From The Soil Up Podcast

How can adaptive grazing management improve farm profitability, soil health, and pasture performance?

In this episode , I sit down with New Zealand dairy farmers Brooke Lye and Russ Heald to explore the principles and practical application of adaptive grazing management.

We dive into how grazing decisions influence soil health, pasture performance, animal wellbeing, and ultimately farm profitability. Brooke and Russ share their journey of implementing adaptive and regenerative farming practices, including the role of pasture diversity, deferred grazing, regrassing strategies, and understanding plant recovery and rest periods.

Throughout the conversation, we discuss how healthy soils drive productive farming systems, why fibre is critical for dairy cow health and milk production, and how farmers can use simple indicators within their pastures to make better grazing decisions. We also explore the importance of adaptability, resilience, and long-term thinking when managing modern farming businesses.

Whether you're a dairy farmer, livestock producer, farm consultant, or simply interested in regenerative agriculture, this episode is packed with practical insights that can help you improve both ecological and financial outcomes on your farm.

In this episode, we cover:

• Adaptive grazing management principles

• Soil health and biological function

• Deferred grazing and pasture recovery

• Maintaining pasture diversity

• Regrassing and crop management strategies

• Animal nutrition and the importance of fibre

• Measuring success in adaptive farming systems

• Profitability versus production thinking

• Building resilient farm systems for the future

https://www.instagram.com/healdfarm/

https://www.instagram.com/brookelye66/

In this episode, Conan interviews Graham Powell from Fertigation New Zealand to explore the benefits, myths, and practicalities of fertigation in New Zealand agriculture. They discuss how fertigation can improve nutrient management, reduce costs, and increase crop yields across dairy, cropping, and pastoral systems.

 

https://fertigation.co.nz/

In this episode, Conan sits down with Teal Simmons, founder of Agrisol, to unpack one of regenerative agriculture's most overlooked truths: you can't build a thriving farm system if the economics don't stack up. As Teal puts it "You can't be green if you're in the red."

Teal brings a grounded, systems-based lens to the regenerative transition, walking through his Roots Framework and the practical steps farmers can take to move toward healthier soils without blowing up their bottom line.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why most farmers make the same costly mistakes when transitioning to regenerative practices

How to manage risk while changing your farming system

The central role of photosynthesis in building soil biology and long-term farm profitability

How to use foliar nutrition, intercropping, and phosphorus management as practical levers for change

How to budget for regenerative inputs — and know when to back off

Whether you're knee-deep in a transition or just starting to ask the hard questions, this episode gives you a framework to think about regenerative farming as a whole-farm economic strategy not just a set of practices.

https://agresol.com.au/

What's the real cost of modern farming and who's paying for it?

Phyllis Tichinin of True Health Limited joins the podcast to connect the dots between declining soil health and the chronic disease epidemic facing humans and livestock alike. From the collapse of soil microbiology under synthetic fertilizers, to the hidden nutritional power of grass-fed animal fats, Phyllis offers a compelling case for why regenerative agriculture isn't just good for the land, it's essential for human health.

They explore nutrient density, the consequences of routine antibiotic use, and practical on-farm strategies for rebuilding soil biology and producing food that truly nourishes.

If you've ever wondered why farming practices matter beyond the farm gate, this episode is for you.

 

http://www.truehealth.co.nz/

Pasture diversity is gaining traction in New Zealand farming circles  but what does the science actually say? In this episode, Conan sits down with Danny Donaghy and Eru Tait-Jamieson from Massey University to unpack the research behind diverse pasture systems. From species selection and functional traits to grazing management, soil health, and carbon sequestration, this conversation cuts through the hype and gets practical.

https://www.massey.ac.nz/about/colleges-schools-and-institutes/college-of-sciences/our-research/themes-and-research-strengths/whenua-haumanu/#Researchsites