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Artwork for Country Life

Country Life

RNZ
New Zealand
Agriculture
Dairy Farming
Fonterra
Climate Change
Farming
Hawke's Bay
Agritourism
Animal Welfare
Kiwifruit
Dairy Industry
Sustainability
Bay Of Plenty
Woodham Shield
Avocados
Regenerative Agriculture
Auckland
Composting
Soil Health
Waikato

The Country Life team take you all over the motu to hear the extraordinary stories of every day rural New Zealand.

PublishesDailyEpisodes306Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for Country Life

Latest Episodes

Anisha sits down with a country musician, Gianina joins a Waikato farmer on a deer hunt, and Sally visits the Carb Club, a shared food-growing initiative.

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

In... more

YouTube

It takes a grower, a gatherer - of people - and a plot of land to create a "carb club". The idea is to make it easier for people to grow staple crops which might need more than your average-sized backyard vegetable garden. About 20 families have been... more

YouTube

A chat about New Zealand's country music scene with Ashburton-based artist, Molly Harrison.

With thanks to

* Molly Harrison

Listen to her music, From the Hillside, on all streaming platforms.

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

Gianina Schwanecke heads for the hills of Waikato to learn more about the art of deer stalking during the roar.

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

With thanks to:

* Allen and Sophie Juno

Tun... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Molly Harrison
Country music artist interviewed on the show
Independent musician (New Zealand)
Episode: FULL SHOW: Country Life for 1 May 2026
Katie Rosati
Carb Club participant
Carb Club
Episode: Pumpkins, potatoes and a plot of land: Welcome to the Carb Club
Justin Connor
One of the Carb Club behind-the-venture members
Carb Club
Episode: Pumpkins, potatoes and a plot of land: Welcome to the Carb Club
Sheldon Levet
Organic market gardener and Carb Club organizer
Carb Club / Ruamahanga Carb Club
Episode: Pumpkins, potatoes and a plot of land: Welcome to the Carb Club
Mika Zollner
Carb Club participant
Carb Club
Episode: Pumpkins, potatoes and a plot of land: Welcome to the Carb Club
Wayne Short
Grandson of Home Guard veteran; historian of local Home Guard
Family of Halcombe Home Guard
Episode: FULL SHOW: Country Life for 24 April 2026
Alex Short
Coordinator of Halcombe Anzac Day commemorations
Halcombe community
Episode: FULL SHOW: Country Life for 24 April 2026
Oliver Garland
Owner/operator of all over taxidermy
All Over Taxidermy
Episode: FULL SHOW: Country Life for 24 April 2026
Dan Douglass
Fencing contractor guest instructor
Fencing contractor mentioned in episode
Episode: Fencing in the classroom

Host

Janina Schwannacher
Host of Country Life; RNZ

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 95 ratings
  • Best podcast ever about farming

    Really good for any age interesting

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ferg from Aotearoa/nz
    New Zealand10 months ago
  • So relatable keeping things real

    Such a relaxing down to earth listen. One of the only podcast on rotation that really feeds into my life. Thankyou.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Gbnjdx
    New Zealand2 years ago
  • Country life

    It’s so inspiring to hear about what rural New Zealanders are doing, I love this podcast. A great way to start the weekend 👍

    Keep up the good work

    Nga mihi 🙏

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Anna M. makora
    New Zealand2 years ago
  • Country life

    A must every weekend

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sue Penman
    New Zealand4 years ago
  • Glad there’s a podcast

    For many years I listened to Country Life on the radio but it doesn’t fit into my schedule any more. Now with a podcast I don’t have to mis an episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CBS4413
    New Zealand6 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests and topics are a strong fit for those in agribusiness seeking real-world trends.
The mix of expert interviews and on-the-ground reporting keeps episodes informative and relatable.
Listeners value the authentic, down-to-earth rural focus and practical farming insights.
The storytelling around heritage and regional cultures adds a compelling layer to agricultural coverage.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Country music talks with Molly Harrison
Q: What's in store for you for the rest of 2026?
She discusses writing, upcoming gigs, opening for Caitlin on May 15 in Timaru, participating in awards like the Gold Guitar Awards, and performing at the Bay of Islands Country Rock Festival, with plans to network in Australia.
Country music talks with Molly Harrison
Q: How was the community response to that song?
She notes strong support from friends, family, and the local community, with the song gaining traction and streams as she continued performing at gigs.
Country music talks with Molly Harrison
Q: Tell me about your journey from when you decided you enjoyed music enough to pursue it to what you're doing now.
Molly describes starting to sing at eight, picking up guitar at ten, competing in country music events, and committing to the career after a pivotal academy course in Australia, which solidified her goal of pursuing country music professionally.
Laura Watson's 'pinch me' moment
Q: How did the catchment group start and develop?
Research and funding from Dame Anne Salmond and partners led to a community meeting in 2019, launching the Waimata Catchment Project with continued support from MPI, MFE, lotteries, and nature initiatives, enabling widespread restoration and community engagement.
Laura Watson's 'pinch me' moment
Q: How many farms are involved in the Waimata Catchment Group?
The group includes around 65 to 70 members, spanning forestry, farming, lifestyle blocks, and urban residents, indicating broad local participation.

Audience Metrics

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Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Country Life

What is Country Life about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show paints a broad portrait of rural life, economics, and innovation in New Zealand agriculture, covering topics from future food demand and protein shifts to practical crafts like blade shearing and blacksmithing, as well as community-driven initiatives such as the Underground Festival and regional heritage stories. Episodes frequently pair industry analysis with human-interest narratives, highlighting how policy, technology, and culture shape farming communities, local economies, and traditional crafts. A standout thread is the focus on sustainable practices and resilience in farming, including agri-voltaics, biochar, and food provenance, often anchored by expert voices and firsthand demonstrations from the field.

Where can I find podcast stats for Country Life?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Country Life. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Country Life and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Country Life get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Country Life, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Country Life?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Country Life, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Country Life have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Country Life has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Country Life?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Country Life:

1. Saturday Morning
2. The Detail
3. Sunday Morning
4. Mediawatch
5. Grey Areas with Petra Bagust

How many episodes of Country Life are there?

Country Life launched 19 years ago and published 306 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Country Life?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Country Life?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Country Life from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Country Life?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Country Life. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Country Life?

Recent guests on Country Life include:

1. Molly Harrison
2. Katie Rosati
3. Justin Connor
4. Sheldon Levet
5. Mika Zollner
6. Wayne Short
7. Alex Short
8. Oliver Garland

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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