Jeff, his wife Jenny and son Jarrod Andrews operate a 1000 Ha sheep property in Blighty, NSW. Using NutriSoil, a worm based fertiliser, for 15 years and low levels of Nitrogen (N), they turn off 6500 lambs per year.

The Andrews are breaking the boundaries with using low nitrogen inputs in their corn crops. They use under 11 units of nitrogen and grow crops that are comparable in yield to those grown with 100 plus units of N.

The combination of low amounts of nutrients, in a stable form, mixed with a living worm solution allows the corn to engage with the soil and microbial life. In this system, insoluble nutrients are made soluble and the plant’s natural defence mechanisms are enhanced, all while building humus for future soil health.

Adding nitrogen with a carbon source and worm solution also stabilises nitrogen in ammonium form for longer, reducing the harmful and costly effects that high nitrogen input systems can have. This includes acidification of soil, volatilisation of ammonia, nitrate leaching into the waterways and losses of nitrous oxide to the atmosphere.

The Andrews have developed a profitable, low input, closed system, that is good for their soil, animals, human and planet health. We recently had Jeff and Jarrod facilitate at the April Biological Farming Roundtable. Please listen to the podcast to learn about their low input and profitable farming system.

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