Making plans to hold water when the rain comes

The Mulloon Institute brought a four-day regenerative farming course to Nundle last week (October 2019) that saw 18 participants learn about reading the landscape, and introducing structures to slow the flow of water and rehydrate the soil for when it rains again.

The Natural Sequence Farming workshop lead by Stuart Andrews and father Peter Andrews of Tarwyn Park Training was a combination of theory and practical experience (above, observing the making of contours on Peter and Judy Howarth's property, "Wombramurra").

Stuart said some of the participants didn't own farms, but were looking to buy properties, while others were landholders interested in upskilling.

"The philosophy of our course is Slow the flow, Let all the plants grow, Be careful where the animals go, and To filter water you must be in the know.”

The first day is spent learning how to understand the landscape and topography, then how to introduce contours, ponds, leaky weirs, and groundcover to slow and capture runoff.

The Mulloon Institute, based near Bungendore, is a regenerative farming research, education and advocacy organisation and it's the first time it has held a course off site.

“It was an opportunity to learn in the field, and gain a snapshot of our ideas and hopefully provide the stimulus for people to do more,” Stuart said.

See Australian Story Hope Springs.

Kindly reproduced from the Odgers & McClelland Exchange Stores’ November 2019 newsletter