Toni Williams

Members of Mid Canterbury Federation of Women’s Institute are planning Founders Day and the 100th anniversary of the organisation.

Many hands make light work, especially when it’s carting meadow hay bales weighing about 25kg.

Luisetti Seeds has made a multimillion-dollar investment in supporting New Zealand’s arable industry.

Thousands of endangered black-billed gulls that usually nest at Ashburton’s State Highway One bridge have found a new home on a dairy farm at Lauriston — or at least some of them have.

A health warning remains on Lake Clearwater, in the Ashburton Lakes area, after a potentially toxic blue-green algae (planktonic cyanobacteria) was found.

Mid Canterbury dairy farmers John and Michelle O’Connell are days away from getting Mycoplasma bovis test results.

The founder of Whatever with Wiggy, a word-of-mouth online forum for people in rural communities, has been praised by his peers nationwide for keeping members connected and sane during Covid-19.

Mid Canterbury potato growers Lovett Family Farms hosted New Zealand’s special agricultural trade envoy Mel Poulton on farm this month.

Horse of the Year features in the long-term goals of Methven Pony Club members Sophie Sauer and Hannah Thickett.

The Women’s Institute gave Yvonne Lister skills and confidence to further herself and help others in the community.

Kit Johnson has been breeding alpacas for the past 20 years.

Women in Arable members went on farm last week to get some farm machinery hands-on training.

Kerry Pauling may not have had a good run in the Tux New Zealand yarding trials in Ashburton but he gave it a good crack.

An influx of European potato fries into New Zealand has already impacted on domestic growers, with less product planned for growing and staff job losses.

Ashburton district has a growing number of confirmed Mycoplasma bovis cases but officials say it is not widespread — just an isolated cluster connected by animal movements.

Opportunities are out there and often come when you least expect them, farmers Colin and Paula Glass say.

Getting New Zealand to focus on a post-Covid economy needs to happen soon, Federated Farmers Mid Canterbury provincial president David Clark says.

Adam Williams was set to compete in the Winchester and Methven rodeos this weekend, but when he  tried to go for a run, "something wasn’t right. I couldn’t run". Toni Williams reports.