Events 2021
SoilCare and Tropo - 3rd Pest Management and Cover Crops Field Day
The 3rd Field Day in this series is planned for Sept/Oct 2021. Watch this space for details TBA. (This series has been delayed again due to lock-downs and border closures. Keep watching.
Grazing Management Principles Course with Dr Judi Earl - offered by SMARTSOIL
This course is designed to provide an introduction to the theory of the range of ecological processes that occur in grazing environments and provide a practical guide to regenerative grazing management.
The course is delivered through written content, with supporting video classes embedded into each chapter. Once a member of the SMARTSOIL community you also gain access to 4 exclusive Q & A webinars annually, giving you an opportunity to speak directly to Judi and ask questions specific to your farm or enterprise, and our social learning platform which allows you access to the growing number of farmers asking questions, sharing wins & losses and building a community of learning and support.
The course is delivered through written content, with supporting video classes embedded into each chapter. Once a member of the SMARTSOIL community you also gain access to 4 exclusive Q & A webinars annually, giving you an opportunity to speak directly to Judi and ask questions specific to your farm or enterprise, and our social learning platform which allows you access to the growing number of farmers asking questions, sharing wins & losses and building a community of learning and support.
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There are 9 modules within the course:
1.0 Introduction 2.0 Grasses 3.0 Soils 4.0 Grazing animals 5.0 Grazing Management 6.0 Monitoring 7.0 Planned Grazing 8.0 Land Planning 9.0 Holistic Management The course is self-paced, so there are no specific dates or times. You are able to log in when you like and learn at your own pace. The Q & A dates and times TBA. For details and registration visit the SmartSoil website |
Pictured: Judi surveying her property and cattle at Coolatai in July 2021.
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Recent Events
Richard Llewellyn introduces the cover crop seeder prior to a planting demonstration.
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SoilCare & TROPO Event - 10th April 2021 Pest Management (IPM) & Cover Crops
The second IPM/Cover Crop Field Day in the series of three was attended by SoilCare members interested in planting cover crops and providing beneficial insect habitat on farms. Thank you to Ross and Susan Arnett for hosting the field day on their macadamia farm. Ross shared his insightful observations on the numerous trials running on his farm. Thanks also to Richard Llewellyn, BioResources, and Dave Forrest, Organic Forrest, for contributing their knowledge and expertise. Highlights of the field day will be available on video soon. BioResources provides insectary reared biological controls specialising in Trichogramma and Anastatus wasps. |
In the news...
New Research Protects Australia's Precious Pollinators
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Australian-first research has delivered breakthrough findings and tools to secure the future of pollination-dependent crops amid ongoing threats to both managed and native pollinators.
The project, (Securing Pollination for more Productive Agriculture: Guidelines for effective pollinator management and stakeholder adoption), assessed the contribution of pollinators to nine crop species - apple, avocado, blueberry, canola, lucerne, macadamia, mango, raspberry, and watermelon - to allow Australian growers to implement evidence-based management strategies to support crop pollinators. Read the full article in Australian Tree Crop |
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Invasive insect fall armyworm on the march but scientists fight back with a oozing virus and an egg attacking wasp.
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A virus that oozes out through a caterpillar's skin before exterminating it is being investigated as a way to combat an invasive insect that is devastating some Australian crops. Since fall armyworm was first found in the Torres Strait in January 2020, it has spread to every state and territory except South Australia.
Their moths can travel up to 400 kilometres a night. Researchers are looking at chemical-free options to attack the difficult-to-control bug, including a species-specific virus that oozes out of a caterpillar's skin before the larva disintegrates. Read the full article in the ABC News. |
Plant roots grow towards soil fungi - Wageningen University and Research - 14 October 2020
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Plant roots not only release odours themselves, but also appear to react to odours that beneficial and harmful fungi in the soil release. They do this by actively growing towards fungi, or ignore them. This 'sense of smell' has a positive influence on the eventual health of the plant. Exposing plants to the right fungi could even offer protection against insect pests and worms that feed on plants and their roots. This is evident from Kay Moisan's PhD dissertation, that she will defend on 16 October 2020.
Plant roots are fascinating organs because they are so essential to plant health. However, we do not yet know how they interact with soil microbes and which factors influence their growth. Recent studies found that roots themselves perceive odours from soil microbes, which in turn can affect plant growth. For instance, odours that are released by bacteria and fungi can increase the branching and the size of plant roots. Therefore, perception of these odours can significantly affect plant growth. |
Growth direction. However, it is as yet surprisingly unknown whether microbial odours can also affect the direction in which plant roots grow. In her dissertation and the accompanying publication in Plant, Cell and Environment, Kay Moisan and her co-authors from the Netherlands Institute for Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) and the laboratory of Entomology of Wageningen University & Research (WUR) demonstrate that this is the case. It appears that plants perceive the odours produced by soil fungi and react to them before they come into contact with the fungi. Read more here.
Inter row management in macadamias to conserve and encourage beneficial insects
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BioResources has just completed its Hort Innovation Project MC10068. The project used farm blocks on 11 macadamia farms from mid-coast NSW up to Bundaberg to work through with the farmers the issues of growing and maintaining an inter row insectary. BioResources then monitored these inter row insectaries in terms of their vegetation composition and insect community composition in comparison to industry standard regularly mown areas within these farms for 2.5 years.
Apart from all the practicalities of maintaining an inter row insectary in macadamia orchards, the most important finding was that well-functioning insectaries increased the diversity of arthropod communities in both inter row &
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tree habitats, in turn creating a more complex food web with higher proportions of beneficial invertebrates that were more stable in population abundance over time.
Visit the BioResources website for Project updates. Visit the BioResources You Tube Channel for research project videos.
Visit the BioResources website for Project updates. Visit the BioResources You Tube Channel for research project videos.
Podcasts
Make good use of your time while driving, mowing or tractor work by listening to podcasts. A podcast is a just like a radio show, but you can listen whenever you want on your mobile phone. You can easily subscribe to podcasts via iTunes or Google Play but there are other apps available as well. Some examples below:
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The RegenNarration Australian podcast features conversations with high profile and grass-roots leaders everywhere who are enabling the regeneration of life on this planet. They're sharing the stories, and changing the stories - the stories we live by.
Visit the REGAN NARRATION website. |
Created and hosted by Anthony James, award-winning facilitator and educator, widely published writer, Honorary Research Associate at the University of Western Australia, and Warm Data Lab Host Certified by the International Bateson Institute. Anthony is currently also producing and hosting a short spin-off series for the Clean State podcast, dedicated to regenerative transitions in his home state of Western Australia.
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Acres USA Tractor Time
The Voice of Eco-Agriculture. There are 38 podcasts, and counting, at Acres USA. |
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Regenerative Agriculture Podcasts with John Kempf
For professional growers who want to increase quality and yield -- for growers and agronomists who want to learn about the science and principles of regenerative agriculture systems. |
Apple Podcast Preview of Regenerative Agriculture this link previews 18 regenerative agriculture podcasts
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Ground Cover Podcasts
Regenerative Ag Alliance and Southern Cross University Ground Cover is a uniquely Australian podcast series exploring real life stories of land managers who have undertaken the transition from conventional farming to regenerative agriculture. In this series, we share unique and honest conversations about the challenges and opportunities of regenerative agriculture, so you can make informed decisions about how to best manage your land. Podcasts include interviews with Charles Massey, Bruce Maynard, Colin Seis, Derek Smith, Michael Taylor, Tim Wright and Mike McCosker. Visit the Ground Cover webpage to access the podcasts. |
Acres USA Tractor Time
Acres U.S.A.: The Voice of Eco-Agriculture. We help educate growers on ecological techniques that are proven to increase yield and decrease the need for costly toxic inputs.
There are 38 podcasts, and counting, at Acres USA.
Acres U.S.A.: The Voice of Eco-Agriculture. We help educate growers on ecological techniques that are proven to increase yield and decrease the need for costly toxic inputs.
There are 38 podcasts, and counting, at Acres USA.
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New Dates: 6-10 September 2021
It is the Organic World Congress... don't miss it Join more than 2000 like minded participants at the Organic World Congress 2020 (OWC 2020) with its 80 conferences and 8 pre-conferences on 6 main themes that zoom in on Leadership, Farmers’ and Advisors’, Science, Supply & Value Chain, Culture & Education and Stakeholders. |
Plenary sessions of the Organic World Congress (OWC) 2020 will be accompanied by six individual conference forums.
- Leadership Forum: Discuss and shape the future of the organic movement
- Farmers’ and Advisors’ Forum: Share knowledge and initiatives
- Science Forum: Present research on the organic sector
- Supply and Value Chain Forum: Share inspiring experiences and address work-related concerns
- Culture and Education Forum: Discuss the philosophical foundation and knowledge management of the organic movement
- Stakeholder Forum: Promote a multi-actor approach for organic food systems