From The Soil Up Podcast

In this special episode, Conan shares his panel from the 2026 Underground Festival, joined by two farming families who've put their money where their values are. Kenneth and Rachel Short are organic dairy farmers from Taranaki, and Mark and Laura Koopmans run a sheep and beef operation out of Kaikoura.

From the drivers behind their decisions to the honesty conversations around financials, the challenges, and the opportunities ahead, this is an honest, on-the-ground conversation about what regenerative and organic farming looks like in practice.

Please note: this episode was recorded live at the Underground Festival with audience Q&A, so there may be moments where crowd questions are difficult to hear.

https://www.undergroundfestival.co.nz/

What does it really take to produce one of the world's most sought-after natural health products?

Conan sits down with Liam Gavin from Gavin's Honey to pull back the curtain on the Manuka honey industry. From the realities of beekeeping to quality certification, export markets, and the growing demand for natural health products.

With over 2000 recognised properties, Manuka honey sits at the intersection of sustainable farming and global commerce. But as Liam puts it, "the industry is still finding its feet."

In this episode:

The key challenges facing Manuka honey producers

How UMF and MGO certification shapes market value

Local vs. export market dynamics

What the future holds for this iconic NZ industry

https://www.linkedin.com/in/liam-gavin-1824a3286/

https://www.instagram.com/gavinshoney_/

In this episode, I share my panel from the 2026 Underground Festival on Ecosystem Payments. I bring together leading voices in New Zealand’s emerging ecosystem markets to unpack what ecosystem payments really mean for farmers and landowners both today and into the future.

I'm joined by Sean Weaver (Ekos), Tim Booth (Tamata Hauhā), and Renee Raroa (East Coast Exchange / Toha), this panel dives deep into the opportunities, challenges, and realities of getting paid for ecosystem outcomes.

Please note there are plenty of crowd questions in this session so there may be questions that are hard to hear at times. 

 

https://www.undergroundfestival.co.nz/

In this episode of From the Soil Up Podcast, I speak with Hamish Gow and three of the students involved in the Ag Innovation Challenge about their ideas to solve issues currently facing the agricultural industry.

The Challenge is put together by Lincoln University and Ballance Agri Nutrients with support from the Ministry for Primary Industries' Future Ready Farms programme, and is open to first-year students enrolled in the university’s undergraduate Primary Industry Systems course.

This is a fantastic opportunity to foster the next generation of Ag entrepreneurs so I'm excited to share their ideas and plans for the future.

In this episode of the From the Soil Up Podcast, Conan chats to Emily House about her expertise on plant nutrition, soil health, and their direct impact on livestock performance. Discover how mineral balance, pasture diversity, and soil testing can optimize farm productivity and animal health.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-house-59980149/