What is Biological Farming?
Biological Farming is a system of farming and grazing practices that increases biodiversity both above and below the soil surface, improves soil biology (such as bacteria, fungi, protozoa and earthworms), water retention and enhances ecosystem health. Biological farming is the use of conventional and organic farming methods side by side which improves soil, plant and animal health. Biological Farming aims to capture carbon in the soil and at the same time offers increased yields, resilience to climate instability and higher health and vitality for farming and pasture enterprises.
Benefits of biological farming
- Increased diversity and abundance of beneficial microbes and insects
- Resilience to stresses such as heat, frost and insect disease
- More efficient uptake and use of chemical inputs
- Higher levels of soil humus through improved breakdown of manures and other organic matter
- Improved soil moisture retention
- Higher mineral availability to plants the need for chemical based fertilisers is reduced
- Increased nutrient cycling between the soil and plants
- Lower workplace health risk
- Less impact on machinery and fuel consumption savings due to softer ground
- Improved soil health translates to improved plant, animal and human health
- Healthy, nutrient dense food
Steps to developing a healthy soil biology
1. Ensure any physical impediments are addressed such as compaction and drainage
2. Correctly mineralise soil (macro/ trace elements)
3. Implement farming practices that look after soil life:-conservative tillage techniques, perennial crops, pasture cropping and crop rotations that include plant diversity
4. Rotational grazing
5. Avoid use of biocides
6. Apply natural inputs including Converte products to feed the biology and provide balanced mineral and trace element health
In a healthy root zone, the plant will give about 40% of its sugars to feeding the soil microbes. In return the microbes feed minerals and trace elements to the plant
Benefits of biological farming
- Increased diversity and abundance of beneficial microbes and insects
- Resilience to stresses such as heat, frost and insect disease
- More efficient uptake and use of chemical inputs
- Higher levels of soil humus through improved breakdown of manures and other organic matter
- Improved soil moisture retention
- Higher mineral availability to plants the need for chemical based fertilisers is reduced
- Increased nutrient cycling between the soil and plants
- Lower workplace health risk
- Less impact on machinery and fuel consumption savings due to softer ground
- Improved soil health translates to improved plant, animal and human health
- Healthy, nutrient dense food
Steps to developing a healthy soil biology
1. Ensure any physical impediments are addressed such as compaction and drainage
2. Correctly mineralise soil (macro/ trace elements)
3. Implement farming practices that look after soil life:-conservative tillage techniques, perennial crops, pasture cropping and crop rotations that include plant diversity
4. Rotational grazing
5. Avoid use of biocides
6. Apply natural inputs including Converte products to feed the biology and provide balanced mineral and trace element health
In a healthy root zone, the plant will give about 40% of its sugars to feeding the soil microbes. In return the microbes feed minerals and trace elements to the plant
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