Ausquest Farm is focused on supplying quality fodder to dairy/beef farmers, growing certified seed beans, and sharing knowledge on the production of the same. Our second year students visited Ausquest farm in Machakos County with an aim to learn on Conservation Agriculture, different types of Farm Machineries and making of fodder.
The farm doesn’t have any reservoir or any form of irrigation. Stuart Barden founder told the students “we deposit our rainfall in the soil to build a moisture bank. During high rain season our soils sock up water to 250 meters depth from the surface” to maintain good soil Ausquest practices Conservation Agriculture which is a farming system that promotes minimum soil disturbance (i.e. no tillage), maintenance of a permanent soil cover, and diversification of plant species. It enhances biodiversity and natural biological processes above and below the ground surface, which contribute to increased water and nutrient use efficiency and to improved and sustained crop production.
In conservation agriculture, there are three main principles that contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of the environment: Minimum soil disturbance. Cover crop plantation, crop residue management / leaving in the field and Practicing crop rotation.
The farm has invested heavily on farm machinery inputs. This includes Tractors to pull farm equipment, combine harvester (reaping, threshing, winnowing), Rakes and Bailer among others.
- Log in to post comments
