Rural
The many lessons of the pa harakeke
Whanganui couple Marilyn and Marty Vreede make paper from the leftover harakeke from the district's many weavers. Between processing the strong fibre and pulling sheets of paper, they help revitalise… Audio
Huhana Smith - artist, scholar, activist and farmer
Huhana Smith grows olives, fruit and harakeke on six hectares of land at Kuku north of Wellington. It's a productive testing ground for growing healthy food and, potentially, a sustainable fashion… Audio
A wrap from RNZ's rural news desk
A round-up of the week's news from the primary sector. Audio
Romene: From sheep to sheet mask
Southland sheep farmer Megan Seator is unravelling new uses for Romney's strong wool in a range of skincare products. Audio
Country Life Friday 19 September 2025
This week Country Life delves into the world of the harakeke plant and its many uses - from fashion to paper - and finds out about skincare products made from wool. Audio
Champion bagpiper and rural GP Dr Brendon Eade
Brendon has been awarded a Community Service Medal from the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners for his commitment to rural medicine. Audio
Morning Report Essentials for Friday 19 September 2025
In today's episode, in a blow for the Government, the economy has had a much larger slump than expected which the Finance Minister's blaming in part on Donald Trump's trade tariffs, negotiations… Audio
Crews battle fast-moving fire in Canterbury
Helicopters are on standby as Fire and Emergency battle a large vegetation fire in Canterbury's Selwyn District. Fire and Emergency's Assistant Commander Kevin McCombe spoke to Charlotte Cook. Audio
Environment Canterbury declares nitrate emergency
The move comes after a survey found both E coli and nitrate concentrations were increasing. Audio
Regional economy showing green shoots of recovery
Farmers are beginning to spend and cash registers are ringing in rural Taranaki with the two-speed economy showing green shoots for some. Robin Martin reports. Audio
Avocado growers count losses after wild wind damage
Strong winds battered Bay of Plenty and Coromandel orchards, with growers left mulching trees and salvaging fruit.
Dairy farmer rewarded for environmental efforts on Canterbury plains
It's all go in the calving shed, but with tech doing the heavy lifting, dairy farmer Dan Schat has time for a yarn about the cold, the costs, and the season so far.
Treading Lightly - shoelaces made from sheep and salad
Meet Jacob Smith, the 21-year-old turning wool and veggie scraps into fashion-forward biodegradable shoelaces.
A cosmic farewell to the man who makes rural radio sing
For nearly two decades, RNZ producer Cosmo Kentish-Barnes has been roaming the South Island countryside on the trail of stories for Country Life.
Tracks Well-Travelled A farewell to Cosmo Kentish-Barnes
After seventeen years of giving voice to rural New Zealand, Country Life's South Island producer is signing off from RNZ. Cosmo's farewell feature is a rich tapestry of voices and stories, woven from… Audio
Flat out calving but the robots are on the job
It's all go in the calving shed, but with tech doing the heavy lifting, dairy farmer Dan Schat has time for a yarn about the cold, the costs, and the season so far. Audio
Treading Lightly - shoelaces made from sheep and salad
Meet Jacob Smith, the 21-year-old turning wool and veggie scraps into fashion-forward biodegradable shoelaces. It started as a university project and has turned into a commercial venture sourcing wool… Audio
