The season has been pretty good this year – one of the benefits of the high rainfall! Usually, it drops off in March to April, but we are still getting showers in May which is not always the case. With the temperature beginning to drop we are starting to plant our cover crops to prepare for slower growth in the winter. These crops protect the landscape from erosion, improve the soil and provide a source of feed for the cattle. The chickens will also selectively forage certain species such as brassicas and legumes.
Annuals and perennials
Diversity is our motto at Forage Farms so we plant a selection of annuals that only grow for one season, and perennial grasses that will actively grow in summer year after year. Depending on the season some of the perennials may germinate in the winter, otherwise they will sprout in the warmer months.
Our annuals include a mix of 16 different species, including grasses, cereals, legumes and brassicas. The perennials are a mix of green panic, gatton panic, and Rhodes grass. Before planting, the seeds are prepared with a coating of biodynamic liquid seed inoculant and bioactive charcoal. These promote fungal activity in the soil to get the micro-relationship started early, so they have a head start. Once our seeds are nicely prepared, we sow them using a direct drilling machine to minimise soil disturbance.
Then we wait!
The landscape is our teacher, and we work on the model that if a plant doesn’t grow now, the conditions aren’t right. It may lie dormant and germinate in three years’ time when the paddocks are better suited for it. In wet winters, we see a lot of clover growing naturally because it suits the conditions. The seed bank sits there, and we are constantly adding. It is a long-term investment in our landscape.
As always, we are focused on building the landscape, looking after our animals and producing food that's tasty, wholesome and nutritious.
