FULL SHOW: Country Life for 20 March 2026
New episode
Country Life visits a mosque in remote Southland, the sheep of the future in Northland, and traverses Mid Canterbury's rivers and shorelines with pest trappers.
New episode
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 7.00am on RNZ National
Follow this podcast
RSSGet this podcast straight from the source in the free RNZ app: Apple App Store or Google Play
A trap down the river: Pest control along Mid Canterbury's waterways
Farmers, tradies and 4x4 enthusiasts are doing their bit to protect Mid Canterbury's rivers and oceans.
Meaty, eco-friendly, good-looking but not so woolly - the making of NZ's future flock
Climate change, increasing costs, fussier consumers and changing rules have researchers and breeders working hard to develop a sheep that will not only be economic to farm but good for the planet. Country Life visits Kapiro Farm in Northland which is five years into a seven-year project to design the sheep of the future.
The future role of meat and dairy in feeding humans
Chicago-based Global Dairy Platform's executive director Donald Moore on the importance of addressing emissions reductions with a 'global mass' approach.
Rural News Wrap for 20 March 2026
A round-up of the week's rural news.
The Masjid that's made a home in Mataura
The Mataura Masjid provides a place of community for those from as far as Roxborough and Tapanui to Wyndham.
What to Listen to Next: Far From Town
Bonus episode
After her time at the Shepherdess muster, Country Life presenter Gianina Schwanecke shares the latest podcast from RNZ made in collaboration with the team at Shepherdess magazine, Far From Town. Host Arpége Taratoa-Rangikura meets women at the end of gravel roads and up remote valleys across Aotearoa. Over cups of tea, they talk about love, loss and connection to whenua.
Includes discussion of pregnancy loss and grief
FULL SHOW: Country Life for 13 March 2026
This week Country Life is helping with the grape harvest, taking you line-dancing and meeting rural women at the Shepherdess Muster.
Making memories at the Shepherdess Muster
A weekend retreat filled with crafts, relaxation, learning, fun and connection in the remote rural community of Tokanui in Southland.
Let's go line dancing
The rurally-rooted dance style has had a resurgence across New Zealand. Country Life attends a class to learn why.
Pick and be merry - harvest time at Big Sky Wines
Harvest time at Big Sky Wines, established by Kath Jacobs and Jeremy Corban, begins or ends with friends and neighbours in the vineyard helping to bring in the first grapes of the season.
Rural News Wrap for 13 March 2026
A round-up of the week's rural news.
Dairy payouts and Kiwisaver changes with Steve Hayidakis
ANZ's general manager for business and agri discusses how the Fonterra consumer brands sale will impact rural towns and supermarket shelves.
FULL SHOW: Country Life for 6 March 2026
Country Life visits the Duff family's permaculture farm in the Hawke's Bay, a farming festival in North Canterbury, chats to young Kiwi pilot Henry Phelps, who's fighting Australia's bushfires, and Gary Lancaster of the Hokitika Wildfoods Festival.
A walk through Aotearoa's farming festival
The Underground Festival brings rural folk from across the motu together to learn about regenerative agriculture, and share kai from the land. Anisha Satya toured around the event.
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