What We Do

TIM’S ETHOS

Tim aims to work alongside nature in all of his farming practices, thinking of his livestock as tools on the farm, and carefully managing their movement and numbers to improve soils and biodiversity on the property.

“It is important to match the enterprise to the environment, not the other way around” Tim says, “working with nature will always produce better results. Considering your personal values as well as your natural resource base and available finances is a great starting point for farm resilience planning, and should be the basis against which you test all your decisions against.”

For successful resilience, the whole ecosystem needs to be supported and customised to existing topography and natural resources. Monitoring mineral cycles, energy flow, soil health and ground cover ensures your plan stays on track.

“Put dollars into solutions, not band-aid treatments. The resulting increased production and decreased input costs covers the financing of the infrastructure within two years! Plus you’re contributing to a brighter future for our earth, community and health.” - Tim Wright.

HOLISTIC ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT

Economic viability is an undeniable component of sustainable agriculture; regenerating the landscape costs time and money, but can turn increased profit and save you time in the long run.

Land regeneration and livestock rotational grazing practices at Lana has increased pasture availability and quality, improving production. On average, carrying capacity has increased from around 8000 DSE to 20,000 DSE. Additionally the quality of product has seen a marked increase in sale price, and recognised certification has seen increases in asking price by up to 20% above the premium rate.

Expenditure has also decreased. Over the 10 years after purchasing the farm, Tim’s careful planning saw a 70% reduction on his variable costs of production. With reduced labour required, increased pasture availability and replacing substitute feed with nutrient supplementing, farm profitability has remained stable, even in times of drought.

Planning future stocking rates requires well informed data on the land’s carrying capacity, required infrastructure, and predicted climatic conditions; especially regarding rainfall. At Lana, the Gleissberg cycle of solar activity is carefully monitored to future-proof farm productivity.

As a result, Lana’s economic farm model is designed so robustly that even the banks can see the potential and stability of it’s systems; granting an extremely low interest margin of just 0.25%.

PLANNED GRAZING

Tim uses a holistic management approach that involved establishing over 340 smaller paddocks and introducing time-controlled rotational grazing at higher density, using stock for nutrient movement, enhancing soil fertility, maintaining ground cover and regenerating native grassland species, as well as breaking intestinal parasite cycles.

“The slasher is their teeth, the plough is their feet and the fertiliser equipment is in their rear!“ Tim says. “Pastures are now altered by using grazing management and no chemicals are used.”

In line with these methodologies coined by Arthur W. Sampson in the earl/mid 1900’s, landscape resting time is perhaps a graziers most powerful tool, reducing land degradation and increasing carrying capacity as well as allowing adaptability to climatic conditions.

INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WORKS WITH THE LAND

Fencing to control stock movement means nutrients are spread laterally and more evenly, resulting in improved soil organic matter content and fertility. The installation of troughs and layout of paddocks, informed by the landscape, has also eliminated erosion of stream banks and regenerated vegetation in riparian zones at Lana.

“We don’t need troughs in wet seasons, but they are a good drought standby. A mix of dams and troughs gives us the best of both worlds” Tim says.

Nebraska Feedlot research has shown that cattle do better on clean water; stock can lose half a kilogram per day on muddy water in a dam. Now the stock are no longer around water courses long enough to damage them and they always have a clean water supply.

NATIVE PASTURES AND SOIL HEALTH

Tim focusses on having 100% ground cover, 100% of the time so that soil is always protected, maximising the retention of available rainfall and extending growing periods during dry times.

“Softer soils also attract fertility and generate regrowth. Natives crowd out not only weeds, but also remnant exotics, and the use of trees extends shelter corridors and to provides habitat for wildlife.” says Tim.

Pasture roots are now growing deeper, drawing up previously unavailable nutrients, plus more litter is being laid down, enriching the topsoil with organic matter and building soil organic carbon.

The property has been a designated National Parks Wildlife Refuge since the 1960’s, now with an additional ‘Koala Conservation Area’, it is home to some of Australia’s most beautiful and threatened species such as the Bells Turtle and Platypus.