The Orchard Underground: WA Grower Program

The Orchard Underground Program is a subsidised online learning program for fruit and nut growers in Western Australia, delivered by Soils for Life and RegenWA.

The program includes six sessions held over six months, and gives you the chance to dig into the foundations of soil health and climate resilience in the orchard with fellow growers. You’ll be guided by leading researchers, agronomists, and practitioners, including Mary Retallack, Lyn Abbott, and more to be confirmed.

Each session involves an hour long presentation and Q+A with a specialist, followed by facilitated discussion and activities. Participants will also receive access to over $1750 worth of consultant support and plant and soil testing.

This program is designed to be genuinely useful, not just theoretical. You'll leave each session with practical knowledge you can apply in your orchard.

Places are limited to 10 growers. Register today.

What's included

Each participant receives:

• 6 online sessions (monthly, 4pm to 6pm AWST)

• $1,000 of one-on-one consultant support

• $750 of subsidised soil and plant testing

• Peer learning and connection with other WA growers

What we'll cover

Sessions will explore:

• Soil health and sampling

• Groundcover and interrow diversity

• Tree crop health monitoring

• Biological inputs and nutrition

• Integrated pest management

• Financial monitoring and profitability through transition

Facilitated by Courtney Young from Soils for Life.

Session Dates (subject to change)

• 4 Aug

• 8 Sept

• 13 Oct

• 10 Nov

• 8 Dec

• 9 Feb

Where

Online via Zoom

Cost

$75 per farm for all 6 sessions. Includes subsidised soil and plant testing and specialist consultant support, together valued at $1,750.

How to apply

Register and pay here in Humanitix.

This program is part of Soils for Life's Orchard Resilience Project, supporting fruit and nut growers to build soil health and climate resilience. Funded by the Australian Government's Natural Heritage Trust Climate Smart Agriculture program.