Cropping and pastures

No-till and minimum till cropping techniques are well-established agricultural practices on most of Eyre Peninsula. However, adverse weather conditions, pest control issues and resistance weeds still have the potential to undermine significant soil cover progress. At worst, this results in paddock drift and contributes to top soil and nutrient loss.

Through our sustainable agriculture programs we work with farmers and research agencies to investigate alternative farming techniques and communicate these findings back to farmers. There is no simple fix - it is often a compromise of time available, weather, rotations, farming systems, machinery available and cost.

Below is a list of resources including fact sheets and case studies.

• This MLA page focuses on whether a pasture is likely to recover from extended dry conditions including an assessment that land managers can undertake themselves.
• This fact sheet from Upper North Farming Systems is about monitoring stubble in the post-harvest period.
• More or less stubble? This fact sheet from Upper North Farming Systems looks at how much stubble to retain post-harvest.
• Growing summer forage crops - should I or shouldn't I? This clip from Sheep Connect SA explores this topic. It includes information from agronomist Craig Altman and producers from Cleve and Wangary.
• This case study is from a grain and sheep property at Tuckey in eastern Eyre Peninsula, featuring a positive experience in sowing a summer crop.
• This case study is about effecting nodulation of legumes on Upper Eyre Peninsula. The key outcome was that monitoring nodulation on medics and pulses allows for better decision making to improve nitrogen fixation in break crops for cereal production.
• This case study looked at chaff lining for weed management at harvest at an eastern Eyre Peninsula property. The key outcome was that efficiencies were made using a chaff deck to control weeds.
• This fact sheet from MLA focuses on looking after drought pastures.

Native grasses

These fact sheets from Upper North Farming Systems focus on native grasses.

• Native grass nutrition fact sheet summarises feed test information for 12 common native grasses growing in the Upper North of South Australia.
• Native grass nutrition fact sheet 2 summarises feed test information for 10 common native grasses growing in native pastures in Upper North of South Australia.
• Native pasture identification fact sheet will give you some information so you can identify the common native grasses in your area.