End of August in and around Canterbury

Lots of Merino sheep in the foreground and lots of  fresh snow at the head of the Waimakariri River. The reality is that our sheep population is decreasing quite dramatically as our dairy sector continues to expand …somehow as a tour guide a paddock full of dairy cows just doesn’t have the same charm as a flock of sheep. However our farmers are pretty much on their own when it comes to deciding what produce goes out the farm gate and with China and India s economy expanding their growing middle class is consuming a lot more dairy produce. Good for our economy but many questions are being asked about its value to our environment.