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...

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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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This April 2021 webinar features four farmers panelist: Mark Anderson (Dairy), Rachel and Kenneth Short (Dairy)and Dean Martin (sheep and beef).

Link to more information on our farmer panelists:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14umRNrQmPp4rojGME3igMxsUsEsIah0l/view

Timestamps:

00:04:59​ - Mark Anderson: How has your wintering system changed over time?

00:09:14​ - What are the pros and cons of winter cropping vs bale grazing, what challenges and benefits have you had with these techniques?

00:11:04​ - How do you start planning bale grazing, calculating feed etc?

00:17:50​ - What happens if you get an unusually wet winter season?

01:06:58​ - How do you get rid of thistles with bale grazing and if so, what have been the results?

01:09:19​ - Do you use any supplement through winter or is hay and grass enough?

00:22:47​ - Rachel and Kenneth Short:

00:30:28​ - What’s the secret to growing high ME hay?

00:32:22​ - Did you notice any difference in animal performance with the different feeding approaches?

00:34:12​ - Where would you like to be in a few years? What’s the potential for your system?

00:36:27​ - Do you have any chicory in your hay, and if so, any issues with drying it before baling?

00:39:50​ - What does winter look like on your farm in terms of feed and rotation?

00:41:55​ - Are the multi-species you’re planting perennials or annuals?

01:02:16​ - How do you establish your diverse pasture mixes, being organic?

01:11:27​ - What’s happened with your production since you’ve started your regen journey?

01:13:54​ - How do you manage your cell count with an organic system?

00:42:40​ - Dean Martin:

00:47:30​ - Are your winters or summers the most challenging now?

00:48:53​ - What are your thoughts on the different grazing theories?

00:51:01​ - Drilling strategy for getting winter feed and diversity in

00:54:03​ - Do you have a long-term plan to help deal with the wet flats?

00:57:15​ - What’s your altitude, typical soil and air temperatures over winter? How do your well infiltrated slopes perform over summers?

01:00:39 - Do you run your cattle and sheep in the same mob over winter?

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...

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This February 2021 webinar features four farmers panelist: Jules Matthew (Sheep & Beef), Hamish Bielski (Sheep & Beef), Miah Smith (Dairy) and Mark Anderson (Dairy).

Summaries of their farm systems are available here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h2Ktvm8NPZQSWWU9V0LDytQSBUEFz0iW/view

Timestamps:

03:57​ Mark Anderson’s overview

15:56​ Hamish’s overview

29:26​ Jules’ overview

40:52​ Miah’s overview

53:04​ Topping vs not topping?

1:02:00​ Does deferred grazing have a place going into winter?

1:11:32​ Target stocking rates for summer and winter?

1:14:06​ Target stock densities in summer vs winter?

1:18:02​ Jules, did you spray out your paddocks before drilling winter crop?

1:19:01​ Hamish, what is your winter grazing system?

1:19:34​ What is the key to all grass wintering?

1:22:00​ How important is cow condition when cows are dried off to be able to implement your wintering systems?

1:28:21​ Are you noticing grasses coming into the 4-5 leaf stage yet?

1:32:06​ What method do you find best for increasing diversity in pastures?

1:39:10​ Miah - do you supplement with minerals and what do you think is having the biggest impact on your minerals improving?

1:41:49​ Hamish - how are you going about mating and what are your expectations?

1:44:10​ Mark - have you tried bale grazing with heifers and calves?

1:45:49​ Mark & Miah - Are you grazing any cows or young stock off farm, or are you fully self contained?

1:46:41​ For all grass wintering, how do you maintain quality for late pregnancy nutrition?

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...

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