Education
Grant and the team at Down Under Ag are passionate about sharing the knowledge they have gained over decades as they started to work to improve their soil and create a thriving farm. See below for resources that will help you gain insights into the management of cover crops and how Grant and the team have implemented it on their own farm.
Frequently Asked
Questions
With Grant Sims
Practice Guide: Multispecies Cropping
Grant has worked with the Soils for Life team to help build a comprehensive guide to multi species cover crops, check out the link below to dive into a series of videos, written guides and great information to help you understand the how and why behind cover crops.
Regenerative Agriculture at Down Under Ag
Watch as Grant Sims takes you into his business, delivering insights into cover crops, cattle integration, bio-fermented nutrients and crop stimulants that have enabled them to stop applying fungicides and insecticides on a commercial scale farm over 10 years ago.
The Basics
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Cover crops are plants or a diverse mixture of plants that are grown to help suppress weeds, manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, disease, wildlife and biodiversity.
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It’s different for every farmer, but in general, cover crop benefits include: enhanced soil biology, improved soil structure, increased infiltration, reduced erosion, weed suppression, nutrient cycling and wildlife propagation.
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Used as a rotation in cropping or pasture system, cover crops can provide huge amounts of bio-mass that can be grazed with very little inputs.
When correct techniques are used, cover crops can create opportunities to make the most of 'out-of-season' rain and convert into live weight gains whilst improving soil health.
Thought and care needs to be taken in managing soil moisture for following crops in low rainfall environments.
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Well-planned annual cover crop mixes can provide highly nutritious avaliable forage when perennial grass pastures are either unproductive, poor in quality, or in need of rest. This delivers tremendous benefit to animal health and production.
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Inter-row cover crops in orchards help increase soil organic matter, improve soil structure, combat soil compaction, help with weed suppression and improve nutrient availability. Cover crops also support pest and disease management in orchards and market gardens as they provide pollen and habitat for natural predators and parasitoids.
Consulting with Grant Sims.
Book a private online education session with Grant.
What will we cover?
By booking a 1hr consultation we could cover anything related to the practical implementation of regenerative farming methods i.e;
Livestock management
Seed priming
Sowing crops
SAP and tissue testing
Foliar nutrition
Cover crops
Bio stimulants
Guano
Companion and intercropping
Soil Health