Quorum Sense

Supporting NZ farmers and growers in the shift to biological and regenerative practices

Quorum Sense is a community of farmers, growers, researchers, coaches and others committed to the creation of thriving biological and regenerative farm systems across New Zealand.

You’ll find us in all sectors and throughout the country. Sharing our knowledge, experiences, successes and failures, and putting the fun back into farming along
the way!

“Together we’re building resilience, well-being and a positive view of the future.”

If you’d like to to support our work supporting NZ’s regenerative farmers and growers, click this link to learn how you can make a donation.

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Check out the Quorum Sense Toolbox

Toolbox of farming principles and practices

A collection of resources, decision-making tools, and ‘how-to’ information to help farmers and growers understand – and enhance – the biological and ecological processes driving farm productivity, health and resilience.

The Toolbox draws from the knowledge and experience within the Quorum Sense community, combined with established science and research.

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Use the search bar to find specific content using keywords (e.g. Slugs, Deer, Otago, Hamish Bielski…). Or click on one of the tags buttons below to view a list of related content.

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Enjoy the latest content from Quorum Sense

Shared knowledge, skills and experience

Content

Tomtit Farm - Connecting producer, consumer and nature

Waikato's Tomtit Farm is supplying nutrient-dense produce direct to the local community, and connecting them directly to the land and people that produced it.

How Dean Martin turns grazing management into soil health

Dean Martin’s adaptive grazing management is growing soil organic matter, deeper rooting plants and supporting a sheep-based system built around thriving soil.

Mangaroa Farms - Farming for good

With its emphasis on community and sustainable ecosystems, Mangaroa Farms is integrating its beef, lamb and vegetable production with both nature and consumers.

How the Rutherford's healthy soils are restoring the water cycle in Central Otago

The diverse but brittle Central Otago landscape farmed by the Rutherfords has been transformed through soil health, regenerative management and holistic decision-making.

The Bielskis journey to a high performance regenerative sheep system

The Bielski’s have tried, tested and evolved a high performance sheep grazing, cropping and pasture management system that's resilient, low input and profitable.

How Miah & Jenny Smith built a healthier, resilient and low-stress dairy system

Five years in, Miah and Jenny Smith reflect on their regenerative dairying journey and the dramatic improvements in animal health, margins and their own quality of life.

Introducing Greystone Wines and Holdaway vineyard

Two very different vineyards, one in Marlborough another in Canterbury’s Waipara hills, offer different perspectives on what it means to operate regeneratively.

Context, goals and mindset

Improving the relationship between soil and plant health is fundamental to helping cycle nutrients and increasing nutrient availability to the vines.

Diverse vineyard cover crops

In viticulture systems, cover crops can help reduce compaction, cut fertiliser use, improve water infiltration and lower pest and disease pressure.

Improving soil and vine health

Improving the relationship between soil and plant health is fundamental to helping cycle nutrients and increasing nutrient availability to the vines.

Minimising disturbance under-vine

Innovative approaches being taken to explore alternative under-vine management that helps increase soil health and support healthy vines, yield and quality.

Biological pest and disease management in vines

There are alternative ways to manage vineyard disease and insect pests that are less costly and don’t negatively impact beneficial microbial and insect life.

Holistic grazing sheep in vineyards

Improving livestock integration into cropping systems can bring a wide range of benefits and displace the need for increasingly expensive inputs.

Introducing David Birkett and Nigel Greenwood

Introducing two Canterbury arable farmers who are increasing the health, resilience and profitability of their farm systems, with a focus on building soil health.

Crop management and gross margins

Farm data comparison of the crop management inputs and associated gross margins of biological or regenerative farming systems for three common arable crops.

Residue management and cover crops

Retaining crop residues and integrating cover crops are key practices that both protect the soil surface and keep living roots in the ground year-round.

Building arable soil health

Exploring different practices for building soil health and broader ecosystem health, which underpin the success of biological and regenerative arable systems.

Managing crop pests and diseases

Exploring different practices for building soil health and broader ecosystem health, which underpin the success of biological and regenerative arable systems.

Growing healthy crops

Exploring different practices for building soil health and broader ecosystem health, which underpin the success of biological and regenerative arable systems.

Harvesting free nitrogen

Exploring different practices for building soil health and broader ecosystem health, which underpin the success of biological and regenerative arable systems.

Bale grazing – an alternative to winter crops

Bale Grazing is a wintering system where hay bales are spaced across the paddock, with stock grazing breaks of hay and pasture throughout the winter.

Bale grazing – cost comparison

Bale Grazing is a wintering system where hay bales are spaced across the paddock, with stock grazing breaks of hay and pasture throughout the winter.

Multi-species winter crops – benefiting from diversity

Bale Grazing is a wintering system where hay bales are spaced across the paddock, with stock grazing breaks of hay and pasture throughout the winter.

Comparing winter crops – costs and inputs

Comparison of kale vs multi-species winter cropping generated by Dylan Ditchfield using a mix of actual and estimated costs for the 2020/21 season.

Mark Anderson - South Otago, Ep2 bale grazing

Mark Anderson's South Otago dairy farm has adopted a bale grazing wintering system that’s shown dramatic improvements for soil health and animal welfare.

Josh Bradfield - South Otago, hill country sheep & beef

Josh Bradfield farms on the rolling hills on the north of the Clutha River, adding diversity to his pasture, decreasing inputs and reducing tillage.

Mark Anderson - South Otago, Ep1 dairy farming

South Otago dairy farmers Mark and Madeline Anderson are on a pathway to lower inputs and improved soil health using regenerative principles.

Hamish Bielski - South Otago, Ep2 grazing management

In this second episode, Hamish Bielski gives an insight to how his grazing management and recovery works and the advantages he has observed.

Hamish Bielski - South Otago, Ep1 beef and sheep farming

South Otago sheep and beef farmers Amy and Hamish Bielski have spent four years using regenerative principles, focusing on adaptive, high density grazing management.

“Video case studies, along with accompanying write-ups and data, on select New Zealand farmers and growers applying biological and regenerative practices.”

Browse all case studies

“Exploring how New Zealand farmers and growers are creating resilient, regenerative and enjoyable farming systems.”

Content

#52 - Banging on about soil health with Matthew Evans

Tasmania farmer and food fanatic Matthew Evans shares his journey from chef and food critic to farmer-to-plate restaurant-owner via the wonders of soil health.

#51 - Optimising life with Rachel and Greg Hart

Hawke's Bay beef farmers and regen legends Rachel and Greg Hart share the story of how they've transformed their farm into a haven of life.

#50 - Helping people transition in agriculture with Darren Doherty

Australian farmer and educator Darren Doherty discusses farm systems function, design and management, and the common hurdles in practice and mindset.

#49 - Shifting the global agricultural paradigm with Allen Williams

Allen Williams shares his inspiring learning journey, returning to farming after 24 years in academia and teaming up with Gabe Brown to impact millions of acres.

#48 - Beyond the basics of pasture management with Jim Elizondo

Cattleman and educator Jim Elizondo discusses his experience trialing different grazing management regimes, and how plant behaviour changes as conditions change.

#47 - Organic Kiwifruit and a "get stuck in" attitude with Levi Belcher

Kiwifruit orchard manager Levi Belcher shareds how he got started in the industry, and why he was attracted to soil health and regenerative practices.

#46 - From rural banking to organic dairy farming with Willie White

Organic dairy farmer and Quorum Sense board member Willie White shares the impact going 'organic regen' is having on farm health, resilience and bottom line.

#45 - SPECIAL EPISODE: Unintended consequences of GE and GMOs with Prof Jack Heinemann

A leading voice on GE / GMOs, Professor Jack Heinemann (University of Canterbury) talks through the issues and shares insights around proposed changes to NZ regulations.

#44 - More than meat with Carrie & Tom Andrews

Waikato beef producers Carrie and Tom Andrews are creating a farm and butchery business built on the fundamentals of transparency, connection, responsibility, quality and resilience

#43 - The future of the whenua (land) with Zeb Horrell

An in-depth and personal conversation with third generation sheep and beef farmer Zeb Horrell, who openly discusses the challenges and opportunities facing our farming communities.

#42 - How organic regen dairy farmer Charlotte and Russell Heald are living their dream life

Manawatū dairy farmers Charlotte & Russell Heald talk about how their transition to farm ownership, to regenerative then to organic has them "living their dream life".

#41 - From IT to regenerative farming with Stephen Newman

Kaukapakapa farmer Stephen Newman shares his journey in and out of dairy farming, discovering regenerative agriculture, growing kiwifruit and the power of farm discussion groups.

#40 - Blending research and farming with David Musgrave

A fascinating discussion with multi-generational farmer David Musgrave about what's shaped our pastoral farming systems and what resilience to common problems can look like.

#39 - SPECIAL EPISODE: Let's discuss wintering with Deane Parker, Duncan Humm and Jono Frew

Part of our Wintering Innovations Series, join Deane Parker, Duncan Humm and Jono Frew as they discuss their experiences with new approaches to livestock wintering.

#38 - Transforming waste into biochar with Dylan Graves

Dylan Graves discusses the powerful uses and functions of biochar, the wonders of soil and how anyone can make biochar on any scale.

#37 - Uncovering the magic of Six Inches of Soil with Claire McKenzie

This month, Jono speaks to Claire McKenzie, producer of Six Inches of Soil - a grassroots British documentary which Quorum Sense is bringing to New Zealand screens.

#36 - Windows of opportunity with Nick Tucker

From his off-grid cabin, Northland-based beef farmer and Quorum Sense Team member Nick Tucker dives deep into the opportunities of having more, with less.

#35 - What do we mean by ‘good farming’ with Peter Edwards and Daniel Eb

We talk to Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research's Peter Edwards and Open Farms founder Daniel Eb about social license and public perceptions of the ‘good farmer’.

#34 - Taking the bull by the horns with Ewan Campbell

Coromandel drystock farmer Ewan Campbell’s unorthodox approach to farming has seen him battle the system, revitalise his soils and win national food awards.

#33 - Farmers are our health system with Phyllis Tichinin

Renowned eco-nutritionist Phyllis Tichinin speaks passionately about the links and parallels between human health and the health of our food systems.

#32 - Playing the game of farming with Brad Rudd

Manager of Motatapu Station, Central Otago, Brad Rudd’s excitement for farming is expressed in trying new things, and breeding resilience into his flock of sheep.

#31 - Integrating your values into farming with Charlie Arnott

Passionate about food, farming and people, Australia's Charlie Arnott shares insights from his regenerative journey to create a more diverse, resilient and authentic farming system.

#30 - ‘Boots and all’ with Cherryle Prew

Cherryle Prew founded NZ’s only Soil Food Web lab 20 years ago. You’ll want to grab a cup of tea and a biscuit for this conversation!

#29 - Learning off each other with Peter Legg

The tables have turned for arable farmer Peter Legg, from initially learning off others’ knowledge and experience to now being someone others are learning from!

#28 - The joy in ‘giving it a crack’ with Shane Birchall and Meghan Schutt

Father and daughter duo Shane Birchall and Meghan Schutt share their learnings and experiences in transitioning to a self-sufficient, low waste dairy and beef farm operation.

#27 - The possibilities of science and farming with Sam Lang

Canterbury farmer and Quorum Sense team member Sam Lang talks about the relationship between science and farmer experience, risk, and the importance of support networks.

#26 - Transformations and expectations with Jake Herron

New farm, new home, new partner, new baby! A whole lot has transformed for Jake Herron in the last two years. A real and refreshing story.

#25 - Looking outside the square with Adam Rivett

Winner at the 2022 New Zealand Sausage Awards, Canterbury sheep and beef farmer Adam Rivett talks about getting creative with farm enterprises to suit his context.

#24 - Foundations of a resilient farming system with Hamish Bielski

South Otago sheep and beef farmer Hamish Bielski authentically talks about marriage, managing expectations, failure, continuously adapting, creating opportunities, and celebrating your wins.

#23 - Gaining confidence through knowledge with David Birkett

Award-winning biological arable farmer David Birkett shares a whole pot of gold as he explains how he built the confidence to try something new.

Check out the podcasts

“Presentations plus Q&As diving deep into the detail of how farmers and growers are applying regenerative and biological practices to their farm systems.”

Content

Diverse forage crops - ‘Catch the Rain’ webinar Jun'24

Sam Lang is joined by guest farmers Dave Mitchell and Duncan Humm share how they (and other farmers) are successfully incorporating diverse forage crops into their farm systems.

Wintering innovations journeys webinar - Pastoral webinar Jun'24

Part of our Wintering Innovations Series, three dairy farmers share their alternative wintering journeys, where they're at now and what they've learned along the way.

Diverse pastures in NZ - ‘Catch the Rain’ webinar May'24

Host Sam Lang and guest farmers Rhys Roberts (Align Farms) and Miah Smith explore techniques, successes and challenges bringing diverse pastures into NZ farming systems.

Deferred grazing in NZ - ‘Catch the Rain’ webinar Apr'24

Hear from Mark Koopmans (North Canterbury), Jono Frew (Otago) and Russell Heald (Manawatu) as they discuss the practice of deferred grazing in New Zealand.

Identifying your farm’s limiting factors - ‘Catch the Rain’ webinar Mar'24

Sam Lang (Quorum Sense, Foothills Farming) and Jules Matthews (CREATE coach, Mangaroa Farms) share a simple process for identifying the limiting factors ‘putting a drag on your system’.

Regenerative grazing management - ‘Catch the Rain’ webinar Mar'24

Hear from Mark Koopmans (North Canterbury), Rachel Short,(Taranaki) and Ross Johnson (Wairarapa) as they discuss regenerative grazing systems, techniques and farmer-led research.

Monitoring farm health with Soil Mentor - ‘Catch the Rain’ webinar Nov'23

Watch this webinar recording to learn from Soil Mentor's Abbey Rose how their app makes monitoring soil health on your farm easy and informative.

QS Regen Forum kickstarter - Webinar May'23

A tour of the Quorum Sense Regen Forum! You can see what's on offer, how it works, and get some tips and tricks for getting the most out of using it!

Livestock collar technology in NZ farming systems #1 - Pastoral webinar Apr'23

Hawke's Bay's Michael Reilly and Taranaki's Rachel Short share their experiences with livestock collar technology. What role can it play in NZ farming systems? What are the opportunities and concerns?

A microbiologist’s perspective with Andy Neal - Webinar Mar'23

Andy’s research demonstrates complex interactions between physical soil structure and microbiome metabolism with significant implications for nutrient-use efficiency in soils.

‘City to Farm’ compost project rolling out through Kaipara Regen Ag group - Webinar Dec'22

Stephan Newman, and Phil & Jenny Grainger from the Kaipara Regen Ag group are involved with the City to Farm composting project lead by Betsy Kettle.

Navigating the maze of regenerative grazing - Grazing Webinar Nov'22

South Otago's Pete Blair and Hawke's Bay's Michael Reilly compare experiences navigating the multi-faceted maze of regenerative grazing techniques in very different contexts.

A biological approach to growing healthy crops - Arable Webinar Aug’22

UK biological farmer Tim Parton shares his approach to arable crop production and how he’s come to work with nature, not against.

Adaptive grazing management - building resilience into NZ grazing systems

In this Quorum Sense webinar we will be focusing on grazing management and planning in a New Zealand landscape.

Regenerative crop production - Arable Webinar Apr '22

Following up our ‘Regenerative arable transitions’ case study, we deep-dive into regenerative arable production systems with David Birkett and the UK’s Clive Bailye.

Benefits, selection and planting - Trees in Agriculture Webinar Mar '22

In this second agroforestry webinar, Dr Colin Meurk joins us to discuss the benefits trees bring to agriculture, and how to select and plant for maximum impact.

Imagining the Possibilities - Trees in Agriculture Webinar Feb '22

First in a series of webinars on integrating trees into NZ farm systems, Hawke’s Bay farmer Greg Hart joins land manager and educator Darren J. Doherty.

Winter Grazing Innovations - Pastoral Webinar Dec '21

This April 2021 webinar features four farmers panelist: Mark Anderson (Dairy), Rachel and Kenneth Short (Dairy)and Dean Martin (sheep and beef).

Managing winter feed and nutrition - Pastoral Webinar Apr '21

This April 2021 webinar features four farmers panelist: Mark Anderson (Dairy), Rachel and Kenneth Short (Dairy)and Dean Martin (sheep and beef).

Pastoral Webinar Feb '21

This February 2021 webinar features four farmers: Jules Matthew (Sheep & Beef), Hamish Bielski (Sheep & Beef), Miah Smith (Dairy) and Mark Anderson (Dairy).

SPICE Composting & 'Changing our concept of waste' - Webinar with Gerry Gillespie

Gerry Gillespie talks us through how he came to develop the SPICE method, provides practical tips on the composting process and how to apply the end product.

Regenerating the Diversity of Life in Soils - Webinar with Dr David Johnson

Dr Johnson gives us an overview of his research as well as practical tips for producing and applying high quality compost for commercial farm systems.

Roger Small & Mike Porter - 2019/20 Post-Harvest Debrief

In this fourth session of the 2020 Post-Harvest Debrief, we are joined by mixed arable farmers Mike Porter and Roger Small to discuss successes and learnings from this season.

Managing Slugs - 2019/20 Post-Harvest Debrief

A discussion following a conversation about slug control, featuring Abie Horrock from FAR and Simon Osborne who has been managing slugs in his no-till system for decades.

Angela Clifford - Opportunities for 'regenerative' in the future NZ Food System

Angela Clifford from Eat New Zealand & The Food Farm shares her insights as both a small scale grower & marketer, and high level advocate in the NZ food system.

David Birkett - 2019/20 Post-Harvest Debrief #2

Hamish Bielski talks about his experience and advice for managing stocking rates, grazing densities, pasture growth and recovery periods post-drought.

Hamish Bielski - Post drought grazing management - April 2020

Hamish Bielski talks about his experience and advice for managing stocking rates, grazing densities, pasture growth and recovery periods post-drought.

Nigel Greenwood - 2019/20 Post-Harvest Debrief #1

In this first session of the inaugural post-Harvest Debrief, Quorum Sense Chairman Nigel Greenwood shares what he's learnt from the trials he's run over the last three years.

View all webinar replays

“Videos of events from across New Zealand that Quorum Sense has organised, supported or collaborated with others to run.”

Content

Make more money farming by regenerating an unlimited grassland, with Siobhan Griffin

Regenerative farmer and grazing coach Siobhan Griffin talks about increasing soil organic matter, growing more grass, reducing costs and improving milk and cheese quality.