From The Soil Up Podcast

What does it actually mean to build a resilient farm system?

In this episode, Conan sits down with Dr. Alison Dewes from Tipu Whenua to unpack what resilience really looks like on-farm and why it isn’t simply about producing less or avoiding change. Instead, it’s about building systems that can flex, adapt and remain profitable when climate, markets and regulations change.

Alison shares lessons from her work across New Zealand and Australia, exploring why understanding your land use is fundamental to farm profitability, how farmers can use KPIs to measure progress towards their goals, and why a whole-systems approach is essential for making better decisions.

They also discuss the role of catchment groups, lighthouse farmers, technology and farmer-led innovation in creating wider change, as well as the importance of getting the fundamentals right before chasing the next big innovation.

If you’re interested in building a farm business that is more robust, adaptable and profitable, this episode is packed with practical ideas to help you think differently about your farm system.

Key takeaways:

Why resilience is about flexibility and having more options

Understanding whether your land is being used in the right way

Using farm KPIs to measure progress and build resilience

The importance of knowing your numbers

How diversification can create greater robustness

The role of catchment groups and lighthouse farmers

When regulation helps and when farmer-led solutions can be more effective

Why technology should support good farm management, not replace it

Preparing farm systems for climate extremes and drought

Starting with a clear baseline, vision and strategic plan

https://www.tipuwhenua.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-dewes-9307b235/

How will the next generation of New Zealand farmers get into farm ownership?

In this episode of the From The Soil Up Podcast, Conan sits down with Seb Chapman from Seedling Investment to explore the changing landscape of farm ownership and the challenges facing young farmers wanting to build a future in agriculture.

Seb shares his journey through dairy farming and explains why traditional pathways into farm ownership are becoming increasingly difficult. They explore alternative approaches including share farming, small land blocks, investment models and the potential role of KiwiSaver.

The conversation also dives into farm succession, land values, family agreements and the structural challenges facing New Zealand agriculture, as well as how sustainability and soil health can contribute to long-term farm value.

Seb shares the thinking behind Seedling Investment, its vision for the future and why creating more accessible pathways into farm ownership could be critical for the future of New Zealand farming.

In this episode:

The changing landscape of farm ownership in NZ

Alternative pathways for young farmers

Farm succession and family agreements

Investing in agricultural land and building equity

The potential role of KiwiSaver

Sustainability, soil health and long-term farm value

The Seedling Investment model and its vision for NZ agriculture

Why taking action is often better than waiting for the perfect opportunity



If you're a young farmer, part of a farming family thinking about succession, or interested in the future of New Zealand agriculture and land ownership, this is a conversation worth listening to.

 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-chapman-fruitminder/

https://seedling-investments.com/

What if one of the greatest opportunities to build more resilient farms is simply to embrace more diversity?

In this episode of the Force of Nature Podcast, Conan sits down with Karen Fisher to explore how diversity in nature, farming and people can create more resilient and adaptable farm systems.

Karen shares her perspective on system-led resilience, regenerative agriculture and why we need to look beyond the symptoms of problems and understand their root causes. We explore what weeds can tell us about soil and ecological health, how economic and ecological diversity can strengthen farm businesses, and why observation is such an important skill for farmers.

The conversation also takes a fascinating turn into neurodiversity in agriculture. Karen discusses how different ways of thinking, personality types and individual strengths can contribute to innovation and better decision-making on farms.

We also unpack the influence of environmental policies and subsidies, the importance of farmer-to-farmer learning, how to approach regenerative farming progressively, and how farmers can balance ecological health with profitability.

Towards the end of the conversation, Karen shares some simple ideas around slowing down, connecting with nature and regulating the nervous system that can support both farmer wellbeing and better observation of the landscape.

If you're interested in regenerative agriculture, soil health, farm profitability, resilience, agroecology, neurodiversity or systems thinking, this episode offers plenty to think about.

In this episode we discuss:

Why diversity is nature's insurance policy

What weeds can tell us about soil and ecosystem health

Building system-led resilience into farm businesses

Balancing ecological diversity with economic diversity

Neurodiversity and the strengths it can bring to agriculture

Personality types and team dynamics on farms

The impact of policy and subsidies on farming decisions

Why peer learning and farmer networks matter

Practical ways to start adopting regenerative practices

The importance of observation and slowing down

Supporting farmer wellbeing and nervous system regulation

Finding the root causes rather than treating symptoms

Connect with Karen:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-fisher-43a51718/

https://www.instagram.com/harvesting.potential/

Chef Ben Bayly on building a New Zealand food identity, storytelling, provenance, and why our farmers and producers deserve better recognition.



What does it actually take to put New Zealand on the map as a world-class food destination?

In this episode, we sit down with chef and food advocate Ben Bayly of Ahi Restaurant, recently awarded a Michelin Star, to unpack why storytelling, not just quality, is the missing ingredient in how we market our food.

Ben shares his journey from young chef to Michelin-starred restaurateur, and why he believes New Zealand's culinary identity has been undersold internationally. We dig into the parallels with the wine industry's rise to global prestige, why lamb and dairy are often invisible on the world stage despite exceptional quality, and how direct relationships between chefs, farmers, and producers can change that story.

We also get into some topics you might not expect from a food conversation: wild game and pest species as an underused, biodynamic food resource, the regulatory hurdles stopping farmers from diversifying their income, and what it really takes to build a resilient, values-driven hospitality team.

In this episode:

Why New Zealand lacks a deep culinary "legacy"

The power of provenance: connecting diners back to the farm and the farmer

Wild harvesting, pest management, and sustainable food sourcing

Lessons from the NZ wine industry's global branding success

Farm diversification, agritourism, and new income streams for producers

Building a restaurant culture around confidence, competence, character, and care

Mentoring the next generation of chefs and hospitality talent

Whether you're a farmer, chef, food producer, or just someone who cares about where your dinner comes from, this conversation offers a compelling case for why New Zealand's food story deserves to be told, and told well.

Connect with Ben:

Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/benbaylynz/?hl=en⁠

Ahi Restaurant: ⁠https://ahirestaurant.co.nz/⁠

Your health and the health of the land beneath your feet are inseparable. In this episode, Conan sits down with Stacey Curcio of Cultivating Wellness to explore the deep connection between soil health, regenerative agriculture, and human wellness and why it's time to break down the silos between agriculture and nutrition.

Stacey shares how farming practices directly shape nutrient density and biodiversity in our food, why the soil microbiome matters as much for human health as it does for crop health, and how food culture and intergenerational cooking knowledge have been quietly lost and can be reclaimed.

You'll learn why context matters more than rigid nutrition rules, how to build foundational habits for wellbeing, and why nature itself is one of the most powerful (and underused) tools for health.

In this episode:

Why land health and human health can't be separated

Breaking down silos between agriculture, nutrition, and public health

How soil microbiome quality affects food quality

Farming practices, nutrient density, and biodiversity

Food culture, trust, and navigating nutrition information overload

Intergenerational knowledge and the lost art of food preparation

Building foundational habits and collective responsibility for our food system

https://www.cultivatingwellness.com.au/about