The Legend: Dr Christine Jones
August 2025 saw one of the biggest field days Mac Ag has ever hosted. Why? Because Dr Christine Jones put her retirement on hold to spend the day with us.
Attendees travelled from across the region, with some making the journey from more than three hours away. We always love seeing people travel long distances to our events, as it brings a wider range of experiences, questions and ideas to the discussion.
Dr Jones' presentation, Soil is a Living System, explored the factors that have the greatest impact on soil microbes, including soil compaction, trace element deficiencies, farm inputs, soil carbon levels and plant root diversity. One of the standout images from the presentation was a spectacular photograph capturing plant roots actively releasing root exudates into the soil.
A topic that surprised many participants was the connection between soil health, plant diversity and animal health. Dr Jones shared findings from Professor Fred Provenza's research, which showed that animals consuming diets rich in secondary plant compounds developed greater microbial diversity in their gut. These animals were better able to digest a wider variety of feed, demonstrated improved feed conversion efficiency and benefited from stronger immune function.
Our hosts for the day, Trevor and Alan Rissmann of Rissmerino, provided an overview of their farming operation, covering everything from their Merino stud to their cattle enterprise and grain production. Throughout their presentation, it was clear to see their passion for regenerative agriculture and their commitment to producing high-quality wool, meat and breeding stock. Their embrace of innovation, technology and regen ag is exceeded only by their dedication to family and faith.
One of the most valuable discussions of the day took place in a paddock that Alan openly admitted he was not happy with. In front of 130 attendees, he invited everyone to share their thoughts on what may have gone wrong in a multi-species pasture. It was a rare opportunity to have Dr Christine Jones, alongside a wealth of experienced farmers and advisors, collectively analyse the situation and discuss possible causes and solutions.
An unexpected highlight of the day was the catering. For those who attended and have been asking for the recipe, here it is again.
Kumara and Potato Stew in Peanut Coconut Sauce
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 medium kumara (sweet potatoes), peeled and diced (approximately 800g)
1 tablespoon oil
2 medium onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed (or 2 heaped teaspoons minced garlic)
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (or 1 level teaspoon minced ginger)
¼ teaspoon sambal oelek
1 tablespoon curry powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2½ cups vegetable stock (extra if required)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
½ cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup coconut milk
12 baby potatoes, washed and halved
¾ cup red lentils
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped
Method
Cut the kumara into 3cm pieces.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion, garlic, ginger, sambal oelek and spices, stirring until fragrant.
Add the soy sauce, peanut butter, stock, coconut milk and potatoes. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the lentils and kumara. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for approximately 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Serve topped with fresh coriander.
Add your choice of meat if desired. At the field day, we served it with lamb.
This project is funded by Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program.
