The Otago Daily Times visits Balclutha where the streets are quiet, the farmers are busy, and the mood is blue - of the political colour.
Calving and lambing season was probably not the best time to visit Balclutha to sample voters' opinions this week.
Shops, eateries and the main street seemed almost deserted when the Otago Daily Times visited the town for the last of four street talk pieces before the election.
With snow forecast for Saturday in the South, many of the area's farmers probably wish National had hung on until November, instead of going to the country at the busiest time in the rural calendar.
Poor weather is unlikely to be a big factor in National's showing in its southern stronghold.
The only questions in the Clutha-Southland electorate are the size of newcomer Todd Barclay's majority and whether his former career in the tobacco industry hurts National's party vote in Queenstown.
The aspirant National Party MP's former career was of no concern to voters in Balclutha, some of whom pointed out he was merely doing a job.
Some were unaware of his stint as corporate affairs manager at Phillip Morris New Zealand, or were not sure who was stepping into the shoes vacated by long-standing MP and Finance Minister Bill English, who is going on the list.
Not knowing Mr Barclay will not necessarily count against him.
''I find the box and tick National,'' explains one woman, who did not wish to be named.
''My husband would probably shoot me if I didn't vote National,'' she jokes.
Her no-nonsense fatalism is typical of voters in Balclutha. They instinctively trust National, whether or not they agree with the National-led Government's policies.
One exception was travel consultant Simone Budge, who is married to a sheep and beef farmer in Waitahuna. Originally from Australia, she has lived in New Zealand for 14 years. She strongly believes the National Party is taking the rural sector for granted.
She says the high price of dairy land made acquiring land for sheep and beef very difficult. While she does not blame the Government for the market-driven price of land, the Government was not helping the situation by competing in the sector with the likes of Landcorp.
Another woman, who did not wish to be named, expressed concern about the difficulty for young farmers to get on to the land because of its high price.
Thinking this might indicate nascent disillusionment with National in the rural heartland, the ODT asks another woman with links to sheep and beef farming about such concerns. She cuts in before the ODT has finished the question, saying firmly, ''I have no complaints about the National Party.''
Locals see the ups and downs of the agricultural economy much as they view the weather - external and not able to be solved by political parties. Some spoke with fear about Labour and Green policies such as capital gains tax and environmental regulations which could make life harder in rural New Zealand and penalise hard work.
The next storm to be weathered is most likely the downturn in dairy's fortunes.
Some retailers expect the falling dairy return to hurt an already glum retail sector.
Changes in rural life have affected the service town. Fewer of the old farming families are loyal to the town. Locals increasingly buy online, and think little of heading up to Dunedin to try to find a cheaper price. The cost of fuel has not dented people's willingness to head into the city for purchases, a couple of retailers say.
A sense emerges of a two-speed rural economy; the high-octane dairy sector, albeit saddled with debt, and those outside the dairy boom, increasingly fearing being locked out of farming altogether by the cost of land.
Reminiscent of New Zealand in the 1980s, Balclutha's town centre is dated, but charming.
Menu items at the Heart and Soul Cafe include mousetraps, pineapple burgers and the Kiwi bloke's burger and chips.
Having lunch at the cafe, Pam Rabbit, of Winton, says she knows Mr Barclay's parents. A staunch supporter of the young politician, Mrs Rabbit fears he will get a hard time in Parliament, where he is a possible target because of his previous career.
Driving back to Dunedin, the ODT noticed the big orange stickers added to National's hoardings in Clutha-Southland and Dunedin, telling voters their party vote was crucial. Even in the heartland, National must know it needs to work hard for every party vote if it is to contain the growth of the small parties in the centre, and centre-right.
