Tour 1 - Taste of the Northern Rivers
A Market Garden with a difference plus Fruit, Nuts & Berries
Tour 1 travels south from the Gold Coast to visit subtropical fruit and nut orchards as well as a blueberry farm.
Full day tour is $150.00 + GST with morning tea, lunch and snacks included.
Departure 8.00 AM from the Southern Cross University Gold Coast Campus parking lot.
Return by 5.00 PM in time for Expo opening and the Welcome Reception
Full day tour is $150.00 + GST with morning tea, lunch and snacks included.
Departure 8.00 AM from the Southern Cross University Gold Coast Campus parking lot.
Return by 5.00 PM in time for Expo opening and the Welcome Reception
|
Freeman's Organic Farm
SoilCare member, David Gower Freeman (pictured right), is fuelled by a passion and a vision for this historical family farm. David has continued the family tradition of banana and avocado growing along with other sub-tropical fruits. In the past few years he has developed a market garden of healthy, nutritious vegetables that are sold mostly on farm to his loyal customers who make the drive from the Gold Coast to the Currumbin Valley. David has also installed a Farm Cafe which is open on selected days and where the tour will enjoy an early morning tea. David has regenerated the avocado orchard by utilising biofarming practises including soil mineralisation , cover crops/mulches, IPM and biopesticides to minimise pest and disease. Read more about Freeman's Organic Farm |
Lt Col (Retired) David Gower Freeman harvests with military precision.
|
|
Anderson Horticulture - Avocado Farm and Nursery
SoilCare member, Graham Anderson Sr, is a third-generation farmer at Duranbah, north-eastern NSW, where his father started growing avocados in 1950. Graham Sr followed in his father's footsteps and in 1960 he started an avocado nursery. By 1970, he had built his third nursery. On arrival at Anderson's, delegates will visit the nursery and learn about the disease free operation, before hopping back on the bus to drive 1 km down the road to the new biological avocado orchard and hear about the ground covers, trials by uni to suppress disease, and a 'no spray' operation producing great results Read more about Anderson Horticulture. |
Graham Anderson, Sr with his sons (and Anderson Horticulture managers), David and Graham Mack.
|
|
Highgate Macadamias - Judy and Bob Howard
SoilCare members, Bob and Judy Howard (pictured right), purchased their Macadamia property in 2002. In their own words, 'With little farming experience but plenty of enthusiasm the farm was initially run conventionally, however many conventional practices did not make sense to us.' Their knowledge base expanded rapidly by attending TAFE courses, including Biological Farming, and their own extensive on-farm research. Bob and Judy have developed an unique compost production system based on grass, macadamia husk and wood chip. They also have a computer modelling and mapping business using LiDAR to assist macadamia growers with erosion prevention. Read more about Bob and Judy |
Judy and Bob Howard show us just how much fun farming can be.
|
|
Blueberry Fields - Otto, Lynette and Jascha Saeck
Blueberry Fields is a large scale, family owned blueberry orchard located in the beautiful Byron hinterland in northern New South Wales, SoilCare members, Otto, Lynette and Jascha Saeck own and manage the orchard. They have been growing blueberries in the area for more than 20 years. Also pictured with the family is daughter, Alexia. Blueberry Fields uses biological farming practices to improve plant nutrition and ground cover management. They are trialling new cultivars and have designed a surface water management system. Read more about Blueberry Fields |
From left, Otto, Alexia, Lynette and Jascha Saeck supply local and wholesale markets with their fruit.
|
Tour 2
Large Scale Vegetable Production
Tour 2 travels west from the Gold Coast to the visit two large-scale vegetable farms.
Full day tour is $150.00 + GST
Departure 8.00 AM from the Southern Cross Uni Gold Coast Campus parking lot.
Return at 5.00 PM in time for Expo Opening and the Welcome Reception
Full day tour is $150.00 + GST
Departure 8.00 AM from the Southern Cross Uni Gold Coast Campus parking lot.
Return at 5.00 PM in time for Expo Opening and the Welcome Reception
|
Bauer's Organic Farm
Rob Bauer is one of the pioneers of the organic industry, having started growing organically over 35 years ago, just as his ancestors did on the family farm at Mount Sylvia back in 1885. He grew up on his family's farm and right from a young age just 'wanted to be a farmer'. Bauer's Organic Farm is made up of two certified organic properties located in the extremely fertile Mount Sylvia & Upper Tenthill areas of the Lockyer Valley. The properties total approx 340 acres with 150 acres being cultivated for cropping. This tour will highlight how the Bauers:
|
|
|
Kalfresh
Kalfresh farming operations, in the Fassifern Valley south-west of Brisbane, are managed by Rob Hinrichsen (pictured right with tillage radish). Rob could see soil structure and biology declining under the standard intensive vegetable production practices. This was leading to increased production costs and soil disease issues, and an over reliance on soil fumigants. Six years ago, Rob and his team decided to focus on and adopt four key practices to improve the soil health and the business:
|
|
|
The tour will highlight how Kalfresh has:
|
|
Tour 3
Mara Seeds and SOFT Agriculture
Tour 3 travels south-west from the Gold Coast to Mallanganee, NSW.
Full day tour is $150 + GST
Departure 8.00 AM from the Southern Cross Uni Gold Coast Campus parking lot.
Return at 5.00 PM in time for Expo Opening and the Welcome Reception
Full day tour is $150 + GST
Departure 8.00 AM from the Southern Cross Uni Gold Coast Campus parking lot.
Return at 5.00 PM in time for Expo Opening and the Welcome Reception
|
Mara Seeds Pty Ltd is a family owned business started in 1967, located at Mallanganee in the foothills of the Richmond Range in northern New South Wales.
They provide a range of high-quality organic products that are produced using a self-developed method of 'softer farming' to replace the need for conventional farming practices. The company revolves around the AQIS registered plant founded on one of the certified organic farming areas the company uses for production. The company’s core business activities centre around grass seed, oilseed and cereal grain production in the summer and winter months and also the production of high-quality organic yearling beef that is grass fed or grain finished. |
Stuart Larsson, Managing Director, Mara Seeds and SOFT Agriculture
|
SOFT Agriculture Pty Ltd is driving Sustainable Organic Farming Techniques by offering you a range of certified organic products that improve the health and productivity of your animal and the quality of your soil.
Their vision is to offer farmers access to "carbon smart" innovations that deliver superior animal and soil health productivity.
They produce:
Read more about Mara Seeds and Soft Agriculture
Their vision is to offer farmers access to "carbon smart" innovations that deliver superior animal and soil health productivity.
They produce:
- SOFT Fertilisers and Composts
- Stockfeed for your livestock including Green Chicken, Green Cow, Green Pig and Green Sheep
- Feed Additives that are BioChar activated
Read more about Mara Seeds and Soft Agriculture
