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Featured Country Life stories
New Zealand exports caught up in Middle East conflict
Thousands of shipping containers filled with New Zealand exports bound for international markets are being caught up in the Midd le East conflict.
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'Fetishisation of protein': An Oxford professor on the future of food and food production
28 Feb 2026Sir Charles Godfray has told the Riddet Institute's Agrifood Summit our food systems will have to change in order to limit the impacts of global warming.
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Blade shearing - a little bit nostalgia, a lot of skill
28 Feb 2026Blade shearers from around the world have been sharpening their tools and their eye before the Golden Shears in Masterton under the tutelage of Allan Oldfield…
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The biggest little town in the valley
28 Feb 2026Duntroon lies on the south side of the Waitaki River, and for a town of about 100 people it has more than its share of attractions.
Country Life headlines with summaries.
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New space race could turn atmosphere into a 'crematorium for satellites'
27 Feb 2026Space may feel separate from the environmental systems that sustain life on Earth. But increasingly, the way we build, launch and dispose of satellites is starting to change that.
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Moonshine matriarch: Southland's tradition of distilling Scottish whisky
20 Feb 2026A look inside the Hokonui Moonshine Museum where the manufacture of this legendary spirit continues in the modern day.
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Biochar made with hops, slash, and number 8 wire magic
20 Feb 2026Waste hops from a Wellington brewery, cotton offcuts from a New Zealand clothing brand and forestry slash are being turned into so-called "black gold" at a kiln in the heart of the Akatarawa Valley.
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How UK farmers inspired New Zealand's agricultural festival
20 Feb 2026The Underground Festival in Waipara, held this week, brought farming families together to share information, a feed, and time off the farm together.
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Archie the apprentice finds his farming feet
14 Feb 2026Archie, Micky and their dogs make up a good team on Te Wharua Station. The 17-year-old is apprenticed to the farm manager and champion shearer as part of Pāmu's year-old cadet scheme. Country Life …
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Ruby jewels of Otago a Lunar New Year treat
14 Feb 2026A look at how Clyde Orchard's recent cherry and stonefruit harvest has gone and a tour of a new purpose built accommodation for its RSE workers.
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Shaking it all up in a greenhouse trial
7 Feb 2026Researchers from the Bioeconomy Science Institute are investigating whether they can apply the vibrations of insects to disrupt pests in the greenhouse.
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Take a punt on the Tuapeka Mouth Ferry
7 Feb 2026The southern hemisphere's only still operating river ferry celebrates 130 years.
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Flames, family and a pin-up queen
7 Feb 2026Mark Leishman goes on a personal journey to Burkes Pass, a place with deep family ties.
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Needle steriliser a 'third hand' for farmers
The final touches are being put on a new gadget promising to speed-up vaccinating or giving pain relief to livestock. Audio
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IKEA owner's first New Zealand forest: 'We're here for the long term'
31 Jan 2026Ingka Investments, the parent company of furniture giant IKEA, now owns 30,000 hectares of forestry in Aotearoa. Its first purchase saw the conversion of Wisp Hill Station in southern Otago from…
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A life in the bush, a woolshed of memories
31 Jan 2026Lew Pickens' passions hark back to his days clearing land in Northland - camp oven cooking and driving bullock teams. He has a woolshed full of memorabilia on the family farm in King Country and he is…
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Milking the opportunity, no herd required
31 Jan 2026Farmers are being urged to embrace the growing demand for "experiential tourism" from overseas visitors.
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Extreme rainfall 'a peek into the future'
23 Jan 2026One expert says the kind of weather events New Zealand was now experiencing on a regular basis had long been warned of. Audio
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Country Life: Behind the scenes at the Roy's berry farm
20 Dec 2025The Roy family all pitch in getting berries from orchard to Christmas plate over the festive season. Country Life goes behind the scenes of the Christmas berry rush.
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'It's the magic of training, the magic of animals'
13 Dec 2025Teens and kids at Bex Tasker's place find joy and life skills training farm animals.
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Rural life in the big smoke
13 Dec 2025Being right in the middle of Auckland city and surrounded by city-dwellers comes with its challenges for Cornwall Park farm.
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'No plans to ship to the US': Tariffs bite into apple grower's profits
Tariffs on a range of New Zealand exports including apples were first introduced in April at 10 percent, and increased to 15 percent in August.
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You say 'Wayleggo' and I say 'Wal-a-go'!
6 Dec 2025How do sheep dogs and shepherds' handling techniques vary between New Zealand and Australia? The best teams battle it out at a Trans-Tasman dog trial, the Wayleggo Cup.
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Cash cows more like cash bulls
6 Dec 2025Tangihau Angus near Gisborne has a habit of breaking records. Last year it set a top price for New Zealand bulls at $135,000. This year it's done it again, setting a new record price of $161,000.
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Risqué and rural
6 Dec 2025How an unusual business selling adult toys has found opportunity on the main street of Eketāhuna.
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Hawke's Bay farm's agritourism 'terroir'
29 Nov 2025Set on the coast of Hawke's Bay, Te Aratipi Station offers walkers on the farm views across the bay, from the Māhia Peninsula right around to Mt Ruapehu on a clear day.
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Keeping salad greens on the shelves, 52 weeks of the year
29 Nov 2025Since officially opening last April, Leaderbrand's Future Farms facility has allowed it to grow salad greens all year round.
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Smashing it - a greener life growing avocados
29 Nov 2025Spreading the love for avocados through farm tours is a way to balance the highs and lows of avocado growing for two IT pros turned orchardists.
Top News stories
- Live: US-Israeli strikes on Iran could last 'weeks', 48 Iranian leaders and 3 US soldiers killed
- Naval officers face charges over sinking of HMNZS Manawanui
- Pentagon tells Congress no sign that Iran was going to attack US first, sources say
- Health New Zealand removes some new advice about Ehlers-Danlos syndromes and hypermobility spectrum disorder
- What age should people have financial independence?
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