Podcasts by Country Life
Country Life takes you down country roads to meet ordinary people achieving their dreams.
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Further podcasts by RNZ
Podcast on the topic Gesellschaft und Kultur
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'I was given a cow and taught how to make a shed' from 2023-12-10T09:35
A dairy programme in Sri Lanka is lifting rural communities out of poverty. Selina Prem Kumar and charity Tearfund set the programme up in 2009 and with support from Kiwi farmers, it's grown from h...
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Pest control creates balance for Northland farmer from 2023-12-08T19:20
When Geoff Crawford started trapping for pests on his farms, he was catching 70 possums a week. Now he's lucky if he gets seven...and the community have jumped on board too.
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Yarn on the Farm from 2023-12-08T19:13
A visit to the dairy shed to find out about AI and how to keep cows cool during El Nino.
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Building a wetland on farm from 2023-12-02T13:31
A wetland at the bottom of a dairy farm in South Wairarapa is reducing most of the nitrates being drained from the paddocks. The project at Kaiwaiwai Dairies is nearly a decade old and one of the o...
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Working horses adjust to new life off the track from 2023-12-01T19:30
Chanelle Dickie has taken dozens of retired racehorses under her wing. She's part of a rehoming and re-educating programme that cares for standardbreds that have fallen off the pace.
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Finding Frank - a true deer hunting legend from 2023-12-01T19:20
Frank Erceg was victim of New Zealand's first helicopter hunting accident, but now his story, and that of the deer culling industry has come to life through his niece, Louise Maich.
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A show stopper for Christmas cake lovers from 2023-12-01T19:13
Cake convener Christine Beaton has a tip for fruitcake bakers at the New Zealand Agricultural Show, "you don't really cook a Christmas cake, you dry it out."
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On the Farm - a wrap of conditions around the country from 2023-12-01T19:07
Changeable weather has prevailed in Pukekohe. Farmers in Otago are busy marking lambs and bulls are going out to the cows
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Country Life for Friday 1 December 2023 from 2023-12-01T19:07
Christmas cakes, a deer hunting legend, rehoming racehorses and building a wetland on farm
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Shout from the rooftops, says farmers' markets rep from 2023-11-26T09:13
Jono Walker, chair of Farmers' Markets New Zealand, is Country Life's guest this week. He's been in Rome mingling with other farmers' market representatives from around the world.
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'It's the most sustainable fibre in the world' from 2023-11-25T17:38
Sheep farming and wool innovation took centre stage at the New Zealand Agricultural Show. The new Wool Zone section showcased the versatility of sheep and educated visitors on the myriad uses for w...
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'Good to have a family business' says master cutler of Svord from 2023-11-24T19:30
Bryan Baker has been making knives for over 40 years in Waiuku - and now the legacy keeps growing as the next generation comes through.
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Rural News Wrap from 2023-11-24T19:07
A round-up of the week's agricultural news with RNZ rural news reporter Monique Steele.
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Country Life for Friday 24 November 2023 from 2023-11-24T19:07
Wool's versatility showcased, knives out in Waiuku and a chat with farmers' market rep Jono Walker.
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Rare horses relax at show from 2023-11-18T13:13
Eleven rare equine breeds, including the only black Percheron in the country, are on display in a quiet and sunny corner of the Canterbury A&P Showgrounds.
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Mangaweka Asparagus - from fire to feast from 2023-11-17T19:40
George and Diana Turney went from tragedy to starting Mangaweka Asparagus three decades ago. After the community came to their aid, they have enjoyed giving back and helping others gain a living fr...
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Working hard to achieve the rural dream from 2023-11-17T19:30
Pigs, cattle, fruit and honey processing are all part of a sustainable farming business plan for first-time Motukarara farmers, Stacey and Ode Gielen.
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Milking time at Belle Chevre Creamery from 2022-04-15T21:30
Jennifer and David Rodrigue have a small herd of bell-wearing goats at their Waipu farm. The goats browse on trees, shrubs and grass and produce milk that's transformed into award winning cheese.
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Hair sheep could be the answer to wool woes from 2022-04-15T21:20
Sheep with fur - not wool - are among the latest trials being undertaken by one of New Zealand's top breeders Derek Daniell of Wairere Stud, who is at the forefront of trends in sheep rearing.
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Long shelf life for store memorabilia from 2022-04-15T21:15
Little has changed inside Gilchrist's Store in Oturehua since it first opened in 1902. New goods share the old shelves with retail collectables dating back to the turn of the century. Helen and Joh...
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Mountain bike trails put new spin on Whanganui farm from 2022-04-08T21:40
Tom Oskam has built mountain bike trails in Australia and Canada and has returned to his family land on the Whanganui River to create tracks through the regenerating forest. The old woolshed is now...
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The bridge between heaven and earth from 2022-04-08T21:22
Wellingtonians Gijs and Trish Veling were looking for the perfect place to retire - they found it up a gravel road near Kaeo and live as gently as they can on the land. They have a bountiful organi...
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Savour Northland from 2022-04-08T21:14
Four food and wine trail maps are being developed for Northland.
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The roots go deep at Wānaka vineyard from 2022-04-01T21:40
Each vine has an individual voice at Rippon according to winemaker and viticulturalist Nick Mills. Established by his parents Rolfe and Lois, the vineyard's now in the hands of the next generation ...
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Looking for the perfect peanut... from 2022-04-01T21:30
Can New Zealand grow peanuts suitable for peanut butter? Eight varieties are being trialed in Northland and one looks particularly promising...
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Riding On - tourism operator looks forward to border opening from 2022-04-01T21:12
The cycling boom has helped a King Country rural tourism business keep ticking over during the pandemic but the border opening to Australians this month can't come soon enough for Epic Cycle Advent...
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Choice Cherimoyas from 2022-03-25T21:40
Rich and Jose van Alphen say people either love or hate cherimoyas. They've been growing them organically in the Far North for more than 30 years.
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Turning wild plants into natural remedies from 2022-03-25T21:30
It doesn't take long for Rochana Moon to fill her wicker basket with wild plants and fungi. The medical herbalist and naturopath is foraging beside the Cardrona River in Central Otago.
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Wool Impact NZ plans for positive impact from 2022-03-25T21:12
A new venture is being set up to turn around wool growers' fortunes.
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Pouring passion into Central Otago waterways from 2022-03-18T21:40
WAI Wānaka is working with local farmers and landowners to safeguard and improve the quality of their waterway ecosystems.
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Moving North from 2022-03-18T21:30
Rayne Bradley is 17 years old. She is leaving her safe home environment in the King Country town of Taumarunui and hitting hostel life in Hamilton city. She's the first person in her extended famil...
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Cool cows a challenge for scientists from 2022-03-18T21:19
LIC has identified a gene that helps cows cope better in the heat of summer.
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Mini market garden produces bumper crop from 2022-03-18T21:12
Wānaka Willows gardener Martyn Sinkinson is on a mission to supply the local community with fresh organic vegetables. He's transformed an overgrown section near Albert Town into a compact food farm...
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Hard work bears fruit for Central Otago orchardist from 2022-03-12T17:25
Pioneering fruit grower Kevin Jackson and his team go out on a limb to ensure the harvesting season runs smoothly at Jackson Orchards in Cromwell.
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Horse and plough add French touch to Marlborough vineyard from 2022-03-11T21:34
Gordon the Clydesdale horse has been roped in to help plough between the rows of Churton Vineyard in Marlborough. It's a return to the old ways and, according to vineyard owner Sam Weaver, it is he...
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Ripe For The Picking from 2022-03-11T21:25
Pioneering fruit grower Kevin Jackson and his team go out on a limb to ensure the harvesting season runs smoothly at Jackson Orchards in Cromwell.
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Ukraine farmer warns of looming food crisis from 2022-03-11T21:15
Ukrainian villagers and farmers have been thrown back into the Middle Ages, slaughtering pigs and milking cows by hand in an effort to keep the country fed, a farmer in Ukraine says.
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Maniototo farmers in high spirits from 2022-03-04T21:34
A hobby has turned into a business for organic Central Otago farmers John and Susie Elliot. They make single malt whisky in the farmyard distillery using their own barley and peat from a local swamp.
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Floral Tribute from 2022-03-04T21:25
Every Thursday morning the five women from the Floral Collective Waikato set up their buckets in the Frankton Railway Institute Hall to sell field grown blooms to local florists. Varieties that don...
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Surgical bus sees surge in demand for cancer surveillance from 2022-03-04T21:15
Mobile Health's surgical bus can no longer offer some operations in rural New Zeland because of the increased demand for cancer surviellance.
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Plenty of wriggle room for world's largest worm farm from 2022-02-25T21:34
MyNoke is the world's largest worm farming operation and it's growing. The Taupo-based operation produces 40,000 tonnes of nutrient rich vermicast a year after feeding waste from milk plants, the p...
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Wild cherry trees give farmer the pip from 2022-02-25T21:22
Black Siberian cherry trees are thriving on the river flats at Nigel Wilson's deer farm in North Canterbury. Thier fruit is proving popular with local chefs wanting foraged ingredients to add to th...
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A sweet spot on the farm from 2022-02-25T21:15
Beef farmer Bex Trotter has transformed a roadside paddock into a strawberry field at Luggate in Central Otago. Despite a lack of tourists Red Bridge Berries has been well supported in its first se...
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Full Episode for Friday February 25 2022 from 2022-02-25T21:00
Country Life heads to the world's largest worm farm, Black Siberian cherry trees are growing wild on a farm in North Canterbury and a beef farmer in Central Otago transforms a roadside paddock into...
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From mother to daughter - A smooth transition from 2022-02-18T21:34
After single-handedly running Rees Valley Station for nearly 20 years, Iris Scott was more than happy to hand over the reins to her daughter Kate. The 18,000 hectare property at the head of Lake Wa...
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Growing without sight from 2022-02-18T21:25
One of Taranaki's pioneering environmentalists shows his ingenious method using ropes to help the visually impaired continue to enjoy growing things.
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Winning ways on farm from 2022-02-18T21:17
Rhys Roberts is the winner of the 2022 New Zealand Zanda McDonald Award which recognises young people making a difference in agriculture.
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Onion season could end in tears from 2022-02-18T21:07
An onion exporter estimates Europe will take just half the volume of New Zealand onions it usually sells this year.
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Country Life, Friday 18 February 2022 from 2022-02-18T21:00
Full Episode for Friday February 18 2022
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Healing by horse: 'I'm a changed man now' from 2022-02-12T10:34
Twenty eight years in prison and painful memories of being abused as a child are swept to the back of his mind when Casey heads out into the North Canterbury hill country on horseback. He is taking...
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No gumboots, no problem: Newcomer to dairy farming now cream of the crop from 2022-02-11T21:25
Fourteen years ago Christopher Vila switched careers and countries and turned up to milk cows in street clothes. He can hardly believe he's now New Zealand's Dairy Manager of the Year...
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Roxy - Sweet, pink and heading to Asia from 2022-02-11T21:07
The new Roxy apple has taken 20 years to develop, is currently being picked and has customers waiting for it in China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
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Country Life Friday February 11 2022 from 2022-02-11T21:07
We head out on horseback to find out how horses are helping to heal sufferers of post traumatic stress, the breeder of the new Roxy apple says it has the flavour of yesteryear and 14 years after a ...
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Goat farmer sets the baa high when it comes to mohair from 2022-02-05T16:34
Dozens of curly haired kids browse under the watchful eyes of their nannies at Joseph Burstons' Angora goat farm in North Canterbury.
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'It's not too hard' - DairyNZ Climate Change Ambassador from 2022-02-05T12:25
Dairy farmer George Moss used to be a climate change skeptic, now he's a climate change ambassador the dairy industry.
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Marty's Microgreen's - and now a bit more besides... from 2022-02-04T21:15
Marty Hubbard used to grow thousands of lettuces - they rotted during the first lockdown when markets dried up overnight.
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Country Life Friday February 4 2022 from 2022-02-04T21:07
Dozens of curly haired kids browse under the watchful eyes of their nannies at Joseph Burstons' Angora goat farm in North Canterbury. Dairy farmer George Moss used to be a climate change skeptic, n...
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Sharing tips for shearers from 2022-01-28T21:34
A new training programme is being rolled out for shearers, pressers and wool handlers.
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A blooming business stems from passion for flowers from 2022-01-28T21:25
An exquisite palate of seasonal colour covers Birch Hill Flower Farm in North Canterbury. Nicky Paul grows an array of spray-free flowers to sell at her local market.
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Farm consultant helps former All Black go green from 2022-01-28T21:15
Harry Millar is a catchment farm advisor for the Hurunui District Landcare Group. He provides support and expertise to farmers to understand and develop farm environment plans and meet their evolvi...
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Country Life Friday January 28 2022 from 2022-01-28T21:07
Would-be shearers are seeing if they can fill up the comb and cut down the number of blows it takes to shear a sheep. We meet a catchment farm advisor for The Hurunui District Landcare Group and Ni...
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Winegrowers unearth a sense of place at Waikari vineyard from 2021-12-17T21:35
Transforming an old limestone quarry into a vineyard has been a labour of love for Marcel Giesen and Sherwyn Veldhuizen. Their viticultural journey at the site near Waikairi in North Canterbury beg...
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All the Trimmings from 2021-12-17T21:21
Christmas is the season of traditions and for many people one of those is to collect a Christmas tree to decorate their home over the festive season. It may be a branch of pohutukawa, a pine tree i...
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Farm Talk: Finnish Farmer Teemu Kinnari from 2021-12-17T21:15
Teemu Kinnari is the 14th generation to toil on the family farm. It has been in the family since 1667.
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Country Life for 17 December 2021 from 2021-12-17T21:07
On Country Life, a couple of wine-mad viticulturists have transformed a limestone quarry into an organic vineyard that pays homage to the grape-growing traditions of the Burgundy region in France, ...
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Bird highway takes flight from 2021-12-10T21:35
A bird highway is taking shape across the south of the North Island. Farmers and landowners are getting in behind the Tonganui Corridor - a project to link up pockets of old forest with new plantin...
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Getting to the bottom of it from 2021-12-10T21:21
Scotty Newman and his team clean out woolsheds - not inside - but underneath. They dig out decades worth of compacted sheep manure.
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Sustainable farming systems put to the test at university dairy from 2021-12-10T21:15
Three farming systems geared towards sustainable dairy farming practices are being tested at Lincoln University's demonstration dairy farm. Farm manager Peter Hancox is trialing a variable milking ...
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Country Life for 10 December 2021 from 2021-12-10T21:05
Clearing out decades of sheep manure under woolsheds is a specialist job; and farmers at the southern tip of the North Island are creating a forest highway to lure endemic wildlife into the valley.
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Fine wool fills the shearing shed from 2021-12-03T21:30
Fresh off the hills the merino wethers are being shorn at Lake Heron Station in Canterbury. The low micron wool is contracted to the Icebreker brand. The mountainous 19,600 hectare property is also...
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Covid lockdown sparks fishing fever from 2021-12-03T21:17
New Zealand's beautiful rivers and lakes are likely to get an influx of anglers over the summer months so it's a good time to catch up with Fish and Game ranger Richie Cosgrove.
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Farm Talk - Canadian Cattle rancher Travis Wasko from 2021-12-03T21:15
Travis Wasko often has to tend his beef herd in minus 20 or even minus 30 degree temperatures. When it's that cold the first job of the day is to ensure the animals have access to water.
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Country Life for Friday December 3 2021 from 2021-12-03T21:07
Fine wool fills the shearing shed, Covid lockdown sparks fishing fever, Canadian beef rancher battles poor prices and the Regional Wrap
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The Native Dairy Farmer from 2021-11-26T21:45
Dave Swney and Alice Trevelyan have converted a tennis court on a dairy farm into a native plant nursery. They're using as much recycled material as they can.
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Farming couple struggle to get their heads around new rules from 2021-11-26T21:30
Implementing farm environment plans has been at times confusing for Lees Valley farmers Craig and Marilyn Dalzell, so they've called on their son Alex to help out.
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Bank opts for woollen carpet from 2021-11-26T21:21
Rabobank is relocating its HQ to Waikato and its CEO insisted the new premises be fitted out with woollen carpet - even if it meant using a crane to lift the rolls onto the fourth floor.
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Farm Talk - Welsh farmer Iwan Francis from 2021-11-26T21:15
Welsh dairy farmer Iwan Francis uses New Zealand genetics. He says they produce cows with a superior ability to turn grass into milk.
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Country Life for 26 November 2021 from 2021-11-26T21:07
On Country Life tonight, farming couple struggle to get their heads around new rules and regulations, and a bank has gone to great lengths to ensure its staff and clients get to walk on woollen car...
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A rum tale from 2021-11-20T15:20
Her parents were among New Zealand's first macadamia nut growers but Janet Charteris has taken over the original orchard shed near Oakura in Taranaki and installed a big and shiny copper still. Jan...
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No rest for the wicked at Lees Valley Station from 2021-11-19T21:30
The new farm manager at one of New Zealand's biggest sheep and beef properties in North Canterbury has hit the ground running. As well as getting up to speed with a holistic grazing system establis...
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Farms flooded in Canadian province from 2021-11-19T21:15
The Canadian Province of British Columbia has been inundated with floodwaters - 18,000 people have been stranded, roads, houses and bridges have been destroyed and farms are awash. Country Life spe...
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Country Life for Friday 19 November from 2021-11-19T21:07
Full Episode for Friday November 19 2021.
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Testing the Waters from 2021-11-12T21:34
A group of farmers near Palmerston North are taking the lab into the paddock and learning to understand and measure what's running off their land into streams and creeks and eventually the Manawatu...
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A good day's work - fencing in out-of-the-way valley from 2021-11-12T21:24
Fencing contactor James Ewing has two years of work ahead of him at Lees Valley Station in North Canterbury. He was erecting a deer fence along the valley road when Cosmo Kentish-Barnes stopped for...
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Cleaning milking sheds made easier with clear water from 2021-11-12T21:15
Lincoln University soil scientists have developed a new method to treat farm dairy effluent to produce clarified water for recycling and to reduce the environmental risks from the land application ...
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Country Life Friday November 12 2021 from 2021-11-12T21:05
Building bridges and fencing farms in an out-of-the-way valley, cleaning milking sheds made easier with clear water, testing Manawatu water and the Regional Wrap.
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Healthy earth makes vegan farmer happy from 2021-11-05T21:34
Sharing produce and growing know-how is rooted in Vanya Maw's philosophy. She's been running Wyenova Organics since 1992 and farms just about anything edible that grows with passion and pride.
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Making farming work - one couple's journey to farm ownership from 2021-11-05T21:24
Gaynor and Colm Tierney bought their dairy farm nine years ago. They didn't start farming it themselves until last season.
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Farm Talk - Conversations with farmers around the world from 2021-11-05T21:15
Benthem Farms in northern Michigan farms 2500 cows. They're milked three times a day and housed year round. In winter temperatures can drop to -28 degrees C.
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Country Life for 5 November 2021 from 2021-11-05T21:07
On Country Life, a wrap of farming conditions around NZ; Farm talk with Benthem Farms in Michigan and Vanya Maw has been running Wyenova Organics since 1992 and farms just about anything edible tha...
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Entrepreneurial farmers use own wool to make blankets and yarns from 2021-10-29T21:34
Angus cattle and merino sheep share the rolling hills on a scenic farm near Culverden. Third generation farmer Jono Reed was only 14 when he started breeding cattle at the property. His wife, Sarah...
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Foothills history the focal point for rural museum from 2021-10-29T21:19
The tiny Staveley Museum displays a photographic collection that tells the story of the foothills area of Mid-Canterbury including timber milling, coal mining, limestone quarrying, farming and fami...
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Beef and Lamb's Greenhouse Gas Calculator from 2021-10-29T21:13
Farmers will need to know how much greenhouse gas their farms are producing by the end of next year. There are at least ten tools at the moment they can use including Beef and Lamb's GhG Calculator...
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Country Life for 29 October 2021 from 2021-10-29T21:05
Country Life visits a sheep and beef farm near Culverden that has it's own brand of fine merino blankets and yarns, a Western AustralaTasman dairy farmer talks about the challenges he's facing, the...
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Machinery-mad farmer wants future generations to value the past from 2021-10-22T21:32
Anthony Hampton has an impressive collection of Massey farm machinery and vintage tractors. Next year his farm is hosting the Wheat and Wheels Rally that is timed to celebrate the 175th anniversary...
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Healing the Land from 2021-10-22T21:24
A gully at the base of Mt Taranaki surrounded by dairy farms has been transformed into a food forest nourished by home waste. The family who live here save energy and water by farming on terraces a...
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Entrepreneurship scheme for Ni-Vanuatu seasonal workers a Pacific first from 2021-10-22T21:14
A new programme has been launched to help with the economic reintergration of seasonal workers returning to Vanuatu. People who have been working on orchards, vineyards and in packhouses in Austral...
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Small feet stay warm thanks to Amuri Basin entrepreneur from 2021-10-15T21:07
Tracey Topp started making merino socks for children sixteen years ago. It all began when she struggled to find woollen socks for her two boys. Now her Cosy Toes brand has expanded to adult socks a...
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Farming for the Future from 2021-10-15T21:07
It's hoped a dairy farm trial in Taranaki can provide some answers for dairy farmers needing to lower their environmental footprint. Country Life visits the Gibson Farm near Hawera to check out som...
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Country Life Friday October 15 2021 from 2021-10-15T21:07
Country Life visits a dairy farm which is helping to test methods which might lower the environmental footprint of dairying and meets an entrepreneur who's taken New Zealand wool socks to the world.
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Don't let the bed bugs bite... from 2021-10-15T21:07
Heiko Kaiser has a pest control business for all sorts of pests, urban and rural, but his interest in pests started when bed bugs were found in a resort he was running.
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Fit to Farm from 2021-10-09T15:21
Taranaki sharemilker Kane Brisco has set up an outdoor gym in one of his paddocks to help his mates and neighbours get fit for farming, especially the busy calving season. He says farmers are often...
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Kirwee farmers launch new sheep milk products from 2021-10-08T21:31
A child with food allergies and a dairy intolerance has led a Canterbury couple to start milking sheep. Matt and Tracey Jones were so impressed by the difference sheep milk made for their daughter ...
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Hemp industry builds infrastructure to secure its future from 2021-10-08T21:17
Hemp New Zealand says it has a list of farmers wanting to grow hemp but markets need to be built and infrastructure secured before growing the production base further.
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Chook houses fly out the door from 2021-10-08T21:13
People wanting to be a bit more self-sufficient in uncertain times has led to a lift in demand for chook houses.
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Country Life for Friday 8 October from 2021-10-08T21:07
Sheep milking at Kirwee, keeping fit for farming, hemp wool carpet is step closer, chook houses are in demand and the Regional Wrap.
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Rotorua teenager takes her ideas to the world from 2021-10-01T21:39
Eighteen year old Kaitlyn Lamb sometimes works in her family's vegetable garden at night because her days are so crammed full volunteering to improve the environment. She's the only New Zealander s...
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Good seed makes a good crop from 2021-10-01T21:27
The sowing season is in full swing at Andrew Currie's Avonmore farm near Methven in Canterbury. When Country Life turned up the third generation cropping farmer was drilling spring malting barley.
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The Buzz on NZ's bee-keeping history from 2021-10-01T21:13
Bee science has been used to save an elephant and the Queen is a fan of pohutukawa honey - a former president of the Bee Keeping Association has been digging deep into the industry's archives.
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Country Life Friday October 1 2021 from 2021-10-01T21:07
Full Episode. Farming in the Future - Rotorua teenager takes her ideas to the world, Good seed makes a good crop, The Buzz on NZ's bee-keeping history and the Regional Wrap.
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Double-muscled sheep breed offers meaty gains from 2021-09-24T21:32
Beltex ram lambs are making farmers around the country lick their chops. Known for its heavy hindquarters and excellent kill weights, the breed is the sheep industry's new kid on the butcher's block.
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From Dumpster-Diving to No-Dig Greens from 2021-09-24T21:17
Solicitor Alexandra Morrisey ditched her office job, linked up with her best friend Victoria Sala and, with a baby on the way, set up a veggie box business using the time-efficient no-dig method. T...
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An Update from UBCO from 2021-09-24T21:15
The New Zealand electric utility bike company UBCO is expanding in the US and United Kingdom and has recently moved into South Africa.
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Country Life for September 24 2021 from 2021-09-24T21:07
Farmers around the country have been paying big bickies for Beltex ram lambs. The new breed is a double-muscled, easy care sheep that offers meaty gains. Sheep dags are nourishing the soils of a Wa...
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Paddocks ablaze with colour as sales plummet for daffodils from 2021-09-17T21:39
The cancellation of Daffodil Day and the temporary closure of an Auckland flower market because of Covid-19 restrictions has seen Waikato's Clandon Daffodils leave 75 percent of their daffodils in ...
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Farming at Marble Point a dream come true for hard-working couple from 2021-09-17T21:27
Matt Black says it felt like winning lotto when he and his wife Sarah were selected to became equity partners at Marble Point Station, a scenic 2400 hectare sheep and beef property between Culverdo...
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Rural people supporting rural people - the Rural Support Trust from 2021-09-17T21:21
When adversity hits the rural sector, people often turn to the Rural Support Trust. Neil Bateup has been involved with the Trust since its inception and says thankfully, people are now more open to...
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A bright future for Future Post from 2021-09-17T21:15
The Waiuku company making fence posts from used plastics has expanded into vineyards, is doubling its production capacity, wants to build a South Island plant and is exporting to Australia.
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Mud&Blood - Rugby teams in Westland battle for sacred shield from 2021-09-10T21:32
Tradition meets passion as four South Westland teams compete for the region's foremost rugby prize, the Woodham Shield. The 71st year saw Fox - Franz - Haast take on Whataroa in this year's final c...
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View from the Vines - Cheers! from 2021-09-10T21:23
It's been two years since Country Life started following Te Hera vineyard's John Douglas through a vintage. 2020 turned out to be an interesting one, with harvest occurring during the pandemic lock...
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Markets grow for tiny Rockit apples from 2021-09-10T21:15
The Covid pandemic has lead to a lift in sales for the tiny Rockit apple. The apples are exported in a tube and consumers like that the fruit is not touched by a human hand after it leaves New Zeal...
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Country Life for 10 September 2021 from 2021-09-10T21:05
This week, Country Life is on the sidelines of a heartland rugby game on the West Coast - tradition meets passion as four South Westland teams compete for the region's foremost rugby prize, the Woo...
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Calling in from Makuri School from 2021-09-03T21:33
Internet learning is extending the horizon for children at remote Makuri School. They link up with teachers and pupils in other rural and remote schools around the country for lessons on astronomy,...
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Budding microgreens business sprouts up in Tai Tapu from 2021-09-03T21:25
Trays of greens are starting to fly out of the shed door at Jess Murchie-Brown and Don Murchie's vertical farming set-up on their rural lifestyle block south of Christchurch. It's proving to be a w...
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Art on the Farm from 2021-09-03T21:21
The inaugural Gullies Art Residency will be taken up by Auckland artist Andrew McLeod early next year. He'll spend eight weeks at The Gullies, a sheep and beef farm in Rangitkei.
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Students' no-ice device has farmers interested from 2021-09-03T21:15
Three students from Mackenzie College / Aro o Te Tika in South Canterbury have developed a solution to stop water troughs from freezing over in winter.
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Curious Crop waiting for buyers from 2021-09-03T21:07
Anthony and Angela Tringham's gorgeous heirloom tomatoes are ready to pick. They were destined for Auckland restaurants and the Clevedon Farmer's market - which are closed.
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Full Episode for Friday September 3 2021 from 2021-09-03T21:00
Country Life hears about a microgreens start-up in Canterbury and spends a day at remote Makuri School which uses the Virtual Learning Network to extend horizons and foster friendships between coun...
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Dirt doctor fixes damaged soil from 2021-08-27T21:39
North Otago vege grower Jim O'Gorman has spent the past 20 years studying the soil at his market garden at Kakanui. His research focuses on restoring to health and high productivity damaged land de...
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Calling Islay from 2021-08-27T21:27
Vet Samara Johstone has returned home to Islay after working in New Zealand. She's busy running the family farming and tending the island's animals.
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NZ tests to reveal if bio-based claims stack up from 2021-08-27T21:20
Tests of a selection of plastics marketed as bio-based has found half of them are not all they claim. GNS and Scion have developed new tests that will verify if they are.
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Keeping people safe on the orchard and on farm from 2021-08-27T21:07
WorkSafe NZ's Al McCone says two simple things could save many deaths a year in rural NZ.
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Full Episode for Friday Aug 27 2021 from 2021-08-27T21:00
Country Life meets North Otago vege grower and soil expert Jim O'Gorman - otherwise known as Kakanui's dirt doctor - and catches up with a vet who has left New Zealand and returned to the family fa...
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It's calving time from 2021-08-20T21:39
It's calving season in the dairy sector and many farmers and staff are working huge hours to look after their animals. Country Life is up before the birds with Carterton dairy farmer Jody James to ...
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Top chef teams up with Southland producers from 2021-08-20T21:26
Chef Ethan Flack has returned to Invercargill after years working in Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK. He plans to open a food space where he can tell the stories of Southland's farmers and g...
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A Nest Egg for Jack from 2021-08-20T21:17
A lifestyle hobby for a family in Cheviot has turned into a thriving business. Five years ago Kobus and Julie Venter purchased a dozen hens for their son Jack. Now his flock numbers over a thousand...
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Full Episode for Friday Aug 20 2021 from 2021-08-20T21:04
Country Life this week follows a dairy farmer and his team in the wee early hours as they help the herd through the calving season and what started out as a lifestyle hobby for a family in Cheviot ...
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Whales and dolphins stuck on inland farm from 2021-08-13T21:40
Sheep and cattle graze where whales and dolphins once swam 25 million years ago. Bones from their skeletons are fossilised in cliffs on Grant Neal's farm at Duntroon in North Otago.
Curly Troon - Champion of the Humble Gumboot from 2021-08-13T21:32
Curly Troon is a stalwart of the gumboot throwing world in New Zealand. The Taihape local has been honoured this year with a Toyota Lifetime Legacy to Rural Sports Award for the sport. He ...
Growing the workforce - Vegetable producer offers bonus for turning up to work from 2021-08-13T21:20
LeaderBrand's CEO Richard Burke says seasonal workers are very difficult to attract so his company happily offers a range of benefits, including a bonus for turning up, in order to secure ...
Hot demand for Koko from 2021-08-13T21:14
One of the biggest cocoa producers in Samoa has seen a huge surge in orders and says they're from Samoans abroad wanting a taste of home.
Country Life for Friday August 13 2021 from 2021-08-13T21:05
Country Life this week learns about gumboot throwing and meets an award-winning Taihape local who promotes the sport. The show also takes you to a farm in Duntroon in North Otago. Millions...
Farming P?ua - the black pearl of the ocean from 2021-08-06T21:45
A Bluff-based operation is farming cocktail-sized p?ua in the pristine waters of Foveaux Strait. The New Zealand Abalone Company (TNZAC) is hoping to sell two million of the mini p?ua ever...
Waitaki River island gets much needed makeover from 2021-08-06T21:31
It's taken years for a team of dedicated Kurow locals to transform an island in the braids of the river from a messy landfill into a recreational and ecological park.
Pioneering new food in Southland from 2021-08-06T21:15
It's hoped the newly opened Southern Pioneers' Food Hub will help launch products developed from Southland's food bounty to the world.
On the Farm - a wrap of farming conditions around NZ from 2021-08-06T21:07
The sap seems to be flowing a little earlier than normal in a Gisborne vineyard and sheep farmers in Central Otago are busy pre-lamb shearing but it's been hard keeping yards dry.
Full Episode for Friday August 6 2021 from 2021-08-06T21:03
A team of Kurow locals transform an island in the braids of the Waitaki River from a messy landfill into a recreational and ecological area for people, wildlife and the environment. Farmin...
Free range farmer wants his hogs to be happy from 2021-07-30T21:33
Lord Havoc has a passion for pigs. Ian Jackson runs the Havoc Pork free range piggery in South Canterbury. Sows at the outdoor farm spend their days fossicking for roots, grubs and worms w...
Growing for Gold - Japanese Budou grapes thrive in Hawke's Bay from 2021-07-30T21:19
Budou table grapes can fetch up to $160 a bunch in Japan. Third generation grape grower Tetsuya Higuchi is growing the enormous, sweet, picture-perfect Japanese style grape in Hawke's Bay....
Daniel Eb - founder of Open Farms from 2021-07-30T21:07
Daniel Eb founded Open Farms which aims to connect townies with agriculture by having farmers open up their farms for a day. Daniel's also one of the latest batch of Nuffield scholars - wh...
Full Episode for Friday July 30 2021 from 2021-07-30T21:03
Cosmo Kentish-Barnes speaks to a pig farmer known as Lord Havoc about his free range pig farm in South Canterbury and Sally Round finds out how highly-prized Japanese style table grapes ar...
Clifton Station - into the 21st century from 2021-07-23T21:32
Hawke's Bay's long established Clifton Station made its early fortunes off the sheep's back. But with the crash in wool prices, diversification has been the key to its survival into the 21...
Kidding Around from 2021-07-23T21:17
Wee newborns are popping out right, left and centre on James Hills' dairy goat farm. His farm sign says "Jebel 5, only the best for our goats." In Afrikaans Jebel means joyous and he says ...
Guest - Stuart Weston, CEO Apata from 2021-07-23T21:07
Our guest this week is Stuart Weston, chief executive of the kiwifruit grower and packhouse operator Apata. The company is on the hunt for land around Whanganui.
Country Life for 23 July 2021 from 2021-07-23T21:05
Hawkes Bay's Clifton Station has plenty going on to keep its owners busy. The Gordon family are working hard to keep the historic farm viable into the 21st century with carbon farming, a n...
Micro dairy milking it in North Otago from 2021-07-16T21:32
Part-time Oamaru farmers Glen and Bron Claridge milk twenty cows all year round and supply pasteurised milk to locals in glass bottles. They took over The Natural Dairy business last year ...
Supporting Shearers from 2021-07-16T21:23
Serena Lyders grew up in shearing sheds - she is now an advocate for support and mental health services to be made available to people working in shearing gangs.
Plastics designed to degrade on command from 2021-07-16T21:17
Scion scientists are introducing enzymes to plastics that will trigger degradation once the plastic's work is done.
Tomato virus has growers on high alert from 2021-07-16T21:07
The Pepino Mosaic Virus has been identified in indoor grown tomato crops. New Zealand growers may lose some of their international markets because of it.
Full Episode for Friday July 16 2021 from 2021-07-16T21:03
The team visit a micro dairy farm near Oamaru in North Otago. Part-time farmers Glen and Bron Claridge milk twenty cows all year round and supply pasteurised milk to locals in glass bottle...
A Sip from the South from 2021-07-09T21:40
Rob and Toni Auld have the southern-most farm distillery in the world. They grow oats, wheat and barley and transform them into whisky.
Planting trees a passion for puppeteer from 2021-07-09T21:30
Norbert Hausberg has swapped his marionettes for a modest set of hand tools. The Wellington artist and one time mayoral candidate is spending the winter planting natives on a steep hillsid...
Ag students breed sheep at school farm from 2021-07-09T21:20
Waimate High School teacher Stuart Albrey wants students to develop a passion for farming and it's working. His ag classes are full and a Corriedale sheep stud on the school grounds means ...
Veteran Veterinarian from 2021-07-09T21:13
John Smart has been based at Clutha Vets in Otago since he graduated in 1976.
Full Episode for Friday July 9 2021 from 2021-07-09T21:04
Country Life joins Wellington artist Norbert Hausberg who is spending the winter planting natives on a steep hillside in North Otago and takes you to meet a couple putting their own twist ...
Fences fixed first as farmers count cost of flooding from 2021-07-02T21:38
Farmers in mid-Canterbury are still trying to get their heads around the scale of damage caused by massive flooding in June. It's been an extremely challenging situation for neighbours Ann...
25 years of organics - 'We were all rebels in those days' from 2021-07-02T21:23
Cows and dogs as well as people around south east Asia are taking a daily tipple of Kim Baker's organic apple cider vinegar. He is one of New Zealand's earliest organic growers still produ...
Thinking under Pressure on the Farm from 2021-07-02T21:12
Nuffield Scholar Corrigan Sowman has explored how the pressure that farmers around the world are experiencing affects their decision-making.
Full Episode for Friday July 2 2021 from 2021-07-02T21:03
Country Life chats to a farmer who's researched how farmers around the world deal with pressure. Also on the programme, one of New Zealand's earliest organic growers invites us into his ap...
Coming down to Earth - from high-flying execs to mushroom farmers from 2021-06-25T21:40
Jude Horrill and Brent Williams gave up glamorous jobs in IT and change management overseas to farm mushrooms in a container near Levin.
Alternative Proteins: It's An 'And' Story from 2021-06-25T21:23
The talk around Alternative Proteins is maturing. Meat and dairy operators say they're complimentary nutrition and shouldn't be viewed as a threat, but rather an opportunity to provide cus...
Meating the Need - Farmers donate animals to put meat on the table from 2021-06-25T21:12
The charity, Meat the Need was launched during last year's Covid lockdown. In its first 13 months farmers donated enough meat to make more than 430,000 meals.
Full Episode for Friday June 25 2021 from 2021-06-25T21:04
Country Life checks out what a couple of meat companies and Fonterra are doing with the challenge of alternative proteins and we meet a couple who used to be high flying execs overseas who...
Paddock to Platter with Farmer Phil from 2021-06-18T21:40
Regenerative land management practices for animal and vegetable production are key for Phil Varley at his small but diverse farm nestled in the hills above Manuka Bay in North Canterbury.<...
Rising Star: Ahuwhenua Young M?ori Farmer Quinn Morgan from 2021-06-18T21:23
Quinn Morgan was recently named the Ahuwhenua Young Maori Farmer of the Year.
Cuts and Korero from 2021-06-18T21:07
The Environmental Protection Authority was at Fieldays for the first time and invited farmers in for a korero and a haircut to find out what they think about measures to protect the enviro...
Full Episode for Friday June 18 2021 from 2021-06-18T21:04
A lack of cellphone reception means more time to focus on developing a farm for a self-taught farmer in Manuka Bay.
Under Five Hundy - Nightcaps from 2021-06-11T21:40
Nightcaps residents are pleased newcomers are moving in to town and are renovating old homes. The population has fallen to about 350 but every day 120 people start work in the Southland to...
Veggie growers rapt to finally own land from 2021-06-11T21:35
The winter crop of vegetables growing at Dominique Schacherer and Logan Kerr's market garden has turned 25 hectares of fertile earth into a sea of leafy greens.
Wiltshires without wool from 2021-06-11T21:14
Massey University is looking at the costs and benefits of farmers moving out of the wool business and into farming fleece-shedding Wiltshire sheep.
Leading Agriculture into the Future from 2021-06-11T21:07
Dr Sue Bidrose talks to Cosmo about her role as CEO of AgResearch.
Country Life for 11 June 2021 from 2021-06-11T21:05
This week Country Life is visiting a vegie patch on the Canterbury Plains and takes us to Nightcaps- a tiny coal mining town in the foothills of Southland's picturesque Takitimu mountains....
Plumb crazy about crayfish from 2021-06-04T21:45
Strange fishy sculptures made out of recycled stuff are popping up on the shoreline at Riversdale. They're the work of country plumber Jeff Burnett, who can't keep his hands off junk.
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Diversity Key for Gorge Grower from 2021-06-04T21:35
When Jeremy Naylor bought Okainamu farm in the Upper Wairoa Gorge in 1982 it was a neglected grazing unit. Over time he's planted heaps of trees on the secluded property and transformed it...
Te Whare Nui o Tuteata - The Way of the Future from 2021-06-04T21:25
Scion's new $14m building has been designed to welcome in the public and to showcase the sustainable use of wood.
Tracy Brown - Nuffield Scholar from 2021-06-04T21:14
Matamata dairy farmer Tracy Brown is among a batch of Nuffield scholars taking a closer look at New Zealand agriculture with overseas travel out of the question due to Covid-19. The Nuffie...
Picking up after the mid Canterbury Floods from 2021-06-04T21:06
Mid Canterbury farmer Rhys Roberts was badly hit in the floods last weekend. As CEO of Align Farms, he farms mostly dairy on two properties on the south side of the Ashburton River. The ri...
Country Life for 4 June 2021 from 2021-06-04T21:05
Country Life talks to a farmer picking up the pieces after the mid Canterbury floods and takes a tour of a multi-million-dollar Rotorua building designed to showcase the sustainable use of...
Creative in the Caroline Valley from 2021-05-29T12:20
Kim Spencer-McDonald says she knows a number of women who, as she did, have fallen in love with the farmer but not necessarily the farm. She says meaningful, stimulating off-farm jobs are ...
Farming Flavour - chocolate and chillies from 2021-05-29T11:40
Chocolatier Johnty Tatham and his brother Paddy who is experimenting with chillies are forging new paths as the sixth generation on a sheep and beef farm on the Wairarapa coast.
Choosing Calves from 2021-05-28T21:17
New Zealand's largest dairy genetics company LIC says more and more farmers are choosing the sex of their calves. They don't want to put bobby calves on the truck so are happy to pay more ...
On the Farm - a wrap of farming conditions from 2021-05-28T21:11
Very welcome rain fell on the East Coast, along with freezing temperatures in many places of the North Island. It was similiar in the South Island with cracking frosts and sunny days. Otur...
Labouring On from 2021-05-28T21:07
Federated Farmers is asking its members to write to government ministers outlining just what impact the labour shortage is having on them and their farming operation.
Full Episode for Friday May 28 2021 from 2021-05-28T21:04
Country Life meets two Wairarapa brothers forging different paths on the family farm, one makes high quality chocolate from whoa-to-go and the other is dipping his toes into the niche food...
'It just makes sense' - one farm's sustainability story from 2021-05-22T12:12
Linda and Evan Potter are award winning "sustainable farming ambassadors". They farm sheep, beef and deer at Elsthorpe in southern Hawkes Bay. Nearly a quarter of their farm is preserved i...
Penguins find cosy retreat on Flea Bay farm from 2021-05-21T21:40
Farming at P?hatu Flea Bay on Banks Peninsula is a labour of love for Francis and Shireen Helps. Determined to protect ecologically significant land, they have established several QEII cov...
Dairy Stars from 2021-05-21T21:14
Our guest this week has had a busy time travelling the country as part of the annual Dairy Industry Awards where top Share Farmers, Dairy managers and Trainees are acknowledged.
Full Episode for Friday May 21 2021 from 2021-05-21T21:04
Country Life heads to Pohatu Flea Bay on Banks Peninsula where a sheep farm is also home to a colony of White-flippered penguins. The team is also out baiting traps at a Hawke's Bay farm w...
Growing future farmers from 2021-05-14T21:40
School leavers hankering for a career in sheep and beef farming now have the option of applying for a place in the new two-year, fees-free Growing Future Farmers programme that sees them t...
A Breath of Fresh Air from 2021-05-14T21:24
Auckland firm Lanaco was formed nearly a decade ago to help lift the value of New Zealand wool. It makes filters which can be used in anything from face masks and air conditioning units to...
Going out, giving back and getting help from 2021-05-14T21:14
Dairy farmer Sam Owen shares the tips that help him maintain his mental well-being.
Full Episode for Friday May 14 2021 from 2021-05-14T21:04
Country Life rounds up some school leavers learning about sheep and beef farming and a Waikato sharemilker shares his mental health story.
Striking it right in ?t?ne - taking croquet to the world from 2021-05-07T21:20
The game of croquet is taking off around the world and a small factory in rural Hawke's Bay is reaping the benefits. Wood Mallets produces polo sticks and croquet mallets and exports them ...
Country schoolchildren prepare to spread their wings from 2021-05-07T21:07
Country Life's guests this week are preparing for a big week in Wellington with schoolchildren who have only ever met online. The primary students are soon to leave their remote and rural ...
Battling Pines on Molesworth Station from 2021-04-30T21:40
Wilding pines are a huge problem on Molesworth Station, New Zealand's largest farm. We're out on a remote hillside with a gang of workers and their chainsaws. Many are new to the job inclu...
Always look on the bright cider life from 2021-04-30T21:20
Thirty varieties of cider apples are growing in Caroline and Alex Peckham's orchard in Upper Moutere. Fruit from the 6000 trees is transformed into sparkling cider in the orchard's cidery....
Just Kai – The Cook Islands from 2021-04-30T21:14
The Cook Island's Fresh Fish company lost 95 percent of its business when tourists stopped visiting. It supplied hotels and restaurants. Now fishers are back working thanks to a marketing ...
Full Episode for Friday April 30 2021 from 2021-04-30T21:03
Country Life is off to New Zealand's largest farm, Molesworth to check out work being done to control wilding pines. And looking on the bright cider life with a couple producing a beverage...
Just Kai - Fiji from 2021-04-24T16:44
A huge drop in tourists in Fiji due to the pandemic has meant growing your own food in Fiji is not only making a comeback, it's a matter of survival. About half of Fiji's population depend...
The blacksmith who wants to save his trade from 2021-04-24T11:20
Blacksmith Rob Pinkney has seen forge after forge close. He's now offering balcksmithing classes in the hope the craft can be saved.
Learning on the land from 2021-04-23T21:35
A circle of log seats placed around a fire will be one of the outdoor classrooms when the Motueka Steiner School moves onto its new farm campus in May. The school bought the 14 hectare blo...
A wrap of farming conditions around NZ from 2021-04-23T21:07
In the North Island many east coast regions are desperately short of rain, and elsewhere ground water levels are still low, while conditions in coastal Marlborough are beyond dire, and a d...
Full Episode for Friday April 23 2021 from 2021-04-23T21:04
Motueka Steiner School students have an outdoor classroom of log seats around a fire to look forward to when the school moves to its new farm campus in May. After years of planning, the fi...
A Roar Experience from 2021-04-16T21:40
Stags are roaring on Andrew Wellington's Waikato farm. It's an exhausting time of year for them - not only is it mating time but they're on patrol - constantly on the lookout for other sta...
Off the Grid and in the Wild from 2021-04-16T21:30
Levi Harrison has answered the call of nature. The modern hunter gatherer lives in the bush in Golden Bay with his partner Annika Korsten. They practice primitive living and are not only s...
Honest Wolf - accessories from the Turakina Valley from 2021-04-16T21:20
Sophie and Sam Hurley are turning some of their wool clip into bags, caps, wallets and laptop sleeves. They've been in business less than a year but orders are flying out the door - or rat...
Heartland Tractor Trek heads south from 2021-04-16T21:07
A group of tractor loving mates are driving their vintage Chamberlains around New Zealand to raise money for Heart Kids New Zealand. The charity provides essential support for families tha...
Country Life for 16 April 2021 from 2021-04-16T21:05
Deer farming in the roar, hunter gatherers who have honed their survival skills, an entrepreneurial farming couple who are now making caps and bags from their wool clip and the Regional Wr...
Spirits are up for maker of Blue Agave Tequilana Drink from 2021-04-09T21:38
Golden Bay is a long way from home for the Agave tequilana plant, a native of Latin America and most commonly found in Mexico. Terry Knight is growing several thousand of the succulents to...
Book details use of Coromandel granite in NZ landmarks from 2021-04-09T21:19
Lindsay Garmson has written a book on Coromandel's now defunct granite industry. Granite from Paritu Bay can be found in grand buildings throughout New Zealand and in most of our cemeterie...
Pesky Possum from 2021-04-09T21:07
Ben Stubbs killed 800 possums in his QE2 block just after Christmas. He earnt more for the fur from those animals than he did from his wool cheque off 2000 ewes. He says it makes you view ...
Full Episode for Friday April 9 2021 from 2021-04-09T21:04
Country Life this week talks to a man who's a mine of information about Coromandel's granite industry and meets an entrepreneur making tequila out of his own exotic plantings.
A Turning Tide from 2021-04-03T17:05
A small scale, commercial market gardening enterprise is feeding Raglan locals with a range of fresh vegetables.
Galloping on at Castlepoint from 2021-04-02T21:38
Last month thoroughbreds, station hacks and ponies were saddled up for the annual horse races at Castlepoint Beach. The races started back in 1872 and apart from wartime and stormy years w...
Just Kai - calling Tonga from 2021-04-02T21:19
Country Life has a new occasional series - Just Kai - where we catch up with farmers and growers in the Pacific to hear about what they are growing and how they are faring. Vea Takai's hus...
Full Episode for Friday April 2 2021 from 2021-04-02T21:07
In Country Life this week - paddock-to-plate in a Raglan market garden and a slice of the action from the Castlepoint Beach Races which have been going for nearly 150 years.
Grape crop on track for an excellent vintage from 2021-04-02T18:07
Will Bowman is part of the team that farms and ferments grapes at Black Estate's three organic vineyards in the Waipara Valley. He also makes his own wine from locally sourced grapes. His ...
An angel on the trail from 2021-03-27T15:15
Mary Nettle is what's known as a trail angel. She feeds and waters bikepackers on the 3000 kilometre Tour Aotearoa cycle ride from her travelling kiosk, raising funds for her local communi...
Happy to be farming hops from 2021-03-26T21:38
Harvesting is the busiest time of year for hop farmer Cameron Ealam and his extended family who are working from dawn to dusk picking, cleaning and drying several varieties of aromatic hop...
The 90s File - Richard Waugh from 2021-03-26T21:17
Twenty-eight-year-old Richard Waugh buys in 50 tonnes of waste vegetables each week to feed his herd.
Flooded Farms from 2021-03-26T21:07
New South Wales farmer Graham Forbes says stock have died and lots of milk has had to be spilled because of widespread flooding near his farm at Gloucester.
Country Life for 26 March 2021 from 2021-03-26T21:05
Flooded Farms; On the Farm - a wrap of farming conditions around NZ; The 90s File - Richard Waugh; An Angel on the Trail; Happy to be farming Hops.
Under Five Hundy - Hunterville from 2021-03-19T22:40
Seventy five percent of people who pass through Hunterville on State Highway 1 have not turned off into its main street. Those who do are often surprised. Hunterville has fewer than 440 re...
Lincoln graduate climbs ladder at Ng?i Tahu Farming from 2021-03-19T22:22
In just a few years, the 30-year-old Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year has gone from interning to running the show at Ng?i Tahu Farming's huge Te Whenua Hou dairy development in North Cante...
A Legacy for NZ Wine - inside the Bragato Research Institute from 2021-03-19T22:17
The Bragato Research Institute has just celebrated a year since its opening. Winegrowers and those in the wine supply chain can have their products and technology tested at the shiny new l...
Country Life for 19 March 2021 from 2021-03-19T22:05
On the Farm - a wrap of farming conditions around NZ; A Legacy for NZ Wine - inside the Bragato Research Institute; Lincoln graduate climbs ladder at Ng?i Tahu Farming; Under Five Hundy - ...
Cropping's in the blood for Canterbury farmers from 2021-03-12T22:40
The running of a mid-Canterbury cropping farm has transitioned from father to son, but it's still hard for Syd Worsfold to step back and watch Earl take over the reins of the family's Gree...
A Fellow called Fencer Fred from 2021-03-12T22:17
Fencer Fred has spent nearly three decades lugging farm posts and number 8 wire to out of the way spots to build and repair the vital infrastructure needed to keep stock in place on the fa...
A Side Hustle in Saffron from 2021-03-12T22:17
Haley Heathwaite was looking for something "a bit different and a challenge" when deciding on a crop of her own to grow alongside her job with a Gisborne seed company. She chose saffron, t...
Few takers for safety subsidy from 2021-03-12T22:07
Of the 35,000 farmers and businesses eligible to access a subsidy for crush protection devices for quad bikes, only 270 have taken it up.
Doubling Up at Te Whare Ra from 2021-03-05T22:40
At Te Whare Ra vineyard in Marlborough the Flowerdays grow seven different varieties of grape on 11 hectares and some of their vines are the oldest in the region - planted back in the 1970...
Championing Climate Change from 2021-03-05T22:15
Fraser McGougan is an Eastern Bay of Plenty dairy farmer. He is the new chair of the Dairy NZ backed Climate Change Ambassadors group - 13 dairy farmers from properties throughout New Zeal...
Blooming Better - nursery buoyed by Covid flower sales from 2021-03-05T22:15
The Aromaunga Baxters Flowers nursery in Heathcote, Christchurch sits right above the point where the earthquake struck on 22 February 2011. The greenhouses on the steep slopes of the Port...
Full Episode for Friday March 5 2021 from 2021-03-05T22:03
On Country Life tonight, a family owned nursery is buoyed by Covid flower sales as earthquake repairs continue at the Port Hills property, two sets of twin girls have not held back two win...
A coast to coast adventure for at-risk youth from 2021-02-26T22:40
The 180 Degrees Trust runs youth development programmes for at risk young people in Canterbury. The biggest event on its calendar is the Southern Alps Traverse, a gruelling, character-buil...
New grower on the block from 2021-02-26T22:30
Waitatapia Station's Hew Darlymple says he's been surprised at the intensity of growing fresh vegies. "It's relentless, absolutely relentless." Cabbages, broccoli and cauliflower are now g...
Birds vs Birds from 2021-02-26T22:15
Gisborne Grape grower James Millton encourages territorial birds to visit his vineyards during the harvest in the hope they'll see off others intent on pecking his grapes.
Irish shearer Enda Bradley from 2021-02-26T22:07
Country Life's guest this week is Irish shearer Enda Bradley, one of the foreign agricultural workers who've been allowed into New Zealand during the pandemic to plug gaps in the labour ma...
Full Episode for Friday February 26 2021 from 2021-02-26T22:03
A Coast to Coast Adventure for at Risk Youth, growing vegies in Rangitikei, controlling birds on vineyards, foreigner worker shearing and the Regional Wrap.
Miro - Bringing jobs home from 2021-02-19T22:40
Miro is a collective of M?ori businesses, trusts, wh?nau, hap? and iwi growing blueberries on M?ori-owned land to increase its productivity and create jobs.
Champion Pollinators buzzing for Winter Break from 2021-02-19T22:30
The drop in honey prices has prompted Kirwee bee keeper Glynn Cleaver to focus on pollination services rather than honey collection. This week Glynn has been collecting his hives from crop...
Memories from Colville from 2021-02-19T22:15
Les Ward's family arrived in the northern Coromandel Peninsula in the late 1890's having no idea of how challenging life on the land there would be - then and now.
Full Episode for Friday February 19 2021 from 2021-02-19T22:03
On Country Life tonight, Growing blueberries on Maori-owned land .... and the drop in honey prices has prompted Kirwee bee keeper Glynn Cleaver to focus on pollination services rather than...
Banking on hemp becoming mainstream from 2021-02-12T22:35
Jamie Engelbrecht was born and bred on a sheep and beef property in Waimate then studied farm management at Lincoln University. He quit his job recently as an ASB rural manager to focus on...
Trees, Trees, Trees from 2021-02-12T22:25
Willy and Kelsi Haenga's Gisborne-based business, FarmCare, is plugging a gap helping busy farmers plant trees to keep waterways clean and stop erosion.
A Rabbiting Life from 2021-02-12T22:15
Max Nelson is one of the last of the old-time rabbiters who fought plagues of rabbits in places like the back country stations of Marlborough. He worked for Awatere Rabbit Board in the 196...
Full Episode for Friday February 12 2021 from 2021-02-12T22:03
On Country Life tonight, an old-time rabbiter shares stories of his life fighting the rabbit plague on Molesworth Station and Cosmo talks to Jamie Engelbrecht who quit his bank job to focu...
Mustering at Molesworth from 2021-02-05T22:34
For the musterers at Molesworth Station, it's an early start to beat the heat. Josh, Duncan, Connell and Liam are moving the cattle during the mating season. Country Life spends a day with...
The Dream Team: Jess, David and Bronwyn Hill from 2021-02-05T22:20
A Raglan dairy farming family set up a wee milk bottling plant three years ago. They produced 30 litres of drinking milk a week and delivered it to local customers. Now they bottle and del...
Calling all Young Farmers from 2021-02-05T22:07
The FMG Young Farmer of the Year competition is back says New Zealand Young Farmers CEO Lynda Coppersmith. The 2020 season was cancelled for the first time in the contest's 52 year history...
Full Episode for Friday February 5 2021 from 2021-02-05T22:05
Country Life is out with musterers on horseback at Molesworth Station, New Zealand's largest farm and demand is soaring for milk from a small Raglan farm.
Shedding sheep hot under hammer from 2021-01-29T22:30
Bidding was competitive at the Mt Cass Station Wiltshire Sheep Sale in North Canterbury. Nearly 3500 sheep reached higher than expected prices at Andrew and Sara Heard's farm and were sold...
Pandemic has silver lining for Marlborough wine from 2021-01-29T22:16
People hunkering down in pandemic-hit US and UK - major markets for Marlborough wine - has meant a lift in sales of wine from New Zealand's largest wine growing region.
Checking Cherries from 2021-01-29T22:07
Fionnuala Reynolds has spent the summer checking the quality of cherries coming off trees in Alexandra.
Country Life for 29 January 2021 from 2021-01-29T22:05
Wine sales lift after people staying at home in the US and UK reach for a bottle from Marlborough, one look at a log and wood worker Greg Taylor knows what he should make from it, wool-les...