In this issue:

Smart Farms Newsletter Issue 7: September 2011

The Hawkesbury-Nepean River Recovery Program is funded by the Australian Government through the Water for the Future program.

Supplementary funding for the WaterSmart Farms project has been provided by the NSW Government through its Climate Change Fund.

grant funds approved:

$14,945,416 through WaterSmart Farms & NutrientSmart Farms (GST inc.)

The Smart Farms projects (NutrientSmart Farms &

WaterSmart Farms) are working with landholders in

the lower Hawkesbury-Nepean region to improve

nutrient management and water use efficiency.

Smart Farmer to Cook up a Storm!

New Western Sydney FARMLAND for LEASE

NSF CASE STUDY:

Manure Spreader Goes a Long Way

WSF CASE STUDY:

Water/Labour/Cost Savings & Improved Production

Smart Farmer to Cook up a Storm! The Smart Farms project recently conducted an online survey to gather information about rural natural resource management in the Hawkesbury-Nepean region to assist in the planning of future natural resource management projects, both locally and beyond. To encourage participation, a stainless steel BBQ valued at $1,500 was offered as a prize to a randomly selected participant. We are pleased to announce that Neale Tweedie, of Atlas Turf at Richmond, was the lucky winner! Mr Tweedie plans to use the BBQ at home with his family. Surveys were also conducted in person and over the phone, resulting in nearly 500 responses altogether. The results are currently being compiled and analysed - a report will be published on the NSW DPI website.

New Western Sydney FARMLAND for LEASE

Western Sydney Parklands Trust (a NSW Government Agency), as part of its Future Farming Program, is offering three new parcels of rural land for lease as commercial market gardens. The three neighbouring sites are ideally located in Horsley Park with easy access to arterial roads. Long leases and services are available by negotiation. Interested parties can apply for one, two or all three of the Horsley Park sites, being:

102 - 114 Ferrers Road (1.75 hectares in size)

116 - 130 Ferrers Road (2.8 hectares in size)

132 - 142 Ferrers Road (2.2 hectares in size) A final inspection of the properties will be held at 4pm on Friday 9 September 2011. Farming land in such a convenient urban location is scarce. For an information package and application form, visit www.westernsydneyparklands.com.au and click on the Future Farming link. Applications close 3pm on Thursday 15 September 2011. For further information or to register for the above inspection please contact David Kirkland on 9895 7500.

Neale Tweedie taking delivery of the BBQ from George Pappas of Economy Mowers & Hawkesbury Heating

Be Nutrient & Water Smart—it’s worth it!

Smart Farms Contact Details

Smart Farms Administration & Information Officer

NSW Department of Primary Industries

Locked Bag 4, Richmond NSW 2753

Smart Farms Information Line: 4588 2118

Fax: 4588 2159

Email: rosemary.dopper@industry.nsw.gov.au

Web: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/agriculture/resources/smartfarms

© State of New South Wales through Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI) 2011. You may copy, distribute and otherwise freely deal with this publication for any purpose, provided that you attribute NSW DPI as the owner. Disclaimer: The information contained in this publication is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing (September 2011). However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that information upon which they rely is up to date and to check currency of the information with the appropriate officer of NSW DPI or the user’s independent adviser.

number of meters installed:

752 through the HN River Recovery Program “Improving

Hawkesbury-Nepean Water Balance Accounting” project

NutrientSmart Farms Case Study:

Manure Spreader Goes a Long Way For Dairy Farmer, Bill Inglis, effluent solids on his property at The Oaks were a costly and time-consuming waste product to deal with. Previously the nutrient-rich solids were spread by a contractor onto already fertile paddocks close to the dairy. This meant there was a risk of transport of nutri-ents into the nearby sensitive Werri-Berri Creek in times of heavy rainfall. With the assistance of a NutrientSmart Farms grant, Mr Inglis has recently purchased a manure spreader to allow him to cart and spread effluent solids onto low fertility paddocks. These paddocks will take up the nutrients more effectively and are further from Werri Berri Creek so runoff into the creek will be reduced.

“We believe there will be both an environmental gain and production gain as we spread the fertility over a larger area of the farm,” said Mr Inglis. To add value to the investment, and provide further water quality benefits, Mr Inglis will share the manure spreader with three other local dairy farmers.

WaterSmart Farms Case Study:

Water / Labour / Cost Savings and

Improved Production With several commercial turf properties to manage, Hawkesbury farmer Steve Vella was keen to improve the e f f i c i ency of h i s operation at Wilberforce. Old and worn travelling irrigators were labour intensive and also

provided uneven watering, resulting in sub-optimal crop production and excess runoff. Further, an inappropriate mainline and incorrect hydrant spacings also contributed to poor water uniformity. Through a WaterSmart Farms grant, Mr Vella was able to purchase two new, more efficient, travelling irrigators with smaller nozzles to reduce irrigation runoff. He also upgraded his mainline from 100mm to 150mm PVC and spaced hydrants closer together. The result is a system with lower running costs that requires less maintenance, and provides increased irrigation efficiency and crop production. Chemicals and nutrients applied are also absorbed into the soil quicker.

“I am watering more often in smaller amounts with much less runoff – I’m very happy with the results,” said Mr Vella. T h e p r o j e c t resulted in water savings in excess of 15 megalitres per year, which will contribute to increased environmental flows in the Hawkesbury Nepean River system.

The manure spreader purchased by Mr Inglis