What if your olive oil could fight disease, your soil could store water like a sponge, and your sheep could restore biodiversity?

This episode takes you to the heart of Portugal’s Monte Silveira farm, where cutting-edge science meets ancient ecosystems,... and the results are mind-blowing! Join us as we sit down with Diogo Pinho, the farm’s Research Manager, to uncover the data-driven secrets behind one of Europe’s most innovative regenerative farms.

From boosting soil organic matter by astonishing numbers, to producing high-polyphenol olive oil that’s great for your heart, to showing that regenerative grazing can actually outperform conventional almond plantations - this conversation is packed with insight, hope, and practical inspiration for anyone interested in the future of farming.

Whether you’re a researcher, policymaker, farmer, or foodie, this is one episode you do not want to miss.

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🧪 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why soil organic matter is the cornerstone of regenerative systems -> and how Monte Silveira doubled it.

• How rotational sheep grazing helps restore plant diversity and build microbial life underground.

• The surprising science behind polyphenols in olive oil and how farming methods influence their levels.

• How regenerative practices can reduce costs and outperform conventional models (with real data).

• What it means to design climate-resilient farms in Mediterranean ecosystems under pressure.

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🎙️ About the Guest:

Diogo Pinho is the Research Manager at Monte Silveira Farm in southern Portugal, where he leads 16 research projects focused on linking profitability with ecosystem regeneration. With a background in microbiology, he’s bridging the gap between scientific research and real-world farming, and proving that regeneration can work at scale!

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This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health.

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Useful links:

• Monte SIlveira - https://www.montesilveira.com/

• Instagram: @deep_seed_podcast

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-seed

• Email - raphael@deepseed.eu

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What happens when a tobacco empire transforms into a thriving regenerative farm? In this episode of the Deep Seed Podcast, we visit Monte Silveira, a 1,000-hectare farm in central Portugal, where João Valente has revived one of Europe’s oldest agro-silvopastoral systems.

From 0.7% soil organic matter to over 5%, and from monocultures to thriving biodiversity, João shares how nature became his most profitable business partner. You’ll learn how rotational grazing, intercropping, and keyline design are helping regenerate both land and livelihoods in one of Europe’s driest regions.

This conversation is full of timeless lessons for farmers, scientists, and land stewards alike.

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🔥 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

🌳 Montado magic: Discover how a 10,000-year-old oak-based system balances trees, animals, and humans

🐄 Rotational grazing reimagined: How goats, sheep, pigs, and cows move through the land to regenerate perennial grasslands

🌾 No-till + intercropping = soil magic: Why millet, sunflower, and legumes are João’s powerhouse combo

💧 Keyline design in action: How 8,000 new cork oaks were planted to harvest water and revive degraded slopes

💰 Regeneration is profitable: From increasing biodiversity to lowering input costs, João proves that better farming = better business

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This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health.

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Useful links:

• Monte SIlveira - https://www.montesilveira.com/

Follow Us: Stay connected with us on social media for the latest updates and behind-the-scenes content.

• Instagram: @deep_seed_podcast

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deep-seed

• Email - raphael@deepseed.eu

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Two fine-dining chefs moved to rural Portugal to build a regenerative agriculture project focused on market gardening, nutrient-dense food, and soil health. Meet The Farming Chefs! 👨‍🍳

Philippe and Sophie are blending regenerative farming, no-dig gardening, rotational grazing, and nutrient-dense cooking on their five-hectare farm in central Portugal. Using mobile chicken tractors, compost teas, and a thriving herb garden, they’re regenerating the land... and teaching the world how to grow tasty nutrient-dense food at home!

🍅 In this episode, we cover:

• How a no-dig market garden can out-yield bigger farms (with less work)

• Why nutrient-dense food tastes better (and how it can restore your health)

• How to integrate chickens and sheep to regenerate degraded grasslands

• How to build a thriving herb garden from local cuttings… for free!

• Why edutainment is a powerful tool to scale the regenerative movement

📌 LISTEN FOR:

🟢 15:32 – The aquatic plant that’s feeding chickens free protein

🌿 26:10 – Sophie’s 150+ plant herb garden

🍳 41:00 – Why chefs are the secret weapon of the regenerative movement

📣 47:45 – “Farmers deserve rockstar status. They’re regenerating our future.”

USEFUL LINKS:

The Farming Chefs also run a fast-growing YouTube channel where they teach regenerative practices through fun, practical, visually rich tutorials. Their blend of storytelling, flavor, and ecological wisdom is one of the most inspiring in the movement today.

❤️ This episode was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.

Thank you for listening, all the best,

Raphaël

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.