On Monday 16 November 2009, a field walk was held in conjunction with FAR, at John and Jack Evan’s farm in Dorie. This is an Advanced Farming Systems Project farm and includes a strip tillage trial.

James Powrie and Dan Bloomer spoke about the LandWISE Advanced Farming Systems project, what the various farmers are achieving with Precision Ag and the benefits of Controlled Traffic. About 35 visitors attended and saw John’s Trimble GPS guidance at work in mechanical weeding of beetroot seed. And then viewed the strip tillage trial which is in carrot seed production.

John spoke frankly about the warts and all of adopting Precision Agriculture. The principle benefits to him are in reducing overlaps and wasteage and in being able to solve weed control and herbicide efficacy challenges by mechanically weeding. As he becomes more precise with planting, he finds that his demand is lifting for still further precision, so that he can weed closer and faster.

Thanks to John and Jack Evans and FAR.
For further information: Call James on 06 6504531 or 0272 757757, email james@landwise.org.nz or see www.landwise.org.nz for updates.