Digging Deeper into Soils
Digging Deeper into Soils
Junee Area Landcare organized a six-day soil workshop series with agroecologist David Hardwick, aimed at helping land managers build their soil knowledge and increase their skills in decision making.
Capacity to Deliver -
NSWLP-011-049
The issue
Understanding soils can be a challenging topic in itself, and when combined with farming practices, changing weather patterns, and an expanding array of soil products, it can become even more complex. As a result, land managers often face numerous obstacles when it comes to comprehending their soils and making informed decisions about how best to manage them. Determining where and what to test can add further complexity to this process.
The solution
The solution to these challenges was to provide a comprehensive soil workshop that combined theoretical knowledge with practical, hands-on activities. By enlisting the expertise of David Hardwick, an experienced agroecologist, the workshop aimed to empower land managers to better understand their soils, identify key soil issues, and develop an effective soil management plan. Through this workshop, land managers could build their soil skills, learn to read soil tests with confidence, and make informed soil decisions based on their farm's unique requirements.
The impact
The impact of these workshops was significant, over the 6 days we had 96 participants receive hands-on, one-on-one experience with soil management techniques. They were able to understand and apply their knowledge to their own farms, and discuss solutions for the soil issues that their fellow participants were facing. By sharing different techniques and methods of soil management, the participants were able to collaborate and learn from each other, ultimately improving their farming practices. Additionally, the landholders gained confidence in reading soil tests and making informed decisions regarding soil health. Overall, those who attended the workshops felt they had a positive impact and created a collaborative space for them to their soil issues.
Key facts
- 11 farming enterprises committed to attending the workshops
- Across the 6 days there were 96 attendants
- We visited 5 local Illabo farms