Ecological Farming Handbook
Regenerative agriculture is the best way to grow. The challenge is how to do it.
Recognising that much of our land is in poor condition and would work better with a few repairs, many of us are joining the groundswell of farmers using regenerative practices.
It's not hard to find resources on using different techniques like applying compost and biological fertilisers, using zero-till, cover crops, crop rotations, agroforestry, and so on...
But how do we choose the best practices for the issues holding us back, our growing conditions, livestock, and crops?
We can make marginal improvements by replacing pesticides with organic versions and chemical fertilisers with biological inputs.
But understanding what we need to regenerate – the ecological functions in our production systems, and developing practices mimicking how these functions get naturally repaired, established practices become a source and inspiration for our ideas rather than recipes to follow.
This approach to regenerative agriculture makes sense. In fact, the more we delve into how Nature repairs ecological functions, the more eco-logical the solutions become and the easier it is to benefit!
- Reduce our reliance on fertilisers, pest controls and other inputs
- Grow nourishing food
- Develop production systems capable of bouncing back from extreme weather events
What's more, we supply vital ecosystem services – biodiversity, carbon sequestration, flood mitigation, and reduced fertiliser, pesticide, and sediment runoff, as natural by-products from repairing the ecological infrastructure on our farms.
Are you ready to try this eco-logical way to grow?
Wiro Bound Printed Version
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The Eco-logical Farming Handbook is sold by and securely delivered via FastSpring. A publication from Learning from Nature, Hill Top Farm - working with Nature Pty Ltd
ISBN 9780646987149 26/4/2019
Licensed PDF
Price: AU $34
Sales tax or VAT may apply.
Pay with credit card or PayPal.
The Eco-logical Farming Handbook is sold by and securely delivered via FastSpring. A publication from Learning from Nature, Hill Top Farm - working with Nature Pty Ltd
ISBN 9780646987149 26/4/2019
Need more information about the Ecological Farming Handbook? Then read on…
Why this Ecological Approach to makes Sense
Leave your tractor in the shed. Give the job of making good soil structure to the experts – your soil organisms.
Save money on commercial pest controls with a team of technologically advanced, highly motivated insect and bird pest controllers.
Give the microbes and other organisms in your soil ecosystem the job of managing your fertiliser regime.
Sustainably intensify your production by growing more with extra solar panels.
Reliable Pathway to Follow
Some farmers continue the use of ancient, time-honoured practices maintaining functioning ecosystems. Their soils naturally supply nutrients to their plants, and the diversity of insects and birds control most of their pests. The majority of us are not so lucky.
Substituting for these free ecological services by cultivating soil, applying fertilisers, and pest controls has become the norm – virtually everybody does it! This interventionist approach defines current conventional farming, whether we substitute with chemical or organic inputs, with a spade or a 420 horsepower, six-cylinder tractor!
We break this intervention habit by understanding how to restore the critical ecological functions – nutrient cycle, water cycle, and solar energy capture - and create beneficial connections to use these resources.
Take, for example, getting the nutrient cycle in our soils working again.
Science shows us that what's crucial is changing how we manage our land to produce a generous, diverse and preferably consistent food supply for our soil ecosystem in addition to food for ourselves and our livestock. We can then leave our soil organisms to maintain soil structure and get our nutrient recycling system naturally supplying food to our crops.
Applying eco-logic, we combine the expertise Nature has developed over 400 million years with human ingenuity and gain the know-how to develop regenerative practices that work well for our circumstances. We can trial techniques, learn and share our experiences, and respond constructively to emerging issues and threats.
Suburb Value
You benefit from over 12 years of research clarifying and validating the ecological principles underpinning successful regenerative techniques and translating this eco-logic into an easily digestible farmer-friendly format.
Applying the ecological principles, you gain the know-how to restore critical ecological functions – nutrient cycle, water cycle, and solar energy capture - and create beneficial connections to use these resources efficiently.
Using the links to videos showing what other farmers achieve and Tools Inventory, you'll get your agroecosystems up and running again!
Get your Ecological Farming Handbook
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ISBN 9780646987149
Lower production costs
Colin Seis has reduced his production costs by 75% by getting his nutrient cycling system functioning again. He uses 70% less fertiliser on crops and hasn’t fertilised his pasture for over 30 years. Yet his soil tests show increases in major and micro plant nutrient availability.
Drought-proofing
We're improving the water cycle on our farm by combining Holistic Planned Grazing with Silvopasture.
See the benefits in our dry season. The legume trees provide extra forage and nitrogen fertiliser. Our pasture is productive and drought-proofed.
Pest-resistance
Hydroponic growers, Graham and Fiona Grant used to regularly spray synthetic pesticides. Now they only use organic pest controls as a back-up.
They have created 'functional biodiversity' by providing suitable food plants and habitat to maintain populations of beneficial insects.
"Thank you so much for writing your book. It is a most concise, yet comprehensive guide to regenerative food production systems I have come across. I have had contact with several of the people referred to in your book, but it is difficult to bring all of the different ideas and practices together. The Handbook does that brilliantly."
Peter Stray, President of the Geelong Landcare Network, Victoria, Australia.
"This beautifully Ecological Farming Handbook book presents really practical ‘hands-on’ information for farmers wishing to improve both the overall productivity and the sustainability of their land.
Dr Seabrook draws on the experiences of farmers around the world and her own at Hill Top Farm in tropical Australia, where she is transforming degraded land into fertile pastures and multi-layered production systems. The effects are dramatic.
She emphasises the need for individual farmers to think about what they want to accomplish, and then use eco-logical principles to achieve it.
The Eco-logical Farming Handbook shows us how to work with nature to improve soil fertility, minimise pests and diseases, reduce the impacts of drought and so to maximise production - all this, without reliance on expensive agrichemicals.
This farmer-friendly, wildlife-friendly, and climate-friendly approach is applicable around the globe from resource-poor smallholders to large-scale enterprises."
Prof Roger Leakey, Vice President of International Tree Foundation, former Professor of Agroecology and Sustainable Development at JCU Cairns, and former Director of Research at The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).
"Wendy Seabrook is on the money when it comes to regenerative agriculture. Her teachings and advice are being shown to markedly improve lands used for farming and cropping. I especially enjoyed reading her 'Eco-logical Farming Handbook' where every page is full of information that creates more 'wow moments' than I thought possible! A great read."
Charles Alder
CVO / CEO EcoForce Australia,
Co Founder of Rural Aid
"Extraordinary."
Jessica Peace, Organic vegetable producer, UK.
"The great thing about the Eco-logical Farming Handbook - we are on a journey and understand where we want to go."
Martin Lines, UK Chair, Nature Friendly Farming Network.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will this approach work in my climate?
Farmers from the cold north of Scotland to Africa's hot, sultry tropics and arid landscapes use this ecological approach. 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, large-scale crop and grazing operations improve their soils and reduce crop losses by repairing their ecological infrastructure.
Will the 'eco-logic' work with what I grow?
Yes, the fundamental principles are applicable whatever your climate and production system. There are orchardists, dairy farmers, market gardeners, grain producers, grazers, and even hydroponic growers already getting amazing results.
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 increase their income streams by stacking new enterprises within their production systems.
Why I am passionate about getting this Ecological Farming Handbook to farmers
"I've farmed and worked with farmers for over 30 years, but do so now by learning from Nature."
"It's crazy to ignore millions of years of innovation, especially as Nature has carried out research in every climate and growing condition on the planet!
It amazes me that I didn't realise earlier how many jobs we do and the inputs we use are unnecessary when we get our ecosystems functioning again. But then virtually everyone was doing the same, believing that it was impossible to grow food without these interventions.
We didn't realise what we had lost. Take a look at any healthy natural ecosystem in your region. Does anyone need to spread mulch, compost and other bio-fertilisers, control pests, weed, or mow?
Valuing Nature for what we can learn and combining this wisdom with human ingenuity is eco-logical, and a powerful tool to solve the climate and ecological emergency."
Reduce fertiliser costs – feeding your plants with a functioning nutrient recycling system
Boost production - growing more photosynthetic panels
Drought and water-proof your farm – with a functioning water cycle
Reduce labour and pest control costs - creating functional biodiversity and other beneficial connections
Create opportunities to sustainably intensify your production
Wiro Bound Printed Version
Price: AU $78 - including delivery
Sales tax or VAT may apply.
Pay with credit card or PayPal.
The Eco-logical Farming Handbook is sold by and securely delivered via FastSpring. A publication from Learning from Nature, Hill Top Farm - working with Nature Pty Ltd
ISBN 9780646987149 26/4/2019
Licensed PDF
Price: AU $34
Sales tax or VAT may apply.
Pay with credit card or PayPal.
The Eco-logical Farming Handbook is sold by and securely delivered via FastSpring. A publication from Learning from Nature, Hill Top Farm - working with Nature Pty Ltd
ISBN 9780646987149 26/4/2019