The MicroFarm has been described as a “sandpit” where people can play and learn. Obviously, we need co-ordination so we don’t get in each others way!
If you have something you want to try or test, come and talk with us. We can help put together a plan that will get maximum value for your efforts. We need to work out the question, the design and a budget.
Running a trial is not as easy as many people think. We partnered with Crop&Food Research (now Plant&Food Research) to publish the LandWISE series, “How to run and on-farm trial”. Authored by Peter Stone, Andrea Pearson and Maike Bendall it offers a template for successful trials.
The series includes a base Reference Books, templates for a range of types of trial and “Tips for Crops” the collected wisdom on how to measure what for different crops.
You can order your copy from us, or purchase in via TradeMe. Search for On-farm trial guide and you’ll find it easily!
If you want to run a trial, be sure what you want to know, what you need to do to get quality data and how you will know if your results are meaningful.
Use the Ten point Plan:
- Getting your aims straight
- Getting the treatments right
- Getting the measurements sorted out
- Getting the design right
- Getting the trial site right
- Getting the trial underway
- Monitoring the trial
- Finishing the trial
- After the trial
- Analysing the trial results