Rnz: Country Life

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:0:44 - Treading Lightly - shoelaces made from sheep and salad10:02 - Flat out calving but the robots are on the job20:15 - Tracks Well Travelled: Cosmo Kentish-Barnes Leaves His Mark on Country LifeWith thanks to guests:Jacob SmithDan SchatCosmo 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