In this episode of Paddock, Plate & Planet, we sit down with two farmers on opposite sides of the world who share a common goal: to leave the land better than they found it.

Michael Taylor is an ultra-fine merino sheep farmer from New South Wales, Australia, and Scott Laeser is an organic vegetable farmer from Wisconsin, USA. Both farm with a regenerative mindset. But as they explain, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Every farm has its own soil, climate and history and context matters more than any textbook approach.

Together, Michael and Scott reflect on why an open mind is vital in agriculture today, and how “regenerative farming” is as much about learning and adapting as it is about techniques. They also talk about the importance of “enterprise stacking” - including renewable energy – the challenges and opportunities of running multiple business streams that sustain both the land and their families. 

This is a candid and hopeful conversation about farming in a time of climate change - and what it takes to balance risk, resilience and responsibility in order to shape a sustainable food future.

Learn more about Michael Taylor and his farm “Taylor’s Run” here: Taylors Run – Premium Superfine Merino Wool Producers

Learn more about Scott Laeser and his farm “Plowshares & Prairie” here: Meet the Farmers — Plowshares & Prairie Farm