August 11th, 2023Local farmers encouraged to apply for award-winning course

The Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s award-winning Holistic Grazing Management course will return in September, with local farmers encouraged to participate and learn about sustainable farming practices.

Since winning the Premiers’ Regional Recognition Award at the 2021 Premier’s Sustainability Awards, the Healthy Landscapes program has run two of these courses, resulting in positive outcomes for local farmers in the region.

The course is designed to help large and small landholders improve their knowledge about grazing livestock, pasture growth, animal health, retaining water in the landscape, soil biology and weed management.  It will assist farmers to improve soil health, reduce exposure to climate risk, enhance biodiversity and increase on-farm productivity and resilience.

2022 course participant Stuart from Newham shared this feedback: “It really has been a world-class program, delivered by knowledgeable, engaging and highly credible people with a wonderful balance of theory, practical application, on-farm support. I could not give the course higher praise!”

The council’s Director Planning and Environment, Rebecca Stockfeld, said it was pleasing to hear the positive feedback and to see the practice change that farmers have implemented as a result of attending the course.

“It’s important we continue to support landowners to implement land management practices that improve both the natural environment and agricultural productivity,” she said.

Landholders with grazing livestock in the Macedon Ranges, Hepburn Shire Council or the City of Greater Bendigo are all eligible, with the cost of the course only $150 per property. Limited spaces are available.

For more information and to hear from previous participants on how the course has helped them, join a free webinar ‘Local farmers: where are they now on their journey in holistic farming’ on Tuesday 15 August at 7pm.

The Healthy Landscapes program is also holding a number of events hosted by previous participants of the course including a ‘Grazing and Farming Discussion Group’ in Drummond on 13 August and in Longlea on 1 September, and a ‘Lambs on Grass field day’ in Elmore on 24 August. 

Register your interest in the course, webinar, other Healthy Landscapes events, or sign-up to the eNews.