TESTIMONIAL BY:
Mr.
Denis O'Leary
Glenbye
Pastoral CO.
B.F.A.Certified
Growers NO.2831
Elong,
VIA Dubbo N.S.W.
Mr. Denis O'Leary and Family run a N.S.W. property, Glenbye Pastoral Company, as a diversified organic farm involved in cropping, grazing and eco-tourism.
They have used GUANO GOLD at 50kg per hectare to boost soil phosphorus levels for use on winter cereals, such as wheat, barley and oats, as well as summer crops of mung beans and Cow Peas. This winter they intend to sow some 70 hectares to barley, 70 hectares to Rosella Wheat and some oats. The Rosella Wheat will be in a paddock which grew Cow Peas last summer, and although the season was very dry the crop provided high quality grazing for the cattle.
Mr. O'Leary reports that the GUANO GOLD has been a good source of natural phosphorus to use on the cropping areas for up to 3 years, and then they are resown to pasture for another 7-8 years. Stubble is incorporated to maintain soil organic matter and to control weeds. Crops are also sprayed with B.D. -500 by way, of a fan jet and this allows for an increase in bacteria numbers, resulting in phosphorus and other nutrients being utilised more efficiently.
Mr. O'Leary also stated that in addition to the benefits of using GUANO GOLD the use of Cow Peas as a low cost and versatile crop had been another good innovation. They have the potential to build soil nitrogen levels, to control weeds, provide high protein stock feed or be produced for cash cropping. The Cow Pea crops have been complemented by many visitors and neighbours, and similarly we have been impressed by them also. GUANO GOLD has certainly helped those crops too, and the benefit of the cereal crops has been in better tillering, their good yields and appearances.
Although the yield of wheat only produced 9 bags to the acre with the dry season last year, the conventional growers had similar yields too. However the GUANO GOLD had allowed a yield of 22 bags per acre in the more favourable year before, and once again equaled the yield levels of the conventional growers.
At Glenbye we have received 5 groups of Japanese visitors who are interested in buying our organic produce, as they have the appropriate outlets and demand in Japan. They constantly ask "where can we get organic grain, organic chicken and organic pork etc?". Isn't it interesting stated Mr. OLeary, fancy the Japanese asking for organic pork when the Australian pork industry has its problems.
Our Organic grains are sold to other organic companies such as North-Eastern Milling who produce organic flour for the domestic market. With the $40-50 per tonne premium paid over conventional grain prices, the organic grain industry has a bright future.
| Next |  |