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 5 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.