The first MicroFarm Open Day was held on Thursday 5th December. The event received significant media coverage, including a two page spread in Rural News.
We are grateful for the excellent presentations made by our speakers, and for the quality of discussion that followed. Attendees travelled from South Canterbury, Manawatu and Gisborne to join local growers, contractors and their support industry colleagues.
You can see Sarah Pethybridge’s presentation on Plant Growth Regulators on the MicroFarm website.
Programme
Short “theory” presentations in the Green Shed
- Why a MicroFarm; what we expect to learn – Dan Bloomer, LandWISE (and others)
- Soil nutrient picture; what we found, what we’ve done – Mark Redshaw, Ballance AgriNutrients
- Inoculants for legumes; our first trial and hopes – Weston Hazelwood, BASF Crop Protection
- Plant Growth Regulators; compressing pea flowering – Sarah Pethybridge, Plant & Food Research
- What the MicroFarm still needs – Dan Bloomer, LandWISE
Outside practical demos and discussions
- Buried drip for vegetables – Anthony Waites, ThinkWater
- Soil moisture monitoring; water use messages – Melanie Smith, HydroServices
- Soil compaction; penetrometers, VSA and a plan – James Powrie, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
- Herbicide selection – Vaughan Redshaw, Fruitfed Supplies
- Plant Growth Regulator treatments; a first scoping study – Tim Robinson, Peracto
Download a printable pdf Open Day Programme here
The MicroFarm is a genuine community activity, as shown by the sponsors and supporters listed below. We are unsure of all the outcomes, but we know there will be much learning along the way.
