Healthy and Productive Groves Field Day Program

Sunday 14 February 2021 – Lentara Grove, 2670 W Tamar Hwy, Exeter 7275

(Follow signage from RMB 2672)

REGISTER BELOW

Field Day Hosts – Martin & Sophie Grace, Owners of Lentara Grove

PROGRAM

• Arrival from: 8.30 am at Lentara 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 Martin Grace (Lentara grove):
  • Lentara Grove on-farm biosecurity best practice – with Peter McFarlane (OliveCare® Administrator) and Martin Grace
  • Lentara Grove maintaining a productive tree canopy with Andrew Taylor (Pendleton Estate) & Martin Grace
  • Lentara Grove nutrition best practice (Ref session 3) with Peter Briscoe (Bioptiv) & Martin Grace
  • Lentara Grove managing and monitoring soil moisture including, irrigation, inter row management, mulching and the benefits of building soil carbon with Andy Gulliver (C-Wise) & Martin Grace
    • Dealing with soil drainage issues – ‘wet feet’ – phytophthora and other soil / water borne fungal disease problems with Andy Gulliver (C-Wise) & Martin Grace

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) and Andrew Taylor (Pendleton Estate)

• 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 Andy Gulliver (C-Wise)
• Soil / Leaf analysis and grove nutrition with Peter Briscoe (Bioptiv)
• Demonstration of measuring microbial activity in soil with Peter Briscoe (Bioptiv)
• Soil moisture monitoring – TBA
• On-farm weather stations – TBA
• Also guided tour of Lentara Grove olive oil processing and cellar door facilities with Martin & Sophie Grace

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)
• 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)
• 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

Registrations close 10 February 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.