Blue Shed Diary

A rebound in the rural sector has seen stronger returns and bigger payouts for our farmers and growers. Its great news after several tough years. As confidence in the sector grows, so too does the interest in the rural property market. So, is it a good time to buy a farm? What operations are generating the most interest?
Joining the conversation to answer these questions and more is PGG Wrightson's General Manager for Real Estate and Livestock, Peter Newbold.

For six decades, Country Calendar has marked the lives of New Zealand's farmers, growers, and rural communities. More than half a million people, both rural and urban audiences, tune-in to watch our longest-running television show.
If anything is an institution in our cultural landscape, it is TVNZ's Country Calendar. Joining the conversation is the voice behind the show, and its producer, Dan Henry.

It all started with 888-acres of retired farmland in East Taranaki when Miranda Wells, her partner Daryl Egarr, and brother Bjorn Doherty purchased this land in 2013 as a weekend hunting spot.
But the discovery of wild kiwi changed the trajectory of their lives and this land. Together, they formed the 800-Trust which has an ambitious mission to restore a dying forest and create a biodiversity corridor for some of our rarest indigenous species. The introduction of AI-powered technology, Hark, is revolutionising how they are accomplishing this mission, and could make a huge difference to conservation efforts in the future.
Joining the conversation is Miranda Wells of the 800 Trust.

Read more about the 800 Trust in our latest edition of Rural Diary.

Learn more about Hark and the 800 Trust, visit here.

This month's On the Vine episode asks what happens when you have too many grapes? In this case, more is not always more. Turns out, in the world of viticulture, it's possible to have too much of a good thing.
Last year, an estimated 100,000 tonnes, or approximately a fifth of the crop, was left on the vine. The 2026 season is shaping up to have a lot of excess grapes, too.
So, what's behind the supply hangover? What are the options for New Zealand's vineyards? Is this the new normal?
Joining the conversation to answer these questions, and more, is Jon Peet, Fruitfed Technical Specialist.

The greatest friend and worst enemy of every farmer and grower is Mother Nature. It's either too dry or too wet, too hot or too cold. Considering New Zealand is famous for having four seasons in a single day, predicting Mother Nature's whims can be a game changer.
So, as we enter autumn after a no-summer summer, we decided to get insight into what the good mother has instore for us over the season.
Joining the conversation is Chris Brandolino, Meteorologist and Principal Scientist at Earth Sciences New Zealand, formally known as NIWA.