Podcasts by Category
A series of conversations with farmers and those working in the rural sector. We’re exploring the variety of experiences, perspectives and ideas coming from the creation of resilient, regenerative and enjoyable farming systems in New Zealand. The setup and first years of this podcast were supported by MPI’s Productive & Sustainable Land Use - Extension Services fund. Since July 2023, the Quorum Sense Podcast has been produced independently by the podcast team. For more information, visit the Quorum Sense Podcast webpage (https://www.quorumsense.org.nz/podcasts).
- 38 - Transforming waste into biochar with Dylan Graves
In this fascinating episode of the Quorum Sense podcast, Jono sits down in the studio with Dylan Graves from Tuatapere for an in depth talk about some of the powerful uses and functions of Biochar.
After years of journeying around the world teaching, Dylan felt there was something missing in his life.
Then he discovered Permaculture and the wonders of soil which then lead onto discovering the amazing results of using Biochar.
Dylan is a great teacher and does a fantastic job of demonstrating not only the benefits and risks of Biochar, but also goes into great detail of some of the ways literally anyone can make Biochar on any scale.
https://www.sces.org.nz/biochar
https://passionatepermies.wordpress.com/workshops/
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group
Disclaimer:The information, opinions and ideas presented in this content is for information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Any reliance on the content provided is done at your own risk(click here to view full disclaimer on the Quorum Sense website).
2023 Quorum Sense
Thu, 09 May 2024 - 1h 27min - 37 - Uncovering the magic of Six Inches of Soil with Claire McKenzie
This month, we ride the airwaves to the UK to hear from Claire McKenzie, the producer and filmmaker behind Six Inches of Soil - a grassroots UK documentary which Quorum Sense is bringing to New Zealand next month.
Jono has a fascinating conversation with Claire about the film, the young aspiring farmers it follows, and how its captivating non-farming audiences. We also explore how the regenerative agriculture conversation is unfolding in the UK and what the future looks like for family farms.
Having caught up with Claire, we couldn’t be more excited to bring Six Inches of Soil to big screens here in NZ and to shine a light on soil and regenerative farming.
This is a film for everyone, whether you’re into regenerative farming or not; it’s captivating and full of positive solutions. We encourage you to get along to a screening near you, and enjoy a night out at the flicks.
Visit the Quorum Sense website to find a screening near you and book tickets.
And click here to visit the Six Inches of Soil website.
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group
Disclaimer:The information, opinions and ideas presented in this content is for information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Any reliance on the content provided is done at your own risk(click here to view full disclaimer on the Quorum Sense website).
2023 Quorum Sense
Tue, 19 Mar 2024 - 40min - 36 - Windows of opportunity with Nick Tucker
Beef farmer and Quorum Sense Team member Nick Tucker has swapped his urban luxuries for an off-grid cabin on 160 acres amid the backroads of Northland.
From the family dairy farm as a young boy, to ruminant nutrition research, being the PR bridge between marketers and farmers, and working for intensive ag companies, Nick pivoted to more 'meaningful work' in 2019 – and with that, a complete mindset shift.
Nick is vulnerable in sharing that he doesn’t have farming all figured out. Yet inspires us to lean into that experience, and view patience and observation as our best resources to find those windows of opportunity.
Enjoy the episode.
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group
Disclaimer:The information, opinions and ideas presented in this content is for information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Any reliance on the content provided is done at your own risk(click here to view full disclaimer on the Quorum Sense website).
2023 Quorum Sense
Mon, 18 Dec 2023 - 1h 21min - 35 - What do we mean by 'Good Farming' with Daniel Eb and Peter Edwards
Farming for Good (NB webpage not live yet) is a research collection that explores our sense of connection with farming in Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s about supporting everyday people and leaders across our communities, farming sector and government, to build trust in our food and farming system.
In this is podcast, we’ll be talking specifically to a research project led by Peter Edwards (Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research) focussing on social license and perceptions of the ‘good farmer’. The researchers asked urban and farming New Zealanders about their perceptions of 21 different farming practices – with some surprising results.
Also on the podcast is Daniel Eb, founder of New Zealand’s national open farm day - Open Farms – to share some stories about connection and perception change from the 100+ open farms events / 10,000 visits the project has supported.
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group
Disclaimer:The information, opinions and ideas presented in this content is for information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Any reliance on the content provided is done at your own risk(click here to view full disclaimer on the Quorum Sense website).
2023 Quorum Sense
Thu, 23 Nov 2023 - 1h 04min - 34 - Taking the bull by the horns with Ewan Campbell
National food awards, 10t/ha increases of soil carbon and nitrate levels now undetectable. These are results that’ll open your mind to what Coromandel drystock farmer Ewan Campbell has to say about his discoveries.
National food awards, 10t/ha increases of soil carbon and nitrate levels now undetectable. These are results that’ll open your mind to what Northland drystock farmer Ewan Campbell has to say about his discoveries.
Ewan’s journey started with helping his dad turn a peat swamp into a farm. Right across the railway from top-in-the-country dairy land that he wished he had.
Moving to a drystock farm in Waihi with little in his pockets, Ewan started trialing alternatives. This included the un-tapped power of electromagnetism through the soil. This is definitely an episode that will charge your brain cells!
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group
Disclaimer:The information, opinions and ideas presented in this content is for information purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Any reliance on the content provided is done at your own risk(click here to view full disclaimer on the Quorum Sense website).
2023 Quorum Sense
Mon, 06 Nov 2023 - 54min - 33 - Farmers are our health system with Phyllis Tichinin
Growing up in California, Phyllis Tichinin witnessed the abundance of local fruit orchards and their deep, rich soils begin to be concreted into what is now Silicon Valley.
After meeting her Kiwi husband, Phyllis now resides in Hawke’s Bay and is well-known as an eco-nutritionist with a passion for regenerative farming practices that produce nutrient dense food.
“If we get agriculture right, we get everything else right”.
This is a conversation that you’ll find you can’t draw yourself away from as Phyllis stoutly highlights the links and parallels between human health and the health of our food systems.
Enjoy the episode.
“I am optimistic and I am humbled by what many farmers are willing to take on [despite] social pushback from neighbours and family…
“…the risk that’s involved when you’re not doing the normal thing…so you can’t blame the weather or make excuses…and you become more responsible for your own results.”
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group
2023 Quorum Sense
Tue, 26 Sep 2023 - 1h 17min - 32 - Playing the game of farming with Brad Rudd
Infatuated by seeds turning into food as a young boy in his Poppa’s veggie garden, Brad Rudd has always had a desire to grow things. Despite growing up in the outskirts of Auckland.
At first a senior shepherd on a ‘conventional’ farm in Hawke’s Bay, Brad then threw his hat over the wall and took on the role of manager of Motatapu Station – working for Nadia Lim’s Royalburn Station – in Central Otago.
Brad’s experience and unique perspective has him understand and yet question the status quo. Breeding livestock resilience is his thing, and there’s nothing else he’d rather be doing!
Enjoy the episode.
“And I think either way I’m going to really get the value of that variety for the animals. So I’ll use the kale paddocks as the dry matter, the gut fill paddocks, and I’ll probably take them on and off the regen paddocks to almost like give them their vitamins, so to speak.”
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group
2023 Quorum Sense
Fri, 11 Aug 2023 - 1h 10min - 31 - Integrating your values into farming Charlie Arnott
Australian farmer, podcaster and all-round regenerative advocate Charlie Arnott talks landscape healing, nutritionally dense food and the complexity and stresses of farm management.
Whilst Charlie is grateful for the reference point his science background provided, it wasn’t helping integrate his personal values into farming. Not just bringing biodiversity and resilience to a sometimes challenging environment, but also engaging with people, having fun and being playful.
He sees himself as a ‘grower of food’, is committed to living an authentic life and values stopping doing things as much as doing something different. And it all starts with the ‘paddock between your ears’!
Enjoy the episode.
The first place to change is the paddock between your ears. Getting gung-ho and buying equipment or applying tools big or small in the landscape at first is probably not what I’d suggest to do.
Just to do the homework. Work out how adapting some different methods is going to fit with your budget, your resources, your temperament, your situation.
Step into it lightly…and just align these potential practices with your values, and make sure they do align, and with your resources is really important.
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group
2023 Quorum Sense
Fri, 09 Jun 2023 - 1h 03min - 30 - ‘Boots and all’ with Cherryle Prew
Cherryle Prew’s journey progressed from city office worker, to organic horticulture, to BioGro auditing. But her “aha!” moment and passion for soil biology was born at a talk by Elaine Ingham, founder of Soil Food Web worldwide.
Boots and all, Cherryle set up NZ’s only Soil Food Web lab 20 years ago.
From discussing compost teas, to the need for auditing and regulation being more educational and less ‘stick’, to commentary on past and present ways of growing food, this is a ‘grab a cup of tea, a biscuit, and tell a few stories’ kind of conversation.
Enjoy the episode!
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group
2023 Quorum Sense
Fri, 19 May 2023 - 1h 01min - 29 - Learning off each other with Peter Legg
The tables have turned for arable farmer Peter Legg, from initially learning off others’ knowledge and experience to now being someone others are learning from!
Thu, 13 Apr 2023 - 1h 07min - 28 - The joy in ‘giving it a crack’ with Shane Birchall & Meghan Schutt
Father and daughter duo Shane Birchall and Meghan Schutt share their learnings and experiences in transitioning to a self-sufficient, low waste dairy and beef farm operation.
Fri, 10 Mar 2023 - 56min - 27 - The possibilities of science and farming with Sam Lang
Canterbury farmer and Quorum Sense team member Sam Lang talks about the relationship between science and farmer experience, risk, and the importance of support networks.
Mon, 13 Feb 2023 - 1h 11min - 26 - Transformations and expectations with Jake Herron
New farm, new home, new partner, new baby! A whole lot has transformed for Jake Herron in the last two years. A real and refreshing story.
Fri, 27 Jan 2023 - 41min - 25 - Looking outside the square with Adam Rivett
Winner at the 2022 New Zealand Sausage Awards, Canterbury sheep and beef farmer Adam Rivett talks about getting creative with farm enterprises to suit his context.
Tue, 20 Dec 2022 - 53min - 24 - Foundations of a resilient farming system with Hamish Bielski
South Otago sheep and beef farmer Hamish Bielski authentically talks about marriage, managing expectations, failure, continuously adapting, creating opportunities, and celebrating your wins.
Fri, 02 Dec 2022 - 56min - 23 - Gaining confidence through knowledge with David Birkett
Award-winning biological arable farmer David Birkett shares a whole pot of gold as he explains how he built the confidence to try something new.
Fri, 18 Nov 2022 - 51min - 22 - Food and health independence with Marran (Maz) Tuckwell
Young farmer Marran (Maz) Tuckwell talks food and health independence, tapping into nature’s abundance, plus the importance of community and boots on the ground.
Fri, 28 Oct 2022 - 46min - 21 - Embracing a bit of chaos with Richard Leask and Nick Paulin
Richard Leaske and Nick Paulin discuss the shift in customer attention from product to process, the need for critical questioning, and embracing a bit of chaos!
Fri, 14 Oct 2022 - 59min - 20 - Seeing the opportunity in consumer demands with Geoff Ross
Lake Hawea Station's Geoff Ross talks about his return to farming, learning from nature and the opportunities in reducing the divide between farm and city.
Thu, 22 Sep 2022 - 1h 04min - 19 - In off the deep end with Michael Reilly
Michael Reilly shares the ups and downs of his journey from Sydney suburbia to regenerative Hawkes Bay farmer, and what's changed along the way.
Thu, 25 Aug 2022 - 1h 03min - 18 - Regenerative organic dairying with Janette and Carla Perrett
Dairying team Janette and Carla Perrett discuss how regenerative organic has cut health costs, improved soil fertility and created deep connection with stock and land.
Thu, 28 Jul 2022 - 46min - 17 - Balancing farm and family with Tim & Camilla Rutherford
Tim and Camilla Rutherford explore the benefits and balance of regenerative high country Merino production, healthy family life and Camilla's professional photography career.
Fri, 24 Jun 2022 - 1h 04min - 16 - Jodi Roebuck on maximising impact per hectare
Regenerative market gardener Jodi Roebuck on generating $250k from one tenth of a hectare, learning from others and the role relationships play in building resilience.
Fri, 03 Jun 2022 - 1h 09min - 15 - Breeding for success with the McKerchar family
The McKerchars discuss the evolution of their beef and sheep breeding, their relationship to the soil and the changes delivering improved livestock health, fertility and well-being.
Fri, 13 May 2022 - 46min - 14 - Embracing dairy learnings with Deane Parker
Dairy farmer and filmmaker Deane Parker shares his passion for the outdoors and water, and the learning mindset that's central to his transition to regenerative farming.
Thu, 14 Apr 2022 - 57min - 13 - Managing complexity on the farm with Jules Matthews
Regenerative coach, pastoral farmer and market gardener Jules Matthews explores the challenges and opportunities within complexity, and the uncertainty it calls us to embrace.
Fri, 25 Mar 2022 - 1h 04min - 12 - Duncan Humm talks diversity with deer
South Canterbury’s Duncan Humm shares his fascination with deer, and the importance of both observation and diversity when applying regenerative farming practices.
Fri, 25 Feb 2022 - 43min - 11 - Regen dairy with Miah & Jenny Smith and Greg & Lenna Low
North Island meets South as two dairy farming couples explore the positive impact regenerative farming systems have had on the soil, animals, profits and humans!
Wed, 22 Dec 2021 - 1h 09min - 10 - Arable panel with Nigel Greenwood, Simon White & Dave Cline
Three arable farmers deep-dive into the specifics of how they’ve implemented regenerative tools, inputs and techniques into their crop production systems.
Tue, 30 Nov 2021 - 47min - 9 - Celebrating pastoral farming with Siobhan Griffin
Pastoral farmer and grazing coach Siobhan Griffin shares her passion for regenerative pastoral farming, the opportunity to benefit farmers, consumers and our climate.
Tue, 26 Oct 2021 - 55min - 8 - Building resilience with Nick Gill & Mike Saunders
Greystone Wine's Nick Gill and Mike Saunders share the challenges of innovation and the benefits of introducing regenerative farming systems.
Thu, 23 Sep 2021 - 1h 08min - 7 - Hill country with Laura & Mark Koopmans
Regenerative hill country farmers Laura Page and Mark Koopmans explain how they’re applying nature-based management to land that’s ‘80% steep, 50% bush’.
Fri, 13 Aug 2021 - 1h 30min - 6 - Going wild with Roger and Nicki Beattie
Farming entrepreneurs Roger and Nickie Beattie have been forging a unique path within New Zealand’s agricultural landscape for many years. From farming wild sheep to developing branded products, they’ve leveraged regenerative principles to create a business ecosystem that’s complex, yet also simple.
It’s a great conversation that touches on many aspects of the work they’ve done to establish their current businesses. Full of interesting insights and genuinely innovative approaches to farming, there’s no doubting the passion they both have for what they do.
Enjoy the episode!
Thu, 17 Jun 2021 - 1h 00min - 5 - Global perspectives with Nicole Masters
Regenerative advocate, educator and coach Nicole Masters talks about the unique opportunity facing New Zealand farmers looking to introduce regenerative farming practices. The discussion ranges widely, from the value of open sharing, tackling soil compaction, and the benefits of working with nature, not against it.
Nicole has been exploring the benefits of 'nature-aligned' ways of growing crops and raising livestock since well before the term regenerative agriculture existed. With a background in the sciences and having coached numerous farmers in NZ and overseas in regenerative farming practices, she offers valuable perspective from the leading edge of regenerative thinking.
Enjoy the episode!
Conversation timeline:
00:00:58 - Comparing NZ soil environment with the US
00:04:30 - Getting excited about soils and plant biology
00:07:36 - The value of a questioning mindset
00:11:11 - The cost of not working with nature
00:14:42 - Consequences of current thinking
00:17:54 - Find those breaking the rules
00:21:15 - Compaction as an example finding different solutions
00:26:40 - Identify compaction and infiltration tests
00:29:38 - Authoring ‘For the love of the soil’
00:35:47 - The prospect of farming with fewer inputs
00:41:19 - Reversing the 'buy more land' trend
00:43:10 - Impact of chemical contamination
00:51:03 - Superphosphate impact on zinc levels
00:52:44 - The 'coach the coaches' school
00:56:13 - Learning from indigenous peoples
01:00:28 - Advice for those starting their regen journey
Thu, 20 May 2021 - 1h 04min - 4 - Talking dairy with Mark Anderson
South Otago dairy farmer Mark Anderson talks about his passion for the environment and the experiences – in New Zealand and overseas – that led him to begin exploring regenerative farming practices four years ago. These include seeing the impact of farming on the rivers that border his family's farm, recognising the unsustainability of Southland winter cropping practices, and hearing about changes in the oceans impacting his father-in-law's commercial fishing operations.
Mark also touches on the link between soil health, food quality and human health, with challenges to his own health adding to the drive to produce healthier food from healthier natural systems. With detail of the positive benefits on soil function, how Mark is monitoring progress, and the power of being supported by like-minded farmers, it's a conversation that covers a lot of ground.
Enjoy the episode!
Conversation timeline:
00:00:41 - Introducing Mark Anderson
00:01:55 - Catalysts for the change to regen
00:04:43 - Burn-out in the dairy industry
00:07:10 - Changes to our oceans and rivers
00:11:18 - Nature-based solutions
00:14:27 - Farm history, setup and overview
00:20:14 - Learning regen
00:23:48 - The power of a supportive community
00:25:50 - Working with nature not against it
00:28:57 - Farming as an art form, not just science
00:31:59 - Catching the emergent wave
00:35:25 - Being in the black to be green
00:37:05 - Measuring progress with soil fungi
00:42:09 - Rebuilding the natural cycles
00:49:52 - A new definition of success
00:54:52 - Starting the regen journey
Thu, 08 Apr 2021 - 57min - 3 - Jakeb Herron's journey into regen
Passionate about regenerative farming and already seeing results after just one year, young livestock farmer Jake Herron discusses the journey that led to farming a 160ha lease block in central Otago. He explores how his early farming experiences led him to step away from conventional agriculture, the lessons learned along the way, and the opportunities that exist for those who are bold enough to ask.
It's an open and frank conversation that also touches on the need to ignore what others think, the challenges facing young people wanting to farm in their own right, and the importance of believing in what's possible.
Enjoy the episode!
Conversation timeline:
00:00:44 - Introducing Jake
00:02:01 - Background and life journey
00:06:40 - Emergence of a regen mindset
00:09:53 - Starting out in central Otago
00:12:04 - Discovering the term ‘regenerative agriculture’
00:15:01 - Using regen to find a first lease block
00:20:15 - Early lessons and emerging plans
00:25:07 - Operating from the here and now
00:32:14 - Opportunities to build resilience
00:36:03 - Grazing management in a harsh climate
00:43:51 - The experience of the transition
00:50:16 - Bright ideas, limitations and asking for help
00:56:13 - Ignoring what other people think
00:58:50 - Trusting in what grows, and what doesn’t
01:00:13 - Having compassion towards yourself
01:03:30 - Observing results just one year in
01:08:50 - Advice for someone starting their regen journey
01:09:55 - We’re not separate from the landscape
Thu, 25 Feb 2021 - 1h 12min - 2 - The genesis of Quorum Sense
Podcast hosts and Quorum Sense founding members Jono Frew and Duncan Humm are joined by organic farmer Tim Chamberlain to chat about the genesis of the Quorum Sense network. How it all began, where it started, and how it’s evolved to become the network it is today, supporting farmers exploring regenerative farming principles across New Zealand.
As the conversation unfolds, Jono and Duncan also share aspects of their own personal journeys into the regenerative agriculture space, including the things that inspired them to get involved and what keeps them actively engaged in the network on a daily basis. Enjoy the episode!
Tue, 12 Jan 2021 - 44min - 1 - A conversation with Mike Porter
In this episode, Canterbury cropping farmer Mike Porter talks about how his early experiences with soil erosion on the family farm led to the adoption of alternative approaches to arable production. From early no-till experiments to the discovery of the role plant roots play in regenerating soil structure and health, and the integration of livestock into a truly diverse farming system.
Over several decades, he’s turned a steep rolling block many wouldn’t consider cropping into a high performing dry-land farm that stands as testament to Mike’s innovative approach and constant desire to improve the way he farms. Enjoy the episode!
Website: quorumsense.org.nz
Email: podcast@quorumsense.org.nz
Sat, 12 Dec 2020 - 1h 35min
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