20/10/2015
THE PLAN.
Principles/Ethics
• Care for the Earth, Care for the people and returning any surplus back into these two ends
• Create a system that ends in absolute abundance
• Working with nature and natural recurring universal patterns to achieve these goals
• To educate and encourage others using this system as a working example
Objectives
• To preserve and build land fertility using permaculture techniques into a system of absolute abundance
(Permaculture is a system of agricultural and social design principles centred around simulating or directly utilizing the patterns and features observed in natural ecosystems. The term permaculture (as a systematic method) was first coined by Australians Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in 1978. The word permaculture originally referred to “permanent agriculture’’ but was expanded to stand also for “permanent culture,” as it was seen that social aspects were integral to a truly sustainable system as inspired by Masanobu Fukuoka’s natural farming philosophy.
It has many branches that include but are not limited to ecological design, ecological engineering, environmental design, construction and integrated water resources management that develops sustainable architecture, regenerative and self-maintained habitat and agricultural systems modelled from natural ecosystems)
• To manage the fifty acres productively excluding zone 5
(Zone 5)
(A wilderness area, There is no human intervention in zone 5 apart from the observation of natural ecosystems and cycles. Through this zone we build up a natural reserve of bacteria, moulds and insects that can aid the zones above it.)
• Increase biodiversity/ Integrate local biodiversity and natural ecology into farming systems
(Diversity among and within plant and animal species in an environment)
• Create and economically and ecologically viable stable system, in which the excess and management strategies will support and sustain its self Regeneratively.
• Make optimum use of rainfall on the landscape to reduce the rate of water runoff, improve water infiltration & reduce Erosion
• Work with council and the local community to the best of my advantages
• Endeavour to minimise or eliminate expensive farm inputs, including pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.
• Increase levels of soil carbon and the activity of soil biota.
(Soil life, soil biota, soil fauna, or Edaphon is a collective term that encompasses all the organisms that spend a significant portion of their life cycle within a soil profile, or at the soil-litter interface. These organisms include earthworms, nematodes, protozoa, fungi, bacteria and different arthropods.)
• Use modern, minimalistic and flexible fencing techniques to incorporate rotational pasture management strategies including strip/cell grazing.
• Improve productivity by better managing of natural resources according to soil type and land classes.
• Include and promote diversity of perennial grasses, herbs, tree’s and legumes which will perform
Well through a well-managed rotational grazing system.
• Use Animal Grazing to incorporate Agroforestry/food Forrest techniques to Establish a working model that will lead to mass propagation and implementation on the land base
• Divide the Property into productive appropriate zones based of scale of implemented farming techniques and frequency of times visited/worked/monitored
• Provide my own food/water & commodity resources with long term storage and minimalistic techniques of preservation
• Provide a working example of regenerative farming techniques for educational purposes
• Pest & w**d control
Techniques
• Cell grazing
Cell Grazing is a holistic time controlled grazing system based on adoption of at least the first three of the six principals listed below.
There are a number of grazing systems where stock are rotated. However, it is very important to recognise that there are significant differences between grazing systems where stock are rotated and Cell Grazing. Not all systems provide the same productivity or carbon sequestration benefits, due basically to level of intensity. Cell Grazing is derived from the rational grazing developed by Voisin and is the result of continuous and ongoing development overseas and in Australia since the 1940’s.
Cell grazing occurs when grazing management meets the following principles. The system is defined by principles rather than rules because it needs to be continually adapted to the individual circumstances.
PLANTS NEED ADEQUATE REST.
Rest Period is a function of plant growth rate.
Ensuring each paddock has adequate water and fence infrastructure to water and control large mobs.
Manage grazing to maximise pasture growth and provide sufficient rest so as to promote greater root development and desirable pasture species.
STOCKING RATE is adjusted to match CARRYING CAPACITY.
Carrying Capacity (ground up SUPPLY) is the amount of feed produced.
Stocking Rate (top down DEMAND) is the number of standard animal units used to consume the Carrying Capacity.
Use a Grazing Chart or equivalent to plan and monitor both Stocking Rate and Carrying Capacity.
Manage stock to avoid overstocking.
Monitor herd structure, class and productivity.
PLAN, MONITOR and MANAGE GRAZING.
Establish a grazing management plan where graze period is calculated based on rest period and number of paddocks resting, corrected for paddock area and inherent carrying capacity of each paddock.
Monitor grazing period, cycle length, rest period, paddock yield, decision making and stocking rate using a Grazing Chart or equivalent.
Plan for events such as drought, fire, flood and act on the plan. For example choose a date (known as a Critical Rain date) where destocking will commence if seasonal rains are lower or later than expected.
MANAGE LIVESTOCK EFFECTIVELY.
Ensure sufficient water quantity and quality.
Minimise the distance animals have to walk to feed.
Monitor and manage animal health and nutrition and provide supplementation as required.
Use low stress stock handling techniques for animal welfare and productivity.
Optimise timing and duration of reproduction to match seasonal feed supply and demand.
Match Stocking Rate to Carrying Capacity to optimize production.
Don’t over rest plants so as to avoid lignification which will result in lower productivity.
Avoid grazing when pasture yield is low to avoid low production.
Maintain low utilization rates at each graze to avoid low production.
APPLY MAXIMUM STOCK DENSITY for minimum time.
Increased stock density is achieved by having high paddock numbers per herd.
The higher the stock density (eg optimums are 60 head of cattle per ha or 450 sheep per ha), the shorter the graze period will be.
MANAGE FOR BIODIVERSITY TO IMPROVE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.
Cell Grazing is fundamentally based on improving Ecosystem health and Services.
Improving energy flow from sunlight, improving the water cycle and soil health will lead to an increase in biodiversity, soil carbon and ecosystem services.
Maximise number of desirable pasture species, including trees and shrubs and diversity of all subterranean elements.
• Agroforestry
Agroforestry is new market opportunities. Sustainable “climate-smart” agriculture, Land stewardship, Habitat for wildlife, Improved air and water quality, Diversified farm income, and Increased wealth for rural communities. In simple terms, agroforestry is intensive land use management combining trees and/or shrubs with crops and/or livestock. Agroforestry practices are designed to fit specific niches within the farm to meet specific landowner objectives. Agroforestry practices help landowners to diversify products, markets, and farm income; improve soil and water quality; and reduce erosion, non-point source pollution and damage due to flooding. The integrated practices of agroforestry enhance land and aquatic habitats for fish and wildlife and improve biodiversity while sustaining land resources for generations to come. In a changing climate, agroforestry practices can be designed and strategically located to provide greater resiliency in agricultural landscapes so landowners can meet production objectives when faced with extreme weather (e.g., drought, floods). Tree-based practices sequester significant amounts of carbon that can help meet future potential greenhouse gas reduction goals.
• Making optimum use of rainfall on the landscape to reduce the rate of water runoff, improve water infiltration & reduce Erosion
Swales connected to large stock water holes (just under dam size which requires council planning) on contour would be a cheap ideal solution for the problem and serve as food Forrest production zone and extra stock feed during drought periods.
Small flood mitigation dams connected to the creek for catchment of excess run off would also be an ideal and easily utilized source of water and fertility and erosion catchment.
• Orchard
Incorporate bird cell grazing
Incorporate mineral accumulating chop and drop green mulch support species such as artichoke, comfrey, and black wattle Ext.
Fill in missing layers of the system Vines shrubs upper story tree support/food production species fit for the local area
Expand the little river system
Monitoring
• Soil type/test results
The basic test’s I have done in the past few years tells me the land is slightly anaerobic in the winter with a P.H on the acidic side of things. The soil has roughly 30-cm good top soil with a loam layer of about 20-cm under that is a very deep Layer of clay.
• Pasture species list
• Creek biodiversity, erosion, resources/uses
• Orchard health
• Livestock health
• Google maps images of the whole property contouring, wind direction, sun angles, land constants
• Crop yield
• Measuring soil biota and health
• Biodiversity
• Equipment
Requirements
• Legal
1. Working with or around any council/government laws and regulations
2. Eliminating black berries
3. Establish Appropriate fencing boundaries
• Social
• Economical
