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

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This week Country Life takes a look at efforts to save soil on farms at both ends of the country and takes you to taste some traditional kai in the Bay of Plenty.

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

In this episode:

• 0:36- 'Planning key' to getting winter grazing right
• 10:00 - Rural News Wrap
• 15:52 - The Soil Hacker - one farmer's quest to outsmart the weather
• 30:55 - Kōrero and Kai - sharing stories and flavours on the marae

With thanks to:

• Karl Erikson and Brad Thomas, Environment Southland
• Stephen Newman
• Reon Tuanau and Oscar Nathan

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

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Producer Justine Murray flexes her tastebuds on traditional kai cooked up at Otawhiwhi Marae where food and stories came together as part of this year's Flavours of Plenty Festival. It's the first time a marae has taken part in the Bay of Plenty's annual foodie event.

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

With thanks to:

• Reon Tuanau and Oscar Nathan

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

Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.

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

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

Kaipara farmer Stephen Newman is intent on improving soils and pasture in low cost, natural ways. He's now helping others too and hopes these methods will become even more useful as the country experiences more and more intense weather events like flooding, heavy rainfall and drought.

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

You can find our previous episode on City to Farm, here, or learn more on their website.

With thanks to:

• Stephen Newman

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

The gloom and wet of winter is especially challenging for Southland's farms where pasture can go for nearly a third of the year without growth. Country Life heads south to find out how to keep paddocks and stock in good nick.

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

With thanks to:

• Karl Erikson and Brad Thomas, Environment Southland

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

This week Country Life takes you to a dairy farm with a difference, supplying milk direct to the customer, and the team checks in at a lab where work is underway to stop a tiny pest munching through grapevines.

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

In this episode:

• 0:43- One year, one hospital, one community
• 8:01 - On the Farm: a wrap of conditions around the country
• 15:25 - Harnessing plant power to combat vineyard threats
• 28:05 - Calving a Niche - Faith Farm Fresh keeps milk flowing direct to customers

With thanks to guests:

• Sophia Zohrab
• Michelle Thompson, Plant and Food Research
• Stacey Faith, Faith Farm Fresh

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

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

It's a busy time of year for Stacey Faith, calving 300-plus cows, rearing their calves and keeping the Faith Farm's roadside milk dispensing outlet going, providing locals with milk fresh from the cows over the fence - with the cream on top.

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

In this episode:

• 0:16 - Faith Farm Fresh
• 3:44 - Raw milk direct to the customer
• 7:33 - Milking time
• 14:14 - In the calf shed
• 19:24 - A side(hustle) of beef

With thanks to:

• Stacey Faith, Faith Farm Fresh

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

Want to chat to us or find out more about RNZ Podcasts? Join the RNZ Podcasts Discussion Facebook group where we share behind the scenes info about our series, and invite you to share feedback, recommendations and ask us questions.

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

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

Are some grapevines better that others at naturally defending themselves from a disease-spreading pest? Michelle Thompson is running trials at Plant & Food Research in Lincoln to find out.

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

With thanks to:

• Michelle Thompson, Plant and Food Research

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

With rural health care under the spotlight, our guest this week sheds some light on working in a small country hospital. Sophia Zohrab is among 12 med students on Auckland University's rural medicine immersion programme, sprinkled around North Island towns.

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

With thanks to:

• Sophia Zohrab
  

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