Country Life

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: With thanks to guests: RomenePakoheMake 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.nz Go 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: With thanks to: 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.nz Go 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: 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

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: Go 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: With thanks to guests: Make 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: Go 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: Go 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: Go 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 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

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: With thanks to guests: University of Technology SydneyDairy'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: 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.nz Go 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: Go 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: 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: With thanks to guests: Plant and Food ResearchEJV DesignWholly CowFlockMake 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