The Curious Farmer

In September 2021, the Tasmanian branch of Farmers for Climate Action held their inaugural local conference. This episode consists of three short interviews with presenters Dr Tomas Remenyi and Professor David Bowman, climate scientists from the University of Tasmania, as well as a young local farmer, Sam Green. This episode is a call to all voters, to think about how we can best ensure a vibrant future in a world with rapidly changing agriculture, economics, and migration as a result of our changing climate.

Iain Field, the other half of Leap Farm, chats to Kate about their positive carbon story. In this episode, we find out how they calculated their net green house gas emissions, as well as their carbon sequestration. We also find out why increasing carbon in your soil helps to build a strong, resilient farm (and what a resilient farm is). There are some tips and tricks and plenty of hope for the future in farming, whether you're big, tiny, or somewhere in between.

Angus Stewart has always been a visionary when it comes to the protection and longevity of native Australian plants. But his vision has become clearer, sharper and bolder. Angus graciously shares his vision with us and describes the tools and methods that he is using to see his vision blossom.

Here's a recap on Episode 1 - The Humble Onion, in anticipation of Episode 4 where I catch up with Lauren Byrne of Felds Farm. In this episode, which may have slightly improved audio quality than the original, we hear from Mike and Lauren about their foray into Market Gardening.

Late last year, another goat farmer in French Guiana reached out about the dairy system that Kate and Iain utilise. So in the first Q&A episode, Kate explains how their system works.

Brian Horsley is the owner of MacroBoost - a local Tasmanian small business that provides probiotic liquids for gardens, waste water treatments and agricultural operations. Kate chatted with Brian after purchasing some products to try and got to the bottom of why and how probiotics for plants make a difference.

Tony O'Connell grows blueberries in southern Tasmania. In this episode, Tony and I discuss his holistic approach to managing a monocrop, how he introduces diveristy above and below the ground, and I get to ask a bunch of questions about the effect of spraying microbes on the soil.

As restaurants and cafes around Australia and the world open up again, how do you choose which one to go to? What are the qualities in the producers and the chefs who prepare the food that make you want to support them? And how do you know if they're telling the truth? Join Kate and Massimo Mele as they explore these questions, discuss regenerative agriculture vs conventional agriculture and some of the barriers that face primary producers making the switch. And laugh out loud at a few of Massimo's stories.

In this bonus episode, we chat to Mark Scanlon, who has just finished up his first summer season in his veggie patch. Its' a fun bonus, with a few laughs, and a few pearls about growing food for your family.

Gerard Lawry has lived on Eaglerise Farm for 20 years. He applies organic permaculture action to his land, that he views through an ecological lens. He gives us some insights into how he uses the big picture thinking to manage his farm. We also discuss the difference between organic vs regenerative, and think about why regenerative farming is gaining momentum, where organic never did. An interesting discussion that could have become quite fraught!

Dave and Zoe Judge from Frog Hollow Nursery show us around their nursery. They demonstrate for us how their philosophy on ecology informs their business and their life. You will get more gardening tips, learn how you can adapt to nature rather than try and tame it, as well as learning more about why biodiversity is useful, and how chemical fertilisers can impact and harm soil.

It’s incredibly hard for young first-generation farmers to enter the Agricultural Industry – in this episode, I talk to 20 somethings Mike and Lauren Layfield whose story about entering farming will inspire you and provide you with some tips and tricks for growing your own food at home. It also gives you an idea of options for young people who do want to be the future of farming. This interview was recorded in early spring 2019, just as the temperatures were warming up and the busy season was upon us. Mike and Lauren have had a fantastic season, despite the wind and cool temperatures, and are now regular stallholders at Launceston’s Saturday morning farmers’ market.