Local Soil health is on the improve with action taken by local farmers with support by North Central CMA. A group of over 20 farmers is contributing local experience to develop skills for sustainable soils management.A dozen plots of cover crop species and mixes are being installed during March 2015 and a broad range of soil analysis are being analysed to assess the range of attributes provided in three of our key local soil types.
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| Measuring soil success - the earthworm. Feb 2015. |
Soil health is one of those areas where a farmer’s direct action contributes to sustainability of the soil resource and profitability of the farm operation. So, if you are a local landholder, consider these 5 points.
First, organic matter. If you've got it, keeping it maintained will mean the difference between sustainable soil and a desert. We need to put a premium on soil organic matter as a component of farmland sale prices or lease rates.
Second, maintaining a regular regimen of soil testing is critical to maintaining high-quality land.
Three, tillage goes a long way in sustaining or robbing soil of quality over time. The less soil is disturbed, the better the crops will sustain themselves.
Four, cover crops provide a green solar collector, putting down live roots and providing habitat.
Five, improving soil health can make food production more resilient to weather extremes, and improve the health of water and wildlife.
Local landcare in practice.
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