Pioneer of the pasture cropping technique Colin Seis will cover the principles of pasture cropping and the benefits to soil health at a free pasture cropping workshop at Naring Hall on Tuesday 17th February.
Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (CMA) Regional Landcare facilitator Charlie Sexton said interest in the technique was growing in the farming community. “After the success of similar pasture cropping workshops run by Gecko CLaN in the Productive Plains area near Benalla, and because Colin is a farmer sharing knowledge with other farmers, it was decided to run a pasture cropping session in the Agricultural Floodplains area,” Mr Sexton said.
“Colin pioneered the pasture cropping technique when he was burned out over 20 years ago and needed a low input technique to get back on his feet.
“Pasture cropping is a zero tilling technique of sowing annual cereal crops into living perennial pastures - the crops grow symbiotically with the existing pastures, with real benefits for the pasture, the crop and the soil in the long term.
“This is primarily a feed source for stock, with the added option of a grain yield if the crop is managed correctly.”
Mr Sexton said another benefit of pasture cropping is that it builds soil carbon, which improves the health and resilience of soil and can increase farm profits.
The Goulburn Broken CMA and Goulburn Murray Landcare Network are sponsoring the Pasture Cropping Workshop through the Regional Landcare Facilitator Project.
The Workshop with be run at Naring Hall, corner of Labuan Rd and Naring Hall Rd , Naring on Tuesday 17th February from 9.30 am - 4.00 pm.
The event is free and lunch will be supplied.
RSVP’s to Jo Doolan by 11th February are essential: call 0447 321 140 or email gmln2@bigpond.com
More information on pasture cropping can be found here: http://www.winona.net.au/farming.html