Pre-Conference Workshop, Friday, 2 December 2022

The pre & post conference workshops are designed to allow for deeper exploration of topics and greater skill building than is possible during the shorter conference sessions.  Cost to attend the workshops is in addition to the conference registration fee.  Spaces are limited and it is recommended that you reserve your place early to avoid disappointment. 

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'Cover Crops for Soil and Crop Health'

Pre-Conference Workshop cost (morning tea and lunch included):      AUD$220 + GST
Pre-Conference Workshop cost virtual:        AUD$120.00 + GST
​10.00AM to 4.00PM 
Friday, 2 December 2022 at Southern Cross University, Lismore.  Room number to be advised.
This workshop is lecture and discussion. ​

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Workshop presenters:  Bob Shaffer and Alan Coates

Bob Shaffer, Soil Culture Consulting

Alan Coates, Coates Agriculture

Cover crops can be annuals or perennials, and they can be planted as monocultures or in mixtures of multiple species. Cover crops are also known as green manure crops if one of their intended benefits is to provide nutrients to the cash crop. They can be either leguminous species, like vetches and clovers, which fix nitrogen from the air, or non-leguminous species, like rye and triticale.
Cover crops have many potential benefits, but there are also  management implications to consider when deciding which crop or mixture of crops to choose.  

​This workshop cover the following cover crop topics:

1. Definition, benefits and challenges of cover crops
2. Determining objectives and function of a cover crop
3. Building soil fertility and structure with cover crops
4. Estimating N contribution
5. Managing pests/weeds with cover crops
6. Cover crops for pollinators and beneficial insects
7. Cover crop selection planting and tools
8. Non-leguminous cover crops
9. Leguminous cover crops
10. Multi-species seed selection

Presenters:
​Bob Shaffer: Bob is a horticulturist, agronomist and viticulturist who has been consulting & training farmers in sustainable, science based farming systems in sub- tropical and temperate environments for 35 years.

​Alan Coates:  Alan has educated hundreds of farmers as a TAFE Agriculture and Horticulture teacher for more than 30 years. In addition to Biological Farming, he taught Soils, Integrated Pest Management, Production Horticulture,  Macadamia Production, Sub-tropical Fruit Growing and more.