Displaying items by tag: Wairarapa

Every wine region has its challenges but when it comes to New Zealand's smallest ones, the trials of weather, climate and transportation can take on new levels of difficulty.

After three decades of winemaking, Clive Paton says that he might have expected to see a few similarities in weather patterns from one year to the next, but he admits he hasn’t.

A Wairarapa farm said to set the benchmark for performance in all facets of farming, has won the 2015 Greater Wellington Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA).

A long, dry and hot summer has growers and winemakers excited about the possibility of a great vintage ahead, with the arrival of Cyclone Pam doing little to deter that excitement. 

A 'localised drought' has been declared in Wairarapa as the southern and eastern parts of the region start to feel the impact of the dry conditions.

The hot dry weather has seen total fire bans imposed on many parts of the South Island and Wairarapa will soon have one, says Federated Farmers national vice president Anders Crofoot.

As dry conditions continue to prevail over the country, Federated Farmers are warning farmers and the rural community against mowing roadside vegetation.

Northern Wairarapa winery owner Alistair Scott was elected into Parliament in September this year and says he wants to grow businesses in the region.

A 202ha, FLAT, dry-stock farm, described as one of the most admired in the Wairarapa, sold under the hammer last week at $5.61 million, well in excess of its $4.8 million 2011 government valuation.

A WAIRARAPA agribusiness consulting company, Baker and Associates, is setting up a special unit to meet growing demand from farmers for help in dealing with new environmental regulations.