Making Compost on farm - August 2020

Join us in this online 4 part Soil Skills Webinar Series we go over the essentials of making compost on farm. If you want to understand how to make high-quality compost on-farm using simple, low labour methods and how to use it to build soil health then this course is for you!

We explore how to make compost using a minimum to no turn approach called fermentative composting (SPICE) as well as making it with a turner. We look at the range of ingredients for making it, tips for managing the site and the process and how to assess compost quality using tests and on site.

Places in this course are limited to 30 farm businesses so participants get time to share and learn with other participants and tap into the presenters' collective practical experience in on-farm composting. You will need access to Zoom to attend this Course.

Fermentative Compost made on farm

Course Content:

Webinar 1 - Introduction to the Course and Presenters. Compost: what it is and why use it. Humus and Compost. The 3 ways to make compost on farm: Fermentative, Aerated and Vermicomposting. The pros and cons of each one.

Webinar 2 - Getting prepared to make compost on your farm: 5 things you need to plan: Site, Compost feed-stocks, Equipment, Water, Government Regulations. What you need to know.

Webinar 3 - Making Compost: how to control the decomposition process by fermentation and/or aeration. Setting up windrows and heaps. Inoculating, Turning or Covering. Monitoring the compost process. How to customise your Compost: adding minerals, clay and/or biology.

Webinar 4 - Compost Quality: it's all about humus, biology and nutrients. Understanding the Australian Standard for Composts. Compost contamination. Assessing Compost quality on site and using tests. Using compost: rates and timing of compost for different situations.

Dates & Times:

Thursdays

• 6th August 2020 - 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm.
• 13th August 2020 - 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm
• 20th August 2020 - 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm.
• 27th August 2020 - 7.30 pm to 9.00 pm

Presenters:

David Hardwick: David is a professional agroecologist. He has been doing soil and regenerative agriculture extension all over Australia for nearly 20 years. He completed a degree in Ecological Agriculture at the University of Sydney with focus on regenerative and organic farming systems, land management and rural change.  He made his first batch of compost whilst living in Sweden in 1995 where winters get down to -20 degrees. Since then he has made and consulted on compost projects all over Australia.

Gerry Gillespie: Gerry is a pioneer in fermentative composting in Australia. He worked on worm farm operations before developing the fermentative or SPICE composting method as part of the original City To Soil Project in NSW. He is acknowledged as a world leader in managing food scraps and organics from towns and cities to help transform the earth. He has recently written a book, "The waste between our ears", which is published by Acres USA.

Wes Spencer: Wes is an organic farmer from Kotupna in Northern Victoria. Along with his family Wes helps run a mixed farm with crops and livestock. In the last few years Wes has been making compost on farm at scale. He has trialled both aerated and fermentative composting using a range of ingredients. In his spare time he built himself a compost turner too!  

How it Works!!

The Course is 4 webinars run once a week on Zoom over 4 weeks. Each session will be recorded so if you miss a session you can catch up on Zoom via the Event Hub. We will also provide you with a Compost Action Plan to help you plan a compost project on your farm.