EcoFarm Aotearoa

What if the biggest financial asset on your farm is already sitting in the soil? In this episode, Scott Gordon joins the conversation to break down the financial side of soil fertility, looking at the value of minerals locked up in the soil, the cost of unlocking them, and how understanding your soil could change the way you assess farm value, productivity and return on investment. We also explore the idea of treating soil like a bank account, where better fertility management can turn an underperforming asset into productive cash flow.

In this episode:
The hidden financial value of minerals in your soil

Why a soil test should be part of assessing a farm's value

The "current account" and "term deposit" analogy for soil fertility

How locked-up nutrients can limit farm productivity

Why total and available nutrients need to be looked at together

The potential financial impact of fixing limiting factors

How soil fertility can affect animal health and production

Why bankers could benefit from understanding soil productivity

Using evidence and soil data to make better farm decisions

How improving soil can create more productive land without buying more hectares

The real cost of doing nothing with the nutrients already in your soil

Our E-Book!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/Listen To An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

Herbage testing can reveal a lot about what is happening in your soil, but timing and the right combination of tests are crucial. In this episode, Ewan and the team look at why mid to late spring can be such an important window for herbage testing in New Zealand, when multiple pasture species are actively growing and minerals can be better represented.
The conversation explores the relationship between soil tests, herbage tests and soil biology, including trace minerals such as cobalt, selenium, nickel, boron and iodine. They also work through an anonymised farm example, looking at nitrogen, potassium, calcium, silicon, aluminium and other minerals to understand what the numbers may be showing about the wider soil system.
They also revisit the response to the previous cropping episode, discussing how soil preparation, biology and nutrient cycling fit together, why plants such as wild turnip may be indicators of underlying soil conditions, and why soil testing should be the starting point when trying to understand what is limiting a farm.

In this episode:
Why mid to late spring is an important time for herbage testing

How different pasture species can affect the minerals showing in a herbage test

Why some trace minerals are difficult to assess accurately through soil testing alone

How herbage testing can provide an indication of soil biology and mineral availability

The relationship between nickel, nitrogen and zinc

Why silicon and aluminium are important when looking at weeds and soil conditions

How soil tests and herbage tests can be used together

What an anonymized farm herbage test can reveal about soil fertility

Why soil testing should be the starting point when identifying limiting factors

How soil biology can contribute to nutrient cycling after cropping

What pasture plants and weeds may be telling you about the condition of the soil

Why accuracy and observation matter when making soil fertility decisions

Winter cropping can be expensive, risky and essential for getting livestock through the colder months. But what if the way we prepare a cropping paddock is actually setting it up to fail?
In this episode, Ewan and the team dig into the thinking behind winter crops, soil preparation, carbon, nitrogen and the role of soil biology. They explore the idea of the “fake boost”, where spraying and disturbing the soil can create a rapid burst of growth, while potentially leaving the paddock depleted afterwards.
The conversation looks at how farmers can approach cropping with more preparation, better timing and a focus on building the soil before the crop goes in. They also discuss cultivation, fallow periods, weeds, cyanobacteria, crop economics and why a cropping paddock doesn't have to be treated as a sacrifice.

In this episode:
Why winter cropping needs to be planned before this year's crop is even finished
How building soil carbon before planting can support crop growth
The “fake boost” that can happen after spraying
Why soil biology plays such an important role in decomposition and nutrient cycling
How crop yields and cropping area affect the economics of winter feed
Why cultivation itself isn't necessarily the enemy
The role of fallow periods, timing and soil preparation
Why weeds may be responding to underlying soil conditions
How cyanobacteria, fungi, bacteria and worms contribute to the soil cycle
Why measuring your soil carbon and nutrient inventory matters

Our E-Book!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/Listen To An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

The questions keep coming! In Part 2 of our farming Q&A, we continue answering your comments, challenging conventional thinking and digging deeper into some of the biggest conversations around modern agriculture.

In this episode:
In this episode of EcoFarm Aotearoa, the discussion turns to synthetic nitrogen, soil carbon, fungi, soil biology and the importance of questioning the systems we've come to rely on. We explore the argument that soil has its own natural nitrogen system, and ask what happens when we replace those natural processes with synthetic inputs.

We also revisit the story behind the fungal "Control Alt Delete" experiment, including the use of different fungal species and the surprising changes observed in the soil and livestock. The conversation explores the different roles fungi can play in soil biology and their relationship with other microorganisms such as cyanobacteria.

But ultimately, this episode comes back to a bigger question: how do we make better decisions on farm?

Rather than simply accepting what we're told, Ewan and the team discuss the importance of asking questions, running trials, observing the results and staying open to new ideas. From unexpected solutions to long-term consequences of farming practices, this is another wide-ranging Q&A exploring how we can think differently about agriculture.

Synthetic nitrogen and nature's nitrogen system
The relationship between nitrogen and soil carbon
The hidden costs of synthetic nitrogen
The fungal "Control Alt Delete" experiment
Cordyceps and different fungal species
Fungi, soil biology and cyanobacteria
Why independent trials and observation matter
Making farming decisions based on reality
The importance of questioning conventional practices
Innovation and finding unexpected solutions
More questions from the EcoFarm community
If you enjoyed Part 1, there's plenty more to dig into here. And as always, the goal isn't to tell you what to think, it's to encourage better questions, better observations and better conversations around farming.

Our E-Book!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/Listen To An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

What are farmers actually asking about soil, carbon, regenerative farming and the future of agriculture?

In this episode of EcoFarm Aotearoa, Ewan Campbell sits down to work through questions and comments from our viewers, covering everything from soil carbon and comprehensive soil testing to cyanobacteria, crop production, glyphosate, organic farming and New Zealand's carbon policies.

The conversation explores why testing and understanding your soil is so important, why Ewan believes farmers need to look at the whole biological system rather than individual inputs, and how better information can lead to better farming decisions.

They also discuss the growing use of pine trees for carbon credits, whether New Zealand is making the most of its position as a food-producing country, and why producing higher-value, quality food could be a much better opportunity for New Zealand farmers.

From soil testing and silicon to carbon sequestration and farming policy, this episode covers a wide range of questions and ideas with plenty of debate along the way.

In this episode:
- Soil carbon and carbon sequestration
- Why comprehensive soil testing matters
- Cyanobacteria and soil biology
- Improving crop production and yields
- Silicon and plant resilience
- Pine trees, carbon credits and land use
- Organic farming and premium food markets
- Glyphosate and its impact on biological systems
- Making better decisions on farm
- Questions and comments from the EcoFarm communityI

f you're interested in soil health, regenerative agriculture, farming innovation and the future of New Zealand agriculture, this episode is packed with ideas worth thinking about.

Our E-Book!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/Listen To An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠