Northern Rivers Field day at Goatie Hill Farm with Joel Williams

Thanks Jordyn Bond for the write up and Grace O’Connor for the video.

We recently gathered at Goatie Hill Farm in the Northern Rivers for a field day with soil and plant nutritionist Joel Williams, hosted by Jenny on her beautiful and diverse farm. We had a great mix of people from different farming backgrounds and regions, which led to some really interesting and broad discussions throughout the day.

We kicked things off by looking into Jenny’s herbal medicine production and goat system. She shared insights into her bed preparation, crop management, rotations and harvesting, which set a great tone for the day!

From there, Joel took us into soil and plant nutrition, focusing on foliar applications, organic inputs, and making minerals more biologically available to plants. He also spoke about the role of sugars, particularly molasses, in foliar brews to stimulate microbial activity and support nutrient uptake.

We shared a seriously good meal in the middle of it all, homemade by Jenny. Fresh milk, rabbit pies from the farm, and a big spread of salads and pastries. It felt like a real reflection of what we were talking about, with healthy soil flowing through to nutrient-dense food.

Despite a drizzly afternoon, we got hands-on using refractometers to measure Brix and test plant responses to different foliar applications. We trialled fermented whey, fish hydrolysate and a microbial brew, giving the collective a practical way to observe how plants respond and how foliar and soil inputs can influence growth

Beyond practical skills, the day was about connection. Coming together in this community strengthened our shared values and reminded us why we do this work. 

It was an engaging day full of practical learning and ideas to put into practice. A big thanks to Joel for sharing his knowledge, and to Jenny for opening up the farm, sharing her experience and feeding us so well.

This field day was made possible thanks to Small Grant funding by the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Climate Smart Agriculture Program.

Check out our short video for a full recap!