Lessons for the management of highly productive land Two years after Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti regions, what have we learned about recovery? Cyclone Gabrielle struck New Zealand in February 2023, causing widespread flooding that affected Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne/Tairawhiti, and Northland. In Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti, Cyclone Gabrielle was characterised by the…
Category: Cultivation
Biodiversity Strips Update
We established two new biodiversity strips on the MicroFarm in 2025, in addition to the two from 2024. One of the new strips, which is located under the irrigator wire, includes alyssum, calendula, and native ground covers. The other strip which is along a fenceline has the A Lighter Touch annual flower strip mix, which includes alyssum,…
Carbon Positive: Butternuts
The butternuts have grown rapidly since being planted on the 15th of November. All three treatments have nearly reached full canopy cover. At this stage, the main differences we’re observing are between plots within treatments, rather than clear differences between the three treatments. The Operation Advisory Group has met weekly to observe how the butternuts…
Carbon Positive: Butternut Planting to Side Dressing
Planting The butternuts in the Carbon Positive trial were planted on the 15th of November. Before the butternuts emerged, there was a high weed pressure in the conventional treatment. Therefore, it was sprayed with Buster, while the other two treatments were not. Emergence When the butternuts started to emerge, we noticed there was cutworm damage…
Nitrate Levels on the MicroFarm
Throughout the Carbon Positive Trial, Soil Nitrate levels down to 30cm have been monitored fortnightly. During the tomato crop (26/10/2023 – 6/3/2024), the Regenerative treatment had significantly lower nitrate levels than the Conventional and Hybrid treatments, despite all three receiving similar amounts of nitrogen. This lower nitrate level was likely due to the breakdown…
Cyclone Gabrielle Research Symposium
Lessons for the management of highly productive land In November, we co-hosted a research symposium with Vegetable Research and Innovation and the Foundation for Arable Research. The symposium brought together those who had investigated Cyclone Gabrielle’s impacts on highly productive land to present and discuss findings and observations, and draw out lessons to aid land…
Soil Infiltration Calculator
We have launched an online web calculator to process soil infiltration rate measurements collected using a Disc Permeameter. The calculator analyses measurements made at different tensions. It is a beta product, primarily made to assist us in assessing soil infiltration, porosity etc. We are keen for any feedback! Disc permeameters (also called tension infiltrometers) are…
Carbon Positive: Butternut Planting
The butternuts for our 2025-2026 cropping season, in the Carbon Positive trial, have been planted! The Conventional treatment was planted with treated seed and 300kg/ha of Complex fertiliser. The Hybrid treatment was planted with treated seed, coated in TrichoStart and 300kg/ha of Complex fertiliser. Mycorrcin, Biostart N and TrichoStart were applied at planting via liquid…
Looking Ahead: Butternut squash
In the 2025-2026 cropping season, the fourth summer of the Carbon Positive trial, we are growing butternut pumpkins for Heinz-Wattie’s. Our planned planting date is the middle of November. In the Conventional system, things are getting underway with a broadcast spray of glyphosate now that the sheep have been moved out. The paddock will be…
Carbon Positive Soil Monitoring
All Systems Stable: Early Insights from a Crop-Driven Carbon Cycle Carbon Positive is, unsurprisingly, tracking soil carbon levels under our three different management approaches. We have two key measurements; total soil carbon and hot water extractable carbon. Hot water extractable carbon is a laboratory test measure of labile carbon, which is the ‘active’ carbon that…