October 30th, 2012 by Graeme Sait
NTS Soil Therapy is an in-depth, soil analysis and nutrition programming service that has been the mainstay of NTS agronomy for the past 18 years. The easy-to-understand, Soil Therapy reports ensure that growers are able to understand their mineral requirements in relation to balance and there are priority guidelines which can help in budget-related decision making. Until recently we have offered a Prescription Blend service but this usually involves base materials like lime and gypsum and these are often more cost-effective sourced locally. Now, you are simply advised what will be most productive and encouraged to address any requirements utilising the most cost-effective local materials. (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture, Farming Techniques, Nutrient Strategies | 4 Comments »
October 30th, 2012 by Graeme Sait
In-field monitoring is a critically important component of the biological approach. Proactive plant management involves precision nutrition to achieve the plant resilience that reduces the need for chemical intervention. Refractometers, sap pH meters, nitrate and potassium meters are tools that monitor the sap of the plant to determine nutrient requirements. However, the first step in this monitoring process is the successful extraction of the sap from the leaf. This typically involves choosing the first fully developed leaves, rolling them into a small ball, placing that ball in the well of a good quality garlic crusher and then squeezing out the sap. (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture, Farming Techniques | 2 Comments »
October 30th, 2012 by Graeme Sait
There are no magic bullets in agriculture but if you were aware that a substance in your soil could increase productivity, reduce pest pressure, enhance water use efficiency, reduce fertiliser requirements and spare the planet the chaos of global warming, you might prick up your ears and listen. This “magic” substance actually exists but it is not some commercial “cure-all”. It is, in fact, an essential component of soil that has been mercilessly mined for twelve decades of extractive agriculture. (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture, Farming Techniques | 3 Comments »
May 18th, 2012 by Graeme Sait
A trace mineral deficiency can affect yield, disease protection, weed pressure, nodulation, reproduction or chlorophyll density and any of these will impact upon your profitability. Here are some guidelines that may help you in the management of trace mineral nutrition (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture, Farming Techniques, Nutrient Strategies | 4 Comments »
May 18th, 2012 by Graeme Sait
A pH meter is essential equipment for all growers seeking to build productivity sustainably. Soil pH has a major impact upon nutrient uptake. The ideal soil pH for the majority of crops is 6.4 and at this level your soil will provide maximum nutrition. A low soil pH spells problems with the potential to generate excesses of iron, aluminium and manganese as they are more available in acidic conditions. Low soil pH also can mean poor availability of phosphorus, potassium and calcium and magnesium. These are increasingly expensive inputs so it makes good sense to aim for the ideal soil pH where they perform best. (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture, Farming Techniques | 12 Comments »
May 10th, 2012 by Graeme Sait
Mineral uptake is facilitated by micro-organisms, whether it takes place in the soil, the gut or the leaf surface. A simple recognition of this fact is a prerequisite if we are seeking to abandon old, unproductive paradigms. It is the belief that “science will look after us” that is at the core of the modus operandi that underlies modern agricultural, veterinary and medical science. Acid/salt fertilisers, rescue chemicals, antibiotics and symptom-treating pharmaceuticals are all part of the product-driven “scientific” approach. The definition of the word “science” involves “adherence to natural laws and principles”. (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture, Human Wellness, Nutrient Strategies | 6 Comments »
May 8th, 2012 by Philippa Davis
At times we get asked the question: How long will my Prescription Blend last in the soil and will I require a blend next year? Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy answer to this question; it is really site specific. What it comes down to is how ‘completely’ the initial blend balances and amends the soil, and how much nutrient is lost each year (i.e., crop removal, leaching losses etc). (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture, Nutrient Strategies | 4 Comments »
February 21st, 2012 by Graeme Sait
Elise Wenden is the driving force behind Fruition Nutrition, a consulting business involved in sustainable agriculture in Charlton near Bendigo. She also represents NTS in Northern Victoria. Elise has recently become a finalist in the 2012 Victorian Rural Women’s Award and she is using the associated media interest to promote the cause of biological agriculture. Elise attended an NTS four day certificate course in 2010 and this served to inspire the move into her own business venture. I called her recently to check on her progress and I will share some of the conversation (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture | 6 Comments »
February 21st, 2012 by Graeme Sait
Two years ago, as part of an NTS field day, we visited Dean and Helen Bryant’s blueberry farm at Peachester in the Sunshine Coast hinterland (Brymac Industries). During the visit I was demonstrating the use of a refractometer by testing the brix levels of the leaves of the healthy and vibrant blueberry bushes on the property. I was initially convinced that the refractometer was faulty because I could not detect a reading with the device. The view through the eyepiece revealed a single colour with none of the normal delineation that indicates the relevant brix level. Then I noticed a delineating line running right at the very top of the screen. (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture | 10 Comments »
February 21st, 2012 by Graeme Sait
For the first time in my memory we are confronting a new year that holds more threat than promise. The triple specters of a European meltdown, a bursting Chinese property bubble and fragile “recoveries” in the US and Japan, present a torrid, tightrope walk through the coming months. Even if we muddle through and somehow avoid a major recession this year, we still need to survive the week before Christmas, which the ancient Mayans tipped to be a momentous moment in human history. In what is shaping up to be the “year of fear”, it seemed like it might be a good idea to offer some constructive suggestions to help farmers counter this most negative and destructive of human emotions. Breaking the cycle is critical because of the self-fulfilling nature of fear-driven inactivity. Now, more than ever before, we need strategies that help us rise above the negativity. Food, after all, is historically recession-proof, but you need to be in the driver’s seat to secure that inherent protection. Hopefully, these strategies will serve to cement your rightful place as the helmsman in the storm. (more…)
Posted in Biological Agriculture, Farming Techniques | 20 Comments »
