Blue Shed Diary

Welcome to Blue Shed Diary - podcast for Farmers and Growers. This year we hit the road and headed to Fieldays at Mystery Creek to talk to the movers and shakers of the industry.

One group, sharing a tent with PGG Wrightson, is LANDSAR or Land Search and Rescue. They are the volunteer rescue organisation you hope to never need but are so grateful they exist when you do. They help kiwis and visitors in need in diverse environments - urban, suburban, rural, wilderness - hither and yon.

They have thousands of volunteers available 24/7/ 365 to answer the call of people in trouble. One of those volunteers, Alan Gregory, sat down with Blue Shed Diary to talk about his experiences. He joins the conversation now.

Blue Shed Diary hit the road for Mystery Creek in June to talk to the movers and shakers of Fieldays.

Innovators are among many of the movers and shakers at Fieldays and in the Primary Industries. They are at the forefront of many changes in the sector.

Halter is a New Zealand agriculture tech company who has developed solar-powered cattle collars and farm management software to assist farmers with virtual fencing, animal monitoring, and pasture management.

Joining the conversation is Halter's Regional Sale Manager for the Upper South Island, Kate Clausen.

Blue Shed Diary - PGG Wrightson's podcast for Farmers and Growers - hit the road for Mystery Creek to interview the movers and shakers of Fieldays.

Taking Fieldays, rural New Zealand, fashionistas, and soon the world by storm are the team of Honest Wolf. Sophie and Sam Hurley of Papanui Estate started Honest Wolf, using the wool from their farm, to find a fashionable and cool product using Wool.

For our very first video interview, Blue Shed Diary host Milton Munro sat down with Sophie to talk about Honest Wolf, the value of wool, and the reinvigoration of New Zealand's greatest natural fibre.

She joins the conversation now.

Welcome to Blue Shed Diary - a podcast for Farmers and Growers.

In July's Tech Talk, we turn to Christian Muller, PGG Wrightson's Technical Expert for Animal Production to talk about Dairy Cows.

It's calf rearing season, and dairy cows are particularly vulnerable right now to metabolic diseases and disorders during the transition period around calving. So, how do you help cows transition from pregnancy with minimal stress and body-fat loss post calving? Christian joins to the conversation with the answers.

Welcome to Blue Shed Diary, a podcast for Farmers and Growers.

In Agriculture, there are things we can control but one ofthe biggest influences on-farm is something we can’t control – the weather.

 A few days ago, Earth Sciences New Zealand (formally NIWA) confirmed we are in officially in an El Niño period. Predictions are calling this a 'supercharged' El Niño and say this could be one of the strongest on record. This weather pattern will definitely impact all of us, but especially those who make a living from the land.

To get a better understanding of what this may mean for us,we are joined by Chris Brandolino, Principal Scientist of Forecasting and Media for Earth Sciences New Zealand. He joins the conversation now.

Blue Shed Diary went to Fieldays 2026 to have conversations with the movers and shakers of the Primary Industries.

A relatively new mover and shaker is Heather Sorensen. She was appointed the new President of Rural Women New Zealand in April, though she has been a faithful member since 1979.

Milton Munro spoke with Heather about her new role and the evolution of the organisation.

Blue Shed Diary went on the road to Mystery Creek in June for Fieldays. We interviewed the movers and shakers of the primary industry. One of the biggest advocates in the sector for Rural Communities, whānau, and women is Rural Women New Zealand. For over 100 years they have been offering support and lending their voice on the issues important to women and their communities.

Joining the conversation is the CEO of Rural Women New Zealand Sandra Kirby.

Blue Shed Diary is at Fieldays! We're talking to the movers, shakers, and innovators of the agricultural sector!

Joining the conversation at Fieldays is Caitlyn AI. It's an artificial intelligence platform aimed at providing accurate information to its users and is targeted to address the needs of the agricultural sector. Among its customers: Beef & Lamb and FAR.

Milton sits down with Julie Ryan, Caitlyn AI CEO, and Josh Smith, Co-Founder and Caitlyn AI Chief Growth Officer at Mystery Creek.

Blue Shed Diary is at Fieldays— interviewing the movers and shakers attending the largest agricultural event in the southern hemisphere.

One of the most iconic moments on the agricultural calendar, besides Fieldays, is the FMG Young Farmer of the Year contest. NZ Young Farmers is the organisation behind this event. For nearly 100 years, they have been supporting and developing young farmers while giving them a place of connection.

Joining the conversation is the new CEO for New Zealand Young Farmers Cheyne Gillooly and Chair Kate Denholm.

Blue Shed Diary @ Fieldays! We hit the road, hitchhiking our way to Mystery Creek to have conversations with the movers and shakers of the primary industry.

One of the biggest movers and shakers is Lindy Nelson, Chair of Safer Farms and Farm without Harm Ambassador. She's on a mission to ensure every Farmer, Grower, and Worker gets home safely after a day on the tools. She's behind Safer Farms' Regional Champions and encourages all of us to learn how to fail safely.

She joined the conversation with Milton Munro at Fieldays.