Do you miss the sounds of quail and other birds?

Peter sits down with Roots So Deep (you can see the devil down there) fan favorite bird specialist Mike McGraw for a wide-ranging conversation about their ten-year, ten-million-dollar research project to explore the impact of regenerative grazing practices on farmland in the Southeastern United States. As an ecologist and avid birder from Philadelphia, Mike found himself bonding with farmers throughout the Southeast as their passion for birds built common ground.

Here in the US, more than half of all grassland birds have disappeared over the last 50 years, and every farmer we’ve talked to misses them. From bobwhite quail to bobolinks to meadowlarks, birds bring everyone together. Their presence, or absence, tells an important story about the overall health of any ecosystem. 

When farmers work with nature, they not only increase their profits and improve their quality of life, they build thriving habitats for native birds that everyone loves. From robust insect populations to feast on, to native grasses for nesting, diverse pastures create the conditions grassland birds need to thrive. 

We hope you enjoy this conversation about the power of grazing to restore our native bird populations, the way regenerative agriculture refills a farmer’s soil bank account, and why the science always came first while filming our four-part docuseries following maverick scientists and farmers working to improve their soils, lives, and communities!

"When you stand on healthy soil, there's a universe beneath your feet."