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Biodynamic agriculture

Biodynamic agriculture

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 BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURE – ACHIEVING BOTH PROSPERITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ON THE LAND Guest: Louise Skidmore - ACO certified organic/biodynamic beef producer since 1990 also qualified in conservation, land management and company directorship. INTRODUCTION TO THIS EPISODE: In the ongoing development of more intentional, environmentally supportive forms of farming, the practices of organic and biodynamic agriculture have been experiencing ever greater adoption since their first appearance in the early to mid-twentieth century. Both forms of agriculture can be interlinked to influence progressive systems of environmental and farm management. Organic farming can be described as the practice of producing food of high nutritional quality and flavour whilst avoiding the use of artificial fertilisers and synthetic chemicals, whilst permitting some limited use of naturally occurring pesticides and fertilisers. Bio-dynamic farming practice can be thought of as a logical and compatible extension of organic methods. It requires a holistic focus, with all aspects of a farm being considered as a tightly interrelated, living system, including animals, soils, plants, and natural ecosystem processes. My guest in this episode of the series, Louise Skidmore is highly knowledgeable and skilled in all aspects of organic and biodynamic farming approaches. Along with her partner, Randolf, she has been an ACO certified organic/biodynamic beef producer since 1990 in the Darling Downs region of Queensland and in Hernani, NSW, where biodynamic practice specifically guides the couple’s environmental and farm management systems. Louise is also an influential catalyst and change agent within her agricultural sector, holding various not-for-profit board positions, including the regional the Natural Resource Management body, Biological Farmers of Australia (now termed the ACO), Organic Federation of Australia, and Central Downs and Clifton Landcare. Presently, she is also treasurer of Clifton Landcare Group Inc and company secretary for Biodynamic Agriculture Australia. To top off all of those commitments, she also holds qualifications in conservation and land management and company directing and is a general aviation and RAA pilot - owning her own small aircraft for use in inter-farm commuting. INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30Current episode and guest introduction. – 2.15Guest comments: how did your passion for the environment start? -5.02Who inspired or mentored you in your work? – 7.10How did you get involved with environmental conservation to begin with? – 9.49 (the importance of floodplain management.)When did you first realise the impact of your work on restoring the environment? – 14.20 (the experience of being an early adopter and innovator.) What environmental achievements you are particularly proud of and why? – 18.20 (increasing difficulty of accessing project grant funding.) What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you respond ? – 36.18How has your work influenced you to keep doing what you do? – 47.57Are you working on any current, exciting projects? – 52.32Guest takeaway message . – 56.01Advice to audience for some next steps in environmental protection 59.55Thanks to guest, acknowledgements and episode close. – 61.20End of episode – 63.10 TOPICS MENTIONED AND RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION Epigrams/mottos ‘Don’t let the future be that time when you wish you’d done what you’re not doing now’ (Anon). Adopted by Louise Skidmore. ‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it: Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.’ (often attributed to Johan Wolfgang von Goethe). Biodynamic Agriculture Biodynamic resources, in Australia: www.https://biodynamics.net.au (articles, films, preparations, Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd is a membership based not-for-profit company) and in the UK site https://www.biodynamic.org.uk/about/biodynamic-methods/ Biological control in land management Dung Beetles, guru John Feehan, along with son-in-law Jon Lea, the top resource in Australia, www.https://dungbeetleexpert.com.au/ Endangered species conservation: Bulloak Jewel Butterfly, https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-01-06/bulloak-jewel-butterfly-ant-mistletoe-a-web-woven-across-species/10477430 Floodplain management PA Yeomans' book, Water for Every Farm metricised and reprinted by son Ken Yeomans, available in paperback and electronic version here: https://www.keyline.com.au/ Landcare Clifton Landcare Group (Facebook page) Location: The Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS: Guest: Louise Skidmore Tel: 0427699894 Householders’ Options ...

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