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Amongst the casualties of North Canterbury’s devastating 2016 7.8 earthquake was a landmark woolshed that meant as much to the Waiau community as it did to its owners. The distinctive Highfield woolshed, owned by the Northcote family sits alongside State Highway 70, the Inland Road between Waiau and Kaikoura, just a few kilometres from the Waiau township. It is one of the oldest functioning woolsheds in New Zealand, with a history stretching back to the founding days of not only sheep farmin...

Firmly established as the largest red deer stud in the world, set amongst impressive park-like surroundings dominated by expansive avenues of English oaks, elms, beech and lime trees, Peel Forest Estate is not only testament to owner Yorkshireman Graham Carr’s long term commitment to the deer industry, but his passion for enhancing the environment and planting deciduous trees.

Words and image supplied by Lincoln University

Words & images supplied by Jacqueline McGowan, DairyNZ

Electricity users and particularly irrigators face a major hike next year this summer in their account’s capacity charge, with many facing the prospect of several thousand dollars extra in fee charges due to Transpower’s charges increasing in Mid Canterbury.

In an industry dominated by large companies and big brands, Canterbury-based Straight 8 Estate winery is a unique vine-to-bottle vineyard that prides itself on producing real wine at real prices.

In July 2017 Spark announced that it had commenced the development of a nationwide low power Internet of Things (‘IoT’) network. Fast forward 16 months and the traditional telco turned digital services provider has successfully deployed IoT networks that now cover more than 68% of the New Zealand population including coverage in some rural isolated areas of New Zealand.

New Zealand pork producers could be expected to feel like a sector under siege in recent years. With a deluge of imported product pouring through New Zealand retail trade, the constant threat of devastating disease outbreaks hovering in the background, and a tough campaign by animal rights activists, it would be easy to wonder how the country’s pig farmers manage to get out of bed every morning.

For brothers James and Henry Pearse, Canterbury Cup and Show week is most definitely Pig Week. As the founding members of the Boar Breeders Association (BBA) they have a very busy schedule for the week, it’s also a full-on time for Augustus and Hammstein, their precious boars who are entered in the show and competing for the coveted Rammstein Memorial Trophy given to the boar judged best commercial boar across all the weight classes.

Helping cardholders maximise farm profits by getting the best deals possible has been helped by Ruralco developing an extensive and strong network of supply companies throughout the country, extending across all aspects of farm business.