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Sweetening the SoilKarra Organic Farm is an irrigated orchard on the Darling River north of Wentworth in NSW. Owners Jan Denham and Robert Ridgwell have been farming the property for twenty years - for the last ten years as an organic farm, certified by the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture (NASA). Karra produces predominantly citrus: mandarins, navel and valencia oranges. Other crops are avocadoes, late plums and persimmons.Jan and Rob sell to organic markets in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Newcastle and the northern New South Wales coast. While all the fruit produced at Karra is certified organic, some of the valencia and navels are sold to the conventional market. The organic method of farming emphasises the health of the soil, avoiding the use of destructive synthesised chemicals and encouraging biological diversity. Jan and Rob mix their own organic compost to fertilise crops and grow lucerne between the rows of fruit trees to provide nitrogen and organic matter. Applying mulch is important to improve the soil and to prevent weed growth around the irrigation sprays and fruit trees. Since converting to organic farming methods the soil quality on the farm has improved dramatically. Whereas Robert saw only one worm on the farm in ten years of conventional farming, the land is now alive with worms and other beneficial soil creatures. Robert Ridgwell is concerned with sustainable irrigation practices to minimise the detrimental effects of irrigation on the environment. He understands soil types on the property and matches these to water usage and monitors the quantity of water applied to avoid raising the water table. Jan Denham was awarded Victorian Rural Woman of the Year in 1996 and is an energetic and passionate advocate of organic agriculture and citrus farming. She is chairperson of National Association of Sustainable Agriculture (NASA) which is involved in monitoring standards and promoting the organic industry.
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