Greg Nevin says he is always looking at how to do things better.
This has seen his beef cattle enterprise in Huon in north-east Victoria evolve into a Limousin stud and then expand again to incorporate a contracting service to help improve farmers’ pastures.
The contracting service idea came about as the region came out of drought, and Mr Nevin and wife Alex looked to drought-proof ongoing operations.
COVID-19 lockdowns then gave the Nevins the additional impetus to really concentrate on the bottom line of their stud enterprise.
“We did an audit on all our inputs and realised that there were savings that could be made,” Mr Nevin said.
“We wanted to work smarter not harder, and a significant part of that process required better pasture management.”
Research then led the Nevins to Niels Olsen’s Soilkee System, but there was one problem — they couldn’t find a contractor to provide the service.
So Mr Nevin, driven by his belief in the system, made the commitment and invested in a Soilkee Renovator.
It was a significant investment, but he said it was one of the best decisions he ever made.
Inspired by the change he has seen on his own property — the regeneration of paddocks and pasture, and the improved health of his livestock — he now offers Soilkee Contracting Services to other producers across southern NSW and northern Victoria.
“Together we can increase your pastures’ profitability, improve your farm’s resilience during the drier times and assist you into the world of carbon credits,” Mr Nevin said.
“The Soilkee Renovator plants seasonal crops in spaced apart rows into existing pasture, leaving 80 per cent of the paddock undisturbed.
“With minimum till disturbance, the soil is protected against erosion and the soil microbiome remains healthy and intact in the majority of the paddock.
“The system enhances growth in the existing pasture whilst building resilient topsoil, through aeration and the incorporation of a green manure crop, worked into the soil through the rotating blades.
“It activates the soil life, increases water holding capacity and builds up nutrient presence and availability.”
He said the system also effectively eliminated down time in paddock management as the Soilkee Renovator could fill feed gaps as it deployed a diverse mix of seeds.
Mr Nevin said if his paddocks were any indication of the effectiveness of the system the results spoke for themselves.
He said independent testing had also confirmed significant increases in soil carbon; plant-available nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur; dry matter; and crude protein as a result of using the system.
“I’m relishing this slower approach to managing my environment,” he said.
“Whether that is stud farming or pasture management, it’s the considered decisions that are reaping the benefits.”
For more information, phone Greg Nevin on 0405 180 582.