Country Life

Kaipara farmer Stephen Newman is intent on improving soils and pasture in low cost, natural ways. He's now helping others too and hopes these methods will become even more useful as the country experiences more and more intense weather events like flooding, heavy rainfall and drought. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . You can find our previo...

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

The gloom and wet of winter is especially challenging for Southland's farms where pasture can go for nearly a third of the year without growth. Country Life heads south to find out how to keep paddocks and stock in good nick. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Karl Erikson and Brad Thomas, Environment Southland Go to this epis...

This week Country Life takes you to a dairy farm with a difference, supplying milk direct to the customer, and the team checks in at a lab where work is underway to stop a tiny pest munching through grapevines. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . In this episode: 0:43- One year, one hospital, one community 8:01 - On the Farm: a wrap of conditi...

It's a busy time of year for Stacey Faith, calving 300-plus cows, rearing their calves and keeping the Faith Farm's roadside milk dispensing outlet going, providing locals with milk fresh from the cows over the fence - with the cream on top. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . In this episode: 0:16 - Faith Farm Fresh 3:44 - Raw milk direct to...

Are some grapevines better that others at naturally defending themselves from a disease-spreading pest? Michelle Thompson is running trials at Plant & Food Research in Lincoln to find out. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Michelle Thompson, Plant and Food Research Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

With rural health care under the spotlight, our guest this week sheds some light on working in a small country hospital. Sophia Zohrab is among 12 med students on Auckland University's rural medicine immersion programme, sprinkled around North Island towns. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . With thanks to: Sophia Zohrab Go to this episode on...

Country Life speaks to farmers and growers around New Zealand to find out about growing conditions over the past month. 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 details

This week Country Life takes you to a farm grazing pigs and cattle beneath solar panels and meets organic honey producers Shayne and Elizabeth Mackenzie, and a recent Lincoln University graduate. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . In this episode: 0:44 - An update on Tasman 2:22 - Rural News Wrap 7:32 - Connecting people 'from the land&#...

Dual land use, with pigs and cattle grazing under solar panels, has unlocked new opportunities for Waitangi Farm in Waiuku. Mostly importantly say Nigel and Merrin Upchurch, it aligns with their values. You can find photos and read more about this episode on our webpage, here . In this episode: 0:16 - Feeding time at Waitangi Farm 5:03 - Homecoming and an ecologist's 'classroom' 9:1...

A honey shed on a hill is buzzing with the sound of honey flowing into jars as the bees take a hard-earned rest from honey making. Country Life meets Shayne and Elizabeth Mackenzie whose organic honey is produced from hives scattered over remote parts of the northern Coromandel peninsula. You can find photos and read more about this episode on our webpage, here . You can learn more about Woodland&...

Time spent helping his grandparents on their whenua near Kāwhia inspired a love of farming for Harris Moana. Having just finished his Agribusiness studies he's now focussed on building his reo so he can act as a bridge between industry and tangata whenua. With thanks to: Harris Moana Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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

This week producer Cosmo Kentish-Barnes is in his wet weather gear in the Tasman district meeting farmers and other rural residents, still battered and bruised from one catastrophic weather event, staring down the barrel of another deluge. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode here . In this episode: 0.38 News wrap 6.20 Tasman's rural resilience tested by back-to...

As a second weather bomb lashed the Tasman region, Cosmo Kentish-Barnes was on the ground with farmers and rural people, still battered and bruised from the first flood and staring down the barrel of another deluge. You can find photos and read more here . Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

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

This week Country Life follows the trail of food scraps from the table to farms with the City to Farm project north of Auckland, meets two young farming-focused youngsters at the top of their game, and dips into the archives to head to a working farm dog sale. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . In this episode: Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz...

Food scraps from retirement villages and schools are helping to nourish a banana orchard and other farms via the City to Farm project, which aims to keep organic waste out of landfill and help curb climate change. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . Find out more about the City to Farm project here . Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more de...

A dip into the archives when Cosmo Kentish-Barnes attended the 64th annual Ashburton cattle and sheep dog sale to find out what these hard-working dogs are worth. 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 details

Rangiora High School students John Lundy and Harry Parish were awarded one of New Zealand's top primary sector accolades at last weekend's FMG Junior Young Farmer of the Year Grand Final in Southland. 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 details

A wrap of news from the rural news desk Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week Country Life returns to a vegetable farm to see whether it's radical plan to feed the community is working and looks at plans for plastic waste on farm. And the team meet a animal advocate who has turned her rural property in North Canterbury into a haven for rescued farm animals. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . In this episode:...

Sharlene Wilson has turned her rural property in North Canterbury into a haven for rescued farm animals who find healing, freedom and a place to truly belong. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . In this episode: 0:12 - Animals of all shapes and sizes 4:38 - In search of a new home 9:40 - Meet Marshmallow 13:48 - Volunteers With thanks to: Shar...

Crooked Vege's pay-what-you-can model for its vege boxes may have been a radical idea two years ago but it's plan seems to be working. The small farm has had its challenges, though. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . If you'd like to support Crooked Vege's fundraiser, go to their website Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more deta...

Agrecovery's seen huge growth in the 20 years it's been operating, with those in the primary sector looking for new ways to recycle on-farm plastic. "We know the farmers and growers are wanting solutions." You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here . You can learn more about Agrecovery, here . And for more information about the proposed regulations, se...