On-farm compost making workshop
On-farm compost making workshop
Farmers on the Central Coast learn skills in making compost on their farms
Building our Future -
LLCI034-011
The issue
The NSW Farmers Central Coast Horticulture Branch has been running training events, field days and on-farm demonstrations on the theme of compost and many growers have expressed an interest in learning how to make their own compost on their farms. Growers often have crop residues and other organic material that can be turned into valuable compost.
The solution
We engaged Rob Niccol from Australian Native Landscapes to present a workshop on on-farm compost making. Rob has 25 years’ experience in compost production and came with a wealth of knowledge and many organic samples for participants to view.
Topics that Rob covered included:
- Selecting and managing inputs
- Temperature, moisture and timing
- Process controls
- Equipment
- Matching compost maturity to end use
- Crop nutrition, soil biology and soil health
The impact
The training attracted 23 commercial growers. The feedback was extremely good with participants expressing appreciation of the depth of knowledge of the presenter. A follow-up survey since the training indicated that all respondents were making changes as a result of the workshop.
Key facts
- The training was attended by 23 commercial growers
- 100% of participants were very satisfied with the training and the information received
- Many growers have organic wastes that can be turned into valuable compost on their farms