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Originating in colonial America as a freeze-distilled cider brandy, this heritage drop is making a comeback. Thanks to Nelson’s famous orchards and small-batch craftsmanship, local distillers—like the team behind Elsewhen—are turning local apples into a smooth spirit. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

University of Canterbury researchers are using Christchurch’s earthquake-affected Red Zone as a "living laboratory" to test eco-friendly soil restoration. Produced by Kadambari Raghukumar.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Berries are booming on the global stage - and NZ punches above its weight when it comes to production of blueberries and boysenberries. Behind the winning varieties of the fruit, are scientists like France-born Pauline Keribiro, bringing a wealth of global experience to keep NZ competing on the global stage. Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Inside Lincoln’s Allan Herbarium lies a vault of over 800,000 dried plants—a living history of Aotearoa’s flora. In this episode, collection manager Dr. Ines Schönberger unlocks the cabinets to reveal how century-old pressings, rare species, and modern plant taxonomy safeguard New Zealand’s biodiversity.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details

Coffee is something of a staple here in New Zealand, but China has traditionally been better known for its tea drinkers. Liz Garton meets a couple of coffee aficionados and learns about China's expanding coffee culture and the kiwi crossover.Find out more about The MQ Coffee tour to its farm in Yunnan China via its instagram page @mqcoffeelab.And if you’re keen to know more about homegrown coffee, check out this Country Life story.Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details