Blog 2: 25 Anniversary Agroforestry Day-Bambra.

I attended a celebration day at a privately owned and operated Agroforestry project in Bambra, a small hamlet close to our family farm.

It’s 25 years since the owner first established the many tree varieties now growing on his property. I haven’t been there for at least 12 years, so walking among the mature trees and on-going plantings was very pleasant. Being a gorgeous sunny, autumnal day added to the ambience!

Members of the local Agroforestry group organised the day-there were plant stalls (indigenous & locally grown), demonstrations on planting tree seedlings, shitake mushroom logs, timber craftsmen and pruning demonstrations to mention a few.

Tree planting demonstration

 

Shitake mushroom logs.

Agroforestry means to grow and manage trees for multi purpose use on farms and rural properties. Rowan, the owner has set about to do just that. He uses his property as a working example to educate both local and international people

about the possibilities of tree management. He has established both indigenous and exotic species, many experimental with regard to growing conditions and growth rates. If suitable varieties are pruned correctly, they can be used as a sustainable source for the furniture and building industries.

Sequoia sepervirens Californian redwood, is proving very successful, also Quercus robur English oak, as well as Grevillea robusta Silky oak. Due to its strength and durability, English oak was the major timber grown and used for construction and ship building in Elizabethan England (Field Guide to the    Trees and Shrubs of Britain,1981).

English oak pruned to produce straight
 trunks for furniture manufacture.

Rowan grazes sheep among the trees, a very happy relationship.

Several hundred people wandered about the property, totally engaged in the talks and demonstrations or simply basking in the wonderful environment. Visiting such a successful ‘experiment’ is truly heartening with regard to the future of sustainable energy and products.

Blog 1: Banksia Harvest.

On a visit to our family farm at Deans Marsh,(two hours west of Melbourne), I harvested some banksias planted in October 2010.

Several varieties planted were cultivated by a local resident and are well suited to the site.----

Some of the flowers collected.
Species include Banksia baxteri, Banksia media and Banksia speciosa 

The site is set on a steep hillside in an exposed paddock facing west. Plantings are on a dam bank and  surrounding fenced off area. The dam was fenced off some time ago then weed treated to reduce competition. The new seedlings were protected from rabbit predation using milk cartons and bamboo stakes.

 Other species were also planted to create variety, they were probably ‘left-overs’ from previous plantings. These include Mentha australis River mint, Tasmannia lanceolata Mountain pepper and Thryptomene saxicola Thryptomene. River mint makes a very nice tea ‘infusion’ and Mountain pepper has a natural spiciness for flavouring foods such as pasta sauces or cheeses. I tried some at a cooking demonstration last year.

Our family has been involved in Agroforestry for many years with annual tree planting days where we invite family & friends to come along & participate. Have heard grumblings about ‘slave labour’ which I trust were tongue-in-cheek!!

The physical & aesthetic changes which have occurred over the past 18 years have been astonishing.

Many paddocks once bare and hungry looking are now dotted with plantations teeming with birds & wildlife. They also provide shelter belts for livestock and create wildlife corridors with neighbouring farmers and remnant bushland. Being involved in this project and seeing the changes in the landscape has been a fantastic and enriching experience.

Planting out the exposed dam area will hopefully address some of these problems in that area too. The banksias may also prove viable as cut flowers, a possible future venture!

The fenced off dam with views to plantations in the background.

number one

I finally created a blog!