20 Capricorn CoastMIRROR Wednesday, December 21, 2011

MERRY XMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL THE STAFF AT THE BIG YELLOW SHED

GIFTVOUCHERS$10, $20, $30,

$50, $100FISHING

HOME & GARDENESKIES

PLANTS &SEEDLINGS

POTS

TAKE THETAKE THEWORRY OUT OFWORRY OUT OF

CHRISTMASCHRISTMAS

TRADING HOURS:Monday to Friday - 8:00am to 5:00pmSaturday - 8:00am to 12:00pm

www.bigyellowshed.com.auBen Street Yeppoon 4703 | Phone 07 4939 1592

ATG “About the Garden”catalogue available in store.

4455721aa

The Team At

Boundary Nurserywould like to extend our

best wishes for aVery Happy Festive Season

& may the New Year bring

Health & Happiness to All.

Boundary Nursery

We are closed Wednesday21st December

Re-Open Tuesday27th December at 9:00am

Closed Saturday 31st December &Sunday 1st January 2012

We will close MidnightSaturday 24th Dec and

re-open Boxing Day at 10am.

4460

151a

a

Greg,Tonia& Staffwish all their

loyal Patrons a veryHappy Christmas and aProsperous NewYear.

NEWS OUT

ANDABOUTPage 28

EVEN a 30mm storm at lunchtimecould not dampen the enthusiasm ofthe more than 35 local graziers andfarmers who attended the firstHealthy Soils, Healthy Pastures fieldday held at Adelaide Park, Yeppoonon Monday.A severe storm provided relief tolocal producers, who learnt the latestscience of climate change, pasturesand carbon.Host graziers Paul and AdrienneMcCosker took time to explain theirgrazing management practices andtheir trials at improving pasturenutrition.The McCoskers are using

combinations of rotational grazing,liquid nutrients from Bio-NutrientSolutions and lime to improveprotein production on native andimproved pastures.Their aim is to balance thephysical, nutritional and microbialrequirements of the soil.The day was organised byCapricorn Coast Landcare Group andGrazing BestPrac with support fromFitzroy Basin Association and DAFF.Most attendees agreed the day wasthe first time they had been exposedto the quality of speakers and newinformation available, linkingmanagement to healthy soils andcarbon sequestration.For many it has signalled a changein grazing practices and a renewal insoil testing for both nutrition andmicrobial activity.

The key speakers on the dayincluded GBP Qld grazing specialistMick Alexander, DERM seniorscientist on soil carbon Dr Ram Dalaland DERM senior soil carbonscientist Dr Diane Allen.Dr Dalal and Dr Allen were fundedby DAFF to promote the importanceof carbon in soil health, the role ofDERM in guiding major researchprojects into soil carbonsequestration and the effect ofgrazing management systems.“We have a lot of research to do toreally understand how variousmanagement systems affect carbonsequestration,” Mr Dalal said. “Soilsare so dynamic and changing and acertain practice may work on onesoil, but not on another soil type.”Mick Alexander believed thisforum had established a need to workwith Dr Dalal to assess the impact ofrotational grazing, managingnutrition and many othermanagement systems.

Forum a firstfor graziers

EXPERTS: Dr Daine Allen,Mick Alexander and Dr RamDalal.

PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED

Some of the 35-strong crowd at theworkshop. PHOTO: CONTRIBUTED