Country Life

Hops from a Wellington brewery, cotton offcuts from a fashion label and forestry slash has turned Matt Welton into a bit of a Heath Robinson. His first job was collecting scrap metal in London's East End and after careers as a prison officer and cartographer, he has come full circle, this time turning the organic waste he collects into biochar for farmers and growers on his Akatarawa property. You...

A look inside the Hokonui Moonshine Museum where the manufacture of this legendary spirit continues in the modern day. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . You can learn more about the Hokonui Moonshine Museum and Distillery, here . With thanks to: Jim Geddes Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A round up of news from RNZ's rural news team You can find more from RNZ's rural news team, here . Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Underground Festival organiser Fran Bailey chats with Anisha Satya about the idea, the execution, and what makes it different from other farming forums. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Fran Bailey, Underground Festival Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Too many grapes, international headwinds and a dramatic drop in drinkers is proving problematic for our wine producers. Perfect growing conditions for grapes at a time when demand for wine is dropping is likely to result in more fruit left on the vine again this harvest Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ   Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Country Life gets the latest on the beef market and cherry harvest, learns how pairing solar and horticulture could help with growing and joins one of Pāmu’s young apprentices on a King Country farm. Follow Country Life on your favourite podcast platform or listen on the RNZ website. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . In this episode: 0:41 -...

A look at how Clyde Orchard's recent cherry and stonefruit harvest has gone and a tour of a new purpose built accommodation for its RSE workers. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . You can learn more about Clyde Orchards, here . With thanks to: Kris Robb and Mike Mangau Make sure you’re following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don’t...

Archie's 17 and an apprentice to Micky, champion shearer and Pāmu farm manager on King Country sheep and beef farm Te Wharua. We head out mustering and Archie shows how he's working with his whistle and his dogs. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Archie Davidson and Alan MacDonald, Pāmu Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for mor...

Growing crops alongside solar farming is a new field for New Zealand, so researchers here have been analysing studies of these sorts of systems around the world. Dr Pieter-Willem Hendriks from the research team at Lincoln University spoke to Sally Round. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Pieter-Willem Hendriks Go to this epis...

A wrap of the week's news from the primary sector. You can find more from RNZ's rural news team, here . Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A little bit of luck as well as good management is behind our guest's entry into the roaring beef market. Craig Pickens has been farming in King Country since 2005 and his present farm, Waimiha, has gone through some changes, lately the move to finishing beef cattle. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Craig Pickens Go to this...

This week the Country Life team takes you riverside to find out about an unusual ferry which has been running for 130 years, they delve into the science of insect vibrations which may be a way of protecting crops, and getting a taste of Americana at Burkes Pass. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . Make sure you’re following us on your favourit...

Producer Mark Leishman goes on a personal journey to Burkes Pass, a place with deep family ties. A fire in the 1990s destroyed most of the Burkes Pass Hotel run by his grandparents and has been replaced by a replica 1950s Americana village complete with its own "Pin Up Queen". You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz...

Researchers from the Bioeconomy Science Institute are investigating whether they can apply the vibrations of insects to disrupt pests in the greenhouse. Our Changing World's Claire Concannon heads along to the tomato growing greenhouse where they're trialling the use of biotremology. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . Go to this episode on rn...

The southern hemisphere's only still operational river ferry celebrates 130 years. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . You can find more about the punt, here . With thanks to: Tom Jones Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A wrap of the week's news from the primary sector. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Country Life is back for 2026 with a classic tale of the bush, bullocks and camp ovens at an old woolshed in King Country. The team check in on a forest growing wood into products for Ikea and find out how farmers can make the most of the demand from international tourists for a taste of life on the farm. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . In...

Old-timer Lew Pickens' passions hark back to his days clearing land in Northland - camp oven cooking and driving bullock teams. He has a woolshed full of early tools and farming machines on the farm now run by son Craig. He is keenly aware that his stories, culture, traditions and old ways will be lost when he, and a few like him, are gone. You can find photos and read more about the stories in th...

Ingka Investments, the parent company of furniture giant Ikea, now owns 30,000 hectares of forestry in Aotearoa. It's first purchase saw the conversion of Wisp Hill Station in southern Otago from farmland to timber production forestry. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Josh Cairns, Southern Forests Go to this episode on rnz.c...

Agritourism NZ's Marijke Dunselman outlines how farmers and growers can take advantage of growing global demand for authentic experiences on the farm. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Marijke Dunselman, Agritourism NZ Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A wrap of conditions on farms and orchards around the country. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Country Life heads to an arboretum where dozens of different types of trees are grown, including a few for Christmas. We travel up the Whanganui River on the rural mail run, delivering a few early Christmas presents and go behind the scenes of a family-run berry orchard in King Country to see what it takes to bring summer berries from the orchard to the Christmas dinner table. Go to this episode o...

The Roy family all pitch in getting berries from orchard to Christmas plate over the festive season. They have been growing berries in Piopio for more than three decades, and nearly all are sold from the farmgate. We go behind the scenes of the Christmas berry rush. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more d...

Rural postie Tracy Marshall takes visitors along her mail delivery route which winds along the Whanganui River. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Tracy Marshall, Original Mail Tour Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

"You can come here and see nearly every type of forestry system that can be applied," Blair Jamieson says of Tāmata Hauhā's demonstration farm near Palmerston North. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Blair Jamieson, Tāmata Hauhā Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details