1 00:00:15,725 --> 00:00:16,809 Let's do it, guys. 2 00:00:25,485 --> 00:00:26,778 Come over this way. Here. 3 00:00:29,781 --> 00:00:30,782 Ooh… 4 00:00:34,410 --> 00:00:37,371 Have you ever been… Have you ever hunted mushrooms before? 5 00:00:38,706 --> 00:00:40,124 Oh my God. 6 00:00:43,753 --> 00:00:44,837 Hey, guys… 7 00:00:52,011 --> 00:00:53,054 They're everywhere. 8 00:00:53,137 --> 00:00:56,265 They take over the brain. It is a literal zombie fungus. 9 00:01:08,236 --> 00:01:11,197 Are we really doing this again? That's not at all what happened. 10 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,033 But the truth does lie deep within the soil. 11 00:01:14,617 --> 00:01:17,203 You see, in this episode, we're gonna be down and dirty, 12 00:01:17,286 --> 00:01:19,997 because we're talking about regenerative agriculture, 13 00:01:20,081 --> 00:01:24,210 a natural approach to farming that yields more nutritious food for consumers 14 00:01:24,293 --> 00:01:29,257 and sequesters carbon into the ground for healthier soil and a better planet. 15 00:01:29,340 --> 00:01:32,718 And it really boils down to talking about one thing. Dirt. 16 00:01:32,802 --> 00:01:35,263 More specifically, it's about how to manage the land, 17 00:01:35,346 --> 00:01:40,143 whether it's how crops are planted in it, or how livestock are raised on it. 18 00:01:40,226 --> 00:01:43,271 These basic principles of regenerative agriculture, 19 00:01:43,354 --> 00:01:44,647 or "RegAg" for short, 20 00:01:44,730 --> 00:01:49,318 apply to all farming on the entire planet, and we can all do something to help. 21 00:01:51,362 --> 00:01:54,198 Our new friend Bruce Pascoe, author of Dark Emu, 22 00:01:54,282 --> 00:01:56,742 has a lot to say about the soil here in Australia. 23 00:01:56,826 --> 00:02:00,705 And how the Aboriginal people used it versus how its treated today. 24 00:02:02,832 --> 00:02:04,500 I'm looking after the soil. 25 00:02:05,042 --> 00:02:07,753 You know, what we've done to the soil in this country 26 00:02:07,837 --> 00:02:11,883 by introducing hard-hoofed animals and plowing… 27 00:02:11,966 --> 00:02:13,968 Our soils are so light in Australia. 28 00:02:14,051 --> 00:02:16,179 This is the least fertile country on Earth. 29 00:02:16,262 --> 00:02:19,807 We should never have plowed these soils. They're too light. They blow away. 30 00:02:19,891 --> 00:02:22,727 Erosion is horrific in this country. 31 00:02:22,810 --> 00:02:26,022 Is that something that's, uh, emerged postcolonialism, 32 00:02:26,105 --> 00:02:29,567 or has that always been the case? Has the soil always been this light? 33 00:02:29,650 --> 00:02:31,819 The soil has always been light. 34 00:02:31,903 --> 00:02:35,698 It was managed by Aboriginal people, and it was incredibly fertile, 35 00:02:35,781 --> 00:02:38,868 but the plants that grew in it didn't need a lot of fertility. 36 00:02:38,951 --> 00:02:40,912 The combination is unique, 37 00:02:40,995 --> 00:02:43,372 and then putting plants that need a lot of fertility, 38 00:02:43,456 --> 00:02:46,417 you have to keep adding more and more chemicals. 39 00:02:46,500 --> 00:02:49,212 And superphosphate was one of the early ones. 40 00:02:49,754 --> 00:02:52,298 It's a poison, used the wrong way. 41 00:02:52,381 --> 00:02:56,510 So that poison has been killing the soil. And now we're trying to rebuild it. 42 00:02:56,594 --> 00:03:01,682 So how could we bridge that gap, you think, 43 00:03:01,766 --> 00:03:07,355 between this "taking" mentality into more of a balance in a global way? 44 00:03:07,438 --> 00:03:10,524 Like, how can… How can that make sense moving forward? 45 00:03:10,608 --> 00:03:13,277 -Whatever we do has to be done slowly. -Yeah. 46 00:03:13,361 --> 00:03:17,323 Um, has to be considerate of existing farmers. 47 00:03:17,406 --> 00:03:19,158 We don't want to do something 48 00:03:19,242 --> 00:03:22,870 which damages the well-being of millions of people, 49 00:03:22,954 --> 00:03:24,830 'cause that's what we're arguing against. 50 00:03:25,414 --> 00:03:28,501 There are many farming techniques the Aboriginal people of Australia 51 00:03:28,584 --> 00:03:31,003 used long ago that can and should be applied 52 00:03:31,087 --> 00:03:32,505 to modern farms today. 53 00:03:34,090 --> 00:03:35,633 We're on our way to meet a local couple 54 00:03:35,716 --> 00:03:39,011 who have been doing great business by following this very advice. 55 00:03:39,095 --> 00:03:41,180 And the results are not only profitable, 56 00:03:41,264 --> 00:03:43,516 they're helping the planet at the same time. 57 00:03:44,225 --> 00:03:45,184 Triple mark. 58 00:03:47,019 --> 00:03:48,980 Tammi, I think we made it to the right spot. 59 00:03:49,063 --> 00:03:51,148 -Hey, you did! -Hey! 60 00:03:51,232 --> 00:03:53,401 Thought I'd do a little weeding while I waited. 61 00:03:53,484 --> 00:03:56,404 -I'm Zac, Tammi. Nice to meet you. -Hey. Darin. Pleasure. 62 00:03:56,487 --> 00:03:58,197 -Yeah. Welcome. -Thanks for having us. 63 00:03:58,281 --> 00:03:59,740 -What a spot. -This is Jonai. 64 00:04:01,409 --> 00:04:06,622 This is Jonai Farms, 69 acres of land dedicated to sustainable farming. 65 00:04:06,706 --> 00:04:10,835 Owned and operated by head butcher Tammi Jonas and her husband, Stuart. 66 00:04:12,962 --> 00:04:14,797 What does "Jonai" stand for? 67 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,342 Our last name is Jonas, so collectively we're known as the Jonai. 68 00:04:18,426 --> 00:04:21,470 -You wanna look around? -Like the Jonas Brothers called the Jonai. 69 00:04:21,554 --> 00:04:23,973 No, please don't call them that. It's our name. 70 00:04:24,056 --> 00:04:25,766 I like Jonai more. 71 00:04:25,850 --> 00:04:26,767 -Hey. -Hi. 72 00:04:26,851 --> 00:04:28,602 -That's Luna. -Hi, Luna. 73 00:04:28,686 --> 00:04:31,022 Hi. Look at you. Ooh, man. 74 00:04:31,105 --> 00:04:33,691 -You are happy, aren't you? -You're healthy, aren't you? 75 00:04:35,568 --> 00:04:38,029 As the Jonai say themselves in their mission statement, 76 00:04:38,112 --> 00:04:42,283 they grew tired of having to choose between saving the world and savoring it. 77 00:04:43,034 --> 00:04:45,703 And so, they figured out how to do both. 78 00:04:45,786 --> 00:04:47,705 -Wow, what a beautiful spot. 79 00:04:48,873 --> 00:04:51,375 -How long have you been here? -Almost ten years. 80 00:04:51,459 --> 00:04:54,128 When we got here, this was all sheep paddocks. 81 00:04:55,713 --> 00:04:58,758 Instead of being a big industrial farm that has one guy on a tractor 82 00:04:58,841 --> 00:05:02,303 on thousands of acres, we have four people fully employed here, 83 00:05:02,386 --> 00:05:05,431 plus we have interns come, so that more of us can observe 84 00:05:05,514 --> 00:05:08,684 and make sure that we're responding to what the ground needs. 85 00:05:08,768 --> 00:05:10,561 As Bruce Pascoe told us, 86 00:05:10,644 --> 00:05:13,272 regenerative agriculture is all about the soil. 87 00:05:13,356 --> 00:05:16,692 Minimizing any and all disturbance to the land is key, 88 00:05:16,776 --> 00:05:19,904 and that includes adding harmful chemicals, plowing, 89 00:05:19,987 --> 00:05:22,406 and having large herds of animals packing down soil 90 00:05:22,490 --> 00:05:24,742 in the same plot of land for too long. 91 00:05:26,118 --> 00:05:27,286 We move animals a lot. 92 00:05:27,370 --> 00:05:29,914 That's a really important part is movement on landscape. 93 00:05:29,997 --> 00:05:32,583 And, you know, traditional farming, 94 00:05:32,666 --> 00:05:35,169 they leave animals in the same paddocks for a really long time. 95 00:05:35,252 --> 00:05:37,338 They eat everything down. It's just awful. 96 00:05:37,421 --> 00:05:39,298 I'm sure you've seen the countryside. 97 00:05:39,382 --> 00:05:41,258 It looks clapped-out and sad. 98 00:05:41,342 --> 00:05:43,928 Another key to regenerative agriculture 99 00:05:44,011 --> 00:05:46,347 is animal integration and rotation. 100 00:05:46,430 --> 00:05:47,890 Much like crop rotation, 101 00:05:47,973 --> 00:05:51,519 switching up the livestock lets the soil rest and regenerate. 102 00:05:52,186 --> 00:05:56,273 Whether it's crops or animals, the soil gets tired of the same thing over time. 103 00:05:56,774 --> 00:06:00,319 Imagine eating the exact same thing every day for years on end. 104 00:06:00,403 --> 00:06:01,987 You'd get burned out too. 105 00:06:02,071 --> 00:06:05,741 Large industrial farming factories generally don't switch it up like this, 106 00:06:05,825 --> 00:06:08,494 and short-term profit goals don't necessarily coincide 107 00:06:08,577 --> 00:06:11,038 with the long-term benefits of animal rotation. 108 00:06:13,999 --> 00:06:16,627 Tammi praises the old solutions from the past, 109 00:06:16,710 --> 00:06:18,170 as explained by Bruce Pascoe, 110 00:06:18,254 --> 00:06:20,881 and how they've helped Jonai Farms make changes for the better. 111 00:06:20,965 --> 00:06:25,136 Bruce Pascoe's book gave us eyes for landscape that we didn't have before. 112 00:06:25,219 --> 00:06:27,471 It's about leaving a self-sustaining resource. 113 00:06:27,555 --> 00:06:29,557 So here, we know with climate change, 114 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,184 a major part of the resource we need is carbon in soils 115 00:06:32,268 --> 00:06:34,228 and organic matter in soils, 116 00:06:34,311 --> 00:06:36,814 because that's what's helping with the drawdown, right? 117 00:06:36,897 --> 00:06:39,066 Then we need to make it look more like that. 118 00:06:39,150 --> 00:06:43,446 We need to… When we walk on the grass, it needs to be a bit spongy, 119 00:06:43,529 --> 00:06:45,656 instead of hard-pack like this rock. 120 00:06:46,615 --> 00:06:49,910 Because if it's hard-pack, there's no microbial life under there. 121 00:06:50,619 --> 00:06:54,081 When we arrived, these paddocks were hard-pack, and now they're springy. 122 00:06:54,165 --> 00:06:56,709 A total change to the productivity of the paddocks. 123 00:06:58,878 --> 00:07:00,880 A paddock is just an area of land. 124 00:07:01,464 --> 00:07:05,176 By letting some sections rest and limiting the cattle's grazing time on others, 125 00:07:05,259 --> 00:07:08,512 the soil on all of the paddocks has had a chance to recover. 126 00:07:09,013 --> 00:07:12,349 This process also allows the animals to naturally maintain the land 127 00:07:12,433 --> 00:07:15,436 by grazing down the growth one section at a time. 128 00:07:15,519 --> 00:07:20,441 The bottom line is, take care of the soil, and it will take care of you. 129 00:07:20,524 --> 00:07:23,569 Hi, Clarabelle! There she is. That's my girl. 130 00:07:25,613 --> 00:07:27,573 Yeah, we milk her every morning. 131 00:07:30,159 --> 00:07:32,786 I haven't milked anything for… It's been a couple years. 132 00:07:32,870 --> 00:07:35,247 -That's right. Zac's milked some-- 133 00:07:35,331 --> 00:07:38,334 -You milk cows? -It's a long story. I milked a goat. 134 00:07:41,170 --> 00:07:44,048 Shout-out to my pal in Puerto Rico. What up, Jimbie? 135 00:07:45,674 --> 00:07:48,344 -Come over around this-- -It's how we break interns in. 136 00:07:48,427 --> 00:07:50,262 -We don't tell 'em about the wire. -Here. 137 00:07:51,388 --> 00:07:52,806 -Nice. -Good job. 138 00:07:52,890 --> 00:07:53,891 -Got it? -Thank you. 139 00:07:54,517 --> 00:07:57,311 Now we're about to meet the real star of Jonai Farms. 140 00:07:57,394 --> 00:08:01,815 May I present to you, Aphrodite! And her little piglets. 141 00:08:01,899 --> 00:08:03,943 -Hi. -Hi, Mama. 142 00:08:04,026 --> 00:08:06,737 -My goodness. -My God. They're adorable. 143 00:08:07,446 --> 00:08:08,697 Hi, Aphrodite. 144 00:08:08,781 --> 00:08:10,241 -Hi. 145 00:08:10,324 --> 00:08:12,243 Wow, look at this. It feels so… 146 00:08:12,826 --> 00:08:14,870 -Oops. 147 00:08:14,954 --> 00:08:16,247 -Hi, guys. -They're dense. 148 00:08:16,830 --> 00:08:18,541 -Hi, guys. -Hi, sweeties. 149 00:08:18,624 --> 00:08:20,626 -Hi. -Come here, littles. 150 00:08:21,126 --> 00:08:23,128 Ooh! 151 00:08:26,173 --> 00:08:29,093 -Ohh, wow, what a beautiful… -Oh my goodness. 152 00:08:29,176 --> 00:08:30,886 Look how big you are! 153 00:08:30,970 --> 00:08:33,347 -She's huge. -You are huge. 154 00:08:33,430 --> 00:08:34,682 She's a big mama. 155 00:08:40,229 --> 00:08:42,189 Every system that's been put in place, 156 00:08:42,273 --> 00:08:45,693 everything started really to flourish as a result of having the pigs, 157 00:08:45,776 --> 00:08:48,362 and the by-products of the pigs has fed the soil. 158 00:08:48,445 --> 00:08:51,782 So, have you guys grown into all kinds of different things now? 159 00:08:51,865 --> 00:08:54,910 I'm milking Clarabelle now, and we're making cheese for ourselves. 160 00:08:54,994 --> 00:08:57,329 We're now actually self-sufficient in cheese. 161 00:08:57,413 --> 00:08:59,498 We're trying to work out if we could have 162 00:08:59,582 --> 00:09:02,209 a very small micro-dairy as part of the system, 163 00:09:02,293 --> 00:09:05,087 because we feed the whey from our cheese-making to the pigs. 164 00:09:05,170 --> 00:09:07,339 And so if we can keep building in more of those, 165 00:09:07,423 --> 00:09:09,216 then we can grow slightly less pigs 166 00:09:09,883 --> 00:09:13,512 if we had two dairy cows, and we sold a little bit of cheese. 167 00:09:13,596 --> 00:09:17,391 So, the more harmony you find and highlight in the natural order of things, 168 00:09:17,474 --> 00:09:20,352 the way nature intended, the more you're really producing. 169 00:09:20,436 --> 00:09:24,481 Yeah. You just keep integrating them. It's so interesting to constantly have, 170 00:09:24,565 --> 00:09:27,192 "I think we could make some cheese now," you know? 171 00:09:27,276 --> 00:09:29,111 I grew my first crop of wheat this year. 172 00:09:29,194 --> 00:09:32,406 Wow, congratulations. This is really fascinating. It's so cool. 173 00:09:32,489 --> 00:09:33,699 It's fun. 174 00:09:33,782 --> 00:09:36,785 Yeah, it's fun to know about. It's fun to see it all working. 175 00:09:37,745 --> 00:09:40,581 Our philosophy is to use no fossil fuels unless we have to. 176 00:09:40,664 --> 00:09:44,043 We have a rule. You're not allowed to drive anywhere on the farm 177 00:09:44,126 --> 00:09:46,170 unless you have to carry heavy equipment. 178 00:09:46,253 --> 00:09:48,547 So if you're coming back to check the animals, 179 00:09:48,631 --> 00:09:50,966 you're either walking, or we've got bikes. 180 00:09:51,050 --> 00:09:53,218 Is there any system here you haven't nailed? 181 00:09:53,302 --> 00:09:55,429 It seems like everything comes full circle. 182 00:09:55,512 --> 00:09:58,140 When the solar comes in, I'll be feeling pretty good. 183 00:09:58,223 --> 00:09:59,058 Yeah, neat. 184 00:09:59,141 --> 00:10:01,018 And then when we can have electric vehicles. 185 00:10:01,810 --> 00:10:02,936 Then we'll be done. 186 00:10:03,979 --> 00:10:06,482 Aside from all of her other duties as co-owner, 187 00:10:06,565 --> 00:10:08,651 Tammi is also the head butcher. 188 00:10:10,944 --> 00:10:12,905 You didn't think these were pets, did you? 189 00:10:13,405 --> 00:10:17,451 The hardest part for me is the butchering and that side of it. 190 00:10:17,534 --> 00:10:19,912 And, I mean, the thing that I celebrate 191 00:10:19,995 --> 00:10:23,248 is the way that you're doing it in a balanced way. 192 00:10:23,332 --> 00:10:27,544 The emotions definitely change when you've been in these ecosystems longer. 193 00:10:27,628 --> 00:10:31,131 Um, you don't-- I don't stop feeling them. I still care. 194 00:10:31,215 --> 00:10:34,343 And as our Indigenous brothers and sisters here in Australia think, 195 00:10:34,426 --> 00:10:37,471 we're custodians of everything from the land to the air, 196 00:10:38,055 --> 00:10:41,558 but we're not exceptional from nature. We're still just part of it. 197 00:10:41,642 --> 00:10:45,479 I feel that it's acceptable and okay that we take them, 198 00:10:45,562 --> 00:10:47,898 that we take their lives for our lives. 199 00:10:48,399 --> 00:10:52,152 As a vegan, Darin believes that no animal or creature of any kind 200 00:10:52,236 --> 00:10:56,532 should be used for human consumption, which is why he'll sit the next part out. 201 00:10:56,615 --> 00:10:59,993 Because inside here is where Tammi butchers all of the meat. 202 00:11:01,036 --> 00:11:03,580 Welcome to my boning room. 203 00:11:03,664 --> 00:11:05,666 -What did you call it? -My boning room. 204 00:11:05,749 --> 00:11:07,376 -Your burning room? -Boning room. 205 00:11:07,459 --> 00:11:08,752 I'm gonna leave that alone. 206 00:11:08,836 --> 00:11:10,879 Americans love that. That's a ham. 207 00:11:10,963 --> 00:11:13,215 If we took this aitchbone out of here, 208 00:11:13,298 --> 00:11:15,509 then you'd have a perfect Christmas ham. 209 00:11:16,093 --> 00:11:17,177 Okay. Got it. 210 00:11:17,261 --> 00:11:20,264 -So you just pull this bone out? -Yeah. I'll show you how. 211 00:11:20,764 --> 00:11:25,352 This is the aitchbone. You've got one too. It's, um, your pelvis. 212 00:11:25,436 --> 00:11:26,270 Got it. 213 00:11:26,353 --> 00:11:28,981 Ultimately, how do you sell this? Do you have a store or… 214 00:11:29,064 --> 00:11:31,859 Well, you're standing in our tiny little farm gate shop. 215 00:11:31,942 --> 00:11:33,527 So, yes, we do have a store, 216 00:11:33,610 --> 00:11:36,822 but the predominant way we sell is through a CSA, 217 00:11:36,905 --> 00:11:38,907 Community Supported Agriculture. 218 00:11:38,991 --> 00:11:42,369 So, what that means is people sign up for a minimum of one year, 219 00:11:42,870 --> 00:11:44,955 and they get a monthly delivery from us. 220 00:11:45,038 --> 00:11:47,082 How would you get on the list for the CSA? 221 00:11:47,166 --> 00:11:49,752 Well, from Melbourne, we've got a 20-year waiting list. 222 00:11:49,835 --> 00:11:53,589 So, like… Do you have kids? -Where's she going with this? 223 00:11:53,672 --> 00:11:55,299 -Not yet. You could sign 'em up. 224 00:11:55,382 --> 00:11:57,426 Sign 'em up now. Be a 20-year wait. 225 00:11:58,552 --> 00:11:59,970 Noted. If I have kids, 226 00:12:00,053 --> 00:12:03,223 I'll sign them up on the waiting list for the Jonai Farms CSA. 227 00:12:06,185 --> 00:12:09,480 Pay attention, farms. If there is a 20-year waiting list, 228 00:12:09,563 --> 00:12:12,107 there is a high demand looking to be filled. 229 00:12:12,649 --> 00:12:13,984 And to the consumers, 230 00:12:14,067 --> 00:12:16,528 do a little research, and you might find local farms 231 00:12:16,612 --> 00:12:19,448 offering fresh produce subscriptions in your area too. 232 00:12:20,741 --> 00:12:21,992 Now, you might be thinking, 233 00:12:22,075 --> 00:12:25,537 "Why doesn't she just expand so she can meet all of that high demand?" 234 00:12:26,330 --> 00:12:28,749 Jonai Farms doesn't want to be 50 times bigger. 235 00:12:28,832 --> 00:12:31,877 Tammi would rather teach 50 new farmers how to do what she's doing 236 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:33,212 in order to meet that need. 237 00:12:35,047 --> 00:12:37,424 Because if one farm expands that big, 238 00:12:37,508 --> 00:12:40,052 it'd be defeating the entire purpose of their mission. 239 00:12:40,928 --> 00:12:44,014 And so Tammi is actively working to pass along her knowledge 240 00:12:44,097 --> 00:12:46,809 and teach others the ways of regenerative agriculture. 241 00:12:46,892 --> 00:12:48,936 How do you feel about eating animals you know? 242 00:12:49,019 --> 00:12:51,855 When people say to me, "How can you eat an animal you knew?" 243 00:12:51,939 --> 00:12:54,691 My response is always, "How can you eat one you didn't?" 244 00:12:55,859 --> 00:12:59,613 Yeah. That's… really correct, when you think about it, isn't it? 245 00:12:59,696 --> 00:13:01,490 I don't think I need to say more than that. 246 00:13:01,573 --> 00:13:03,325 Yeah. That makes total sense. 247 00:13:03,408 --> 00:13:05,285 Clearly, we know that these… 248 00:13:05,369 --> 00:13:09,832 This led a really good life, and you know where it's been, where it's come from… 249 00:13:09,915 --> 00:13:11,333 Yep. I know what it's eaten. 250 00:13:11,416 --> 00:13:14,670 -You've managed to take great care of it. -That's right. 251 00:13:14,753 --> 00:13:17,130 Are you able to use more of the animal, ultimately? 252 00:13:17,214 --> 00:13:18,507 We use everything. 253 00:13:18,590 --> 00:13:25,430 So, for example, this fat here is not very good for sausages. 254 00:13:25,514 --> 00:13:29,268 This, we call it globular fat. And it doesn't render soft. 255 00:13:29,351 --> 00:13:32,020 So that will get rendered instead for soap. 256 00:13:32,896 --> 00:13:36,650 And then any trims, so, like, off this bit of silverside, 257 00:13:36,733 --> 00:13:37,985 that'll go into sausage. 258 00:13:38,068 --> 00:13:38,944 Beautiful. 259 00:13:40,821 --> 00:13:41,697 Break time! 260 00:13:43,907 --> 00:13:46,869 There might be a long waiting list for a Jonai Farms food subscription, 261 00:13:47,578 --> 00:13:51,915 but here's a chance to try some of their freshest fare right here and now. 262 00:13:55,085 --> 00:13:56,545 Hey, look! Darin's back. 263 00:14:00,048 --> 00:14:01,258 Lunch was amazing. 264 00:14:01,341 --> 00:14:04,761 There's something delicious about eating food so close to its origin. 265 00:14:07,180 --> 00:14:08,891 And eating right here on the farm, 266 00:14:08,974 --> 00:14:12,227 that's measured in food yards rather than food miles. 267 00:14:13,645 --> 00:14:17,107 Well, this has been absolutely amazing. 268 00:14:17,190 --> 00:14:19,318 -Thanks for having us. -I'm incredibly inspired. 269 00:14:19,401 --> 00:14:22,905 And thank you so much for opening up to us and sharing all this. 270 00:14:22,988 --> 00:14:24,781 Everything you're doing is magical. 271 00:14:24,865 --> 00:14:27,534 Thanks for coming up to see it, bear witness, and share it. 272 00:14:27,618 --> 00:14:29,786 -It's been really good. -It's such a pleasure. 273 00:14:29,870 --> 00:14:31,705 -Thank you very much. -Thank you. 274 00:14:31,788 --> 00:14:33,665 -Thank you. -Darin. 275 00:14:35,500 --> 00:14:38,170 Maybe we can start a blog. The Vegan and the Butcher. 276 00:14:38,253 --> 00:14:40,797 -That's kind of cool. 277 00:14:40,881 --> 00:14:43,508 -Right? -That's kinda cool. 278 00:14:43,592 --> 00:14:46,136 Our talk with Bruce about livestock led us to Tammi, 279 00:14:46,219 --> 00:14:48,180 and how she's using animals with the soil. 280 00:14:48,263 --> 00:14:51,725 Bruce also had something to say about sustainability and plants. 281 00:14:51,808 --> 00:14:54,353 During COVID here, we weren't flying. 282 00:14:54,436 --> 00:14:59,358 So we weren't bringing in vegetables from overseas, which is a crazy thing. 283 00:14:59,441 --> 00:15:00,359 You know, like, 284 00:15:00,442 --> 00:15:03,779 "Let's get a Californian carrot and send it to Australia." 285 00:15:03,862 --> 00:15:05,739 "That's a good idea." You know? 286 00:15:05,822 --> 00:15:08,241 If we pull that carrot out of the ground 287 00:15:08,325 --> 00:15:12,371 that has been grown on a cocktail of chemicals, 288 00:15:12,454 --> 00:15:14,706 and then we spray it with preservative 289 00:15:14,790 --> 00:15:18,085 so that it will make it to Australia as a carrot, not as mush, 290 00:15:18,168 --> 00:15:22,506 then we're consuming so many chemicals in that process. 291 00:15:22,589 --> 00:15:23,632 It might be cheap, 292 00:15:23,715 --> 00:15:28,095 but how long can you do that for before the soil starts to collapse? 293 00:15:28,178 --> 00:15:33,016 And that's the point at which we have to blow the whistle and say that's… 294 00:15:33,100 --> 00:15:38,188 As humans and as a capitalist environment, we're not going to allow that, 295 00:15:38,271 --> 00:15:41,483 because we're going to disappear, and that's not good business. 296 00:15:43,235 --> 00:15:46,113 Good farming practices can make good business sense. 297 00:15:49,491 --> 00:15:52,494 We're about an hour and a half drive southwest of Melbourne, 298 00:15:52,577 --> 00:15:54,496 to visit a place called Brae. 299 00:15:54,579 --> 00:15:57,582 The name comes from the Scottish word for hillside. 300 00:15:57,666 --> 00:16:00,252 And on this hillside lies a zero net emission 301 00:16:00,335 --> 00:16:03,255 boutique bed-and-breakfast and award-winning restaurant, 302 00:16:03,338 --> 00:16:05,882 all surrounded by a 30-acre organic farm. 303 00:16:06,466 --> 00:16:09,302 And this is the owner of it all, Chef Dan Hunter. 304 00:16:09,803 --> 00:16:11,221 -Welcome. Chef, how's it going? 305 00:16:11,304 --> 00:16:13,015 -Hey. Zac. -Welcome to Brae. Hi, Zac. 306 00:16:13,098 --> 00:16:15,183 Hey, Chef. How are you? Darin. Pleasure. 307 00:16:15,267 --> 00:16:16,476 -How's things? -So good. 308 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:18,687 We're here to see how Chef Dan incorporates 309 00:16:18,770 --> 00:16:20,605 regenerative agriculture methods 310 00:16:20,689 --> 00:16:22,024 to create a world-class, 311 00:16:22,107 --> 00:16:25,652 farm-to-table dining experience at one of the best restaurants in Australia… 312 00:16:25,736 --> 00:16:26,653 This is sweet. 313 00:16:26,737 --> 00:16:29,990 …proving that "sustainable" can also be incredibly healthy, 314 00:16:30,073 --> 00:16:32,075 satisfying, and delicious. 315 00:16:32,159 --> 00:16:35,412 The kitchen is super clean, simple, and very well laid out. 316 00:16:35,495 --> 00:16:38,832 And that is a perfect representation for the menu itself. 317 00:16:39,499 --> 00:16:41,460 What makes Brae sustainable, 318 00:16:41,543 --> 00:16:44,421 and how are they following regenerative agricultural practices? 319 00:16:44,504 --> 00:16:47,215 We meet our suppliers. We go to their properties. 320 00:16:47,299 --> 00:16:50,844 We use people who are committed to regenerative agriculture. 321 00:16:50,927 --> 00:16:54,890 And even down to artisans and people we use to make dinnerware. 322 00:16:54,973 --> 00:16:58,685 In this plate, there's ash from our wood-fired oven, 323 00:16:58,769 --> 00:17:01,063 and there's clay from this dam that's out here. 324 00:17:01,146 --> 00:17:04,149 Yeah, when you eat at Brae, you eat the place. 325 00:17:04,232 --> 00:17:07,360 Everything is really just connected to this land. 326 00:17:07,444 --> 00:17:10,322 Ultimately, we hope that people taste the food and go, 327 00:17:10,405 --> 00:17:12,783 "Hang on a minute. There's a reason behind all this." 328 00:17:12,866 --> 00:17:14,117 "It makes total sense now." 329 00:17:14,201 --> 00:17:16,912 -Legit. Look at these ingredients. -I know. 330 00:17:16,995 --> 00:17:20,207 This is just a salad. We tend to just build it in a way that… 331 00:17:20,290 --> 00:17:21,374 Take it if you want. 332 00:17:22,334 --> 00:17:25,921 …is aesthetically pleasing for the guests. 333 00:17:26,004 --> 00:17:26,838 Holy . 334 00:17:27,923 --> 00:17:28,757 Oh. 335 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:29,674 Wow. 336 00:17:29,758 --> 00:17:31,676 Looks like we're taking a tomato break. 337 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:34,846 That's already the best tomato I've ever eaten in my life. 338 00:17:36,556 --> 00:17:38,058 Oh my gosh, it's so sweet. 339 00:17:38,141 --> 00:17:41,603 I think texture is one of the things you notice with organic food… 340 00:17:41,686 --> 00:17:43,396 -You can have it back. 341 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:45,524 Something you might buy from a farmers market, 342 00:17:45,607 --> 00:17:47,651 or something you might buy off a small market, 343 00:17:47,734 --> 00:17:50,946 as opposed to something that's been packaged and stored. 344 00:17:51,029 --> 00:17:53,907 -You know, strawberries… -Hope that comes out. 345 00:17:53,990 --> 00:17:57,327 -That's good. I was hoping that'd happen. -That's a sign of a good… 346 00:17:57,410 --> 00:17:58,620 Wow, that's good. 347 00:17:58,703 --> 00:18:00,705 I have strong memories of food like that… 348 00:18:00,789 --> 00:18:02,707 -Happy tomato. -…you know, all over you. 349 00:18:02,791 --> 00:18:05,210 I haven't seen two of the same thing go on there. 350 00:18:05,293 --> 00:18:08,380 -No, there's not. -Every single ingredient is different? 351 00:18:08,463 --> 00:18:10,173 -Yeah. -How many different ingredients? 352 00:18:10,257 --> 00:18:12,634 -There's about 60. -Sixty? 353 00:18:12,717 --> 00:18:15,178 Yeah. There's about 60 different plants 354 00:18:15,262 --> 00:18:19,015 growing at the moment in our garden, in this plate. 355 00:18:19,099 --> 00:18:21,768 Try to think about how many different fruits and vegetables 356 00:18:21,852 --> 00:18:23,061 you eat in just one week. 357 00:18:23,145 --> 00:18:25,856 I've never really given it much thought, but I'm almost positive 358 00:18:25,939 --> 00:18:29,151 I've never eaten 60 different ingredients on one plate before. 359 00:18:29,234 --> 00:18:30,360 So, bring it on. 360 00:18:31,236 --> 00:18:34,781 -I don't even know where to begin. -I don't know. What do you choose? 361 00:18:34,865 --> 00:18:38,160 I feel like I need tweezers. I'll just pick a flower first. 362 00:18:41,955 --> 00:18:43,081 Oh. 363 00:18:43,832 --> 00:18:44,666 Wow. 364 00:18:45,584 --> 00:18:48,253 So just a few little accompaniments as well. 365 00:18:48,837 --> 00:18:52,507 So, this is a golden zucchini and tomato tart. 366 00:18:52,591 --> 00:18:53,425 Whoa. 367 00:18:53,508 --> 00:18:57,345 And here is, uh, cucumbers pickled with Australian spices. 368 00:18:58,138 --> 00:19:01,433 This is a mushroom cream with pistachio and cocoa. 369 00:19:02,267 --> 00:19:05,437 And there's peas with raspberries in a potato skin. 370 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:07,230 Oh, everything's stunning. 371 00:19:07,314 --> 00:19:09,482 I've never had vegetables like this in my life. 372 00:19:09,983 --> 00:19:13,904 How do you not immediately want to start your own garden after having this? 373 00:19:13,987 --> 00:19:16,406 -Do you guys get hungry when we're eating? -No! Never. 374 00:19:16,489 --> 00:19:18,825 -No, not staring at… 375 00:19:18,909 --> 00:19:20,118 I know I would. 376 00:19:21,620 --> 00:19:24,873 -All I know is I'm starting a garden. -Yeah, you are. 377 00:19:24,956 --> 00:19:27,751 You can totally hear the crunches of the vegetables. 378 00:19:27,834 --> 00:19:29,628 Mitch, do you wanna taste this? 379 00:19:29,711 --> 00:19:31,338 That's a rhetorical question. 380 00:19:31,421 --> 00:19:34,382 Mitch will never turn down a food sample, ever. 381 00:19:34,466 --> 00:19:36,635 -He's obsessed. -I'm obsessed. Yeah. 382 00:19:37,344 --> 00:19:39,554 "That was good. I gotta go back to work now." 383 00:19:39,638 --> 00:19:42,474 -All right. That's all for you. -Thank you, boss. 384 00:19:43,391 --> 00:19:44,434 Oh man. 385 00:19:46,978 --> 00:19:50,273 And to think this is all grown right out there. 386 00:19:50,357 --> 00:19:51,441 What a cool place. 387 00:19:53,443 --> 00:19:54,819 The area around the restaurant 388 00:19:54,903 --> 00:19:57,656 was designed for guests to walk and explore after their meal, 389 00:19:57,739 --> 00:20:00,617 as a way to connect with the land from which their food came. 390 00:20:00,700 --> 00:20:03,286 And after dozens of courses from a tasting menu 391 00:20:03,370 --> 00:20:06,748 that lasts for hours, it's also a great way to stretch your legs. 392 00:20:06,831 --> 00:20:09,834 A farm, it's not just that flat place with no trees 393 00:20:09,918 --> 00:20:11,670 with soil getting turned over. 394 00:20:11,753 --> 00:20:14,381 A healthy farm, a healthy environment, 395 00:20:14,464 --> 00:20:19,177 has an ecosystem that helps for organic food production. 396 00:20:22,639 --> 00:20:25,100 They've planted more than 1,000 different native species 397 00:20:25,183 --> 00:20:27,018 of trees and plants on the property. 398 00:20:27,519 --> 00:20:30,230 And 90% of the plant-based food they serve in the restaurant 399 00:20:30,313 --> 00:20:31,773 is all grown here. 400 00:20:31,856 --> 00:20:35,694 Biodiversity is once again a key to regenerative agriculture. 401 00:20:35,777 --> 00:20:37,570 And this diversity of plants 402 00:20:37,654 --> 00:20:40,031 also helps encourage a nutrient-dense soil, 403 00:20:40,115 --> 00:20:43,285 which reduces the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere. 404 00:20:43,368 --> 00:20:46,705 Things that have come from this garden, they've passed through the kitchen. 405 00:20:46,788 --> 00:20:50,417 They've been prepared, so obviously there's a large percentage of waste. 406 00:20:51,001 --> 00:20:55,297 They've made their way back out here. That'll be soil that goes back in. 407 00:20:55,380 --> 00:20:59,175 Nothing goes to waste here, and that includes most of the food scraps. 408 00:20:59,259 --> 00:21:01,094 By maintaining a compost pile, 409 00:21:01,177 --> 00:21:04,973 they keep about 100 kilos of waste out of the landfill every day. 410 00:21:05,056 --> 00:21:07,434 And that compost then goes back into the soil 411 00:21:07,517 --> 00:21:09,394 to start that cycle all over again. 412 00:21:09,477 --> 00:21:12,147 This here is the salad that you ate earlier. 413 00:21:12,230 --> 00:21:13,064 Yeah, that's… 414 00:21:13,148 --> 00:21:15,525 So that right there is what you ate before. 415 00:21:15,608 --> 00:21:18,320 Look at that. Dark and black and rich that is. 416 00:21:18,403 --> 00:21:19,863 And that's the cycle. 417 00:21:19,946 --> 00:21:22,657 It's taking any plant life, and instead of throwing it away, 418 00:21:22,741 --> 00:21:25,785 turning it into a carbon-rich mulch, and putting it back onto land. 419 00:21:25,869 --> 00:21:27,245 And anyone can do it. 420 00:21:27,329 --> 00:21:31,166 You're sort of unaware of how bad the food system actually is. 421 00:21:31,791 --> 00:21:36,046 Is it really that difficult to grow this on a mass scale 422 00:21:36,129 --> 00:21:40,216 and just know that society in general has a health quality 423 00:21:40,300 --> 00:21:41,634 that's a bare minimum? 424 00:21:41,718 --> 00:21:43,386 There are things governments can do, 425 00:21:43,470 --> 00:21:45,930 like step in to help encourage smaller farming. 426 00:21:46,014 --> 00:21:48,433 But until legislative ideas are implemented, 427 00:21:48,516 --> 00:21:50,810 small farm-to-table businesses like this 428 00:21:50,894 --> 00:21:53,271 are overshadowed by mega industrial farming. 429 00:21:53,355 --> 00:21:56,399 A strawberry plant is one of the easiest things that you can grow. 430 00:21:56,483 --> 00:22:00,070 They're prolific. So one plant produces so much food. 431 00:22:00,153 --> 00:22:02,822 A strawberry in a supermarket has the texture of an apple, 432 00:22:02,906 --> 00:22:05,700 which is incorrect. It's like wood. It doesn't have any juice. 433 00:22:05,784 --> 00:22:07,702 A fresh strawberry is delicious. 434 00:22:08,203 --> 00:22:12,165 And then there's that connection of, like, "You grow food and it tastes better." 435 00:22:12,248 --> 00:22:15,794 You pretty much ate this piece of land on a plate. 436 00:22:18,963 --> 00:22:21,508 This garden's one delicious thing next to another. 437 00:22:21,591 --> 00:22:26,554 Yeah, it really is. It's a small restaurant doing small numbers, 438 00:22:26,638 --> 00:22:29,140 showing what you can do on a small acreage 439 00:22:29,224 --> 00:22:33,645 that can produce quite a lot of really diverse, quality food. 440 00:22:36,147 --> 00:22:39,192 Just like at Jonai, once again, size matters. 441 00:22:39,275 --> 00:22:42,404 Being a smaller operation is actually easier on the soil. 442 00:22:43,696 --> 00:22:47,909 And for Brae, caring for the land by using regenerative agriculture methods 443 00:22:47,992 --> 00:22:51,538 produces a quality, healthy product and a thriving business. 444 00:22:53,623 --> 00:22:56,459 We're up early and have a long drive. 445 00:22:56,543 --> 00:22:59,462 So Darin's making us breakfast… in the car. 446 00:23:00,213 --> 00:23:01,256 -Yeah! 447 00:23:04,384 --> 00:23:06,469 Dude, that is full. 448 00:23:09,806 --> 00:23:11,474 Cheers, buddy. To your health. 449 00:23:11,558 --> 00:23:14,018 -Yeah. To yours too. -You will live a hundred years. 450 00:23:14,644 --> 00:23:16,688 Is it okay if I have some? Is there any left? 451 00:23:16,771 --> 00:23:19,983 Sure, man, there's plenty. You know, Darin came up with this formula. 452 00:23:20,066 --> 00:23:23,361 What we got? Ashwagandha. We got schisandra, matcha, reishi… 453 00:23:23,445 --> 00:23:26,823 -And he's not shy to talk about it. Dude, like… 454 00:23:32,871 --> 00:23:35,832 Even if you don't ask, he'll tell you all about it. 455 00:23:37,834 --> 00:23:41,254 Our next adventure takes us about an hour north of Melbourne 456 00:23:41,337 --> 00:23:44,424 and deep within the complex ecosystem of this forest. 457 00:23:44,507 --> 00:23:48,261 So far, we've seen how both animals and plants affect the soil, 458 00:23:48,344 --> 00:23:51,764 but this last trip is about a different kingdom altogether. 459 00:23:51,848 --> 00:23:56,269 Because under the canopy of these trees lies a symbiotic relationship, 460 00:23:56,352 --> 00:23:59,022 a chemical process that not only enriches the soil, 461 00:23:59,105 --> 00:24:02,108 but also constantly helps our climate by absorbing carbon 462 00:24:02,192 --> 00:24:04,027 and locking it into the ground. 463 00:24:05,278 --> 00:24:07,989 Like a network of miniature compost piles, 464 00:24:08,072 --> 00:24:12,118 a special type of mold feeds off the decayed material of the forest, 465 00:24:12,202 --> 00:24:14,954 and in turn, provides nutrients to the soil. 466 00:24:15,705 --> 00:24:19,584 Technically, they aren't plants, and they aren't animals. 467 00:24:19,667 --> 00:24:21,211 They're a fungus, 468 00:24:21,294 --> 00:24:24,797 but we know them as their fruiting bodies, mushrooms. 469 00:24:25,924 --> 00:24:28,510 Studies have identified an entire microbiome 470 00:24:28,593 --> 00:24:31,971 living in our digestive system and playing a big part in our health. 471 00:24:32,055 --> 00:24:36,100 And there's a similar world of bacteria and fungi living in the soil. 472 00:24:36,184 --> 00:24:39,229 Excuse me, but I like to pronounce it "fun guy." 473 00:24:39,312 --> 00:24:42,106 Oh, uh, sure. Because you are… 474 00:24:42,190 --> 00:24:43,650 A microbial fungi. 475 00:24:43,733 --> 00:24:45,318 Like you said, we live in your gut, 476 00:24:45,401 --> 00:24:48,738 just like we live in the soil, and we're havin' a pretty good time. 477 00:24:48,821 --> 00:24:50,782 Oh yeah? So, what's going on in there? 478 00:24:50,865 --> 00:24:53,368 Whether it's in your digestive tract or in the ground, 479 00:24:53,451 --> 00:24:56,538 microbial fungi keep the system strong and healthy. 480 00:24:56,621 --> 00:25:00,625 Microbial fungi play an essential role in nutrient uptake, metabolism, 481 00:25:00,708 --> 00:25:02,794 growth, energy, and disease resistance. 482 00:25:02,877 --> 00:25:05,088 I know in the human gut, you take the food we eat 483 00:25:05,171 --> 00:25:08,216 and break it down into nutrients that our bodies can absorb and use. 484 00:25:08,299 --> 00:25:10,802 Yep. And in the soil, we work in a similar way, 485 00:25:10,885 --> 00:25:14,097 digesting organic material that other organisms can't break down, 486 00:25:14,180 --> 00:25:17,058 turning it into food and nutrients that plants can use, 487 00:25:17,141 --> 00:25:20,853 keeping the soil rich and healthy, which promotes robust plants and crops. 488 00:25:20,937 --> 00:25:24,190 So, how does all of this fit in with regenerative agriculture? 489 00:25:24,274 --> 00:25:27,026 RegAg methods create a healthier soil microbiome 490 00:25:27,110 --> 00:25:28,486 that yields healthier food, 491 00:25:28,570 --> 00:25:31,948 which restores your gut microbiome and makes for a healthier you. 492 00:25:32,031 --> 00:25:35,034 And even better, it reduces CO2 in the atmosphere in the process. 493 00:25:35,118 --> 00:25:37,829 All that? Wow. You know, you are a pretty fun guy. 494 00:25:37,912 --> 00:25:38,997 Yeah, well, thanks. 495 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:42,166 I always say, if you give me enough time, I'll grow on you, 496 00:25:42,250 --> 00:25:44,043 like a fungus. 497 00:25:45,169 --> 00:25:46,296 -Nice to see you. -Chris. 498 00:25:46,379 --> 00:25:47,797 -Pleasure. -Nice to meet you. 499 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:49,799 -I'm Zac. Nice to meet you. -How's it going? 500 00:25:49,882 --> 00:25:51,759 It's going great. What do you think? 501 00:25:51,843 --> 00:25:53,511 Ohh! This is unreal. 502 00:25:54,554 --> 00:25:58,349 Here to meet us in the forest are Jim and Chris of Fable Food, 503 00:25:59,642 --> 00:26:02,312 a company specializing in gourmet meat substitutes 504 00:26:02,395 --> 00:26:04,689 made primarily from mushrooms. 505 00:26:05,273 --> 00:26:08,192 This forest is flourishing with life of all kinds, 506 00:26:08,818 --> 00:26:11,696 and it's because of the rich layer of nutrient-packed soil 507 00:26:11,779 --> 00:26:14,532 caused in part by the life cycle of mushrooms. 508 00:26:14,616 --> 00:26:17,702 Usually, it's raining and misty around this time, but look at this. 509 00:26:17,785 --> 00:26:19,954 Well, that's good for fungi, right? 510 00:26:20,038 --> 00:26:23,082 -Is it "funji" or "fungi"? "Fungi." -You could say either, really. 511 00:26:23,166 --> 00:26:24,584 -Really? -You're a fun guy. 512 00:26:24,667 --> 00:26:27,754 You're a fun guy. I like that, because it's all about the fun. 513 00:26:28,796 --> 00:26:31,674 Jim, an agricultural scientist and engineer, 514 00:26:31,758 --> 00:26:35,720 and Chris, a budding entrepreneur studying regenerative farming, 515 00:26:35,803 --> 00:26:37,639 discovered they had a lot in common. 516 00:26:37,722 --> 00:26:40,600 A healthy appetite for the alchemy of mushrooms. 517 00:26:40,683 --> 00:26:44,395 Together, they've created a healthy, sustainable, and ethical way 518 00:26:44,479 --> 00:26:48,941 to turn almost any meat-based dish into a plant-based delicious marvel, 519 00:26:49,025 --> 00:26:51,152 all with the magic of mushrooms. 520 00:26:51,235 --> 00:26:54,781 And these guys really know how important shrooms are to the science of soil. 521 00:26:54,864 --> 00:26:56,366 Looking into the soil science, 522 00:26:56,449 --> 00:26:59,869 and that's how I first got into farming and regenerative ag was, 523 00:26:59,952 --> 00:27:02,121 "We're gonna run out of topsoil and go hungry." 524 00:27:02,205 --> 00:27:06,209 Like, we took that much topsoil, and in 60 years, 525 00:27:06,292 --> 00:27:09,629 once we dumping chemicals all over it, it's now like this much. 526 00:27:09,712 --> 00:27:13,424 And, you know, another 20-30 years of that, good luck. 527 00:27:13,508 --> 00:27:16,803 So it was a conscious… We need to consciously be allying 528 00:27:16,886 --> 00:27:19,347 and partnering with these species to reintroduce them 529 00:27:19,430 --> 00:27:22,016 into environments we've damaged and stripped them from. 530 00:27:22,100 --> 00:27:24,727 And we need to learn from them and figure out how to 531 00:27:24,811 --> 00:27:27,563 amplify and advocate for them and push them into environments 532 00:27:27,647 --> 00:27:30,650 where they can help us grow more food in sustainable ways. 533 00:27:30,733 --> 00:27:33,528 -So it's really all about topsoil. -Correct. 534 00:27:33,611 --> 00:27:37,115 Every single nutrient, everything we eat, comes out of that top layer. 535 00:27:37,198 --> 00:27:38,950 So if we get rid of that, then… 536 00:27:39,450 --> 00:27:42,245 -We all depend on that. -…cactus. 537 00:27:44,997 --> 00:27:47,625 Just like Bruce told us at the beginning of this adventure, 538 00:27:47,709 --> 00:27:51,087 our ability to live on the earth depends on how we treat the earth. 539 00:27:51,587 --> 00:27:53,840 I mean the actual dirt on the ground "earth," 540 00:27:53,923 --> 00:27:57,176 because it's the topsoil that gives our plants their nutrients. 541 00:27:57,260 --> 00:28:01,222 Soil needs a steady source of food in the form of microorganisms, 542 00:28:01,305 --> 00:28:04,225 and mushrooms are a huge part of creating that diet. 543 00:28:04,308 --> 00:28:05,184 Not only that, 544 00:28:06,894 --> 00:28:11,399 but mushrooms help prevent erosion, increase water supply to the ground, 545 00:28:11,482 --> 00:28:14,902 and help keep carbon in the soil versus adding it to the atmosphere. 546 00:28:14,986 --> 00:28:17,363 And it all starts with mycelium. 547 00:28:17,447 --> 00:28:20,908 The mycelium is a really massive underground network, 548 00:28:20,992 --> 00:28:23,327 almost like nerves running through the human body. 549 00:28:23,411 --> 00:28:25,371 -Absolutely. That's a great reference. -Yes. 550 00:28:25,455 --> 00:28:28,499 -How far do you reckon this one goes? -It's attached to those trees. 551 00:28:28,583 --> 00:28:29,500 -All there. -Really? 552 00:28:29,584 --> 00:28:33,296 So this particular mushroom, it's evolutionarily lost its ability 553 00:28:33,379 --> 00:28:36,966 to be a saprophyte and degrade material 'cause it used to do both. 554 00:28:37,759 --> 00:28:42,513 But it's fully gone into living with the tree and the tree's nutrients, 555 00:28:42,597 --> 00:28:45,683 and it giving the tree back nutrients that it explores for. 556 00:28:45,767 --> 00:28:47,268 So these are carbon capturers. 557 00:28:47,351 --> 00:28:51,147 That mycelium is now in the soil. That organic matter is now in the soil. 558 00:28:51,230 --> 00:28:53,733 And it's a massive expansion of those trees' roots. 559 00:28:54,942 --> 00:28:57,487 So mushrooms are like little eco-warriors, 560 00:28:57,570 --> 00:29:00,114 feeding the plants and protecting the air. 561 00:29:00,198 --> 00:29:02,074 There are thousands and thousands 562 00:29:02,158 --> 00:29:04,410 of different types of mushrooms on the planet, 563 00:29:04,494 --> 00:29:06,412 with many more yet undiscovered. 564 00:29:06,496 --> 00:29:08,623 And although there are plenty of delicious 565 00:29:08,706 --> 00:29:12,376 and nutritious edible mushrooms, there are also those that are deadly. 566 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,422 So please, leave wandering around the forest and eating random shrooms 567 00:29:16,506 --> 00:29:17,590 to the experts. 568 00:29:20,218 --> 00:29:22,929 This is some real Alice in Wonderland stuff right here. 569 00:29:24,597 --> 00:29:26,015 Eh, I better not. 570 00:29:26,098 --> 00:29:29,727 These are the ones that we'd regularly forage for culinary purposes. 571 00:29:29,811 --> 00:29:32,313 You can see these orange mushrooms here. 572 00:29:32,396 --> 00:29:34,440 These are called saffron milk caps. 573 00:29:34,524 --> 00:29:37,235 Lactarius deliciosus, because they're delicious. 574 00:29:37,318 --> 00:29:41,239 Yeah, Lactarius deliciosus is the scientific binomial. 575 00:29:41,322 --> 00:29:43,491 -How many kinds are there? -Thousands. 576 00:29:43,574 --> 00:29:46,035 And we only know, like, 10% of what there are. 577 00:29:46,118 --> 00:29:50,248 And of the ones that we know about, how many have the psilocybin? 578 00:29:50,331 --> 00:29:52,542 Awful lot. Yeah, we've discovered a lot of those. 579 00:29:52,625 --> 00:29:54,293 We've found all those ones. 580 00:29:54,377 --> 00:29:56,128 For obvious reasons, those are around. 581 00:29:56,212 --> 00:29:58,798 So if it poisons you or it gets you high, 582 00:29:58,881 --> 00:30:03,177 humans figure out which parts of the biosphere they are pretty quickly. 583 00:30:03,261 --> 00:30:07,348 That's right. Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic 584 00:30:07,431 --> 00:30:10,601 that activates the serotonin receptors in the brain, 585 00:30:10,685 --> 00:30:13,104 affecting mood and perceptions. 586 00:30:13,187 --> 00:30:17,650 In layman's terms, you trip and get high, but that's not why we're here. 587 00:30:17,733 --> 00:30:20,319 We're here to see the sustainable and culinary magic 588 00:30:20,403 --> 00:30:21,654 that mushrooms can provide. 589 00:30:21,737 --> 00:30:23,948 -Shall we go find Cordyceps now? -Yeah! 590 00:30:24,031 --> 00:30:25,575 -Sweet! Yeah, sweet. 591 00:30:25,658 --> 00:30:28,911 Oh, and there's one more variety to note while we're here. 592 00:30:29,662 --> 00:30:32,498 Possibly the most notorious mushroom of them all. 593 00:30:33,207 --> 00:30:35,042 The zombie mushroom. 594 00:30:35,126 --> 00:30:36,669 Cordyceps. 595 00:30:36,752 --> 00:30:39,213 Cordyceps is a parasitic fungus 596 00:30:39,297 --> 00:30:44,302 that hijacks the bodies and brains of living organisms, usually insects, 597 00:30:44,385 --> 00:30:47,805 feeding off of the host and eventually killing it. 598 00:30:48,347 --> 00:30:52,018 This blew my mind that we were gonna be hunting Cordyceps in Australia. 599 00:30:52,101 --> 00:30:54,312 -Yeah. So how did that… happen? 600 00:30:54,395 --> 00:30:55,563 They're everywhere. 601 00:30:55,646 --> 00:30:57,899 There's a Cordyceps for almost every insect. 602 00:30:57,982 --> 00:30:59,150 They're species specific. 603 00:30:59,233 --> 00:31:03,154 So the Cordyceps species actually matches with a species of insect. 604 00:31:03,237 --> 00:31:04,405 They've evolved together. 605 00:31:04,488 --> 00:31:07,825 They take over the brain. It is a literal zombie fungus. 606 00:31:07,909 --> 00:31:09,744 -Whoa. -So, it really does. 607 00:31:09,827 --> 00:31:12,788 It follows the natural cycle of whatever insect it is. 608 00:31:12,872 --> 00:31:14,832 So, a really good example was the ant. 609 00:31:14,916 --> 00:31:16,876 The ant has an infected brain and… 610 00:31:16,959 --> 00:31:19,503 And he's doing whatever the fungus wants him to. 611 00:31:19,587 --> 00:31:21,547 Absolutely. It's just like, "I gotta… up!" 612 00:31:21,631 --> 00:31:24,216 It'll go up a blade of grass, a fern or whatever. 613 00:31:24,300 --> 00:31:27,637 Once it's up, and it's in place, the Cordyceps stops driving it, 614 00:31:28,137 --> 00:31:30,890 gets it to clamp down, then it'll fully grow through it, 615 00:31:30,973 --> 00:31:34,810 like water filling a container. Take the shape of it, digest it. 616 00:31:34,894 --> 00:31:35,937 -Right. -Fully. 617 00:31:36,020 --> 00:31:38,314 Except the chitinized eye 618 00:31:38,397 --> 00:31:40,358 because the fungal cells are made of chitin. 619 00:31:40,441 --> 00:31:43,611 The only thing that's left, the only thing non-vegan in Cordyceps, 620 00:31:44,111 --> 00:31:46,822 is that chitinized eye, which is the original material. 621 00:31:46,906 --> 00:31:48,074 A couple of fresh ones here. 622 00:31:48,157 --> 00:31:50,451 -Yeah, I think we're in the spot. -Yeah. 623 00:31:50,534 --> 00:31:51,535 This is really it. 624 00:31:51,619 --> 00:31:54,622 When they're fresh, they're this bright yellow color. 625 00:31:54,705 --> 00:31:56,832 I'm going to try and pull it out. 626 00:31:57,541 --> 00:31:59,502 It has been wet, so, uh… 627 00:32:00,086 --> 00:32:02,380 -They're cool, man. -You got it. You got it. 628 00:32:02,463 --> 00:32:04,674 -You got the worm. Beautiful. -Look at that. 629 00:32:04,757 --> 00:32:07,259 So it consumed that worm totally. 630 00:32:07,343 --> 00:32:08,844 -Yeah. -That was a caterpillar. 631 00:32:08,928 --> 00:32:09,762 -Yep. -Yeah. 632 00:32:09,845 --> 00:32:11,430 You can feel it's very… 633 00:32:11,514 --> 00:32:14,850 -That's incredible, the Cordyceps. -It's very mushroomy. 634 00:32:14,934 --> 00:32:18,813 What we're looking at is the remains of what was once a caterpillar, 635 00:32:19,397 --> 00:32:23,067 now mostly consumed by its fungal attacker, the Cordyceps. 636 00:32:23,150 --> 00:32:26,112 Guys, let's go back to the lab and do some cooking. 637 00:32:26,195 --> 00:32:27,405 All of my favorite things. 638 00:32:27,488 --> 00:32:29,115 Let's do it! Let's go. 639 00:32:29,198 --> 00:32:30,741 -Thanks, guys. -Thank you. 640 00:32:32,076 --> 00:32:33,577 Why am I still holding it? 641 00:32:34,537 --> 00:32:36,914 Darin certainly seems pretty stoked to be in the lab. 642 00:32:36,998 --> 00:32:40,418 A little too stoked, really. Okay, buddy, put the knife down. 643 00:32:41,836 --> 00:32:44,463 From the forest, we went back to Jim's workspace, 644 00:32:44,547 --> 00:32:48,551 which is part chemistry lab, part test kitchen, and all delicious. 645 00:32:48,634 --> 00:32:51,470 This is where he experiments, creates, and crafts 646 00:32:51,554 --> 00:32:54,598 all of the Fable Food mushroom-based meals. 647 00:32:54,682 --> 00:32:56,642 Oh, and it's really just his garage. 648 00:32:57,309 --> 00:32:58,894 This is my garage. Yes. 649 00:32:58,978 --> 00:33:01,772 That little device over there is for mushroom cultivation. 650 00:33:02,356 --> 00:33:06,235 Everything about that is sterile. Inside there, there's a filter-- 651 00:33:06,318 --> 00:33:09,196 -Protecting it from spores, bacteria? -Yeah, absolutely. 652 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:14,160 In that clean air, on a sterile substrate where everything has been eliminated, 653 00:33:14,243 --> 00:33:17,788 we can watch it grow, so that I can then turn it into an extract. 654 00:33:17,872 --> 00:33:20,374 So that I can then take whatever is in the mycelium 655 00:33:20,458 --> 00:33:24,128 and turn it into a nice beverage, something functional. 656 00:33:24,211 --> 00:33:28,424 And we can access even more of it by using a fermentation process. 657 00:33:28,507 --> 00:33:31,510 There is, like, plant and fat and protein and all that. 658 00:33:31,594 --> 00:33:34,805 -But there should be a wedge. -This is a whole kingdom of foods! 659 00:33:34,889 --> 00:33:38,017 It's a kingdom. Absolutely, as big as the vegetable kingdom. 660 00:33:40,394 --> 00:33:42,521 We eat a lot of wheat. We eat pasta, bread. 661 00:33:42,605 --> 00:33:44,857 We have all that stuff. Cereal grains. 662 00:33:44,940 --> 00:33:48,694 But after that, we've got all the straw, all the holes in the grain. 663 00:33:48,778 --> 00:33:50,529 It's an agricultural waste product. 664 00:33:50,613 --> 00:33:52,823 We can compost that and grow mushrooms on it. 665 00:33:52,907 --> 00:33:54,283 We can grow food out of that. 666 00:33:55,326 --> 00:33:58,370 Right before I chose to go vegan, it was 667 00:33:58,454 --> 00:34:01,165 spending years talking about the idea, the bigger picture, 668 00:34:01,248 --> 00:34:04,668 talking and wanting to live that big, sustainable circle, 669 00:34:04,752 --> 00:34:08,422 and then coming home and eating a super high-resource-dependent thing. 670 00:34:08,506 --> 00:34:10,800 And day-to-day, having a steak and realize, like, 671 00:34:10,883 --> 00:34:13,886 -"That's 11 kilos of grain…" -Conflict. 672 00:34:13,969 --> 00:34:16,472 "…which is 11,000 gallons of wa…" 673 00:34:16,555 --> 00:34:18,933 -Like, am I needing that? Like, I don't. -Yeah. 674 00:34:19,517 --> 00:34:22,853 Remember, reducing meat consumption, especially beef, 675 00:34:22,937 --> 00:34:24,897 reduces greenhouse gas pollution. 676 00:34:24,980 --> 00:34:27,274 One study found that a typical quarter-pound burger 677 00:34:27,358 --> 00:34:29,318 you get from an average fast food restaurant 678 00:34:29,401 --> 00:34:32,321 has a bigger environmental impact than you would ever imagine. 679 00:34:32,404 --> 00:34:35,157 That all led to the decision, "I've got to cut it all out." 680 00:34:35,241 --> 00:34:38,494 "All meat, all dairy," and decided, "I need to trick myself 681 00:34:38,577 --> 00:34:41,455 that what is here is that protein thing." 682 00:34:41,539 --> 00:34:46,252 I just want that experience, like that succulence… all of it. 683 00:34:46,335 --> 00:34:50,923 All of it. The fiber, the succulence, the tear, the smoke. That's what I needed. 684 00:34:51,006 --> 00:34:53,509 As a native Texan who loves his barbecue, 685 00:34:53,592 --> 00:34:56,929 Jim combined his 12 years as a great mushroom scientist 686 00:34:57,012 --> 00:34:59,473 and a decade as a fine-dining chef 687 00:34:59,557 --> 00:35:02,685 to perfect a variety of mushroom-based meatless dishes, 688 00:35:02,768 --> 00:35:05,396 designed to give the ultimate meaty experience, 689 00:35:05,479 --> 00:35:07,064 while using no animals whatsoever 690 00:35:07,148 --> 00:35:09,567 and creating a much smaller carbon footprint, 691 00:35:09,650 --> 00:35:10,734 all at the same time. 692 00:35:10,818 --> 00:35:11,652 What's this? 693 00:35:11,735 --> 00:35:13,904 The least healthy thing I'm going to give you. 694 00:35:13,988 --> 00:35:16,365 It is the entrée to open up. 695 00:35:17,616 --> 00:35:19,493 And this here is country gravy, 696 00:35:19,577 --> 00:35:23,122 and those are… In Australia, we don't call it chicken-fried steak. 697 00:35:23,205 --> 00:35:26,750 -We call it schnitzel or crumbed beef. -Yeah. This is just… 698 00:35:26,834 --> 00:35:29,044 Whatever. That's chicken-fried steak. 699 00:35:30,254 --> 00:35:31,338 Oh man! 700 00:35:31,422 --> 00:35:34,550 Is it chicken-fried steak? Please tell me. Just let me… Just… 701 00:35:35,050 --> 00:35:36,135 I think it's better. 702 00:35:36,218 --> 00:35:37,553 -Oh yeah. -Yeah! 703 00:35:38,846 --> 00:35:41,974 -I haven't had steak in forever. -Really, the fibers are incredible. 704 00:35:42,057 --> 00:35:42,892 -Yeah! -Yeah. 705 00:35:42,975 --> 00:35:45,978 It gets stuck in your teeth. I wanted to recreate all of it. 706 00:35:46,061 --> 00:35:48,147 No one's going to miss anything eating that. 707 00:35:48,230 --> 00:35:49,231 Oh my gosh. 708 00:35:50,107 --> 00:35:51,275 I'm crying a little bit. 709 00:35:51,358 --> 00:35:54,278 -Oh man. This is so beautiful. -It's good. 710 00:35:54,361 --> 00:35:56,655 You're creating that bridge in such a powerful way. 711 00:35:56,739 --> 00:35:59,283 I'm trying. We're trying. Like, that's the goal. 712 00:36:00,284 --> 00:36:02,745 -Wow, this is lovely. -You see? 713 00:36:02,828 --> 00:36:04,288 Mitch, do you want one? 714 00:36:04,371 --> 00:36:05,581 Of course he does. 715 00:36:05,664 --> 00:36:07,750 -Get in here, Mitch. -Mitch. Oh my God. 716 00:36:07,833 --> 00:36:10,586 -There's enough for a small army. -Get some gravy. 717 00:36:10,669 --> 00:36:12,755 -You guys want some? -I would. 718 00:36:13,547 --> 00:36:16,300 Yeah. I could tell you did. He, like, suddenly comes. 719 00:36:16,383 --> 00:36:21,222 -"I'm just checking on the shot." -I know, he's… Always let the crew come. 720 00:36:21,305 --> 00:36:23,891 Seriously though, you know the food smells incredible 721 00:36:23,974 --> 00:36:25,893 when the crew jumps in this fast to try it. 722 00:36:25,976 --> 00:36:28,854 So, I'm gonna roll into a brisket sandwich. 723 00:36:32,691 --> 00:36:34,735 This is the Texan barbecue touch. 724 00:36:35,319 --> 00:36:37,279 -Is that your own sauce? 725 00:36:37,363 --> 00:36:38,822 -That's my own, yeah. -Okay. 726 00:36:38,906 --> 00:36:40,866 I still have a love of barbecue. 727 00:36:42,952 --> 00:36:45,663 Travel all the way to Australia to eat Texas barbecue. 728 00:36:46,830 --> 00:36:50,751 -Definitely makes me miss home. -This is gonna be chewing on camera. 729 00:36:50,834 --> 00:36:51,835 Hmm. 730 00:36:52,378 --> 00:36:53,212 Mmm. 731 00:36:53,712 --> 00:36:55,381 -Smoky goodness. -Oh man. 732 00:36:55,965 --> 00:36:57,216 -Oh man! -Mmm. 733 00:36:58,425 --> 00:37:00,177 -Finger-lickin' good? 734 00:37:00,261 --> 00:37:01,470 -Literally. -All right. 735 00:37:01,553 --> 00:37:02,972 When looking to replace meat, 736 00:37:03,055 --> 00:37:06,809 one of the most popular items people want is, of course, a burger. 737 00:37:07,393 --> 00:37:09,186 Fable food also makes a burger. 738 00:37:09,270 --> 00:37:10,813 There's 110 grams of mushroom. 739 00:37:10,896 --> 00:37:13,148 Hundred and ten grams in there. What would it be in ounces? 740 00:37:13,232 --> 00:37:14,775 That escapes me all the time. 741 00:37:14,858 --> 00:37:17,611 Hey, Google, how many pounds is 110 grams? 742 00:37:17,695 --> 00:37:20,906 110 grams is 0.243 pounds. 743 00:37:20,990 --> 00:37:22,241 -Thanks, Google. -Okay. 744 00:37:22,324 --> 00:37:23,951 A quarter pound is perfect. 745 00:37:25,202 --> 00:37:27,371 I took you to a chicken-fried steak place. 746 00:37:27,454 --> 00:37:31,125 We went to brisket town. I think it's time to do a burger. 747 00:37:32,334 --> 00:37:33,168 Why not? 748 00:37:37,006 --> 00:37:39,633 These guys have really created something amazing. 749 00:37:40,509 --> 00:37:44,596 It looks like meat, cooks like meat, tastes and chews like meat, 750 00:37:44,680 --> 00:37:46,223 but it's far more sustainable, 751 00:37:46,307 --> 00:37:49,727 and much easier on the planet, and better for our bodies. 752 00:37:50,769 --> 00:37:53,522 Thank you. Really cool. That was unbelievable. 753 00:37:53,605 --> 00:37:56,859 You might need to make more. These guys look pretty hungry. 754 00:37:56,942 --> 00:38:00,112 Thank you. I will never look at mushrooms the same way again. 755 00:38:00,195 --> 00:38:02,656 -Thanks, brother, for that. Thank you so much. 756 00:38:03,365 --> 00:38:06,368 We've learned a lot looking at the ground of Australia, 757 00:38:06,452 --> 00:38:09,038 but now we're gonna set our sights a little higher, 758 00:38:09,121 --> 00:38:11,623 about 50 meters up in the air, to be exact 759 00:38:11,707 --> 00:38:15,210 because it's time for me and the crew to try out an Australian bungee jump. 760 00:38:16,587 --> 00:38:18,797 We're at a jumping off point with our planet. 761 00:38:18,881 --> 00:38:22,343 Historic levels of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere 762 00:38:22,426 --> 00:38:23,927 are changing the climate. 763 00:38:24,928 --> 00:38:29,099 But it's not too late to slow down and even reverse the damage done. 764 00:38:29,183 --> 00:38:32,019 It just depends on how we choose to move forward. 765 00:38:35,522 --> 00:38:38,108 Regenerative agriculture can play a key role. 766 00:38:38,192 --> 00:38:41,737 These practices go beyond reducing the harm we inflict upon the earth 767 00:38:41,820 --> 00:38:46,742 and can actually work to heal the planet and our bodies to a healthier condition 768 00:38:47,618 --> 00:38:48,869 before it's too late. 769 00:38:50,371 --> 00:38:53,248 Whether it's big changes or lots of small ones. 770 00:38:54,124 --> 00:38:56,835 Every little bit helps to push back the needle 771 00:38:57,669 --> 00:39:01,215 because the real bad trip would be losing this place for good.