Organic matter in dairy farm pasture

The benefits of organic matter in soil are well known. Organic matter improves factors including water holding capacity, nutrient holding capacity and structure. But organic matter can be made up of more longer lasting humus through partially broken down material to fresh material from plants and animals that has recently entered the soil. This fresh…

My tank drinking water smells, what can I do?

One of the frequent problems seen in water tanks is smelly water. This can occur in above and below ground tanks and includes rain water tanks. People often describe the smell of their water as musty, decaying or like ammonia or rotten eggs. It can be just a little bit off-putting or in some cases…

Filters for farm water supplies.

Not all water quality problems for farm and rural drinking water can be solved by simple filters. However there is a lot that can be done to improve drinking water quality. Its often a matter of being proactive in case contamination occurs. Dual cartridge systems are easy to install and can often be fitted under…

Reducing water hardness by lime softening

Water hardness is caused by high calcium and magnesium levels. However a water test is needed to find out how much hardness is accounted for by bicarbonates, called temporary hardness and how much is composed of sulphates and chlorides (permanent hardness). For a discussion of alkalinity and hardness please see Water test interpretations. Lime softening…

Mt Erica trip 2012

Another successful trip up Mt Erica this year. As you can see conditions were a bit wintery. But hey, we’re tough. We can battle through blizzards and snow drifts .. as long as there is a warm fire we can retreat to back at the Hut! There was plenty of hot discussion about the issues…

A simple test for reactive soil organic matter.

Of all the factors that can be measured in soil, fresh, reactive or labile organic matter is one of the more important. Its a tool that can be used to monitor seasonal changes that depend on strategies like cover crops, composting and residue retention. This test can be valuable for home gardens, horticulture, pastures or…

How much organic matter is in your soil?

Of all the factors that can be measured in soils, organic matter (OM) is probably the most useful and critical. This test measures the fresh or labile organic matter in soil. This organic matter supplies nutrients to plants because it is the food for microorganisms which in turn release nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. Some…

Mt Erica trip 2011

Have just got back from the latest ex Rovers trips to Mt Erica. This year we had 6 starters. We were more adventurous with our walks this year, exploring round Mushroom Rocks and the NBW hut. Night-times were taken up reminiscing about the good old times like huddling around the tiny wood fire to keep…

Water pollution case study

Contamination of waters by organic matter including manures is a type of water pollution. Excessive organic matter load in water is likely to cause a number of changes including: Higher turbidity High decomposition rate leading to elevated carbon dioxide and lowered oxygen, Undesirable intermediate products of decomposition including nitrite and ammonia. Elevated nutrient levels Elevated…

Investigating water quality

Water quality standards like the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines often set the upper limit for contaminants like metals and organic chemicals. The Guidelines mention dozens if not hundreds of potential contaminants. But in many cases it is not clear at what level a particular chemical becomes a health hazard. For example it will depend on…