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What does regenerative look like in a broad acre cropping system?

What does regenerative look like in a broad acre cropping system?

We are often asked how a broadacre cropping system can be regenerative. Christie, our Regenerative Farmer Coordinator dropped in on Noel Keding, a regenerative farmer from Frankland River last month and took this photo. It shows how Noel has committed to our 4 principles of regenerative agriculture. There is more going on here than just what is listed below, but this is a starting point for the conversation!

1. Soil health. The soil has been kept covered year round, first by an epic barley crop, then by retaining all straw by harvesting the crop with a stripper front. This year's crop has then been seeded into the residue using a disc machine for next level no till, disturbing the soil as little as possible.

2. Biodiversity.  A pasture phase is part of Noel's cropping rotation, here showing a multi species pasture mix of cereal rye, serradella, vetch, oats and baroota wheat. Sheep graze this pasture and deposit nutrients and good biology back onto the paddock, as well as flattening down the straw to provide mulch cover.

3. Water and nutrient cycles. This paddock had 150mm of rain the week after this photo was taken, with all rainfall soaking in and no run off into the adjacent drainage system from this paddock. This is due to retention of cover, and increasing biology and carbon levels in the soil.

4. Committing to a learning journey. This is the second year on a new farm that was previously farmed conventionally. By retaining stubble and using biological fertilizers and inoculants to wake up and feed soil biology, Noel has seen a noticeable difference between this paddock and surrounding pasture paddocks. He is committed to exploring and experimenting to find the best ways to improve productivity, decrease reliance on synthetic fertilizer, herbicides, pesticides and fungicides, and create a healthy farming system that he can pass down to his children in years to come.

To learn more about Noel's stripper and disc system, check out this great podcast:

https://grdc.com.au/news-and-media/audio/podcast/stipper-fronts-time-saving,-fuel-saving-and-moisture-saving 

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