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Discovering the sociobiome of healthy soils |
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Come along on two journeys to discover more about sustainable primary production:
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Journey 1: explore the soil sociobiome with Dr Christine Jones to gain a greater understanding of how our soils function
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Journey 2: Martin will talk about the paradigm shift from ‘kill, kill, kill’ agriculture to ‘live, live, live’ agriculture
Dr Christine Jones
This event will help you gain a greater understanding of how your soils function – you’ll get the opportunity to learn more about how phosphorus and nitrogen work and interact with soils. You’ll also gain a better understanding of the important principles of soil health.
Martin Williams
Martin is a multi-species crop specialist and has been working in the regenerative agriculture space for 20 years. Martin always looks at the big picture and believes that the real transition happens in our head! If you don’t transition in your head you’ll never transition anything on the farm.
This workshop is FREE for everyone in the region and includes morning tea and lunch:
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Date: Friday 10 June
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Time: 9 am to 3.30 pm
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Location: Kybybolite Footy Club
More information can be found on the Limestone Coast Landscape Board Website, or visit Eventbrite to register.
This project is funded by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, through the landscape levy.
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GrowingSA and WoTL conference competition |
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The Limestone Coast Sustainable Primary Production team would like to send one lucky person to the Growing SA conference and one lucky person to the Women Together Learning (WoTL) conference, as part of our Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator program.
The lucky winners will also receive two nights accommodation at the Hahndorf Resort and the Stables Inn Boutique Motel respectively.
Growing SA Conference
Annual conference of South Australia's grain and livestock industries gathering producers, industry service providers and decision-makers to hear the latest in policy developments, farm business advice and commodity research.
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Date: Monday 29 August – Tuesday 30 August 2022
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Location: Hahndorf
WoTL Conference
Thriving women 2022 growing and inspiring women connected through agriculture. Focusing on the 'Impact of Us' acknowledging and fostering the impact women are having on their own lives, businesses and industries.
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Date: Monday 1 August - Tuesday 2 August
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Location: Hahndorf
Visit the Limestone Coast Landscape Board website to see if you are eligible to win these tickets.
This project is supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
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Carbon footprint workshop in the Limestone Coast - FREE |
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Carbon farming has rapidly become a topic that producers and growers need to know about, as policy, markets and emission reduction targets start affecting businesses.
Knowing where to start and being informed about your business in relation to carbon emissions helps with understanding which actions to take. In order to set carbon neutral goal posts, having a current carbon footprint is essential information. The Limestone Coast Landscape Board is supporting this Carbon Footprint and Feasibility workshop in the Limestone Coast.
What's involved?
As a landholder/grower you will receive an assessment report, work through an interpretation and analyse the feasibility of actions that would track toward carbon neutrality.
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This training is available to 10 businesses with each business able to have up to two people attend
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Each business will be required to supply data to Integrity Agriculture and Environment in the weeks prior
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Time will be assigned for a one-on-one session with a consultant to develop a property carbon footprint assessment
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Participants will receive a report that can be used during the workshop to personalise understanding and to customise discussion on the available options for practice change
Workshop details:
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Date: Thursday 23 June
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Time: 9 am to 4 pm
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Location: TBA
For more information and/or to register, contact Kate Holberton by email or phone her on 0438 599 445.
This project is part of the Farm Business Resilience Program and is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Government of South Australia. It is supported by funding through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, the Department for Environment and Water, Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, and Ag Excellence Alliance.
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Last Chance - Sustainable Land Management Survey |
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Calling all Limestone Coast residents - this is your last change to help shape the future of our sustainable primary production projects and resources! Survey is closing soon!
The Sustainable Land Management Survey has been created to find out from the Limestone community to help provide insight into practices, behaviours and knowledge that's underpinning our region's valuable primary production sector.
We have great prizes for each of the different categories:
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Land Managers - free soil test prizes
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Consultants - free copy of The Soils of Southern South Australia publication
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Community Members - native plan vouchers
You can access the Limestone Coast Land Management Survey here.
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Limestone Coast Water Values Survey |
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Water use creates economic prosperity but also impacts the environment, community and culture – what does a balance look like to you?
The vast majority of the Limestone Coast’s water comes from underground – the confined and unconfined aquifers. We also get water from rainfall and a small amount from creeks that flow from south west Victoria. Some townships in the upper Limestone Coast are serviced by the pipeline from the River Murray.
From water allocation planning to drainage management, wetland preservation and industry water use. Water resource management concerns us all.
Have your say and help shape and inform our approach to water security in the Limestone Coast.
Visit the Limestone Coast Landscape Board website to find out more about the Limestone Coast's water and to access the Water Values Survey.
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Landcare SA - free membership and Landcare Roadshow |
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Landcare Roadshow
In 2022 the Landcare SA Conference is coming to you - this year there will be mini-conferences in Adelaide and multiple regional communities across the State.
Landcare SA want these mini-conferences to be tailored to what you want to hear about and to address the issues that your community face.
To have your say, fill out their two minute survey on survey monkey.
FREE early-bird Landcare SA membership
Have you ever thought about becoming a member of Landcare Association of South Australia? Or are you a group who are keen to join? Now is the time. Landcare SA are currently offering free early-bird membership for the 2022/23 year.
This offer is available until 1 July for 1 year memberships for both groups and individuals. A reminder that you don’t have to be a classical ‘Landcare’ group to be a member of the Landcare Association of South Australia. It is instead open to anyone or any group that would like to support Landcare in SA, and will give you access to communications about training and funding opportunities and updates in the Landcare space, discounted or free attendance at Landcare SA events (including the upcoming Landcare Roadshow), and a host of other benefits.
Free 2022/23 membership can be secured here:
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Future Drought Fund - Science to Practice Forum |
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The Future Drought Fund’s second annual Science to Practice Forum will be conducted out of Canberra and livestreamed across Australia.
This event aims to connect researchers, practitioners, farmers, agri-businesses, governments, and end-users who are making regional Australia better prepared for drought.
The SA Drought Hub will host an interactive viewing of the Forum at the Hub’s headquarters at the University of Adelaide’s Roseworthy Campus, or online, on:
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Tuesday 7 June
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Wednesday 8 June
This will be followed by a special field trip on Thursday 9 June, departing from Roseworthy (more details about the field trip to come).
More information and registration about the Future Drought Fund Science to Practice Forum can be found on eventbright.
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Succession Planning and Business Planning workshops |
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The Limestone Coast Women in Ag Network (LCWiAN) is a network for women in agriculture in the Limestone Coast to communicate with and support each other in both a social and a professional capacity, building strong connectedness in the region.
The next Limestone Coast Women in Ag Network is hosting Melissa Browne, best-selling author, financial educator and serial entrepreneur for two Financial Awareness events.
Event 1 - Financial Awareness
Melissa will discuss the Psychology of Pricing, providing tools to make decisions around pricing in your business.
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Date: Wednesday 15 June
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Location: The Commodore, Mount Gambier
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Time: 5.30 pm to 8.00 pm
Event 2 - Financial Awareness and Career Paths in Agriculture
Melissa will run a workshop on Financial Resilience versus Financial Wellness. This will be followed by a panel discussing career paths in agriculture.
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Date: Thursday 16 June
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Location: Civic Centre, Bordertown
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Time: 9.30 am to 2.30 pm
For further details visit the MacKillop Farm Management Group (MFMG) website.
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Limestone Coast Paddock Tree Project |
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Image credits: Samantha Rothe - Trees for Life
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Paddock trees are an icon of the Australian agricultural landscape and provide significant benefits to sustainable agriculture, our natural landscapes and wildlife.
The Limestone Coast Paddock Tree Project aims to establish a new generation of paddock trees by planting and guarding 1,800 seedlings on private land, as well as protecting 25 existing paddock trees.
The project has received overwhelming interest with 52 landholders within the Limestone Coast participating in the second year of the project. Several different guards types are being trialled to protect paddock tree seedlings, with planting and guarding to begin in June.
This project is supported by Trees For Life, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program and the Limestone Coast Landscape Board.
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Coonawarra EcoVineyards soil day |
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Coonawarra EcoVineyards soil health seminar proved to be a fabulous day of learning about all things soil with Dr Mary Cole from Agpath Pty Ltd.
Thirty Limestone Coast land managers learnt about the dynamic role that soil health plays in their lands ability to yield quality produce. Dr Mary Cole believes you must ‘farm your soil’ as healthy soils in your production system can help to reduce or in some cases eliminate the need for synthetic fertiliser, fungicides and insecticides
An in-depth talk about soil pH levels and how different minerals that are found in your soils react to acidic and alkaline soils followed after morning tea. There was a lot of questions and robust discussion after lunch about composting and compost teas.
Mary Retallack Retallack from Retallack Viticulture concluded the day with her experiences of making her own compost and compost teas which she is experimenting with in her own vineyards.
A big thank you to Dr Mary Cole, Wine Grape Council of SA and Retallack Viticulture for helping to support the day.
For more information about EcoVineyards project head to their website.
This project is supported by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. This project is also funded by the Limestone Coast Landscape Board, through the landscape levy.
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National Soils Advocate Forum 2022 |
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The National Soils Advocate Forum 2022 was held in Canberra on Thursday 5 May and was hosted by Australia's National Soils advocate and supported by the Ofiice of the National Soils Advocate.
There is currently high interest in the economic opportunities associated with improving soil health. However, the economic drivers of improving soil health are complex and not well understood. Below are the recordings from the day:
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Agricultural Town of the Year - nominations now OPEN |
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The Department of Primary Industries and Regions have announced that the 2022 South Australian AgTown of the Year award is now open for nominations!
Nominated towns will then be put to a public vote to help select five finalists who will vie for the title of 2022 South Australian AgTown of the Year. Communities are encouraged to get involved and nominate their town!
The winner will be announced at the Regional Showcase celebration in November 2022.
Nominations close Friday 17 June 2022, with public voting starting shortly after.
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Get Involved!
AgConnect promotes the latest sustainable agricultural news and events across the Limestone Coast. If you have an upcoming event or agricultural news you would like to share contact us:
Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitators
Skylea Mclean: skylea.mclean@sa.gov.au
Eykolina Benny: eykolina.benny@sa.gov.au
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