Flowering time on a Southland (NZ) Tulip farm. Tulips are very temperature sensitive and prefer sandy soils. The Southland Topoclimate Project identified a number of new areas for expansion of the Bulb industry in Southland.

But microclimate and soil conditions are only part of the picture. Other issues affecting decisions about whether or not to grow a new crop include the landholders preferences." It is important to identify what the individual farmer wants to do, which often depends on whether he or she is at the beginning or end of their farming career,” he said. “It certainly depends on whether or not they are open to new information, to change and to diversification. “We’re finding that a lot of part-time farmers are keen to make more use of their land because they recognise it is increasing in value.”

Richard Walker, of Wilga in Western Australia contemplates the impacts of his Topoclimate Farm plan on his 200 ha beef property.

Mr Hutchinson, who has almost 30 years’ experience in land management with strong emphasis on land use mapping, planning and communication, said the Topoclimate model was refined in the 1990s in NZ.

In the early 1990s Southland – the southern end of the south island of NZ - was in population decline.

“Southland is a highly productive area with a cool climate and good soils - a combination suited to good pasture - and most of the producers there focused on prime lamb production,” Mr Hutchinson said.

“A decade ago it was producing 17 per cent of New Zealand’s gross domestic product from eight per cent of the total land area, but was home to only around two per cent of the nation’s population. “Fifteen years ago farms in the Southland region averaged around 160 hectares and employed three to five people.

“By the mid 1990s the economic downturn and increasing costs meant employment had fallen to an average of 1.2 people per property with one of the partners working off the property, significantly reducing employment opportunities for young people who were being forced to leave the district.”

However, farmers were not confident about what was being proposed and a local group representing growers approached him, as a NZ Land Resources Scientist, to work out what crops would grow best where. He was initially not keen to get involved and quoted a cost he thought would dissuade them.

They were back within a week wanting him to take on the project and have it completed in three-and-a-half years. That prompted him to set about working out how to map soils and microclimates at farm scale over a large area and he subsequently became Project Manager for the Topoclimate South Charitable Trust that was established to map soils and microclimates for 800,000 hectares of the Southland region.

Gary Hutchinson, developer of the Topoclimate concept and Managing director of Topoclimate Services Pty Ltd

The local group subsequently raised $4.5 million without government subsidy or support to fund the project. The NZ government “came on board” in the closing stages, providing 40 per cent of the total funding to complete the project. The Trust employed a staff of 30 who set up 3,000 temperature data recorders that took readings every six-minutes, 24 hours a day, for more than 12 months.

Application of the topoclimate data sparked a “rural revitalisation” that created more than 3,000 jobs in four years, he said. Once the temperature recorders were in place, the Topoclimate team set about taking 47,000 bore hole samples to determine soil types and conditions and produce accurate farm-scale soil maps.

At the end of the measurement stage they had 27,000 million temperature records that were referenced against figures from the nearest official weather station and extrapolated using historic data from those stations used to develop a 30-year temperature record for each local site. The project produced 70 topoclimate maps covering 4,500 farms, with each farm in the region receiving a farm-scale map of temperature and soil data including chemical analyses of the soils and detail of the soil horizons at each sample location. Farmers used these maps in making decisions about what to grow and how to manage their properties.

Mr Hutchinson attributes the success of the NZ project to the fact that it was “bottom up” and managed by farmers who were involved in all aspects of the project. “If you get the community involved and committed to it they drive it and seek out the information and the best way to use it.”

Soil Conditions

It is important not to see a particular set of conditions or soil type as good or bad, he said.

“The key is to identify the specific soil and temperature conditions then find what those conditions are good for. “The decision about what to grow also needs to be made in light of the demand or potential demand for the crops under consideration. “We encourage landholders to consider crops or varieties with a significant regional advantage.”

Three of the 20 crops identified as having potential for Southland growers were peony roses, wasabi, for which there is strong demand in Japan, and ginseng, a traditional Asian medication. He expects Southland to be a major world supplier of wasabi within a few years because Southland’s regional advantage is that the crop can be grown there in open paddocks without irrigation. “Areas of Southland have near ideal growing conditions for wasabi, which means minimal infrastructure and production costs and minimal pests. “Peony roses, which have very specific chilling requirements without which they do not grow to the ideal shape demanded by the market, are also well suited to some Southland microclimates. “Growers with microclimates on their properties that provide the required growing conditions can sell on the export market at $3.50 a bloom; a gross income of more than $100,000 a hectare. “But that price is achievable only for perfectly shaped blooms, which requires the right soil type and exactly the right level of chilling.” Ginseng, which is produced in shade houses in the US, is grown as an under-storey crop in pine plantations in NZ, an environment that produces a superior product at a fraction the cost.

The Southland project attracted a lot of interest from Australia, he said, and Mr Hutchinson and some of his key staff transferred to Australia soon after the NZ project ended in October 2001. Topoclimate has several projects underway in NZ, NSW, Queensland, WA and Tasmania, mainly in farming areas where the information provided by the detailed climatic and soil surveys is opening the way for targeted diversification ranging from intensive grazing enterprises to flower production. While the Topoclimate technology is applicable to individual properties, Mr Hutchinson prefers to work with groups because the level of detail required makes the costs prohibitive for most individual property holders. “It makes more economic sense to service several properties at the same time in close proximity to each other.”

Temperature dataloggers measuring frost risk in a Queensland Avocado orchard at 700 metres above sea level as part of the Hampton District topoclimate.

In one of his current projects Mr Hutchinson is measuring groundwater and salinity levels in addition to taking temperature data and mapping soils on eight properties in the Boyup Brook district, in the timber country of south-west WA about 200 kilometres south of Perth;. The outcomes of the Boyup Brook project will include an “action plan” outlining how to develop the properties on which the data is being gathered.

Mr Hutchinson is continuing to refine the methods used to establish the climatic and soil data on which the Topoclimate approach depends. “We’re always on the look-out for what will work for us, give us a practical advantage and provide meaningful results for farmers. “Recently adopted technologies include electro-magnetic imaging to help determine soil conditions, which means we don’t have to survey the farm like a pincushion, but EM readings need expert interpretation and verification by physical sampling.”

Mr Hutchinson has explored remote sensing but finds that there is no substitute for detailed on-site measurements, which not only increase accuracy but also help maximise farmer confidence in the results.

“The information is only as good as the mechanisms that deliver it and you need to prove out any remote sensing and other measurements in the field. “There’s no substitute for getting out and getting your boots dirty, which is also the key to ensuring farmers have confidence in the results. “Farmers don’t have a high level of confidence in satellite data, for example, because its only a snapshot of land at a certain time and detailed information over time can be the difference between profit and loss for farmers. “Precise, quality information empowers farmers by giving them the confidence to make decisions.”

KEVIN MOIRS STORY

WA farmer Kevin Moir plans to double the carrying capacity of his property as a result of information provided by Topoclimate. He aims to go from 2,500 to 5,000 stock units by changing from set stocking on poor ryegrass-based pasture to rotational (time control) grazing on deeper-rooted perennial grasses and lucerne. Kevin, who runs Merino ewes mated with White Suffolk rams to produce prime lambs, which he turns off around Christmas, is changing his paddocks from 27 to 46 paddocks, with paddocks fenced in line with soil type.

As a result he now separates heavy clay paddocks that produce better in summer from light, gravely paddocks that produce better in winter when drainage becomes a major issue.

Kevin had data loggers on his property for 12 months to “get a feel of what was involved” and provide sceptics with an indication of the extent of temperature variation in the district.

“Many people believed there was no significant variation in temperature regimes in this area and the trial on my property was designed to determine whether or not that was the case. “The loggers revealed significant variations, particularly in minimum temperatures.”

Bilpin farmers involved in the Rainbow-Serpent Topoclimate project learn about their soils in an Apple Orchard.

The soil survey of his property was completed last November and the Topoclimate team produced a property map of microclimates and soil types, accompanied by recommendations – after Kevin indicated he wished to continue running sheep - on how to re-organise paddocks on the basis of soil type and temperature. “The insights to microclimate in particular have made it possible for us to improve pasture productivity by matching pasture plants to the conditions.

“We can plant frost-tolerant species or varieties in the coldest areas and less tolerant species in areas that don’t get so cold. “That has given the confidence to plant lucerne, ryegrass and cocksfoot, all of which are new for us, though they are grown in other parts of WA. “In some areas we have planted single species, in others we’ve sown a mixture of summer and winter-active species to see what does best in the conditions.

“We previously had only clover-based pasture and hand-fed if conditions were too wet and cold for pasture growth. “Now we aim to have grazing available through the year by matching pasture species with microclimates and soil type conditions on the property and having higher-quality feed earlier in the season means the sheep are doing much better. “To achieve this we have started fencing in line with soil type.

‘We are certainly seeing the benefits in our stocking enterprise but we would also like to diversify, though we’re not quite sure into what at this stage. “Diversification means you’re not at the mercy of any one market. When we were dairying we had a few head of beef cattle, a few sheep and an orchard. Then we moved to beef, sheep and cereal cropping, so in one way we’re heading back to what we used to do.”

The information included in Topoclimate’s property plans “bridge conservation and production issues”, enabling a holistic approach to property management, Mr Moir said. Sampling of water quality revealed several of his dams were saline and the mapping identified several salt scalds.

He has fenced off those areas and planted fodder banks of salt-tolerant grasses and shrubs in strategic locations to intercept sub-surface water and for use as strategic fodder reserves when required.

The Moir property is two kilometres east of WoopWoop (a real place name!) and a bit further from Boyup Brook. As a result of the temperature logging he has identified some gullies on the property where minimum temperatures fall as low as -10C; four or five degrees colder than most of the rest of the property. “The readings taken on my property show that there is a strong microclimate influence; something the locals were very sceptical about initially.”

They were also instrumental in convincing six neighbours who observed the trial to join with Kevin to fund a full-scale pilot project on their properties. The temperature recorders – which record the temperature at 10-minute intervals around the clock – were installed on the other six properties at Christmas time last year so the initial data collection phase is due to end this Christmas. By March Topoclimate will have analysed the data and come up with some initial ideas for alternative crops, he said.

Queensland farmers listen intently as soil scientist David Manning describes the soils in the Hampton district as part of the Hampton topoclimate project.

And while the data and related information will be valuable, perhaps the biggest benefit is that it has brought the members of the group together. “It provides a reason for neighbours to talk to each other.”

Commercially the focus is on identifying crops that can be grown better or cheaper in south-west WA and are likely to find a place on the export market with an advantage in quality, time of supply or price, he said. “But building community is the big benefit. “Since embarking on the Topoclimate project we have starting communicating better and working closer together. “We have come to better understand each other and the issues we are facing, are starting to deal with issues like salinity on a community basis, and in some instances are sharing equipment and other resources.

“What we have started to achieve here has prompted seven local government bodies to look at being involved in a 70-farm pilot project and we are presently seeking funding for development of Topoclimate farm plans.”

Kevin, who discovered Topoclimate when the WA department of Agriculture brought Wayne Hutchinson, Gary’s brother, to WA to talk at a series of farmer meetings, has a personal interest in salinity and land management issues and in community. A member of the Blackwood Basin advisory committee and the local shire council, he sees community development as a bonus from the Topoclimate approach. “Wayne focused as much on the community aspects of the Topoclimate model as on the crop and climate aspects,” Kevin said. “I was the only councillor at the meeting in our area but I managed to convince some of my fellow Councillors to find the money bring Gary over to talk to Council to get more detail. “Gary is a Land Resources Scientist and talked the science and I wanted them to understand the technology.”

The upshot of that, and much subsequent debate, is that the Warren-Blackwood Economic Alliance (WBEA), which comprises the Manjimup, Bridgetown, Nannup and Boyup Brook shires, agreed to fund a Topoclimate initiative in their region and subsequently to promote Topoclimate in WA. They have since been joined by three other shires, with several others expressing interest in the concept.

The current proposal is for a 70-farm pilot project spread over the seven shires, which Kevin believes is not ideal. However, it is acceptable to the shires and the Department of Agriculture and appears to be the only way forward at this stage. He questions the wisdom of having such projects solely controlled by local government because the perspective needs to be broader to get the full benefits. “If we’re successful in identifying a crop or market niche it can’t be serviced by one or two growers because they won’t be able to produce enough to service and develop the market.

“If we were working with bigger numbers we could link units of, say, five or six growers in different areas to co-operate so they spread production over a longer period to meet the demands of the market for continuity of supply of a consistent-quality product, which is a huge advantage.

“In NZ they consciously link people interested in growing the same crop into production/marketing groups.” There are already a number of people in South-West WA doing different, exciting, things but they are operating independently and there is no marketing focus, he said. “For example, Nannup was well known for its tulips but there are now no growers there. However, a landholder who started growing tulips at Boyup Brook two years ago is attracting around 500 visitors a year and planning to plant 12,000 bulbs next year.

Topoclimate Services is also working with a group of 24 farmers at Hampton, in S-E Queensland, on the range about 30 kilometres north-east of Toowoomba, and there are other groups at Stanthorpe, in Queensland’s granite belt, and Beechmont, in the Gold Coast hinterland.

RAINBOW SERPENT TOPOCLIMATE PROJECT

Jennie Hadfield has a clear perspective on the Topoclimate concept. It is, she says, about growing the right crop in the right place. Jennie, chair of Friends of the Wollemi Inc, in northern NSW, is heading the Rainbow Serpent Topoclimate Project. The group is two years into the project and are currently trialling crops and developing business plans.

Her World heritage-listed property, on which she produces mainly stone and pome fruits and berries, lies between the Wollemi and the Blue Mountains National Parks and backs onto the Hawkesbury river. The Rainbow Serpent Project is centred on the Bilpin district, a traditional supplier of apples into Sydney.

Jennie’s involvement with the project began when she attended a local NSW Department of Agriculture field day at which growers decided to use Topoclimate to explore production options in an area where the economic viability of fruit growing had been declining for some years.

John and Jenny Chorley pick organic berries on their Mt Tomah Orchard, part of the Rainbow-Serpent Topoclimate project.

Gary Hutchinson believes the project will also serve to improve apple production in the area. “Some varieties have a high chill factor, some require low chill, so accurate identification of microclimate is vital to deciding what variety to plant where. On Jennie’s property, for instance, she can grow low chill stone fruit in one area but needs to grow high chill fruit only 500 metres away. “Identifying where a particular variety will perform best is part of the attention to detail that can make the difference between success and failure.”

The Rainbow Serpent project is centred on the town of Bilpin, widely known as “the land of the mountain apple” courtesy of a highly effective regional advertising initiative several decades ago, Jennie said. The Bilpin area has traditionally specialised in fresh, early-season apples trucked straight into Sydney about 60 kilometres to the east and one of the aims of the current exercise is to develop a distinctive “Bilpin apple” that will be identified and preferred in the Sydney market.

Another aim is diversification, which several growers are already pursuing by growing Waratah and other native flowers for the cut flower market alongside their fruit crops. Others are growing blood plums; matching specific varieties to microclimates to maximise production efficiency and quality and extend the period over which they can supply the market.

One of the problems for Bilpin apple growers is that the area is “early” so their new-season apples – a major crop for the area – come onto the market pre-Christmas while there are still controlled atmosphere and cool storage pome fruits from the previous season in the market place, Jennie said. In the berry sector the challenge is a very short season, which growers are trying to extend by growing different – earlier and later – varieties. They are also, under the stimulus of the Topoclimate project, exploring the potential of extending the season by capitalising on different maturity times across the region. With six to eight weeks difference in maturity between the east and western end of the region and microclimate variations due to altitude in addition to that, it should be possible to significantly lengthen the berry season and so expand the market for berry fruit from the region, she said.

“Land values in this area have increased eight-fold in the past four or five years so it is important to make good use of the land; though for those of us who choose to live here because we like the environment, land values are not relevant because we’re not looking to move. “However, a lot of traditional growers have divided their holdings into smaller units and sold to people moving into the country area for the lifestyle, so there are a lot of new owners in the area.” There appears to be significant potential for direct sales through roadside stalls – a traditional feature of the district - with up to three million visitors a year driving into the area on day and weekend trips from Sydney. “These visitors include lot of overseas visitors from countries like Japan, where top-quality fruit is highly valued.”

Temperature datalogger in a Bilpin orchard as part of the Rainbow-Serpent topoclimate Project.

The Rainbow Serpent group is also looking to build Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and Natural Resource Management concepts – both being driven by Government expectations - into the Topoclimate exercise. “We are farming in the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment and there are funding incentives from the State Government to implement EMS and to improve water management through improved irrigation and drainage technology and we are aiming to build that into the farm plans that are being developed,” Jennie said. “From a wider perspective, this is spectacularly beautiful country and we are looking to combine the images of our natural clean green environment with food and flowers to capitalise on the tourism potential.”

The Bilpin area has been hard-hit by fires in recent years so fire prevention is a major issue for landholders in the area and she, like several of her neighbours, has had stands of bushland on her property “under-scrubbed” - the local name for removing the under-storey from native forest – in an effort to reduce the fire risk. But the cleared areas need to be re-planted to stabilise the soil and keep weeds out and she hopes the Topoclimate exercise will identify an option suited to the climatic and soil conditions to replace the 75 tonnes a hectare of undergrowth removed during “under-scrubbing”. “I am looking for an understorey plant that will grow well with minimal inputs and produce a marketable crop, which would be the ultimate in sustainability. “The aim is to work with nature to reduce waste and increase profit.

“It would be ideal if there was a suitable Australian native and they are currently exploring that possibility,” she said.

Article Published in Acres Australia Magazine 17th March 2004 Volume 4 No 1