Soil Health in the Paddock: Nicole Masters’ Quick Tests That Work

YouTube Video UExJLXpBX3pZQ1lDOTZYOHdzMFNZSHR6cEg5MTJpOVgwVi5CNTcxMDQ0NThBNzMxODYz $Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw/join Can your soil pass Nicole Masters’ 5 paddock tests? In this hands-on field walk at Forage Farms (Gympie, QLD), Nicole shows how to dig, smell, and read soil to spot compaction, root barriers, ethylene, nitrogen overloads (hello, chickens 🐔), and how to kickstart aggregation and fungal recovery. We cover: shovel tests, the “soil smell” (those VOCs!), reading root shear, pink nodule check (Mo/Co), patterns vs problems, why rest drives 400:1 carbon via root exudates, and practical actions to build a disease- and insect-suppressive soil. Featuring: Nicole Masters – agroecologist, author, farm systems coach Location: Forage Farms, near Gympie, QLD (with Stuart Andrews / Natural Sequence Farming context) Host: Tim Thompson — Farm Learning Channel 👉 Try these on your place this week: Dig a 20×20×20 cm hole (spading ease, smell, texture) Track root direction & shearing (compaction/ethylene) Compare “good vs bare” patches and fence-line soil Squeeze nodules — pink = fixing; white/green = not (check Mo/Co) Audit rest & diversity to rebuild aggregates (fungal focus) Related videos to keep learning: Regenerative Agriculture (playlist) – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI-zA_zYCYC9pKgZEClQJFCoJGkPdu8Yo Natural Sequence Farming basics – https://youtu.be/zsZT87Y-SMY BRIX testing & plant health – https://youtu.be/tcxQNVOwnzE 📬 Connect & Support Work with Nicole: https://integritysoils.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopOCdiWW1pQQT7sE2hrd8MJ6B1GKcI8HVVMKGkCI_uAN0eNGF9P Farm Learning blogs: https://timthompson.ag/blog/ Become a channel member for extra perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw/join soil health test, field soil tests, soil compaction fix, root exudates 400:1, ethylene & roots, nitrogen vs carbon balance, pasture aggregation, BRIX/refractometer, legumes & nodules pink test, regenerative grazing rest/rotation, insect pressure, farm effect, Gympie Queensland. If this helped, share it with a farmer, comment your biggest soil clue, and subscribe for weekly practical field wisdom. #SoilHealth #RegenerativeAgriculture #PastureManagement #SoilTesting #NicoleMasters Check out my website for even more content https://timthompson.ag/ Support me on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/timthompsonmedia Facebook https://www.facebook.com/timthompsonmedia Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timthompson.ag Subscribe for a new video each week! New content uploaded every weekend. My Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw 00:00 Welcome at Forage Farms (Gympie, QLD) & why soil is “alive” 00:36 Field Test #1: Shovel test, spading ease & the soil smell 01:58 Reading roots: shear layers, pans & ethylene clues 03:34 Texture, taste, and quick visual indicators (fungi/thatch) 04:56 Root barriers: pH, aluminium, water table—what to look for 06:02 Digging deeper: colour, crunch, and VOCs (why smell matters) 09:04 Farm effect: soil–gut connection & why it matters for health 11:06 Method: patterns vs problems—how to scout paddocks 12:22 Insect damage underground & why compaction invites pests 14:46 Healthy plants resist insects: BRIX/photosynthesis link 16:40 Keep digging, testing sweetness (BRIX) & plant stress signals 17:14 Compare patches: growth form, phosphorus vs root issues 18:42 Fence-line comparison & spotting platey “pans” 19:06 Nitrogen overloads (e.g., chickens) & CN ratio pitfalls 20:33 Aggregation/crumbs: building the soil “city” (corridors & services) 24:54 Why rest grows fungi; lipids that glue aggregates together 25:58 Management: rotations, deferment, trampling & diversity 30:59 Root exudates drive carbon: ~400:1 when plants truly rest 32:33 Benchmarking progress: your photos, notes & on-farm tests 33:39 Legume nodule test: pink = fixing; trace elements (Mo/Co) 36:05 Recap: dig, observe patterns, test nodules, compare undisturbed 37:20 Final takeaways & CTA: tell your soil story with evidence$

Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw/join

Can your soil pass Nicole Masters’ 5 paddock tests? In this hands-on field walk at Forage Farms (Gympie, QLD), Nicole shows how to dig, smell, and read soil to spot compaction, root barriers, ethylene, nitrogen overloads (hello, chickens 🐔), and how to kickstart aggregation and fungal recovery.

We cover: shovel tests, the “soil smell” (those VOCs!), reading root shear, pink nodule check (Mo/Co), patterns vs problems, why rest drives 400:1 carbon via root exudates, and practical actions to build a disease- and insect-suppressive soil.

Featuring:

Nicole Masters – agroecologist, author, farm systems coach

Location: Forage Farms, near Gympie, QLD (with Stuart Andrews / Natural Sequence Farming context)

Host: Tim Thompson — Farm Learning Channel

👉 Try these on your place this week:

Dig a 20×20×20 cm hole (spading ease, smell, texture)

Track root direction & shearing (compaction/ethylene)

Compare “good vs bare” patches and fence-line soil

Squeeze nodules — pink = fixing; white/green = not (check Mo/Co)

Audit rest & diversity to rebuild aggregates (fungal focus)

Related videos to keep learning:

Regenerative Agriculture (playlist) – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI-zA_zYCYC9pKgZEClQJFCoJGkPdu8Yo

Natural Sequence Farming basics – https://youtu.be/zsZT87Y-SMY

BRIX testing & plant health – https://youtu.be/tcxQNVOwnzE

📬 Connect & Support

Work with Nicole: https://integritysoils.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopOCdiWW1pQQT7sE2hrd8MJ6B1GKcI8HVVMKGkCI_uAN0eNGF9P

Farm Learning blogs: https://timthompson.ag/blog/

Become a channel member for extra perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw/join

soil health test, field soil tests, soil compaction fix, root exudates 400:1, ethylene & roots, nitrogen vs carbon balance, pasture aggregation, BRIX/refractometer, legumes & nodules pink test, regenerative grazing rest/rotation, insect pressure, farm effect, Gympie Queensland.

If this helped, share it with a farmer, comment your biggest soil clue, and subscribe for weekly practical field wisdom.

#SoilHealth #RegenerativeAgriculture #PastureManagement #SoilTesting #NicoleMasters

Check out my website for even more content https://timthompson.ag/
Support me on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/timthompsonmedia
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/timthompsonmedia
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/timthompson.ag
Subscribe for a new video each week! New content uploaded every weekend.
My Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdtlC5DtsgZKCM8gislyDJw

00:00 Welcome at Forage Farms (Gympie, QLD) & why soil is “alive”
00:36 Field Test #1: Shovel test, spading ease & the soil smell
01:58 Reading roots: shear layers, pans & ethylene clues
03:34 Texture, taste, and quick visual indicators (fungi/thatch)
04:56 Root barriers: pH, aluminium, water table—what to look for
06:02 Digging deeper: colour, crunch, and VOCs (why smell matters)
09:04 Farm effect: soil–gut connection & why it matters for health
11:06 Method: patterns vs problems—how to scout paddocks
12:22 Insect damage underground & why compaction invites pests
14:46 Healthy plants resist insects: BRIX/photosynthesis link
16:40 Keep digging, testing sweetness (BRIX) & plant stress signals
17:14 Compare patches: growth form, phosphorus vs root issues
18:42 Fence-line comparison & spotting platey “pans”
19:06 Nitrogen overloads (e.g., chickens) & CN ratio pitfalls
20:33 Aggregation/crumbs: building the soil “city” (corridors & services)
24:54 Why rest grows fungi; lipids that glue aggregates together
25:58 Management: rotations, deferment, trampling & diversity
30:59 Root exudates drive carbon: ~400:1 when plants truly rest
32:33 Benchmarking progress: your photos, notes & on-farm tests
33:39 Legume nodule test: pink = fixing; trace elements (Mo/Co)
36:05 Recap: dig, observe patterns, test nodules, compare undisturbed
37:20 Final takeaways & CTA: tell your soil story with evidence