A group of 50 South West farmers will gather on Valentine's Day, Wednesday, February 14, to celebrate their love for the soil that is key to their livelihoods.
And what better place to host this ultimate date for our farmers than the new and romantic Hilton Garden Inn, Busselton.
Right on the foreshore, near the iconic Busselton Jetty in the Geographe Room looking out over the water.
Announced at the event, with farmers' hearts aflutter, will be the South West NRM Pasture Challenge 'Top Performer' Award.
It's a moment they've been waiting 12 months for.
On Valentine's Day last year, four groups of farmers were challenged to develop their own 'secret sauce' of combined agricultural treatments.
The catch was their unique recipe should aim (when compared to a no treatment patch of soil) to:
- Grow the most pasture;
- Be cost effective;
- Improve soil health.
The Pasture Challenge is part of ongoing work by South West NRM and its partners to promote best practice sustainable agriculture.
The Pasture Challenge has been designed and delivered in partnership with Western Beef Association with results and testing overseen by agronomist Graham Mussell.
It is part of the Soil Wise project, funded by the National Landcare Program Smart Farms Small Grants - an Australian Government initiative.
It is supported by Healthy Estuaries WA - a State government program.
The free Valentine's Day event will include:
- An overview of the farmer designed Pasture Challenge Trial;
- Results and winners of the Pasture Challenge - which treatments improved productivity and soil health?
- How to interpret your soil test results;
- Pasture and soil issues affecting livestock health and productivity;
- Sub clover root disease;
- And much more.
Farmers interested in registering for one of the limited places can do so via - trybooking.com/events/landing/1159371
