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Blue Shed Diary, a weekly podcast brought to you by PGG Wrightson, features news and information for, and about, New Zealand's rural communities.
Like the blue sheds dotting New Zealand's landscape, the Blue Shed Diary is the go-to resource for our farmers and growers. We tackle important issues, explore innovations, showcase best practices, investigate how policies made in the cities impact rural communities, and offer advice on everything from sustainability to animal health.
The Blue Shed Diary is a conversation about the people and the land, come be a part of the conversation!
Like the blue sheds dotting New Zealand's landscape, the Blue Shed Diary is the go-to resource for our farmers and growers. We tackle important issues, explore innovations, showcase best practices, investigate how policies made in the cities impact rural communities, and offer advice on everything from sustainability to animal health.
The Blue Shed Diary is a conversation about the people and the land, come be a part of the conversation!
79 Episodes
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Women have always been the backbone of rural communities, and the ones people turn to in times of need. For these women, when they are in need, there is one organisation for them to turn to: Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ). Since 1925, its mission is to give support, connection, and voice to rural women, their families, and communities. Now, as the organisation enters its second century, how is their mission evolving?Joining the conversation is the organisation's new CEO, Sandra Kirby.
Autumn fertiliser can be one of your largest annual input costs, but with the price of fertiliser on the rise, how can you make sure you are maximising your investment while getting the best results for your crop? Joining April's Tech Talk is PGG Wrightson Technical Specialist for Soil Science, Dr Jay Howes.
As the war in Iran continues, the impacts to the global economy cut deeper. Petrol and diesel costs are up along with price of inputs and commodities. Is this a short-term or long-term problem? And what does this mean for New Zealand's economy, particularly our farmers and growers?Joining the conversation is Simplicity Chief Economist Shamubeel Eaqub.
In life, there are few things in which we can all agree. The Resource Management Act (RMA) may be an exception with most New Zealanders agreeing it's in dire need of overhaul. The 25-year-old legislation governs nearly everything about NZ—our land, air, water—and what we can do with them. A lot has changed since it was enacted, and several governments have tinkered with fixes over the years. The most recent overhaul proposal introduced at the end of last year has some in the primary industry nervous about the impact on our farmers and growers. So, what is in the reform proposals and what does it mean for our industry?Joining the conversation is Fox Meyer, Political Reporter for Newsrooms who covers this issue.
Back in the day, the go-to approach for pest control was to use insecticide to kill anything moving in the crop. Not only was that not the most effective control method, but it also led to a rise in resistance. The new way is Integrated Pest Management, or IPM. This method moves beyond a chemical-only solution and employs a multi-faceted approach. It is a valuable tool for farmers and growers. March's Tech Talk is all about adopting IPM into your system. Joining the conversation is PGG Wrightson Technical Specialist Chris Lambert.
A rebound in the rural sector has seen stronger returns and bigger payouts for our farmers and growers. Its great news after several tough years. As confidence in the sector grows, so too does the interest in the rural property market. So, is it a good time to buy a farm? What operations are generating the most interest? Joining the conversation to answer these questions and more is PGG Wrightson's General Manager for Real Estate and Livestock, Peter Newbold.
For six decades, Country Calendar has marked the lives of New Zealand's farmers, growers, and rural communities. More than half a million people, both rural and urban audiences, tune-in to watch our longest-running television show. If anything is an institution in our cultural landscape, it is TVNZ's Country Calendar. Joining the conversation is the voice behind the show, and its producer, Dan Henry.
It all started with 888-acres of retired farmland in East Taranaki when Miranda Wells, her partner Daryl Egarr, and brother Bjorn Doherty purchased this land in 2013 as a weekend hunting spot.But the discovery of wild kiwi changed the trajectory of their lives and this land. Together, they formed the 800-Trust which has an ambitious mission to restore a dying forest and create a biodiversity corridor for some of our rarest indigenous species. The introduction of AI-powered technology, Hark, is revolutionising how they are accomplishing this mission, and could make a huge difference to conservation efforts in the future. Joining the conversation is Miranda Wells of the 800 Trust. Read more about the 800 Trust in our latest edition of Rural Diary.Learn more about Hark and the 800 Trust, visit here.
This month's On the Vine episode asks what happens when you have too many grapes? In this case, more is not always more. Turns out, in the world of viticulture, it's possible to have too much of a good thing. Last year, an estimated 100,000 tonnes, or approximately a fifth of the crop, was left on the vine. The 2026 season is shaping up to have a lot of excess grapes, too. So, what's behind the supply hangover? What are the options for New Zealand's vineyards? Is this the new normal?Joining the conversation to answer these questions, and more, is Jon Peet, Fruitfed Technical Specialist.
The greatest friend and worst enemy of every farmer and grower is Mother Nature. It's either too dry or too wet, too hot or too cold. Considering New Zealand is famous for having four seasons in a single day, predicting Mother Nature's whims can be a game changer. So, as we enter autumn after a no-summer summer, we decided to get insight into what the good mother has instore for us over the season. Joining the conversation is Chris Brandolino, Meteorologist and Principal Scientist at Earth Sciences New Zealand, formally known as NIWA.
Farmers and growers like to have a yarn about the how their crops are doing, but not necessarily how their mental health and wellbeing are doing. We know farming isn't a predictable 9-to-5 job. It can be incredibly challenging and stressful, but help is available! One group giving farmers the tools to cope with the ups and downs of the job is Farmstrong. They are on a mission to improve the wellbeing of our farmers, growers, and rural communities. Joining the conversation is Farmstrong Chief Executive Gerard Vaughan. You can power up your support for Farmstrong throughout the month of March with PGG Wrightson. There is a great online deal for our customers: buy a Speedrite S500 Solar Energizer and $50 goes directly to Farmstrong. Find out more here! Also, visit Farmstrong for more information.
Tech Talk is our brand-new segment where we answer your questions and get technical or seasonal advice from PGG Wrightson's Technical Team and Field Reps. Joining the Conversation is Pete McKnight, PGG Wrightson Technical Specialist for Agronomy based in Otago. He has sage advice on dealing with Diamondback moths in your brassicas. Have a question you want answered? Send us an email at podcast@pggwrightson.co.nz
Once upon a time, not too long ago, if you had pests in your crop or paddock, the go-to approach was a blanket-use of insecticides. If it was crawling, kill it. But it turns out, that is not such a great method for control; and it led to a rise in resistance. Integrated Pest Management or IPM takes a multi-faceted approach to pest management that doesn't solely rely on chemical options. Joining the conversation for this month's Tech Talk is PGG Wrightson Technical Specialist Chris Lambert.
On the Vine -- our brand-new segment takes a deep-dive into the horticulture sector. Kiwifruit is New Zealand's largest horticultural export -- nearly $4 billion last year. Given its role in our economy, it seems only fitting that we start our inaugural On the Vine segment with a focus on Kiwis. Joining the conversation is Dr Matt Glenn, CEO of the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre in Te Puke.
Introducing our brand-new segment: Tech Talk. We answer your questions and give technical or seasonal advice from PGG Wrightson's own Technical Team and Field & Hort Reps. Joining the conversation the first Tech Talk is Gary Speers, PGG Wrightson Technical Horticultural Representative based in Hastings. He gives us an update on the apple growing season.
Each summer, PGG Wrightson has a selection of university students join us for a 10-week paid internship. We pair them with mentors, provide hands-on experience in field trials, put them in our stores, send them off with our livestock and wool teams, or have them join our Research & Development teams. At the end of the internship – we want them walking away with a better understanding of the primary sector. For the very first time, and because our host, Milton Munro runs the programme, our interns have an additional test – aconversation on the podcast.Meet the future of the primary sector:Bruno MasonCameron WalkerJesica AcharyaLily ShortusLachlan Walter
The ocean is not generally the first thing you think of when you think of farming in New Zealand, but one organisation is looking to change that. Surfing for Farmers is all about helping farmers find the perfect break—to get away from the hard work of farm life and have a bit of fun on a surfboard with their fellow farmers, rural families, and industry professionals. Joining the conversation for the inaugural From the Field segment is Dom Huxley, General Manager of Surfing for Farmers.
Glyphosate, or 'Round Up' as it commonly known, is one of the world's most widely used herbicides. It’s been approved for use in New Zealand since the 1970's, but in recent years its safety has been called into question here and abroad. Six months ago, the New Zealand’s Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), the authority charged with looking into the safety and efficacy of our agrichemicals, declined to review the approval of Glyphosate saying there are no grounds ornew evidence for a review. Joining the conversation to discuss this decision and the safety of Glyphosate is the EPA's manager for Hazardous Substances Reassessments, Dr Shaun Presow.
Summer is one of the busiest times of the year for farmers and growers. Not only do you have a lot of jobs on the farm, but you also may want to squeeze in some time for relaxing, too! So, it is understandable if you're tempted to cut a few corners to get the job done.But accidents have consequences—from lost revenue to lost lives—so prevention is key! Working to improve health and safety in the primary sector is Safer Farms. Joining the conversation now is Safer Farms Chair, Lindy Nelson.
Feral cats are taking a toll on New Zealand farms by killing native wildlife and spreading disease. Toxoplasmosis is a parasite that needs a cat's intestines to complete its life cycle and contaminates the soil and water. It can infect people, livestock, even dolphins. With millions of feral cats roaming New Zealand, the threat is everywhere -- and our farmers are feeling the pain. What can we do about it?Joining the conversation is Richard Dawkins. He is the National Meet & Wool Chairman for the Federated Farmers and runs a sheep, beef, and viticulture farm in Marlborough.
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