SOIL: Rewilding the Underground

Freya Mulvey

Details

SOIL: Rewilding the Underground is an independent six-part documentary told by the farmers, First Nations custodians, scientists and communities who are turning dirt degraded back into living soil and safeguarding our planetary future. It is a journey into the upper layer of the Earth, the source of our food, home to the most biodiverse ecosystem on our planet, and a crucial part of the carbon cycle that regulates our climate, and the temperature of Earth’s atmosphere. If you've listened, please leave us a testimonial! Join the movement to restore & protect soils - follow us on socials @soilpodcast and learn more at thesoilpodcast.com. Our podcast artwork is by Mark Chester Harding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent Episodes

NOV 25, 2025
Part 6: Regenerative futures - rewilding the underground
Humans can’t create soils on our own, but we can create the conditions for life underground to flourish. In our final episode, we look at existing mechanisms to scale practices that support the restoration of degraded soils - like improving soil testing, research, carbon farming and natural capital frameworks. We feed chickens with kids and hear about government schemes to rewild daycares, and we speak to tech and data experts who are recording the sounds of the underground to restore soil health. Finally, we hear an important call to bring the natural world back into our songs, art and culture, to be guided by First Nations knowledge, and to connect with, restore and protect the life beneath our feet. If you’ve listened to SOIL, please share your feedback and a testimonial with us at thesoilpodcast.com to help our impact campaign. You can also find resources for hosting a community listening event here. Follow @soilpodcast on socials, and subscribe for updates, read more and support SOIL by purchasing our limited edition ‘PROTECT THE LIFE WITHIN SOILS’ merch or donating via our website: thesoilpodcast.com. Featured talent in this episode (in order of appearance): Alex Park, Founder of biofonic.earth Dr Lorraine Gordon, cattle and carbon farmer, Principle of Natural Capital at Climate Friendly Phil Mulvey, hydrogeologist, soil scientist & co-author of Groundbreaking: soil security & climate change Victor Steffensen, Founder of Firesticks Alliance and author, Fire Country, Animals on Country, The Trees Gabrielle Chan, farmer, journalist & author of Why You Should Give A F*ck About Farming The book Freya read to the kids at daycare is Worms Are Our Friends by Toni D'Alia. This episode also featured an excerpt of Victor Steffensen’s song ‘The Animals’. SOIL: Rewilding the Underground is created and hosted by Freya Mulvey (Co-author of Groundbreaking: Soil security and climate change), produced by Jess Hamilton, and mixed by Adam Connelly. Our theme song is Daisies by Cooee, a project by Kirli Saunders and Mark Chester Harding. Our podcast artwork is by Mark Chester Harding. Additional production support in this episode from Aimee Volkofsky (Bush Witch Productions). We acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional custodians of Country across this continent for their care for lands, waterways and soils for millennia and ongoing. SOIL was made possible thanks to the generous support of everyone who donated to our crowdfunding campaign, our talent who shared their voices, and the many soil organisations, individuals and friends who have helped us along the way. If you would like to support our ongoing impact campaign, please head to thesoilpodcast.com. Thank you for helping us to protect soils. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
45 MIN
NOV 18, 2025
Part 5: Food security & shifting systems
We cannot survive without the intricate network of life in soils that underlies 95% of the food humans consume. In this episode, we trace global food supply chains, visit an independent butcher and meet farmers and eaters doing things differently. We hear the challenges facing small food business and abattoirs in Australia to small-scale farmers in India, and learn of inspiring alternatives, like community supported agriculture (CSAs), holistic policy approaches, and education programs supporting the transition to nutritious and secure food systems. Please share your feedback with us here to support our impact campaign! Featured talent in this episode (in order of appearance): Gabrielle Chan, farmer, journalist & author of ‘Why You Should Give A F*ck About Farming’ Matthew Evans, farmer at Fat Pig Farm, Founder of Grounded festival, author of ‘Soil’, ‘Milk’ and others Laura Dalrymple, Co-Founder of Feather and Bone sustainable butchery Anika Molesworth, farmer, climate researcher & author of ‘Our Sunburnt Country’ Siddhesh Sakore, UN Land Hero and Founder of AGRO Rangers Sam Vincent, farmer & author of ‘My Father and Other Animals’ Eli Court, CEO of Soils for Life SOIL: Rewilding the Underground is created and hosted by Freya Mulvey (Co-author of Groundbreaking: Soil security and climate change), produced by Jess Hamilton, and mixed by Adam Connelly. Our theme song is Daisies by Cooee, a project by Kirli Saunders and Mark Chester Harding. Our podcast artwork is by Mark Chester Harding. Additional production support in this episode from Aimee Volkofsky (Bush Witch Productions). We acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional custodians of Country across this continent for their care for lands, waterways and soils for millennia and ongoing. Follow @soilpodcast, and subscribe for updates, read more and support SOIL by purchasing our limited edition ‘PROTECT THE LIFE WITHIN SOILS’ merch or donating via our website: thesoilpodcast.com. SOIL was made possible thanks to the generous support of everyone who donated to our crowdfunding campaign, our talent who shared their voices, and the many soil organisations, individuals and friends who have helped us along the way. If you would like to support our ongoing impact campaign, please head to thesoilpodcast.com. Thank you for helping us to protect soils. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
52 MIN
NOV 11, 2025
Part 4: Soil, water & climate
We’ve already started to feel the brunt of anthropogenic climate change, and our relationship with soil may be crucial to our way through. In this episode, we’ll hear how soil stores carbon and fresh water, how it’s connected to droughts, dust storms and deserts, and why a dusty or concrete landscape is hotter than one covered in trees. We unpack the science behind the small water cycle and sensible heat coming off the land. And we’ll hear stories of farmers working together to rehydrate and regenerate the land, and others banding together to change policies and systems. If you’ve listened to SOIL, please share your feedback and a testimonial with us here! Follow @soilpodcast, and subscribe for updates, read more and support SOIL by purchasing our limited edition ‘PROTECT THE LIFE WITHIN SOILS’ merch or donating via our website: thesoilpodcast.com. Featured talent in this episode (in order of appearance): Dr Anika Molesworth, farmer & author ‘Our Sunburnt Country’ Prof. Alex McBratney, Professor of soil science & Digital Agriculture, University of Sydney & AROURA think tank Phil Mulvey, hydrogeologist & soil scientist, co-author of ‘Groundbreaking: Soil security & climate change’ Eli Court, CEO of Soils for Life John Cherry, farmer & Founder of Groundswell Regenerative Agriculture Festival Sam Vincent, farmer & author of ‘My Father and Other Animals’ SOIL: Rewilding the Underground is created and hosted by Freya Mulvey (Co-author of Groundbreaking: Soil security and climate change), produced by Jess Hamilton, and mixed by Adam Connelly. Our theme song is Daisies by Cooee, a project by Kirli Saunders and Mark Chester Harding. Our podcast artwork is by Mark Chester Harding. Additional production support in this episode from Aimee Volkofsky (Bush Witch Productions). We acknowledge and pay respect to the traditional custodians of Country across this continent for their care for lands, waterways and soils for millennia and ongoing. SOIL was made possible thanks to the generous support of everyone who donated to our crowdfunding campaign, our talent who shared their voices, and the many soil organisations, individuals and friends who have helped us along the way. Thank you for helping us to protect soils. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
49 MIN