16+ hour, 47+ min ago   (301+ words) Emily Ireland for LDR It was a scene from Bidding Wars as Masterton councillors allocated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local grant applicants this week. Masterton’s wool industry was given a boost with big grants awarded to the Shear…...

2+ day, 11+ hour ago   (660+ words) By Monique Steele of RNZ Owners Ronnie Edwards and “Calamity” Jane Campbell had been busy with renovation work for months. A pair of newlywed Harley Davidson enthusiasts is on a mission to restore an historic hotel and pub in the…...

3+ day, 15+ hour ago   (448+ words) By Anisha Satya of RNZ Pink peppercorn trees, creeping juniper, miner’s lettuce, blackboy peaches – Adam Harrison is constantly surprised by the bounty of Christchurch’s red zone. “It’s crazy the things we have over here that people just wouldn’t expect.” The…...

4+ day, 12+ hour ago   (916+ words) Sarah Tatham has spent the past 18 months visiting dozens of mothers in rural Wairarapa. Arriving with a home-cooked meal, care package and a smile, Sarah greets rural mothers with warmth. “When I see them, I take a meal so they…...

5+ day, 14+ hour ago   (494+ words) Running the oldest Angus stud in Australasia gives the Williams family an advantage of proven bloodlines and quality genetics – but they’ll never take those assets for granted, say Paul and Sarah Williams, the fourth generation managing Turihaua Angus in Gisborne....

6+ day, 15+ hour ago   (965+ words) The NZ Transport Agency is cutting the amount of funding it gives some councils to help with essential infrastructure, prompting calls for a review of how the calculations were done. Among them is Tararua District Council, which said the agency’s…...

6+ day, 16+ hour ago   (393+ words) By Gianina Schwanecke of RNZ Daisy Groves was apparently renowned for her green thumb. At Marangai, a 1200-hectare sheep and beef farm near Tinui east of Masterton, there are reminders of her all around the garden. Perhaps ironically – given her…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago   (663+ words) At 23, Catlins farmer Robbie Jackson is happiest where there are few neighbours, plenty of animals and enough space to make as much noise in the workshop as he likes. The isolation of farming near Kaka Point is part of the…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago   (706+ words) Councils are increasingly imposing differential rates on the primary sector to fund road maintenance, resulting in proposed rate increases of between 200% and 1200%. Forestry owner and investment banker Lewis Tucker faces a potential 1200% differential rate increase from the Carterton District Council…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago   (326+ words) It says forestry has become a cheap way out for climate change gas emitters, kicking the can down the road instead of taking effective action. “We’re already seeing the impact of reduced populations for our rural communities, who are struggling…...