Right now, chemical suppliers can hardly keep up with demand for fungicides to control what is said to be the largest downy mildew outbreak Australia has seen for 2 decades. According to ABC Radio, Riverland branch of chemical producer, Landmark, says it has sold up to 10 times the amount of downy mildew chemicals it … Read more
As you would know if you’ve done organic gardening, legumes are the fertility generators of an organic system. Legumes fix nitrogen from the atmosphere through a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia bacteria that live on their roots and form little “nodules” on them. We love our many legumes, including white clover, sub clover, and this season … Read more
We began practicing the biodynamic (BD) method of agriculture at Rosnay in 1997, when we started. At the time, it was just part of a “shotgun” approach to organic farming – throwing absolutely everything we could at getting the soil back to life, and growing healthy plants. To this day we do not profess to … Read more
Its harder. We make less money. We have a lot of explaining to do to our neighbours. We are in fragmented and fringe industry. But, we have been growing our grapes, olives and other crops organically for over 13 years. Why? Is probably because we believe its the best way to grow food, and we … Read more
According to the Australian Organic Market Report 2010 commissioned by the Biological Farmers of Australia, the Australian organic industry is tipped this year to become an AUS$1 billion industry. “The results are testament to the resourcefulness and maturity of the organic industry, as well as highlighting the diversity and innovation of this market sector,” said … Read more
I recently had the privelige of chairing two local public meetings during the recent tour of two North American farmers, Ross Murray and Moe Parr. After feeling somewhat demoralised by the NSW government’s ending of the GM crop moratorium last year, meeting these two farmers gave me new motivation to keep trying to hold back … Read more
I just read another article on organic food with unquestioning reporting of “findings” that organic farming cant feed the world. This is a myth. It has been professionally propagated by the corporate “agricultural right” as a way of undermining organic farming. Consider this fact: Since 1961 global output has tripled, while the population has doubled. … Read more
GOOD news for eco-conscious wine connoisseurs: a little of what you fancy need not cost the Earth, but only if it’s organic. Valentina Niccolucci and colleagues from the University of Siena, Italy, measured the resources used to grow, package and distribute wine made from Sangiovese grapes at two farms in Tuscany 30 kilometres apart. The … Read more
Part two of this pertinent email question – and the topic on everyone’s mind – climate change. I dont have an axe to grind here, but as a farmer, I know that I am part of an industry that will be VERY heavily affected by both climate change and peak oil. And agriculture is also … Read more
Email question I received: Do you have any figures on the organic industry in NSW – how big, how fast it’s growing, how much exported, farmer income, climate benefits compared to conventional?“Starting with the size – I have information from the Biological Farmers of Australia, the largest organic certifying organisation Australia, of which we have … Read more