[Scpg] Permaculture and Farming systems in spotlight

Wed Mar 25 08:09:27 PDT 2009

Farming systems in spotlight
http://wellington.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/farming-systems-in-spotlight/1469252.aspx?storypage=

25/03/2009 11:26:00 AM
Three Wellington landholders will showcase their properties and share 
ideas during a bus tour hosted by the Central West Catchment 
Management Authority (CWCMA) tomorrow.

Tim Woods 'Mount Nanima', Angus Morris 'Gillinghall' and Sue Rahilly 
'Alma' were all participants of the CWCMA Farming Systems Program 
which aimed to develop innovative solutions to land management 
issues, in particular salinity.

The participants achieved this through training, required readings, 
discussions and gathering new information.

The participating landholders were required to develop natural 
resource plans for their properties to encompass all the themes of 
the CWCMAs Catchment Action Plan - a long-term plan for natural 
resources in the Central West catchment.
Grazier, Tim Woods has seen a dramatic increase in the level of 
native grasses on the slopes on his property following the 
introduction of a permaculture farming system three years ago.

Mr Woods said permaculture was introduced as a topic in the Central 
West CMA Farming Systems program.

"I wanted to change but really had nowhere to go and I didn't know 
what was achievable," he said.

"I had been looking at things in isolation and individually rather 
than the whole farm itself."

Mr Woods has now adopted the principles surrounding permaculture.
"They are pretty basic, with everyone thinking about it as the 
vegetable garden or the chock tractor, but I really grasped it as one 
of the tools for change."
Mr Woods has developed a system to capture as much water runoff as he 
can on his property, holding it in the soils on the farm to promote 
growth over long periods of drought.

A solution to growing lower cost winter cereal crops under climate 
change, has been embraced by the Maurice family, leading to much 
lower risk in drier years.
Angus Maurice has a mixed farming system, producing stock and traded livestock.
"We had already switched to a time-controlled grazing system and we 
were examining pasture cropping and no kill cropping when I did the 
farming systems program conducted by the CWCMA," he said.
"We were in the process of shifting away from no-till cropping to 
more innovative cropping systems."

The Maurice's farming operation has now moved to a no kill cropping 
system, whereby no herbicides are applied to the grasses before a 
cereal crop is planted.
This has seen a significant reduction on the impact to the 
environment, creating a much lower cost cropping system.
"We're 100 per cent no kill and pasture cropping and still doing the 
same time control grazing.
"We just have a fair bit more flexibility in the system now because 
we have successfully been able to recruit perennial grasses with the 
cropping system just going straight on top of them.
"That means we can swing between grazing and cropping each year, 
depending upon what the situation is.

"We just make a judgement call on season and grain prices and that 
sort of thing to decide what we are going to do in each paddock in 
each year," he said.
Meanwhile, turning back the clock to a more natural grazing system 
where cattle will be shepherded, is the intended focus of landholders 
Sue and Patrick Rahilly.

The Rahillys run a time-controlled grazing system with higher stock 
density beef enterprise where resting paddocks is the most important 
factor.
"There is a worldwide movement to shepherd stock, rather than fence 
them and I am hoping to do more of this in the future," Mrs Rahilly 
said.

"From readings about quantum, systems and chaos theory, I plan less 
now, being more reliant on observations and willingness to respond 
quickly, rather than be tied to a "plan"."

Mrs Rahilly said they had also had a change in attitude to all plant species.
"My attitude to weeds has changed, as I have learned that stock can 
be taught to graze them.
"I am intending to make the cattle the biological controls of Barnaby Thistle.
"Knowledge passed down the generations of stock is significant and 
applies to other behaviours as well as what plants to graze. The 
pastures are staying as robust as ever. I am also getting to know the 
stock, which is a great benefit."
Mrs Rahilly's attitude to managing the land has also changed.

"I monitor the land every time I go out to move cattle, and I respond 
as quickly as I can by removing or adding stock.

"My philosophy to fit into nature actually reduces input costs and 
increases profit."
A dinner will be held on Thursday night as a forum for like-minded 
landholders to discuss issues and be inspired by guest speaker 
Patrice Newell.
Patrice manages a large certified bio-dynamic farm in the Upper 
Hunter Valley near Scone and is the author of three books, The Olive 
Grove, The River and Ten Thousand Acres - A Love Story.
Each is a passionate dialogue of her fight for sustainable 
agriculture and environmental responsibility. Her central belief as a 
farmer is summed up in the words: "the land must define its use".
Patrice will speak about learning from past mistakes and how our 21st 
Century farmers can be proud of their adaptability and commitment.

Patrice wants Australian farmers to celebrate their survival in the 
most difficult of times - to tell their stories loud and clear.
A limited number of places are still available for the bus tour and 
the dinner. Please contact Cherie Hughes on 0439 045 456 for 
availability.

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