Building Healthy Soils for a Resilient Farming System

In this podcast episode, Gavin heads out to Jim Coren’s place in Tucki Tucki near Lismore, NSW. Apparently Tucki Tucki means place of many koalas. The local Bundjalung word for koala is Burbi, a totemic animal prior to European settlement, and a concerted effort is now being made locally to conserve the koala population.Jim and his wife Andy settled here a few years ago just as the worst flood in recorded European history impacted Lismore and surrounds, and like many people on floodplain country, it left much of their property underwater for a long time and saturated for most of 2022. Like a lot of farmers, Jim likes getting things done and being able to see the results of his efforts. He aims to improve the impact of his grazing management and regenerate tired flood plain soils and pastures, but the challenge of these extended wet periods has proved difficult.  There have been wins though, especially on hill country where the impact of fish hydrolysate made on farm has boosted the growth of Rhodes grass, so it is now able to compete with the less desirable Bahia grass. Jim and Andy are also seeing thriving patches of mixed species of sorghum oats and legumes. This Ground Cover episode is the final episode in a six-episode series where we heard from participants in the Regenerative Agriculture Mentoring Program. RAMP was developed at Southern Cross University. The project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust. You can learn more about RAMP at https://www.ramp.org.au

Gavin chats with Barbara Linley at her Tullymorgan property in the beautiful Bundjalung and Yaegl country of North Coast New South Wales. In a past life, Barbara was a producer of super fine merino wool in Western Victoria. She shares some of her experiences as a sheep and wool producer, early adopter and passionate Landcare farmer and then a change in circumstances – she is now a custodian of a few hundred acres of Tullymorgan not far from the Clarence River.She’s been applying the skills she learnt from farming to the regeneration of this landscape and has a passion for supporting Landcare and Regenerative Farming in the Clarence Valley. This Ground Cover episode is one in a short series where we hear from participants in the Regenerative Agriculture Mentoring Program. RAMP was developed at Southern Cross University. The project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust. You can learn more about RAMP at https://www.ramp.org.au

In this episode, Gavin heads out to Possum Creek, Northern New South Wales, to have a chat with Penny Hall.Penny was a member of a RAMP cohort a couple years back. She and her husband Bob Lodge are medical specialists who moved from Melbourne to 100 acres on the Northern Rivers.Penny shares how, together with their farm manager Dave, they brought the holistic small acre farming philosophies of Joel Salatin to their operation. They now run a decent sized herd of cattle, have done quite a bit of rainforest restoration work and are planning to diversify the farm's offerings even more to ensure its financial viability. This Ground Cover episode is one in a short series where we hear from participants in the Regenerative Agriculture Mentoring Program. RAMP was developed at Southern Cross University. The project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust. You can learn more about RAMP at https://www.ramp.org.au

Shannon and Julie Humphris run Blue Marble Farm on Gumbaynggirr Dangadi Country near Macksville on the New South Wales North Coast.Blue Marble Farm is a great example of self-sufficient living.Gavin Tinning had a bit of a walk around the farm with Shannon before the record button was pressed and was really impressed by the incorporation of livestock into a small property. On Blue Marble Farm there are cattle, milking cows, goats, chickens, turkeys and the livestock is used to regenerate the landscape and reduce the fire risk; they produce food and fibre and all sorts of products.Shannon and Julie regularly hold field days and workshops so you can go and check the farm out for yourself. Just look up Blue Marble Farm on the internet for details.The Regenerative Agriculture Mentoring Program was developed at Southern Cross University. The project has been assisted by the NSW Government through its Environmental Trust. Visit https://ramp.org.au

Today I'm heading down to Nashua, between Lismore and Bangalow on the NSW North Coast, to have a chat to Jeanie. Jeanie Wylie and Edward Rawlings set up a restaurant called Frida’s Field. If you're driving between Lismore and Bangalow and you look across to the east, around the Nashua turn-off, you'll see, on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, a bunch of cars parked and, no doubt, groups of people enjoying a delicious long lunch in the afternoon sun. Jeanie took some time out of her busy schedule, menu planning, market garden, family life in general, and we had a bit of a chat around setting up the farm, their story, some of the challenges they've faced and still face. Probably of the most interest is how they're trying to integrate what they produce on the farm into the menu of Frida's Field.So enjoy the chat and if you want to know more about Frida's Field, go to https://www.fridasfield.com/ and you can get more of the history of the farm. You could also book and have a fantastic lunch there. I highly recommend. This Ground Cover episode is one in a short series where we hear from participants in the Regenerative Agriculture Mentoring Program. RAMP was developed at Southern Cross University. The project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust. You can learn more about RAMP at https://www.ramp.org.au

In Series Three of Ground Cover, we hear the stories of farmers who participated in the Regenerative Agricultural Mentoring Program.  RAMP, as it is generally known, was developed at Southern Cross University and assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust. Gavin Tinning met with a diverse cohort of innovative and inspiring farmers to bring you their insights and learnings. These are their stories.Today I'm in the hills behind Nimbin with Paul Wilson from Nimbin Valley Dairy on Bundjalung Country, Northern New South Wales.  Paul and his partner Kerry have shifted their dairy from supplying a milk processor to delivering an amazing range of cheese and other dairy products direct to customers at their farm gate and at various farmers markets in the Northern Rivers of NSW, Australia.  In between a bit of farm work, admin and customers turning up to their farm cafe, we chatted about the challenges of building a local food business, the impacts of the 2022 flood and mudslip events where 800 millimetres of rain fell overnight in this region and devastated and disrupted many sectors of the area's economy and we also talked about some of the important things – like how many goats is too many to milk.  If you want to know more about Nimbin Valley Dairy, and there's heaps that we didn't cover, then look them up online or catch them at a farmer’s market near you.  We trust you enjoy this podcast.

In today's episode, we will hear from regenerative agriculture pioneer Lorraine Gordon. Lorraine is the founder and current Chair of the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance. Her vision is to improve the holistic health and well-being of Australian landscapes, farmers and communities through research, education and practice. We will hear Lorraine talk about:Her own cattle farm at Ebor, her journey into carbon farming and the challenges she has faced. Why the regenerative journey is never overSome of the practices that farmers can change to improve their own landscapes. This episode was recorded at a field day hosted by Southern Cross University and Banyula, a regenerative farm on the Northern Rivers. Lorraine will be introduced by renowned environmental filmmaker Damon Gameau.Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/

Today on Ground Cover we will hear from Dr Lukas Van Zwieten, a Principal Soil Research Scientist from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. Lukas is also an adjunct Professor with Southern Cross University, and he's a farmer. And as you will hear in this recording, he has been described as the 'Grand Master of Soil' by renowned environmental filmmaker Damon Gameau. In this episode, Lukas will share:His insights about soilsHow to identify your soil constraintsHow to build healthy soilsWhy soils are the key to developing productive and resilient farming systems. This audio was recorded at a field day hosted by Southern Cross University and Banyula, a regenerative farm on the Northern Rivers.Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/

Today on Ground Cover, we're joined by Dr Jay Anderson, a plant pathologist with more than 20 years of industry experience. She's also a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Southern Cross University, and her research to date has focused on integrated disease management using techniques such as plant breeding, plant selection for resistance, and optimised plant nutrition. Jay is also working to better understand infection processes of pathogens to help target, control, and reduce losses due to disease. In this episode, Jay talks about:How weather and climate change has a huge impact on diseases within horticulture cropsSome of the work she's been doing in the Northern Rivers since the 2022 floods, particularly in the avocado and macadamia industriesWhat farmers can do on their own properties to manage disease and what they should look forThe best way to plan your farm and the importance of connecting with other farmers and grower groups to share information and ideas.Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/

In today's episode of Ground Cover, we're joined by Dr Jackie Williams, an adjunct Associate Professor at Southern Cross University who has more than 30 years of applied research in natural resource management. Her areas of expertise include sustainable agriculture governance systems, natural resource policy, and food security. With a lot of discussion and interest in the Nature Repair Bill and Natural Capital Accounting, we decided to pick Jackie's brain about the impact this is having on farmers. We'll hear about what farmers need to do, some of the benefits coming their way, and what potential challenges we need to address to maximise these opportunities.Find more resources on the Farming Together website: https://farmingtogether.com.au/