Healthy and Productive Groves Field Day Program

REGISTER BELOW

Sunday 28 February 2021 – Peninsula Providore / Nangkita Olive Grove, 2250 Bull Creek Road, Tooperang SA. (Take the Nangkita Rd from Mt Compass and turn left on Bull Creek Rd to #2250).

Field Day Host – Mel Hollick, owner of Peninsula Providore / Nangkita Olive Grove

PROGRAM

• Arrival from 8.30 am at Nangkita Olive grove
• Refreshments on arrival
• Commence: 9.00 am

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

• 9.00 AM Session 1 (40 min): Introductions: “Setting the scene & defining the problem” – with Peter McFarlane (OliveCare® Administrator) – Lifting grove productivity and OliveCare® grove best practice checklists.
• 9.40 PM Session 2 (100 min) Grove Walk: “Grove innovations and issues” – considerations for managing an olive grove, including grove redevelopment & management to improve soil and tree health, and grove productivity – with Mel Hollick (Peninsula Providore / Nangkita Olive Grove):
  • Nangkita Olive Grove on-farm biosecurity best practice – with Peter McFarlane (OliveCare® Administrator) and Mel Hollick
  • Nangkita Olive Grove maintaining a productive tree canopy with Andrew Taylor (Pendleton Estate) & Mel Hollick
  • Nangkita Olive Grove nutrition best practice (Ref session 3) with Peter Briscoe (Bioptiv) & Mel Hollick
  • Nangkita Olive Grove managing, including inter row management, conserving soil moisture mulching and the benefits of building soil carbon with Andy Gulliver (C-Wise), Peter Wadewitz (Peats Soils) & Mel Hollick
  • Nangkita Olive Grove Dealing with soil drainage issues – ‘wet feet’ – phytophthora and other soil / water borne fungal disease problems with Peter Briscoe (Bioptiv) and Mel Hollick
  • Nangkita Olive Grove Monitoring soil moisture and dealing with frost issues with Jon Lockwood (OneTemp), Tom Nelligan (Swan Systems) & Mel Hollick

11.20 AM Break for refreshments (shed): (20 Minutes)

• 11.40 PM Session 3 (60 Min): Soil and Leaf nutrition sampling and analysis with Peter Briscoe (Bioactive Soil Solutions)
• How to sample grove soils for nutrition analysis – how when where?
• Interpreting soil analysis reports
• How to sample the grove for a leaf analysis– how when where?
• Interpreting leaf analysis reports
• Planning a grove nutrition program including use of soil conditioners

12.40 PM Break for Lunch: (60 Minutes): With exhibitor grove measuring / monitoring equipment

• Soil improvement / composting with Peter Wadewitz (Peats Soils)
• Soil / Leaf analysis and grove nutrition with Peter Briscoe (Bioptiv)
• Demonstration of measuring microbial activity in soil with Peter Briscoe (Bioptiv)
• Soil moisture monitoring with Jon Lockwood (OneTemp) & Tom Nelligan (Swan Systems)
• On-farm weather stations with Jon Lockwood (OneTemp) & Tom Nelligan (Swan Systems)
• Also a guided tour of Nangkita Olive Grove olive oil processing and cellar door facilities with Mel Hollick

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

• 1.40 PM Session 4 (100 Min): Utilising grove organic waste, making and using compost with Andy Gulliver (C-Wise) & Peter Wadewitz (Peats Soils)
• 3.20 PM Break for refreshments: (20 Minutes)
• 3.40 PM Session 3 (60 Min): Soils – “Understanding the role of soil carbon, soil water and soil biology” with Andy Gulliver (C-Wise) & Peter Wadewitz (Peats Soils)
• 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 (cellar door) (20 Min)
• 5.00 PM Field day concludes followed by refreshments until 6.00 pm

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.