Talkin' Multispecies Pastures with Grant Sims

In this episode, Kate and Jo talk to beef farmer, cropper & seed grower Grant Sims from Down Under Covers. Grant Sims is a sixth-generation farmer running the family farm with his wife Naomi and 4 children in Northcentral Victoria Australia. The farm is 8500 acres of dryland and some irrigation. When Grant took over the farm full time he started looking at ways to improve the life and function of the soil through biology. One of the key tools that Grant has been using to do that is companion and cover cropping, and over time has seen many positive changes in the health or their soils and plants. Grant has generously been sharing his knowledge and experience with farmers on the East Coast, and, although the climate in Northcentral Victoria is a little different to ours in the South west of western Australia, there are many practical lessons that can be learnt from Grant on using multispecies mixes on pasture to improve soil health. Our conversation with Grant delves into the practical nitty gritty of planning, seeding & establishing a multispecies & perennial pasture. This podcast forms part of the Lower Blackwood LCDC's Project 'Pasture Biodiversity to Build Soil Health & Resilience in the Lower Blackwood'. The project received funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.