EcoFarm Aotearoa

An EcoFarmer’s Discovery Chapter 7: Going To The Source

Welcome to An EcoFarmer's Discovery: The Companion Podcast, where every Friday we dive deep into one chapter of Ewan Campbell's journey.

You're invited to read along – get the audiobook via Spotify (search An EcoFarmer's Discovery) or grab it on Kindle – and explore each chapter with us as we unpack the stories, ideas, and principles of regenerative farming. A new episode drops each Friday, covering 26 chapters across 26 weeks.

In This Episode:
In this episode of An EcoFarmer’s Discovery, Ewan and Stephen explore the pivotal moment when Ewan’s curiosity led him beyond the farm gate and straight to the world-renowned Brookside Laboratories in Ohio. Searching for real answers about soil biology and fertility, Ewan discovered a way to truly “read” the soil, unlocking a practical science that forever changed how he farmed.

Through insights from Dr. William Albrecht and his own hands-on testing, Ewan learned how every soil tells its own story and how New Zealand’s diverse volcanic landscape hides both challenges and incredible potential. Together, they unpack how science meets practicality, how “limiting factors” hold the key to productivity, and why true farming progress starts by going back to the source.

We explore:

• The journey to Brookside Labs and how it shaped EcoFarm’s testing philosophy

• The legacy of Dr. Albrecht and the science of balanced soils

• Why “if the book and nature disagree, throw away the book”

• What New Zealand’s diverse soils reveal about fertility and trace minerals

• The hidden relationship between soil health, animal health, and human health

• How practical, cold-face experience brings science to life

  
  

Full of humility, curiosity, and real-world learning, this episode shows how knowledge and observation can transform not only a farm, but the future of farming itself.

Subscribe or follow to hear more from Ewan’s 26-chapter journey into natural farming wisdom from his book An EcoFarmer’s Discovery.

Watch us on video: Episodes are also published in full on YouTube and Spotify Video.

So, grab the audiobook on Spotify or Kindle and read along with each chapter as we expand, reflect, and add context.

Useful Links & Info
• Listen / read along on Spotify (Audiobook): An EcoFarmer's Discovery: How the Soil Really Works — available here: On Spotify

• Book / Audiobook details: check out the official page at EcoFarm Aotearoa (www.efa.nz)

Weeds: What They’re Really Telling You About Your Soil

The EcoFarm Aotearoa Podcast (Ep. 7)

When weeds take over, most farmers reach for the spray. But what if every thistle, buttercup, or gorse plant is actually trying to tell you something? In this episode, Ewan Campbell and Stephen Brunton dig into the surprising truth about weeds, they’re not enemies of productivity, but messengers of the soil’s condition.

Through real on-farm stories and decades of regenerative experience, Ewan explains how weeds reveal underlying mineral imbalances, poor aeration, and biological breakdowns and how the right soil management can make them disappear without a single drop of poison. From “fixing the soil, not the weed” to using livestock as living tools for regeneration, this conversation turns conventional weed control on its head.

We discuss:

• How weeds reveal soil health, not failure
• Why chemical spraying makes soil problems worse
• The role of biology, minerals, and grazing in weed control
• Real examples of gorse and blackberry transforming into rich pasture
• How nature self-corrects when given the right conditions
• The philosophy behind constructive money vs. destructive money in farming

Full of practical wisdom, humour, and down-to-earth insight, this episode challenges the old mindset of “kill and control” — showing instead how healing the soil brings everything, even weeds, back into balance.

With humour, honesty, and decades of hands-on experience, Ewan and Stephen explore how solving facial eczema starts with healthy soils, balanced biology, and a shift in thinking.

Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan Campbell
Powered by: EcoFarm Aotearoa – www.efa.nz

Subscribe for weekly conversations exploring soil health, biology, and regenerative farming solutions that are transforming the way we farm in New Zealand.

An EcoFarmer’s Discovery Chapter 6: Where To From Here

Welcome to An EcoFarmer's Discovery: The Companion Podcast, where every Friday we dive deep into one chapter of Ewan Campbell's journey.

You're invited to read along. Get the audiobook via Spotify (search An EcoFarmer's Discovery) or grab it on Kindle and explore each chapter with us as we unpack the stories, ideas, and principles of regenerative farming. A new episode drops each Friday, covering 26 chapters across 26 weeks.

In This Episode:

Between exploding tallow drums, homemade schnapps, and explosive new ideas in soil health, Ewan recalls a chaotic yet pivotal period of his farming life. Surrounded by a tight-knit rural community, he began asking deeper questions about independence, soil fertility, livestock health, and questions that conventional wisdom couldn’t answer.

What starts as kitchen-table experiments with mineral licks and “crazy” homemade brews soon reveals powerful truths about biology, balance, and the interconnectedness of soil, plant, and animal health.

We explore:

• The hilarious and hazardous art of making homemade lick blocks (and why two of them exploded!)

• Lessons from a community where everyone farmed the same way and got the same average results

• How Peter Lester’s soil fertility insights set Ewan on a new path of discovery

• The surprising power of basic slag and the hidden role of silicon in soil fertility

• How mineralised cows doubled their market value and transformed animal health

• Why healthy soils lead to healthy animals and fewer “weeds”

• How observation, curiosity, and financial hardship forged the EcoFarm philosophy

  
  

Full of explosions, laughter, and light-bulb moments, this chapter captures the spirit of practical innovation. Where mistakes become experiments, and every setback sparks a new discovery.

Subscribe or follow to hear more from Ewan’s 26-chapter journey into natural farming wisdom from his book An EcoFarmer’s Discovery.

Watch us on video: Episodes are also published in full on YouTube and Spotify Video.

So, grab the audiobook on Spotify or Kindle and read along with each chapter as we expand, reflect, and add context.

Useful Links & Info
• Listen / read along on Spotify (Audiobook): An EcoFarmer's Discovery: How the Soil Really Works — available here: On Spotify

• Book / Audiobook details: check out the official page at EcoFarm Aotearoa (www.efa.nz)

Soil Health: The Real Cure for Facial Eczema

The EcoFarm Aotearoa Podcast (Ep. 6)

When a facial eczema outbreak tore through Ewan Campbell’s dairy herd in the late 1980s, it became a make-or-break moment on the farm. Cows were peeling, milk production was crashing, and the conventional advice—more zinc, more maize, more fungicides—wasn’t working. Then one old farmer offered the simplest, most game-changing advice of all: “Just put some lime on.”

In this episode, Ewan and Stephen unpack how a crisis in animal health revealed a deeper truth about soil. What started as a desperate search for a cure led to a breakthrough understanding: that facial eczema isn’t just a pasture disease—it’s a soil problem rooted in acidity, imbalance, and over-reliance on chemicals.

We discuss:

• The shocking reality of facial eczema outbreaks and why prevention starts underground
• How one “lime experiment” dropped spore counts from 300,000 to under 20,000 in days
• The hidden role of soil pH, nitrates, and fungal balance in livestock disease
• Why quick fixes like zinc and fungicides only mask the real issue
• The true cost of ignoring soil biology — in money, animal welfare, and mental strain
• Why farmers need to think critically, ask questions, and reclaim independence from “expert” advice

With humour, honesty, and decades of hands-on experience, Ewan and Stephen explore how solving facial eczema starts with healthy soils, balanced biology, and a shift in thinking.

Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan Campbell
Powered by: EcoFarm Aotearoa – www.efa.nz

Subscribe for weekly conversations exploring soil health, biology, and regenerative farming solutions that are transforming the way we farm in New Zealand.

An EcoFarmer’s Discovery Chapter 5: Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire

Welcome to An EcoFarmer's Discovery: The Companion Podcast, where every Friday we dive deep into one chapter of Ewan Campbell's journey.

You're invited to read along – get the audiobook via Spotify (search An EcoFarmer's Discovery) or grab it on Kindle – and explore each chapter with us as we unpack the stories, ideas, and principles of regenerative farming. A new episode drops each Friday, covering 26 chapters across 26 weeks.

In This Episode:

In this episode of “An Eco Farmer’s Discovery,” Ewan and Stephen discuss the next big leap in Ewan’s farming story, leaving the flat peatlands behind and starting over on a rugged 200-hectare hill-country block in Waihi.

Trading the dairy shed for open pastures, Ewan discovers that the challenges of new land bring valuable lessons in observation, adaptability, and soil understanding. Between runaway tractors, waterlogged paddocks, and hard-earned experiments, this chapter is about learning by doing and letting nature become the teacher.

We explore:

• The move from dairy farming to beef and the freedom it brought

• Early lessons from farming on hill country and managing rainfall

• Using livestock to control weeds and improve pasture health

• The first on-farm fertilizer trials that sparked a lifelong curiosity

• Why soil biology, not chemicals, is the key to fertility

• Understanding that profit comes from balance, not production

• How turning mistakes into experiments shaped the EcoFarm philosophy

  
  

Full of humour, humility, and hands-on wisdom, this episode marks a turning point in Ewan’s journey, where his farm became his classroom, and his curiosity became his greatest tool.

Subscribe or follow to hear more from Ewan’s 26-chapter journey into natural farming wisdom from his book An EcoFarmer’s Discovery.

Watch us on video: Episodes are also published in full on YouTube and Spotify Video.

So, grab the audiobook on Spotify or Kindle and read along with each chapter as we expand, reflect, and add context.

Useful Links & Info
• Listen / read along on Spotify (Audiobook): An EcoFarmer's Discovery: How the Soil Really Works — available here: On Spotify

• Book / Audiobook details: check out the official page at EcoFarm Aotearoa (www.efa.nz)

What Really Saved My Cows

The EcoFarm Aotearoa Podcast (Ep. 5)

When 25-year-old Ewan Campbell faced a devastating facial eczema outbreak on his dairy farm, it nearly cost him everything. Cows were dying, money was vanishing, and the standard advice wasn’t working, until one old farmer’s suggestion changed everything: “Just put some lime on.”

In this episode, Ewan and Stephen revisit the story that shaped a lifetime of discovery. What began as a crisis became a turning point, revealing how soil health, not quick fixes, holds the true key to animal wellbeing and farm success.

We discuss:
• The shocking impact of facial eczema and how it nearly broke the farm
• The moment lime proved to be the unexpected cure
• Why soil balance and complete proteins matter more than chemicals
• How high nitrates and poor soil structure fuel disease
• Why prevention, not reaction, is the real solution

With honesty, humour, and hard-earned lessons, this episode unpacks how one farmer’s challenge became a breakthrough in understanding the deep connection between soil health, livestock vitality, and farming resilience.

Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan Campbell
Powered by: EcoFarm Aotearoa – www.efa.nz

Subscribe for weekly conversations exploring soil health, biology, and regenerative farming solutions.

An EcoFarmers Discovery Chapter 4: The Land Of Milk And Honey

Welcome to An EcoFarmer's Discovery: The Companion Podcast, where every Friday we dive deep into one chapter of Ewan Campbell's journey.

You're invited to read along - get the audiobook via Spotify (search An EcoFarmer's Discovery) or grab it on Kindle - and explore each chapter with us as we unpack the stories, ideas, and principles of regenerative farming. A new episode drops each Friday, covering 26 chapters across 26 weeks.

In This Episode:

In this episode of “An Eco Farmer’s Discovery,” Ewan and Stephen revisit the turning point where Ewan’s independence and his philosophy on farming truly began.

With his brother gone south, Ewan takes full ownership of the herd and begins questioning the endless grind of conventional dairying. Through long days, hot summers, and hard lessons, he discovers that more work doesn’t always mean more success.

We explore:

• The simplicity and success of a neighbouring “model farm”

• How overwork and high inputs trap modern farmers in debt and stress

• The shocking revelations from a maize seminar that changed Ewan’s thinking

• Why healthy soil and earthworm life are worth more than any chemical input

• How questioning authority (and asking the right questions) leads to real progress

• The moment Ewan decided to break free, sell up, and start again on new ground

Full of honesty, humour, and practical insight, this episode marks the moment Ewan stopped farming by convention and started farming by observation.

Subscribe or follow to hear more from Ewan’s 26-chapter journey into natural farming wisdom from his book An EcoFarmers Discovery.

Watch us on video: episodes are also published in full on YouTube and Spotify video.

So, grab the audiobook on Spotify or Kindle and read along with each chapter and listen or watch the episode after reading the chapter as we expand, reflect, and add context.

Useful Links & Info
• Listen / read along on Spotify (Audiobook): An EcoFarmer's Discovery: How the Soil Really Works — available here: on Spotify

Book / Audiobook purchase & details: check out the official page at EcoFarm Aotearoa www.efa.nz

Minerals For The Genetic Code

The EcoFarm Aotearoa Podcast (Ep. 4)

Minerals don’t just build soil, they build life.

In this episode, we explore how the arrangement of minerals forms the foundation of DNA, shaping the health of our soil, animals, and ourselves. From Walter Russell’s revolutionary “10 Octaves” concept to the surprising harmony between elements and biology, this conversation reveals the deep connection between soil chemistry, energy, and life itself.

We discuss:

• How minerals create the structure and rhythm of DNA

• Why too much of a “good thing” can throw everything off balance

• The real link between soil minerals and human or animal health

• How understanding harmony in nature outperforms chemical “sledgehammer” fixes

• Why a healthy environment is the key to genetic strength and farm resilience

  
  

With science, storytelling, and a touch of humour, this episode uncovers the elegant design of nature’s mineral code and how farmers can work with it rather than against it.

Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan CampbellPowered by:

EcoFarm Aotearoa - www.efa.nz

Subscribe for weekly conversations that explore soil health, biology, and regenerative farming solutions.

An EcoFarmers Discovery Chapter 3: Trying Times

Welcome to An EcoFarmer's Discovery: The Companion Podcast, where every Friday we dive deep into one chapter of Ewan Campbell's journey.

You're invited to read along - get the audiobook via Spotify (search An EcoFarmer's Discovery) or grab it on Kindle - and explore each chapter with us as we unpack the stories, ideas, and principles of regenerative farming. A new episode drops each Friday, covering 26 chapters across 26 weeks.

In This Episode:

In this episode of “An Eco Farmer’s Discovery,” Ewan and Stephen unpack a turbulent chapter in Ewan’s farming journey — one marked by hard lessons, brotherly banter, and a devastating outbreak of facial eczema.

We explore:

• The two-herd solution that kept family harmony (and sanity!) intact

• How facial eczema exposed deep issues in soil management

• Why short-term “Band-Aid fixes” like fungicides fail long-term

• The crucial role of lime in healing both soil and livestock

• How one student’s science project proved what the system ignored

• Real-world proof that regenerative methods dramatically reduce nitrate runoff

  
  

Through crisis, experimentation, and classic Kiwi humour, this chapter reveals how Ewan turned frustration into innovation — showing that nature’s solutions are often simpler, cheaper, and far more effective than we’ve been told.

Subscribe or follow to hear more from Ewan’s 26-chapter journey into natural farming wisdom from his book An EcoFarmers Discovery.

Watch us on video: episodes are also published in full on YouTube and Spotify video.

So, grab the audiobook on Spotify or Kindle and read along with each chapter and listen or watch the episode after reading the chapter as we expand, reflect, and add context.

Useful Links & Info
• Listen / read along on Spotify (Audiobook): An EcoFarmer's Discovery: How the Soil Really Works — available here: on Spotify

Book / Audiobook purchase & details: check out the official page at EcoFarm Aotearoa www.efa.nz

What Is An Atom, And Why Does It Matter: The Science Beneath It All (Ep. 3)

Episode 3:

Everything from the soil underfoot to the food on your plate starts with atoms. But how do these invisible building blocks actually shape the health of our land, animals, and ourselves?

In this episode, we explore how the tiniest particles in the universe form the foundation of farming, life, and balance. From the role of subatomic energy and magnetism to the biology of soil microbes and cyanobacteria, this conversation connects the dots between physics, nature, and everyday food production.

We unpack:

• What atoms and subatomic particles really are

• How minerals in the soil create harmony or chaos in plants and animals

• Why “more” isn’t always better when it comes to fertiliser

• The surprising connection between soil biology, DNA, and farm health

• How understanding atoms can make farming simpler, more natural, and more profitable

  
  

It’s part science, part philosophy, and a reminder that every great farm and every healthy ecosystem begins with the smallest things done right.

Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan CampbellPowered by:

EcoFarm Aotearoa - www.efa.nz 

Subscribe for weekly conversations that explore soil health, biology, and regenerative farming solutions.