Let's Hope The Weather Holds: Recent Episodes
Let's Hope the Weather Holds
Interviews with characters I meet as a travel, outdoor and agricultural journalist and photographer. Conservation, agriculture, fly fishing, hunting, and science about health and the outdoors. Follow me on Instagram at 'Let's Hope the Weather Holds'.
I speak to Fokko van der Schans and Sabrine van Rossum from Harvest Collective about their idea of starting a farm near Wellington where +- 200 families get together and employ a farmer to grow food in a way that respects nature.
On their website they say “Our big dream is to have a Harvest Collective farm in every community of people in Aotearoa that want to grow food in harmony with nature.”
The idea works in The Netherlands, why not here.
I speak to Dr. Finn Ross about the mountain rescue of Riley Meason, reaching the Pole of Inaccessibility, New Zealand's most remote spot, The Weekend Mish, regenerative agriculture and changing mindsets, his PhD and how seaweed is a climate solution.
Find him here
I speak to Associate Professor Nic Rawlence, Director of the Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory in the Department of Zoology at the University of Otago about elephant seals.
He tells me about a recent paper published titled Postglacial Recolonization of the Southern Ocean by Elephant Seals Occurred From Multiple Glacial Refugia.
We discuss climate impact on elephant seals in the past and in the future.
The effect of commercial hunting and traditional harvest.
Dark intraspecific extinction.
We touch on how animal numbers looked in New Zealand when humans arrived, how to save elephant seals, if ChatGPT is any good for DNA work and more.
I speak to Pascale Lubbe, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Molecular Ecology, at the University of Otago about how current loss of forests, loss when people arrived in New Zealand and loss of forest during the ice age have an effect on native birds and on bird colonisation.
An interesting read is the article Pascale collaborated on that was published in The Conversation.
I speak to Jonny Harrison who has done three trips to Antarctica as an electrician and group leader. He also hosts the Everything Antarctica podcast with Matty Jordan.
Jonny tells me about how water is sourced, how you get a job in Antarctica, staying alive and more.
Podcast link
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EverythingAntarctica
Link to, a book Jonny says is a must read 'The Worst Journey in the world'
Fonterra and Nestle are running a project trying to achieve a net zero farm.
The pilot, run with Dairy Trust Taranaki, aims to create New Zealand’s first commercially viable net zero dairy farm within ten years.
Since 2022, the Fonterra-owned 290ha farm has achieved an approximate 27% reduction in absolute emissions and a 5.5% reduction in emissions intensity.
I spoke to Talia Grala, environment programme manger at Fonterra, about the project.
Have a look at a press release about the project here.
I speak to Resource Management Officer at Southland Fish & Game Jacob Smythe about his duck decoy collection. We talk handmade decoys, the gear you want vs. the gear you need, old shotguns, perceptions about abundance, habitat and more. I suggest visiting my Instagram to look at the photos of the decoys we discuss. An FYI, you can hear chairs creaking and we have deafening bouts of laughter.
Rob Vaz is a well known New Zealand fishing guide. He talks to me about his background and a trip he recently took to fish Taimen, the biggest Salmonid in the world, known as river wolves, in Mongolia.
He talks fly gear for Taimen, how crazy the trip was, and lots more.
Rob's website https://www.robfish.co.nz/
His Instagram https://www.instagram.com/robfish.co.nz/
This episode is basically a consult by legendary sports nutritionist Mikki Williden as she advises me about nutrition as I train for the Luxmore Grunt 27km trail run.
Topics we cover is her background and her own adventures, nutrition for older athletes and those upping their game, sugar, protein and salt intake, mental fitness and more.
We geek out a bit about how cool podcasts are and more.
Book an appointment with her at https://www.mikkiwilliden.com/ or listen to her nutrition advice on https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/episodes
This podcast is another collaboration between myself and Ryan O'Connor from the Stag Roar podcast.
In this episode Ryan talked to Ben who previously worked as a hunting guide/culler in Scotland.
Ben's instagram page is a way of getting people to appreciate the necessity for responsible wildlife management and that hunting maintains healthy animal populations for future generations.
Thanks again to Ryan for the collaboration.
This podcast is from two interviews I did with local Land Search and Rescue team members based in Queenstown.I spoke to Tarn Pilkington, a volunteer with Wakatipu Search and Rescue Alpine Cliff Rescue team about a rescue he was involved in when two climbers needed help on the Remarkables in poor weather.I also spoke to Chrissy Schreiber who is a volunteer with Wakatipu Search and Rescue, about what Land Search and Rescue does, lost person behaviour, the challenges of a volunteer organisation and more.
They both tell me about their own outdoor adventures and Chrissy gives me advice for the upcoming Luxmore Grunt.I made attempts to contact the two climbers that Tarn helped rescue, but after speaking to police and mountain clubs I was unsuccessful, so Tarn's story will have to do.Link to a story about the rescue.A special thanks to Johnny Franklin, General Manager Partnerships at New Zealand Land Search and Rescue for organising the interviews.
This podcast is a content collaboration with Ryan O'Connor who runs the Stag Roar Podcast.The Stag roar is interviews Ryan has with people about how they become successful and the challenges they face.This is a recording of an interview he did in 2019 with Orthopedic Surgeon Dr Gary Fettke.Fettke was silenced for his view on diet and meat consumption, but has since been redeemed, off course.Fettke talks about diet, the Seventh Day Adventists and their involvement in the western diet and more. Check Gary's work HEREFollow The Stag Roar: Life Less Ordinary
I speak to optometrist Ryan O'Connor from the Stag Roar podcast about podcasting, optometry, what tech will change the way we see, starting hunting later in life, the western diet and its influences on different cultures, I admit to being a chocoholic, we talk Seventh Day Adventists influence on the modern diet (I kid ya not!), me freaking out in the bush, my English also dries up so I blabber a lot, Ryan tells me about his interest in herd history in New Zealand and more.
The Gary Fetke interview with Ryan on the modern diet, carbs and more is worth a listen. https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/the-stag-roar-life-less-ordinary/id1257836237?i=1000429186527
The Stag Roar: Life Less Ordinary https://www.stagroar.co.nz/
Kiwi Tom Hudson speaks to me from Winnipeg where he is taking a few days break from a 5000km canoe and land trip across Canada. We talk about how he became a traveler, being stalked by wolves, being in bear country, the time he saved a dog from sure death and ended up on Canadian news, and more.
His YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@WhatInTheWorld_Tom
CBC Manitoba report on Tom rescuing the dog form sure death https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQSlSn2LpHE
Tom's Instagram profile https://www.instagram.com/whatintheworld_tom?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
What does regenerative farming and adventure film making have in common? It has Deane Parker in common! Deane talks about bikerafting, the film festival scene, regenerative dairy farming and healthy soils.
Check out his Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/deaneparker_adventurechannel?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== and his websitehttps://www.deaneparker.nz
Jurgen Schwaneke talks to me about hunting in New Zealand, back country poetry, guiding hunts in the USA, his work as pest controller and the challenges the industry faces and outdoor film making.
His YouTube channel Strider Media has some cool philosophical ramblings on hunting and good outdoor adventure videos of a man with his dog.
https://www.youtube.com/@strider_media
His Instagram account
instagram.com/strider_adventures
In this episode botanical and wildlife illustrator Erin Forsyth talks about how artists can be facilitators for better understanding of nature, we talk about indigenous, christian and science perspective of nature, she walks me through her process, she tells me how she thinks of her work as part of a greater tradition and talks about art seen in perpetuity, documenting biodiversity from a science perspective and ties to colonialism, the shift in cultural understanding away from particular interests married only to western science, citizen science, how to include te reo Māori, respecting indigenous people in your work and the influence of her own cultural history.
Her website: http://www.erinforsyth.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erin_forsyth/?hl=en
Veterinarian Francesco Formisano tells me about the Pink eye project where, with the help of New Zealand hunters acting as citizen scientists, the prevalence and spread of Infectious Keratoconjunctivitis in New Zealand Tahr herds were studied.
Franco also tells me about hunting roe deer in France, his vet practice and the possibility of more research projects in New Zealand.
Download the 14 page report on pink eye here:
https://nztahrfoundation.org.nz/project-pinkeye
Franco's Instagram https://www.instagram.com/altitudeandtrails/
Thar are artiodactyl ungulates related to goats and sheep.
The New Zealand Himalayan tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus) are an introduced species but have now become part of the landscape.
In this episode Pablo Gregorini, Leader of the Lincoln University Pastoral Livestock Production Lab, tells me about a trial where animals were given a choice of what to eat and how it improved animal health, soil health, the quality of meat and milk, and was also better for consumers.
Research Fellow in Marine Science, at Griffith University in Australia Olaf Meynecke talks to me about tracking a whale carcass around the ocean to map how wind and tides affect its movement. This research will hopefully be used so that beached whales are not taken to landfill but that they can be towed to out to sea and their nutrients returned to the ocean without colliding with ships.
He talks about his latest paper 'Dead on the Beach? Predicting the Drift of Whale Remains Improves Management for Offshore Disposal', the role the nutrients of a dead whale plays in the ecosystem, the challenges they faced, why this cheaper option is not the current way of doing, he tells me about sitting in whale carcasses for arthritis treatment, the software they used to map the whale's 150km drift path, the sharks that fed on the carcass and more.
His paper https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/12/7/1156
All music by Jacques van Wyk
In this interview Hans Eisenbeis, Director of Mission & Messaging at the Non-GMO Project talks about farms and farmers in the US, how the Non-GMO Project operates, disagreements in science about the health of GMO's, how systems transitions look, he talks about the unique position New Zealand is in as a Non-GMO nation, soil health, externalising costs from GMO's, he asks if we are short-cutting our way out of existential crisis, the innovation fallacy and more.
Have a look at their work on https://www.nongmoproject.org/
Associate Professor Nic Rawlence, director of the Otago Palaeogenetics Laboratory, talks to me about the extinct fish eating merganser duck and Takahe research, dodgy museum collecting practices of the 1800’s, how New Zealand has a much more cosmpopolitan makeup of biodiversity than previously thought, how the data we have make us form weird relationships that seem implausible, populatin bottlenecks and more.
In this episode Professor in the Department of Anthropology at Kent State University in Ohio, USA, Metin Eren tells me about how he, his department and the Meateater crew slaughtered a bison with clovis tools.
The trial was followed by a paper that describes their techniques, questions and results in depth.
Metin tells me about flint knapping, new ideas in archeology, clovis people, life 13,000 years ago, what we know, what we thought we knew, what we don't know...you'll get it once you listen to the podcast.
We agree that the clovis story is the story of all of us.
For images go to my Instagram account.
I speak to Roy Sloan, General Manager of the Fiorldand Wapiti Foundation about the lawsuit Forest & Bird has brought against the foundation and against the Department of Conservation, and about the consequences it might have for all hunters in New Zealand.
All deer species are introduced into New Zealand.
Hunters say they have to be sustainably managed, with lobby groups saying they have to be removed as much as possible, often via poison bait or by helicopters operators who shoot them, as they destroy native flaura.
FYI folks, we had connectivity issues and the sound is quite poor at times.
I speak to Gwyn Thurlow, Chief Executive Officer and General Counsel at the New Zealand Deer Stalkers, about new DNA evidence on the origin of New Zealand chamois, and new historic finds on the history and practicalities of their translocation after local and Austrian newspapers were digitized.
Gwyn is working on a book he hopes to publish in a year with the evidence and his years of Chamois hunting as topics.
We speak abou local herds, how they were caught in Austria, how they were shipped and almost perished on their trip, what they were fed and loads more. He gives me Chamois hunting tips.
Podcast live. The campaign against meat.
In this episode I speak to Prof. Dr. Frédéric Leroy about the campaign against meat.
Frederic is part of a research group in industrial microbiology and Food Biotechnology at the Department of Bioengineering Sciences at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels.
He talks about the the intricacies and politics of the EAT Lancet diet and its stakeholders, he tells me about one liners, hyperbole and simplification of the meat and livestock argument, climate and the vilification of meat, we talk about why he took to Twitter to tackle misinformation about meat, how studies about meat’s place in healthy diets have been inaccurate, why a UN environmental group says meat is our most pressing issue, we talk about fermented meat, issues with the Global Burden of Disease study, why the fight against CO2 has left the building, and the influencers in the campaign against meat.
Frederic on Twitter/X @fleroy1974
In this episode I talk to Sean Andrews, founder of the New Zealand based Category 3 Fly Company.
C3 supplies flies world wide.
He tells me about ice fishing for trout with flies and a hand line in Sweden, how he learned to fly fish on chalk streams in the UK as child on the same rivers Frank Sawyers was a river keeper, how difficult it is to find a tying partner, who the greatest fly tyers in the world are, why tying a hare and copper commercially is difficult, he speculates that the 101 is the perfect fly, recruiting people for fly tying who needs a leg up in life, paying royalties for new fly patterns, how you get space in a fly shop, the politics in the fly industry and the challenges the industry faces.
https://www.category3flycompany.com
For those interested to read on some of the UK father of fly fishing Sean mentions go to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sawyer_(writer)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._E._M._Skues
I speak to Ben Kepes from Cactus Outdoor about making hard wearing outdoor gear locally, how climbing bums become business owners, 30 years of Cactus Outdoor, their ethos of gear that last vs. gear that has to be constantly replaced, a ethical business model that is not seasonal, his outdoor missions, other companies he admires, how to make profit when you make quality and not quantity, what is legacy and more.
I speak to regenerative sheep and beef farmers Amy and Hamish Bielski.
They tell me about their transition to regenerative farming and finding a sweet spot that works for their farm.
We talk about an article they wrote (https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/amy-and-hamish-bielksi-our-research-down-on-the-farm) where they spell out their confusion about carbon taxes and how measuring a farms carbon footprint is not as easy as it seems.
The Bielski's say they sequester more carbon on the farm than they produce.
We touch on creating value for consumers, how many regenerative principles stem from the US and Africa and what that means for New Zealand, we talk about energy transition and how few people understand the carbon cycle.
I speak to Corina Jordan, chief executive of New Zealand's Fish & Game.
She tells me about shotguns that kick, training deer and pheasant dogs, the work Fish & Game does to rehabilitate create and save habitat for fish and game birds, what type of horse she wants for hunting, taking time out to get outside, the type of people Fish & Game has in its arsenal of talent, hunters as examples for other hunters, conservation, utilisation, social license of hunters, the role influencers play in the industry, broken bones and scars and much more.
Artist, fly fisherman, fly guide and conservationist Johann du Preez talks about fishing mad spots like Sudan, Sette Cama and Guyana.
We talk about conservation, tropical diseases, having your passport taken, sucking as a client, the Indifly Corps, creating livelihoods for small communities and of course his amazing art and the techniques he uses.
Follow him on instagram @johanndupreez_art https://www.instagram.com/johanndupreez_art/
For indifly go to https://www.indifly.org
In this episode I talk to Navigate founder Anna Benny about her view that precision fermentation is a threat to the New Zealand dairy industry.
We talk about how changing climate policies play a role in the possible disruption of the dairy industry.
We talk about why meat possibly won't face a big disruption from novel proteins.
We praise milk for its nutritional properties.
We talk about how she is perceived in the industry as a result of sounding the alarm bell to possible threats.
We theorise how the dairy market will look in future.
We talk about regenerative farming.
She talks about her views about what will happen on her farm in future.
Ferreter James Curry tells me how he uses ferrets to catch rabbits in New Zealand where rabbits are an introduced pest.
He talks about how he got into ferreting, training ferrets, how an obsession became a job, getting permits to transport ferrets, that are also an introduced pest and why his ferrets are named after psycho killers.
Find him at www.jimsbunnyhunters.com
I speak to Prof. Emmanuel Bobobee from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in Ghana.
We talk about his cassava harvester, the challenges smallholder farmers face with cassava production, the need for governments in Africa to support mechanisation and processing.
We talk about the perception of cassava and perceptions about smallholder farmers.
General manager for the New Zealand Game Animal Council Tim Gale speaks to me about the days when his dad used to supply deer farms with wild caught hinds.
He gives me tips on training a dog to hunt deer.
We lament that we don't get out enough.
He tells me about his horse wrangling and hunting guide days overseas.
We discuss working with people with opposing views and diplomacy.
We discuss the challenges the council face and the challenges deer, tahr and chamois face.
In this episode I speak to Fish and Game field officer Cohen Stewart about research done in Southland in New Zealand about how native eel thrive in hunter created duck ponds.
Cohen talks about how the study came about, the methods they used, and their findings.
He also talks about his passion for hunting deer over his German Short Haired Pointer, how he joined Fish and Game, and how he began fishing.
All music by Jacques van Wyk
Andrea Mattioli quickly became a legend under fly fisherman in Auckland when he began working at a local shop Rod and Reel.
When the shop closed everyone missed his no nonsense approach, humour and willingness to talk fishing for hours.
In this podcast he tells me about growing up in Italy and fishing in the traditional 'al tocco' style since he was a kid.
He tells me how in the region where he grew up the biggest decision a kid makes is picking between soccer or motorbike racing, he chose racing.
We talk about catching marble trout in Italy.
He tells my about the connection he feels with fish when he catches them on dry fly.
We talk about fishing for Instagram.
And how he now fishes while carrying his 11 month old son on his back.
All music by Jacques van Wyk
I speak to editor and founder of Project Upland magazine A.J. DeRosa about bird hunting in the USA, his dogs, how he started the magazine despite being told it won't work and how punks can also hunt.
He talks about hunters getting involved in politics, how to use climate change to get funding to secure more bird habitat, how denying climate change is not helping, how being a hunter does not automatically make you a conservationist.
He gives me tips about buying my first bird dog, he talks about working for the police and about electronic dance music, his favourite shotguns and more
Have a look at https://projectupland.com
All music for the podcast by Jacques van Wyk.
In this episode I speak to Pelham Jones, president of the Private Rhino Owners Organisation about what it takes to conserve rhinoceros in South Africa, the sale of almost 2000 rhinoceros by John Hume, the human and animal toll rhino poaching takes, why South Africa is not allowed to legally sell rhino horn, how the sale of rhino horn is similar to trading deer antler in the way New Zealand does, we talk about sustainable utilisation, why CITES opposes trade, the Asian black market for rhino horn and more.
We also talk about how to see when rhino are stressed, litigations against the South African government, how rhino populations in South Africa grow by over 7% per year despite natural losses and poaching, all thanks to private owners, how private rhino owners own more than 60% of rhino in the world and carry a massive conservation burden.
All music by Jacques van Wyk.
Homesteading in New Zealand is growing, especially after recent floods and the Covid pandemic.
I speak to Michael Andrew, editor of Lifestyle Block magazine about homesteading in New Zealand.
We ask are preppers crazy? (No they're not!) We talk self sufficiency, hunting, fishing, bartering, permaculture and how he is building his own homestead in Raglan, New Zealand.
Note; the interview was done late last year, so when he refers to next year he means 2024.
All music by Jacques van Wyk
The De Winton’s golden mole was last seen in 1937 and was declared lost to science.
But a team of researchers recently used environmental DNA to find it again and also managed to get hold of one of the moles and take DNA sample swabs.
I speak to Dr. Samantha Mynhardt, a Conservation Genetics Researcher, about their discovery on the South African West Coast.
We talk about the potentials of the use of environmental DNA in conservation, the sniffer dog they used to detect the golden mole, why it is better if some species are left undiscovered but why finding the De Winton's mole is good, the threats against it and more.
Samantha is part of the Drylands Conservation Programme, for the Endangered Wildlife Trust and an extraordinary lecturer for the Department of Botany and Zoology at the Stellenbosch University in South Africa.
What is better than a weekend hunting mission with mates?
So, in this episode I speak to Riley Meason and Gabe Ross from The Weekend Mish.
They talk about how they started hunting, building a YouTube channel brand, their participation in the reality TV show Tracked, how they handle criticism, their recent hunt in the USA and why it rocked, big missions and taking risks, what a trophy is, the future and more.
Gabe cuts out a few times and Riley and I just keep talking.
We laugh at our own jokes.
Good times!
Check them out on https://www.youtube.com/@TheWeekendMish
All music by Jacques van Wyk
In this episode farm nutrient advisor Melinda Turner and Barrie Riddler talk about their theory that using less fertiliser on New Zealand farms will mean more profit for farmers and better animal health.
They talk about their deep frustrations with the idea that maximum production means maximum profit.
Some of what they say might be triggering to anyone who does not understand the curve of diminishing returns.
Barrie talks extensively about the software model, E2M, that he wrote.
He voices his frustration with how averaging is used to make decisions on farms.
Melinda talks about the connection between soil and animal health.
She talks about a need for plant system modelling in Overseer, and how soil optimal ranges are based on averages that are useless for individual farms, and how she believes farms have to be treated as individuals.
She talks about how there is little understanding of how what happens in soils has an impact on livestock health.
She says she doesn’t use the term regen as it is basically just good farm practice.
Barrie says if a greenhouse gas tax kicks in and software uses averages to calculate future fertiliser use on farms, then the best and most efficient farmers will be penalised the most.
They voice opinions on sale reps.
Some useful information.
A E2M intro and demo
https://youtu.be/kSHcWXJ08Sc
John King explaining diminishing returns https://youtu.be/F9ytTwU_TUQ
E2M-technical-foreword.pdf (landcare.org.nz)
This is a full and at times complex overview of E2M
Sarahs Country discussion on E2M
https://youtu.be/bl3tuI7im3I
E2M Detailed Overview
https://youtu.be/SmEx7irZP14
Annette Litherland, Takaka Study
Takaka-Case-Study-3.pdf (landcare.org.nz)
https://landcare.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/E2M-technical-foreword.pdf
And last but not least a explanation by ChatGPT that Barrie provided on E2M:
"E2M (Enviro-Economic Model) is a unique farm-planning tool that can identify how to achieve a particular outcome on a farm within the many constraints that farm operates within—whether it be maximising economic performance or minimising external inputs, nutrient losses, or emissions. It is a full farm systems model, summarising farm operations in fortnightly increments including pasture growth, grazing, fertiliser use, economics, nutrient outputs, and greenhouse gas emissions. E2M works differently to other farm systems models available in Aotearoa New Zealand (and the world)—and this makes it much more efficient and effective than those models.
E2M is based on a linear-programming platform and can model whole farm systems including greenhouse gas emissions. It differs from other farm systems models worldwide as it avoids the restrictions that linear programming exhibits when integrating multiple complex systems."
In the 1800's New Zealand sheep thief James Mackenzie became a legend for stealing large flocks of sheep with just the help of his dog, he took them over 100's of kilometres of mountains to a piece of land he wanted to stake a claim on.
He later had a whole area of the country named after him: Mackenzie Country.
In this episode I speak to curator Sean Brosnahan and exhibition developer William McKee from the Toitū Otago Settlers Museum.
Below are links to stories of pioneers from New Zealand history, a project Sean and Will are working on.
Journey to New Edinburgh documentary: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeriCkBw8zMgqxdPz1XlkILIAlugr3JD_&si=JAoO6JENAJIovQJv
100 Pioneers Stories: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeriCkBw8zMjEtYJjSuU_HPqF3GZf9EVj&si=JP-paYudjG9iXqbp
Definition of Pakeha: A Maori term for the white inhabitants of New Zealand.
All music by Jacques van Wyk
The fight against wool - a story of lawsuits, bad science and political kowtowing
In this episode I speak to Greg Smith, CEO of wool carpet manufacturer Bremworth, about how regulations and selective science is showing wool is somehow worse for the planet than synthetic materials.
We delve into government intervention and how politicians appease voters and their climate views.
The lawsuit against Bremworth.
And what the future holds.
We talk about Greg's mind-shift when he leaves the jewellery world for primary industries.
Why are governments intervening in the industry? (at min 15:44)
Did he expect the backlash from synthetic industry when Bremworth began promoting wool?
The impact of the cyclone and flooding on Bremworth's factory.
https://bremworth.co.nz
All music by Jacques van Wyk
In this episode I speak to CEO of Eat New Zealand Angela Clifford.
We talk about why New Zealand needs a food plan and strategy, how introduced species like deer and trout play a role in a food plan, we touch on food waste, regenerative agriculture, we bemoan how white bait is managed, and we talk about the role of the export market, the supermarket duopoly, Supie, the role consumers have to play in making new systems work and more.
Maori definitions used by Angela for foreign listeners;
Kai moana: Food from the sea
Whanau: Extended family or community
Mahinga kai: cultivation or food gathering place
In this episode I talk to Dr Nic Rawlence director of the University of Otago's Palaeogenetics Laboratory and PhD student Lachlan Scarsbrook, based at Oxford University in the UK, about the extinct New Zealand grayling.
I also talk to Ross Bailey, an Australian fly fisherman who has in the past caught Australian grayling as bycatch. The Australian grayling is protected and you are not allowed to target them. Ross shares how he caught them on the fly, what fly patterns they went for, what rivers they are found in, how hard they fought. He also talk about catching their far-off cousins in Europe and Alaska.
The grayling was hyper-abundant and was New Zealand's most common fish. It is, for now, the only extinct New Zealand fish.
Dr Nic and Lachlan do a deep dive into a DNA study they did, what they found, the wide ranging theories of how the fish became extinct, what it ate (which is a clue to how you'd fish for it if you are a fly-fisherman), we establish that you don’t have to fish every weekend to be able to study fish, we talk about possible reintroduction of the fish, and Lachlan says Nic is a rainmaker when it comes to getting funding for studies. We also talk about dogs, wolves and why using fish as fertiliser isn't a good idea.
I speak to Professor Ian Shaw an international expert on food safety. We talk about glyphosate as an environmental estrogen, estrogen mimicry, ideas on non-genotoxic carcinogenicity and how former research was right and then turned out to be completely wrong, long term inflammatory effects and possible environmental impact of glyphosate through avenues that were not previously considered. Shaw is the former chair of the UK Pesticide Residues Committee and working as the National Food Safety Programme Manager at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), based in Christchurch. He specialises in chemical residues in food and the environment and their human health effects and leads the Toxicology Research Group at the University of Canterbury.
How do you build a social media community that shares recipes of food they harvested? How would you market wild meat to a townie consumer? How do you give wild meat value in a country like New Zealand that declares some sources of game as pests? What is ethical spearfishing? How does the outdoors connect to mental health?
I speak to brand strategist, creative, photographer and foodie Tim Kaverman from Eat What you Kill Co about all this and more.
Cam Henderson started the Hunter's Journal magazine in a time when print is supposedly dying. He kicked that theories behind. We speak about getting a magazine started. Being cold outdoors. How good Kiwi hunters have it. Why hunt photography has become so freakn good. And how awesome that first time you see a tahr bull is.
I talk to Francesco Formisano from Altitude and Trails about the ethics of hunting. We explore how we lost our spiritual connection to the animals we hunt and eat. Why some cows are clever. We talk about tahr in New Zealand. His project to study animal pathologies in the New Zealand tahr population. And we forget to talk about how animals full of adrenaline taste like crap and why is a good reason to know your rifle or bow and ensure a swift kill. We may swear once or twice.
I speak to Douwe Korting about the Herenboeren concept in The Netherlands where families pay a farmer to specifically grow organic food and free range meat for them.
With the system not focusing on profit the farmer is free to focus on regenerative agriculture methods. Families who wish to volunteer their free time do so and assist the farmer where he feels he may need a hand.
The Herenboeren are involved with government and are active in the discussion on new approaches to agriculture in a changing world.
I speak to Susan Marshall, Science Group Leader for Marine Products at Plant and Food about bioscaffolds, the research they are doing, full utilisation of fish, changing the fishing industries view on what part of a fish is important, the blue economy and more.
I speak to Altitude and Trails podcast host and bowhunter Francesco Formisano about hunting in New Zealand, why he is obsessed with wild food, the Tahr hunt movie Chimeras, conservation in New Zealand from the perspective of a foreigner, Roe deer, hunting ethics and more.
I spoke to Professor Margreet Vissers from the University of Otago’s Centre for Free Radical Research, in New Zealand, about their research on Vitamin C's role in cancer management, on how optimal levels aid our immune systems, how it can affect tumour growth, how you cannot overdose on Vitamin C, and how the idea that Vitamin C is expensive pee is a result of bad science.
I speak to ex photojournalist Johann Hattingh about conflict photography, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), how Ibogaine helped him overcome his PTSD, how newspapers don't support their journalists, his dog Kodak and how she saved his life, getting hit in the head during a protest, some of his crazy photos, how he started the PTSDSA organisation, and I shared some of my experiences with anxiety and depression.
Follow him on Instagram @journojay
All music by Jacques van Wyk.
Logo by Gerhard Human.
I speak to editor of the Mission Fly Mag, Tudor Caradoc-Davies, about fly fishing in Southern Africa, catching fish with cigarette patterns, some of his work as publisher, how it is to start a fly fishing magazine, why their cover photos break the mould, why fly fishing is a cult, my attempts to get my one buddy into fly fishing, I tell a crazy story of my brakes failing on a mountain pass in Lesotho but then delete it in editing because I admitted to swearing at beggars, I once again admit to sucking at fly fishing, and Tudor tells me despite me not believing it fly fishing may just be a sex cult.
Website: https://themissionflymag.com
Instagram: @themissionflymag
All music by Jacques van Wyk
I talk to Simon Ritson, founder of Pracmed NZ, about his military career, their Stop the Bleed course, how to save lives when you are being shot at, why first responder training in New Zealand isn't up top scratch, his work in disaster zones, how to stop bleeds, that one time when he freaked out, mental health and more.
Website: https://pracmednz.com
Instagram: @pracmed_nz
All music by Jacques van Wyk
I speak to Daniel Nogueira about doing the Te Araroa through hike from the top of the New Zealand North Island to the bottom of the South Island, his zero waste approach, gathering funds to plant native trees, hiking lite, dealing with post through-hike blues, his vegan diet, how Covid affected his hike and more. - - @daniel.anogueira
- fund trees at 'give a little'
All music by Jacques van Wyk
I speak to Tanner Flake, a.k.a Tuna, from Tenkara Rod Co, the company that made this style of Japanese fly fishing even cooler. Tuna tells me; how they used Kickstarter to fund their first rod production run, why he is into catch-and-release but keeps some fish to eat (now that he isn't allergic anymore), how he got the name Tuna, how to eat trout cheek meat, why Tenkara Rod Co likes to keep fishing simple, how presentation on Tenkara works, how rad Idaho is, how rad it was to fish New Zealand and Patagonia, how Drew Hollenback almost caught a monster brown on a mouse, why access is complicated in the USA, myths about throwin' that rod, and a bunch more.
I bemoan the fact that Tenkara is illegal in New Zealand. I talk about my drug induced plans to legalise it (post shoulder operation pain meds are scary). As always I swear up a storm but delete most of it in post production. All music by Jacques van Wyk
I talk to hunter and conservationist Ivan Carter about conservation and hunting in Africa. We discuss how he became a conservationist, his days as big game hunter, his TV show 'Carter's War', how he approaches communities in Africa to begin developing conservation models and why hunting is still the most sustainable way to fund conservation in Africa. We talk about the rhino horn trade, human and animal conflict, if predator hunting should be allowed in Africa, why a hunting lodge has less of a footprint than the coffee you drink, how he remains calm when charged by an elephant and more.
I talk to New Zealand based fly fishing guide Alex Waller, known for his Instagram and You Tube channels 'trippinontrout'. The podcast is divided in two halves.
The first is an interview with him in his hometown Taupo. Alex talks about growing up in the UK, his move to New Zealand, learning to fly fish in rivers, fish handling, why some people suck and others don't, the equipment he uses to make videos for his channels, how much lock down sucks for guides, why trout rock, fishing king fish on the fly.
The second half is a recording of a talk he held at an Auckland fly fishing club on how to effectively fish the Tongariro river in the North Island of New Zealand. He discusses presentation, his theory of how weight plus depth equals fish, how too little slack on the water affects presentation, why he doesn't use tapered leaders but builds his own, and more.