Pete's Page
THE EARTH HAS MOVED
Brookfarm was successful in applying for a Best Management Practice for Soil Health in Horticulture Grant from the local Catchment Management Authority (CMA).
Earthworks have been completed and we now have our own compost ingredients storage area. A special earth pad has been formed that will enable us to make our own compost, essential for improving our soil health program and essential for organic farming.
A nursery area was incorporated into the design that is fully irrigated, enabling us to rapidly expand our ground cover program by potting out large numbers of sweet smother grass, pinto peanut and the ever increasing varieties of legumes.
In furture we will be able to provide the farm with rainforest plantings grown in our nursery from the seeds of our trees. In the last 22 years Pam & Martin Brook have planted over 30,000 rainforest trees. Having successfully met the criteria of the Organic Certification Body BFA (Biological Farmers of Australia) the farm and our crop is now deemed to be 'organic in transition'.
We have recently purchased a state of the art wood chipper, when we prune our macca trees we can now chop up the branches and use the chippings in our mulch.
On top of this we have started harvesting our Macadamia crop. A busy time coming up but we wouldn't have it any other way!
Until next time....Pete!
INTRODUCING PETE
Pete is our Farm Manager and looks after our macadamia farm as well as Brookfarm's extensive rainforest regeneration program.
"With my advanced 16 week biological course coming to an end, it was time to put what I have learnt into practice. I have just completed putting together 60 cubic meters of compost. It is exciting to build a living breathing organic mass that will be the cornerstone of Brookfarms soil conditioning program. The adding of legumes and native herbs to our inter row grass lands will help biodiversity and nitrogen retention . Organic farming can certainly have it’s challenges but we have been fortunate at Brookfarm to be selected by Queensland University student Alana Danne to be one of the farms that she will be undertaking scientific research on a problem insect (spotting bug). This very important on going research will assist Alana, after 3 years to be awarded her PHD. Brookfarm is delighted to be able to give her this practical assistance. If a biological or a better understanding of spotting bug and its predators’ comes out of this it will be a huge win for many horticultural industries and in turn will mean a significant reduction in chemical use.
Last Saturday the boss (Martin) and I attended a special Soilcare Expo at the Alstonville research station, we had an opportunity to speak to many farmers about our philosphy of biological farming and our work towards full organic certification.
Catch Pete’s page next time for an update on the compost exciting times ahead and if Alana is still laughing at my corny jokes."
Farmer Pete