Country Life

A little bit of luck as well as good management is behind our guest's entry into the roaring beef market. Craig Pickens has been farming in King Country since 2005 and his present farm, Waimiha, has gone through some changes, lately the move to finishing beef cattle.

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

With thanks to:

• Craig Pickens

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This week the Country Life team takes you riverside to find out about an unusual ferry which has been running for 130 years, they delve into the science of insect vibrations which may be a way of protecting crops, and getting a taste of Americana at Burkes Pass.

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

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Producer Mark Leishman goes on a personal journey to Burkes Pass, a place with deep family ties. A fire in the 1990s destroyed most of the Burkes Pass Hotel run by his grandparents and has been replaced by a replica 1950s Americana village complete with its own "Pin Up Queen".

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

Researchers from the Bioeconomy Science Institute are investigating whether they can apply the vibrations of insects to disrupt pests in the greenhouse. Our Changing World's Claire Concannon heads along to the tomato growing greenhouse where they're trialling the use of biotremology.

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

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The southern hemisphere's only still operational river ferry celebrates 130 years.

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

You can find more about the punt, here.

With thanks to:

• Tom Jones

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

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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 out how farmers can make the most of the demand from international tourists for a taste of life on the farm.

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

In this episode:

• 0:44 - On The Farm
• 8:25 - Growing demand for on-farm fun from international tourists
• 18:09 - Ikea owner's first New Zealand forest: 'Timber production first and foremost'
• 31:00 - Camp ovens, bullockies and other tales from the bush

With thanks to:

• Marijke Dunselman, Agritourism NZ
• Josh Cairns, Southern Forests
• Lew, Julie and Craig Pickens, and Julie Tannneau

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

Old-timer 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 on the farm now run by son Craig. He is keenly aware that his stories, culture, traditions and old ways will be lost when he, and a few like him, are gone.

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

With thanks to:

• Lew, Julie and Craig Pickens, and Julie Tannneau

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

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 farmland to timber production forestry.

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

With thanks to:

• Josh Cairns, Southern Forests

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

Agritourism NZ's Marijke Dunselman outlines how farmers and growers can take advantage of growing global demand for authentic experiences on the farm.

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

With thanks to:

• Marijke Dunselman, Agritourism NZ

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