In this episode, we sit down with Jen Hunter and Andy Wear of Fernhill Farm and Fernhill Fiber, recognized as the 2022 Sheep Farmers of the Year by Farmers Weekly. With decades of shepherding under their belts, they share insights on how they've transformed their hilltop farm into a thriving cultural and ecological hub, cross-breeding 6 types of sheep to produce premium wool, on-farm events with 20,000 attendees, how EOV data informs their management, and more.
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00:00 Intro
01:25 Fernhill’s Fiber Experience event
07:19 Setting the stage
11:10 Jen’s background
15:57 The history of Fernhill
22:38 From shepherding to Holistic Planned Grazing
28:24 Trading weddings for wool
37:17 Join the movement
38:18 Financial planning
47:23 Field observations
56:27 Balancing ecological & nutritional needs
01:00:38 Ecological monitoring
01:09:16 Partnering with HD Wool
01:11:17 Cross-breeding 6 types of sheep
01:21:47 Future aspirations
01:28:27 Final Thoughts
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MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
– https://www.fernhill-farm.co.uk/
– https://fernhillfibre.co.uk/
– https://fernhillfibre.co.uk/events/fernhill-fibre-experience-21st-march-2026
– https://www.fieldmargin.com/
– https://www.3lm.network/
– https://fernhillfibre.co.uk/eov-regenerative-verification
– https://www.hdwool.com/
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This episode is brought to you by Savory’s Regenerating Members, a global community restoring over 100 million acres through Holistic Management. For less than $1 per day, you can help regenerate 400+ acres every year:
👉 https://savory.global/member
Want to sponsor an episode? 👉 https://savory.global/podcast
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FIND US ON SOCIAL:
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/savory-institute/
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Music written & performed by https://www.youtube.com/@travismcnamara9313
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1:33:41
Ecological Monitoring & Nomadic Living Across Europe
In this episode of Ruminations, we explore what it means to be in relationship with place—even while living a nomadic lifestyle. Our guest is Leon Bucher: Holistic Management educator, EOV Verifier, and one of five members of Savory’s Global Quality Assurance team for Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV).
Together, we unpack how EOV works—not just the mechanics, but the deeper meaning. Leon shares insights from years of walking land with producers across Europe, explaining how ecological indicators serve as feedback loops for better management. From baseline monitoring to five-year trend analysis, we look at what getting EOV actually involves for a farmer or rancher—and why, in Leon’s words, regeneration is ultimately about relationship.
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ALL EPISODES:
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00:00 Intro
02:13 A German nomad lands in northern Sweden
09:54 Career shifts
26:28 Learn everything or just get started?
31:31 Why do ecological monitoring?
34:01 TAKE MORE PHOTOS!
39:37 Monitoring for marketplace differentiation
41:18 Regenerating Members
45:20 What is EOV?
50:41 Calibrating data by eco-region
57:07 How indicators correlate to ecosystem processes
01:00:08 Leon’s favorite ecological indicators
01:01:34 Engaging your senses in monitoring
01:08:35 Setting up EOV on your farm or ranch
01:17:34 Trendlines & comparing to reference sites
01:20:27 Walking through an EOV report
01:23:37 Quality Assurance review
01:34:29 “Regeneration is relationships”
01:39:51 Final Thoughts
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MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
– https://landregeneration.eu/en/
– https://savory.global/increasing-caring-capacity/
– https://youtu.be/-9b6nwJayqY?si=vL2drwUvy2UKPftM
– https://www.anadolumera.com/en
– https://natcapsolutions.org/product/purchaseafinerfuture/
– https://savory.global/eov/
– http://leonbucher.com/
– https://www.instagram.com/leon_regenerative_journeys/
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This episode is brought to you by Savory’s Regenerating Members, a global community restoring over 100 million acres through Holistic Management. For less than $1 per day, you can help regenerate 400+ acres every year:
👉 https://savory.global/member
Want to sponsor an episode? 👉 https://savory.global/podcast
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FIND US ON SOCIAL:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savoryinstitute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/savory-institute/
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HAVE A GUEST SUGGESTION?
We’d love to hear your thoughts:
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Music written & performed by https://www.youtube.com/@travismcnamara9313
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1:43:13
The Dirt on Soil Health Policy & Legislation
In this episode of Ruminations, we dig into the legislative soil beneath America’s regenerative agriculture movement with Aria McLauchlan, co-founder and executive director of LandCore. Aria brings a rare insider’s view of how soil health is making its way into federal and state policy—often against the odds.
We explore how LandCore is reshaping the policy landscape by working alongside USDA, legislators, producers, and investors to mainstream soil health as a critical lever for economic resilience, food security, and climate action. You’ll hear about their groundbreaking risk modeling tools, the Soil Health Bill Tracker, and what it actually takes to get meaningful policy passed in a system designed for the status quo.
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ALL EPISODES:
👉 https://savory.global/podcast
JOIN THE COMMUNITY + GET MEMBERS-ONLY PERKS:
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00:00 Intro
03:20 Welcome Aria
04:20 Aria's Journey into Policy
09:55 Founding LandCore: Mission and Goals
12:15 Economic Incentives for Farmers
16:48 Navigating Capitol Hill: Engaging Policymakers
24:51 Risk Mitigation and Soil Health
32:31 LandCore's Risk Modeling Tool
37:55 Challenges in Modeling Grazing Practices
42:05 Practice-Based vs. Outcomes-Based Approaches
44:27 LandCore's Policy Priorities
45:56 The Farm Bill
51:28 Engaging with Legislators
59:49 Broader Implications and Agencies Involved
01:04:59 Global Perspectives
01:08:33 Economic Case for Soil Health
01:22:18 Future of Soil Health Policy
01:28:20 Final Thoughts
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MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:
– https://landcore.org/
– https://landcore.org/bill-tracker
– https://landcore.org/news-post/2024/05/02/land-core-risk-model-interactive-beta-tool
– https://landcore.org/news-post/public-comments-hhs-dietary-guidelines
– (BONUS) https://landcore.org/news-post/rooted-in-health-the-soil-and-human-health-connection
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This episode is brought to you by Savory’s Regenerating Members, a global community restoring over 100 million acres through Holistic Management. For less than $1 per day, you can help regenerate 400+ acres every year:
👉 https://savory.global/member
Want to sponsor an episode? 👉 https://savory.global/podcast
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FIND US ON SOCIAL:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savoryinstitute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/savory-institute/
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HAVE A GUEST SUGGESTION?
We’d love to hear your thoughts:
👉 https://www.tfaforms.com/5169997
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Music written & performed by Travis McNamara.
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1:32:51
Regenerating Patagonia's Grasslands
In this episode we're joined by Pablo Borelli, co-founder of Ovis 21, the Savory Hub in Argentina. With a background in agronomy and extensive experience in Holistic Management, Pablo shares insights on how Ovis 21 has impacted over 26 million hectares and trained over 5,000 people in Holistic Management over the last decade. The conversation explores Pablo’s journey, the underlying principles and key insights of Holistic Management, and the transformative effects it has had on Patagonian grasslands and livestock management. Plus, dive into case studies and real-world applications that highlight the importance of planned grazing, recovery periods, and the ecological benefits of regenerative agriculture.
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ALL EPISODES:
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JOIN THE COMMUNITY + GET MEMBERS-ONLY PERKS:
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00:00 Intro
04:35 Challenges and Innovations in Holistic Management
10:05 Early Adoption and Training in Patagonia
26:39 Holistic Management Principles and Practices
39:57 Understanding Holistic Grazing Plans
40:20 Redefining Overgrazing
43:25 The Concept of Overresting
48:08 Four Key Insights of Holistic Management
50:29 Importance of Holistic Context
58:16 Holistic Planned Grazing Explained
01:04:39 Recovery Periods in Grazing Plans
01:11:53 Advice for New Holistic Managers
01:13:09 The Future of Regenerative Grazing
01:20:22 Final Thoughts
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This episode is brought to you by Savory’s Regenerating Members, a global community restoring over 100 million acres through Holistic Management. For less than $1 per day, you can help regenerate 400+ acres every year:
👉 https://savory.global/member
Want to sponsor an episode? 👉 https://savory.global/podcast
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FIND US ON SOCIAL:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savoryinstitute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/savory-institute/
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HAVE A GUEST SUGGESTION?
We’d love to hear your thoughts:
👉 https://www.tfaforms.com/5169997
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Music written & performed by https://www.youtube.com/@travismcnamara9313
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1:23:34
The Nutritional Merits of Animal Sourced Foods
In this episode of Ruminations, we sit down with registered dietician and author Diana Rodgers to discuss her recent peer-reviewed paper on the nutritional benefits of animal-sourced foods. We delve into the challenges and biases she faced in getting her research published and break down common misconceptions about meat consumption. The conversation covers detailed nutritional information, the importance of protein, iron, zinc, B12, and the environmental and ethical aspects of meat production. Additionally, Diana shares her personal journey and announces her shift towards a new chapter in life centered around art and community.
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ALL EPISODES:
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TIME STAMPS:
00:00 Intro
05:25 Challenges in Nutrition and Dietetics
14:32 Understanding Scientific Studies
23:56 Nutritional Benefits of Red Meat
33:59 Protein Intake and Dietary Recommendations
45:10 Exploring Protein Needs for Older Adults
46:31 Challenges in Publishing Nutrition Research
48:12 Historical Roots of Anti-Meat Bias
54:30 Nutritional Benefits of Red Meat
01:04:50 Debunking Anti-Meat Arguments
01:18:23 Advice for Vegetarians and Vegans
01:23:28 Transitioning to a New Chapter
01:27:10 Final Thoughts and Resources
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This episode is brought to you by Savory Institute’s Regenerating Members, a global community committed to restoring grasslands. Learn more and join for just $15/month at 👉 https://savory.global/member
Want to sponsor an episode?
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MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
Considering the Nutritional Benefits and Health Implications of Red Meat in the Era of Meatless Initiatives – https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1525011
Sacred Cow documentary – https://youtu.be/hjyBUk6AQ1M?si=Y6ZvTnkeMcibbXmg
Sacred Cow (book) by Diana Rodgers & Robb Wolf – https://savory.global/science_library/sacred-cow-the-case-for-better-meat/
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon – https://drgabriellelyon.com
Olivia Robertson Moe – https://www.instagram.com/revolveprimalhealth/
Rachel Paul (The College Nutritionist) – https://www.drrachelpaul.com/
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Stay in Touch with Diana
sustainabledish.com
@sustainabledish
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FIND US ON SOCIAL:
YouTube: @SavoryInstitute
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savoryinstitute
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/savory-institute/
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