Hi Everyone,

Welcome to another inspiring episode of our video series.

This week, we journey to a Landcare field day in Bolivia, New South Wales, for a fascinating sit-down with Jake Smith. Jake is a passionate young cattleman managing 8,500 acres around Tenterfield, determined to break free from the conventional, industrial treadmill and embrace a highly profitable regenerative path. It is always a tremendous pleasure to witness the passion of young blood entering this space, especially when they are achieving such spectacular results.

In this episode, we explore Jake’s remarkable transition from traditional set-stocking to adaptive multi-paddock grazing. For decades, the standard practice in the New England region has allowed cattle to selectively graze their favourite grasses down to the crown, eventually exhausting the root systems and leaving behind a monoculture of woody weeds like blady grass and Giant Rat's Tail grass.

Jake shares the practical, step-by-step approach he took to change the entire energy dynamic of his pastures. By running up to 350 cows and calves in a single mob and moving them frequently, the intense animal impact naturally suppressed invasive species. We unpack how this intense trampling of organic matter directly feeds the soil food web, rapidly building humus and rebuilding the microbial bridge. When we improve this unseen world of fungi and bacteria, we deliver essential trace minerals into the pasture, creating robust, resilient cattle. Ultimately, this nutrient density translates into the food we eat, honouring the profound soil-to-soul connection.

You'll also discover:

• The magic of the mob: How running larger groups of cattle can effectively double your carrying capacity.
• The dung beetle revival: Why stepping away from harsh chemical Buffalo fly treatments allowed these ultimate biological recyclers to return in droves.
• Natural pest management: How Jake uses Diatomaceous Earth and allicin-rich garlic and sulphur licks to naturally break the fly life cycle.
• The Rockhampton Bet: A powerful story proving that intense animal impact can increase soil organic matter two-and-a-half times in just three years without synthetic fertilisers.

Perhaps you are also running cattle, or maybe you are just curious about how to start the shift toward biological agriculture. Either way, Jake’s story proves that getting started is as simple as purchasing some temporary electric fencing and watching how nature responds when we finally stop fighting her.

I hope you enjoy this session as much as I did.

Featured Solutions Mentioned in This Episode:

Diatomaceous Earth & Natural Fly Control
A fast, reliable, and chemical-free tool for managing Buffalo fly populations while protecting your vital dung beetle colonies. Jake utilises Diatomaceous Earth applied via Boss Bags, alongside a garlic and sulphur-based Boss Lick. By eliminating toxic chemicals, dung beetles can rapidly bury manure, naturally aerating the soil profile, drawing down carbon, and breaking the fly life cycle for livestock — the true spirit of Nutrition Farming®. 🌿

These can be sourced from the Kandanga Farm Store in SE QLD.

Nutri-Life BAM™

Multipurpose blend of anaerobic species for soil, compost and plant health.

This breakthrough probiotic blend contains lactic acid bacteria and purple non-sulphur bacteria, plus beneficial yeasts and microbial exudates.

Tri-Kelp™

Soluble Organic Seaweed Powder

Different kelp species have unique effects upon plant health and crop potential depending upon their nutrient & hormonal profile. Tri-Kelp™ from NTS offers a unique formulation of the three most popular growth promoting seaweed species. Laminaria, Sargassum and Ascophyllum nodosum are the three components of a new 100% soluble seaweed powder, which promises to redefine the concept of cost-effective kelp.

To order or learn more, call NTS on (07) 5472 9900 or email sales@nutri-tech.com.au.

Certificate in Nutrition Farming

Our next iconic, five-day Certificate in Nutrition Farming® course is scheduled for Monday, 23rd  - 27th March 2026.

Our last course was attended by growers and consultants from six countries. It was a wonderful learning opportunity where attendees enjoyed a wealth of education and inspiration from both our presenters and their fellow attendees. We only accept 40 bookings for these courses, so please register if you would like to attend.