We had a visit this term from biodynamic farmer Shane Joyce of
the Kumbartcho Project Farm near Kilkivan Queensland. Shane hosted our Year 10 students in Term 3, who spent five days learning about the different ways Shane manages the landscape, including the use of biodynamic principles, natural sequence farming, syntropic systems and agroforestry. The staff and students made a significant contribution to the early spring planting of Shane’s southern paddock to support the process of slowing and holding water in the landscape (see photos above). It was a pleasure to have Shane visit last week and meet our School farmer, Callan Terry. We look forward to many more future opportunities to work together between our two properties.
In other news from the Farm, Callan has been selected to participate in the government-funded Slow the Flow soil improvement project, which aims to support farmers in observing and assessing their fields using the 10 Regenerative Indicators developed by Nicole Masters from Integrity Soils. These indicators will help track the impact of regenerative practices being implemented on our Farm. Over time, as observations are recorded, farmers can evaluate whether these practices are driving positive changes.
The two-year project involves 10 other local farms, fostering a collaborative environment focused on data sharing, open discussions, and meaningful conversations about land regeneration. These aspects are as integral to the project’s success as the practices themselves.
The data for the project will be recorded using a new app called Soilmentor. This app integrates Google Earth to precisely locate paddocks and soil assessment sites. Some of the key parameters and data collected include: worm count per shovel full, water infiltration rates, legume root nodule counts, root depth, rhizosheaths, Brix measurements, and more. Participants can directly observe and engage with this data, promoting collaboration and shared insights among all members of the project.
