Soil Connection brings a deep and practical knowledge around biological farming,  the goal is to produce nutritious plant and animal proteins starting with educating the farmer in ways to creating a healthy plant to build a functioning healthy soil.  

 

A healthy soil actually starts with a healthy plant, as to build carbon and humus we need a plant photosynthesising well to achieve this. A farms ability to be highly productive at low cost, year in year out is totally reliant on a strong and active connection between plants and microbiology that then create a mineral rich carbon deposit.

We bring the ability to develop highly resilient and productive farms by mimicking natural productive environments in minerals and microbiology, to allow them function successfully with very low inputs, always considering the context of each unique environment. We know that plant growth and weed control without poisons require farmers to alter their fertiliser practice in such a way as to change the nutrient status of the soil. Conventional thinking is we add a given quantity of a particular nutrient, if it said to be deficient, often giving no thought or consideration to its side effects, biological compatibility or actual need .This means that the Biological farmer often may add materials to the soil different than what he perceives as deficient in the plant or unavailable to the plant.

 
 
 

The result will be the best possible production with the best possible profit margin, done in an enjoyable way.

 
 
 

The most important
concept to understand:

Is the soil is ideally a living system and desirable microbes in partnership with plants are ultimately responsible for the availability and recycling of all nutrients in the soil. Soil Connection helps put the building blocks in place to allow the microbes to provide nutrients for the plant to then naturally provide balanced nutrition for animals and humans.

 
 

  • 01.
    Test the soil to measure total extraction of 12 major elements, using very strong acids, this to see what exactly is available to access , then also use a weak acid test to mimic what soil biology would extract , this gives us a look to know what we need to add what is not there in sufficient volumes or to look at ways to extract what is already there .

    02.
    Bio-stimulants are needed, or building blocks for all cell reproduction, Carbon compounds, Algae, Sea weeds etc we find these mineral deposits from old Ocean Sources, these aid the loading of essential elements into the plant cell, such as Silica, Sulfur, Calcium and Magnesium etc to create chlorophyll for effective sugar production , Essentially Energy.

    03.
    Introducing new essential Bacteria and Fungi to the soil , these aide in the extraction from the soil, harvest from the atmosphere and promote the recycling of essential nutrients like Phosphorus, nitrogen and sulphur , they also provide insect pests control eg grass grub, clover flea etc.

    04.
    We ensure we have 9+ plant species, summer autumn spring and winter grass species, legumes , Forbes and herbs , this provides the chance to get a complete diet for any mammal This also provides the chance to provide to full range of sugars to the micro biology living in our soil, and allow the plant to provide the necessary carbon to store and fuel the system

    05.
    We also need to manage our plants well , longer periods in leaf , longer rotations, 7-10 grazing’s per year , understanding what is best for the plant to fully regenerate itself efficiently, an understanding also of  moon cycles impact on seed germination  , plant sugars and even animal behaviour.

    All this helps to set up a System that essentially harvests sunshine to create proteins suitable for optimum health with a beneficial impact on the Environment ,all at a low cost .

  • Average rotation length 30+ days

    Pasture diversity 9+ species

    Average pasture cover – as high as possible with leaving 1/3 behind

    Liver mineral levels - supplement if necessary

    Animal Body condition - growing out young stock - frame maturity 2yrs

    6 week calving/lambing 90+%

  • If we focus on the processes that lead to the result we are more likely to achieve the outcome in mind.

    Production as a ‘goal’ doesn’t always result in a sustainable profitable year on year result.

    A greater net profit is always the outcome of good processes.

 
 
 
 
 

Soil Connection 4-Piece Jigsaw

Greg provides a defined easy to follow pathway using a simple prescriptive approach, with his vision a 4-piece jigsaw joining minerals, biology, plants and management into one functional unit.

Regenerative VS Conventional

To further your understanding

The information in the following verbal talk is the closest explanation to the practical  principles and observations of what we see happening here in NZ when we put all the pieces of our Jigsaw in place. Quite long ,but great content. An option to put on while driving.