Comment

Comment by Sean Rothsey on July 13, 2009 at 4:32pm

Hi all. I have applied biodynamic and organic principles and practised holistic and sustainable practices for years on coastal and western properties , paying particular attention to biodiversity as much as production values . I recently had dinner (by chance) with the incumbent appointee from Colorado to head President Obama 's new rural strategies unit and she was a huge fan of Gary Zerner from Milwaukee and she also knew of his connection to NTS and previous seminars. Cheers Sean

Comment by Deborah Willis on July 10, 2009 at 12:05pm

Thanks for joining Ray and thanks again for your encouragement. Your comment re our soils being living breathing organisms is right on the money!! Our aim is to keep them alive and thriving!!

Cheers Deb

Comment by Deborah Willis on July 10, 2009 at 11:58am

Hello Rob, nice to hear from you. Yes, buying in feed can be quite daunting! There one day, gone the next!!
What do you farm?. I see the purchase and application of bio fert as adding assets to my farming enterprise, as I am looking for ongoing long term benefits and returns. Urea is short lived on its own. Do you take soil tests?.
I love the center pivot crop circles, great idea to trial! ...how are they performing?.

Regards Deborah

Comment by Ray Jamieson on July 10, 2009 at 10:16am

Hi Deborah,
I finally made it here! I like what you are saying, and agree fully! We have come a long way from the 'bag of 14-52-0 per acre' with the wheat seed. Everyone can do simple soil tests now, kits are freely available and while some are simplistic, they do highlight that our soils are living, breathing organisms, and need to be treated as such.

Many years ago, I think it was Art Linkletter, a famous US character, possibly more famous for his "Kids Say the Darndest Things" show on TV, he said of the Darling Downs "You guys ought to bag this soil and sell it as fertiliser!". Well, 50 years on, and many of those same soils are sadly depleted and blowing around in the wind because they were flogged literally to death!

Interestingly, Art Linkletter went on to have huge landholdings at Esperence in WA, and I'd love to see how the soils are there now, since he opened them up. On the edge of a desert, it doesn't take much to tip the scales! I can imagine Rob, with a 16" average rainfall, and only 12 this year, is very aware of the fragility of the soil structure and the need for TLC as a component in the management of them!

My Kingaroy soils were sandy loams and very light, would grow anything with rainfall and a little nitrogen, but oh so fragile! That would apply to so much of Australia, a large desert island surrounded by a green coastline and not much else!
Best wishes with the group, you have so much to contribute!
Ray Jamieson

Comment by Rob Moore on July 10, 2009 at 6:32am

Hello Deborah, I've been busy puttng our own stuff on and can stop being so selfish now and learn from others. I am genuinely interested in your group as out here we have 16 inch av rainfall red soil that grows anthing if it gets the water. After all the droughts thi s decade and buying in a fortune in fodder I decided to set up a series of fodder circles off a 13ac Pivot. Balancing these small areas with deficient soil quality is something you may know about. Buying lots of urea and starters seems questionable to a novice like me.
Plenty of time ...... We are all busy. Regards Rob.

Comment by Deborah Willis on July 8, 2009 at 11:25pm

What Biological farming means to me! I own and manage a 600 ac property 'Eden Farms'. I attended Graham Sait's Nutri-Tech Solutions seminar on Biological farming held at Taree on the Mid North Coast 2 years ago now, and was really impressed with the wealth of information he presented re animal, plant and human health. As a result I started experimenting with bio products on my own farm. Graham is recognised internationally for his expertise in this field. By combining the knowledge I gained from that first seminar together with information from Arden Anderson's work I started to farm my way!!. A Holistic Farming Course with Bruce Ward also helped broaden my horizons. I had gained a wealth of experience in the Dairy Industry travelling to NZ in 2001 on a Study Tour and also gaining my Diploma in Ag and dairying for 16yrs on the Mid North Coast whilst involving myself in DPI courses and focus farming. I also represented farmers on the Dairy Farmers Association of NSW for many years.
As I have single handedly run my own farm now for many years, I have to 'keep things simple stupid' and with correct grazing management, bio fertilizers and regular pasture maintainance I have transformed my property. Last year I completed the 4 day NTS Certificate in Sustainable Agriculture Course. Afterwards I was so concerned re the chemical content of food that became apparant during the course, that I wanted to help change, that way of life for people, educating them and hoping to open up a whole new way of eating and producing food. I became a representative for NTS.
I am feeling really excited seeing my paddocks changing before my eyes. Water retension, pasture quality and stock health are all increasing.
At present I am running cows and calves, dealing in trade steers and doing sustainable forestry, incorporating biodiversity with economic viability.
I believe in using the energy from the sun to transform our pastures into food for the many microbs that live in our soils, and that in turn will feed our animals and ultimately us!. When we get that balance right nature will thrive and so will we!.

I welcome your comments.

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