GROUNDED Live - 2025: Mark Tupman - Developing High Performance Living Soils

In this episode of GROUNDED Live, we bring you another unedited session recorded at GROUNDED Festival 2025 on farm in Bridgetown, Western Australia.

Every now and then you meet someone and think, How have I not come across this person sooner? For many of us at GROUNDED, Mark Tupman was one of those people. A researcher, consultant and educator in biological production, Mark works across an extraordinary range of landscapes — from market gardens to broadacre systems to holistic land management projects.

After sharing lunch with him a few years back and hearing the depth of his knowledge first-hand, we knew that when GROUNDED came to Western Australia, we had to bring him along.

In this session, Mark explores how to develop high-performance living soils — what drives soil function, how biology underpins productivity, and the practical principles he uses to help farmers build vibrant, resilient, nutrient-rich soils across different environments.

It’s clear, practical and deeply grounded in real-world experience from someone who spends his life working with soil and the people who steward it.

Settle in and enjoy Mark Tupman on GROUNDED Live.

GROUNDED Festival is a cross between a food festival, a farming conference and a field day. It combines science and technology with ancient wisdom, provides a respectful place for lively discussion, an audience as interesting as the speakers and an excellent menu of local food, drinks and music, all on a beautiful, regeneratively-managed farm.

GROUNDED is also Australia's only annual, roaming food and farming festival, held in a different farm location every year, so each festival is a unique, unmissable event celebrating local expertise and culture with an inspiring line up of speakers.

In 2026, with the support of the local Upper Barwon and Central Otway Landcare Networks, following successful festivals in Tasmania and Western Australia, GROUNDED FESTIVAL will be held at leading regenerative farm, Yan Yan Gurt West, in the Victorian Otway Ranges, two hours from Melbourne in an area renowned for regenerative agroforestry, tourism, local hospitality and great food and wine.

Tickets are on sale now - head to the GROUNDED website for information on speakers, the location, and to secure your spot today.