Kitchen Farm’s soil rejuvenation – Celebrating our first planting milestone!
Since our January update, where we celebrated the delivery of the first few tonnes of compost to rejuvenate the soil on our 3-acre Production Garden we've continued our journey of soil transformation in anticipation of starting to plant the first stage of our farm
We are thrilled to announce that we now have lift-off! Last week, our farm team collaborated with the Newenham project team in a significant and highly productive working bee, resulting in over 1,000 plants of various species and uses being planted.
The day focused on establishing the first three tiers of the garden, which includes a native zone designed to support pollinators and enhance biodiversity, a vegetable zone to supply the café with fresh produce and offer surplus produce for sale to the community, and a range of perennial beds aimed at establishing long-term sustainability and productivity.
Our production garden is crucial as it represents the first stage of our farm operations and is set to become a major demonstration and education site and a hub for the community.
It is vital to reflect on the importance of soil in creating a thriving and biodiverse environment as plant growth and nutrition are not possible without a thriving and healthy soil sponge.When we started work in January, the soil in our garden site was nearly lifeless. While Newenham generously donated the land and constructed the tiered beds, the soil was heavy, compacted, and rocky clay.
To tackle this, we applied a no-dig lasagna-style method across the tiered beds using an organic weed mat and varieties of organic compost. This approach improves the below-ground structure and rebuilds the depleted topsoil. To address the rocky situation, we incorporated gypsum into our café veggie patch along with an array of other organic materials to create optimal growing conditions for vegetables, herbs, and other annuals.
In our perennial beds, we aimed to encourage a more fungal-dominant soil structure suitable for perennial crops and fruit trees by using a mix of chunkier composted woodchip and refined compost.
Nathan from Hybrid Ag recently tested our soil after six months of regeneration. Despite its initial horrifically compacted state, the results were mostly positive, indicating improvements in organic matter and carbon in the soil sponge. But just how Rome wasn’t built in a day, our soil still lacked potassium, requiring specific organic fertilizer applications.
Following our initial soil work and first stage of planting, we are now preparing for the next phases of garden establishment, which includes setting up a market garden and an agroforestry orchard to enhance the diversity and resilience of our farm system. We will continue to develop this site through spring.
The summer months will be dedicated to further site preparation and exploring opportunities for educational workshops and community involvement.
Kitchen Farm’s journey is a testament to the power of collaboration, dedication, and a shared commitment to regenerative principles. As our soil comes to life, so does our vision of transforming neglected land into a thriving production and demonstration garden. This endeavour aims to complement neighbouring residential activities, create growth and sustainability for Newenham and the wider region, and supply our café with fresh, quality ingredients.
The shared values of community and wellbeing between Kitchen Farm and Newenham foster a deep connection, uniting both projects in their vision to create an engaged community centered around holistic wellbeing.
We welcome philanthropic support to further stimulate and sustain our growth. If you are interested in investing in or supporting Kitchen Farm, please reach out to Olivia Burke.
Stay tuned for more updates as the story of Kitchen Farm continues to unfold.
Regards
Kitchen Farm team
info@kitchenfarm.com.au