18 Copford Road Goulburn NSW 2580
dfalconer@bestfarming.com.au
1800 455 237

Pastures

19 Jul 2015
By Best Australia Animals, Cropping, Pastures

Farmer finds best way to increase gross margins

Reaching a compromise between a biological and conventional farming system has resulted in increased stocking rates. Improved soil structure and reduced input costs for a Tasmanian producer. Rob Tole had been caught in a high input regime of fertilisers, fungicides and insecticides. In his cropping enterprise at Cressy when an issue with pugged soils had far reaching consequences. The waterlogged and compacted soils resulted in a yield penalty in the crops following and started Rob on a path to finding solutions.

He trialled TM Agricultural, an organic soil activation product produced by Best Environmental Technologies. On his worst paddocks with beneficial results and now uses the product across 100 per cent of his farm. Set in a 650mm rainfall zone, the 550ha property is at the foot of the Great Western Tiers with soil types comprising heavy black to lighter sandy loams.  Around 60 per cent of the farm is dedicated to irrigation with nine fixed pivots irrigation 320ha. Applications of up to 10 tonnes/ha of lime has resulted in a soil pH of 5.9-6.2 and Olsen P levels are high at 25mg/kg.

Read More

10 Jul 2015
By Best Australia Animals, Cropping, Pastures, Trees - Fruit & Nut

David Finds a Profitable and Sustainable Farming Mix

Southern NSW grazier David Shuter has doubled his carrying capacity by achieving a balance between biological and conventional soil treatments. The planned program over the last four years has also resulted in reduced soil acidity and compaction. And increased soil aeration, boosting pasture growth and animal productivity. Mr Shuter and his son Nicholas run an aggregation of four properties (freehold and leasehold) totalling 1240ha. At Gerogery and Walla Walla. By focusing on lifting soil and pasture health. Their 2013-drop calves achieved a lifetime average daily weight gain of 1.1kg off grass.

Mr Shuter puts the productivity increase down to the use of worm juice and TM Agricultural. An organic soil activation product produced by Best Environmental Technologies. He said the improvement in soil biology had created ideal conditions for increased populations of earthworms and native dung beetles.

Read More

16 Jan 2014
By Best Australia Animals, Pastures, Trees - Fruit & Nut

Tony finds best options for pastures to berries

A hefty $30,000 saving on his fertilizer bill, improved plant vigour and ground cover has resulted in a healthy triple bottom line for North East farmer Tony Iaria. The Iaria family run a diverse enterprise mix – a 300-cow dairy, a Limousin stud, fodder crops, chestnuts, cherries, hazelnuts, and a pick-your-own berry orchard. With rising fuel, machinery and labour costs compounded by lower farm-gate returns, Tony looked for ways of driving down production costs across all enterprises. He found a solution in the organically certified soil rejuvenator, TM Agricultural, which uses plant extracts to stimulate indigenous soil microbes. He simply applies the TM Ag as a liquid spray at 250mls/ha two to three times a year on all crops and pastures – on the chestnut orchard alone the fertilizer bill has been slashed from $35,000 to $1500 a year.

Read More