Case Study | Farming and Gardening
Blessings Farm – Pasture Improvement and Home Garden
Context
SoiLife was engaged to assist with pasture management and the house garden at a Cattle Farm in Pumpenbil, NSW. The farmer had concerns with compaction and the poor quality of the pasture.
The farm had a history of heavy chemical and fertiliser usage, ticks were a huge issue and the farmer wanted to improve the health of the cattle at the same time as building soil structure and alleviating compaction.
The farmers also wanted to provide for themselves by growing food at the house and needed assistance with developing the soil, reducing compaction and providing healthy plants for them to eat.
Plants species
Farmhouse garden, citrus. Mixed pasture species
Soil type:
Clay loam, moderate compaction
Location
Tweed Shire, NSW
Challenge
The farm had suffered from overgrazing and high usage of chemical and fertiliser inputs, severely reducing the biology found within the soil. This reduced biology had led to the ground becoming increasingly compacted and the carrying capacity of the land reduced.
Goals
1. Reduce compaction of soil and improve drainage and overall structure
2. Improve the nutrient availability in the pasture
3. Improve the output of the farmhouse garden
Pasture Treatment regime: 20ha at 50L/ha
3 year Program – 3 treatments per year
SoiLife Results
SoiLife treated the Farm over three years. At the end of the first year and three treatments a positive improvement through biology was seen in the soil structure, pH, pasture plant composition, and healthier cattle.
Ticks were no longer an issue and no further tick treatments of the cattle were required. (Results came after first year)
The farmhouse garden improved yields and soil structure.
Year 1
Ticks disappeared
Soil pH and structure beginning to balance
Year 2
Water holding
Improved water retention in paddocks and farm garden improved
Year 3
Healthy farm
Soil and animals healthy and thriving
Pasture improved
The structure and health of the soil improved in the farm garden
Gardening in the farm garden became easier and the fruit taste improved.
Farm conditions for pasture and water holding capacity improved.
Even in shaded areas the pasture health was improved
Farm conditions for pasture and water holding capacity improved.
House lawns and gardens improved
Yard areas reduced compaction and pasture improved
“After the first year of treatment, we saw a large change in the quality of the pasture. What we also saw was that there was much less standing water, so the compaction had really been reduced. We handpicked a lot of the fireweed and Parramatta Grass which did not return after we applied SoiLife.”
Nalini Watson, Cattle Farmer
Pumpenbil, NSW
