Minimum Till Conversion Pros and Cons Workshop and Field Day

The Gineroi Landcare Group with Border Rivers-Gwydir CMA, Upper Gwydir Landcare Association and the NSW Farmers Association  are organising an important workshop and field trip addressing the conversion of traditional machinery for minimum tillage operations.

The event will be held at the Bingara RSL Club, 7th December starting at 9am. Lunch and drinks provided, though a $5 donation for the Gineroi Landcare Group is encouraged. 

  Min Till Workshop 29/11/2006,10:56 185.78 Kb

 Upper Gwydir Landcare Association

Press Release

 Gineroi Landcare Group's

Min Till Conversion Pro's and Con's Workshop and Field Day.

Once again the Gineroi Landcare Group has seen the need to work with the local Border Rivers Gwydir Catchment Management Authority, Upper Gwydir Landcare Association, and the NSW Farmers Association to organise an important workshop and field trip addressing the conversion of traditional machinery for Minimum tillage operations. This day is on the back of the highly successful Weeds Day that was held earlier in the year and concentrated on Mimosa Bush, Green Cestrum, Mother of Millions and a myriad of other weeds.

The Border Rivers Gwydir CMA have acknowledged the need for such extension work in the minimum tillage field, and has advised the Gineroi Group that their concerns about soil degradation, rising water tables, and other environmental issues with traditional farming techniques, fits well within their newly approved Catchment Action Plan targets. The CMA have gladly sponsored the day which will allow the Gineroi Group to enlarge their target audience to the whole Catchment.

The Group have obtained some very high calibre minimum tillage experts, Lester Thearle from the Namoi CMA, Brooke Phelps from the Moree based Conservation Farmers Inc, David Herbert from Simplicity Australia based in Dalby Queensland, local producer Graham Charters, and Jeff Esdaile.

It must be acknowledged that Jeff is a very interesting person who is now a semi-retired farm manager/agronomist who had 40 years experience in grain growing in NW NSW. He spent seven years with NSW Agriculture (now NSW DPI) and worked for 33 years for the University of Sydney, being nine years at PBI Narrabri and 24 years as director of Livingston Farm, Moree.

The Gineroi Group will hold the day on the 7^th of December starting at 9am at the Bingara RSL. The order of the day will be a workshop with Jeff, Brooke and David. Alicia Wilson from the NSW Farmers Association will also be speaking about minimum tillage from the Association's perspective and will introduce a number of producers who will extol the benefits of minimum tillage on their properties, soil improvement and crop performance.

The second part of the day will be in the field looking at and discussing machinery that has been converted and in the process of conversion. This part of the day is a good opportunity to have a decent look at machinery and hear from the experts; the advantages and pitfalls of converting traditional equipment. This will be a fairly open session and will rely on expert and producer input.

Lunch will be provided by the local Bingara Lions Club with steaks and sausages coming from Wades Butchery Bingara. Morning Smoko is also being provided and the ladies of the Gineroi Group will be honing their cooking skills over the last day or so leading up to the day.

Rachel Gleeson and Jessica Harrison will be handle RSVP's for the day, if producers could contact Rachel or Jessica by the 5^th of December at the latest, as usual this will be required to ensure your place, lunch and smoko. Rachel and Jess can both be contacted at the Bingara office of the Gwydir Shire Council on 02 67 242036.