Shannon and Julie Humphris run Blue Marble Farm on Gumbaynggirr Dangadi Country near Macksville on the New South Wales North Coast.

Blue Marble Farm is a great example of self-sufficient living.

Gavin Tinning had a bit of a walk around the farm with Shannon before the record button was pressed and was really impressed by the incorporation of livestock into a small property.

On Blue Marble Farm there are cattle, milking cows, goats, chickens, turkeys and the livestock is used to regenerate the landscape and reduce the fire risk; they produce food and fibre and all sorts of products.

Shannon and Julie regularly hold field days and workshops so you can go and check the farm out for yourself. Just look up Blue Marble Farm on the internet for details.

The Regenerative Agriculture Mentoring Program was developed at Southern Cross University. The project has been assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust. Visit https://ramp.org.au

Today I'm heading down to Nashua, between Lismore and Bangalow on the NSW North Coast, to have a chat to Jeanie.

Jeanie Wylie and Edward Rawlings set up a restaurant called Frida’s Field. If you're driving between Lismore and Bangalow and you look across to the east, around the Nashua turn-off, you'll see, on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, a bunch of cars parked and, no doubt, groups of people enjoying a delicious long lunch in the afternoon sun.

Jeanie took some time out of her busy schedule, menu planning, market garden, family life in general, and we had a bit of a chat around setting up the farm, their story, some of the challenges they've faced and still face.

Probably of the most interest is how they're trying to integrate what they produce on the farm into the menu of Frida's Field.

So enjoy the chat and if you want to know more about Frida's Field, go to https://www.fridasfield.com/ and you can get more of the history of the farm. You could also book and have a fantastic lunch there. I highly recommend.

This Ground Cover episode is one in a short series where we hear from participants in the Regenerative Agriculture Mentoring Program. RAMP was developed at Southern Cross University. The project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust. You can learn more about RAMP at https://www.ramp.org.au

In Series Three of Ground Cover, we hear the stories of farmers who participated in the Regenerative Agricultural Mentoring Program.  RAMP, as it is generally known, was developed at Southern Cross University and assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust. Gavin Tinning met with a diverse cohort of innovative and inspiring farmers to bring you their insights and learnings. These are their stories.

Today I'm in the hills behind Nimbin with Paul Wilson from Nimbin Valley Dairy on Bundjalung Country, Northern New South Wales.  Paul and his partner Kerry have shifted their dairy from supplying a milk processor to delivering an amazing range of cheese and other dairy products direct to customers at their farm gate and at various farmers markets in the Northern Rivers of NSW, Australia. 

In between a bit of farm work, admin and customers turning up to their farm cafe, we chatted about the challenges of building a local food business, the impacts of the 2022 flood and mudslip events where 800 millimetres of rain fell overnight in this region and devastated and disrupted many sectors of the area's economy and we also talked about some of the important things – like how many goats is too many to milk. 

If you want to know more about Nimbin Valley Dairy, and there's heaps that we didn't cover, then look them up online or catch them at a farmer’s market near you.  We trust you enjoy this podcast.

In today's episode, we will hear from regenerative agriculture pioneer Lorraine Gordon. Lorraine is the founder and current Chair of the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance. Her vision is to improve the holistic health and well-being of Australian landscapes, farmers and communities through research, education and practice.

We will hear Lorraine talk about:

• Her own cattle farm at Ebor, her journey into carbon farming and the challenges she has faced.
• Why the regenerative journey is never over
• Some of the practices that farmers can change to improve their own landscapes.

This episode was recorded at a field day hosted by Southern Cross University and Banyula, a regenerative farm on the Northern Rivers. Lorraine will be introduced by renowned environmental filmmaker Damon Gameau.

Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/

Today on Ground Cover we will hear from Dr Lukas Van Zwieten, a Principal Soil Research Scientist from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries.

Lukas is also an adjunct Professor with Southern Cross University, and he's a farmer. And as you will hear in this recording, he has been described as the 'Grand Master of Soil' by renowned environmental filmmaker Damon Gameau.

In this episode, Lukas will share:

• His insights about soils
• How to identify your soil constraints
• How to build healthy soils
• Why soils are the key to developing productive and resilient farming systems.

This audio was recorded at a field day hosted by Southern Cross University and Banyula, a regenerative farm on the Northern Rivers.

Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/

Today on Ground Cover, we're joined by Dr Jay Anderson, a plant pathologist with more than 20 years of industry experience.

She's also a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Southern Cross University, and her research to date has focused on integrated disease management using techniques such as plant breeding, plant selection for resistance, and optimised plant nutrition.

Jay is also working to better understand infection processes of pathogens to help target, control, and reduce losses due to disease.

In this episode, Jay talks about:

• How weather and climate change has a huge impact on diseases within horticulture crops
• Some of the work she's been doing in the Northern Rivers since the 2022 floods, particularly in the avocado and macadamia industries
• What farmers can do on their own properties to manage disease and what they should look for
• The best way to plan your farm and the importance of connecting with other farmers and grower groups to share information and ideas.

Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/

In today's episode of Ground Cover, we're joined by Dr Jackie Williams, an adjunct Associate Professor at Southern Cross University who has more than 30 years of applied research in natural resource management.

Her areas of expertise include sustainable agriculture governance systems, natural resource policy, and food security.

With a lot of discussion and interest in the Nature Repair Bill and Natural Capital Accounting, we decided to pick Jackie's brain about the impact this is having on farmers.

We'll hear about what farmers need to do, some of the benefits coming their way, and what potential challenges we need to address to maximise these opportunities.

Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/

Today on Ground Cover, I'm joined by Don Coyne, the CEO of the Australia and New Zealand Biochar Industry Group. Don has been working to raise the profile of biochar for years now, and he works hard to bring together industry, scientists, and key stakeholders to realise the potential of biochar for Australia's net zero future.

In this episode, we'll hear about:

• A Southern Cross University research trial that Don has been involved in and some of the challenges and opportunities faced during that process.
• The new biochar industry 2030 roadmap, an important document that will help build a billion dollar industry.

Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/

Professor Kirsten Benkendorff is the Director of Southern Cross University’s National Marine Science Centre and the Deputy Director of the Marine Ecology Research Centre. Her research looks at the impacts of ocean climate change and environmental contaminants on the immune health and nutritional quality of seafood species. She is also investigating the use of marine molluscs for human medicine.

Professor Benkendorff has published more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and also teaches into the Bachelor of Environmental Science, and Marine Science and Management programs at Southern Cross University. 

As a lead researcher for one of the projects in the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance’s Soil Extension Program, funded by the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, Kirsten spent three years looking at the effectiveness of bioreactors in managing pesticide run-off in intensive horticulture. She was also able to set up a second project which compared the soil health in conventional and regenerative blueberry farms.

In this episode you'll hear:

• How can farmers better manage pesticides on their property.
• Practical steps and advice.
• Understand the impact pesticides can have outside their property boundaries i.e. on waterways and on seafood. 
• Know where to seek more information about your obligations. 

Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/

Can university research really help us improve climate resilience and soil health on farms?

What knowledge can experts share with us?

And what can we learn from research projects that don't quite work out the way we planned?

In this second season of Ground Cover, Rebecca Lollback from Southern Cross University, will explore these topics and more with her knowledgable and experienced guests, including:

• Kirsten Benkendorff
• Don Coyne
• Jacqueline Williams
• Lorraine Gordon
• Jay Anderson
• Lukas Van Zwieten