Country Life

Thirteen-year-old budding scientist Finlay Ludbrook has had success with an experiment to see whether giving copper to cattle calves improves their condition.

False teeth and wedding rings are among Mac McLaren's finds during his decades in the business of cleaning out septic tanks.

Cold and extremely wet is how most are feeling in Waikato. About 110 millimetres of rain has fallen this week. Snow fell across Canterbury this week to sea level. Grass growth remains very slow with many farmers still feeding out.

This week Country Life hops on board a truck heading out to clean septic tanks, chats to a 13-year-old budding scientist who's helping beef up cattle with an experiment involving copper and discovers hidden treasures in a secluded gully in South Canterbury.

On the ceiling of a limestone cave in South Canterbury, a long, elegant sea creature has been drawn. Centuries after this taniwha [supernatural being] was carefully illustrated, the artist's pigments are still visible. Yet the story behind this ancient Māori artwork remains a beautiful enigma.

In this new series, Oxford farmer and YouTube vlogger Alistair Bird gives us a monthly taste of his life on the land. In part one, Alistair heads to the Timberlea Angus bull sale in search of a fine yearling bull.

Best of 2022 - A new educational programme beams farmers into urban classrooms to talk about agriculture with school children.

In the Bay of Plenty gold kiwifruit are in their full bud stage and the new red kiwifruit vines are starting to flower. In Otago one farmer says it' been one of the best lambing seasons in his 50 years.

Country Life's new monthly series with Oxford farmer and youtube vlogger Alistair Bird starts this week - he'll be giving a monthly taste of his life on the land. In the first episode he tells us what he's been up to in September and heads to a local bull sale in seach of a fine yearling bull. Also ... a new educational programme beams farmers into urban classrooms to talk about agriculture with primary school children and further North on Mahia Peninsula, a local historian reveals the story behind ancient groves of trees used for perfume hundreds of years ago.

Best of 2022 - A plantation of ancient tītoki trees used for perfume is among the secrets unveiled by historian and writer Mere Whaanga who has researched the story of Taipōrutu - her ancestral land on Māhia Peninsula.