Dr. Jill Clapperton in the Field: Exploring Soil Health Across Australia
Different soils. Different climates. Different crops. Shared goals.
One of the most valuable parts of working in soil health is getting out of the lab, out from behind the desk, and into the field with farmers. That's where the real learning happens: looking at roots, examining soil, asking questions, comparing approaches, and seeing how different farming practices work under real-world conditions.
That's exactly what Dr. Jill Clapperton did during a month-long trip to Australia last year.
A soil scientist, researcher, and longtime collaborator with farmers around the world, Jill traveled from Western Australia to Queensland and South Australia, with a stop in Tasmania along the way. She visited farms, participated in workshops and field trials, and joined conversations connecting agriculture, food, and communities.
The landscapes and farming systems were remarkably varied. But across the different regions, Jill found something familiar: farmers experimenting, adapting, increasing diversity, and looking for better ways to build healthy soil and grow great food.
In the latest episode of The Jill Clapperton Podcast, Jill takes us along on that journey. Read more about the trip here, or scroll down to watch or listen to the episode.
Working With Nature in Western Australia
Jill's trip began in Western Australia's dry Wheatbelt, where she visited longtime friends Di and Ian Haggerty and their family.
The Haggertys have built diversity into their farming operation through multi-species plantings, interseeding and under-seeding, compost extracts, worm compost, sheep, and the preservation of native vegetation.
Their farm combines cropping and livestock production with an emphasis on biodiversity. Jill was particularly interested in the relationship between the farm's management practices, its native vegetation, and observations of changes in the local environment.
The Haggertys have documented changes in the climate around their farm, and Jill discusses the importance of restoring the water cycle and understanding how land management interacts with the broader environment.
She also points to the benefits of native habitat for livestock. Diverse native vegetation offers animals access to a wider range of plants, while providing habitat for wildlife. It's a reminder that biodiversity can benefit more than just the plants and animals we typically think of when we talk about conservation.
As Jill puts it, the goal is not to beat Mother Nature into submission, but to work with the diversity and resources the land offers.
Connecting Agriculture, Food, and Community
While in Western Australia, Jill also participated in conversations about how farmers, researchers, government agencies, and food businesses can work together.
At Government House, farmers and other participants discussed ways to support nutritious food production, strengthen local food systems, and recognize the ecosystem services provided by farmers. Jill emphasized the importance of having farmers drive those conversations and work alongside researchers and agencies to move practical ideas forward.
Another highlight was Nourish Perth, an event that connected urban consumers with the farms and people behind their food.
Guests experienced local meat, bread, beer, wool, and other products while hearing directly from the farmers, chefs, bakers, and producers involved. The idea was to help people taste the farm—to experience how the land, growing practices, and ingredients contribute to the food they enjoy.
Jill also participated in Grounded Festival, a gathering that brought together farmers, food producers, speakers, and the broader community through storytelling, food, music, and conversation.
These events reinforced an important part of Jill's work: soil health doesn't stop at the farm gate. The connection between healthy soil, farming, food quality, and the people who eat that food matters.
Companion Cropping in Queensland: Diversity Within the Growing Crop
From Western Australia, Jill traveled to Queensland to work with farmers and explore companion-cropping trials near Dalby.
Working with Russell Young of Young Seeds and agronomist Sarah Fea, Jill helped develop companion seed mixes planted alongside wheat. The trials included species such as phacelia, fenugreek, flax, clovers, and chickpeas.
The objective was to explore how companion crops could increase plant diversity within a growing crop while improving soil health, competing with weeds, helping suppress disease, and maintaining—or potentially increasing—yield.
One particularly interesting part of the trial was the opportunity to compare the companion-cropped strips with neighboring conventional wheat.
Jill describes seeing differences in crop disease between the trial strips and the neighboring field. She also discusses the importance of looking carefully at yield results: phacelia affected yield in the trial, while several of the other companion species performed well.
That's what makes field trials so valuable. They allow farmers and researchers to observe what is happening, examine the roots and soil, compare results, and learn which combinations may be useful under particular conditions.
Jill also explains why companion cropping can be an interesting option for farmers who have difficulty establishing cover crops after harvest. When weather, moisture, or timing makes it difficult to get another crop planted, growing companion species alongside the cash crop offers another way to introduce diversity into the field.
A Look at Australia's Diverse Agricultural Landscapes
Jill's travels also offered a look at the remarkable range of climates and agricultural systems across Australia.
Queensland's subtropical conditions and diverse crops were a sharp contrast to the dry farming regions of Western Australia. Tasmania offered a different landscape altogether: cooler, wetter, mountainous, and known for apples, potatoes, sheep, cattle, and dairy production.
After Tasmania, Jill traveled to South Australia to visit Tom and Cassie Robinson and their family.
Jill had visited the Robinson farm earlier in their soil health journey, when they were beginning to use cover crops to address challenging alkaline soils and rebuild soil health. Returning to the farm gave her an opportunity to see how the work had progressed.
She describes the striking difference between the earlier condition of the ground and what she saw during this visit. The family has also been exploring foliar feeding as part of its crop management approach.
There's much more to tell about the Robinson farm, and Jill previews a deeper conversation about their work in an upcoming episode.
Soil Health Has No Borders
Perhaps the most important takeaway from Jill's Australian journey is that farmers around the world have much in common, even when their farming systems look very different.
American farmers are already using many of the same approaches Jill encountered in Australia. But the specific crops, equipment, technologies, soils, and climate conditions can change how those practices are implemented.
A companion crop mix that works in one region may look entirely different somewhere else. Cover crops need to be selected with local growing conditions in mind. Livestock integration, plant diversity, and soil management all have to make sense within the particular farming operation.
There isn't one universal recipe for building soil health.
What Jill values most about visiting farms is the opportunity for farmers to exchange ideas without assuming that everyone needs to do things the same way. She describes these interactions as supportive and curious: farmers asking questions, examining equipment, sharing experiences, and learning from what others have tried.
Sometimes the most useful discovery is that someone is working toward the same goal using a different approach. Other times, it's an idea worth adapting and trying at home.
The common ground is clear: farmers want to improve soil health, increase diversity, and grow great food.
And that's why getting into the field, meeting farmers, and sharing what we're learning remains such an important part of Jill's work.
Watch or Listen to the Podcast
Join Dr. Jill Clapperton and co-host Sara Harper for a firsthand look at Jill's Australian travels, including the farms, field trials, people, and conversations that made the trip memorable.
Watch the podcast below or click here to listen on Spotify. You can also find us wherever you get your podcasts by searching for The Jill Clapperton Podcast.
For more conversations about soil biology, soil health, and the farmers putting these principles into practice, explore more episodes of The Jill Clapperton Podcast and visit Rhizoterra.com.
Healthy soil for a healthier world.
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