After nearly 30 years on the farm at Utungun, he found the fertilisers he’d been using weren’t working. 

“It was like taking drugs,” Max said. “More was needed for the same effect. 

“The clover disappeared and there was poor grass recovery.”  

Max wasn’t happy with his profitability and his cattle weren’t happy, he says, with excessive amounts of nitrogen in the pasture.

Nine years ago Max began working with Agronomist Ludwig Mueller and using more natural products to build soil health and fertility.  

Tentative at first, Max needed to convince himself of the value of using a different suite of fertilisers. 

“There’s just so many of those things around,” he said.

However, after just a few months, Max noticed his cattle were happier and ate the grass better. 

While he does regular soil testing, evidence of improvement to Max is in reading the behaviour and health of his cows and pasture as well as his bottom line. 

Fown the road at Millbank in the Macleay Valley, Vicki Humphries is farming beef cattle and growing crops for silage baling. 

“What started me thinking about soil is the way cattle get fat out west on dry feed,” she said.

“It’s because of the minerals - put the minerals in and you should get the results.”

Wanting to go more natural, Vicki started working with Mueller as well and began using heat-fused minerals and biological inoculants last year.

The results appeared for Vicki within a few weeks, with soil condition and root structures visibly improving.  

Adding to an increasingly diverse pasture species mix, meticulously controlling weeds, foliar-spraying minerals and being careful with chemicals are key ingredients to the success of this impressive farm. 

Both properties will open their gates as part of a Landcare - North Coast Local Land Services project aiming to build resilience in our soils and landscapes.

A presentation by Ludwig Mueller will be held at Utungun Hall on Wednesday from 9.30 followed by a visit to Saul's Riverbend dairy farm.  

On Sunday there's a scheduled meeting at Millbank Hall at 9.30 followed by a visit Vicki Humphries' pasture in the afternoon.

Norco Rural is sponsoring morning tea, so call Hastings Landcare on 6586-4465 to book for the events.

For those thinking of improving your soil’s fertility and optimising productivity these are opportunities you shouldn’t miss.