In a Southern Cross University initiative, The Good Soils, Good Food event this week is commemorating World Soil Day on Wednesday, December 4th*.

Local farmers, chefs and scientists are coming together to celebrate achievements, discuss strategy and taste the results of sustainable farming practices.

One of the organisers, Gavin Tinning, SCU Innovation Hub Adoption and Extension Officer in Lismore; the chef, Shane Runciman, the culinary mind behind Twisted Tucker and radio announcer; and Kerry Wilson, former commercial dairy farmer, turned his farming into a “Value Add” proposition, discussed the event.

Gavin has been working towards a successful and interesting event. He describes it as “The connection between looking after our soils and producing healthy, nutritious, tasty food.

“It's really about caring for the physical and chemical nature of the soil. So you've got fertility, but also the biological nature of the soil. That might be compost, might be cover crops. It might be keeping your ground covered so it doesn't wash away when we get our regular downpours. At the same time, you've got to make a living. So sometimes it can be a little bit of a trade-off.”

Kerry describes the intensity of tactics in commercial farming, “We were the product of banging out as much urea as possible every chance you get. Every time it rains a bit to get that rye grass growing through winter - every chemical, every spray is done because all your focus is on production per litre to sell as a volume of the farm.”

Kerry and Paul decided to move Nimbin Dairy towards sustainable tactics, “We took the next step and value added all our own milk. So all the milk that is produced on our farm is processed into cheese or milk or kefir or yogurt, and we sell directly through farmers' markets. We also have a distribution network from Cairns down to Melbourne as well. 

“Our focus is on producing a quality range of dairy products from a sustainable farm that has integrity, and we use minimum chemical sprays to put on our pastures and into our soil.”

Kerry explains that it hasn't been an easy process, and the more you put into value-adding, the customers expect it, but the results are rewarding.  

“We want to do something for Nimbin and the North Coast region, and build a brand based on sustainable farming methods, which tastes good. 

“There is a lot more interest in herd health, soil health and pasture health. It has come a long way in the last 20 to 25 years, and I'm sure that will continue.  

“The consumers are holding us to task, and they're questioning us. Who are our farming vendors? And their consumer habits - their buying habits are based on our essence and whether we have a good story.”

The change at the bottom line is where there is a big difference, “When you're commercial, you’re a price taker. But now, by default, we are completely price-making. To a large extent, we are in charge of our investment, and our sales are very dependent upon our story and how we farm.”

This event recognises the difficulties that can be experienced in farming in the region, in particular our varied soil types and weather patterns that have a tendency to be extreme and ever more sub tropical. The concept is to bring people and ideas together.

“It's really challenging to change from a more conventional style of farming into something that's a bit more biological or regenerative or organic,” says Gavin.

“I think farmers learn best from other farmers, from example and from conversations, rather than from experts. 

“But on the flip side, we have really good research that comes out of Southern Cross Uni around things like cover crops, for example, that helps guide people making decisions and perhaps making better decisions and spending less money in that change.”

Good Soils, Good Food will have both scientific research and farmer findings in discussion while Shane is turning their nutritious foods into delicious tucker.

Shane is very much looking forward to this event and has been working on some special recipes, “We're going to be cooking and showcasing all the local ingredients that are involved in sustainable farming. There's going to be a panel of farmers talking about how they've applied the Good Soil, Good Food philosophy, and their learnings.

“And the food miles will be next to zero. It’s really important to me to make sure we minimise our food mileage.

“The ethics behind food is important. I think what we're seeing more and more is that people are making that choice. Ethical food doesn't necessarily mean more expense - if it's a highly dense, nutritional food, you need less of it.”

The suppliers of the sustainable foods that will be on the panel include:

• Julia Bolam - Roseberry Growers, supplying flowers and vegetables
• Frank and Andrea Boyle @ Marlivale Farm - rice and pecans
• Mark Bayley @ Singing Farmer Organics - Vegetables
• Paean Fassos - Five Sixty Farms - Sprouts and vegetables
• Nimbin Valley Dairy supplying cheeses for desserts
• Pyewacketts - supplying drinks

Good Soils Good Food will be held at Norma’s Kitchen at the Lismore Showground.

Keep an eye out for these producers to put something special on your Christmas table this year.

Tickets are available at Eventbrite

*World Soil Day is on December 5th, but the 4th was the date the function could be held on.