After a successful first round of the annual ‘Grazing Time’ dryland pasture course, registrations are now open for a second round, starting in late May. Tailored to semi-arid areas in the Derwent, the course is the first of its kind in Tasmania and is ideal for farmers wanting to improve the management of their dryland pastures.
This innovative course has been developed with the expertise of the Derwent Catchment Project, as a part of a broader Pasture Information Project being delivered in partnership with NRM South. This project is supported by NRM South through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.
The course will be run for a year, across seven workshops. It is designed to assist graziers in the Derwent to get the most out of their dryland pastures.
Tim Ackroyd, Regional Agricultural Landcare Facilitator for NRM South, highlighted that ‘Grazing Time’ will benefit experienced graziers wanting to refresh their pasture management knowledge, as well as people new to farming.
‘The workshops cover subjects like livestock grazing, pasture management, managing legumes and how to improve the condition and productivity of your farm,’ said Tim. ‘It’s a great opportunity for farmers to learn from experts and other farmers.’
The Derwent Catchment Project are calling on landowners, land managers and staff in the Derwent Catchment to register their interest. Eve Lazarus, NRM Coordinator for the Derwent Catchment Project, noted the importance of the course in seeking to address the issues and environmental conditions of the region, tailored to the specific needs of livestock enterprises. ‘We run the course on-farm,’ explained Eve. ‘Visiting a different property each session, sharing problems and successes, which is fantastic ground for learning and inspiration and sharing experiences of what works well and what doesn’t.’
Farmers interested in signing up to the course should contact Eve Lazarus at [email protected] / 0429 170 048 by 20 May 2021. For more information about the Derwent Pasture Network, visit https://www.pasturenetwork.org/
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