Episode 122: Exploring Tillage, Aggregation, and Biological Innovation with Rick Clark

I have learned so much from these podcasts. When people see my garden, they see a mess. I see diversity and abundance.

Don't be shy about discussions more advanced than "basics for beginners", some of us are actively looking for more advanced fare.

Great conversation!!!

I am deeply saddened that we will hear no more from Christine but I am so grateful for everything she has taught us. The rest is up to us.

Hi John, have been watching your videos for the last 9 months. I farm 900 acres of irrigation in Victoria, Australia. I have had some "hard pan" issues, which I was told I could only resolve with deep tillage. I typically till to no more than 6-8", which also incorporates about 4 tons of lime and 12 c/m of chicken litter. Those hard pan issues were only resolved after a legume crop (faba beans) was grown. The following crop of wheat yielded 12t/ha, across the whole paddock. The yield gains on that soil has been maintained for the last 5 years. I have maintained this rotation of brasica, cereal, legume, cereal, for the last 6 years. I embarked on this rotation after researching the ability of legumes ( but not alfalfa) to produce large quantities of hydrogen. The theory at the time was that hydrogen was not a fertiliser, but "turbocharged" microbial activity. Any thoughts on that?

I started stressing out because your open made me think she had passed away. Now my upset she’s retiring. My family is so early on our journey to turn a very trashed piece of land into a regenerative type farm to feed ourselves and my future grandkids and my community. We started as non farmers eating processed food and in 5 years we’ve learned and done so much from you and her and everyone else in this field. I am 40 and have heard nothing but doom and gloom my entire life. Learning about nutrition for me and my plants and how it effects the environment has given me hope for the first time in my life. Thank you for all you do.

Excellent conversation! This very group of individuals has had an enormous impact on the way I farm and how I talk about managing land. Our pilot agroforestry site has been largely designed with Christine's public advice in mind. Everything revolves around supporting biodiverse plant communities to restore degraded soil. Along with our first time putting sap analysis into a foliar program, I think we are just beginning to see results. Thank you!

Wow, thank you. This is my best education ever in such a short time commitment! I am so sadden that Christine is going to retire for good. She is beyond amazing so so knowledgable. I hope she is going to write a book.... please, please. I would pay for it in advance. Thank you John!

This is next level. . My partner has been breeding and selecting nitrogen fixing field corn for over ten years, so this resonates with us.

I hope someone was able to record some of the conversations was able to be recorded.

I agree with the tillage point made here. Mindful tillage!

Reminds me of a couple of farmers recounting what each one interpreted after a particularly good farm discussion meeting. Excellent podcast, thank you.

Great conversation! Was sad that it had to end. We think alot about planting different cash crops together to harvest together to substitute the absence of some cover crops. Like seeding wheat,field-peas and canola together. Harvest them together then separate the grain later. Someone should get Christene and pin a mic to her for the rest of the month! 😂

Very interesting. We have lots of changes in the wild plants growing here this year. Lots of chicory and lots of purslane, fennel, dandelions we usually always get these but more this year, and red fescue and some other grasses. Lots of onion grass. We have less nettles, lambs quater etc but they are still present too but the amount of purslane is off the scale this year. Its delicious so not a problem and it grows low so is covering the soil from the baking UV. This podcast goes someway to helping me understand why we have these changes. Its.been a drought year so makes sense there are more deep rooting plants

Please tell me y'all recorded that event?

Reminds me of 'Fertility Farming - Newman Turner -- 1951'. Which introduced the idea of weeds as a cover crop, now there's a topic for John Kempf "Weeds The Ideal Cover Crop" 🙂

Two regenerative giants discussing the insights they gleaned from other regenerative giants. Wow. Your enthusiasm reminds me of what the first century disciples of Jesus must have felt when they got together and reflected on the lessons they learned from the Master. Thank you both for sharing what you do so well! Your enthusiasm is infectious.

You all should look at a farm that inter-seeds organic row crops for soil building and weed suppression instead of crimping. Fresh Starts Farm :)

What I wouldn't give to have been part of the group at the farm that day!

Hi John, Fantastic podcast. I can't grow cover crops with less that Christine's 4 groups (Grasses, Legumes, low (shallow rooted) herbs and tall (deep rooted) herbs, without feeling I've missed an opportunity! She talks about an research experiment comparing ryegrass with a 4-way mix where it is demonstrated that diversity can replace 200 kg on Nitrogen fertilizer. In other words, fertilizer is a poor (and very expensive!) substitute for diversity!!! Can you provide a link for the "Manokam"? farm diversity experiment - I would like to understand exactly what spices they combined. Thanks for your terrific output over the last few months. Jon.