Videos and Knowledge

What if the key to resilient, productive pastures was hidden in your soil’s DNA? In this video, I visit Gippsland dairy farmer John Follett, who’s turned his farm around using cutting-edge biological agronomy and soil microbiome testing. After surviving droughts and reducing mastitis to nearly zero, John shares how DNA-driven soil analysis changed everything. Agronomist Peter and Ben from GreenMate Agriculture explain how they monitor microbial populations, tailor pasture amendments, and optimise soil function using microbes, plant hormones, and buffered nutrition — all based on deep biological insight. Whether you're managing pastures, improving soil fertility, or moving toward regenerative practices, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. 🌱🐄 Crop BioLife https://www.cropbiolife.com/ 🔗 Related Videos: • Fixing Failed Revegetation with Goats • BRIX Testing for Pastures • Secrets to Regenerative Grazing 💬 Got questions about your own soil biology? Drop them in the comments or reach out to GreenMate Agriculture: 🌐 https://greenmate.com.au 📍Filmed in: Gippsland, Victoria 👨‍🌾 Featuring: John Follett, Peter & Ben from GreenMate Agriculture 🧪 Products used: DNA soil testing, Crop BioLife, buffered urea, seaweed extracts #SoilHealth #RegenerativeAgriculture #PastureManagement #DairyFarming #MicrobialFarming Check out my website for even more content https://timthompson.ag/ Support me on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/timthompsonmedia Facebook https://www.facebook.com/timthompsonmedia Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timthompson.ag Subscribe for a new video each week! New content uploaded every weekend. My Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw 00:00 – How a dairy farmer survived the drought 00:28 – From beef to dairy: John’s transition 01:03 – The story of one experimental paddock 02:18 – DNA soil testing: What’s different? 03:36 – Meet the agronomists: Peter & Ben 04:32 – What soil DNA reveals about microbes 05:50 – Managing pathogens biologically 07:05 – Boosting hormones & stress response naturally 08:54 – The power of microbial exudates 10:06 – Stimulating photosynthesis with natural compounds 11:32 – Buffered nutrition: smarter fertiliser use 13:04 – Mastitis rates drop with better pasture 14:25 – Behind the scenes at GreenMate HQ 16:00 – Reading the DNA reports: risks & remedies 18:00 – From data to action: tailoring farm inputs 20:00 – Blending regenerative and practical solutions 21:35 – Final thoughts and how to take action

What if pest and disease aren’t the real problem — but a symptom? This conversation could change how you think about plant health forever. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw/join In this episode of Farm Learning, Tim Thompson sits down with agronomist Pete Briscoe to unpack a powerful emerging idea in plant science: a unified theory of pest and disease management. Rather than targeting pests with more chemistry, this approach focuses on plant electrical balance (Eh) and pH — the conditions that determine whether pests and pathogens can attack in the first place. You’ll learn: Why unhealthy plants attract pests How photosynthesis, soil biology, and microbes protect crops Where plants are actually attacked (cell wall, xylem, phloem) How to predict disease pressure before symptoms appear Why regenerative systems often need less intervention, not more This is essential viewing for growers managing crops, pasture, vineyards, orchards, or mixed farming systems. This video explains plant disease resistance, regenerative pest management, soil biology and crop immunity, electrical balance in plants, photosynthesis efficiency, plant stress indicators, microbial disease suppression, and how pH and redox potential influence pest and pathogen pressure in agricultural systems. ▶ Subscribe for weekly regenerative and practical ag content ▶ Channel memberships now available ▶ Learn more: Green Mate Agriculture https://greenmate.com.au/ ▶ Share this with anyone battling ongoing pest or disease pressure #RegenerativeAgriculture #PlantHealth #SoilBiology #PestManagement 📍 Filmed on-farm in Australia 🎙 Guest: Pete Briscoe from Green Mate (Agronomy & plant health specialist) 🧪 Topics: EH & pH testing, soil microbiology, plant immunity 00:00 Why pest & disease are always on a grower’s mind 00:26 A new “theory of everything” in plant disease 01:08 Why unhealthy plants attract pests 02:10 EH & pH explained in plain English 03:11 How photosynthesis controls disease risk 04:02 Measuring EH and pH to predict outbreaks 05:45 First attack point: the plant cell wall 07:12 The role of microbes in plant defence 09:22 Xylem health and diseases like verticillium wilt 11:04 Why chemicals disrupt natural immunity 13:12 Phloem, sugars, and virus susceptibility 14:33 How growers can help plants self-defend 15:28 Testing soil biology and structure properly 16:46 Diversity, observation, and getting out of the plant’s way 17:44 Final message: prevention through plant health

What if all you had was a shovel, some chickens, and a block of dead ground — could you rebuild soil from scratch? Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw/join On a challenging 25-acre property near Mogo, NSW, Colin and Claire show what’s possible when plants, animals, and practical thinking are combined. Starting with nothing but mulch, manure, and chickens, they’ve transformed eroded, acidic ground into living soil — without expensive machinery or quick chemical fixes. This video is for farmers, landholders, and small-block owners who want to: • rebuild soil biology • control erosion naturally • integrate chickens into land restoration • work with what they have, not what they wish they had We walk through real systems that worked, mistakes made, and why combining animals with carbon changes everything — especially on hard, low-fertility country. This isn’t theory. It’s hands-on learning from people who had to make it work. 👉 Subscribe for practical farming, land management, and regenerative systems 👉 Share this with someone who owns a shovel and a problem paddock 👉 Watch next: regenerative grazing, fencing systems, and soil biology explained Location: Mogo, NSW, Australia Systems discussed: chickens, mulch, manure, contours, swales, erosion repair Tools: shovel, box trailer, electric poultry netting, chicken caravan #regenerativeagriculture #soilhealth #chickens #landrestoration #farmlife 00:00 From barren land to a blank slate 01:18 Starting with nothing but a shovel 03:02 Using chickens and mulch to build soil 05:06 Green ground where nothing grew before 06:13 Fixing erosion without heavy machinery 08:27 Hand-cut contours that actually worked 10:19 When swales work — and when they don’t 12:14 Using plants to slow water and trap fertility 14:44 Chickens as workers, not just egg layers 17:32 Solving fencing problems in rocky soil 19:47 Predator-proofing a chicken caravan 22:40 Wind, heat, and water system fixes 24:19 Proof on the ground: chickens vs no chickens 26:53 Growing trees in extreme dry conditions 27:59 Managing regrowth for biodiversity 29:33 Would they do it again?

Two years into regenerative farming — what’s actually working… and what isn’t? This is the honest reality of reducing chemicals while improving soil and plant health. In this video, I walk through my own farm in Victoria and break down the wins, mistakes, and ongoing challenges of transitioning to regenerative agriculture. With agronomist Ben from GreenMate Agriculture, we assess real paddock results, vineyard issues, and what practical steps come next. This matters if you’re trying to: Reduce chemical inputs without losing productivity Improve soil biology and long-term resilience Transition from conventional to regenerative systems We cover: Multi-species pasture and vineyard systems Pest pressure, weeds, and biodiversity trade-offs Soil testing beyond NPK — including biology Managing copper and chemical reduction in vineyards Practical regen strategies that actually hold up in the real world This isn’t theory — it’s a working farm, with real outcomes. Keywords regenerative agriculture Australia, soil biology farming, reduce chemical inputs farming, vineyard regenerative practices, multi species pasture system, soil microbiology PCR test farming, sustainable farming transition, grazing systems regenerative farming, farm soil health improvement, practical regenerative agriculture Subscribe for practical, real-world farming insights every week Watch more regenerative farming case studies on the channel Share this with someone transitioning their farm system #regenerativeagriculture #soilhealth #farming #sustainablefarming #australianagriculture Location: Victoria, Australia Featuring: Ben (GreenMate Agriculture, Cranbourne VIC) https://greenmate.com.au/ Crop Biolife https://www.cropbiolife.com/ Systems Covered: Vineyard regen transition, multi-species pasture, soil biology testing, foliar nutrition 00:00 Why I Started Regenerative Farming 00:40 Honest Update: Wins, Losses & Concerns 01:00 Agronomist Walkthrough Begins 02:20 Multi-Species Vineyard System Explained 03:20 Pest Pressure & Biodiversity Trade-Offs 04:00 Weed Explosion: Problem or Process? 05:50 When Should You Intervene? 06:25 Uneven Growth: What’s Going Wrong? 07:00 Soil Testing Beyond NPK (Biology Matters) 08:20 PCR Soil Testing Explained 09:30 Pasture Wins: What’s Actually Working 10:00 Vetch, Microbes & Nutrient Cycling 11:20 Herbicide Reality in Regenerative Systems 13:10 Livestock Self-Selection & Plant Health 15:10 Reducing Chemicals in Vineyards 16:40 Biological Sprays vs Copper 18:00 Transition Strategy: What to Expect 19:00 Why Horticulture Is Harder Than Grazing 20:05 Soil Health Triangle Explained 21:00 Feeding Soil Biology (Not Just Plants) 23:00 Applying Microbial Fertiliser 24:10 Boosting Photosynthesis Naturally 25:20 How Leaf Function Drives Soil Health 26:40 The Regenerative Mindset Shift 27:30 Final Thoughts: From Killing to Growing