Country Life

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

Hosted and produced by Sally Round, Gianina Schwanecke and Duncan Smith

On air:

Fridays at 7.00pm, encore on Saturdays at 6.00am on RNZ National

An abstract heart constructed from shapes similar to rural fields seen in aerial photography sits behind the text 'Country Life'.

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FULL SHOW: Country Life for 12 December 2025

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.
New episode
Close-up of horse "grinning"

The trainer turning animal tricks into teen confidence

Chickens play football and sheep wave their hooves at Bex Tasker's place. She used to be a dog handler with customs and now uses her expertise in animal training and positive reinforcement methods to help kids learn new skills.
Bex with Barnaby the Valais Black Nose sheep, her "main man"

Cornwall Park: The farm within the heart of a city

Cornwall Park farm is something of a hidden gem in the heart of Auckland City. But being a farm in the city comes with specific challenges.
Cornwall Park farm manager Peter Maxwell

Rural News Wrap for 12 December 2025

A wrap of the week's news from the primary sector
David Seymour at hemp business in Ashburton

BONUS: The Detail - Calls for urgent action over deer control

Bonus episode
There's a lot of hand-wringing but few answers when it comes to culling New Zealand's rapidly expanding deer population. Our friends over at The Detail took a look at the issue.
Fallow deer were among the first to be successfully introduced to New Zealand.

FULL SHOW: Country Life for 5 December 2025

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.
Aussie sheep dog Duncan competing in the Wayleggo Cup in Ashburton

The Wayleggo Cup - a Trans-Tasman sheepdog test

How do sheepdogs and handling techniques vary between New Zealand and Australia? The best teams battle it out at a Trans-Tasman dog trial contest.
Ben Millar and King competing in the Trans Tasman Sheep Dog Trials test for the Wayleggo Cup.

Cash cow: Tangihau Angus' record-breaking bulls

Tangihau Angus near Gisborne has a habit of breaking records. Last year it set the top price for New Zealand bulls at $135,000. This year it's done it again setting a new record price of $161,000.
Tangihau Angus hopes these yearling bulls might set another record come next year's sale.

Risqué and Rural

How an unusual business selling adult toys has found opportunity on the main street of Eketāhuna
The closed pink door and shop windows on the main street running through Eketāhuna, with Tabu shop sign above

On the Farm for 5 December 2025

A round up of conditions on farms and orchards around the country
Bales of silage wrapped up on a farm.

FULL SHOW: Country Life for 28 November 2025

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.
Ro and Ed married here at the top of the peak.

Hawke's Bay farm's agritourism 'terroir'

Set on the coast of Hawke's Bay, Te Aratipi Station offers walkers on the farm views across the bay, from the Māhia Peninsula right around to Mt Ruapehu on a clear day.
Ro and Ed Palmer, along with their sons Selby and Harry, are just the latest of the Palmer family to call the sheep and beef station home.

Spreading the word about avocados

Tour groups gather under the huge avocado trees belonging to orchardists Tim Rosamond and Michele Ricou to learn about the fruit and how its grown. The IT pros are relatively new growers and see agritourism as an important part of the venture.
Tim Rosamond and Michele Ricou standing in their orchard, wearing sweatshirts emblazoned with avocados

Keeping salad greens on the shelves, 52 weeks of the year

Since officially opening last April, Leaderbrand's Future Farms facility has allowed them to grow salad greens all year round.
Since officially opening last April, Leaderbrand's Future Farms facility has allowed them to grow salad greens all year round.

Rural News Wrap for 28 November 2025

A round-up of the week's news from the primary sector.
Getting protein from plants such as beans, legumes and nuts instead of red meat may help protect your cognitive health, according to a new study.

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