Farmers Digging Deeper

 

Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network along with partners are excited to announce the completion of the ‘Farmers Digging Deeper’ Project.

This project supported 315 farmers across the region to increase their knowledge of soil health and to better understand the links between soil health, farm productivity and profitability. The project also helped farmers develop management pathways to actively improve their farms soil health and condition.

On 115 farms the project will collect:

  • 540 soil carbon core samples;

  • 184 soil chemistry samples; and

  • 115 soil biology samples.

Read on for more details of the projects including reports…

Thank you to the Commonwealth Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment for the funding we received.


A series of soil health interpretation training workshops and field days further supported farmers knowledge on soil carbon, natural capital accounting opportunities, and practices proven to increase soil health and productivity. Five on-farm demonstration sites were established throughout the region to measure the soil health impacts of multi-species pastures and regenerative grazing management.

The South Gippsland Landcare Network also formed a farmer discussion group focusing on soils and regenerative agriculture. This complimented an already active discussion network managed by all partners across the region.

This 2-year regional project was completed in April 2024 and was facilitated by the Western Port Catchment Landcare Network. Key partners include Bass Coast Landcare Network, Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network, Mornington Peninsula Shire, South Gippsland Landcare Network & Melbourne Water.

This project was supported by Western Port Catchment Landcare Network, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program

  • Side by Side Sampling

    John and Vanessa Sharman’s property had some side by side sampling conducted on their property looking at measuring changes and comparing differences in results of management practices. The results obtained aim to provide data on soil carbon, chemistry levels, structure, bulk density and biology, which will help inform the wider farming community and provide valuable information to assist farmers in their future management decisions.

  • All samples are done!

    Monday the 5th of December marked the finial lot of soil monitoring for the Intro to Soils Program. Over the course 3 weeks, LCLN were able to collect all 14 samples! Massive thanks to Pete and Josh from Inspired Ag Solutions for their consistent efforts in collecting samples and chatting with farmers about their soils.

    We look forward to implementing the second part of the program in Autumn 2023. Landholders partaking in this program will be able to attend two workshops to help decipher their soil data and help get a better understanding of how to interpret the numbers.

  • Intro to Soil sampling underway

    Over the last week the Network has started sampling farms as part of the Farmers Digging Deeper - Introduction to soils, and understanding your soil tests program. This program is looking to help 14 landholders in the Latrobe Catchment region to better understand their soil health. Pete Ronalds from Inspired Ag Solutions and his son Josh have been doing an amazing job getting 6 of the farms sampled for; carbon, microbiology, chemistry.

    Weather conditions have been challenging with many of our sites having to be rescheduled due to wet soils. We hope to get the rest of the farms sampled before the end of year!

  • Monitoring continues in Willow Grove

    Monitoring of the multi-species site in Willow Grove has been successful with data recorded on;

    • Water infiltration and soil temperature

    • Pasture transects

    • Feed tests

    • Photo points

    Results have show that the subsoiled trial area has had a better water infiltration rate than the drilled trial. Diversity of species found within the trials were limited, however this was the first round of seeding and monitoring. Spring seeding has occurred and the next round of monitoring will occur in a few months.

  • Introduction to soils, and understanding your soil tests

    Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network, alongside our Farmers Digging Deeper project partners are running an introductory program for landholders who are at an early stage in their learning about soils and soil testing. The program includes soil testing on your farm plus two workshops designed to help you better understand your soils and interpret your soil test results. This opportunity is directed towards the western end of the network however we still encourage your application for future events.

    The program will cost you $150 + GST which covers:

    2 soil chemistry tests

    1 biology (microbial mass) test

    1 soil carbon test

    2 interactive workshops

    Note that soil sampling will take place in late spring 2022, with the workshops being held in autumn 2023.

    If you’re a landholder or manager interested in participating, please click on the following link below to submit an expression of interest.

    Applications have closed

    *Extra information

    Places are limited and submission of EOI does not guarantee participation. EOI’s will be assessed and participants selected by the project team whose decision will be final.

  • Multi-species Demonstration Site

    A Willow Grove property with vast views over the Baw Baw region has begun it’s multi-species journey. On a June cold, wet and windy winter morning, soil carbon, chemistry and microbiology were tested to start the project off on a high. We found some remanets of charcoal in some samples indicating either fires or land clearing. In the coming weeks we will start sowing multis-species into six quadrants, aiming to understand the differences in growth efficiencies between a direct seeder and a Kanga (Yeomans plough type tool).

    In mid September the first round of monitoring was completed by the Project manager and landholder. Samples of water infiltration, soil temperature, pasture transects, feed tests and photo points were taken prior to the plot being grazed.

  • Monitoring Results in Willow Grove

    Monitoring Results in Willow Grove

    The results from our multi-species site in Willow Grove are in.

    Established in June 2022 and completed in February 2024, the aim of this site was to explore options to successfully establish multi-species pastures/crops through broadcasting following deep ripping with a soil aerator. This was compared with a high tech direct drill, and deep ripping with no seed broadcast. The additional diversity should extend the growing season, provide additional fodder, and improve soil, plant and animal health.

    Questions we wanted to answer were:

    • How does a low cost deep ripper (Kanga) with broadcast seed compare to a high tech seeder when sowing and establishing multi-species cover crops?

    • How well do multi-species crops germinate without any preparation tillage?

    If you would like to see the details including:

    • Activities and Treatments

    • Monitoring Methods

    • Sowing rates, dates and species

    • Pasture composition changes from baseline to final

    • FeedTest results

    • Pasture Yields, composition, nutrition & modelled liveweight gain (beef)

    • Soil chemistry, carbon and biology

    …here’s the link.

    The summary of the results can be found on the last 3 pages.

    A big shout out to our landholders who were willing to participate in the program. Also to Peter Ronalds from Inspired Agriculture and the Western Port Landcare Catchment Network for helping to facilitate and finish this project.

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