In 2016 a VicNoTill story with Ardmona irrigation farmer Fraser Pogue’s began with: ‘The pages in books might be black and white but farming certainly isn’t.’ The analogy drew on Fraser’s ever-increasing book collection on soil biology and his pursuit of a new way of farming that was outside the norm, and definitely not black and white.

Fraser and his wife Leanne are always looking outside the square and among the innovations they are pursuing are organic farming and

“We always talk about wanting to have healthy soils but we need to talk more about why we want healthy soils. Originally I was attracted to soil health as a means to increase yields and profits when I could see that conventional farming methods weren’t delivering. Now I understand the ‘bigger picture’ advantages of creating healthier yields, healthier food and healthier catchments.

"We’ve gone through all the different names to describe the way we farm, but our hearts have always been in the same place - to be 'good farmers'. Be good to the environment, be good to other people and be good to the bank balance of course."

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