Free workshops on natural grazing methods – Tablelands and Ingham

A grazing practices guru is returning to the Tablelands and Ingham after popular workshops earlier this yearDick Richardson will be leading free Grazing Naturally workshops in September where landholders can learn more about flexible paddock-grazing practices, managing grazing pressures paddock by paddock and improving soil health through plants and animal grazing practices.

Terrain NRM’s Jen Mackenzie said the natural resource management organisation was bringing Dick back to the region for a series of workshops for both landholders who missed out last time and those who wanted to build on what they learnt in April.

“Dick will be spending more time out in the paddock this time, and on helping people to adopt natural grazing methods on their own properties to suit their specific needs,’’ she said.

“He’ll demonstrate paddock-grazing patterns using up to six paddocks and incorporating the wet season or 12-month spelling practices, and using different grazing pressures for different paddocks so the land can be managed on a case-by-case basis to suit local situations.”

A ‘Grazing Naturally Basics’ and a ‘Grazing Planning Day’ will be held at Woodleigh Station on Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 September while a ‘Grass and Soil Basics for Grazing’ and ‘Pasture and Stock Management’ workshop will be run out of Ingham’s TYTO Wetlands Centre on Thursday 20 and Friday 21 September.

Tablelands farmer and regenerative agricultural specialist Adam Collins will also be on hand at Woodleigh Station, to talk about weeds as indicators of soil health.

The workshops are part of a $3 million Herbert River Gully and Grazing program to improve water quality in the Herbert catchment, funded by the Australian Government through its Reef Trust Phase IV program and delivered by Terrain NRM.

The project includes earthworks to re-shape gullies, fencing to keep stock away from streambanks, a fresh look at grazing practices, off-stream water points for stock, revegetation and weed management.

Landholders can phone Terrain NRM’s Jen Mackenzie on 0438 206 343 or email jennifer.mackenzie@terrain.org.au to register or learn more.