Gidgegannup Small Farm Field Day: Sustainable farming practices take centre stage

Sustainability is the name of the game at this year’s Gidgegannup Small Farm Field Day, with the Ian Stannard Pavilion due to host seven keynote speakers covering everything from regenerative agriculture to bush tucker.

Among them will be Newdegate farmer Nick Kelly, chair of the Wheatbelt Integrity Group, whose 11.30am talk will focus on the ins and outs of regenerative agriculture in a mixed farming context.

“I’ll be talking about perennial pasture-based systems, incorporating cropping and soil care principles, the holistic grazing of animals, minimal soil disturbance where possible, and ground cover,” he said.

Mr Kelly, whose parents cleared the family farm from virgin bush in 1965, is considered a pioneer of regenerative agriculture, which he has been practising for more than a decade.

He said it had been a “radical transition” shifting from a traditional wheat and sheep operation to eventually scrapping chemical fertilisers altogether.

“Back in the 90s, we got rid of all of the sheep and went into a total cropping system using knife-points and a system totally reliant on chemicals and fertiliser,” Mr Kelly said.

“We had good success with that but soon ran into issues — mainly weed issues — which we later learned were a biological soil health issue. It wasn’t just a chemical and physical issue, although they were part of it.

“So we started investigating how to keep our biology alive in our soils, especially over our generally dry summers, and that took us down the path of cover cropping.

“We started with summer cover cropping — learning what to grow and when to grow things in our environment in summer — and that took us into a zero tillage cropping system, where we eventually came to where we are now, where we’re chemical and synthetic fertiliser-free … and we’ve gone back into livestock as well.”

Also speaking will be David McFall, chair of industry group Certified Organic Biodynamic WA and a fourth-generation farmer at Cherry Tree Pool in the Shire of Kojonup.

Mr McFall’s Temple Farm property is a leading example of regenerative organic farming, with fully integrated projects including Yeoman’s water harvesting, revegetation for habitat linkage, agroforestry and carbon farming.

“I’m passionate about future-proofing agriculture and our natural capital estate with strategic tree cropping that will advance the employment and enterprise opportunities of the regions,” he said.

“The new bio-economy promises to stimulate regional economies around renewable fuels, bio-plastics, water and food security.”

Mr McFall was actively involved in the oil mallee project, engaging more than 250 farmers and assisting the integration of 10 million mallees in the Upper Great Southern region.

“The mallee resource was aimed at stimulating renewable energy investment into the region, plus tacking rising salinity and lack of land use diversity on farms,” he said.

“It was a project before its time, but it’s now well poised to bring energy and net zero carbon solutions to the table.”

His 10am presentation will focus on the awareness of nature-based farming solutions, highlighting “the need for change and the pathways that change can take”.

Other talks include a 10.45am presentation by Susa’s Gardening Sanctuary founder Suzanne Crosse on vegies, flowers, and beneficial plants for a sustainable garden.

At 12.15pm, Wardandi Bibbulmun woman and entrepreneur Dale Tilbrook will discuss bush food, followed by a 1pm presentation by garden consultant Deryn Thorpe on tips to make gardening easier and more productive.

Jarrahdale farmer Alyssa Miller will discuss her family’s regenerative farming journey at 1.45pm, and Gidgegannup nurseryman Tim Eva will share tree selection and preparation tips at 2.15pm.

The Gidgegannup Small Farm Field Day will be held from 9am-4.30pm on Sunday, May 28, at the Gidgegannup Showground at 2171 Toodyay Road in Gidgegannup.

Children under 16 can enter free.

Tickets are $15 for adults and can be purchased at the gate or online at events.humanitix.com/gidgegannup-small-farm-field-day-bn8ruyjr