US Soil expert on route to train farmers in NZ

Molly Haviland

US soil ecologist Molly Haviland (pictured) will visit New Zealand this month to present two events aimed at farmers and growers who want to expand their knowledge of composting and soil fertility, and take soils, pastures and production to another level.

The Thermal and Worm Composting workshops are co-hosted by Waihi farm, Chaos Springs, Kiwi Fertiliser and MyNOKE Compost, and will include a three-day intensive course in the Bay of Plenty, and a one-day workshop in Whangarei.

The three-day intensive course consists of two-days of classroom learning in Tauranga followed by a day field trip to Chaos Springs farm in Waihi.

Molly Haviland runs her own soil building consultancy, Haviland Earth Regeneration, and has studied directly under Dr Elaine Ingham of Soil Food Web Inc. Molly is an exceptionally polished and knowledgeable presenter and one of only a handful of Certified Soil Life Consultants in the world.

Those attending her workshop can expect to come away with lots of fantastic knowledge and skills, including:

* The benefits of thermal and worm composting in modern eco-agriculture.

* Enhancing plant productivity through cultivation, identification, and documentation of soil organisms.

* How to take your farm to the next level and increase pasture production by eliminating chemical inputs and applying soil friendly fertiliser inputs.

* Converting barn waste and manure into fertiliser through correct composting procedures.

* Efficient use of effluent as fertiliser from effluent ponds with the correct pH.

* How you can create properly balanced soils and a diverse soil food web.

A one-day workshop is in Whangarei on Monday, May 8 with a three-day intensive course in Tauranga, May 10-12. To register visit chaossprings.co.nz and go to the Workshops page, or call Steve Erickson on (07) 863-7975 or Ron McLean on 0800 549 433.