Healthy Soils – Healthy and Productive Groves Field Day Program: NSW Riverina

Sunday 27 March 2022 – Parafield Olives, Cloughs Rd, Yarragundry, NSW. 

Grove Host – Margaret Carter

REGISTER BELOW

DRAFT PROGRAM

• Registration: from 8.30 am at Parafield Olives (please park vehicles in the designated area)
• Refreshments on arrival
• Commence: 9.00 am (sharp)

AM Welcome, introductions, grove walk and soil and leaf nutrition sampling:

9.00 AM Session 1 (40 min): Introduction:

• “Setting the scene & defining the problem” – Michael Southan (AOA CEO)
• An introduction to Parafield Olives with owner Margaret Carter
• An introduction to on-farm biosecurity issues with Michael Southan (AOA CEO)
• “Lifting grove productivity and OliveCare® grove best practice checklists” – Michael Southan (OliveCare® Administrator)

 9.40 AM Session 2 (100 min) Grove Walk: “Grove innovations and management issues”, including:

• Maintaining a productive tree canopy including a demonstration of renovation pruning with Andrew Taylor (Pendleton Estate), Margaret Carter (Parafield Olives) and Shane Cummins (Long Paddock Olive Rustlers) (60 min).
• Monitoring grove temperature and soil moisture, and managing heat and frost events with Andrew Taylor (Pendleton Estate) & Margaret Carter (Parafield Olives) (20 min).
• Introduction to grove nutrition, inter row management, mulching and the benefits of building soil carbon with John Barton (Charton & Bang, Research & Development), Bruno Holzapfel NSW DPI  (Soils Scientist), & Margaret Carter (Parafield Olives) (20 min) – also see Session 3 and Session 5.

11.20 AM Break for refreshments: (20 Minutes)

11.40 AM Session 3 (60 Min): Soil and Leaf nutrition sampling, analysis and interpretation with Bruno Holzapfel NSW DPI (Soils Scientist), Andrew Taylor (Pendleton Estate), and Margaret Carter (Parafield Olives):

• Inspection of a soil profile trench
• How to sample grove soils for nutrition analysis – how when where?
• Interpreting soil analysis reports including pH
• How to sample the grove for a leaf analysis – how when where?
• Interpreting leaf analysis reports
• Nutrient deficiency symptoms
• Planning a grove nutrition program including use of soil conditioners

PM: Soils, making and using compost, field day evaluation:

12.40 PM Break for Lunch: (60 Minutes)

1.40 PM Session 4 (100 Min): Utilising grove organic waste, making and using compost with John Barton (Charton & Bang, Research & Development)

3.20 PM Break for refreshments:(20 Minutes)

3.40 PM Session 5 (60 Min): Soils – “Understanding the role of soil carbon, soil water and soil biology” with John Barton (Charton & Bang, Research & Development), and Bruno Holzapfel NSW DPI (Soils Scientist)

• What is soil carbon and where does it come from?
• Soil carbon and soil water
• Collecting more water
• Holding more water
• Giving more water
• Reducing losses
• Economic benefits
• The importance of building soil and tree health for IPDM
• Composting training course and consultancy services

4.40 PM – Field day feedback and evaluation (shed) (20 Min)

5.00 PM Field day concludes followed by refreshments until 6.00 pm

Note: All events are subject to COVID-19 restrictions / cancellation that may apply at the time

Cost: AOA members and levy payers: $40 incl GST; others $50 incl GST.

Registrations close 21 March 2021

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the Hort Innovation olive research and development levy, co-investment from the Australian Olive Association and contributions from the Australian Government.