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Ravensdown chief executive Garry Diack. Footrot Flats has been part of kiwi culture since it was created by Murray Ball in the 1970s. Supplied. After several tough seasons in the agriculture sector, there’s a sense things are finally turning, says Garry Diack, Ravensdown chief executive. “We’re a bit of a cork in the tide of farmer fortunes. When the fortunes are going well, so do we. The long-term outlook for sheep and beef has given a bit more confidence to the sales proces

A community gathering in the Greenstreet Hall to talk about the Ashburton River, hosted by Greenstreet Catchment Group. Across Mid Canterbury, catchment groups are getting on with the job of improving their natural environment, building resilience and strengthening community connections. One group in particular – the Greenstreet Catchment Group – has found its groove over the past year, demonstrating what is possible when local leadership is backed by consistent support from

Castle Ridge Station’s Paul and Kerry Harmer after being named Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards. Supplied Castle Ridge Station’s Kerry Harmer says she and her family were “blown away” to be named the Canterbury Regional Supreme Winners at the Ballance Farm Environment Awards on March 5. “We were pretty overwhelmed,” she says. “We don’t really think we’re doing anything amazing. We just do what we think is right for us and for the pla

The Methven A&P Show is set to return on March 21, with a growing ute muster and a Ford Ranger world record attempt running alongside the day’s traditional programme. The ute-focused events have quickly become one of the show’s biggest drawcards, bringing an extra layer of energy and competition to the showgrounds. “There’s been a lot of talk about it. Every time I go out, someone mentions it,” show president Mike McKenzie said. With over $6000 worth of prizes up for grabs, h

For many, the first thing that comes to mind when the Mayfield Show is mentioned is the pig racing. There aren’t many events that can claim a century of crowds, competitions, and community spirit. But on March 14, the Mayfield A&P Show will do just that, celebrating its 100th show with a day that promises to be as lively and family-friendly as ever. From livestock judging to trade stalls, tractor pulls and the famous pig racing, the Mayfield Show has built a reputation as one

Gabe Ross (left) and Riley Meason became full time content creators last year. A turning point was when the pair entered and won the reality show ‘Tracked’. Supplied. Weekend Mish didn’t start as a business. It started with a group of mates filming their hunting trips for fun - and seeing what happened next. Today, best friends Gabe Ross and Riley Meason run one of New Zealand’s fastest-growing outdoor content platforms, sharing everything from farming skits to multi-day bush

The Gore-raised country artist Jenny Mitchell returns to the Wanaka A&P Show stage this year. Photo: Supplied Country artist Jenny Mitchell has spent the past year on big stages across Australia and New Zealand, opening for international acts, winning awards and building serious momentum. But when she steps onto the Wanaka A&P Show stage on March 13 & 14, it’s a kind of homecoming. Because long before the tours and the awards, there were A&P shows, rural halls and small-town

A Merino ram is assessed during livestock judging, highlighting the strong agricultural focus at the heart of the Wānaka A&P Show. Supplied The Wānaka A&P Show has grown into one of the South Island’s biggest rural gatherings - but at its heart, it remains exactly what an A&P show should be: a celebration of farming, families and community. Running over two days in mid-March, the show draws farmers from across the lower South Island, many of whom lock it into their calendars

Kerry Harmer, Paul Harmer and Ben Harmer on Castle Ridge Station, high in the Ashburton Gorge. Supplied. High in the Ashburton Gorge, Castle Ridge Station is the kind of place that doesn’t let you farm on autopilot. Frost can hit in any month. Snow isn’t off the table either. One day can be 30 degrees, the next can slide into a week of bitter cold. For Paul and Kerry Harmer, that reality has shaped a system built around flexibility, practicality, and a constant awareness of t

1. No driving, no worries. Visitors to the North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival can rise the rails to the vent this year on The Mainlander Train. Supplied. There is something satisfying about arriving at a summer festival without the stress of driving, parking, and working out how you are getting home at the end of the day. On Sunday March 8, festivalgoers can do exactly that, with a dedicated passenger train running from Christchurch straight to the gates of the North

Jack Jordan in action, driving the axe into the block as chips fly. Supplied. World champion axeman Jack Jordan will be one of the headline acts at this year’s Amuri A&P Show on March 7, bringing international-level woodchopping back to a grassroots country stage. Jordan, who farms sheep and beef in the King Country, said balancing life on farm with competing at the top level of the sport was part of the job. “Farming certainly helps being reasonably fit, but when you are tra

Environment Canterbury is proposing an average rate rise of 2.9%, but several councillors fear the environment will pay the price. SUPPLIED Canterbury’s regional council is proposing a rate rise of under three percent, as it faces major reform and financial constraints. Environment Canterbury adopted its draft 2026/27 annual plan on February 25 proposing an average rate rise of 2.9%. But one councillor broke down in tears as she expressed frustration at the constraints placed

Canterbury councils are divided over a government proposal that would replace elected regional councillors with a mayor-led board, with Ashburton backing the change while Environment Canterbury warns it would undermine regional governance. PHOTO MT HUTT SKI AREA Canterbury councils are divided over a government proposal to replace regional councils with a mayor-led board. Ashburton District Council generally supports the proposal, Selwyn is more cautious, and Environment Cant

Waitohi Ag general manager John Svensson (left), who hired Dustin Wright (right) in October last year says it’s important for the industry to invest in the next generation. Claire Inkson At just 16, Dustin Wright is already behind the wheel of some of the most advanced machinery on North Canterbury farms - but his passion for all things diesel started well before he ever climbed into a tractor. Long before this season with Waitohi Ag, Wright had his sights set on trucks. He

Over the past year, the Ashburton Forks Catchment Group has moved from establishment into delivery. The emphasis has been on practical action, learning from what’s happening on the ground, and building a group that provides value for the people farming in the catchment. The group covers the Ashburton Forks, Staveley and Alford Forest areas, bounded roughly by the Rangitata Diversion Race, Thompsons Track, and the North and South Branches of the Ashburton River. It’s a distinc

One of the standout features of the show will be woodchopping, which will see a New Zealand versus Australia test series held as part of a three-day timber sports programme. There will be the crack of axes, the rumble of jet boats, the thud of hooves and the smell of hot pies in the air. For one day, Rotherham will come alive as the Amuri A&P Show marks 110 years, bringing together everything that makes a country show what it is - livestock, competition, community and a good

Beverley Forrester in the wool barn with a selection of garments – including those featured in Fashion Week. Claire Inkson When I meet Beverley Forrester at her home in Leithfield, I am greeted with a warm hug and a fresh batch of scones smothered in homemade blackcurrant jam. “I made it in December. I quite like preserving — apricots too. I’m a bit like a squirrel.” It’s such a humble, country welcome that you would never guess Forrester has just added one of the highest hon

Moa Brewing co are riding the low carb wave with their Southern Alps low carb lager. Supplied. From its home among the Marlborough vines, Moa Brewing Co is carving out a new future: one built on family ownership, South Island sourcing and a fast-growing low-carb lager that is now challenging much larger global players. Under Managing Director Stephen Smith, the brewery has stabilised, rebuilt and begun rising quickly in a shifting beer market, driven in large part by Souther

Following on from last month’s article about recognising when it might be time to seek professional support, this month we’re looking at what actually happens when you see a counsellor, psychologist, or therapist for the first time. Rural people are good at getting on with things. We fix machinery with whatever’s in the shed, we check on neighbours after a storm, and we shoulder more than we ever say out loud. But even the most capable people hit patches where the load gets t

A fishing representative says Greenpeace's "vandalism" of Rakaia's iconic salmon statue has hurt a rural community just to make a political point. Greenpeace protesters defaced the large statue on February 15, just weeks after a $300,000 ratepayer-funded refurbishment. The activists replaced the salmon's eyes with cartoon-style crosses and added a speech bubble reading ‘Fonterra killed my family’. Greenpeace Aotearoa freshwater campaigner Will Appelbe said the protest aimed t