackereth say people, relationships and creating opportunities for others have been central to their success after being named the 2026 New Zealand Share Farmers of the Year. The couple took out the national title at the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards in Rotorua on May 9, alongside three merit

Farmers across Mid Canterbury are encouraged to step away from the pressures of the paddock this weekend, and focus on connection, wellbeing, and a bit of friendly competition at the upcoming Tennis for Farmers event. Hosted by the Mid Canterbury Rural Support Trust, the event will be held on Sunday, May 17, from 3-7pm at the Ashburton Trust Tennis Centre. Organisers Tom Matteucci and Crystal Jewell are both third-year scholarship students from Lincoln University, and inspire

Why local, seasonal shopping is finding its place again Becks and Dryden Power at The Country House Greengrocer in Woodend. Greengrocers are quietly making a comeback. Rising food prices and a growing focus on seasonality are pushing more people to think about where they shop and what they’re buying. In the small town of Woodend in North Canterbury, one store is leaning into it. At The Country House Greengrocer, people aren’t just moving in and out. There’s a coffee from next

Outgoing Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers of New Zealand provincial president David Acland (left) hands over the reins to incoming president Kerry Harmer following his four-year tenure. Harmer becomes the first woman to hold the role in the branch’s 81-year history. Photo: Angela Cushnie There has been a changing of the guard at Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers, with high-country farmer Kerry Harmer taking over as provincial president after the completion of David Acland’s fo

Maybe things haven’t gone the way you hoped lately. Maybe the season turned on you, the bills stacked up, or someone said something that affected you more than it should have. Rural life has a way of throwing curveballs with extra force — fuel prices, weather, markets, regulations, breakdowns, and the sheer unpredictability of working with land, animals, and machinery. There are absolutely things outside your control: what others say and do, luck, timing, the weather, traffic

The nation’s most decorated living war hero has something to say about arable farming, and last month, he visited Ashburton to deliver the message. Willie Apiata, to date the only recipient of the Victoria Cross in New Zealand, was recognised for carrying a wounded soldier to safety under fire in Afghanistan, and now he has delivered a series of talks to Canterbury farmers. His memo was simple. “Don’t be a dick, ask for help.” Apiata was clear. Whether on the battlefie

Hinehou Timutimu was named the 2026 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year at the Dairy Women’s Network conference gala dinner in Christchurch. The Bay of Plenty leader says she hopes the award helps create pathways for other women in the sector. Photo Supplied. Bay of Plenty leader Hinehou Timutimu says if her win as the 2026 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year inspires even one other woman to step forward, it will have been worth it. “If I can just inspire one person, that would be

Petrol drive-offs have increased by 100 thefts a week, since the price of fuel surged earlier in the year. Since the beginning of March, 2026, police have laid over 370 charges for petrol drive-offs, and burglaries where diesel was targeted. In a statement, assistant commissioner of road policing and district support ,Tusha Penny, said that police are taking their response to this type of crime “seriously”, and added, “we are expecting that the number of charges will continue

Waikari Warriors Rosie Barton, Max Beach and Fergus Butters celebrate their win. The North Canterbury trio are heading to the FMG Young Farmer of the Year grand final. There are only around 34 students at Waikari School. Which makes what the Waikari Warriors have just done feel even bigger. Despite being wrongly labelled the “Waikari Wanderers” in early coverage, these are Warriors and they proved it. Rosie Barton, Max Beach and Fergus Butters, all 12, have taken out the Agri

A Mid Canterbury dairy farmer has been named a finalist in a national award recognising grassroots leadership across the sector. Ashleigh Gordon, of Valetta, is one of two finalists in the 2026 Regional Leader of the Year Award, presented by Dairy Women’s Network (DWN). The winner will be announced at the gala dinner during the organisation’s annual conference on May 5 in Christchurch. DWN chief executive Jules Benton said the finalists reflected the importance of leadership

There are some songwriters whose music feels woven into the back roads of New Zealand. Not because they set out to write “rural” songs, but because they have lived that life. They have travelled the country, watched people closely, and learned how to tell a story the way New Zealanders talk. Straightforward, observant, and quietly reflective. Barry Saunders is one of them. This May Saunders returns to the Tussock Country Music Festival with The Warratahs, bringing decades of

Alastair Malcolm stepped into the role of branch manager at Diesel Tech Fernside earlier this year, bringing nearly a decade of machinery industry experience and a strong focus on supporting North Canterbury farmers with reliable service and specialised equipment. A new chapter is underway at Diesel Tech’s Fernside branch, with Alastair Malcolm stepping into the role of branch manager earlier this year. Malcolm officially took up the position on January 5, bringing with him n

Young Farmers are the future of New Zealand agriculture, so each issue we shine a spotlight on a Young Farmers Club member. Today we chat with Sam Smithers from West Coast Young Farmers. Nomination- Sam is nominated as Member of the Month in recognition of the outstanding commitment and dedication he has shown across multiple areas. From managing the farm and taking on the role of club secretary, to reaching a major personal milestone by getting married, and achieving succe

Comedian Tom Sainsbury is used to travelling around the country to perform, but when he takes the stage in Gore during the Tussock Country Music Festival this May, it will feel more like returning a favour. Sainsbury says it was noticing how many people from Gore were travelling to see his shows elsewhere that prompted the decision. “Every time I go and do a show down there, people travel from far and away from Gore to come and see me,” he said. “And I feel terrible about it.

Hers not His: celebrating women in ag and their trusty workhorses. Amy won the Hers Not His section of the Methven Ute Muster at the 2026 Methven A&P Show. Name : Amy Ingram Where and what are you farming? I farm in Kaikoura down the Inland Road on a sheep and beef farm. What year, make, and model is your trusty ute? My ute is a 2012 px1 Ford Ranger. What’s your favourite feature (or quirk) about your ute? My favourite feature about my ute is the paint job as it doesn’t scr

Tussock Country is back in Gore this May with its biggest programme yet, stretching across 10 days and more than 80 events. Festival promotions and event co-ordinator Annabel Roy says the festival has grown well beyond a single weekend, now spanning two weekends and running through King’s Birthday weekend. “It’s a 10-day festival, which in itself is quite unique,” Roy said. “It’s always the last week of May, it’s cold, so all the venues are cosy. There are fireplaces. There’s