Rural
Farmers turn weed into wellness products
Hemp grows beside wheat, barley and peas at Blair and Jody Drysdale's farm in Northern Southland. The seeds are pressed and made into nutritional oil and skincare cream, that the couple sell direct to…
Sunflower community project brightening Central Hawke's Bay
A dairy farm field filled with sunflowers in Central Hawke's Bay is bringing joy and happiness to the local community, with people invited to walk through the flowers, and pick some to take away.
Farmers turn weed into wellness products
Hemp grows beside wheat, barley and peas at Blair and Jody Drysdale's farm in northern Southland. The seeds are pressed in the farmyard and made into nutritional oil and skincare cream, that the… Audio
Sino-vino ties - a wine-lover linking China and New Zealand
Fang Mei fell in love with wine after working in the banking industry in New Zealand and China. Now she has her own vineyard here and educates people in China about New Zealand wine, gleaning insights… Audio
Ag student's dreams come true 15 years on
We check back in with Hamish Best of Conscious Valley just outside Wellington. A keen ag student the last time he spoke to Country Life, he's now a finalist for the prestigious trans-Tasman Zanda… Audio
Rural news wrap for 21 February 2025
A round-up of the week's news from the primary sector Audio
Country Life Friday 21 Feb 2025
A farming couple in Southland are making health products from the hemp they grow, and we get some insights into the Chinese market for New Zealand wine. Audio
Sharing the finer things - NZ's wine ambassador to China
Fang Mei's love of wine was sparked by the New Zealand tradition of Friday drinks and the discovery that she had a good palate. Now she has her own vineyard in Martinborough and educates people in…
Meet Hamish Best, one of this year's Zanda McDonald Award finalists
We check back in with Hamish Best of red meat retailer Conscious Valley just outside Wellington. A keen ag student the last time he spoke to Country Life, he's now a finalist for the prestigious…
Farmers moving to flexible milking, better work-life balance
DairyNZ research shows more than 40 percent of South Island farmers have moved to flexible milking.
Marine experts oppose MPI upped crayfish catch proposal
Conservationists are at odds with Fisheries New Zealand over a proposal to increase the commercial crayfish catch limit in the Eastern North Island. Audio
Farmers call on MPI to declare 'adverse weather event' over lack of rain
Having the recent dry weather classified as adverse opens up funding.
Baaah-lieve it or not, here's the world's cutest sheep
Valais blacknose sheep are renowned for their fluffy white coats, dark faces, spiral horns and dog-like personalities.
Life on the water: Troublemakers, cruise ships and saving lives
No two days are the same for Environment Southland's harbourmaster Lyndon Cleaver, who shares what life is like on the water.
Regional Wrap: Ashburton
The large town of Ashburton is to be found on the Canterbury Plains, halfway between Christchurch and Timaru. It is home to the increasingly celebrated Ashburton Art Gallery and Heritage Centre, whose… Audio
Gut fixing seaweed cuts methane emissions from cattle
Red seaweed - grown in Bluff - significantly reduces methane emissions in beef and dairy cattle with no adverse effects to the animals, their products or the environment, scientists say.
