In June 2025, Jacqueline attended the Soil Biology & Climate Resilience workshop organized by Up2Us Landcare & Delatite Landcare groups. This was a 2-day workshop attended by around 50 landowners plus Year 9 and 10 Ag students from Mansfield Secondary College.

 

Two experts – Phill Lee and Dr Gundi Rhoades - gave presentations on the first day of the workshop and put our local soil under the microscope to explain how to improve its biological health.

 

Phill Lee is a microscopic soil analyst and pioneering regenerative farmer from Western Australia. In 2019, he founded Regenerate Earth, an organization that provides soil-related solutions to support regenerative agriculture and forestry, with projects from Australia to India.

 

Dr Gundi Rhoades is a vet with a practice in Inverell, NSW, and cattle breeder who has also studied soil biology and food production. In 2021, she published The Food Solution about the effect of soil health on human health. She hosts the podcast The Regenerative Vet.

 

Soil samples were provided by participants which were studied and explained on the first day. The second day of the workshop involved 4 site visits to properties around Mansfield, Piries and Merrijig. This was an extremely useful exercise and opportunity to discuss all the factors involved in poor soil biology, improving soil health and grazing and farming practices.

 

The key take-away from the workshop is that our local soil is low in Mycorrhizal fungi which is the vital ingredient for soil rich in microbes, minerals and growing potential. It has been depleted by fungicide, insecticide and herbicide use, as well as erosion and lack of green cover. By reintroducing it through the spreading of inoculated seed, and improving soil acidity using gypsum and lime, we can massively improve soil health, farming production and good grazing land. Cattle have an important role to play in the process as they help to spread the fungi over the land they graze via their digestive system.