Coast & Country writer
We are your advocate, Aotearoa. Uncovering stories that matter, asking hard-hitting questions of those in power, live-blogging sport events, monitoring the highs and lows of the NZX and providing Premium expert opinion and analysis. Bringing you distinctive, quality journalism and breaking news from across New Zealand and around the world. With specialists working together to create indepth reads, engaging video, and unmissable podcasts.
Model railway enthusiasts bring farming history to life
Club initially used ex-dairy farmer and life member Brian Harvey’s hobby room and shed.
Jessica Cameron’s journey from student to shepherd
Growing Future Farmers graduate secures a shepherd job on a Te Akau farm in the Waikato.
'Talking point': 1930 Ford pick-up turns heads at farmers' markets
A Coast & Country story about a Ford pick-up.
'Really excited': Waikato farming family's hazelnut success
The Scott family ran a small beef operation but felt they needed to diversify.
'It’s such an enduring show': Behind the scenes at Hyundai Country Calendar
Each episode involves a five-day shoot, focusing on real people and settings.
Tala's flower business blooms after leaving corporate world
How a lockdown epiphany turned a furniture retail manager into a flower grower.
Breeding the 'Wagyu of the lamb world'
In 2016, the Reeves started breeding their own sheep, called Waimai CharaBlack.
John Deere a family affair for this dairy farmer
Reece Houghton's father Neil collected and meticulously restored vintage John Deeres.
'Amazing to watch': Why Ray is hooked on pigeons
Ray Hooker began caring for pigeons at just 11 years old.
Organic beef farm sees biodiversity flourish
Hamish Browne and Robyn Budd are now in their eighth year of farm ownership.
Raising the next generation of primary industry leaders
HATA has regional hubs throughout NZ with workshops, programmes & resources for teachers.
From dairy farm to café: Couple's organic cheese success
Kelvin and Cathy Haigh's cheeses have won them many awards over the years.
GP finds his 'happy place' in avocado orchard
Tauranga GP Dr Andrew Corin balances work with avocado farming and creative writing.
A tale of two old tractors
“I searched online for quite a while. I wanted something old and maybe a little unusual."
Restoration project revives 1956 TrailLite caravan
TrailLite's Peter Newman worked 25 to 30 hours a week to get the caravan good as new.
'Virtually nothing is wasted': The art of taxidermy
“Very little of the actual animal is used in the taxidermy,” Mark Walker says.
Understanding the risk of facial eczema
A new three-year study is under way to understand the risk of facial eczema on-farm.
'Definitely my favourite tractor': A little Fergy called Eric
Ross Sainsbury 'deliberately find jobs that I can use Eric for'.
Western Bay couple’s passion for fruit
'We decided to simplify things and pick two or three fruits and do them well.'
Cambridge man loves all tractors great and small
Ron Totman has around 13 working tractors and an 'unknown number for parts'.
Family's 124 years of arable farming in Onewhero
The Pellow family have contributed to the farm’s evolution over the past 124 years.
Waikato farmer fought for his life to fulfil farming dream
Farmer Matthew Macdonald was diagnosed with blood cancer in high school.
From Wales to NZ: A well-travelled tractor called Wombat
Transporting Wombat from Carmarthenshire was 'quite a mission' for Peter Rogers.
Velvetleaf still poses a risk to farms - FAR
A wrap of the FAR projects taking place around the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.
To shear, or not to shear: Farmers look into self-shedding sheep
“By 2017/2018 it was clear from our figures that wool prices were dropping off sharply."
Chaff cutter from 1886 a piece of history restored to its former glory
Demonstrations are always a big hit when Noel Blackwell takes his chaff cutter to a show.
'Fortunate': How Matt Chisholm connects with rural communities
The Rural Support Trust’s Time Out Tour visits rural communities around New Zealand.
A keen interest in farming and machinery for five generations
“It started in 1913 when my grandfather, William Fitzgerald, emigrated from England."
How Sam Dodd ended up an award-winning dairy farmer
'From Year 10 I always wanted to be a paramedic.'
'We like to think of the catchment as one big farm'
“Our goal is to build a thriving, knowledgeable and healthy rural community."
Soil Sisters bringing people together on the land
"There’s a real magic that happens when we get together and put our hands in the Earth.”
Listening to the science at Owl Farm
The dairy farm is a venture at St Peter’s School and a well-known demonstration farm.
10-year tractor restoration involves three generations
Derek Holm received his restoration tractor for his 40th birthday.
Dairy farmer's fascination for Ford tractors
'The cheapest part is always the purchase and then the costs set in.'
'I was brought up with horses': New Huntsman for Maramarua Hunt
The Maramarua Hunt started in 1932 and is still going strong.
What's next for award winning dairy trainee Kirwyn Ellis?
Find out what makes the Pirongia 20-year-old tick.
Rebuilding history a family affair
He used parts of an old bus chassis to painstakingly rebuild the Model 33.
Off-the-grid lifestyle a winner for rural couple
Rebecca and David Stewart only raise what they need to sustain them.
Karapiro couple nuts about macadamias
Paul Gardiner & Helen Stockman are one season away from seeing the fruits of their labour.
The Waikato Hunt is in the dog house - in a good way
“Our kennels had been at their Fencourt Road location in Cambridge since 1968."
Meet dragline enthusiast Neil Fitzgerald
'Using draglines I dug canals, formed stopbanks and cleared drains all over the Waikato.'
From Gold Coast beauty therapist to Rotorua seed saviour
Jemma Ostenfeld's passion is producing fresh, organic food & seedlings for home gardeners.