Deep Seed - Regenerative Agriculture

Farmers aren’t the problem... they’re the solution! In this eye-opening episode, agronomist Nicolas Verschuere dismantles common myths about soil health, tillage, and agrochemicals. He reveals what actually works to make farming more regenerative, resilient, and profitable.Drawing on decades of hands-on experience with European farmers, he explains why cover crops, minimal disturbance, and smarter input use are not about perfection but about progress. It’s practical, grounded, and surprisingly hopeful. If you’re curious about how we can heal soils without blaming farmers, this is a must-listen.🧠 Topics covered in this episode:The true role of tillage in regenerative agricultureWhy cover crops are essential for living soilsHow to reduce fertilizers and pesticides without going extremeWhy the real challenge is complexity, not ideologyWhat it takes to support farmers through meaningful changeThe power of diversity and agroecological systems to build resilience⎯This episode was made in partnership with Soil Capital - a company accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture by financially rewarding farmers who regenerate their soil health and biodiversity.www.soilcapital.comHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Notre agriculture va droit dans le mur.C’est ce que rappelle, sans détour, le biologiste et mycologue Marc-André Selosse dans ce #REWIND coup de poing.Il nous livre un éclairage saisissant sur le coût réel de l’agriculture conventionnelle : dégradation de la santé des sols, explosion des coûts de dépollution de l’eau, perte de matière organique, émissions de CO₂, et dépendance aux engrais chimiques.Mais il montre aussi qu’un autre chemin est possible — moins coûteux, plus fertile, et plus vivant.En défendant les pratiques de non-labour, de couvre-sol, ou encore la culture des blés pérennes, il bouscule nos croyances et rappelle que les alternatives existent — et fonctionnent.🧠 Une masterclass de microbiologie du sol, d’agriculture régénérative, et d’intelligence écologique.🎯 Thèmes abordés :Agriculture régénérative & agriculture de conservationSanté des sols & matière organiqueNon-labour et pratiques agricoles durablesPollution de l’eau & coût environnemental cachéRéseaux mycorhiziens & microbiologie du solHistoire et résilience des sols agricoles🔁 Épisode original complet : https://youtu.be/UVYodvZ8sSU Episode réalisé en partenariat avec Soil Capital www.soilcapital.comHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Et si l’agriculture de demain passait par un retour aux racines? Dans cet épisode, le professeur Marc-André Selosse, biologiste, mycologue et vulgarisateur hors pair, nous emmène dans l’univers fascinant du sol vivant et des réseaux mycorhiziens, ces alliances secrètes entre champignons et racines qui façonnent la fertilité de nos terres. Avec passion et précision, il nous explique pourquoi la santé des sols est la clé de notre santé à tous, comment l’agriculture conventionnelle a sauvé l’humanité… mais aussi pourquoi elle atteint aujourd’hui ses limites. Ce n’est pas une leçon de morale. C’est un appel à la lucidité. À la science. Et à la responsabilité collective. Un épisode indispensable pour comprendre les fondations biologiques de l’agriculture régénérative, de l’agriculture de conservation, et du lien intime entre santé des sols et avenir de l’humanité. 🧠 Thèmes abordés : • Microbiologie du sol et réseaux mycorhiziens • Agriculture régénérative vs agriculture conventionnelle • Pollution, pesticides, engrais et santé humaine • Couverture végétale, non-labour et pratiques vertueuses • Rôle des citoyens et des consommateurs dans la transition 🔁 Épisode original complet : https://youtu.be/UVYodvZ8sSU - Episode réalisé en partenariat avec Soil Capital www.soilcapital.comHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What if farms were owned by communities... and managed for generations to come? 🌱In this #REWIND episode, we revisit a powerful moment with Eline Veninga, co-founder of Lenteland, a groundbreaking initiative in the Netherlands that’s rethinking land ownership, farmer succession, and regenerative agriculture from the ground up.Eline breaks down the structural barriers young farmers face — from sky-high land prices to outdated financial systems — and how Lenteland’s community-owned, farmer-led model offers a radically hopeful alternative.She also shares how Lenteland supports farmers with training, team-building, and long-term security — creating a new path for regenerative farmers to thrive, not just survive.🎧 Topics covered:Land access and generational transitionRegenerative farming and soil healthCommunity-owned agriculture modelsAlternative farm financingFarmer support and education🔁 Originally aired: Feb 11, 2025 🎧 Listen to the full episode here - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5vZjGJQF91FWAzHXcxxTuz?si=450a2d13492f4046⎯ This episode was made in partnership with Soil Capital, a company accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health and biodiversity 💚 www.soilcapital.comHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What if “weeds” could become the future of farming? 🌿 In this #REWIND episode, Matthijs Westerwoudt, co-founder of Wilder Land, shares how a bold idea to grow native plants for tea turned into a regenerative business model for biodiversity. Inspired by Commonland’s landscape restoration framework, Matthijs set out to build a company that wouldn’t just “do less harm”, but would actually restore ecosystems as it scaled. In this short, punchy episode, he explains how native herbs like chamomile, yarrow, and nettle — often dismissed as weeds — can create income for farmers, bring back pollinators, and regenerate entire landscapes. 💡 This is regeneration done differently: cheeky, smart, and rooted in common sense. 🎧 Topics covered: • Native plants & biodiversity • Building regenerative supply chains • Agroecology & ecosystem restoration • Business models for nature-based solutions • Rethinking sustainability vs. regeneration 🔁 Originally aired: Jan 28, 2025 🎧 Listen to the full episode now on Spotify & Apple podcast ⎯ This episode was made in partnership with Soil Capital, a company accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health and biodiversity 💚 www.soilcapital.comHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Wolves are returning to Europe... and it’s stirring up powerful emotions! Can we learn to coexist with predators in a human-dominated landscape? 🐺🌾 In this #REWIND episode of the Deep Seed Podcast, we revisit a powerful moment with Willemijn de Iong from Commonland. Willemijn shares her insights on the return of wolves in the Netherlands, the conflict with sheep farmers, and what we can learn from human-wildlife conflict in Kenya. This conversation dives into: ✅ How wolves are changing ecosystems in real time (trophic cascades) ✅ The emotional and cultural tensions with rewilding ✅ Compensation and policy solutions for coexistence ✅ What Maasai communities in Kenya taught her about respect, conflict, and change ⎯ 🎙️ Originally aired: January 21, 2025 Watch the full original episode here - https://youtu.be/slUPVmg-e20 ⎯ This episode was made in partnership with Soil Capital, a company accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health and biodiversity 💚 www.soilcapital.comHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

🎧 In this Deep Seed #REWIND episode, we revisit a powerful reflection from Willemijn de Iong of Commonland, who shares how farmers in the Netherlands are redefining their role in ecosystem restoration.She dives into the heart of the Wijland project, where over 300 farmers are shifting away from intensive dairy monocultures toward regenerative and nature-inclusive farming practices — all while building community and economic resilience.Willemijn also unpacks the deep structural challenges and offers an inspiring vision for how we can create a new “Combined Zone” that integrates agriculture and biodiversity.This mini-episode is a powerful reminder: regenerative agriculture isn’t about doing less — it’s about doing better, together.🌍 Topics covered:Regenerative agriculture in the NetherlandsThe Four Returns framework (Inspiration, Social Capital, Natural Capital, Financial Return)Land use and zoning reformFarmer-led change and community buildingFood forest legislation & landscape restoration⎯ This episode was made in partnership with Soil Capital, a company accelerating the transition to regenerative agriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health and biodiversity 💚 www.soilcapital.comHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode, I sit down with Simon Kraemer from the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) a fast-growing, farmer-led network that’s quietly shaking the foundations of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).Simon takes us inside the movement’s origins, its mission to regenerate both ecosystems and democracy, and the groundbreaking farmer-led report that could redefine how we measure agricultural success in Europe. 💡 In this conversation, we explore:Why EARA was born and what makes it different from traditional farming unionsHow regenerative farmers across Europe are using peer-to-peer science and direct democracyThe political battle to reform the CAP with performance-based subsidies, not top-down prescriptionsSurprising data from EARA’s recent report: higher profits, lower inputs, same yieldsWhy satellite tracking, photosynthesis data, and landscape-level thinking are the future of ag policyCare about food, farming, climate, or just think it’s time to stop paying for destruction with public money? Listen now, cause this one’s for you! “We’re not here to be the leaders. We’re here to be the humble mycelium that holds the whole ecosystem together.” — Simon Kraemer—Produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company accelerating the regenerative transition by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.https://www.soilcapital.com/—Usefull Links:SOIL CAPITAL FARMING: https://www.soilcapitalfarming.ag/DEEP SEED: https://www.deepseed.eu/—Follow Us• Instagram: @deep_seed_podcast• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-seed• Email: raphael@deepseed.euHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

 According to Thomas Lecompte of Soil Capital Farming, the answer is a resounding yes! If you embrace complexity, plan for the long term, and treat the farm as a living system, not a factory.In this episode, we dive deep into what it takes to transition large-scale conventional farms into regenerative systems without sacrificing profitability. Thomas shares powerful case studies from Argentina and Belgium, where farmers reduced inputs like synthetic fertilizer and herbicides, improved soil health, integrated livestock using holistic grazing, and still maintained (or improved!) gross margins.He breaks down how long-term crop rotation planning, the smart use of cover crops, and tools like land equivalent ratios are reshaping the economic model of farming. Plus, he offers hard-won wisdom on the emotional and strategic complexity of real-life regenerative transitions.🧠 “People hear complexity and think ‘complicated’. But managing complexity is what makes these systems work. Complexity can be beautiful.”— Thomas LecompteSoil Capital Farming is currently managing thousands of hectares in Europe and South America, and rewarding farmers financially for improving soil health and carbon performance. In this episode, Thomas explains how they do it and why the future of farming depends on shifting both mindset and management.🌾 Whether you’re a farmer, food systems investor, agronomist, policymaker, or just a curious human trying to figure out how we can grow food without destroying the planet, this one’s for you.🎧 Listen in to discover:How regenerative systems can be more profitable than conventional agricultureWhat a 10-year crop rotation plan looks like—and why it mattersHow holistic grazing helps regenerate soils and reduce costsWhy cover crops are a superpower for both ecosystem and financial healthStrategies to manage complexity without overwhelm📍Perfect for audiences in #farming #agtech #sustainability #regenerativebusiness and beyond.—Produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company accelerating the regenerative transition by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.https://www.soilcapital.com/—Usefull Links:SOIL CAPITAL FARMING: https://www.soilcapitalfarming.ag/DEEP SEED: https://www.deepseed.eu/—Follow Us• Instagram: @deep_seed_podcast• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-seed• Email: raphael@deepseed.euHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What happens when a farmer becomes a microbiologist? Adrian Rubi shares how compost tea, leaf sap analysis, and on-farm ferments can help you cut inputs, strengthen crops, and speed up your regenerative agriculture transition. From recipe design and dissolved oxygen to trace-element tweaks and manure management, this is soil microbiology you can actually use. Why listen: Reduce fertilizer costs, improve plant health, and scale nature-based solutions with tools you can brew and measure on-farm. Inside This Episode:🌾 Transitioning the Swiss hillside farm: organic suckler cows, hazelnuts, and local feeds only. 🧪 Compost tea ≠ fertilizer: secondary metabolites, foliar benefits, and practical application rates. ⚙️ Brewer design that keeps biology aerobic and consistent (stainless steel, vortex flow, DO control). 🌿 Leaf sap analysis to target trace elements, avoid over-fertilizing, and keep photosynthesis high. 🧴 Ferments for manure pits and cover-crop mulch: fewer smells, healthier N cycling.—Produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company accelerating the regenerative transition by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.https://www.soilcapital.com/—Usefull Links:EDAPRO: https://edapro.ch/en/ALTERHUS FARM: https://www.instagram.com/halterhus/Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.