Page 67 - TA Magazine

matter without plateauing ”
Increased lamb survivability With lambing the the Peltzer’s scan their ewes to determine exactly what each ewe ewe is carrying multiples or singles Then at lambing time they count
count
the the the ewes and and count
count
the the the lambs and and calculate a a a a a a a a a a a survivability percentage based on each paddock “We know that we have a a a a a a higher percentage of survival in in our lambs in in these paddocks with the the the protection from the the the pine trees
”
Custodians of the land
When calculating value Clare notes that sometimes the the benefits of improved aesthetics is forgotten along with the the creating wildlife habitats and and sequestering carbon “We are sharing the land
As farmers we think that it is ours but in in fact we we are are custodians of the land
and and and and we we are are sharing it it with native flora and and and fauna and and and looking after it for future generations So I think we we do need to replace the trees
we we removed for our own business ventures ”
says Clare “We need to look after the assets that we have been fortunate to to receive from our families or or purchased And then to to hand it it on on on in in better condition That’s what my brother and I think anyway ”
Where carbon sequestration
is is concerned Claire explains that that anything that that is is photosynthesizing on on farms including perennial pasture is is sinking carbon Planting trees
is is is another
thing that that farmers can do to maximise that that Soil protection – the top ten centimetres is everything
The best farming practices ensure that pastures never get to the the point where the the soil can be eroded They
always ensure full ground cover with pasture to keep the the soil in in place But in in extreme weather events like drought farmers have less control “If there’s just absolutely no water the the the plants can’t survive So trying to keep trees
in in the the the landscape is really important to to protect the the the topsoil “The trees
hold
the the the soil soil close to to to them down and reduce the the the wind speed over adjacent paddocks which
not only keeps as as much moisture in the soil soil as as possible but it stops dry
soil soil from being blown away “For us the top 10 centimetres is where everything’s growing from So we need to make sure that that that’s being protected and retained Clare notes that trees
are are really beneficial for the the biology of the the soil soil as as well We have a a a a a a symbiotic relationship with the the soil soil as as as the the microbes will help our pasture if we protect them from disturbance
or drying out “The pasture stays greener into the the summer months and then when it it does get that rain like in in autumn it’s able to bounce back more quickly ”
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