Di and Ian Haggerty of Prospect Pastoral farm approx. 30,000ha in the wheatbelt WA using their own regenerative farming practices they call Natural Intelligence Farming.
We’ve got everything; apples, peaches, pears, plums, apricots, several different nut varieties. We have juneberries and buffalo berries which are native to our environment. There’s probably about 20 different species of fruit…
Well, realize that grazing is a tool, and it’s not a perfect world. Because of time constraints, there’s times when we don’t graze at as high a stock density as we like. But, in saying that some is better than …
Now that Haney Test I talked about, that’s the best test out there available in the States, and Dr. Haney’ll give the protocol to any lab anywhere in the world that wants to use it.
Gabe, you mentioned before not waiting to put out fertilisers immediately. If you were going to wait up, would you use a more rock phosphate fertiliser, or just a chemical fertiliser?
You know probably the best answer to that I heard up in Cairns from Haggerty’s out in Western Australia. They’re letting whatever comes naturally, the grasses come, you know?
What we usually see, you have to get to what’s the real problem here? Why did those noxious weeds, they are just a symptom, why did they start? Well they started because it was over rested really.
It’s all about a healthy ecosystem, because if we can improve the diversity, the health of our soils, diversity of the biology, the diversity of the plants above ground, then we’re going to provide the nutrient needs for our livestock.
We have to understand how soil ecosystem functions. I’m in no way saying that all of you needed to be doing everything I needed to do. It’s going to be different on each operation. But, assure me, everywhere in the world I go…
You have to decide that, what’s key. You’ve got to give enough recovery time for those roots to build back strength. It amazes me the amount of diversity that comes…
This little section line there is between the two properties. This is ours over here. It really shows, really depicts. I often wonder what these cattle think of on this side…
Well, my whole story is how I really went down this path is I got four years in a row where I lost my crop to hail and drought. My wife and I both took off farm jobs. It was really difficult.
The other thing we can use covers for is weed suppression. This was a field of a cover crop of sorghum sudangrass the previous year. This field did not have one. If we have sorghum sudan like that we are going to be able to produce…
“You know, Steve, I really like what you’re doing but I can’t do it.” But when they trial and see the benefits they find a way.
“You know, Steve, I really like what you’re doing but I can’t do it.” But when they trial and see the benefits they find a way.
“You know, Steve, I really like what you’re doing but I can’t do it.” But when they trial and see the benefits they find a way.
What do you reckon you’d lose if you took that sort of bulk organic matter from the top off, still had the stubble and the root system and the exudates?
Steve Groff is a farmer and researcher who aims for high nutrients in his crops. Steve grows for Whole Foods in the US and his food is highly ranked on their 300 point scoring system.
Steve Groff is a farmer and researcher who has long studied the benefits of cover cropping and the common reasons why a farmer should adopt the system
Stop killing the plants for a start! Let the plants to grow that wish to grow. Allow nature function as it is designed to. This
We acknowledge First Nations owners of Country and their continuing connection to the land, waters and culture across Australia and from all over the world. As Soil Lovers we respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of all the lands on which we work and pay our respects to the Elders past present and emerging. When caring for your land take a moment in stillness to respect the wisdom your land is sharing with us.
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