Episodes
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In this episode Jono speaks with keen 24-year-old kiwifruit orchard manager Levi Belcher about how he got started in the industry, and why he was attracted to soil health and regenerative practices.
Levi talks about how having a "get stuck in" attitude has made a big difference in his career.
If you are a Kiwifruit grower interested in regen practices and / or organics, or looking to get started in the industry, you will want to sit down for this one!
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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
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In this discussion, Jono sits down with dairy farmer and Quorum Sense board member Willie White to hear about his journey into organic regen dairy farming.
From humble beginnings on the family farm as a child - and watching his parents convert a part of the farm to dairy - Willie has always had a strong connection with the land. After a career in rural banking, Willie came home to take on the family dairy farm.
Attending a local field day where a dairy farmer was showcasing his diverse pastures, which allowed him to not need to use synthetic nitrogen fertilisers, Willie had a penny-drop moment. And he set about converting to organic supply.
Looking back, Willie says he's thrilled with the outcomes of that choice, and what it's done to his farm's health and resilience, and to the bottom line.
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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 (
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Missing episodes?
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In this special episode of the Quorum Sense podcast, Jono interviews Professor Jack Heinemann from the University of Canterbury on the topic of GE and GMO in New Zealand.
Professor Heinemann's experience in this field, along with a long list of credentials, make him one of the leading voices in the country. And this conversation uncovers issues and insights into GE and GMO that many may not be aware of.
Tune in as we dive into a very informative conversation on the risks of the proposed GE / GMO regulation changes in New Zealand.
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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
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In this episode Jono catches up with Carrie and Tom Andrews from Wholly Cow Butchery in Cambridge.
Carrie and Tom are passionate about supporting their local community and creating opportunities from listening to their customers needs.
From caring for the animals, to slaughter, to butchery and even turning what would normally be waste products into soil building compost - Carrie and Tom are responsible for the whole lot.
Carrie and Tom are keeping traditional skills alive as modern technology is doing more and more of our tasks, and vital skills are at risk of being forgotten.
Listen to how this family has created a fully open and transparent system that promotes connection, responsibility, quality and resilience in their farm and butchery business.
Click this link to check out the Wholly Cow Butchery website.
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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
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In this episode we have an in-depth and very personal conversation with Zeb Horrell.
Zeb is a third generation sheep and beef farmer from northern Southland, and Zeb's contributions span much wider than the family farm.
Zeb shares his experience with enterprises, Future Whenua, Polyculture Paddock and Burning Horse festival, and a recent move from his family farm - Motana Flat - to Mangaroa Farms in the lower North Island.
Zeb covers complex topics with grace and ease. From selling farm produce direct to the community and views on regulations, to agroforestry and silvopasture. And from the environmental trading scheme (ETS) to being responsible for your information diet.
Zeb's passion for the industry and what he does is vivid and unmistakable. Try listening to this one and not being inspired by, and excited for, what's possible in our farming communities!
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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 (
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Charlotte and Russell Heald are passionate dairy farmers "living their dream life" in Norsewood, Manawatū.
Earlier this year they won the OrganicNZ award for Regenerative Organic Farmer of the Year.
Russell and Charlotte share their journey from conventional share milking to dairy farm ownership. And how a personal health focus began their on farm transition to regenerative and then organic certification, where they receive a premium for their milk.
They wanted to create a low stress farm environment with a focus on profit and abundance of life, and they share how they have done just that.
Charlotte and Russell are very open in this conversation, sharing challenges and successes they have found on the way.
Tune in as we discuss a range of topics from diverse pastures to agri tourism to energy and frequencies in this fascinating conversation with the Healds.
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In this episode Stephen Newman shares his journey from the IT industry, to dairy farming in his thirties, to later discover regenerative agriculture and the power of farm discussion groups.
Stephen had no farming background when he started dairy farming and relied heavily on advice from consultants. And he saw synthetic nitrogen as a vital element of his farming business.
After watching a Country Calendar episode, Stephen was introduced to a whole new world of farming. That was the catalyst for change.
Today, Stephen and his wife farm in Kaukapakapa and have been trialing regen practices for five years, including some trials in Kiwifruit orchards he's involved with. Stephen also discusses how beneficial it has been starting a local discussion group with support from Quorum Sense.
He started the Kaipara Regenerative Farming Group and is now getting the first discussion group off the ground for kiwifruit growers curious about regenerative practices.
Tune in to hear this inspiring story of learning and discovery.
🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
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Disclaimer: The information, opinions and ideas presented in this content is for information purposes only and does not constitute...
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In this episode of the Quorum Sense podcast, Jono has a fascinating discussion with David Musgrave about pastoral farming and science in New Zealand
David is a multi-generational farmer who's family started farming at Waihi Bush Farm in the 1800s, and its where David farmed until recently. As well as farming, he has a vast career in science and research exploring what makes our pastures here productive and profitable.
We discuss New Zealand's first urea manufacturing plant and how it shaped our pastoral systems and research, and how our attachment to ryegrass and white clover pastures are limiting us in many ways.
David shares his knowledge on what species of pasture work really well and what resilience and susceptibility to common problems like grass grub and nutrient deficiency look like.
If your interested in thriving pastoral systems, you are going to want to get your note pad out for this one!
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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
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In this podcast, recorded especially for our Wintering Innovations Series, Deane Parker, Duncan Humm and Jono Frew discuss their wintering journeys.
Deane talks about going from relying on unreliable winter crops to a full bale grazing system on his mid Canterbury dairy farm.
Duncan shares his journey from heavy pugging on his mid Canterbury deer farm, which included wintering cows from nearby dairy farms. And to lifting stag numbers, introducing diverse species winter crops and silage, and treating his soil totally differently.
Jono adds his first season's learnings from managing a large beef and winter dairy grazing farm in the Waitaki, which involves making their own hay and silage and adapting to the conditions.
This is a lively early-morning discussion between three passionate practitioners who have evolving views on how to look after their animals and their soil.
For find out more about our Wintering Innovations Series and sign up to receive content, click this link to visit the webpage.
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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/
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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...
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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.
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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.
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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
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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)
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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 (
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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!
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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 (
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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)
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2023 Quorum Sense
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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)
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2023 Quorum Sense
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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)
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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!
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2023 Quorum Sense
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It was an interest in body building, personal training and nutrition that sparked Peter Legg’s journey into farming. You’ll now find him on the family’s 45ha dry land arable, winter sheep grazing and dairy support block in Southbridge, Canterbury.
Peter talks about ‘right place, right time’ cultivation and success in raising soil organic matter levels. And he shares his experience with lime and biological nutrient brews, and his observations of the farm’s economic improvements.
Like most, Peter has concerns moving forward, but is also clear about the exciting opportunity farmers have with practices like green crops and maintaining soil cover all year round.
"It just blows my mind because we struggled to grow cash crops on dry-land in the early days. And now we’re growing a cash crop and all this biomass over the summer."It’s like, how is this even possible!"🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
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2023 Quorum Sense
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Father and daughter duo Shane Birchall and Meghan Schutt have changed their whole dairy and beef system, just south of Rotorua. Shane’s ‘tried it all’ throughout his lifetime on the farm, with nudges from Meghan in recent years steering them to focus on creating self-sufficient and low waste operations.
The two share their experiences implementing herd homes, multi-species crops, combining mobs, high-density grazing management, low inputs, and most recently, halter collars. The benefits to soil and animal health, the team’s well-being and enthusiasm, and the overall flexibility of the farm system are unquestionable. And they’re not stopping here!
Enjoy the episode.
“We’ve had a massive change in farming really, in the last three years.”“The whole system has changed completely. We’ve gone from running two mobs to one mob.”“One herd now which has made things so much simpler. I forgot how easy heifers can be when they’re mixed in with the old girls. So that’s a huge labour saving.”“Multiple shifts, really focusing on keeping that residual 16, 17, 18 instead of 15, so making that grass grow more grass.”🪴 Quorum Sense website (www.quorumsense.org.nz)
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2023 Quorum Sense
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