Rural
A life in the bush, a woolshed of memories
Lew Pickens' passions hark back to his days clearing land in Northland - camp oven cooking and driving bullock teams. He has a woolshed full of memorabilia on the family farm in King Country and he is…
Milking the opportunity, no herd required
Farmers are being urged to embrace the growing demand for "experiential tourism" from overseas visitors.
IKEA owner's first New Zealand forest: 'We're here for the long term'
Ingka Investments, the parent company of furniture giant IKEA, now owns 30,000 hectares of forestry in Aotearoa. Its first purchase saw the conversion of Wisp Hill Station in southern Otago from…
Camp ovens, bullockies and other tales from the bush
King Country farmer Lew Pickens' passions hark back to his days clearing land in Northland - camp oven cooking and driving bullock teams. He has a woolshed full of early tools and farming machines in… Audio
Ikea owner's first New Zealand forest 'Timber production first
Ingka Investments, the parent company of furniture giant Ikea, now owns 30,000 hectares of forestry in Aotearoa. It's first purchase saw the conversion of Wisp Hill Station in southern Otago from… Audio
Growing demand for on-farm fun from international tourists
Agritourism NZ's Marijke Dunselman outlines how farmers and growers can take advantage of growing global demand for authentic experiences on the farm. Audio
Full Episode for Friday 30 January 2026
Country Life is back for 2026 with a classic tale of the bush, bullocks and camp ovens at an old woolshed in King Country. The team check in on a forest growing wood into products for Ikea and find… Audio
Tai Rawhiti farms facing huge clean up and access problems
Some farms in Tai Rawhiti are facing huge clean up jobs and access problems following heavy rain and flooding last week. Mud and slips have cut off roads and communities higher up the coast near Hicks… Audio
Fears dung beetle investment will be flushed away
New Zealand's only dung beetle rearing facility says it may have to close if there's not more support.
Water nitrate levels rise in district previously hit by unsafe levels
Nitrate levels are inching up in parts of the South Canterbury's Waimate district where some council water supplies were previously off limits for extended periods twice following breaches of the…
Midday Rural News for Thursday 29 January
An update on the latest news from RNZ's rural team. Audio
Insurer expecting $50m in payouts from October storm
It's the second-most claims for an event in FMG's 120-year history.
Midday Rural News for Wednesday 28 January
An update on the latest news from RNZ's rural team. Audio
Helicopters drop food, fuel into flood-hit communities
Slips have cut off parts of eastern Bay of Plenty and Tai Rāwhiti, disrupting the flow of goods and transport.
Midday Rural News for 27 January 2026
An update on the latest news from RNZ's rural team. Audio
Storms, forestry slash: Where does legal responsibility lie?
Extreme weather may be the trigger for deadly and devastating slash, but the lines on who is responsible for prevention and clean-up are blurred.
Latest rural news for 26 January 2026
The latest rural news with Gianina Schwanecke. Audio
Slash, storms and the fight over responsibility
Extreme weather may be the trigger for deadly and devastating slash, but the lines on who is responsible for prevention and clean-up are blurred. Audio
