REBOOT YOUR SOIL

Want to improve soil health and fertility on your property?
Ever get confused by soil chemistry and terminology?
Interested in learning how to read a soil test so you can make effective soil decisions?
Want to understand the biodiversity of organisms that live in your soil and how you can benefit each other?

Soils are one of your farm business' most important assets. At the heart of your natural capital, they underpin a modern regenerative farm business. Without a healthy soil it is hard to maintain a productive, profitable and resilient farm enterprise in the long term.

Kiewa Catchment Landcare Groups (KCLG) has partnered with agroecologist David Hardwick from Soil Land Food, for this practical, hands-on workshop series where you will get tailored support to develop a soil health plan for your property. If you are in farming, grazing, dairying or horticulture and you want to improve your soil management, then this course is for you! As we go through the program you will learn how to identify soil constraints and key nutrient issues that may be holding back your enterprise.

This course will give you the confidence to manage your soil better!

Soil pit from KCLG's first round of Reboot Your Soil

PLACES IN THIS COURSE

Places are limited to 15 farm businesses that are Kiewa Catchment Landcare Groups members. This allows participants to have time to ask questions, share and learn with other participants and look at different soils. You must be available to attend all 3 dates as this is a 3 - part course. All participants will receive a free standard agronomic soil test on their property.

The total cost for the entire 3 part workshop is only $60 GST incl. Places are limited so book your ticket today!

Not a member? Not a problem. Join KCLG by clicking here

DATES AND TIMES

Workshop 1: Tuesday 19th March, 9am-3pm

Workshop 2: Tuesday 23rd April, 9am-3pm

Workshop 3: Tuesday 4th June, 9am-3pm

Morning tea and lunch will be provided
Physical Fitness level required: EASY to MEDIUM ( Sitting/Walking/standing for a periods of 2 hours or more required)
Biosecurity: There will be a biosecurity foot-wash when we go on site. We ask all attendees to please make sure their footwear and vehicles are free from any weed seeds and pathogens before entering the property.
Participants need to bring a 20x20cm cube of top soil from a paddock.

WHERE
Venue yet to be confirmed

COURSE CONTENT
What is a soil system? - Air, Water, Minerals, Soil Life and Plants. How soils work! The 3 areas of soil management: Soil Type, Soil Health and Soil Fertility. The 3 core soil skills. The 4 essential steps to successful soil management. 10 Principles of Regenerative Soil Management. Using the Soil Action Plan Worksheet. Step 1 - Identifying your soil types. Step 2 - matching your enterprise to your soil types.

Introduction to Soil Tests: what and why. Using soil tests: the Golden Rules to getting the most from them. Pulling apart soil tests: the 5 parts to any test. Different tests and labs: Conventional and alternative approaches. Step 3 - Managing Soil Health: the 3 steps to success. The Soil Health Checklist. Using soil tests to manage soil health - Organic Matter/Carbon, Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio. Options for improving organic matter and soil carbon.

The Soil Health Checklist. Using soil tests to manage soil health. Cation Balances: Acid and Non Acid cations, Sodium, Calcium/Magnesium Ratio. Soil pH and soil salinity. Benchmarking and identifying potential issues. Options for improving soil health.

Introduction to field assessment of soils. The Soil Health Checklist. Using field assessment to manage soil health - assessing the physical and biological condition in the paddock. Benchmarking and identifying potential issues. Options for improving soil health.

Soils and nutrients: the basics. The 5 steps to regenerative nutrient management. Using soil tests to manage soil fertility - Phosphorous and Sulphur. Benchmarking and identifying potential fertility issues. Options for improving soil fertility. Steps to soil success. Pulling your soil action plan together.

WHAT TO BRING

Your soil test results and 20cm x 20cm cube of soil
Notepad, pen and a water bottle.
Please wear sturdy, enclosed shoes and weather appropriate clothing. Bring sun protection, and a raincoat or umbrella in case of showers.

If you are unwell on the day please remain at home in consideration of the health of others

Due to our limited funding it is difficult to cater for every dietary requirement at our events. If you have special dietary requirements please bring your own food and drink.

For further information or queries contact Chontelle (KCLG Project Officer)

chontelle@kclg.org.au ~ 0491 624 943

RESOURCES

https://soillandfood.com.au/

David Hardwick

David is a professional agroecologist at Soil Land Food. He has been working in soil and regenerative agriculture extension and consulting all over Australia for 20 years. He completed a Dairy Traineeship and Diploma of Agribusiness at TAFE NSW before completing a degree in Ecological Agriculture at the University of Sydney. His focus is on regenerative and organic farming systems, land management and rural change. David has worked in the conventional, organic and regenerative sectors and across grazing, horticulture, dairying and cropping systems. For the last 10 years he has been helping farmers and graziers all over Australia build their skills and confidence to manage soils using fun and practical activities as part of his highly successful Digging Deeper Soils Courses and Bootcamps.

Reboot Your Soil is supported by North East Catchment Management Authority, through the Victorian Government’s $248 million investment over 4 years (2020-2024) to improve the health of waterways and catchment across regional Victoria

Partnering with Soil Land Food, Ecological Agriculture: Shaping change in Australia's rural landscapes, farming and food systems & Agricultural Information and Monitoring Services (AIMS)

Privacy

Note - Information collected by KCLG is collected for the purposes of event registration, insurance and emergency contact purposes on the day of an event. Your information will remain private and will not be shared outside project partners

Photos

Kiewa Catchment Landcare Groups (KCLG) may use photos taken of you at this event to publicise the event and may retain the photos for future possible use in other projects. This can only occur with your approval, which will be collected during your registration. Please read the below participant photography consent statement carefully.

By agreeing to having photos taken during this event you give consent to KCLG freely using your photographic image without any personal compensation or remuneration. You also relinquish and waive any current or future rights in connection with the photos, including any intellectual property rights you may have in the photos. Your consent is subject to KCLG not using your image in a negative, unethical or defamatory manner, or for commercial gain or political purposes. The photos remain the property of KCLG and any personal details linked to the photos will be kept confidential and not used for any other purpose