Improving soil health is so important because soil health is what leads to healthier food, and we are what we eat”
3rd generation farmer Kelvin Free with his wife Deanne and son Nathan run and manage Mallee Organic Farms in the Tresco area which comprises 160ha of stone fruit and vegetable production and irrigated lucerne. With an increasing demand for organic produce, the Free family converted to certified organic in 2010. Since then, the family have built full control of their produce from production, marketing and then selling, with their produce found in Coles, and Woolworths.
Through hard-earned experience Kelvin has seen the huge benefits of increasing soil health; and believes that their farm-produced compost is an integral part of this improvement.
Digging Deeper
Soil is one of our most important resources; responsible for 95% of the food we eat and so its sustainable management is critical for our future. The National Soil Strategy has 3 main goals – prioritise soil health, empower soil innovation and stewardship, build soil knowledge and capability.
Aim of the Podcasts: Roll out the National Soil Strategy
Farmers often learn & implement new concepts by listening to and watching what their peers/neighbours are doing. The Podcasts are designed to promote this peer-influence to a greater audience by talking to local soil champions. To challenge people’s thinking of how we normally do things. To learn from (sometimes) unorthodox thinking.
There will be 12 soil champions (1 per month) who will be asked to participate in the podcast; with a diversity of people chosen – age, gender, farming industry, cultural.
In each episode, we will “dig a bit deeper” and talk with local people who are undertaking new practices or thinking differently about the health of their soils. We will explore why and how they are building soil health and be introduced to their key concepts and thoughts rather than the practicalities of what they are doing.