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Country Life

RNZ New Zealand

The Country Life team take you all over the motu to hear the extraordinary stories of every day rural New Zealand.

Location:

Wellington, New Zealand

Description:

The Country Life team take you all over the motu to hear the extraordinary stories of every day rural New Zealand.

Language:

English

Contact:

PO Box 489, Hamilton 07 8580729


Episodes
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FULL SHOW: Country Life for 15 August 2025

8/15/2025
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: With thanks to: 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

Duration:00:50:29

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From the Archive: Mud and Blood

8/15/2025
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.nz Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:24:21

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Miley the Huntaway's a 'main act' now

8/15/2025
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: Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:14:14

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Here Now: Yuki Fukuda's trials with rice

8/15/2025
Pretty much the last place you'd think you'd find a rice paddy growing is on a hill in Nelson, but Yuki Fukuda is doing just that. You can find photos and more information from this story, here. Or take a listen, here. Here Now is another of RNZ's podcasts meeting people from all over the world who've made New Zealand home, bringing their music, sport, traditions and food with them With thanks to: Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:05:51

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Rural News Wrap for 15 August 2025

8/15/2025
A round-up of the week's news from the primary sector. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:03:54

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FULL SHOW: Country Life for 8 August 2025

8/8/2025
This week Country Life takes a look at efforts to save soil on farms at both ends of the country and takes you to taste some traditional kai in the Bay of Plenty. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here. In this episode: With thanks to: Environment SouthlandMake 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

Duration:00:50:37

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Kōrero and Kai - sharing stories and flavours on the marae

8/8/2025
Producer Justine Murray flexes her tastebuds on traditional kai cooked up at Otawhiwhi Marae where food and stories came together as part of this year's Flavours of Plenty Festival. It's the first time a marae has taken part in the Bay of Plenty's annual foodie event. You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, 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

Duration:00:18:47

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The Soil Hacker - one farmer's quest to outsmart the weather

8/8/2025
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 previous episode on City to Farm, here, or learn more on their website. With thanks to: Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:14:52

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Rural News Wrap for 8 August 2025

8/8/2025
A round-up of the week's news from the primary sector. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:05:40

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'Planning key' to getting winter grazing right

8/8/2025
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: Environment Southland Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:09:23

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FULL SHOW: Country Life for 1 August 2025

8/1/2025
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: With thanks to guests: Plant and Food ResearchFaith Farm FreshMake 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

Duration:00:50:31

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Calving a niche - Faith Farm Fresh keeps milk flowing direct to customers

8/1/2025
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: With thanks to: Faith Farm FreshMake 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

Duration:00:21:58

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Harnessing plant power to combat vineyard threats

8/1/2025
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: Plant and Food Research Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:12:33

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One year, one hospital, one community

8/1/2025
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: Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:07:16

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On the Farm for 1 August 2025

8/1/2025
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

Duration:00:07:25

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FULL SHOW: Country Life for 25 July 2025

7/25/2025
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: With thanks to guests: Woodlands Organic HoneyMake 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

Duration:00:50:30

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'Learning along the way' with agrivoltaics

7/25/2025
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: With thanks to: Lightyears SolarMake 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

Duration:00:20:11

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Sweet success for Coromandel couple's organic honey

7/25/2025
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's Honey, here. With thanks to: Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:14:37

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Connecting people 'from the land' with those working on the land

7/25/2025
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: Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:07:06

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FULL SHOW: Country Life for 18 July 2025

7/18/2025
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: Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Duration:00:50:33