Rere Ki Uta, Rere Ki Tai

29/09/2026

Farm Spotlight | Maa-Vic Farm
Meet Miru Young, a second-generation farmer at Maa-Vic Farm, an 80-hectare family trust dairy operation in Pukehina, milking 220 cows.

Working alongside his family, Miru is focused on building a more holistic and resilient farming system that works with the natural landscape.

Maa-Vic operates a lower-input system, with a large portion of the farm already transitioned into diverse pastures. Miru has a strong interest in biological farming and soil health, with a willingness to keep learning, testing new approaches and sharing knowledge with others.

The farm’s journey is continuing, with riparian planting and wetland restoration underway and a longer-term vision for strengthening both farm performance and environmental outcomes.
For Miru, being part of Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project is also about connection, learning from others and using shared knowledge to help guide what comes next.

We’re proud to have Miru and Maa-Vic Farm as part of the project and to follow their journey as it continues.

24/09/2026

Sharing Rere across the Tasman
Clare and Tāne have recently been in Tasmania, sharing perspectives from Aotearoa and the journey of Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project with our brothers and sisters across the Tasman.
As part of the Marine Bioproducts Cooperative Research Centre’s Marine Bioconnect 2026, they joined a panel exploring First Nations perspectives and bringing together two worlds of knowledge in marine bioproducts.

It was a valuable opportunity to share some of the thinking, learnings and experiences emerging through Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project, while also listening and learning from others working with Indigenous knowledge and science.
There’s something pretty special about seeing the conversations happening here in Aotearoa being shared further afield.
Sharing knowledge, building connections and continuing to learn from one another.

22/09/2026

Team Spotlight | Regan McCorquindale

Meet Regan, Founder and Consultant at RECO and one of the people bringing valuable expertise to Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project.

Raised on a family dairy farm in the Korakonui District, Regan has built his career around supporting New Zealand farmers to develop resilient, profitable farming businesses.

With a Bachelor of AgriCommerce, experience in pasture management and farm advisory services, and a strong understanding of the realities farmers face, Regan brings an important financial and farm systems perspective to the project.

Through Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project, Regan helps connect what’s happening on farm with the numbers behind it, supporting farmers to understand their financial performance, make informed decisions and build greater resilience into their businesses.

We’re lucky to have Regan and his expertise as part of the team.

17/09/2026

Mātauranga, connection to place and looking to the future

For Te Rangikaheke Kiripatea, Project Manager for Kai Rotorua, mātauranga is an important part of understanding the land and how we care for it.

It’s about drawing on knowledge, experience and connection to place, recognising what has come before us and using those learnings to help guide the decisions we make today.

Through Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project, we’re bringing together farmer experience, science and mātauranga to explore farming systems that are resilient, connected to the whenua and equipped for the future.

Hear from Te Rangikaheke as he shares his perspective on mātauranga and why this knowledge continues to matter.

15/09/2026

The people behind the project

Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project wouldn’t be what it is without the people who show up, share their knowledge, ask questions and are willing to try something different.

To our farmers who open their farms, share their experiences and learnings, and put new ideas into practice. To our project team, researchers, partners and everyone working behind the scenes to keep the mahi moving forward, thank you.
It’s your time, knowledge, experience and willingness to be part of the journey that makes this project possible.

There is a lot of mahi happening across the project, but at the heart of it are the people.
You are the reason we get to be here, doing this mahi. ❤️
Ngā mihi nui to everyone who continues to be part of the Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project journey.

10/09/2026

BUILDING RESILIENCE FROM THE GROUND UP | PART 3
Could healthier farming systems help people reconnect with farming?
Nick has seen farmers become excited about their land again as they observe what’s happening in their soil, pasture and animals.
And that connection can extend beyond the farm gate.
As Nick puts it, health starts in the soil and builds from there. Soil influences plants, plants nourish animals and ultimately farmers are producing the food that nourishes people.
By creating farming systems that are resilient environmentally, financially and socially, there is also an opportunity to inspire younger generations to reconnect with the land and see an exciting future in farming.
Healthy soil. Healthy animals. Healthy food. Healthy people.
That’s the bigger picture.

09/09/2026

BUILDING RESILIENCE FROM THE GROUND UP | PART 2

What can a longer pasture recovery period do for your farm?
In Part 2, Nick Collins talks about deferred grazing, a practical pasture management tool that allows plants more time to recover, reseed and strengthen their root systems.

By extending the rest period, deferred grazing can help:
• Keep soil covered
• Support deeper, stronger root systems
• Improve pasture density
• Allow plants to naturally reseed
• Carry feed forward into summer
• Support soil and plant health

Nick also explains how adding diversity to these paddocks can provide further benefits, with diverse species able to drop seed and contribute to the pasture over time.

03/09/2026

BUILDING RESILIENCE FROM THE GROUND UP | PART 1

For Nick Collins, Farm Engagement Lead for Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project, it all starts with soil health.

But soil doesn’t sit in isolation.

We’re looking at the farm as an interconnected system, bringing together soil management, pasture, animal health, farmer wellbeing and environmental health.

When these areas work together, the benefits can compound across the whole farm system, helping build greater resilience, efficiency and, ultimately, profitability.

Healthy soil is the foundation. What we build from there is where it gets exciting.
Follow along for Part 2 as Nick talks about what this whole farm approach can mean for the future of farming.

01/09/2026

Some things are hard to put into words, but easy to see.
Anyone who has spent time with Jenny Smith at Wilith Farm knows she shares a special bond with her cows. There's a real sense of trust and calm between them, and it's something that's always a pleasure to witness.

At the Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project, we're fortunate to work alongside farmers like Jenny, whose care for their animals is reflected in the way they farm every day.

It's moments like these that remind us farming is about more than producing food. It's about the relationships we build with the land, the animals and the people around us. 💚

27/08/2026

Partner Spotlight | Quorum Sense

At the Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project, we know that building resilient farming systems starts with understanding how the whole system works together. That's why we're proud to highlight organisations like Quorum Sense, who are helping farmers think differently about the future of farming.

Quorum Sense brings together science, practical farming experience and systems thinking to help farmers make informed decisions that improve resilience, profitability and environmental outcomes. Their work encourages farmers to look beyond individual practices and consider how soil, plants, animals, people and the wider landscape all interact.

This whole-farm approach closely aligns with the values of the Rere ki uta rere ki tai - Living Soil Project and the work we're doing alongside our project farmers.
Learn more about Quorum Sense and their work:

Supporting NZ farmers and growers in the shift to biological and regenerative practices Quorum Sense is a community of farmers, growers, researchers, coaches and others committed to the creation of thriving biological and regenerative farm systems across New Zealand. You’ll find us in all sectors ...