Actual Temperature
14 degrees Celsius
Humidity : 85%
Rainfall : 0.00mm
Wind : Moderate Wind

I had my morning class with Lisa Burton on Organic Unit. She was also explaining about the Class Presentation on Successful Organic Enterprises and knowledge of factors influencing the development of organic horticulture in New Zealand.

Organic matter

Organic farming takes its name from the organic matter that farmers use as an alternative to synthetic fertilisers, which are banned in organic systems. Organic matter is a term that refers to any natural material that is added to the soil and allowed to decompose. It adds nutrients to the soil and also fibrous material that helps promote soil structure and provides ‘food’ for the insects and microbial organisms that are present in healthy soils. Adding organic matter ot the soil also has the effect of storing carbon within the soil as it decomposes – soils on organic farms store higher levels of carbon in the soil, and as a result if organic farming.

Soil fertility on organic farms is maintained through a number of methods:

Growing crops, such as legumes, that add nitrogen to the soil as part of a crop rotation
Growing ‘green manures’ such as clover that are intended to be ploughed back into the soil.
Applying composts and farmyard manure – encouraging life in the soil
Applying certain mineral fertilisers and supplementary nutrients.

Green manures

Green manures are crops grown and then ploughed back in to improve the soil. They provide several useful functions:

They provide ground cover at times when the soil is not being used for crop growing – in between cultivations or over winter for example. This cover prevents soil erosion and prevents weeds becoming established.
Legumes, such as clover, beans and vetch, ‘fix’ atmospheric nitrogen in their root nodules – capturing fertility from the air and eventually releasing it to the soil.
They support insect populations which provides more food for birds and more predators to reduce the number of insect pests on the farm.
When they are eventually ploughed into the soil they provide decomposed and partly decomposed organic matter, which helps ensure a healthy soil life and maintains nutrient levels for the next crop.

Compost and farmyard manure

Returning manure from animals and compost from the residue of crops, food and other farmyard waste is a way of ensuring that where possible nothing is wasted. Like green manures, adding such material helps return nutrients to the soil, cover and protect the ground and promotes healthy soil life through the return of organic matter. Manure is usually stacked or composted for six months before use, though it can be used fresh on grassland only. Compost from household waste can only be used if it meets all legal requirements.

Mineral fertilisers and supplementary nutrients

All of the farms certified by the Soil Association must have production systems which are planned to minimise the need for any brought-in nutrients. However, with our permission, farmers can use supplementary mineral fertilisers such as phospate, potassium or dried and liquid seaweed. Usually permission is only granted where a farmer can show their soil has a severe deficiency of the mineral in question. However, such fertilisers always come from natural sources; synthetic factory-produced fertilisers are fossil fuel intensive to produce and transport and are banned in our standards.

In the afternoon my class was Kim Thomas on Permaculture Unit and Mr. Bart Acres from Otepoti Gardening gave a talk on Otepoti urban organics. He talks regarding useful in your gardening endeavours from places to aquire seeds, soil and other gardening resources. He can be reached at otepoti.urban.organics@gmail.com or to website www.urbanorganics.org.nz.

The seeds are distributed to local gardeners at a cost of $2.00 per packet. The network

is run on a not-for-profit basis, with any proceeds above cost going into projects to futher enhance and develop the network, such as leasing land for breeding projects, aquiring new varieties, doing seedling giveaways and so on.

The key goals of the Symbiosis Seed Exchange are:

provides good quality heirloom and open pollinated vegetables seeds to Otago gardeners.
continues to perserve and improves supplies of Otago-suited varieties
function as a central distribution point for seed swapping among local gardeners
provide information and resources about growing the varieties on offer and how to properly save the seed from them to ensure the true characters of the variety are retained.
continue to bring hoe gardening back t how it should be - a dynamic and interactive hobby in which the gardener develops a living relationship with the plants they grow and is engaged in the whole cycle.

Later one hour we went to Polygrow Nursery and sow seeds using compacting from Otepoti Urban Organics. The seeds are Purple climbing beans, Scarlet runner beans and "Emu" climbing beans.