Six Inches of Soil - The Podcast

Host and producer: Richard TuftonCo-host and producer: Claire MackenzieEditor: Meg ChathamScore: Matt GriffinSix Inches of SoilWebsite: www.sixinchesofsoil.orgBook: sixinchesofsoil.org/bookInstagram: @sixinchesofsoilLinkedIn: six-inches-of-soil-b75059234Sponsored byFielden: fielden.comCode SOIL10 gives 10 percent off all whisky.Microbz: microbz.co.ukCode LOVESOIL gives 20 percent off.IntroductionWe welcomed Michael Kennard, Jeff Allen, Erin Martin, and Evan Buckman into the studio. We talked about soil health, human health, and how microbes link everything together. We explored composting, farming practices, nutrient-dense food, and the connection between soil and gut health.Jeff AllenJeff and his wife Sue co-founded Microbz. Jeff grew up on a farm in Kenya and built a strong connection to land and wildlife. In 2008 he travelled across the US, Europe, and Australia in search of environmental solutions and discovered microbial technology. He has since pioneered fermenting microbes with herbs and minerals for health and agriculture. He runs the Microbz brewery in Wiltshire and focuses on scaling microbial solutions.Website: microbz.co.ukInstagram: @microbzprobioticsFacebook: MicrobzProbioticsTikTok: @microbzMichael KennardMichael Kennard is a Soil Association Ambassador and founder of Regenerative Soils Consultancy and Compost Club, makers of Biolife Compost in East Sussex. This World Soil Day, Compost Club expands to Hailsham, Herstmonceux, and Heathfield. He now farms regeneratively at Furnace Brook’s Meliora Farm and will launch his podcast Soil, Seed, and Soul in the new year.Use code COMPOSTCLUB15 for 15 percent off at agriton.co.uk.Instagram: @compost_michael @compost_clubWebsite: compostclub.onlineFarm: furnacebrook.org.ukErin W MartinErin Martin’s drive to help others started at fifteen while working in a retirement community. She later earned a master’s in Gerontology from USC. Certified in Regenerative Soil Advocacy, she focuses on food as medicine and its link to soil. She serves as President of the Tulsa Urban Ag Coalition, Director of Oklahoma’s FreshRx program, and co-leads the state’s Food is Medicine Policy Coalition. Her work brings regenerative agriculture into care for people with chronic disease.Instagram: @expertonaging @freshrxokFacebook: FreshRx Oklahoma, Erin W. MartinYouTube: @freshrxok @erinwmartinX: @erinwmartinTikTok: @foodasmedicineLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/erinwmartinFreshRx: linkedin.com/company/freshrxEvan BuckmanEvan Buckman is Executive Director at Soil Food Web. He works at the intersection of science, food systems, and regenerative land projects. He earned a Permaculture Design Certificate in 2014 and later a BS in Applied Chemistry from Minerva University, focusing on Biological and Earth Systems. Evan has supported clean water and sanitation projects for rural and Indigenous communities and worked on regenerative bio-economies in the Amazon. Now based in Texas, he produces commercial bio-amendments for farmers, landscapers, and land stewards.Living Legacy webinar series: community.soilfoodweb.comYouTube: youtube.com/soilfoodwebschoolFacebook: Soil Food Web SchoolLinkedIn: soilfoodwebschoolInstagram: @soilfoodwebschool

Host, producer: Richard TuftonCo-host, producer: Claire MackenzieEditor: Meg Chatham Score: Matt Griffin (poet & farmer) Instagram: @neidpath_farmsCode SOIL10 gives 10% off all whisky on fielden.com.Six Inches of Soil film: https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/  Six Inches of Soil book: https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/bookWe explore one question: What does it mean to save us from the ground up?Katharine Hayhoe shows you how to talk about climate change with connection and hope.Will Harris has spent years rebuilding his family’s land in Bluffton, Georgia.Mike Fossum has seen the planet from above on his missions to the International Space Station.Katharine Hayhoe: https://www.katharinehayhoe.com/https://www.instagram.com/katharinehayhoe?igsh=aDVycTA2ejFhcHpnSaving Us book Ted Talk: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BvcToPZCLICol Mike Fossum https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/fossum.pdfhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-fossum-93391686/Will Harrishttps://whiteoakpastures.com/https://www.instagram.com/whiteoakpastures?igsh=am9haTdoYmY0aTZwA Bold Return to Giving a Damn Runoff video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85El8PzfKa4

Host, producer: Richard TuftonCo-host, producer: Claire MackenzieEditor: Meg Chatham Six Inches of Soil: Website: https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/Book: https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/bookInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sixinchesofsoil/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/six-inches-of-soil-b75059234/IntroductionDr Grandin and Gabe Brown explore how uniting animal welfare with regenerative agriculture and combining soil practices with Temple’s farming solutions, you have nature and nurture working together as one big metaphorical “hug machine”. This offers a communal hug, if you will, by enveloping the animal’s life with a safe, healthy, happy and tranquil environment, which we know will undoubtedly provide a better life for them. Their conversation explores integrating livestock with crops, consumer expectations, youth involvement, climate change, and the role of innovation and visual thinking in food production.FeaturingDr. Temple GrandinTemple Grandin is a leading scientist, author, and speaker whose autism experience shaped her groundbreaking work on reducing stress for humans and animals. Now a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, she also consults on livestock handling and welfare.Her life has been highlighted by NPR (National Public Radio), the BBC film "The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow" and HBO’s Emmy-winning Temple Grandin. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016. Websites:https://www.templegrandin.com/https://agsci.colostate.edu/ag_stories/temple-grandin/Gabe Brown is a pioneer of the soil health movement. With his family, he transformed Brown’s Ranch, a 5,000-acre North Dakota farm, by working in nature’s image. Now run by his son Paul and wife Jazmin, the ranch reflects his legacy. Author of Dirt to Soil, Gabe is a Regenified board member, founding partner of Understanding Ag, and co-founder of the Soil Health Academy, which trains farmers worldwide in ecosystem-based practices.Websites:https://brownsranch.us/https://regenified.com/about-us/https://understandingag.com/partners/gabe-brown/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brownsranch/?hl=en

In this second part of the Dairy Diaries we travelled to New York State to chat to Tom McGrath at Family Farmstead Dairy. We would like to have had him round the table for part one but the time differences didn’t work and it turns out Dairy Farmers work really hard!!The farm is nestled in the rolling hills of central New York, where Tom and his family currently milk 45 cows on their 158 acre farm. They both come from farming backgrounds and it has taught them to appreciate the land, animals and instilled good work ethics.Along with their own farm, they also support six other small family farms in their region. All the farms are certified organic, and all cows are 100% grass-fed and have been tested to carry the A2/A2-casein protein gene.In this episode of Six Inches of Soil, Tom McGrath, founder of Family Farmstead Dairy, discusses the journey of transforming a conventional dairy farm into a certified regenerative and organic operation. He highlights the importance of nutrient density in dairy products, the impact of pasteurization on milk quality, and the significance of A2 milk for consumer health. Tom shares insights into the challenges faced by small family farms in the dairy industry, the mission-driven approach of his business, and the importance of animal welfare and sustainable practices. He emphasizes the need for consumer education and the role of informed purchasing decisions in supporting regenerative agriculture.Website: https://www.familyfarmsteaddairy.com/Insta: @familyfarmsteaddairyCertified with: https://regenified.com/https://organicfarmersassociation.org/https://www.usda.gov/farming-and-ranching/organic-farming

EPISODE 7 PART 1 UNCURDLEDThis is the first time we have featured the dairy industry. We decided to start with two family farms in the UK, one producing for their local community and the other running a highly successful yoghurt business.  They both have a deep connection to their soils and are caring for their land and communities. James Robinson: James farms at Strickley Farm, a 300-acre organic dairy farm that has been free from artificial fertilisers or pesticides for the past 16 years. James’ approach to supporting nature includes planting woodland, leaving areas of grassland ungrazed, maintaining sensitive hedgerow management and fencing off watercourses to improve water quality, so there is less silt and soil from his cattle on the banks. His farm’s hedgerows are seven miles long, some 20-22ft tall.Website: https://www.strickleydairy.co.uk/Instagram:@jrfromstrickley @strickleydairy@nffnukL’in: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-robinson-7a2816273/Tim Mead: Tim was born into a dairy-farming family in 1963. He lives with his wife Sarah on the original farm in the Yeo Valley on the edge of Blagdon Lake, Somerset. After qualifying as a chartered accountant in London, Tim joined the Yeo Valley business in 1987, Yeo Valley Organic is the UK’s largest organic brand and celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2024.The business is still family controlled, with 20% held by an employee benefit trust. In 2017 after 30 years as a yogurt maker, Tim turned his attention to the farming side of the business and is still learning…..Website: https://www.yeovalley.co.uk/Instagram: @yeovalleySponsored by Fielden:The discount code is SOIL10 and gives 10% off all whisky on fielden.com.Six Inches of Soil film - find links here to watch it: https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/ Six Inches of Soil book: https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/bookFinally if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast please do rate it - many thanks!

Episode 6 - Unearthed  Host, producer: Richard TuftonCo-host, producer: Claire MackenzieEditor: Meg Chatham In the episode we are finally bringing us all back down to earthANDY NEAL : Andy is a Soil Microbiologist at Rothamsted Research. He is interested in understanding the feedback between plant primary productivity, soil structure and soil microbial metabolismTwitter @microbass1 Research papers: Andrew Neal on Google ScholarANDIE MARSH is a soil health specialist, science communicator, and founder of Rhizos LLC - a Soil Food Web certified lab. More than that, she is a human building relationship with land in a suburban context. Website:https://www.rhizos.science/ @soilissexy instaSoil is Sexy is the newsletter Carefully crafted accounts of the wonders beneath our feet, plus insights from a woman building a career in soil health - that’s me, Andie! RAY ARCHULETA  - Ray’s mission is to teach a framework of ecological and spiritual renewalRay the soil GuyFilm: https://kissthegroundmovie.com/KAREN JOHNSON is a professor in the Department of Engineering, University of DurhamShe is all about rebuilding soils for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Resources/Papers: Smart Soils Video:  Royal Society Rosalind Franklin lecture on soil health and the Embracing our wastes video. Xiao, K-Q, et al. (2023) Introducing the soil mineral carbon pump. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment.  You can also watch our animations about soil exploring the links between soil degradation and flooding +links between soil health (SDG15) and climate change (SDG13)A nation that rebuilds its soils rebuilds itself - an engineer's perspective and watch our COP26 video https://vimeo.com/639855822 Sponsored by Fielden:The discount code is SOIL10 and gives 10% off all whisky on fielden.com.Six Inches of Soil film - find links here to watch it: https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/ Six Inches of Soil book: https://www.sixinchesofsoil.org/bookFinally if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast please do rate it - many thanks!

Host, producer: Richard TuftonCo-host, producer: Claire MackenzieEditor: Meg Chatham Episode 5 - Unbred - Heritage Grains - this episode takes us back to the arable fields, this time we are focussing on crops that are closely related to the first-ever cultivated grasses. Our guests are working with these varieties to bring them to our plates and glasses, “these fields full of life” benefit our soil, health, and the planet. Guests: Luke Jones, Impact Family Farms, IllinoisLuke and his family operate a diverse livestock and cropping operation in western Illinois. He now values diversity and bringing life back to the acres he manages along with making a profit. https://www.facebook.com/share/12Mn7pBnpCS/?mibextid=wwXIfrhttps://understandingag.com/team/luke-jones/Dave Smith, Fielden Whisky Dave Smith is Fielden’s CEO. With over thirty years of experience, Dave has worked internationally with both mature and challenger brands. https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-smith-69120513?originalSubdomain=ukhttps://fielden.com/Samuel Taylor, Longtable PancakesSamuel Taylor is the founder of Long Table Pancakes, a company dedicated to creating artisan pancake mixes that celebrate local and sustainably sourced ingredients. http://linkedin.com/in/pancakesamuelhttps://longtablepancakes.com/pages/aboutFred Price, Gothelney Farm, Somerset Fred is a farmer reimagining his practices and place within our food system.  He’s a passionate advocate for agroecology, working with UK Grain Lab and the South West Grain Network to reimagine our food system.Instagram: @gotheleyfarmer @fieldbakery @swgrainnetwork @uk_grain_labWebsites: https://www.gothelneyfarmer.co.uk/https://www.fieldbakery.com/https://www.ukgrainlab.com/https://www.southwestgrainnetwork.co.uk/Sponsored by Fielden:https://fielden.comThe discount code is SOIL10 and gives 10% off all whisky on fielden.com.Finally, if you have enjoyed listening to this podcast please rate it - many thanks!

EPISODE 4 PART 2SHOW NOTES:Host, producer: Richard Tufton Co-host, producer: Claire Mackenzie Editor: Meg Chatham  Unground Part 2 - World of Coffee, in Part 2 we meet Marcus McCombe who is the Director of Routes Coffee who aims to: 🌍 Building a Better Coffee Industry, One Roast and One Cup at a TimeGuest: Marcus McCombe: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-mccombe/Director at Routes Coffee Insta: https://www.instagram.com/routescoffee/As the Director of Routes Coffee, they are committed to reshaping the way specialty coffee is sourced, roasted, and experienced. Their mission goes beyond exceptional coffee—they strive to regenerate coffee farms, nurture soil health, and enhance biodiversity, ensuring that every step in their supply chain contributes to sustainability and long-term prosperity for farmers.Sponsored by Fielden:https://fielden.comMost grains in whisky are grown industrially, with chemicals: same grain, same height, same flavour. Not on our farms. We’re regenerating England’s fields with heritage grains, grown in clover (we never, ever use chemicals). It’s a more sustainable way of farming that’s better for the soil, the grain, and the wildlife. And it makes a whisky full of flavour.The discount code is SOIL10 and gives 10% off all whisky on fielden.comSix Inches of Soil The Documentary

Host, producer: Richard Tufton Co-host, producer: Claire Mackenzie Editor: Meg Chatham  Unground - World of Coffee, in this episode we are diving into something many of us enjoy every day—coffee. But how often do we stop to think about where it comes from? What impact does coffee have on the soil, the farmers who grow it, and the ecosystems that sustain it?Guests: Gally Mayer of Buena Vida Specialty Coffee, who works directly with farmers to bring regenerative coffee to consumers.Roberto Mata from Costa Rica, who is growing coffee regeneratively and can share what that looks like on the ground.Heather Terry, founder of Good Sam, a company committed to transparent, regenerative supply chains.Roberto Matahttps://www.caferobertomata.com/https://www.instagram.com/laslajascafe/Gally Mayer https://buenavida.coffee/pages/our-storyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/gally-mayer/Heather Terry https://goodsamfoods.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-k-terry-44b81828/Sponsored by Fielden:https://fielden.comMost grains in whisky are grown industrially, with chemicals: same grain, same height, same flavour. Not on our farms. We’re regenerating England’s fields with heritage grains, grown in clover (we never, ever use chemicals). It’s a more sustainable way of farming that’s better for the soil, the grain and the wildlife. And it makes a whisky full of flavour.The discount code is SOIL10 and gives 10% off all whisky on fielden.com.Six Inches of Soil The Documentary