Six Inches of Soil - The Podcast

Episode 14: Under the Weather: How the Water Cycle Starts with Soil Join us as we explore the critical relationship between soil, water, and weather with experts in climate science, regenerative ranching, and meteorology. Discover how land management practices influence water cycles, climate change, and resilience against extreme weather events.Host, producer: Richard TuftonCo-host, producer: Claire MackenzieEditor: Meg Chatham Score: Matt Griffin  (poet & farmer) Instagram: @neidpath_farmsSix 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/GUESTSAlpha LoweAlpha Lo is a scientist specializing in water research. He leads the Climate Water Project, where he writes the project’s newsletter ( climatewaterproject.substack.com) and hosts its podcast of the same name. He has taught water-focused content in Permaculture Design Courses,  including how designing landscapes to infiltrate rainwater can enhance precipitation recycling (aka the small water cycle). He has studied physics and geography at the graduate level, where his research explored how water in the landscape influences rainfall.https://www.linkedin.com/in/alpha-lo-284900a8/https://climatewaterproject.substack.com/podcasthttps://climatewaterproject.substack.com/Alejandro Carillo Alejandro Carrillo is a fourth-generation rancher in the Chihuahuan desert. Rarely hisprecipitation goes beyond 9” per year (< 225mm). He is not willing to waste any water in such abrittle environment if he wants to graze year-round without inputs.Alejandro’s ranch, Las Damas, has been part of multiple documentaries and studies focused on regenerative ranching and “greening the desert” using livestock such as Common Ground, Sacred Cow, To Which We Belong, and Water in Plain Sight.Alejandro’s Grasslands Regeneration Project company assists ranchers and organizations on regenerative grazing projects in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Australia, China and the Middle- East. He also participates as a delegate to the United Nations Convention to CombatDesertification.Las Damas Cattle RanchCommon ground - doco Sacred Cow documentaryMary Wasson: Mary has worked as a meteorologist for more than 20 years, a career inspired by a childhood experience sheltering from a tornado with her family that sparked her fascination with storm development. A native of Winchester, Kentucky, she earned her undergraduate degree in communications from Morehead State University and later completed a Master of Science in Geoscience at Mississippi State University.Throughout her career, Mary has worked in television markets. She now serves as a digital meteorologist, producing daily forecasts along with engaging and informative weather content for the Austin American-Statesman, Houston Chronicle, and San Antonio Express-News.Facebook: @Metrologist Mary Wassonn Instagram: @wassonweatherTwitter: @Mary_WassonBella Lowes (featured in the outro) Bella is the resident grazing specialist at Mill Barton, where she stewards the land alongside a beloved herd of Red Devon cattle. With deep-rooted knowledge in pasture-based systems and bovine behaviour, Bella brings both integral understanding and instinctive care to her work. Her approach to grazing prioritises soil health, biodiversity, and animal welfare, ensuring that the landscape thrives as much as the herd. Whether she’s planning a rotational grazing cycle or spotting subtle shifts in herd dynamics, Bella’s insight into all things cow is unmatched.Website: https://www.diggandco.com/meet-the-teamFurther Research:https://agendagotsch.com/en/Abigail Swan, Washington Uni Water Stories platform - YouTube  - and a course where you can learnFarmGate podcast - episode: how regenerative grazing can wash methane out of the atmosphere.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCjvCQHX7mQ Beavers in Scotland  

SHOW NOTESEpisode 13: Unruly: soil secrets for gardeners and green keepersOn this episode our guests question all we think about weeds, bugs, soil life and the commonly used garden chemicals. You may start to look at your garden or public spaces in a very different way. They offer top tips on how to nurture our soils and plants, the show notes are full of vital links.  Host, producer: Richard TuftonCo-host, producer: Claire MackenzieEditor: Meg Chatham Score: Matt Griffin Instagram: @neidpath_farmsSix Inches of SoilWebsite: 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/Vicki HirdVicki Hird MSc FRES is Strategic Lead for Agriculture at The Wildlife Trusts and former Head of Sustainable Farming at Sustain Alliance. With 35+ years of experience in environmental, food, and farming policy, she is an award-winning campaigner, author, and advisor working with organisations and governments to transform food systems.LinksWebsite: www.rebuggingtheplanet.orgBook: Rebugging the PlanetLatest blogs: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/blogs/vicki-hirdSocials:Instagram, X, LinkedIn: @vickihirdBluesky: @vickihird.bsky.socialLinktree: https://linktr.ee/vickihirdWildlife gardening resources:https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/gardeningNicole MastersNicole Masters is an agroecologist, coach, and author specialising in regenerative soil and land management. Since 1999 she has worked with farmers, organisations, and land stewards worldwide, helping implement regenerative practices across more than 30 million acres through ecological systems thinking and practical coaching.LinksWebsite: https://www.integritysoils.com/ for online course, coachesBook "For the love of Soil" Their CREATE school applications open on the 1st of May https://www.integritysoils.com/pages/create-2026-mexicoSocials: Facebook Insta: @masters.nicole &  @integrity_soils YouTubeExcellent tutorial YouTube videos with Nicole by LA Sanitation Nick MoleNick Mole joined PAN UK (Pesticide Action Network UK) in 2007 after working with the Environmental Investigation Agency. He leads PAN’s national policy work, conducting research and gathering evidence to support reduced pesticide use and safer alternatives. PAN UK is the only UK charity focused solely on addressing pesticide harms and promoting sustainable alternatives in agriculture, urban areas, homes, and gardens.LinksPAN UK: https://www.pan-uk.orgPesticide-Free Towns: https://www.pan-uk.org/pesticide-free/Pavement Plant Guide: https://www.pan-uk.org/pavement-plants/Gardening Without Pesticides: https://www.pan-uk.org/gardening-without-pesticides/Marni ThompsonMarni Thompson grew up on a family ranch in Montana and holds a BSc in Range Science from Montana State University. She has worked with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for 26 years and helps farmers and ranchers implement soil health principles across the state. She also supports the annual Soil Health Symposium in Billings, Montana.SocialsFacebook and Instagram: @marnikittothompsonUnderstanding Ag: @UnderstandingagFurther ReferencesMedieval Way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDS6dGi6oZYGhent parks (Netherlands) – managed without pesticides.

FARMING MENTAL SUPPORT RESOURCES:If you or someone you love is struggling, help is available. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In the UK, you can call 111 and select option 2 to access urgent mental health support. If you’re elsewhere, please seek out local crisis services in your country. You’re not alone. It’s okay to ask for help. Other resources:UKRABI https://rabi.org.uk/ 0800 188 4444LensLight: https://lenslight.co.uk/ Young Farmers set up Mental health support Farming Community Network: https://fcn.org.uk/ 03000 111 999Yellow Wellies https://www.yellowwellies.org/We are Farming Minds: https://www.wearefarmingminds.co.uk/RSABI https://www.rsabi.org.uk (Scotland): 0808 1234 555YANA (You Are Not Alone) https://www.yanahelp.org/ 0300 323 0400The DPJ Foundation (Wales) https://www.thedpjfoundation.co.uk/ 0800 587 4262USAFarm Aid Hotline: 1-800-FARM-AID (1-800-327-6243)Call: 988 Agrisafe: agri stress helping 833-897-2474https://www.agrisafe.org/agristress-helpline/National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):https://www.nami.org/ 800-950-6264.SAMHSA National Helpline: https://www.samhsa.gov/ 1-800-662-HELP(4357)Regional Resources: Many agricultural states, such as Minnesota (833-600-2670) NZFARM STRONG https://mentalhealth.org.nz/our-work/farmstrongCanadahttps://ccaw.ca/ Call 1-866-FARMS01Farm talk care: https://farmtalkcare.ca/care/EPISODE 12: Unraveled – Mental Health in FarmingThis episode explores the often-unseen mental health challenges faced by farmers around the world. Through personal stories, expert insight, and urgent calls to action, we examine the deep connections between mental health, soil health, and community—and how regenerative systems can help heal both land and people.Host & Producer: Richard TuftonCo-host & Producer: Claire MackenzieEditor: Meg ChathamOriginal Score: Matt Griffin (poet & farmer) – Instagram: @neidpath_farmsFeatured Partners & ResourcesSix Inches of SoilWebsite: www.sixinchesofsoil.orgBook & socials available via websiteMicrobzmicrobz.co.ukGet 20% off with code LOVESOILGuestsTom MorphewFounder of Full Circle Farms Sussex and The Garden Army CIC, Tom is a regenerative farming pioneer working at the intersection of soil health, social impact, and circular economy. His closed-loop farms turn food waste into compost and chemical-free food, while also serving as care farms and outdoor classrooms. A two-time TED Talk speaker, Tom is proving that farming can restore soil, support people, and remain commercially viable.Hugh AddisonRaised on an organic dairy, beef, and sheep farm in Cumbria, Hugh is passionate about strengthening the mental health and resilience of the farming community. In 2025, he co-founded The Borderline Challenge, a UK and Ireland ultratriathlon raising awareness and funds for farmer mental health in partnership with RABI.Instagram: @theborderlinechallengeDr Michael RosmannA psychologist and farmer, Michael Rosmann is a global leader in agricultural mental health. Through his work with AgriWellness, he helped shape the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network in the U.S. Farm Bill. His research and writing, including the amazing book Meditations on Farming, laid the foundation for the field of agricultural behavioral health.

FEATURING: Host, producer: Richard Tufton & Oscar TuftonCo-host, producer: Claire MackenzieEditor: Meg Chatham Director: Colin RamsayScore: Matt Griffin (poet & farmer) Instagram: @neidpath_farmsMegs Blog: https://regenagvocate.substack.com/From the Ground Up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2RPjS3v6uA&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dfrom%2Bthe%2Bground%2Bup%2B-%2Bcambridge%2Bsoil%26sca_esv%3D76156e36b6817723%26sxsrf%3DANbL-n4MXFxu8dFBg5dMxP0yQa9h9&source_ve_path=MzY4NDIsMjg2NjYSix 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/Microbz: https://microbz.co.uk/Get 20% off with code LOVESOIL at microbz.co.uk.

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