Mid north coast landholders invited to Soil Health workshops

The popular Soil Health workshops run by NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) are making a comeback, with days being held in the Nambucca Valley, the Macleay and the Hastings later this month.

“These free one-day Soil Health workshops involve informative talks and lots of hands-on activity,” said organiser Carol Rose, DPI agronomist based at Kempsey.

They will be held in:

• Nambucca Valley on Tuesday 25 September
• Smithtown Hall in the Macleay on Wednesday 26 September, and
• Byabarra Community Hall in the Hastings on Thursday 27 September.

“We will be looking at how soil organisms, soil fertility and soil structure all interact for a healthy soil,” Ms Rose said.

“These workshops will show how the total soil environment affects pasture growth and farm productivity, as well as illustrating how important land management can be to maintain soil health.”

Guest speakers include:

• DPI soils advisory officer Abigail Jenkins, author of the “Managing for Healthy soils” book and Soil Biology Basics information sheets – talking about soil health factors and the range of soil organisms working in the soil.
• Jeremy Bradley from Carbon Farming Innovations – including a session with microscopes so people can have a close look at the smaller organisms in our soils.

Carol Rose said there will be three hands-on sessions in small groups:

• Session 1 looking closely into the soil,
• Session 2 looking at the root zone, and the importance of soil structure and root growth, and
• Session 3 involving simple tests that you can use on your own property to determine soil health.

The workshops will run from 10am until 2.30. The day is free with morning tea provided.

Registration is essential as numbers are limited, so contact your local Landcare office (Nambucca 65 647838; Macleay
65 622076, Hastings 65 864465).

Anyone with an interest in soil is invited to attend the workshop.

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