RNZ: Country Life

This week Country Life is in Marlborough's back country on Molesworth Station, we check out the sale action at the Feilding saleyards and learn more about Chinese mooncakes, or suncakes as one gardener views them.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:30 - Mooncakes under a southern sun4:37 - Rural News Wrap8:47 - The 'big money' changing hands at the Feilding saleyards24:41 - From the Archive: Mustering at MolesworthWith thanks to guests:David RuanEric LinklaterJim WardMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

It's an early start for the musterers at Molesworth Station. The bulls are out with the cows for the mating season and everyone needs to beat the heat. Country Life producer Sally Round spent a day with the stockmen, the farmer and the cook, peeling back some of the mystique of New Zealand's most famous farm. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to:Jim WardGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Global demand for red meat is driving strong prices for sheep and cattle, some of the best former Feilding farmer Eric Linklater has seen in over 20 years of guiding tours at the local saleyards. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.You can find more about the tours, here.With thanks to:Eric LinklaterGo 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

David Ruan says the colourful vegetables growing in his garden are like little cakes relying on the sun for energy, hence the name Suncakes Gardens. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to:David RuanGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week Country Life is inside one of Fonterra's large dairy plants and meets a Canterbury farming couple making beautiful wool coats from their family's flock.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:38 - On the Farm8:13 - The art of the auction14:35 - The high-tech dairy hub feeding China's sweet tooth31:06 - The Clip: Wool to WearWith thanks to guests:Alex StewartMatt SmithCharlotte and Hamish Bell, The ClipMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Driven by a desire to find a pure New Zealand wool coat, and to find more use for the bales of wool sitting idle in the shearing shed, Charlotte Bell started her fashion business The Clip. She and husband Hamish farm in Hakataramea Valley in Canterbury You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to guests:Charlotte and Hamish Bell, The ClipMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A growing taste for pastries, cakes and dairy-topped drinks in China and southeast Asia is fuelling demand for New Zealand-made cream cheese. Country Life takes a tour of Fonterra's high-tech factory at Darfied to see how it's made. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to guests:Matt SmithGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Feilding livestock agent and saleyards auctioneer Alex Stewart on breaking into an old man's game, human calculators and conducting the sale. With thanks to guests:Alex StewartGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A wrap of conditions on farms and orchards around the country.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 meets a couple who've had a lifetime on the same farm, and some newcomers to the truffle industry, and the team also talk fitness with a farming-focused physiotherapist. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:00 - 0:00 - 0:00 - 0:00 - With thanks to guests:Storm Baynes-RyanIan and Pam BuckinghamLance and Nikki Dodd, and IndieMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Indie has just finished her first harvest as a truffle hunter, showing outstanding skills for a pup. Her owners have just finished their first harvest too and are relishing life on the land after years searching for a place to call home. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to guests:Lance and Nikki Dodd, and IndieMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Farmer Ian Buckingham was born at Lansdown Farm at Hook near Waimate 85 years ago and he's never left. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.Ian and Pam BuckinghamGo 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

Constant wet weather on hilly Te Tai Rāwhiti farms has led to an uptick in injuries among farmers there. Our guest this week, physiotherapist-cum-farmer Storm Baynes-Ryan, gives in-paddock advice to help them recover, stay strong and keep fit. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to guests:Storm Baynes-RyanGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week Country Life delves into the world of the harakeke plant and its many uses - from fashion to paper - and finds out about skincare products made from wool. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:46 - Romene: From sheep to sheet mask6:35 - Rural News Wrap13:33 - Huhana Smith - artist, scholar, activist and farmer28:38 - The many lessons of the pā harakekeWith thanks to guests:Megan Seator, RomeneHuhana SmithMarilyn and Marty Vreede, PakoheMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Whanganui couple Marilyn and Marty Vreede have been making paper from leftover harakeke from the district's many weavers. Between processing the strong fibre and making sheets of paper, they also help revitalise te reo Māori. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.You can find more about Pakohe, here.In this episode:0:21 - Meet Marilyn and Marty Vreede1:33 - Their love story through te reo6:10 - Harakeke paper making9:30 - Working with weavers14:20 - Making the half-stuffWith thanks to:Marilyn and Marty VreedeMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Huhana Smith grows olives, fruit and harakeke on six hectares of land at Kuku north of Wellington. It's a productive testing ground for growing healthy food and, potentially, a sustainable fashion industry. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to:Huhana SmithGo 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

Southland sheep farmer Megan Seator is unravelling new uses for Romney's strong wool in a range of skincare products. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here. You can find more about Romene, here.With thanks to:Megan SeatorGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week Country Life bids farewell to long-time producer Cosmo Kentish-Barnes who shares some of the magic moments he's had covering the South Island beat over nearly two decades. The team's also in the calving shed, and meeting a young entrepreneur who stumbled on shoelaces as a way of helping lift the profile of wool. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:00 - Treading Lightly - shoelaces made from sheep and salad0:00 - Flat out calving but the robots are on the job0:00 - Tracks Well Travelled: Cosmo Kentish-Barnes Leaves His Mark on Country LifeWith thanks to guests:Jacob SmithDan SchatsCosmo Kentish-BarnesMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

After 17 years Country Life's South Island producer is signing off from RNZ. Cosmo Kentish-Barnes' farewell feature is a rich tapestry of voices and stories, woven from some of the 600 recordings he's captured, edited and shared with listeners over the years. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With best wishes and huge thanks to:Cosmo Kentish-BarnesGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

It's all go in the calving shed, but with tech doing the heavy lifting, dairy farmer Dan Schat has time for a yarn about the cold, the costs, and the season so far. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to:Dan SchatGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Meet Jacob Smith, the 21-year-old turning wool and veggie scraps into fashion-forward biodegradable shoelaces. It started as a university project and has turned into a commercial venture sourcing wool directly from New Zealand farmers and using vegetable-based dyes. With strong wool struggling to find a market, his mission is to add real value to the product. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to:Jacob SmithGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week Country Life is on a nighttime nature walk in the Bay of Plenty alongside a young conservationist with a passion for bugs, meets Te Horo's backyard builders on a fledgling trapping project and revisits a North Canterbury farm where native trees are making a comeback, all in celebration of Conservation Week. 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

After a lifetime of working to clear land, Chris Bolderston is rewilding parts of his sheep and beef farm in North Canterbury. This story was first broadcast in September 2024.You can find photos and read more about this story here.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Showing off bugs under torchlight is just one of Jack Karetai-Barret's extra curricular activities. The 15-year-old takes Country Life on a night walk through the bush on the trail of wildlife, showing what it's like to be a volunteer on Whakatāne's kiwi conservation project. 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 conditions on farms and orchards around the countryYou 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 garage in Te Horo is buzzing as backyard builders make traps for a predator-free zone from the beach to the hills.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 on Country Life, Kiwi and Aussie dairy farmers gather in Leeston to explore regenerative, low-input farming methods aimed at improving sustainability and profitability, and a look at the ancient skill of using a scythe with a Coromandel woman who's encouraging others to take up the sharp-bladed tools. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:46 - Rural News Wrap5:51 - Green brew benefits for livestock emissions14:03 - Could old-school tools change how we garden?28:26 - Symposium reflects shift in dairy farmingWith thanks to guests:Peter Ralph, University of Technology SydneyBryan Innes, Beth and Joanna PearsallChloë Dear, Sue Cuberworth, Deane Parker, Chris Hibbert, and Kate Mirams, Dairy's Regenerative Transition SymposiumMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

More than 70 farmers, researchers and advisors from New Zealand and Australia gathered in Leeston, to share lessons on low-input, regenerative dairy practices - swapping science, stories and solutions for farming's future. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.You can find more about the symposium, here.With thanks to:Chloë Dear, Sue Cuberworth, Deane Parker, Chris Hibbert, and Kate Mirams.Make sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Beth Pearsall wants to revive the ancient skill of scything. She loves swishing the sharp-bladed tool through her own garden and holds workshops to teach others about the scythe and its uses. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to:Bryan Innes, Beth and Joanna PearsallGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney and brewers at Young Henrys are using algae to remove carbon dioxide from the brewing process, which can then be fed to livestock to help cut down methane emissions. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to:Peter Ralph, University of Technology SydneyGo 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 Country Life learns more about a dairy alternative made from barley and how farm life influences a Waitaki illustrator's work. The team also revisits a Cambridge farming family using regenerative agriculture to finish sheep and cattle they process for their butchery, Wholly Cow.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:37 - Creamy, sustainable and high in fibre - barley eyes up the dairy aisle9:33 - Rural News Wrap17:16 - From gumboots to storybooks - Farming with a twist of magic29:19 - Wholly Cow: Cambridge butcher's childhood dream come trueWith thanks to guests:Dr Gert-Jan Moggré, Plant and Food ResearchEmma Nowell, EJV DesignLuke, Tom and Carrie Andrews of Wholly Cow and FlockMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Andrews family has gone from selling farm-raised meats at the Cambridge Farmers' Market to running their own butchery, adding a micro-abattoir, tannery and tallow production to complete the whole. You can find photos and read more about this episode on our webpage, here.You can also listen back to when we first met the family here.In this episode:0:20 - Luke takes us round Wholly Cow4:41 - Paddock to plate7:38 - We meet Tom and Carrie back at the farm9:33 - From tallow to tannery14:05 - The micro-abattoir and a regenerative approachWith thanks to:Luke, Tom and Carrie Andrews of Wholly Cow and FlockMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Emma Nowell transforms life on the land into art, children's stories and games, while keeping the farm and family at the heart of it all. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to guests:Emma Nowell, EJV DesignGo 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

A new barley, bred for high fibre and low waste, is being turned into milk and yoghurt - a sustainable alternative with benefits for farmers and big potential in the global dairy-free market. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.With thanks to guests:Dr Gert-Jan Moggré, Plant and Food ResearchGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

This week Country Life learns more about a woman trialling growing rice at her home in Nelson, we check in with dog trainer Chris and his young star Miley one last time and we take a look back through the archives to revisit the battle for the West Coast's top rugby prize, the Woodham Shield.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:40 - Rural News Wrap6:22 - Here Now: Yuki Fukuda's trials with rice10:23 - Miley the Huntaway's a 'main act' now25:02 - From the Archive: Mud and bloodWith thanks to:Dr Yuki FukudaChris Shaw and Miley the HuntawayMake sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A trip to the archives where tradition meets passion as four South Westland teams compete for the region's foremost rugby prize, the Woodham Shield. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.You can find photos from the day, here.Make sure you're following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don't miss new episodes every Friday evening.Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.Send us your feedback or get in touch at country@rnz.co.nzGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

For the past year, Country Life has been in the yards or out in the paddock watching Wairarapa dog triallist Chris Shaw train up his latest working dog, Miley - a young Huntaway that's got that "X-factor". You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.Revisit our first meeting with Chris and Miley to see what progress she has made.You can also find previous training sessions to track her progress, here and here.With thanks to:Chris Shaw and Miley the HuntawayGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details