Country Life
934 episodes - English - Latest episode: 1 day ago -Country Life takes you down country roads to meet ordinary people achieving their dreams.
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Episodes
From the Archives: Growing food without sight
November 03, 2023 06:13 - 10 minutes - 19.3 MBHow do you garden when you are blind? One of Taranaki's pioneering environmentalists shows his ingenious method using ropes to help the visually impaired continue to enjoy growing things. This story was first aired in February 2022.
On the Farm
November 03, 2023 06:07 - 6 minutes - 12.1 MBCattle prices have peaked and it's hard work selling sheep at spring fairs in Northland. In the Nelson region the late chill of August has set hops up well for strong growth.
Country Life for Friday 3 November 2023
November 03, 2023 06:07 - 49 minutes - 91.1 MBThe story of a woman left to farm alone when her husband went to war, Ashburton's A & P show, gardening for the blind and the monthly wrap of conditions on the land.
From sea to land: The kingfish farm of the future
October 29, 2023 00:18 - 14 minutes - 27 MBFor over 20 years NIWA scientists have been researching the feasibility of growing fish on land - now they believe it's ready for commercial uptake.
Addicts find hands in the earth help journey to recovery - 'It grounds us'
October 27, 2023 19:08 - 23 minutes - 43.1 MBA rural addiction rehabilitation facility near Christchurch runs a farm-focused social enterprise that connects its residents with planting, growing and sharing.
Motupipi farm brings degraded wetland back to life
October 27, 2023 06:13 - 6 minutes - 11.7 MBAfter being encouraged to drain wetlands on their farm in the 80s a Golden Bay couple are already seeing the benefits of transforming the land back to its natural state.
Country Life for Friday October 27 2023
October 27, 2023 06:07 - 50 minutes - 93.2 MBKingfish farming, returning paddock to wetland, and drug rehabilitation through farming
School leavers grow into hardy shepherds on high-country cadet farm
October 21, 2023 20:38 - 23 minutes - 43.7 MBA two-year farm cadet programme is turning fresh-faced school leavers in hardy, no-nonsense shepherds on a high-country station in Canterbury.
Sheep and Beef Farmer Bayden Anderson - It's as good as it gets
October 20, 2023 06:31 - 6 minutes - 12.2 MBPorangahau farmer Bayden Andersen shares the unique challenges and triumphs of managing an estate like its his own, while raising a family in the Central Hawkes Bay.
Why rural schools rule
October 20, 2023 06:17 - 9 minutes - 17.6 MBTake a trip with Country Life to Auckland's northernmost school, Tomarata School, where kids are found tending to chickens and planting fruit trees.
'Wouldn't want to do anything else' says head shepherd at Otapawa Station
October 20, 2023 06:10 - 5 minutes - 10.2 MBA young man who switched from working in insurance to working the land was one of the finalists for Beef and Lambs emerging leaders award.
Country Life for 20 October 2023
October 20, 2023 06:07 - 50 minutes - 92.6 MBCountry Life takes you back to school this week, where rural students plant fruit trees and tend to chickens. We also meet James Robbie who switched from working in insurance to working the land and a two-year farm cadet programme is turning fresh-faced school leavers in hardy, no-nonsense shepherds on a high-country station in Canterbury.
From water to wine: The story of Dancing Petrel
October 14, 2023 04:13 - 11 minutes - 21.6 MBAn idyllic lifestyle change for Kim and Graham Gilkison from Taranaki to the Far North saw them also purchase a languishing vineyard. Five years later, they're producing award winning wines.
A year on the farm: Lambing is in full swing on the Bird's hill block
October 13, 2023 06:35 - 10 minutes - 18.9 MBThe newborn lambs hide amongst gorse to escape the chilly winds and Alistair plants poplar poles on erosion-prone hill country.
'I don't expect perfection' says farm dog trainer
October 13, 2023 06:21 - 22 minutes - 40.3 MBFrom the Country Life archives - we meet former shepherd Anna Holland who trains people to train dogs.
Country Life for 13 October 2023
October 13, 2023 06:07 - 51 minutes - 94 MBA year on the farm: Lambing is in full swing on the Bird's hill block, Canine Control, a feature from the Country Life archives by Carol Stiles, From water to wine: The story of Dancing Petrel and the Rural News Wrap.
Dog trialling is in the blood
October 07, 2023 03:18 - 13 minutes - 25 MBChampion dog trialler Clark Chrystal fosters his daughters love for the sport.
'Vegetables have something to do with it' says centenarian
October 06, 2023 23:14 - 8 minutes - 15 MBAlan Wilcox of Pukekohe celebrated his 100th birthday. He walks down a lifetime and legacy of growing with Country Life.
Piglets go back to the same teat, says free-range pig farmer
October 06, 2023 08:37 - 22 minutes - 41.3 MBSows lounge in the sun as their piglets play, while others feed their litters in the privacy of their own cozy shelter at Hamish and Angela Cottle's free range pig farm near Timaru.
Country Life Friday October 6 2023
October 06, 2023 06:07 - 50 minutes - 92.1 MBThis week on Country Life it's farrowing time when Cosmo visits a free-range pig farm near Timaru, Leah meets a horticultural legend and proud centenarian, and a dad and daughter dog-trialling duo chat with Maggie Tweedie.
Barker's of Geraldine thriving after linking up with French jam maker
September 29, 2023 22:37 - 15 minutes - 28.7 MBThe fruit preserving business was founded in the late sixties by Anthony and Gillian Barker as a way of supplementing their farm income. Now it employs over 250 people and produces about 800 finished goods.
From the archives: A visit to Sam Neill's Central Otago vineyard
September 29, 2023 06:19 - 18 minutes - 34.5 MBVeteran New Zealand actor Sir Sam Neill takes Country Life on a tour of his Central Otago vineyard just before the 2023 season got underway.
'Keep eating it' - Kumara growers need help to leave dismal season behind
September 29, 2023 06:14 - 5 minutes - 10.9 MBRuawai kumara grower Warwick Simpson hopes seed contingency schemes will bring hope to the paddocks.
Country Life for 29 September 2023
September 29, 2023 06:07 - 49 minutes - 90.6 MBThis week on Country Life; Since the late sixties, Barkers of Geraldine has been filling Kiwi pantries with jams, syrups and sauces, and since linking up with a French jam maker the rural business continues to grow.. And.. Veteran New Zealand actor Sir Sam Neill takes Country Life on a tour of his Central Otago vineyard.
On the Farm - a wrap of conditions on farms and orchards around
September 29, 2023 06:07 - 6 minutes - 12.6 MBDespite a dry period in Pukekohe in the middle of the month, warmer temperatures and residual soil moisture has stimulated crop growth. Most farmers are through calving on the West Coast and are busy dehorning cows.
Passion unfurled at butterfly house in Hope
September 24, 2023 02:17 - 16 minutes - 30 MBIan Knight has a passion for monarch butterflies. He used to farm them at his property in Hope, near Nelson, to be released at weddings all around the country. Now he just enjoys watching them hatch and grow.
The polar explorers putting their 'hearts and souls' into hemp
September 22, 2023 07:38 - 13 minutes - 23.8 MBWhich hemp cultivars grow best on a Karamea dairy farm? With the goal of helping to reduce carbon emissions, Jake Gibbons and Kathy Blumm are finding out.
Must Love Dogs
September 22, 2023 07:31 - 8 minutes - 15.6 MBKelsie Meads and her sidekick heading dog Sass are one of 12 duos taking part in this year's Trans-Tasman Cobber Dog Challenge. Small in stature but not in attitude, Sass is vying for the top spot.
Country Life for 22 September
September 22, 2023 07:05 - 49 minutes - 91.3 MBPolar veteran turns to industrial hemp farming, Passion unfurled at a butterfly house in Hope, Porangahau's love of winter sports , Must Love Dogs - the Cobber Dog Challenge and the Rural News Wrap.
Pōrangahau's love of winter sports
September 22, 2023 07:00 - 7 minutes - 13.8 MBThe coastal village of Pōrangahau in Central Hawkes Bay has a rich history of supporting winter sport. Like many small farming communities in Aotearoa, sport brings people together.
'Born with wellies on' - ex cop takes farming in her stride
September 17, 2023 01:18 - 13 minutes - 25 MBFormer cop, Lee Askew, traded her police vest for farmer's boots to rear a herd of Red Devon cattle near Gisborne. There have been plenty of challenges rearing artisan meat for her stall at the farmer's market.
'I've been chased by wolves twice' - Timaru farmer
September 15, 2023 18:00 - 21 minutes - 39.8 MBAn injured hawk rests on Remus Coman's arm. He found it in a ditch on his cattle grazing farm. Hidden under it, an inked wolf forms part of a tattoo that tells stories from his youth in rural Romania.
Chocolate maker in search of the origin of his own confection
September 15, 2023 07:14 - 5 minutes - 10.6 MBYoung kiwi chocolatier Johnty Tatham traces the origins of the cacao beans he uses for his handcrafted chocolate - farmers in Peru.
Country Life for 15 September 2023
September 15, 2023 07:07 - 51 minutes - 93.5 MBA cattle grazing farmer in South Canterbury is caring for an injured hawk he found in a ditch, Johnty Tatham's Lucid Chocolatier brand has been made from his family's sheep and beef farm and the team meets a hard-working producer bringing artisan meat to farmer's markets.
A rescue centre for lambs - 'where there's a heartbeat, there's hope'
September 08, 2023 07:40 - 20 minutes - 36.7 MBJacqui Friedrichs has almost reached the limit in her lamb orphanage east of Carterton. It's been a tough lambing season and there is high demand for her intensive care. Her husband thinks she's mad but she can't help herself giving the newborns the best lives until it's time to head off in the truck.
Race to save Rotorua's native trees nurtures local rangatahi
September 08, 2023 07:22 - 13 minutes - 24.1 MBAs forest scientists work to restore native tree species threatened by myrtle rust, a Jobs for Nature programme is empowering young Rotorua men to connect with nature.
Spring has sprung and sowing has begun
September 08, 2023 07:14 - 8 minutes - 16 MBThe cash crops are going in and the last of the trading lambs are heading off at Tim Cookson's farm near Hororata in Canterbury.
Country Life for 8 September 2023
September 08, 2023 07:07 - 50 minutes - 93.2 MBThis week Country Life finds out what crops are being sown in mid-Canterbury, heads to a lamb rescue centre in Wairarapa and finds out how scientists and tangata whenua are working together to save native trees from myrtle rust.
Erewhon Station: Where the tractors have four legs
September 03, 2023 02:18 - 21 minutes - 39.8 MBThere were no tractors in sight when Cosmo Kentish-Barnes visited Erewhon Station. Instead a team of eight Clydesdales were churning the soil over in preparation for sowing.
Just pay what you can, says Ōtaki vege grower
September 01, 2023 21:40 - 15 minutes - 27.6 MBJon and Tae are preparing their rented land near Otaki to start producing "pay-what-you-can" vege boxes in the spring. It's a small-scale social enterprise aimed at making healthy food more accessible to people who can least afford it.
Wellbeing programme 'grateful for rural New Zealand'
September 01, 2023 07:14 - 5 minutes - 10.4 MBRural Change founder Elle Perriam is proud of the efforts of rural New Zealand to help those who need it most.
Country Life for Friday 1 September 2023
September 01, 2023 07:07 - 50 minutes - 92.9 MBJust pay us what you can, says Ōtaki vege grower, Home of the working horse, Wellbeing programme "Incredibly grateful for rural New Zealand" and On the Farm - a wrap of conditions on farms and orchards around the country
Backyard bananas in the Buller
August 25, 2023 21:23 - 15 minutes - 28.1 MBA botanist on the West Coast wants locals to start planting growing edible perennials that are growing in his nursery and food forest.
At the cutting edge - 'It's hard work making a top axe'
August 25, 2023 07:33 - 15 minutes - 28.7 MBYou won't find anything mass produced at Tuatahi, a small town business exporting handcrafted axes and saws to competitive woodchoppers around the world.
Clean-up a pleasant surprise for Hawkes Bay apple grower
August 25, 2023 07:19 - 5 minutes - 9.46 MBClean-up a pleasant surprise for Hawkes Bay apple grower.
Calving brings the whisper of spring
August 25, 2023 07:19 - 5 minutes - 9.51 MBMorrinsville farmer Peter Le Heron gives an update on the calving season.
Country Life for 25 August 2023
August 25, 2023 07:06 - 50 minutes - 92.1 MBA business at the cutting edge of axe-making, growing edible perennials on the West Coast, in the calving shed and a catch up with a cyclone-struck apple grower.
Aladdin's cave of country music memorabilia
August 18, 2023 21:13 - 8 minutes - 16.5 MBThere's no room left in Barry Skinner's music museum in Hector. "I've run out of wall space so I'm hanging off the roof now," says the dobro and lap-steel playing collector.
A year on the farm: 'The young bull's semen is not that active'
August 18, 2023 07:36 - 14 minutes - 26 MBIn this episode Alistair and Genna have empty heifers to deal with after their new bull delivers low pregnancy rates.
Farmers help to restore one of New Zealand's most polluted estuaries
August 18, 2023 07:21 - 15 minutes - 29.2 MBLeah Tebbutt heads to Bay of Plenty to find out how farmers are restoring the health of one of New Zealand's most polluted estuaries.