Kickstart Your Soil Health - Episode 2 of The Sea2Soil Podcast
In this episode of the Sea2Soil Podcast, Business Development Manager Grant James sits down with regenerative farmer Ben Taylor-Davies (Regen Ben) in Ross-on-Wye to discuss the realities of soil improvement, the role of biology in farming systems, and how Sea2Soil is helping kickstart natural processes across his diverse enterprise.
Beyond the promises of soil improvers
When asked about his past experience with soil improvers, Ben didn’t hold back: “Many soil improvers I’ve tried don’t improve soil. You spend an awful lot of money on promises, and often the results just aren’t there.”
Instead, Ben has found that keeping things simple - and focusing on what really changes soil structure and biology - makes the difference. Sea2Soil, with its unique combination of both, has led to remarkable improvements on his farm, particularly by stimulating protozoa populations.
“That’s been the massive missing link for us - protozoa predating bacteria, releasing nitrogen back to crops at the start of the season. Instead of applying bagged nitrogen, we use fish and protozoa tea to kickstart the system, and it has an enormous effect.”
A regenerative, mixed farming system
Ben’s farm is as diverse as it gets - with cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and bees, alongside an equally wide mix of crops. For him, Sea2Soil has become a cornerstone of how he establishes and manages those crops.
“Every time we plant a seed, it goes in with Sea2Soil. The aim is to colonise the rhizosphere with as much life as possible - feed the earthworms, feed the protozoa, and let them turn bacteria into fertiliser factories.”
Crops such as rye, barley, wheat, oilseed rape, potatoes, and sugar beet have all responded positively. Ben also uses Sea2Soil extensively in his agroforestry, where he’s noticed better mycorrhizal associations and, interestingly, far less tree damage from voles, hares, and deer.
Rethinking yield, profit, and inputs
Rather than chasing headline yield numbers, Ben takes a pragmatic view of profitability and input costs.
“If I’m not using fertiliser, and I’m replacing it with fish at a tenth of the cost, that’s simple maths. I don’t need a piece of paper and pen to work that out.”
For Ben, Sea2Soil is not an ‘add-on’ input - it’s a direct replacement for expensive synthetic fertilisers, making his system both more cost-effective and biologically resilient.
Advice for other farmers
So what would Ben say to someone considering Sea2Soil for the first time?
“The biggest thing in regen farming is how you spin the flywheel and get the system moving. Fish has always been a part of natural farming systems. My grandfather would wonder why we’re even having the conversation.”
Ben sees Sea2Soil as a natural fit in regenerative agriculture - and values its role in the circular economy.
“It’s a waste product that we’re converting into massive benefits. If you’re looking to improve soil, Sea2Soil is an essential part of the programme.”