Six Inches of Soil - The Podcast

Marnie Thompson, Montana soil health practitioner who educates farmers; Nick Mole, UK pesticide policy lead fighting chemical use; Vicki Hird, wildlife and invertebrate advocate and author; Nicole Masters, agroecologist and regenerative soil coach. They question common garden chemicals, read weeds as soil clues, explore pesticide-free public spaces, and share practical tips for nurturing soil life and wildlife-friendly greens.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join organic dairy farmer James Robinson and yogurt innovator Tim Mead as they delve into the evolving dairy industry. Robinson shares his sustainable practices at Strickley Farm, from regenerating soils to protecting waterways. Mead discusses Yeo Valley's journey towards organic expansion and the importance of consumer relationships. They explore the contrasts between grass-fed and grain-fed systems, and how shoppers can make informed dairy choices. Both emphasize the vital role of farmers in championing climate-friendly practices and nurturing our connection to food.

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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.