The re-scheduled AOA Healthy Soils Field Days program is set to go ahead, however will now be confirmed by individual event due to the ever-changing restrictions around the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program is scheduled to run during February and March 2021 in major production regions across all states.
Given recent infection clusters in various states, and subsequent new restrictions including border closures, the organising team will make a decision on each event 7-10 days prior to its planned date and will notify the industry via e-notices in the preceding week.
The first scheduled field day is in Tasmania on 14 February and the decision as to whether it will go ahead will be made on 4 February. An e-notice will be sent immediately, with further emails in the following week. A final email re-confirming the event status will be sent on the Thursday, and will include the decision on the next (in this case Victorian) field day.
Updated details will also be included in the weekly Friday Olive Extracts industry e-newsletter. It’s free, and you can sign up here to ensure you’re kept up to date with the latest industry news and information.
Field days refresher
- Each field day program focuses on the role of healthy soils in producing healthy trees and lifting grove productivity. Key topics will include composting and soil carbon – its role and effect on soil water and biology.
- Presenters will include soil and composting experts John Barton, of Charton & Bang Research & Development, and Andy Gulliver, C-Wise. Each day’s program will also involve a panel of specialist service providers who will demonstrate and discuss the latest technology to monitor, test and measure vital soil parameters and tree health.
- Grove-specific initiatives and common grove management issues will be discussed by each day’s experts and field day hosts, with plenty of opportunity for Q&A along the way.
The field days provide the opportunity to devote a day to your soil, which will repay your trees and your business with productivity benefits in years to come. Register now and ensure your place.
The full program for each field day, including speaker and venue details, is available on the Events page of the OliveBiz website – http://www.olivebiz.com.au, where you can also register. Alternatively, contact Liz Bouzoudis via secretariat@australianolives.com.au or 04078 606 145.
2021 Healthy Soils Field Days dates and venues:
- Sunday 14 February 2021 – Lentara Grove, Exeter, TAS. Registrations close 5/02/2021.
- Sunday 21 February 2021 – Lisadurne Hill Olives, Rushworth, VIC. Registrations close 12/02/2021.
- Sunday 28 February 2021 – Peninsula Providore Farm – Nangkita Olive Grove, Tooperang SA. Registrations close 19/02/2021.
- Sunday 7 March 2021 – Hunter Valley NSW – Hunters Dream Estate, Pokolbin NSW. Registrations close Friday 26/02/2021.
- Sunday 14 March 2021 – aFthonia Farms (Organic in conversion), Hampton (via Toowoomba), Registrations close Friday 5/03/2021.
- Sunday 28 March 2021 – Preston Valley Grove, Lowden (via Donnybrook) WA. Registrations close 19/3/2021.
Note: All events are subject to any COVID-19 restrictions/cancellation which may apply at the time.
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.
