Farming
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.
A thread runs through it
Huhana Smith grows fruit and harakeke at Kuku, north of Wellington. Standing on the shoulders of her ancestors, she's growing healthy food and, potentially, a sustainable fashion industry.
The many lessons of the pā harakeke
For close to 30 years, Whanganui couple Marilyn and Marty Vreede have been making paper from leftover harakeke from the district's many weavers, while also helping to revitalise te reo Māori.
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
Stories from around New Zealand and the World
A new tool is promising to revolutionise the way we farm. Audio
Nitrate emergency declared in Canterbury
A nitrate emergency has been declared in Canterbury, after regional councillors voted in favour of a declaration by a narrow majority of two votes. It comes after ECan's recent annual groundwater… Audio
ECan considers declaring nitrate emergency
Environment Canterbury (ECan) is considering whether to declare a "nitrate emergency" at its final meeting Wednesday, as dozens of protesters gather outside the building demanding action. Audio
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.
