Mid Lachlan Landcare
supporting sustainable agriculture and restoring the environment
Visiting Earth and Enviro Students undertake MLL’s Landcare Tour
Science teacher Bronwen Roberts from Brisbane Waters College on the central coast of NSW has been bringing her HSC Earth and Environmental Science students to the Mid Lachlan Landcare district since 2012.
After staying overnight in Canowindra, the group undertook MLL’s Landcare Tour, which includes farm and site visits which demonstrate landscape processes and land management issues, as well as a visit to the Age of Fishes Museum.
The tour was conducted by Wooly and Emma Sawyers. Emma is a graduate of Cowra High School who has just completed a degree at the University of Canberra. Emma is volunteering her time and expertise to MLL and presented valuable content to the group.
Grazing Management Field Day with Brian Wehlburg
Our recent field day at “Talinga” Woodstock attracted 60 people from as far as Merriwa and Sydney.
Our guest speakers were Brian Wehlburg, a certified holistic management educator that delivers grazing management courses to a diverse range of groups. He also runs his own pasture grass-based beef, pork and egg enterprise. Gus Hickman also spoke to attendees, providing an insight into the transformation of “Talinga”.
At the field day, Brian talked about the importance of covered soils all year round and having a range of grasses and plant species in our landscapes. He also talked about the challenges faced when moving away from repetitive systems towards natural processes. The focus should be on working with the landscape and farm ecology.
Brian highlighted the importance of reducing production costs by utilising things that are provided to us for free such as sunlight, oxygen, water, soil and biology. By enhancing those processes with the use of grazing animals, they assist in landscape regeneration and contribute to profitable farming businesses. Brian explained that to make sure our businesses and ecology are moving forward, constant monitoring is required, he said “It’s critical to be managing our businesses and landscapes by a plan, monitor, control, and re-plan process”. He also stressed that planning is an essential component, all levels of management should be consulted in order for clear goals to be set.
Gus Hickman spoke passionately about the journey his family has made at “Talinga” over the last 20 years. Moving towards a bio diverse landscape has helped improve their profitability, build resilience in the landscape, and provided a sense of achievement and enjoyment.
Mid Lachlan Landcare’s Grazing Project Officer, Scott Hickman commented that “Brian is passionate about working with nature and making nature better by using grazing animals, ensuring we leave something for future generations but also making sure people can run a profitable business that has flow-on effects to whole communities as well.”
Following the field day, a paddock to plate dinner was held at The Oxley Wine Bar in Cowra for those attendees interested in marketing and selling their own brand. On the menu was a range of local produce including free range, holistically managing chicken from Carbeen Pastured Produce at Cudal and holistically managed lamb from “Oatleigh” Canowindra. Forty people attended to hear Brian’s story on his own Kindee Valley Farm products and his reasons for marketing his own produce.
Brian’s key points on marketing and selling are:
- Have a story to tell – the farm, the family, why your product is worth buying
- Know your consumer – farmers markets, demographics, what do they care about?
- Educate your consumer – recipes, cryovac/fresh products
- Good relationships are essential i.e. With your courier and butcher
- Be clear in your goals – a lot of time and effort is required, research everything before you start
Mid Lachlan Landcare would like to sincerely thank Brian for providing his time and knowledge. Thanks also to Gus and Anna Hickman for hosting the field day and to The Oxley Wine Bar for preparing and hosting the dinner.
If you would like more information about this field day or would like to be involved with Growing the Grazing Revolution please contact Scott Hickman 0427 450 416 or email oatleigh@westnet.com.au
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- “Talinga” shearing shed at capacity
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- Brian Wehlburg shares his knowledge
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- Paddock walk on “Talinga”
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- MLL’s Grazing Project Officer Scott Hickman
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- Owner of “Talinga” Gus Hickman
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- Ian and Simone from The Oxley Wine Bar supported our paddock to plate dinner
Squirrel Glider forage plants coming along nicely at community nursery
Seed collected locally for the John Holland Squirrel Glider Conservation Project is germinating and growing nicely at the Weddin Community Native Nursery in Grenfell. Threatened Squirrel Gliders have a varied seasonal diet with wattle plants playing an important role in providing some of their food requirements. Acacia gum is an important winter food source with pollen and arboreal invertebrates, which are attracted to the wattle flowers, providing essential protein.
A key activity to assist in the recovery of Squirrel Gliders is to retain or reinstate food resources, particularly sap-feeding trees and midstorey feed species such as Acacia. This portion of the project has the potential to provide critical foraging habitat by providing plants which are now largely missing from the local landscape not only for Squirrel Gliders but a host of other species which rely on native shrubs for nesting and feeding.
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- Germinating Acacia spectabilis seed
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- Wyalong wattle in flower
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- Acacia montana with seed
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- Wren nest in Acacia acinacea
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- Superb Parrot feeding on Acacia seed
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Grazing Cluster Meetings Bring Producers Together in South East LLS Region
Grazing Project Officer Scott Hickman highlighted just how important the benefits of group support through networking and information sharing at the recent Grazing Cluster Meetings held at Yass, Boorowa and Crookwell as part of the South East Local Land Services Grazing Management Project. Over three days more than 45 landholders met locally to discuss a range of topics including grazing management and planning, grass assessment, pasture biodiversity, improving soil health and planning for water infrastructure. Livestock management and health were also important with discussions had on pasture and fodder needs, mineral supplements, animal performance and parasite monitoring and control.
The meetings were the first of two planned with each local group, with two large field days also scheduled. The projects aim is to form local groups of producers that can provide encouragement and support to one another during transition to best practice management. Key to the project, is its inclusive nature, bringing people together in a flexible learning environment in order to harness local knowledge and experience.
Squirrel Glider Nest Boxes Will Provide Essential Habitat
Thirty nest boxes have been installed in the rail corridor between Cowra and Young as part of the John Holland Squirrel Glider Conservation Project. Lachlan Valley Tree Services expertly climbed and installed the boxes in a variety of eucalypts in a location where Squirrel Gliders were detected earlier in the year. Nest boxes play an important role in providing denning and nesting sites when there is a shortage of suitable natural habitat. All the nest boxes were constructed with rear entrances, which helps to discourage invasive bird species such as Starlings, and carpet has been attached to the inside of the lid to prevent European Bees attaching their hives.
Seed Propagation Underway for Squirrel Glider Conservation Project
After a busy summer of identifying and collecting local seed from Acacia (wattle) and other native shrubs from roadside reserves and Travelling Stock Routes, propagation for the John Holland Squirrel Glider Conservation Project has begun. The seeds from almost twenty species of native plants were collected which were then cleaned and prepared for sowing into forestry tubes and trays.
Once the plants are grown they will be planted at specially selected sites along the non-operational rail line between Cowra and Young to help improve habitat within remnant woodland vegetation by increasing the amount of forage plants for threatened Squirrel Gliders. Squirrel Gliders have a diet of nectar, pollen, insects, manna and Acacia gum, and some studies have found that one of the most important food sources for most months of the year, particularly during winter, is nectar and pollen from flowers of Eucalyptus and Acacia plants, making this portion of the project extremely important in sustaining the local Squirrel Glider population.
Scott Hickman To Facilitate Grazing Management Project for South East Local Land Services
Mid Lachlan Landcare is pleased to announce that our Grazing Project Officer Scott Hickman will be the facilitator for South East Local Land Services Grazing Management Project. The project’s aim is to engage with the communities of Boorowa, Upper Lachlan and the Yass Valley in order to support and improve knowledge and skills in sustainable land management practices and to assist land managers in implementing on-ground practice change.
Scott is an experienced facilitator and mentor who aims to build confidence in land managers by providing encouragement and ideas within a flexible learning environment that is focussed on local, topical issues. The Grazing Management Project will enable Scott to coordinate a series of local group meetings and organise two major field days, while also providing mentoring and support to individuals.
Stay tuned for project updates.
Visiting students experience local food production
Year 12 food technology and hospitality students from Brigidine College in Randwick spent three days this week touring the Cowra region learning about different types and scales of food production. Students were able to meet the farmers, ask questions and even taste their produce during a packed itinerary visiting a holistically managed sheep grazing property, an organic farm that specialises in wine, olives and figs, a high production vegetable farm, a dairy, olive processors and the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange. Our local producers shared their knowledge and gave personal insights into how they’re managing their land and resources to improve productivity and farm health into the future.
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- Wooly explains integrated pest management used on organic figs at Rosnay Organic
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- Olives ready for bottling at Rosnay Organic
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- Ed explains how cover crops return organic matter to the soil at Mulyan
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- Spanish onions being harvested at Mulyan
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- Cows line up for milking at Yarallah Dairy
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- La Barre Olive Oil from Billimari Olive Processors
John Holland CRN Partnership Conserving and Improving Squirrel Glider Habitat
Mid Lachlan Landcare recently partnered with John Holland Country Regional Network to undertake threatened Squirrel Glider conservation works along the non-operational rail line between Cowra and Demondrille in Central West NSW. The project will provide additional denning and nesting sites using artificial nest boxes and will include planting of mid and understorey shrubs, particularly Acacia (wattle) species, to improve foraging resources. Seed is currently being collected locally from roadsides and remnants from Cowra to Monteagle.
Spotlighting to detect Squirrel Gliders began a few weeks ago after site scoping identified a number of suitable locations. Then, one warm night during late November we hit Squirrel Glider gold! Two individuals were identified in the spotlight beam.
This site will now be the focus of many of the on-ground works scheduled for early 2015. Watch this space!
Eat Local Dinner Event – supporting our sustainable producers
Mid Lachlan Landcare’s inaugural Eat Local dinner event held in Cowra last week was a great success, celebrating and bringing together a local network of sustainable producers that aim to improve their land while keeping their businesses productive and profitable. The Oxley Food and Wine Bar hosted the event, incorporating into their menu locally grown, grass fed lamb and beef.
Guest speakers Andrew Wooldridge and Scott Hickman both provided inspiring talks that highlighted how important it is to value and respect our productive land and environment. Mr Wooldridge is an organic farmer from Canowindra and experienced soil scientist with the Department of Primary Industries. His talk provided a global context, giving the audience insight into how the human race throughout the ages have put continuous pressure on their lands to produce food and fibre often leading to deforestation, land degradation, erosion and an ultimate decline in living standards.
Mr Hickman highlighted the important role regenerative agriculture has to play within our natural environment for the wider community through clean water and healthy soils. He talked about his personal journey in adopting holistic management and the positivity he’s experienced during his facilitation of a local grazing mentoring project called “Growing the Grazing Revolution”, which supports landholders during their transition to improved grazing management.
Mid Lachlan Landcare will continue leading the way in supporting local, sustainable agriculture. “Our aim is to continue delivering “Growing the Grazing Revolution” and help our landholders with any challenges they may meet along the way,” said Vanessa Cain, Support Officer with Mid Lachlan Landcare. “We’d also like to build community awareness so people can make choices about the products they’re purchasing. There’s opportunity here to market a product that’s special not only in terms of its agricultural and environmental benefits but also socially.”
The success of the evening wasn’t only about the great turnout. The positivity in the room was unmistakeable – the perfect combination of a group of passionate and dedicated locals within the relaxed atmosphere of The Oxley.
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- Eat Local Guests
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- Eat Local Guests
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- Eat Local Guests
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- Andrew Wooldridge
Mid Lachlan Landcare 