Stockyard Sessions

In this episode of Stockyard Sessions, Victoria Lawrance sits down with Jake Smith from BJS Farming, a family operation running across five properties in the New England region of New South Wales. Jake grew up on land that’s been in his family for generations, spent time working as a livestock agent, and in recent years has focused on transitioning the business toward more nature-positive and regenerative practices. More recently, he’s been involved in a soil carbon project. Jake’s story is about a gradual, deliberate shift from conventional set stocking to intensive rotational grazing, with knowledge and confidence built over years through courses, books and a lot of observation. This episode is recorded during an intense and prolonged dry spell. Jake has already destocked, is putting his worst paddocks to work with bale grazing, and is thinking carefully about genetics and what it takes to build a truly resilient animal. The episode explores family legacy, a gradual shift away from conventional grazing, the practicalities of a soil carbon project, and what resilience looks like when conditions turn tough. This podcast is brought to you by Atlas Ag, the team behind Atlas Carbon and Atlas Grazing.

In this episode of Stockyard Sessions, Victoria Lawrance sits down with Andrew Mosely, who runs Etiwanda Station near Cobar, New South Wales, a 50,000-acre operation in the Western Division that his family has called home since 1949. When Andrew returned to Etiwanda in the late 1990s, he inherited a landscape that had been pushed hard. Soil that barely held water, scrub encroachment, a collapsing wool industry, and a business that wasn't set up to survive the decade ahead. Guided by the principles of holistic management and a growing understanding of soil health, Andrew began reshaping Etiwanda from the ground up. Over the following decades, alongside his wife Megan and their daughters Emily and Jess, he rebuilt the property around rest and recovery, fencing infrastructure, and a deliberately diverse livestock mix of White Dorpers, goats and Red Angus cattle. The result: carrying capacity more than doubled, perennial grasses returned, and a system that can now grow cattle feed in the same rainfall event where neighbouring properties struggle to produce sheep pick. "It is fragile country, but it just needs the right management and it responds." The conversation covers what it really took to turn that landscape around: the role of fencing, the logic behind running three livestock enterprises, how epigenetics is shaping their breeding decisions, and why Andrew sees soil carbon not as a distraction but as a natural extension of what they've been doing all along. Andrew also reflects on what it means to be a custodian of country. The droughts, the hard decisions, and what keeps you going when the land is tough. His answer is as honest as you'd expect. This podcast is brought to you by Atlas Ag, the team behind Atlas Carbon and Atlas Grazing. Find out more at atlasag.com

In this episode of Stockyard Sessions, new host Victoria Lawrance sits down with US-based farmer and educator Dr Allen Williams to explore what healthy land actually looks like on the ground, and how graziers can build confidence in their management decisions, especially during drought. Drawing on decades of experience across climates and enterprises, Allen shares the early indicators he looks for when stepping onto any property. From pasture diversity and insect life to soil colour, aggregation and aroma, this conversation breaks down the practical observations that reveal whether a system is moving forward or backwards. As Allen reminds us, “The land does not lie. It bears a record of what we write on it.” The discussion moves into drought management, livestock performance KPIs, and the direct link between soil function and profitability. You’ll hear a powerful case study of a ranch that, during severe drought, actually increased their carrying capacity, taking on animals from neighbouring properties that needed support. With Wilmot Field Day coming up this March, this episode offers a timely introduction to Allen’s thinking ahead of his visit to Australia, where he will be sharing these principles in person. Every decision starts in the paddock. Atlas Grazing helps you see it clearly. Try it free for 30 days at atlasag.com/atlasgrazing

In this episode of Stockyard Sessions, I sit down with Charlie Arnott, an award-winning eighth-generation farmer and advocate for innovative farming practices. We explore Charlie's transformative journey from conventional methods to regenerative farming, highlighting his deep commitment to partnering with nature for sustainable land management. Charlie shares insights on the importance of focusing on controllable factors in farming, the evolution of consumer awareness around food quality, and the role of social media in connecting farmers with their communities. We also discuss his ongoing soil carbon project with Atlas Carbon, detailing its potential benefits for both the environment and agricultural productivity. Join us as we delve into the life of a pioneer in the farming industry, driven by passion and a vision for the future. Atlas Ag helps farming families make better decisions about their land, livestock, and long-term business. Find out more at atlasag.com

In this episode of Stockyard Sessions, we catch up with Bart Davidson, Chief Grazing Officer at Atlas Carbon and co-founder of MaiaGrazing. Tune in to hear Bart’s thoughts on evolving grazing trends, using the ‘mathematics of farming' to gain confidence in decision-making, and his view that when it comes to agriculture, “If you eat, you’re involved”. Bart also shares his view on the future of soil carbon measurement and operating with a ‘productivity-first’ mindset, where carbon sequestration is seen as the natural outcome of good management. Atlas Ag helps farming families make better decisions about their land, livestock, and long-term business. Find out more at atlasag.com

Welcome! Our first ever Stockyard Sessions episode features a wide-ranging chat with Atlas Carbon Founder and CEO, Ashley Silver. In this episode, Ashley touches on the potential for improving grazing profitability and resilience with soil carbon, and how the Australian carbon market is ripe to support farmers in adopting the latest best practices. She explains what producers should think about when considering a soil carbon project and gives us insight to her global career in sustainable economic development and agriculture, including a four-year stint in Uganda. This podcast is brought to you by Atlas Ag – the team behind Atlas Carbon and Atlas Grazing. Atlas Ag helps farming families make better decisions about their land, livestock, and long-term business. Find out more at atlasag.com