Podcasts about Country Life

This week's episode discusses a two-hundred-year-old fable about coon hunting in Arkansas and a seemingly impossible task. The lessons are flying around like the monkeys in The Wizard of Oz. Get comfortable and check out what's happening on MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Country Life is with blade shearers from around the world in a woolshed in Tinui and immersed in the many attractions of the tiny community of Duntroon. Sir Charles Godfray is the show's guest talking about how food systems will have to change in the face of global warming. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

When you are in the thick of raising children, it can feel overwhelming to sort through expectations, opinions, and the daily logistics of family life. In this conversation, Jennifer shares what nearly three decades of motherhood have taught her about choosing peace in each season, homeschooling at your own pace, navigating special needs with a focus on progress, and letting go of unnecessary pressure. This episode offers perspective and encouragement for building a peaceful family culture that reflects your unique family. In this episode, we cover: - Introducing Jennifer's family of seven children ranging from 28 to 12 years old, life on a Wisconsin cranberry farm, and decades of homeschooling - What no one tells you about having a wide age range of children and the surprising gift of older kids becoming your “allies” in family life - How perspective shifts as children grow up, get married, and start families of their own, and why the years truly do move faster than you think - Letting go of early motherhood pressures about tidy homes, perfect routines, and outside expectations in order to create a peaceful family culture - Rethinking homeschool success through the lens of progress over grade levels, especially when navigating special needs - Practical rhythms for homeschooling multiple children with different abilities without doing everything at the same time - The freedom that comes with age and experience—why comparison loses its grip and confidence grows over time - Overthinking in modern motherhood, the pressure to “get it right” the first time, and permission to change your mind as you grow - What it's actually like to become a young grandmother while still raising children at home and how that dynamic reshapes family life - Embracing the evolving nature of family seasons instead of trying to control or predict them View full show notes on the blog + watch this episode on YouTube. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make this show possible! RESOURCES MENTIONED Master the rhythm of sourdough with confidence in my Simple Sourdough course Gain the sewing knowledge and skills every homemaker needs in my Simple Sewing series Keep all my favorite sourdough recipes at your fingertips in my Daily Sourdough cookbook CONNECT Jennifer of A Country Life | Website | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook Lisa Bass of Farmhouse on Boone | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Pinterest

Novelist, biographer, journalist and writer Justine Picardie joins the Country Life Podcast to talk about her life in fashion and journalism, her writing, and her close encounters with the Royal Family — including the day she found herself in a remote Scottish bothy, helping the late Queen Elizabeth II clean up after lunch.Subscribe to the Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the Country Life podcast on SpotifySubscribe to the Country Life podcast on AudibleJustine's also talks about her latest book, Fashioning The Crown (Faber, £25), which is published on February 26, 2026 — you can order a copy here.In the research and writing, she was afforded extraordinary access to the Royal Archives, including the Queen's wardrobe itself — and Justine shares with James some of the most extraordinary insights, including her timeless style, her practicality, and her savvy adoption of bright colours as colour television became widespread. Many of the outfits she wore 'would have looked as perfect today as they would have 100 years ago,' Justine says.It's a fascinating episode — we hope you enjoy listening as much as we enjoyed recording it.Episode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Justine PicardieEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For the past several weeks, Brent's been hitting the road from Tennessee to Pennsylvania as a goodwill ambassador, and meeting people from all over the eastern half of the country. We get the hunt and sports show stops, but guest lecturing at the University of Tennessee? What were they thinking? Pull up a chair and find out for yourself. It's time for MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Country Life heads to Waipara for the Underground Festival, looks at the tradition of whiskey making in Southland and meets a biochar-maker north of Wellington. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:41 - A festival for farmers7:50 - Rural News Wrap14:50 - Moonshine matriarch: Southland's tradition of distilling Scottish whisky28:13 - Turning brewery gunk and forest junk into something good for the soilWith thanks to:Fran Bailey, Underground FestivalJim Geddes, Hokonui Moonshine Museum and DistilleryMatthew Welton and Tania PaioMake 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

Is it worth the effort? That's the question that many people might ask themselves as they stand in the doorway of a knackered old house in the Cotswolds, wondering whether to buy it and start renovating.For Jim Chapman, author, illustrator, presenter, occasional model, fashionable dad and social media star, the answer was ‘yes'. And so began the year-long (and still ongoing) odyssey of transformation, as he gives up a life in London, moves his family to rural England, and starts ripping out walls.Subscribe to the Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the Country Life podcast on SpotifySubscribe to the Country Life podcast on AudibleJim is famed for sharing his life on social media and this renovation is just one chapter of a story that began online all the way back in 2010. In 2010, YouTube was a website to watch your favourite music videos, or compilations of people falling over. It was a simpler, more sinister time. Jim was one of the first to realise that it could and would become something greater, documenting his life, his hobbies and his family. That idea has turned into a following of more than 7 million across multiple platforms. In other words, you might not know who he is, but your kids definitely do.But while the world of YouTube might be an alien one to us, the one of rural home renovation certainly isn't. James Fisher talks to Jim about everything from what inspired the move, the benefits of leaving city life, do's and don'ts when tearing apart a house and putting it back together again, what's worth doing yourself and what's best left to the experts, and how not to flood a room. Is it worth it? A year in, and just a few days from moving in, Jim certainly thinks soEpisode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Jim ChapmanEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many of us getting our children and the younger members of our family outdoors is a priority. How we get them outside and what we do once they're there can set the stage for how they view that experience for years to come. Brent's sharing a listener's story along that theme. Brent's also offering his own thoughts how he handled getting his own children outside; what he did right and maybe what he could've done better. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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:0:00 - A yarn on the farm with beef farmer Craig Pickens0:00 - Rural News Wrap0:00 - New study into growing crops under solar panels0:00 - Growing a farmer - Archie's life as a Pāmu apprentice0:00 - Central Otago a fruitgrower's cherry pickWith thanks to:Craig PickensPieter-Willem HendriksArchie Davidson and Alan MacDonaldKris Robb and Mike Mangau, Clyde OrchardsMake 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

From a listener's story about passing down the appreciation for wild things to Brent's first solo squirrel hunt, this week's This Country Life is sure to be one of your favorites. As a bonus, the recipe of how Brent's mama fried all the squirrels she nor his dad would eat is in here along with the reason why neither one would partake. Get the grease hot! We've got squirrels to fry. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 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

For as long as he can remember, the writer and illustrator Aidan Meighan has been inspired by Nature. His early exploits might not have been entirely welcomed by those around him — collecting and storing slugs and snails in a cupboard at school, and stashing a dead adder in a drawer at his parents' home — but they paved the way for a career illustrating the beauty of the natural world, both in words and pictures.Subscribe to the Country Life podcast on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to the Country Life podcast on SpotifySubscribe to the Country Life podcast on AudibleWe're delighted, then, that with his new book The Folklore of Trees about to appear, Aidan came to join James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast. He talks about some of the 36 varieties of tree that he discusses in his book, the creative freedom of working as both writer and illustrator on a project, and how trees have left their mark on human history — not least in the form of the hill in Rome that owes its existence to the Ancient Roman habit of discarding empty olive oil containers. 'We absolutely could not survive without trees,' says Aidan, 'but trees would easily prosper, if not flourish, without us.. They're like guardians, arboreal guardians, to us, and I really think we ought to show them respect.' Episode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Aidan MeighanEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's no secret that snow and ice can disrupt the lives of people who don't get a lot of it. Brent's no different, and it may affect him more than most. He's snowed in at his studio and talking about a smorgasbord of things today that may or may not go together. You'll just have to listen and see what we mean. It's random stories time on MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 this episode:0:44 - On The Farm8:25 - Growing demand for on-farm fun from international tourists18:09 - Ikea owner's first New Zealand forest: 'Timber production first and foremost'31:00 - Camp ovens, bullockies and other tales from the bushWith thanks to:Marijke Dunselman, Agritourism NZJosh Cairns, Southern ForestsLew, Julie and Craig Pickens, and Julie TannneauMake 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

Growing up in the country meant playing outside by the creek, catching lightning bugs and eating the honey from honeysuckles! So many great memories!

Tom Hilder was born to a life in the country. Born in rural Scotland but raised in Hampshire, he went through school always thinking – and being told — that he needed to find a life, and a career, out in the countryside, working with his hands.A chance meeting with a lecturer at Sparsholt College changed his life for good, and put him on a pathway to become (deep breath) the 'Senior Nature-Based Solutions Officer — Practical Delivery' at the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. It's comfortably the longest job title of anyone who's yet joined James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast, but the aim is clear: to make the world around us a better, greener place.Tom talks to James about his life, how he ended up working in the field (literally), and the challenges he's faced — from Shetland ponies and landowners suspicious of his tender years to the 'charismatic adders' found on Hook Common, in north Hampshire.You can find out more about the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust here, and to nominate someone for the 2026 edition of the award Tom won, visit the Schoffel Countryside Awards website. Episode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Tom HilderEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Brent's trying his hand at competition gumbo cooking. He and his friends from the Cache Bayou Hound and Mallard Club have entered a gumbo cooking contest. If it was a gumbo eating contest they'd win easily but it's not. Do they have the right stuff to come out on top, you'll have to listen and find out for yourself. He's also sharing a listener story about the perils of extreme cold weather duck hunting that could've ended tragically and almost did. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot talk with Phil Manzanera, the guitarist behind Roxy Music and a prolific record producer whose career spans more than five decades. The hosts also pay tribute to Bob Weir of Grateful Dead.Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3sivr9TBecome a member on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3slWZvcSign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3eEvRnGMake a donation via PayPal: https://bit.ly/3dmt9lUSend us a Voice Memo: Desktop: bit.ly/2RyD5Ah Mobile: sayhi.chat/soundops Featured Songs:Roxy Music, "If There Is Something," Roxy Music, Island and Reprise, 1972The Grateful Dead, "Sugar Magnolia," American Beauty, Warner Bros., 1970Bob Weir, "Cassidy," Ace, Warner Bros., 1972Roxy Music, "Re-Make/Re-Model," Roxy Music, Island and Reprise, 1972Roxy Music, "The Thrill of it All," Country Life, Island and ATCO, 1974Roxy Music, "Amazona," Stranded, Island and ATCO, 1973Roxy Music, "Do the Strand," For Your Pleasure, Island and Warner Bros., 1973Phil Manzanera, "Big Day," Diamond Head, Island and ATCO, 1975Roxy Music, "Both Ends Burning," Siren, Island and ATCO, 1975Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay, "Ambulante - Live," AM.PM Soho Live, Expression, 2025Aterciopelados, "Baracunatana," La Pipa de la Paz, RCA, 1996Jason P. Woodbury & The Night Bird Singing Quartet, "Get To Meet Them," (Single), Always Happening, 2025See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode Malika Browne talks to former Country Life editor, architectural writer and podcaster Clive Aslet, about the Edwin Lutyens exhibition at the Hayward Gallery in London in 1981. The exhibition was huge, immersive, and led to a reappraisal of Sir Edwin Lutyens as a great English architect. Its success also led to the founding of the Lutyens Trust.www.lutyenstrust.org.ukwww.lutyenstrustamerica.comFurther Reading:Sir Edwin Lutyens: Britain's Greatest Architect? By Clive Aslet. Triglyph Books 2024Further Listening:https://open.spotify.com/episode/0r4BTNzAzBUazclUALqqKa?si=otC85t8WRFGvb3zkLePTHAThis is a www.froodymusic.com production, recorded and edited by Martin Lumsden Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Southland company is growing red seaweed as a supplement that's been shown to significantly reduce methane emissions in beef and dairy cattle. In our last summer science series episode, Cosmo Kentish-Barnes of the Country Life team heads to Bluff to learn more.Sign up to the Our Changing World monthly newsletter for episode backstories, science analysis and more.Learn more: You can read Cosmo Kentish-Barnes' story about this topic, Red seaweed cuts methane emissions from cattle, scientists say.Cosmo signed off from the Country Life team earlier this year, after 17 years as the show's South Island producer. You can listen to his final episode.There are also pāua and whitebait farms operating out of the Ocean Beach Aquaculture Hub in Bluff. Kate Evans visited both ventures in a 2024 episode of Voice of Tangaroa, Fish out of water.Guest:Brent Jackson, production scientistGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Things this week didn't go that smooth!

Brent's talking about music this week and the role it plays in his life. We can all relate to the moment when a song from your past takes you to a remembered place or triggers a memory of people or events. Hearing new songs that describe what you thought was indescribable is another joy altogether. Having the opportunity to spend time with the artists that can do that makes for a great story we think you'll enjoy. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's 2006. Tony Blair is the Prime Minister, George W. Bush the US President, the existence of global warming is still up for debate, and a couple of new websites come out of early test versions to open their doors to the world: YouTube and Facebook. Amid all this, in an office on London's South Bank, Mark Hedges takes a new job: Editor of Country Life magazine.Two decades later, Mark has passed an astonishing milestone: he has edited 1,000 issues of the weekly magazine, the only perfect-bound, weekly glossy magazine in Britain. That's 20 years of magnificent architecture, beautiful houses, exquisite gardens, breathtaking nature, pithy columnists, and lots and lots of dogs — to name but a small selection.It seemed only fitting, then, that we invite the boss back on to the Country Life Podcast. Mark speaks to James Fisher about his unusual route in to the world of magazines, the unflinching war veteran who taught him the hard way how to polish a headline, the incomparable experience of working alongside HM King Charles, Queen Camilla, The Princess Royal and Sir David Beckham on guest-edited issues of Country Life, and how magazines — and journalism in general — will still have a part to play in an AI-driven future. It's a fascinating episode which lifts the lid on what it's like to spend decades on a magazine that's become a national institution. We hope you enjoy it.EPISODE CREDITSHost: James FisherGuest: Mark HedgesEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone needs help from time to time, and it's human nature to offer to do so. There are many ways to do it and this week, Brent's talking about how a conversation he had years ago with an unknown mentor continues to help him today. He's also issuing a challenge to help an organization that's helping people with disabilities enjoy the outdoors. Hands of a Sportsman non-profit: http://www.handsofasportsman.org/ Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brent's out with the boys this week and they;re all chasing rabbits. Well, more like following the dogs that are chasing the rabbits. He's giving insight into how a rabbit hunt with dogs is done, why it's so special to him, and where it ranks on his list of favorite things to do. The results may surprise you. Bubba, it's time to cut the pups loose on MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Projects come in many shapes and sizes. Sometimes they work out, other times, they don't. Brent's sharing a project that didn't work out like he'd hoped, and a new project he's hoping will. Get your clipboards ready, it's time for This Country Life on MeatEater's podcast network! Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the summer science series we play an episode of Country Life called Dollars for Nature. Can biodiversity credits fix New Zealand's conservation woes? In June, the government announced they were supporting the expansion of a voluntary credits nature market through pilot projects across New Zealand. Sally Round found out more.Sign up to the Our Changing World monthly newsletter for episode backstories, science analysis and more.Learn more: You can read more about biodiversity credits in Sally Round's story, Dollars for nature - can biodiversity credits fix NZ's conservation woes?Earlier this year Our Changing World visited the Eastern Whio Link conservation project, which set up its own biodiversity credits scheme - you can listen to that episode here.Country Life is an RNZ podcast that takes you all over the motu to hear the extraordinary stories of everyday rural New Zealand. Listen to more Country Life episodes.Guests:Sean Weaver, chief executive at business consultancy EkosHayden Johnston, general manager for the natural environment at the Ministry for the EnvironmentGo to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Bringing a tree in your house is only acceptable once a year. Do it any time outside of Christmas and people will think you're weird. Brent's got a few examples of Christmas trees this week and even goes into his struggle in keeping his favorite decoration. Stars, fishing, and flames abound on this week's "This Country Life" podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 on rnz.co.nz for more details

Country Life producer Gianina Schwanecke tagged along with a rural postie making the rounds ahead of Christmas.

An off-grid lodge in the Canadian Wilderness? The colourful charm of Germany? A weekend jaunt to New York? Or perhaps a palazzo in Florence?Rosie Paterson, who is both Country Life's Travel Editor and Digital Content Director, has done all of this and more in 2025, and she joins James Fisher on this week's Country Life Podcast to talk about the best places to go in 2026.The good news is that Rosie reveals that the new trend in travel — if you can call it that — is actually an anti-trend: instead, it's rejection of 'what you ought to do' in favour of just doing what you want to do.'We don't really like like the phrase "fly and flop",' says Rosie, 'but everyone should, if they can, take a couple of weeks each year when they can just kick back and do nothing.'With that in mind, Rosie shares her favourite discoveries, tips and anecdotes from her last 12 months of jetsetting.Enjoy!Episode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Rosie PatersonEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Not being on time is a pet peeve for many, and not the first thing other folks chose to worry about. To them, close is good enough. Brent's gonna tell a story from a time years ago when he and a couple others set out to prove a point about timeliness. He's also sharing a recent instance where a similar event took place. If you're tuning in right now, then you're right on time for MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast! Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Country Life this week visits Cornwall Park Farm, the farm within New Zealand's largest city, and heads to the Bay of Plenty to meet animal trainer Bex Tasker who helps teens train animals which in turn provide them valuable skills for life.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:39 - Rural News Wrap6:009- Cornwall Park: The farm within the heart of a city28:07 - The trainer turning animal tricks into teen confidenceMake 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

There are few ghost stories as stubbornly persistent—or as photographically bold—as that of the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall. Even if you've never heard her name, you've almost certainly seen the image: a spectral figure gliding down a grand staircase, flowing like smoke caught mid-breath. It's the kind of photograph that forces you to lean in just a little too close, squinting to decide whether you're looking at a ghost, a clever trick of light, or one of the greatest paranormal hoaxes of the twentieth century. Tonight, we're pulling apart the threads of this famous haunting to figure out which of those possibilities still holds up.Before she became the world's most recognisable apparition, the Brown Lady was Dorothy Walpole, sister to Britain's first Prime Minister and a woman whose life was far more dramatic than any ghost story needs to be. Trapped in a toxic marriage, separated from her children, and rumoured to have died under… let's say “uncomfortable circumstances,” Dorothy's history alone is enough to leave an emotional imprint deep within the walls of Raynham Hall. And, in typical aristocratic fashion, the house itself seems determined to keep every secret ever whispered inside it—including hers.But then came 1936, the year that changed everything. Two photographers from Country Life captured an image that ignited a global debate that still burns today. Was it a genuine ghost caught on film? A double exposure? A staged event? Or was it something more nuanced—an honest moment misread through the lens of our obsession with the paranormal? Tonight, we're diving into the photograph, the folklore, the woman behind the legend, and the question that refuses to die: is the Brown Lady a true haunting, or just the perfect storm of tragedy, belief, and timing? Settle in—this one has a bit of everything.Send us a Christmas card or postcard to:Anne and RenataP.O.Box 2289Dangar 2309NSW Australia

Country Life's features editor Paula Minchin is a force of nature. Every week she steers her team of editors and writers through the creation of dozens of pages of magazine features, with hardly a glitch and never, ever a missed deadline.So when Country Life brings in a guest editor — something which has happened five times in the past 12 years — it's Paula who is at the helm alongside our temporary boss. It's a process of helping, guiding, steering, commissioning and editing in tandem with whoever is at the helm, a challenge which has been taken up in the past by Her Majesty Queen Camilla, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, His Majesty The King (twice), and most recently Sir David Beckham.Paula joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast this week to talk about her experiences with these very special issues. The focus is on the eight-month journey with Sir David, from first contact and brainstorming through to the joyous final product, but she also talks about her experiences with our Royal guest editor. It's a fascinating and rare insight into the guest-edits of the magazine that we've been thrilled, delighted and privileged to have worked on.Episode creditsHost: James FisherGuest: Paula MinchinEditor and producer: Toby KeelMusic: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's episode, Brent's sharing a fishing story from a listener where no records were broken, nothing amazing happened, and no one got hurt or even came close. A simple story that brought joy to the ones fishing and the ones who hear it. Then, he's giving us the details on the things that make him happy. It's a short list that represents a lot of the people and pleasures of his life. It just might make you happy as well. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Country Life is at the Wayleggo Cup, a trans Tasman sheep dog trial, meets a record-breaking Angus bull-breeder and opens the door on an unusual business finding opportunity and bringing thrills to a rural main street.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:40 - On The Farm8:20 - Risqué and Rural15:35 - Cash cow: Tangihau Angus' record breaking bulls28:09 - The Wayleggo Cup: A Trans-Tasman sheepdog testMake 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

Brent's making good his promise to take us on a tour of his new Stor-Mor studio. While the building itself is enough to talk about, in this episode he shifts the focus to the contents. The items inside are more than mere decorations, they're mementos representing people and places that he holds dear. After he tells the story of his first attempt at having a place of his own, he enlightens us with his description of his new one. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Country Life visits two farms embracing agritourism - a Bay of Plenty avocado grower and a Hawke's Bay hill country station offering farm walks. The team also steps into an enviro-friendly greenhouse growing year-round lettuces at scale.You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.In this episode:0:30 - Rural News Wrap7:10 - Keeping salad greens on the shelves, 52 weeks of the year13:30 - Spreading the word about avocados31:00 - Hawke's Bay farm's agritourism 'terroir'With thanks to:Billy Stackhouse, LeaderbrandTim Rosamond and Michele RicouRo, Ed, Selby and Harry Palmer, Te Aratipi StationMake 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

The lengths parents will go for their children is immeasurable. It's even more impactful when it puts them completely out of their element. Oh this episode, Brent's sharing a listener story about a deer hunter's mother that's sure to put a smile on your face. Then, he's finally talking about his new office and promising a tour of its contents in future episodes. It's not hard to believe there's some really cool items in there. Get cozy! It's time for MeatEater's This Country Life podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Never give up. Brent's got two good examples on this episode where that old saying was put to the test. It's great advice, but there comes a time when other responsibilities may take precedence. Knowing the difference between the two is just as important. Harness up! It's time for MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is all about Brent's first born. His oldest daughter, Amy, decided she wanted to go deer hunting and had waited until becoming a teenager to do so. It was an occasion of firsts for them both and the lessons of that day still hold true. The opening story is one of Brent's favorites that he likes to tell about Amy as a toddler and it demonstrates how well she thinks things through, a quality that would help her 11 years later on her first deer hunt. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Brent's sharing some listener-submitted stories he's enjoyed: an unexpected encounter with an angry buck, a country-boy skillset coming in handy, and a young boy's "first" deer. It’s listener appreciation day on MeatEater’s “This Country Life” podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's said that the best things in life are free, but the best lessons learned come at a cost. Brent's story this week is a testament to that, putting gains and losses into perspective. This particular lesson cost Brent a buck, but you can learn it with just a bit of your time. Settle in, and listen up! It's a wise investment on this week's episode of This Country Life podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're getting down to the meaty part of this Manitoba moose hunting tale. Brent left us all on the edge of our seats with his cliffhanger last time just when he'd gotten to moose camp. Rest assured there's no tricks this week and the rest of the story is waiting for you to push play. It's moose shooting time on MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Brent just getting home from chasing moose in Manitoba, Canada, he's sharing the overwhelming dream experience with us on today's episode. This hunt will be his first major film project with MeatEater, and there's barely enough time to tell even half the story here. We think you'll enjoy this context-setting lead-up to what will be the grand finale next week. Put your tray tables up! We're jet setting to The Great White North on this week's "This Country Life" podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's time to head to bear camp in Arkansas and Brent's hopes are high along with the temperatures. He and the regular cast of characters have repositioned themselves in a different part of Arkansas this year; the Ozark Mountains. We think you'll enjoy this one as Brent shows how a lesson he learned from his early days in law enforcement, applied to this bear hunt in the mountains of his native state. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does a ghost bull, a pair of fox ears, and a giant have in comment? They're all the vehicles for telling listener-submitted stories on this week's episode of This Country Life. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes there's a delicate balance between being responsible and adhering to rules. Brent's waxing poetic about gravel roads and what he refers to as treasure from a time in his youth. He brings up a situation that forces him to weigh the difference between being on time, versus doing what's right. Conflicting rules, one imposed by his mother, and the other imposed by his own conscience. It's "This Country Life" time right here on the Bear Grease channel. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brent reflects on stories heard from old and new friends this past weekend at an event with Case Knives. Centered on the common thread of their love of knives and hunting, most of these stories end up being about something else entirely. He also reads a letter he received from a chance meeting that developed into a true friendship. Check your pockets! It's time for MeatEater's "This Country Life" podcast. Shop This Country Life Merch Connect with Brent and MeatEater MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to the MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop This Country Life Merch Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.