In this episode of Talkin' After Hours we chat to David Hardwick, agroecologist and partner at Soil Land Food on getting to the root of your soil issues with the aid of the newly developed Soil HASH tool. Our conversation covers the key functions of healthy soil, the development and purpose of the Soil HASH tool, practical applications for farmers, and the significance of monitoring soil constraints. David emphasizes the need for farmers to understand their soil's condition and the benefits of u...
Aug 14, 2025•41 min
In this podcast episode, we explore the importance of trees in farming, focusing on windbreaks and shelter belts. South West forester Bob Hingston shares his extensive knowledge on tree planting, site preparation, and the benefits of agroforestry. He discusses the planning process, common mistakes, and the significance of choosing the right species for effective windbreaks. The conversation also highlights the role of trees in creating wildlife corridors and the necessary post-planting maintenan...
Jul 31, 2025•44 min
In this episode of Talkin' After Hours, we delve into the world of integrated pest management (IPM) and the alarming decline of insect populations, referred to by some as the 'insect apocalypse.' Entomologist Dr. Anthony Rice discusses the significant role insects play in ecosystems and agriculture, the detrimental effects of pesticides, especially neonicotinoids, and the importance of finding alternatives to these harmful chemicals. Dr Rice emphasizes the need for a balanced approach to pest ma...
May 29, 2025•55 min
In this episode of Talkin' After Hours, the LCDC’s Kate Tarrant and guest host Mark Tupman chat to Dan Kittredge, farmer, educator, and founder of the Bionutrient Association. Dan has become one of the leading proponents of “nutrient density,” with ground breaking research to measure and define food quality, and linking it directly to how it’s grown. Our conversation delves into the significance of nutrient density in food, the challenges of defining it, and the critical role of soil health in a...
Mar 11, 2025•52 min
In this episode we chat to trappers Shane Franklin and Les Dunnet. Our conversation delves into the world of feral management management and control, the issues, challenges and what we are doing about it in the Lower Blackwood catchment of the south west of Western Australia. Our discussion highlights the successful outcomes of recent feral pig control projects, the importance of landholder collaboration, and the challenges faced in managing feral cats and foxes.
Feb 25, 2025•36 min
In this episode of Talking After Hours, Jo and Kate chat to south west educators, and permaculturalists, Charles Otway and Jasper Harvey. Our conversation explores the principles and practices of syntropic farming, a method that emphasizes biodiversity, succession, and ecological balance. Also discussed are the benefits & challenges of this farming style, including resilience to climate extremes, soil health, and commercial viability, plus some of the resources available for those interested...
Jan 28, 2025•45 min
In this Talkin’ After Hours Podcast we chat to Hydrologist Lance Mudgway from the Mulloon Institute on the importance of effective water management in WA's agricultural landscapes, particularly in the context of climate change and land degradation. Our conversation explores the need for a shift towards more natural systems that enhance resilience and productivity and uses the Scott River region in the south west of Western Australia as a case study, highlighting the challenges and potential solu...
Nov 27, 2024•35 min
In this episode we chat to agroecologist Mark Tupman and cattle farmer & Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development Technical Officer Eric Dobbe. Our conversation covers the intricacies of grazing management in Mediterranean environments, focusing on the transition of annual pastures from vegetative to reproductive growth in spring. We also explore strategies for maintaining pasture quality, the importance of species selection, and effective livestock management techniques t...
Oct 29, 2024•44 min
In this episode we chat to Nan Bray of White Gum Wool, located in the highlands of Tasmania. Nan farms a flock of 600 Saxon Merino on 330ha of high country, and with occasional snow in winter, summers reaching up to 35C, and an average of only 550cm of rainfall, it can be challenging. Nan is no ordinary farmer however, about 15 years ago she decided to move away from conventional farming methods and make some radical changes to the way she does things. Her wool growing production system now reli...
Sep 25, 2024•49 min
In this Talking After Hours podcast Kate chats to Professor Stephen Joseph about biochar and its applications in renewable energy and agriculture. Biochar is the result of thermal decomposition of biomass in an oxygen-starved environment. It can be made from various feedstocks, including grasses, manures, and wood. Different biochars have different effects on soil and plant growth, and their application rates need to be optimized. Biochar can increase yields, improve water holding capacity, and ...
Jul 25, 2024•49 min
In this episode of Talkin' After Hours we chat to Sam & Steph Hondema of Rosas Ridge based near Margaret River in the South West of Western Australia. These first generation farmers have been building a successful pasture raised chicken enterprise since 2019, with a vision to supply superior meats, both in nutritional density and rich flavour to their customers table whilst at the same time improving the health of their soils & pasture through regenerative practices Like all start ups th...
Jun 26, 2024•33 min
In this Talkin' After Hours Episode Jo & Kate chat once again to local agroecologist Mark Tupman from Productive Ecology. This time we explore how to get a better band for your buck by including foliar nutrition to complement your soil fertility program.
Apr 30, 2024•35 min
In this month's episode Jo & Kate chat to two southwest WA landcarers who have been very active in working with livestock farmers to get some very handy ecosystem engineers working on their farms. We are talking about Dung Beetles and our local experts are Kathy Dawson from Southern Forests Community Landcare based in Manjimup and Kylie Cook from Wilson Inlet Catchment Committee, based in Denmark. Show notes available via Talkin' After Hours , our online community & information hub....
Mar 26, 2024•42 min
In this Talkin After Hours Episode Jo & Kate chat to Fred Provenza, Professor Emeritus, Dept. Wildland Resources, Utah State University. For the past 30 years, Fred and his team have produced ground-breaking research that has laid the foundation for what is now known as behavior-based management of livestock, wildlife and landscapes. This research led to the creation in 2001 of a consortium of scientists and land managers from five continents called BEHAVE (Behavioral Education for Human, An...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 2 min
In this months podcast Jo & Kate chat with Mark Tupman from Productive Ecology on a topic that is absolutely fundamental to agriculture – that of soil function & fertility. In our conversation we delve into what is actually meant by soil function, why and how it is so critical to soil fertility, and what are the most effective strategies we can implement to build soil fertility.
Jan 30, 2024•28 min
In this episode of Talkin’ After Hours Jo & Kate chat to Joel Williams on the hot topic of Nitrogen – how it works in the nutrient cycle and how can we best optimise its use – particularly in grazing systems.
Nov 30, 2023•47 min
In this months podcast we chat to agroecologist & partner in rural change management company Soil Land Food, David Hardwick on the hot topic of making your own biofertilisers .David learned the skills of making bugs and brews from the masters at Mas humas and has been passing on that information ever since. In the podcast David shares tips, tricks & recipes to make starter cultures, inoculants, bioferments and biofertilisers.
Oct 31, 2023•41 min
Feral Pigs are a major pest across a Australia and are in fact wreaking havoc right here in our backyard in the Lower Blackwood Catchment. Here at the LCDC we’ve been working with the Lower Blackwood Vertebrate Pest Management group for a number of years on controlling the local pig population and are coming into our third year of our State NRM funded project ‘Feral Pig Focus – Protecting the Scott Coastal Plain’. In this month's Talkin' Podcast we chat to Dr Heather Channon, the National Feral ...
Sep 29, 2023•34 min
In this episode Jo & Kate talk to Agroecologist Mark Tupman on all things composting for farms - what the options are, how to make them, and how to best utilise the compost on your farm. This podcast is supported though funding from Soil Wise. Soil Wise is funded by the National Landcare Program Smart Farms Small Grants – an Australian Government initiative. It is supported by Healthy Estuaries WA – a State Government program.
Aug 23, 2023•32 min
In this Talkin’ After Hours Podcast Jo & Kate chat once again to Victorian cropper, seed grower & beef farmer Grant Sims. Grant has driven farm health and productivity gains on his farm through adhering to a set of principles that have included the use of multi species cover crops, eliminating the use of 'icides' and largely replacing high input synthetic fertilisers with foliar fed biofertilisers. This is our second podcast with Grant, last time we focused on multispecies cover cropping...
Jul 31, 2023•45 min
In this Talkin' podcast Jo & Kate chat to Jade Killoran, Victorian independent multispecies cover crop advisor, researcher and founder of Healthy Farming Systems. Although the Victorian climate is slightly different to ours, it is similar enough that so much of what Jade has researched is very applicable in our environment. In this episode we explore with Jade her research and trial findings and what strategies land managers can use to get diverse & perennial plants established in their ...
Jun 29, 2023•33 min
In this podcast episode Jo & Kate talk with South West farmer Blythe Calnan about her regenerative journey with her partner Greg Hooper - their motivations, the challenges and the opportunities in running 'Runnymede', a commercial regenerative farm. This podcast is supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development as part of a collaboration bringing Dr Christine Jones to Western Australia in February 2023.
May 29, 2023•48 min
In this episode Jo & Kate talk with South West equine agronomist Belinda Taylor on horses, pastures & soil - including how to get more diversity into equine systems and what that means for management of your horse or horses. This podcast is supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development as part of a collaboration bringing Dr Christine Jones to Western Australia in February 2023.
May 25, 2023•27 min
In this Talkin' episode Jo & Kate talk with internationally renowned soils ecologist Dr Christine on the secrets that make healthy soils tick and the soil as a living system - including a dive into the ‘liquid carbon pathway’ – what it is, why we need it, how to help it and how to avoid hindering it. This podcast is supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development as part of a collaboration bringing Dr Christine Jones to Western Australia in February 2023....
Apr 28, 2023•52 min
In this Talkin' episode we talk to Holistic Grazing expert Dr Judi Earl on the principles of grazing management and how grazing livestock can be used to regenerate their land. This is our second podcast with Judi, we chatted to her last year all about Grass – in fact that podcast is a ‘must listen to’ as a good understanding of how grasses grow and respond to being grazed is key to understanding how livestock can be used to enhance soil health and pasture production. This podcast is supported by...
Mar 30, 2023•33 min
In this Talkin' episode we delve into ‘warts & all’ exploration on the planning, preparation & implementation of a ‘Do it yourself’ Soil Carbon project. Our guests are Jennifer West from Carbon West, founder of Carbon West, an independent carbon services consultancy specialising in soil carbon project research, assessment, and development, and Brett Hazelden, a Lower Blackwood sheep farmer who is undertaking an independent soil carbon project on his Warner Glen property.
Feb 16, 2023•37 min
In this podcast episode we chat with New Zealand agroecologist, author & educator, & the perennially effervescent Nicole Masters, on the topic of weeds & their management - not in the conventional way, but through the lens of ecosystem health. In this perspective weeds are not seen as the ‘foe’, nor is there a need to 'wage war’ on them, instead an ecosystems approach seeks to understand what their role is in the system, with the ' why' providing the key to their management in your o...
Nov 24, 2022•31 min
In this month’s podcast episode we talk to South Australian viticulturist, natural systems thinker, scientist & educator, Dr Mary Retallack. In 2012 Mary undertook a PhD research study which really challenged the conventions of viticulture by harnessing the power of native insectary plants as a key to managing vineyard pests naturally. Her research, and passion for the topic has culminated in an exciting new project that Mary is spearheading, the National EcoVineyards Program funded by Wine ...
Oct 27, 2022•41 min
In this episode of Talkin' After Hours we talk to south west farmer and grass fed beef producer Warren Pensini. Warren is a a 4th generation cattle farmer &, together with his wife Lori, manages ‘Paraway’, a 664 ha property in Boyup Brook. Warren & Lori’s philosophy is to produce quality food ethically in a manner that has minimal impact and stress on their animals, community and environment, while creating a positive financial outcome for their family. Up until 2018 the Pensini’s sold t...
Sep 28, 2022•34 min
In this Talkin' After Hours podcast , Jo & Kate talk to A2 milk producer Brad Boley, & University of Southern Queensland Research Fellow, Dr Stephan Tait about an alternative way to manage dairy effluent. In 2019 a trial of manure separation was conducted on Brad’s farm using a commercial dewatering/filtering equipment called the Z-Filter. The aim of manure separation is to provide options for dairy farmers to beneficially utilise nutrients and organic material in effluent, whilst simult...
Aug 30, 2022•26 min
