This group is currently in recess until further notice.

​

In an engaging interview by Remey Hengen at the 2025 Swanpool Environmental Film Festival , acclaimed local farmer Mark Foletta began by describing his return to the family farm at 25, buying an adjoining property when it became available, and the impetus to diversification following a devastating event which impacted upon both cherry and wine production. 

Most locals driving between Benalla and Swanpool are familiar with the old ute from which the pumpkins Mark grows can be bought at the roadsie. In  answering a question from the audience, Mark said  the largest 'edible' pumpkin grown on the farm  weighed 31 kilos. . 

It was enlightening hearing about Mark's journey as he moved into mushroom growing, the relationships he has established since producing mushrooms for Melbourne restaurants and the fact that at one stage he needed treatment for a mushroom growing in his eye!

Mark made particular note of the importance of recycling farm and food related waste.  The creative strategies he described developing were inspirational. 

Mark reflected on the importance of 'community' and the support farmers give to one another. He also explained that the hospitality and generosity that he was able to enjoy as a young overseas traveller influenced his values and mission in providing similar farm based hospitality to young travellers. 

Towards the end of a session which had explored so many aspects of farming (only a few of which are touched on here),  Mark reflected on regenerative farming, describing the introduction of regenerative practices as a journey he is undertaking over time.   

Remey's questions and those from the audience were thought provoking and elicited lots of  valued  farm related wisdom  from Mark.   

Bev Lee

BSFG is sharing this email from Farmers for Climate Action. 

FCA is asking for support for policies that allow regional Landholders and Communities to continue to benefit from the energy shift, and make a substantial contribution to a low emissions future for Australia .

There are different ways you can help. Links are included in the email below.
​
We invite you to read and consider supporting Farmers for Climate Action.

Judy Schwarzman
Secretary, Benalla Sustainable Future Group

Hi,

I want to share FCA's Quiet Majority Election Campaign. This year, we want to make sure that landholders and communities across regional Australia continue to benefit from the energy shift. 

While this campaign is a little different from your organisation's focus on sustainability and conservation work, the policies we are asking for will go a long way in securing a low emissions economy here in Australia. 

This election, we’re asking for:

• Farmers to be able to use the energy they generate across their whole property, including across different property titles
• Upgrades to local poles and wires
• Delivery of support for batteries for all farmers

To do so, we are rallying a grassroots campaign (check it out here), which features guides for farmers to send letters to their local newspapers and to local MPs and candidates. 

We are organising an open letter to show the widespread support for farmers to be able to access affordable battery systems. 
​
Support this by signing the open letter for battery support and sharing with your network. I have attached a tile that you can share on your socials or newsletter to encourage your network to sign, if this helps.

Sign our open letter - Farmers for Climate Action

Re: Support for On-Farm Batteries. Australia’s farmers are calling for urgent federal political support for on-farm batteries to help secure their energy future, lower costs, and strengthen regional communities.
​
farmersforclimateaction.org.au

Everyone is welcome to support the campaign by signing the open letter. If your group has farmer members who may be interested in sending a letter or ordering a farm gate sign, feel free to send the guide onwards.

Cheers, 
Rosie, for the Farmers for Climate Action team
0 Comments

"Planting a handful of new paddock trees on the farm is an opportunity to re-establish important natural assets without impacting substantial areas of productive land.

Plant suitable local species at appropriate spacings to create 'stepping stones' for native wildlife such as gliders and birds

Use a weed mat or mulch to slow weeds and keep soil moist + water crystals help get through dry spells

Protect the sapling as it establishes with steel mesh guards

Also fence around any old paddock trees to allow natural regeneration to occur + plant understorey species

Use fallen branches to prevent stock from camping directly under paddock trees to avoid excess nutrients in the soil"

​For more tips on planting new paddock trees check out this free guide available from Hovells Creek Landcare Group: http://www.hovellscreeklandcare.org.au/.../a-practical...
​
Photograph - Sally Day - New understorey planting around an old paddock tree in the Greta Valley VIC  Sustainable Farming FB page August 2024

The Climate Change 2022 Fenner Conference was held in Canberra 17-18 May 2022.

The theme of the conference was Australia’s soil, water and vegetation as key strategic assets.
Organised and co-hosted by Regenerate Earth, Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) and the Frank Fenner Foundation, the conference featured a line-up of speakers from both farms and academia.  Prof John Hewson opened the conference.

The two-day event brought together a group of representatives with scientific, administrative, and policy expertise in climate and natural hazards, to discuss ways we can make Australian Agriculture Sustainable.
​
Video recordings of the conference are available on the SPA website, https://population.org.au/video/making-australian-agriculture-sustainable-2022-conference/. 

The conference presented an excellent range of speakers and topics.
Keynote speaker was Dr Charles Massy.

"One of the four farmers featured, Longreach grazier Jody Brown, called on leaders to make strong commitments to act on climate change:  “We can go our hardest to adapt. We can be part of the solution. We can reduce our emissions as an industry. We can help with all those things. It’s beyond time that we got a bit more organised at all levels of government. I would just really love it if I knew that everyone else was hustling too.”"  Farmers for Client Action Blog, 7 Dec 2023.

Our guest speaker at the BSFG General Meeting held on Thursday November 23, 2023, was Rachel de Lastic.  The title of Rachel's presentation was “Regenerative Agriculture and Soil Health".

Rachel informed the meeting how she had been influenced to pursue her interest in soil health.  She obtained her honours degree at the University of Queensland completing a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Hons), Soil Sciences 2015 – 2019.  Rachel talked about the honours project she worked on looking at the degradation of soil aggregates in Vietnam and Cambodia due to intensive cultivation of maize.  To counter this soil degradation fruit tree plantations were introduced which not only resulted in improved soil aggregates but also provided income.

Rachel worked to produce food where plant diversity was key to a resilient and productive farming system.

In pursuing her passion about maintaining soil health through the implementation of sustainable farming practices Rachel is now working at Soil Land Food-Ecological Agriculture, https://soillandfood.com.au/.  She described one revegetation project to plant 8000 trees on a property.

One of Rachel's slides provided an image and definition of Ecology; “Ecology is the study of the relationships among living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem and biosphere level.”

Being an enthusiastic hands-on person Rachel demonstrated some practical techniques, termed HASH-Holistic Assessment of Soil Health, which can be used to assess soil health such as by measuring soil pH and conducting a water infiltration test.

Soil Land Food offer training courses and there are some online resources at https://soillandfood.com.au/soils/, with for instance, a video on how to do the Water Infiltration Test.  These Soil videos mention a RASH Manual, A landholder’s guide to the Rapid Assessment of Soil Health.  This guide can be downloaded from https://cdn.environment.sa.gov.au/landscape/docs/ep/rapid_assessment_of_soil_health_rash_manual.pdf.  Another version at https://gmln.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/RASH-manual_web.pdf.

Rachel's enthusiastic presentation was well received by members and the meeting ended with further discussion and networking over supper.

Peter Maddock

​The link to this inspiring and informative video "The Parsley Collective" came through the latest Climate Ready Hume Newsletter - https://t.e2ma.net/message/jbso9i/fob1k49b (There's a Sign up link to receive Climate Ready links at the end of the emails.)

The guest speaker at the BSFG General Meeting in November is Albury based Rachel de Lastic who works for a small independent company called Soil Land Food, specialising in ecological agriculture, rural change and capacity building. Her projects include landscape rehydration and revegetation, soil testing and management, making bio-fertilisers, and pasture and soil monitoring.

Rachel is looking forward to speaking with us about regenerative agriculture and soil health. With previous soil ecology university training, now training as an agroecologist, Rachel has worked mostly in horticulture systems (including regenerative market gardens), and more recently in grazing systems. 
 
A light supper will be served at the conclusion of the evening.  Please RSVP your attendance to [email protected]   We hope to see you there!

Always ready to share inspiration and information about sustainable farming systems, BSFG and Swanpool Landcare recently organised a special screening at Swanpool of 'Rachel's Farm'.  This uplifting documentary follows actor Rachel Ward as she sets out to regenerate her northern NSW’s beef farm, with the help of experts and neighbours. "From ignorance about the ecological impacts of conventional agriculture on her own property which has been besieged by drought and bushfires, to embracing a movement of regeneration."

Click on the image to link to an article on the ABC website.... "Rural Australia is pockmarked with small dams. Researchers say they could also be 'batteries'"....