Jake Ryan is part of a family farming business, Three Ryans Farm at Manjimup WA, where they grow brassica vegetables, run merino ewes, cattle and grow pasture seeds. Jake makes liquid fertilisers on farm for foliar applications on vegetable crops and pastures and uses soil testing, brix testing and plant sap testing to guide decisions regarding these applications. 

Monitoring has been used to guide the transition to incorporating mixed species cover crops, holistic grazing, and making their own foliar fertilisers.

What we will cover:

• How Jake got started monitoring

• What Jake monitors through the year and how he uses this information (including soil tests, plant sap analysis, brix testing)

• The difference between leaf tissue testing and plant sap testing, why sap testing is working well for them

• The benefits monitoring provides their business

Soils for Life's Soil is launching its Soil, plant and landscape health monitoring guide late September to get farmers started with monitoring practices. Leading up to that launch we’ve invited some speakers to share their experiences and the benefits that are gained through paying attention in a more deliberate way, capturing what you see and letting the land (and the data) tell you what’s working.