Microbe Friendly Farming

Weddin Landcare is working on a field day with Jake Chandler, Gemma Wilkinson, soil microbiologist Dr Ernie Harbott, Vic No-Till and CarbonLink to learn about soil microbiology in cropping and grazing systems that enhance soil health and benefit production. Plus, practical ways they can be incorporated into your farming enterprise.

Key topics

• What is soil microbiology?

• Cropping and grazing systems that promote healthy, living soils.

• The connection between soil microbes and nutrient, carbon and water cycles.

• Benefits for production.

• Microbes under the microscope – learn about some of the critters conditioning your soil.

• Practical and reliable methods of measuring soil biology.

• Paddock inspections, including a trial site with seed treatment from Omnia called ‘Bacstim’ compared to compost tea in a wheat/vetch/canola crop.

About the hosts

Jake and Gemma, together with their parents Bruce and Tracey, run Tumbleton as a flexible and low input mixed enterprise farm. Cropping is all mixed species and minimal chemical approach such as wheat/vetch/canola. They also run sheep and cattle breeding enterprises supplemented with seasonal trading if the grass budget allows. Tumbleton also has a registered soil carbon project. 

About Dr Ernie Harbott

Ernie was destined to be a professional composter. After earning Science degrees in Chemistry (Honours) and Environmental Science, a PhD in Biogeochemistry and a Diploma of Education, she kicked around as a teacher, a water chemist, and a composter.

A decade ago Ernie co-conspired a Community Garden in Singleton to get her local community composting and growing their own food. She soon became a Master Composter, Certified Soil Food Web Microscopist and self taught soil ecologist.

After watching “Kiss the Ground” four years ago, Ernie could no longer do nothing about the degeneration of soils. She became a soil advocate by starting a Facebook Group Soil Sisters Singleton to connect community through soil regeneration, sustainability, and self care. With the simple concepts of “Baby Steps” and “one person can make a difference”, the single mother of two tiny ecowarriors is determined to prove that you can set an example and make a living doing what matters and what you love. Her budding business Compost Culture shares a love of learning how to compost with the endgame of getting everyone eating nutrient dense food from healthy soils.

About Stephen Stacey from Carbon Link

Stephen is CarbonLink's longest-serving Carbon Farming Advisor, Stephen is an experienced Grazier and former business owner with a background in RCS principles and practical land management. A graduate of Emerald Pastoral College and RCS courses, he combines industry expertise with a deep understanding of the soil carbon method to help producers integrate carbon farming into successful primary production operations.

More details to come!

This field day is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust.