FEATURE ARTICLE:
Paringa Field Day At Yea, with Christine Jones. Feautred in Landcare Magazine

The field day held on farm at Tom and Olivia Lawson’s property at Yea Victoria brought together world leading speakers on a range of topics relevant to beef farming in today’s climate. One of whom was Dr Christine Jones, a renowned Soil Biologist.

Among soil specialist Christine’s Jones supporters are Tom and Olivia, whose adherence to her principles proves beneficial particularly to get through long dry spells. Christine Jones is an internationally renowned groundcover and soils ecologist who has worked extensively with innovative landholders to implement regenerative land management techniques that enhance biodiversity, increase biological activity, sequester carbon, activate soil nutrient cycles, restore water balance, improve productivity and create new topsoil. The most meaningful indicator for the health of the land is whether soil is being formed or lost, according to Dr Jones.

The Lawson’s have applied biological farming practices for around 8 years on their farm at Yea where they run Charolais, Red Angus and Hybrid seed stock cattle. “We have consciously reduced our chemical inputs whilst using natural based fertilizer each year instead of the traditional NPK. Noticeably we have seen a reduction in animal health problems and increase in nutrient density and growth in our pastures” Olivia said. “Our commitment to a best practice holistic approach has included fencing all waterways, large scale revegetation and fencing off remnant areas. We also try to apply rotational grazing to pastures and prefer longer term productive perennials rather than short term grasses whilst maximising ground cover at all times. Consequently, our organic carbon content has increased by 2% across the farm.

“If productive soil continues to be lost, debates over the optimum enterprise mix, pasture species, fertilizer rate, percentage of trees, or any other “detail” over which we seem to argue endlessly, are irrelevant”. Dr Jones added, “to improve the quality of the soil, it must always be covered with plants or plant litter and groundcover should be initially rested from grazing. Then ideally the groundcover should be grazed or slashed periodically.” Cell grazing is good for producing green leaf and returning carbon to the soil, with Dr Jones describing every green plant as a “solar powered carbon pump”.

Soil conditions must enable soil organisms to flourish so Dr Jones said producers must think carefully about the effects any drenches, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers used. Dr Jones said a composty smell indicates high levels of biological activity, particularly fungi. The activities of beneficial soil microbes are important for the formation of soil aggregates which give its structure, improve porosity and water-holding capacity. When new topsoil is forming, it will have better structure and will contain more air and more pore spaces than degraded soil, so the bulk density will be less.

“A one millimetre increase in the height of new soil would equate to the formation of around 5-10t/ha of organically enriched topsoil.”

Improving the level of soil carbon will hold the water where it falls. If water runs off rather than going into the soil it will take the nutrients with it. Plants need to grow to a certain size to develop a good root system, and then be grazed to pump carbon back. Keeping pasture short degrades the soil.

“Healthy root systems are essential for maintaining the soil foodweb of microorganisms that make nutrients and minerals available to plants, and hence to stock.”.

For more information on Dr Christine Jones see www.amazingcarbon.com and www.carboncoalition.com.au.

More information on the Lawson’s breeding program and current bull sale information www.paringalivestock.com.au.

FEATURE ARTICLE:
Soils by Dr Maarten Stapper, featured on Australian Story 1/6/09. View article

We have been applying biological principles for over five years and are seeing significant changes.  Most noticeably improved soil and animal health, greater water retention (dries off later) and increased productivity. We have dramatically reduced our chemical use and only applied biological fertilisers including selected lime and carbon/humates. These practices  combined with rotational grazing have resulted in a substantially healthier farm.
What is It?
Biological farming is fundamentally about improving soil health.  Soil health is about the physical, chemical and biological balances of the top 50 cm of earth on your land.  Biological farming works on the theory that if farming practices are tailored to improve those three main areas of soil health then cattle production and health will also improve.

“The idea is misguided that biological farming is a new form of farming….living on the land, closely observing its changes and modifying farm practices to improve what nature does naturally.”

Biological practices that can improve the PHYSICAL attributes of the soil (e.g structure, aeration and conservation) include keeping the soil covered at all times with some form of vegetative cover, rotationally grazing to increase the depth of root growth, addressing pasture species mix to incorporate a variety of root systems and seasonal vigour and growing and conserving carbon (humus) in the soil.
Biological practices that can improve the CHEMICAL properties of the soil include monitoring and improving Ca/Mg ratio to 5:1 (Albrecht Theory), adjusting required mineral balances that follow-on from the changed Ca/Mg ratio and improving efficiency by using the right type of calcium source for the job.
Biological practices that can improve the BIOLOGICAL diversity and quantity of the soil include all of the above practices and then fine-tuning by adding compost teas, seaweed-based fertilizers and mulches.
The idea is misguided that biological farming is a new form of farming.  Biological farming follows the theories of centuries of farming; living on the land, closely observing its changes and modifying farm practices to improve on what nature does naturally.