In the second of a series of webinars exploring and imagining the possibilities for integrating trees into New Zealand farm systems, we deep dive into the what, where, why and how of trees in agriculture with Dr Colin Meurk.

Topics covered in this webinar included:

• The various services provided by trees – carbon, shade, shelter, food, erosion control, biodiversity conservation, beetle banks.
• Species selection for remnant gullies, riparian corridors, shelterbelts, irrigator paddock corners, shrub-lines under irrigators, hedgerows, roadsides/verges, orchards, etc.
• And how we plant trees to get the most benefit – optimum patch densities for landscape/ecological integrity, and visibility providing ‘legibility’ and authenticity.

Colin also shared an insight into their upcoming app release ‘Right Plant Right Place Plant Selector’. If you would like to help test the beta version, please contact Colin at colin.meurk@canterbury.ac.nz

To register and join future webinars live: https://www.quorumsense.org.nz/events

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at contact@quorumsense.org.nz

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This webinar series was inspired by this great article on Gavin Fishers East Cape dairy farm, generating lots of demand from farmers in the QS network for more on this topic!

Leading us in our first webinar we are delighted to have world-leading land manager, designer, trainer and educator Darren J. Doherty, CPAg (AIA) alongside Greg Hart, a Hawkes Bay farmer implementing a diversity of exotic and native tree systems on their 600ha hill country farm. You can find more about our panelists below.

Greg is a multi-enterprise family farmer and a leader in the world of regenerative agriculture and thinking. Greg and his family have created an incredible eco farm system including sheep, beef, chickens, pigs and a massive integration of trees that serve multiple purposes for the farm ecosystem and also the farms economic viability.

Educator, designer, land manager, and the originator of the Regrarians Platform®, Darren is based in Australia and has extensive experience across the world in project design, development, management & training, including in New Zealand. A career-long focus on the profitable & regenerative retrofit of broadacre landscapes has seen Darren acclaimed as a pioneer in this important & often overlooked field.

To register and join future webinars live: https://www.quorumsense.org.nz/events

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at contact@quorumsense.org.nz

🪴Quorum Sense website - https://www.quorumsense.org.nz

🤙 Quorum Sense Farming Network Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/32201...

👣 Quorum Sense podcast - https://www.quorumsense.org.nz/the-qu...

🦋 Quorum Sense Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/quorumsense

🌸 Quorum Sense Instagram -

Join a panel of farmers, a scientist and an environmental manager to discuss topics raised from the recently released Quorum Sense production "Winter Grazing Innovations".

Winter is one of the most challenging times to manage livestock in New Zealand. However there is a wave of innovation in this area being led by farmers, scientists and agricultural companies, including many farmers in the Quorum Sense network.

This webinar is a discussion based on our Winter Grazing Innovations case study, which showcases two winter grazing innovations across five very different farms in the lower South Island of New Zealand.

Timestamps

00:00 Introductions

03:30 Have your multi-species winter crop species and seed rates changed as you have gained experience?

08:10 Do you time when you establish multi-species winter crops to ensure you still have good quality by winter?

12:20 Are there challenges or advantages to bale grazing in south otago / southland compared to other parts of the country?

17:30 What is your process for selecting bale grazing paddocks?

20:40 Would you consider sourcing hay with certain pasture species to add that seed to your system? Are you concerned with importing weed seeds?

23:10 Ross, what do you see as the potential for bale grazing in other parts of New Zealand?

22:40 Dicsussion including animal behaviour and a video showing cows lying on bales at Dylan's on a frosty morning

29:40 How to set our your bale grazing area

30:40 For the farmers on lighter soils, have you identified any specific challenges or advantages to adopting bale grazing in your area?

33:40 Effect of bale grazing on nitrogen leaching, plus other things being measured by AgResearch

37:40 Do multi-species winter crops need to be re-drilled in the spring, or do some of the species regrow for spring and summer?

44:20 Greg you mentioned at the start the importance of having species that vary in height in the crop - why is that?

45:20 Discussion on beneficial insects and not needing to spray insecticides on multi-species crops

50:40 One of the benefits of bale grazing is (re)building soil structure - how are you choosing your paddocks?

54:40 Ross, what are the benefits to soil quality from bale grazing?

56:00 As you learn more about winter grazing, what are you going to do different next year? And what advice do you have for a farmer considering trying something?

64:00 Conclusions

For more insight into the exciting potential of multi-species winter crops and bale grazing for improving soil health, animal health, resilience, profitability and the well being of farmers, as well as a growing library of data and information on implementation, costs, benefits, risks and results, check out the Winter Grazing Innovations case study at the links below:

🌱 Winter Grazing Innovations case study - https://www.quorumsense.org.nz/case-s...

To register and join future webinars live: https://www.quorumsense.org.nz/events

If you have any questions, feel free to email us at contact@quorumsense.org.nz

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