Deep Seed - Regenerative Agriculture

 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.

What if wolves were your farming allies, not your enemies? What if chickens could replace pesticides and do a better job? In this episode, we step into the world of Marco Carbonara, a regenerative farmer and ecologist who has spent the last 20 years building a thriving, self-sustaining farm ecosystem in the wild heart of central Italy.🌱 What you’ll learnWhy regenerative agriculture is more profitable and more stable over timeHow biodiversity and animals create natural pest controlWhy soil health and photosynthesis are the true engines of productivityHow to transition away from extractive farming without going brokeWhy industrial agriculture is collapsing, and what must come next🐄 About MarcoMarco and his wife left city life behind to regenerate a wild plateau in central Italy. Today, their farm thrives without pesticides or synthetic inputs, using livestock, trees, and rotational grazing to restore the land. His story is a masterclass in ecosystem restoration and sustainable farming — grounded in science and lived experience.⎯⎯⎯⎯This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health ❤️🌿🔗 Useful links: Pulicaro Farm - LinkDeep Seed - LinkSoil Capital - Link Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What role does policy play in shaping the future of farming? 🔖In this third part, we shift focus from the fields to the political arena, exploring how the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) influences farmers’ ability to transition toward regenerative agriculture.Drawing on her background in agricultural policy and her experience as a farmer, Ariane Lotti explains the paradox of subsidies: they can help, but they can also hinder. While the CAP was designed to support food production, it has too often pushed farmers toward dependency on machinery and industrial models, driving people off the land and making regeneration harder.Ariane reveals:Why EU subsidies can both save and sabotage farmersHow policy must change to support soil health and biodiversityWhat a fairer and more resilient food system could look likeThis episode takes us beyond the farm gate, into the structures that determine whether regenerative agriculture can truly scale.⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.Soil Capital - https://www.soilcapital.com/⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯🔗 Useful Links:Tenuta San Carlo - https://tenutasancarlo.com/enDeep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/Raphaël Esterhazy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-esterhazy/Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Can rice farming be both productive and regenerative? 🌾In this second part, we explore the rice fields of Tenuta San Carlo in Tuscany, where Ariane Lotti is experimenting with bold new practices that challenge the logic of conventional agriculture.From using ducks as natural weed control to testing no-till rice systems and innovative crop rotations, Ariane shows how regenerative farming can build living soils, increase nutrient density, and restore biodiversity. We also discuss one of the most pressing issues facing farmers today: water. How do you farm in the face of droughts and climate uncertainty?Ariane reveals:Why ducks may be the future of regenerative rice farmingHow cover crops and rotations bring resilience to soils and ecosystemsWhat droughts are teaching farmers about adaptation and water managementThis is a look at farming as an experiment in ecosystem restoration — blending tradition, creativity, and science to build resilience.⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.Soil Capital - https://www.soilcapital.com/⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯🔗 Useful Links:Tenuta San Carlo - https://tenutasancarlo.com/enDeep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/Raphaël Esterhazy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-esterhazy/Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What if conventional farming is failing us, and the solution lies hidden in the soils beneath our feet?In this first part, we dive into the personal journey behind one of Europe’s most ambitious regenerative agriculture projects. Ariane Lotti returned to her family farm in Tuscany, determined to transform more than 500 hectares of conventional farmland into a model for organic and regenerative farming. Against droughts, financial pressures, and skepticism from her peers, she bet everything on a vision of farming built on soil health, biodiversity, and resilience.👩‍🌾 Ariane reveals:What it takes to risk your family farm on regenerationThe challenges of transitioning from conventional to organic farmingWhy building farmer-to-farmer networks was essential for successThis is a story of courage, conviction, and the power of taking one step at a time toward a healthier food future.⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity. https://www.soilcapital.com/⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯🔗 Useful Links:Tenuta San Carlo - https://tenutasancarlo.com/enDeep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/Raphaël Esterhazy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-esterhazy/Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Palermo’s legendary Conca d’Oro was once a lush mosaic of citrus groves, vegetables, and ingenious water systems — a living example of regenerative agriculture centuries before the term existed. Today, only fragments remain, but they still hold powerful lessons for the future of farming, biodiversity, and ecosystem restoration.In this episode, we meet Tommaso La Mantia, ecologist, farmer, and member of the Valdibella Cooperative, who has spent his life studying and caring for these unique gardens. Tommaso explains how the Conca d’Oro worked like a natural forest: layered crops, closed nutrient cycles between animals, plants, and soil, and irrigation systems so advanced that they still impress modern scientists. He also shares why sustainable farming here now faces serious threats — from climate stress and honey fungus (Armillaria) to urban sprawl and political neglect — and what it will take to revive this heritage.You’ll hear surprising insights into how soil health and nutrient density were once safeguarded through circular systems, why farmers are forced to become water engineers, and how agroecology is inspiring a new generation of young Sicilians. At the heart of the conversation is Tommaso’s deeply personal story of learning from his father in the fields and his hope that Palermo will rediscover its roots before they are lost.Follow the podcast for more stories from the Valdibella mini-series, and share this episode with a friend who cares about the future of food and farming.⎯⎯⎯⎯❤️ This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.⎯⎯⎯⎯🔗Useful links: Valdibella - https://valdibella.com/Deep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This episode will change how you think about soil forever! Microbiologist Eleonora Chiri takes us deep into the fascinating, invisible world beneath our feet - where microbes form vast underground networks, plants and fungi co-parent ecosystems, and well-managed livestock can kickstart a regenerative revolution. Whether you’re a farmer, an ecologist, a food system reformer, or just someone who cares about the planet, this episode connects the dots between soil microbiology, regenerative agriculture, agroecology, and the future of farming. It’s smart, fun, and surprisingly emotional.🎧 Hit play and discover how a teaspoon of healthy soil might just hold the answers to our biggest ecological challenges.⎯⎯⎯⎯🧬 What We Talk About:Why soil is not dirt — and why that distinction mattersThe ancient symbiosis between plants and fungiHow conventional agriculture broke the soil’s ecosystemWhat we can do to bring fungi and microbes back to lifeWhy livestock and pasture are natural allies in regenerationThe power of legume crops like honeysuckle in nitrogen fixationHow the Valle Bella Cooperative in Sicily is training the next generation of regenerative farmersWhy breaking silos between scientists and farmers is the future of agri-educationReal-world success stories from agroecological farms in transition⎯⎯⎯⎯🔍 Perfect For:Regenerative agriculture professionals & educatorsCurious farmers looking to transition away from conventional methodsSustainability consultants, soil scientists, and ecologistsFood systems innovators and agtech entrepreneursListeners passionate about healing the planet from the ground up⎯⎯⎯⎯❤️ This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.⎯⎯⎯⎯🔗 Useful links: Valdibella - https://valdibella.com/Deep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this inspiring episode of the Deep Seed Podcast, ecologist and researcher Rafael Bueno reveals why the future of farming depends on reconnecting with nature. From the deserts of Sicily to the forests of Brazil, Rafael shows how biodiversity, soil health, and trees hold the secret to building farms that are not only more resilient to climate change but also more productive and profitable. His stories from Valdibella offer proof that farmers can transform degraded land into thriving ecosystems, while producing abundant, high-quality food.Rafael challenges the biggest myths in agriculture: that trees steal land from farmers, that chemicals are necessary for productivity, and that nature and farming are destined to be in conflict. Instead, he shares powerful examples of agroforestry, food forests, and soil restoration that increase yields, store water, and protect against desertification. Along the way, we dive into the economics of farming, exploring how subsidies, policies, and payment for ecosystem services could reshape the future of food systems worldwide.If you care about the future of farming, food, and our planet, this conversation is a must-listen. It’s a deep dive into the science, practice, and hope of regenerative agriculture and why the choice we face is clear: return to the forest, or slide into desertification.⎯⎯⎯⎯👩‍🌾 About the Guest: Rafael Bueno is a Brazilian ecologist and researcher at the University of Palermo. His work focuses on the role of ecological interactions, biodiversity conservation, and agriculture. Passionate about applying science in the field, Rafael collaborates closely with farmers and cooperatives such as Valdibella in Sicily, helping to design agroecological systems that restore soil health, increase resilience to climate change, and prove that farming and nature can thrive together.⎯⎯⎯⎯❤️ This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.⎯⎯⎯⎯🔗Useful links: Valdibella - https://valdibella.com/Deep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What if transitioning to regenerative agriculture wasn’t just about changing farming techniques, but about shifting power, reclaiming autonomy, and rebuilding communities?In this inspiring and thought-provoking episode, Carlotta Ebbreo (rural sociologist at Valdibella Practical School of Agroecology) joins us from the heart of Sicily to reimagine everything we think we know about learning, farming, and social change.Carlotta takes us inside a groundbreaking project where farmers, scientists, technicians, and activists come together to build a new kind of school. One that’s horizontal, context-based, radically participatory, and deeply rooted in the land. From real-life case studies and peer-to-peer learning to fighting market dependency and reshaping the agri-food system, this is agroecology in action!Whether you’re a farmer, educator, policymaker, student, or simply someone who dreams of a healthier, fairer future -> this conversation is a must-listen!📚 We explore:How the Valdibella School of Agroecology is challenging traditional education systems through horizontal, participatory learningWhy agroecology is a political act, not just a technical oneThe urgent need to decolonize knowledge systems and empower local farmersHow practical training sessions, case studies, and cross-sector collaboration are transforming real farms across SicilyWhat it means to build a common vocabulary across disciplines—from water management to market disintermediationCarlotta shares deep insights into the intersections of farming, knowledge, and justice, offering a hopeful yet radical vision for what a truly regenerative food system could look like.⎯⎯⎯⎯👩‍🌾 About the Guest:Carlotta Ebbreo is a rural sociologist and educator based in Palermo, Sicily. She’s a core team member of the Valdibella Practical School of Agroecology, where she focuses on the social and political dimensions of agroecology, and supports the transition toward community-centered, resilient food systems.⎯⎯⎯⎯❤️ This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.⎯⎯⎯⎯🔗Useful links: Valdibella - https://valdibella.com/Deep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.