The farming country around Goias in central Brazil was opened up 30-50 years ago. It boasts a great climate of 20-30 degrees year-round and we saw enormous areas in either rainfed or irrigated farms. Soils range from heavy red soils to a sandy-gravel with overall low fertility and a pH around 5.5. It seems a high input system gets 400-600kg/ha fertiliser to produce two crops/year of grain.
“California farm” receives 1200mm rainfall 100% cropping and has developed an innovative rotation that has the curiosity of the region. Soy is the main cash crop and sown year-about with two 6-month corn crops. A slow growing version of the semi-perennial ‘brachiara grass’ is broadcast before the initial corn is sown to condition soil and manage disease – returning an average of 15% higher soy yields without impacting on corn yields at all. Knownw as the Santa Fe system, it is innovative in this context as it is normally employed by mixed farmers wanting to fatten cattle – not in the name of maximising groundcover to build soil health. Just fantastic!
Soil health has been a real discussion point, and I’ve been especially excited by the on-farm systems and projects of four of the scholars – all looking at developing farming systems that drive cycling of water, nutrients and energy flow. A comment from farmer Leon from Fazenda Reunidas today summed up this thinking when I asked him whether he had a favourite enterprise among his family-rich business including millk, beef, grains, coffee, fish and cachaca (sugarcane rum). “Well I have a soft spot for milk as thats where we started 50 years ago with 60ha producing 38L/day, but you know the milk is a by-product and agriculture is about turning sunlight into useful products while building the health of our people and surroundings – you have to focus on the fundamentals”. I was very excited that I had a bottle of Bundaberg Rum in my bag that we could give as a modest thank you to this visionary and generous family!
“California farm” receives 1200mm rainfall 100% cropping and has developed an innovative rotation that has the curiosity of the region. Soy is the main cash crop and sown year-about with two 6-month corn crops. A slow growing version of the semi-perennial ‘brachiara grass’ is broadcast before the initial corn is sown to condition soil and manage disease – returning an average of 15% higher soy yields without impacting on corn yields at all. Knownw as the Santa Fe system, it is innovative in this context as it is normally employed by mixed farmers wanting to fatten cattle – not in the name of maximising groundcover to build soil health. Just fantastic!
Soil health has been a real discussion point, and I’ve been especially excited by the on-farm systems and projects of four of the scholars – all looking at developing farming systems that drive cycling of water, nutrients and energy flow. A comment from farmer Leon from Fazenda Reunidas today summed up this thinking when I asked him whether he had a favourite enterprise among his family-rich business including millk, beef, grains, coffee, fish and cachaca (sugarcane rum). “Well I have a soft spot for milk as thats where we started 50 years ago with 60ha producing 38L/day, but you know the milk is a by-product and agriculture is about turning sunlight into useful products while building the health of our people and surroundings – you have to focus on the fundamentals”. I was very excited that I had a bottle of Bundaberg Rum in my bag that we could give as a modest thank you to this visionary and generous family!