EcoFarm Aotearoa

Ewan Campbell with co-host Stephen Brunton
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From paddock to podcast, EcoFarm Aotearoa showcases Ewan Campbell, a respected name in NZ farming, known for turning good science into better practice. With co-host Stephen Brunton, Ewan unpacks his audiobook and the big issues: nitrate and water quality, soil biology, mineral balance, genetics, pasture growth, animal health, and profitability. Real stories, clear takeaways—ready for the ute, cowshed, or tractor. Notes & links: efa.nz

  1. 3 DAYS AGO · BONUS

    Chapter 24: A Ray of Light | An EcoFarmers Discovery Audiobook Companion Podcast

    An EcoFarmer’s Discovery Chapter 24: A Ray of Light Welcome to An EcoFarmer’s Discovery: The Companion Podcast, where every Friday we dive deep into one chapter of Ewan Campbell’s journey. In this episode, Stephen Brunton and Ewan unpack Chapter 24: A Ray of Light, reflecting on the power of observation, the intelligence of nature, and the breakthroughs that come when farmers begin to trust what they see. The conversation centres around a core idea: nature already has the answers — if we’re willing to observe, question, and step outside conventional thinking. From surprising on-farm discoveries like the role of fungi and even “magic mushrooms” in animal health, to the rapid recovery of pasture through biological processes, this episode highlights the turning point where challenges begin to reveal solutions. Ewan shares practical insights from years of trial and error, showing how once hidden residues, soil imbalances, and biological disruptions can be addressed through natural systems. As these barriers are removed, farmers begin to see rapid improvements in pasture growth, animal health, and overall farm resilience — the “ray of light” that signals real progress. The discussion also explores the mindset shift required in modern farming — moving away from reliance on external advice and toward confidence in personal observation, testing, and understanding. From field trials to farmer-led discoveries, this episode reinforces that some of the most powerful insights come directly from the land itself. We discuss:• Why nature always has the answers — and how to recognise them• Surprising biological discoveries from real on-farm trials• How fungi and natural systems help clean up residues• The importance of trusting your own observations as a farmer• Real-world examples of pasture and animal health improvements• The mindset shift from dependency to true farm independence Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan Campbell Powered by: EcoFarm Aotearoa – ⁠⁠⁠www.efa.nz ⁠⁠⁠Link to our free ebook! https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/ Listen to An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

    30 min

  2. 5 DAYS AGO

    A Farmer Flew From Wales to Visit…What He Learned Could Transform His Farm

    In this episode, Stephen and Ewan are joined by a visiting farmer from Wales, offering a rare and powerful comparison between farming systems on opposite sides of the world. What starts as a simple farm visit quickly becomes something much bigger, as shared challenges, rising costs, and declining soil health reveal just how universal the pressures on modern farming have become. Through open conversation, the episode highlights how different climates, systems, and markets still lead to many of the same problems, from weed pressure and input reliance to animal health and profitability. But it also shows something more important: the opportunity for change. As the Welsh farmer explores the EFA approach firsthand, it sparks a shift in thinking, one that could completely reshape the future of his farm. Ewan brings valuable insight from the EFA perspective, breaking down how soil biology, mineral balance, and system-wide thinking can reduce costs, improve animal performance, and rebuild resilience. From milk quality and nutrient cycling to weeds as indicators of imbalance, the discussion offers practical lessons that extend far beyond one farm, showing how these principles can be applied anywhere in the world. Along the way, the conversation challenges conventional approaches to fertiliser use, chemical inputs, and pasture management, revealing how many common farming struggles are symptoms of deeper issues in the soil. We discuss:• What happens when farmers from opposite sides of the world compare systems• Why many farming challenges are universal, regardless of location• How the EFA approach can reduce costs and improve resilience• The link between soil health, animal performance, and product quality• Why weeds can signal deeper imbalances in the soil• The hidden impact of fertilisers and chemicals on long-term farm health• How shifting mindset can completely transform a farming system Our FREE E-Book!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/ Listen To An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

    48 min

  3. 13 MAR · BONUS

    Chapter 23: Forgotten Biology | An EcoFarmers Discovery Audiobook Companion Podcast

    An EcoFarmer’s Discovery Chapter 23 Forgotten Biology Welcome to An EcoFarmer’s Discovery: The Companion Podcast, where every Friday we dive into one chapter of Ewan Campbell’s journey. In this episode, Stephen and Ewan explore Chapter 23: Forgotten Biology, focusing on the overlooked role of cyanobacteria in soil health and agricultural systems. Often misunderstood as toxic “blue-green algae,” cyanobacteria are usually associated with polluted waterways and animal poisoning events. But the discussion reveals a very different side to these ancient organisms, highlighting their powerful role in nutrient cycling, soil biology, and ecosystem regeneration. Ewan explains how certain marine-derived cyanobacteria can function within soil environments, supporting biological processes that modern agriculture has largely ignored. The conversation challenges common perceptions and explores why many soils today may not be biologically balanced enough for these organisms to thrive. By looking deeper into the relationship between ocean biology and land systems, the episode raises an important question: what critical parts of soil ecology have been forgotten along the way? We discuss:• Why cyanobacteria are often misunderstood in agriculture• The difference between toxic blooms and beneficial soil species• How ocean-based biology can function in soil systems• Why modern soils may struggle to support these organisms• The potential role of cyanobacteria in regenerative farming Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan Campbell Powered by: EcoFarm Aotearoa – www.efa.nz

    25 min

  4. 11 MAR

    Paradigm Busting: The Truth About Regenerative Farming, Part 2

    In this episode, Stephen and Ewan explore one of the most powerful forces shaping modern farming: mindset. While regenerative agriculture is often framed around practices like rotational grazing or reducing inputs, the real shift begins with something deeper, the willingness to question long-held beliefs about how farming “should” work. The conversation unpacks how healthy soils drive resilient farms, explaining why livestock, microbes, minerals, and plant diversity must function as a connected system. From nutrient cycling and parasite resistance to drought resilience and carbon storage, the episode shows how regenerative outcomes emerge when soil biology is supported rather than forced. Along the way, they challenge common assumptions about weeds, fertilisers, cropping systems, and animal health, revealing how many of agriculture’s biggest problems are actually symptoms of deeper imbalances in soil chemistry and biology. We discuss:• Why livestock are essential for nutrient cycling in regenerative systems• The role of soil biology, fungi, and microbes in building humus• How mineral balance influences plant health and parasite resistance• Why weeds can be signals of missing nutrients in the soil• The difference between organic farming and regenerative outcome Our FREE E-Book!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/Listen To An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

    1h 1m

  5. 6 MAR · BONUS

    Chapter 22: Invisible Menace | An EcoFarmers Discovery Audiobook Companion Podcast

    An EcoFarmer’s Discovery Chapter 22 Invisible Menace Welcome to An EcoFarmer’s Discovery: The Companion Podcast, where every Friday we dive deep into one chapter of Ewan Campbell’s journey. In this episode, Stephen and Ewan unpack Chapter 22: An Invisible Menace, exploring the concept of vibrational residues and the unseen energetic imprints left behind by agricultural chemicals and electrical infrastructure. The conversation moves beyond chemistry alone, examining how soils that are rich in silica may act as memory systems, storing not just chemical residues but frequency imprints from past treatments. From hormone sprays like 2,4-D and legacy products such as DDT, to modern electrical systems, smart meters, and on-farm power infrastructure, this episode questions what remains long after laboratory tests say a paddock is “clean.” Ewan shares firsthand experiences from his own farm, including unexpected tree deformities, livestock behaviour changes, and the discovery that increasing soil electrical activity amplified historical residues. What followed was a deep exploration into remediation from fungal “control alt delete” systems and mycelial networks, to paramagnetic and volcanic rocks placed on fences and earth systems to mitigate electromagnetic interference. The discussion connects soil silica, electrical current, EMF, and biological function, drawing parallels between computers, memory storage, and living systems. Concepts such as homeopathy, radionics, resonance, and even quantum mechanics are examined through a practical farming lens, not as abstract theory, but as tools Ewan has tested in the field. We discuss:• What vibrational residues are and how soils may store frequency imprints• The long-term effects of legacy chemicals like DDT and hormone sprays• Why chemical breakdown does not necessarily mean energetic breakdown• How increasing soil electrical energy can amplify hidden residues• The role of fungal species as biological reset systems Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan CampbellPowered by: EcoFarm Aotearoa – ⁠⁠⁠www.efa.nz⁠⁠⁠Link to our free ebook!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/Listen to An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

    51 min

  6. 4 MAR

    Paradigm Busting: The Truth About Regenerative Farming, Part 1

    In this episode, Stephen and Ewan move beyond “math busting” and into something even deeper: paradigm busting. What if the biggest barrier to regenerative farming isn’t nitrogen rates or phosphate targets, but the mental models farmers have inherited for generations? From no-till myths to spray-first thinking, they unpack how industry narratives shape decisions long before a paddock is ever walked. The conversation challenges assumptions around cultivation, cover crops, soil disturbance, and diversity, revealing how some widely accepted “regenerative” practices may still be missing the biological foundation entirely. At the heart of the episode is a simple but confronting truth: systems regenerate when biology regenerates. And biology doesn’t respond to labels like conventional, organic, or regenerative, it responds to mineral balance, carbon pathways, electrical charge, and living roots. We discuss: • Why regenerative farming is a system, not a label• The myth that tillage destroys soil (and what actually does)• Why spraying before cover cropping may undermine the whole goal• How soil carbon really builds (and why sugar alone isn’t enough)• The cobalt–B12 link and what a farm cat can teach us about deficiencies Our FREE E-Book!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/Listen To An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

    46 min

  7. 27 FEB · BONUS

    Chapter 21: The Dusts | An EcoFarmers Discovery Audiobook Companion Podcast

    The EcoFarm Aotearoa Podcast – Book Companion Series. In this episode, Stephen and Ewan explore the hidden role of tissue salts and electrical nutrition in soil, plant, animal, and human health. Challenging conventional ideas about how minerals actually function within biological systems. The conversation connects cellular processes, soil biology, and farm management through one central idea: true fertility is biologically created, not chemically applied. Rather than viewing nutrients as simply soluble inputs, this episode examines how minerals must be transformed through living systems to become electrically available and functional. From cyanobacteria and microbial activity to pasture growth and animal wellbeing, Stephen explains how soil biology creates the mineral “salts” that underpin resilience, productivity, and nutritional density. The discussion moves beyond fertiliser recipes to a systems-based understanding of farming, where observation, biological function, and mineral balance replace product-driven decision making. Along the way, the conversation links soil health with food quality, farm profitability, and the long-term consequences of relying on soluble inputs. We discuss:• What tissue salts are and their role in cellular and soil function• The difference between soluble nutrition and electrically available minerals• How soil biology converts raw minerals into usable forms• Why cyanobacteria and microbial systems drive farm resilience• The connection between mineral balance, animal health, and food quality• How product-focused agriculture replaced systems thinking• Why profitable farming begins with understanding biological processes Using practical farm observations and cross-disciplinary thinking, this episode reframes agriculture as a living electrical system, where healthy soils create healthier plants, animals, and ultimately people. When farmers shift from chasing inputs to supporting biological function, complexity reduces and independence increases. Hosted by: Stephen Brunton & Ewan CampbellPowered by: EcoFarm Aotearoa – ⁠⁠⁠www.efa.nz⁠⁠⁠Link to our free ebook!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/ Listen to An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

    42 min

  8. 25 FEB

    The Math Ain’t Mathing: Nitrogen, Phosphate & Farming’s Biggest Blind Spots

    In this episode, Stephen and Ewan challenge some of farming’s most accepted assumptions and ask a simple question: what if the math isn’t mathing? From nitrogen targets to phosphate “maintenance” rates, they unpack how industry norms became unquestioned truths and why many of them don’t hold up under first-principles thinking. The conversation walks through real on-farm numbers, showing how excess nitrogen creates animal stress and runoff issues, and how phosphate applications often far exceed what actually leaves the farm. Rather than blaming cows or chasing production per hectare, this episode reframes the focus toward soil function, biological processes, and one metric that truly matters: profit per hectare. We discuss:• Why 4–5.5% nitrogen in pasture may be fundamentally flawed• How excess nitrate stresses cows and drives runoff into waterways• The phosphate “maintenance” myth, and why 60kg may really be 6kg• How industry paradigms prioritise inputs over farmer profitability• Why profit per hectare, not production per hectare, is the real benchmark Using practical farm examples, the episode demonstrates how testing, measurement, and simple calculations can dismantle long-held assumptions. When farmers understand the source of nitrogen and phosphorus flows they can reduce pressure, improve resilience, and regain control from systems that profit off complexity and confusion. Listen to the full episode on SpotifyOr watch the full episode here:https://youtu.be/Qy0xz-ZVWmEOur FREE E-Book!https://www.ecofarmaotearoa.nz/download-our-ebook/Listen To An EcoFarmer’s Discovery:https://open.spotify.com/show/3wIgUUghlsKIje76E5tjBA?si=b4aa009579a34ac1⁠

    46 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

From paddock to podcast, EcoFarm Aotearoa showcases Ewan Campbell, a respected name in NZ farming, known for turning good science into better practice. With co-host Stephen Brunton, Ewan unpacks his audiobook and the big issues: nitrate and water quality, soil biology, mineral balance, genetics, pasture growth, animal health, and profitability. Real stories, clear takeaways—ready for the ute, cowshed, or tractor. Notes & links: efa.nz

Information

  • Creator
    Ewan Campbell with co-host Stephen Brunton
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Ewan Campbell with co-host Stephen Brunton
  • Show Website
    EcoFarm Aotearoa

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