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, Cosmo Kentish-Barnes, Duncan Smith and Gianina Schwanecke

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 18 April 2025

This week on Country Life we check out an artificially constructed lake on Braemore Farm that's built for water storage and fun we’re out with Anna and Mitch Munro are out on the farm every day with 18-month-old Charlie in tow.
Anna and Mitch Munro

Farming with a toddler in tow

20-month-old Charlie Munro already knows some dog calls and how to open gates. His mum, Anna, also grew up at Cravendale, a hill country farm near Mount Somers. She and husband Mitch, a builder who's quickly learnt the art of farming, lease her parents' 450-hectare farm.
Anna Munro

Wairarapa farmer 'proud' of DIY lake

Len French wanted a lake to help with water security on his eastern Wairarapa farm. What he's built, Lake Braemore, is now a community asset that can be enjoyed by all.
Wairarapa sheep and beef farmer Len French, the man behind Lake Braemore.

Rural News Wrap for 18 April 2025

A round-up of the week's news from the primary sector.
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A garden to munch on

Landscape designer and market gardener Cath Goodrick enjoys showing how people to incorporate kai into their gardens.
Cath Goodrick

FULL SHOW: Country Life for 11 April 2025

This week on Country Life the team take a walk on the wild side with a herd of water buffalo in Clevedon, check out a botanical growing trial in Taranaki and visit an Invercargill native nursery.
A milking herd of water buffaloes enjoying their feed.

Clevedon - where the water buffalo roam

Clevedon couple Richard and Helen Dorresteyn were the first to farm water buffalo in New Zealand. These giant, burly beasts produce the softest award-winning cheeses.
Richard Dorresteyn with some of his herd of water buffaloes.

Weathering the 'worst drought in 50 years' as an organic dairy farmer

Organic dairy farmer Janet Fleming is in her eighth season of once a day milking, something she credits with helping get her through Taranaki's recent drought. She's also trialing growing a range of new botanicals.
Janet Fleming has been an organic dairy farmer for 20 years. More recently she's branched out into growing a range of organic botanicals.

Eco-sourced plants are flying out the gate at a Rūnaka-owned nursery

Phil Moeke is the manager of Te Kōhaka o Tāne, a commercial nursery in Invercargill that has grown over 800,000 native trees and plants since it opened in 2022.
Te Kōhaka o Tāne

Rural News Wrap for 11 April 2025

A round-up of the week's news from the primary sector
Sheep

FULL SHOW: Country Life for 4 April 2025

This week on Country Life the team catch up with a Wairarapa farming family that's added sheep dairy to their farming operation, and every day is a hoot for Gloria Harris, who runs a little owl and morepork rescue service near Invercargill.
A traditional sheep and beef farmer, Jeff was always interested in dairy. He's found sheep dairy has been a good addition to their traditional farm set up.

'Milk from an almond, then why not a sheep': Fernglen Farm's sheep dairy addition

Fernglen Farm is a family affair helping people learn more about the benefits of sheep milk, while finding new ways to balance the hardships of farming on Wairarapa's coast.
It's a family affair at Fernglen farm with each of Jeff and Shirley Ravenwood's three children - Ben, Cameron and Baeley - all involved in the business.

Southland retiree takes injured night birds under her wing

Gloria Harris has been running a ruhu nohinohi little owl and ruru morepork rescue service for 30 years. "I've probably cared for close to 300 birds," she told Country Life proudly.
Owl Rescue

SheepMaster: Hawke's Bay farm's foray into shedding sheep

Dean Martin has carried on the legacy set by his dad and is not afraid to try new things - from shedding sheep to regenerative agriculture practices.
Dean Martin of Glenlands Farm.

On the Farm for 4 April 2025

A round-up of conditions on farms and orchards around the country.
Dairy cows grazing on supplementary feed in Taranaki.

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