Farming and Horticulture

Farming & Horticulture Articles

Hydroponics: can it count as organic?

22 Oct 22

Ahead of the government passing the Organic Products Bill, the Soil & Health Association’s general manager Pete Huggins talks dirt and water with horticulturists.

Redefining weeds for the post-herbicide era

17 Aug 22

If non-chemical weeding is the only way forward, how do we manage troublesome weeds, and what exactly is a weed anyway, asks Charles Merfield.

Forever farming in Southland

21 Jun 22

Philippa Jamieson visits an organic sheep and beef farm where crop rotation, diverse pasture species and natural fertilisers contribute to the production of a premium product that prioritises soil and climate.

Where do regen and organics stand on soil?

26 Apr 22

Diverging focuses on soil health and chemical inputs is illuminating a gap between regenerative and organic practices. But adherents say it’s an opportunity to come together and find a way forward, says Desmond Finlay.

Cider house rules with CoralTree Organics

26 Apr 22

Rebecca Reider visits a family-owned apple cider vinegar company on the Kāpiti Coast that has been perfecting the art of fermenting for more than 25 years. The secret? Letting nature do her thing.

Meet the locals: gorse-munching goats

18 Feb 22

In the first of our new series that gives us snapshots of people treading lightly, we visit a lifestyle block in Upper Hutt where a herd of goats has made tasty work of troublesome weeds.

Cultivating a climate of change with the Earthworkers Programme

18 Feb 22

Sarah Smuts-Kennedy, the powerhouse behind urban-farming programme For the Love of Bees, talks about Earthworkers – a new course nurturing photosynthesis and microbe farmers.

Climate-smart farming with Dr Tim Jenkins

15 Dec 21

Dr Tim Jenkins explores the ways that organic farming practices, including resilient agro-ecosystems, can help prevent and adapt to the major challenge of our times: climate change.

Top quality organic crops with Willowmere Organics

15 Dec 21

Willowmere Organics is a new twist on a traditional organic farming operation, as Mary Ralston finds out. Extensive use of cover crops and compost, microbiological inputs and finely tuned fertiliser applications ensure high value vegetable, grain and leaf crops.

Vibrantly organic blackcurrants from ViBERI

15 Dec 21

On the fertile soils of South Canterbury, near the foothills of the Southern Alps, sits ViBERi, the award-winning organic blackcurrant operation of Tony and Afsaneh Howey. Jeff Smith pays a visit.