Slight relief for parched Canterbury

North Canterbury Federated Farmers president Lynda Murchison says there has still been only light rain into a parched triangle around the Hurunui district but it is "better than nothing."

The area has not seen serious rain since April 2014. Even when a good southerly brings 10-15mm to the plains around Christchurch, "we get two," Murchison said.

However, there had been "a couple of decent splodges" of 20-40mm in the past few days, which would be "really helpful" in producing winter feed growth on the lower plains.

With winter starting to set in, Murchison said it was now probably too cold to produce much growth in the hill areas, but at least it was putting moisture back in the soil.

Leighton Croft, who runs sheep and beef on a large block of steep country in the coastal hills at Omihi which has been in the Croft family since 1888, points out "a wee tinge of green here now. There was absolutely nothing here before the rain last week."

Acknowledging that farming can be a series of gambles, he says one gamble which did not come off is a high paddock direct-drilled with rye corn. The seed sprouted after a 10mm rainfall several weeks ago but then browned off entirely.

The latest rain has come too late to save it.

"We had a good strike but then didn't get anything for two months. It just died. It probably would've been better not to get any of that, then get a strike now."

Another paddock, of a kale feed crop put in in November, is low and stunted. "It doesn't look too bad round the edges but when you see out in the middle there, you see how thin it is."

Croft has sent 1000 ewes away for winter feeding on the plains near Methven. He is a fan of irrigation; although his land is too high to benefit directly, he says irrigation on the lower land around Omihi would allow others to grow feed and give him closer and cheaper options for wintering over.