Farming Together Program

07/09/2026

When your strawberry plants start dying after just three hours without power or water, back-up plans are essential.

Generators and water reserves can help solve those problems for Hugh Mackinnon and his family, who operate Mountford Berries in Tasmania.

But what’s the Plan B when you can’t get nitrogen fertiliser, the other key input for the farm?

The supply chain is vulnerable (and expensive), so Hugh was keen to get involved in green ammonia research trials with PlasmaLeap Technologies.

Check out the link in the comments and listen to our latest podcast episode, a conversation between Hugh, PlasmaLeap's Chief Scientist PJ Cullen, and host Pippa Jones.

03/09/2026

Great opportunity to learn more about soils!

🌱 Want to better understand your soil and what it needs?

Join us for a practical two-part workshop exploring your soil types, nutrients and fertility flows, and how to manage your soil according to its capability.

Day 1: Soil Health Basics
Learn about soil formation, physical properties and land capability, and get hands-on with DIY soil health testing. You’ll also receive farm maps to take home.

Businesses attending the full two-day course will receive a soil chemistry test kit worth $180.

Day 2: Know the Numbers
Held 8–12 weeks later, Day 2 will help you interpret your soil chemistry test results, identify and address soil constraints for agricultural production, and introduce nutrient budgeting.

📍 Choose your Day 1 workshop:

Wauchope – Tuesday 15 September
Raleigh – Wednesday 16 September
Clovass-McKee's Hill – Thursday 17 September

⏰ 9.30 am–3.00 pm
☕ Morning tea and lunch provided
👥 Limited to 15 businesses per session

Cost:
Day 1 only: $20 per person
Full two-day course: $50 per business (up to two people), including soil testing.

🔗 Registrations close 8 September. Visit our website for more information and to register https://bit.ly/4xxNEms

01/09/2026

This new technology uses green electricity and "artificial lightning" to create fertiliser products that are crucial to farm productivity, which could help farmers avoid volatile global supply chains and ever-increasing costs.

31/08/2026

Yes, a rotten avocado looks bad, but what happens if you actually eat a bit of that brown stuff? SCU researcher Karina Griffin explains.

27/08/2026

Jaimi-lee getting a (very) close look at the pasture! 🤩🌱

25/08/2026

When John Winter discovered the concept of biochar almost 20 years ago, he knew it could play an important role in on-farm decarbonisation.

By converting biomass into stable soil carbon – which improves soil health and reduces emissions – biochar has the potential to help the agriculture sector respond to climate challenges.

John co-founded the Seata Group and built a pilot plant on his farm to demonstrate new technology that produces biochar and clean syngas at scale, while also creating regional opportunities to process biomass, reduce waste and improve economic outcomes.

Read the full case study >>> https://farmingtogether.com.au/building-resilience-with-biochar-on-a-nsw-cattle-farm/

24/08/2026

"We're using some fairly low-tech approaches to slow and spread the flow, that's the mantra.

"What can we do that reduces the velocity and flow of water through the landscape, and holds it in the landscape longer, and the water that flows out of the landscape is cleaner."

Great video showcasing some of the work Gavin Tinning is doing with Rous and SQNNSWHub. We'll be sharing more about our landscape function projects over the next few months.

20/08/2026

“You watch your dam dry, and your fish die in the bottom of the dam every drought, and you think... you know what? Humans aren't much different on this planet.

“We've only got one planet. If we mess this one up, we're like those fish dying in the mud.”

NSW cattle farmer John Winter knows exactly why he’s looking for new ways to build soil carbon, reduce emissions, and improve productivity.

Biochar is front of mind for him, and he’s putting his money where his mouth is – he’s built a pilot plant on his own farm to demonstrate new technology that produces biochar and clean syngas at scale.

This could also create regional opportunities to process biomass, reduce waste and improve economic outcomes.

Listen to John's story in our latest podcast: https://bit.ly/FarmingTogetherPodcast

18/08/2026

Cattle farmer and chemical engineer John Winter reckons biochar could be a game-changer for agriculture.

17/08/2026