Country Life heads to an arboretum where dozens of different types of trees are grown, including a few for Christmas. We travel up the Whanganui River on the rural mail run, delivering a few early Christmas presents and go behind the scenes of a family-run berry orchard in King Country to see what it takes to bring summer berries from the orchard to the Christmas dinner table.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

The Roy family all pitch in getting berries from orchard to Christmas plate over the festive season. They have been growing berries in Piopio for more than three decades, and nearly all are sold from the farmgate. We go behind the scenes of the Christmas berry rush.

You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Rural postie Tracy Marshall takes visitors along her mail delivery route which winds along the Whanganui River.

You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.

With thanks to:

• Tracy Marshall, Original Mail Tour

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

"You can come here and see nearly every type of forestry system that can be applied," Blair Jamieson says of Tāmata Hauhā's demonstration farm near Palmerston North.

You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.

With thanks to:

• Blair Jamieson, Tāmata Hauhā

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A round-up of the week's news from the primary sector.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Country Life this week visits Cornwall Park Farm, the farm within New Zealand's largest city, and heads to the Bay of Plenty to meet animal trainer Bex Tasker who helps teens train animals which in turn provide them valuable skills for life.

You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.

In this episode:

• 0:39 - Rural News Wrap
• 6:009- Cornwall Park: The farm within the heart of a city
• 28:07 - The trainer turning animal tricks into teen confidence

Make sure you’re following us on your favourite podcast app, so you don’t miss new episodes every Friday evening.

Send us your feedback or get in touch at [email protected]

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Chickens play football and sheep wave their hooves at Bex Tasker's place. She used to be a dog handler with customs and now uses her expertise in animal training and positive reinforcement methods to help kids learn new skills.

You can find photos and read more about this story on our webpage, here.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Cornwall Park farm is something of a hidden gem in the heart of Auckland City. But being a farm in the city comes with specific challenges.

You can find photos and read more about the stories in this episode on our webpage, here.

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

A wrap of the week's news from the primary sector

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

There's a lot of hand-wringing but few answers when it comes to culling New Zealand's rapidly expanding deer population. Our friends over at The Detail took a look at the issue.

In a war between hunters and conservationists over the control of one of our most damaging pests, only the deer are winning

Guests:

• Richard Dawkins - Federated Farmers meat and wool chair
• Jill Herron - Newsroom journalist
• John Bissell - hunter and conservationist

Learn More:

• RNZ's podcast Deer Wars
• More on Herd of Special Interest
• Details of talks on special interest wapiti herd revealed

Find The Detail on Newsroom or RNZ

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details