• Dyan Hughes noted that for soil health it is a journey and nature is patient . We have to allow time for achieving improved health of the system .
• Garlone Moulin observed that field discussions had focused on the eroded and scalded areas where field day participants were standing and that we should be managing living plants first , looking for ways to encourage expansion and health of what is growing rather than what is not growing .
Final field visit summary comments :
‘ I`d just like to say thank you to everyone for giving up two days of their
time to come and have a look around and share their thoughts and experiences . Thanks to Barry and Leanne from Glenalpine , and Owen and Michelle at Hells Gate for showing what they`ve done and are doing on their properties . I`ve got a lot out ot the two days and really enjoyed it and reckon it`s an exciting time . I can`t wait to see what it looks like in another five years .
’
— Bristow Hughes
‘ I`ve learned a fair bit . And it`s a good day of my life if I can go
somewhere and learn something . Just a suggestion to Andrew ( Brooks ) about the need to do further research . There`s some interesting things with intensive grazing and trampling , feeding the soil biology . I suppose I`d like to challenge Andrew ( and other scientists and researchers ) to look into it a bit more for our sake .
’
— Barry O
’ Sullivan
‘ I just wanted to thank you Owen ( Howard , Hellsgate ), especially ,
because you haven`t been in the sharing group before and we got so much from our time at Hellsgate . So the interaction is super important to share with others if we can . Please come back and please let us come back because you gave all of us very valuable demonstrations in two locations , but especially your own simple little one with that fenced gully area and putting your cattle in .
’
— Dyan Hughes
‘ Well , it works both ways . What interests me is to come and see the
country , that`s what tells you what`s going on and to see how good Strathalbyn is here . So the proof`s in the pudding , the way the cattle are being worked through here , obviously . That`s the good part because you can see what it`s doing . The country`s improving . When you come through paddocks like we came through today , and I`ve driven there many moons ago , and it`s just totally changed , transformed . So that`s all to the better . Like this project , that`s great . All the country around , it`s improving . That`s a big area getting better . So that`s what we`ve got to do . Make the land safe then we can pass it on , otherwise you`re going to pass on nothing .
’
— Owen Howard
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