Eco-logical Farming Handbook

Using regenerative agriculture, we reduce fertiliser and other input costs, crop losses from pests, diseases and extreme weather, take carbon out of the atmosphere, and have the joy of bringing Nature back to our farms.

The challenge has been - how to do it.

There are so many different schemes coming under the regenerative agriculture umbrella - Climate-Smart Agriculture, Conservation Agriculture, Evergreen Agriculture, Agricology, Agroecology, Ecological farming, Natural farming, Zero Input Farming - that it is confusing.

Search for practical resources, and you’ll usually find lists of off-the-shelf practices, like cover cropping, no-till and bio-fertilisers, rather than an explanation of what we need to regenerate.

The Eco-logical Farming Handbook is different.

By identifying the ecological principles that underpin regenerative practices used around the world, the message is actually quite simple - get the ecological functions in your production systems operating again. Particularly, your nutrient cycles, water cycles, solar energy capture, and functional biodiversity.

What does this mean for you?

Understanding the eco-logical principles, you confidently develop the best regenerative practices for your climate, other growing conditions, and production systems, as well as markets, finances, family and lifestyle. Links to videos, showing the experiences of leading farmers, and a comprehensive tools inventory are provided to help you.

Bringing back these FREE ecological services to your farm you:

1. Grow nutritious and chemical-free food
2. Boost production in good times
3. Reduce set-backs when the weather plays up
4. Give insect pests a smaller share of your produce.
5. Develop opportunities to grow additional products within your production systems

And what’s more, you'll supply vital ecosystem services – biodiversity, carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, and reduced fertiliser, pesticide and sediment runoff. Not because you have been lucky enough to receive a grant or incentive payment (although these are always useful) – because these services are supplied naturally as by-products from repairing the ecological infrastructure on our farms.

Does this sound too good to be true?

As you will see from the research and farmer-led innovation in the Handbook - there is plenty of evidence demonstrating the benefits of using this eco-logical approach to regenerative agriculture.

Are you ready to try this easier way to grow?

Price: AU $58 - including delivery

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Benefit from the FREE ecological services Nature provides

By looking closely at the ecological principles that underpin successful regenerative practices used around the world, the message for farmers and other food growers is actually quite simple - get the ecological functions in your production systems operating again.

Particularly, your nutrient cycles, water cycles, solar energy capture, and functional biodiversity.

Organic matter, soil carbon, water infiltration into the soil, and biodiversity are important metrics, but we need to get our agro-ecosystems ‘tuned up’ and running for these to improve.

Most soils, for example, don’t show the customary indicators of soil degradation – salinity, erosion and compaction. But are degraded because they lack functional nutrient recycling systems and soil structural engineers building soil promoting root growth and healthy soil ecosystems. Working with dysfunctional soils has become the norm.

When farmers get their soil ecosystems functioning again, soil tests show increased plant nutrient availability. Farmers use less or zero inputs of fertilisers. Costs of production go down, without sacrificing yields - quite the opposite. As soil scientists state, it is not that nutrients are lacking in our soil, what is lacking is the biology to make these nutrients available.

A reliable pathway to follow

You will understand and then tackle your critical issues using the eco-logical principles to develop solutions that work well for you.

Established regenerative practices then become the source and inspiration for your ideas, rather than recipes to follow.

Trialing different techniques, sharing and learning with your neighbours, you'll take giant steps forward, rather than finding yourself backing off each time the recipes don’t work well for you.

Farmer-led innovation at it’s best!

Nature contributes innovation and technology

While sectors in agribusiness promote agri-tech like genetically modified crops to reduce pest and disease problems and precision agriculture to reduce soil compaction, farmers restoring the  ecological operations in their production systems  make the real technological advances in farming.

They use the expertise Nature has developed over 3 billion years to create agro-ecosystems that are easy to maintain and highly productive - using the energy and resources they have available. Which are resilient and bounce back from impacts of extreme weather events.

Everything we want for our farms.

Will this approach work in my climate?

Farmers from the cold north of Scotland to the hot, sultry tropics and arid landscapes of Africa use this eco-logical approach to regenerative agriculture and agroecology. The ecological principles are the same. Tools, techniques and species differ as growers adapt these practices to their climate.

Does the size of my property matter?

Size doesn't matter. Smallholders, market and community gardeners and farms with large-scale crop operations are improving their soils and reducing crop losses by repairing their ecological infrastructure.

Will it work with what I grow?

There are orchardists, dairy farmers, market gardeners, grain producers, grazers, and even hydroponic growers already getting amazing results. The ecological principles are the same. Farmers choose suitable practices for their production systems.

Will my yields drop?

Farmers often experience higher and more reliable yields. With less impacts from pests and diseases and fewer crop losses during tough times. They also create opportunities to sustainably intensify their production by stacking new enterprises within their existing production systems.