Constant wet weather on hilly Te Tai Rāwhiti farms has led to an uptick in injuries among farmers there. Our guest this week, physiotherapist-cum-farmer Storm Baynes-Ryan, gives in-paddock advice to help them recover, stay strong and keep fit.

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

With thanks to guests:

• Storm Baynes-Ryan

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This week Country Life delves into the world of the harakeke plant and its many uses - from fashion to paper - and finds out about skincare products made from wool.

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

In this episode:

• 0:46 - Romene: From sheep to sheet mask
• 6:35 - Rural News Wrap
• 13:33 - Huhana Smith - artist, scholar, activist and farmer
• 28:38 - The many lessons of the pā harakeke

With thanks to guests:

• Megan Seator, Romene
• Huhana Smith
• Marilyn and Marty Vreede, Pakohe

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

Whanganui couple Marilyn and Marty Vreede have been making paper from leftover harakeke from the district's many weavers. Between processing the strong fibre and making sheets of paper, they also help revitalise te reo Māori.

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

You can find more about Pakohe, here.

In this episode:

• 0:21 - Meet Marilyn and Marty Vreede
• 1:33 - Their love story through te reo
• 6:10 - Harakeke paper making
• 9:30 - Working with weavers
• 14:20 - Making the half-stuff

With thanks to:

• Marilyn and Marty Vreede

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Huhana Smith grows olives, fruit and harakeke on six hectares of land at Kuku north of Wellington. It's a productive testing ground for growing healthy food and, potentially, a sustainable fashion industry.

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

With thanks to:

• Huhana Smith

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

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

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Southland sheep farmer Megan Seator is unravelling new uses for Romney's strong wool in a range of skincare products.

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

You can find more about Romene, here.

With thanks to:

• Megan Seator

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This week Country Life bids farewell to long-time producer Cosmo Kentish-Barnes who shares some of the magic moments he's had covering the South Island beat over nearly two decades. The team's also in the calving shed, and meeting a young entrepreneur who stumbled on shoelaces as a way of helping lift the profile of wool.

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

In this episode:

• 0:44 - Treading Lightly - shoelaces made from sheep and salad
• 10:02 - Flat out calving but the robots are on the job
• 20:15 - Tracks Well Travelled: Cosmo Kentish-Barnes Leaves His Mark on Country Life

With thanks to guests:

• Jacob Smith
• Dan Schat
• Cosmo Kentish-Barnes

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

After 17 years Country Life's South Island producer is signing off from RNZ. Cosmo Kentish-Barnes' farewell feature is a rich tapestry of voices and stories, woven from some of the 600 recordings he's captured, edited and shared with listeners over the years.

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

With best wishes and huge thanks to:

• Cosmo Kentish-Barnes

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

It's all go in the calving shed, but with tech doing the heavy lifting, dairy farmer Dan Schat has time for a yarn about the cold, the costs, and the season so far.

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

With thanks to:

• Dan Schat

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

Meet Jacob Smith, the 21-year-old turning wool and veggie scraps into fashion-forward biodegradable shoelaces. It started as a university project and has turned into a commercial venture sourcing wool directly from New Zealand farmers and using vegetable-based dyes. With strong wool struggling to find a market, his mission is to add real value to the product.

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

With thanks to:

• Jacob Smith

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