Talkin’ After Hours Masterclass: Your Farm in Focus

Turning Soil Knowledge into Better Farm Decisions with Joel Williams

There’s no shortage of information out there about building healthier soils, improving plant nutrition and getting more from your farming system. But sometimes the hardest part is working out what all that knowledge actually means for your farm – and what to do next.

That’s where Your Farm in Focus is a little different.

We’re keeping this Talkin’ After Hours Masterclass to just 10 participants, giving you the opportunity to spend a day with internationally recognised soil and plant nutrition consultant Joel Williams exploring not only the science, but how to apply it to the farms, challenges and decisions in the room.

The morning will combine practical learning with the topics participants most want to explore – from understanding soil and plant tests and identifying limiting factors, through to soil biology, nutrient management, pasture performance and making better-informed management decisions.

Then, after lunch, we’ll turn the focus to your farms.

Through a series of relaxed Farm Conversations, every participant will have dedicated time to bring a challenge, question or opportunity from their own farm to Joel and the group. It might be a paddock that just isn’t performing, a soil or plant test you’re struggling to make sense of, a nutrient decision you’re weighing up, or simply something happening on your farm that you’d like to understand better.

These aren’t presentations or formal consultations. Joel will guide each conversation, with the whole group encouraged to ask questions, share relevant experiences and learn from the different farms in the room. With only 10 participants, you’ll get to explore your own situation while also benefiting from the questions, experiences and ideas of nine other farming businesses.

To help Joel tailor the masterclass, when you book we’ll ask you a few questions about your farming system, current challenges and what you’d most like to explore. You’ll also have the opportunity to send through recent soil and/or plant tissue test results for Joel to review ahead of the day.

Your masterclass experience includes:

• A full-day, small-group masterclass with Joel Williams
• Just 10 participants, allowing plenty of opportunity for questions and discussion
• A morning session shaped around the topics and questions participants most want to explore
• The opportunity to submit recent soil and/or plant tissue test results for Joel to review before the day
• Dedicated time for your own Farm Conversation with Joel and the group
• A simple Farm Focus Plan to capture your priorities, ideas and next steps throughout the day
• Access to a private Talkin’ After Hours online community to connect with the other participants before and after the masterclass
• A private one-on-one online follow-up session with Joel approximately two months later, giving you the opportunity to discuss what you’ve tried, review what you’ve observed and work through the next questions for your farm

$110 per person (inc. GST) | Strictly limited to 10 places

To give as many farming businesses as possible the opportunity to participate, bookings will initially be limited to one participant per farm/business.

Come with your questions. Bring your farm into the conversation. Leave with a clearer idea of where to focus next.

Event Logistics

Date: Tuesday 20 September
Time: 9.00am – 4.00pm
Location: Lower Blackwood LCDC Office, 403 Kudardup Road, Kudardup

Morning tea and lunch will be provided.

BOOK YOUR TICKET TODAY!

About Joel Williams

Joel is an independent plant and soil health educator providing lectures, workshops and consultation on soil management, plant nutrition and integrated approaches of sustainable food production.

He has a particular interest in designing farming systems that focus on managing soil biology along with crop & soil nutrition to optimise plant immunity and soil function. He has extensive practical experience in Australia, UK and Canada (where he’s currently based) integrating soil and plant analyses as a joined-up strategy for managing production. He has a passion for teaching and sharing both scientific and practical knowledge on agroecological growing practices and has lectured to farming audiences internationally.

The event forms part of the Make Your Hectare Count project, delivered in collaboration with Regen WA and supported by funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program. Additional support has been provided by the WA Landcare Network UnConference Program through funding from Lotterywest and the Augusta-Margaret River Shire’s Environmental Management Fund.