Condobolin ARAS holds field days for the region's growers

Crop, pasture and soil trials are conducted at Condobolin ARAS and within the district, facilitating interaction with research staff, the farming community, local businesses and educational institutions. The District Agronomist and the Livestock Officer both offer services to assist farmers on technical and management decisions.

LeyGrain

LeyGrain is a workshop based on the production and management of pastures that are grown in rotation with crops (ley pastures). Ley pastures are integral to the profitability and productivity of farming systems in central and southern NSW and this course, adapted from Southern Queensland and edited locally, has four main parts.

1. Understanding the benefits of ley pastures to the whole farming system. 
2. How to successfully establish and manage ley pastures 
3. How to best utilise ley pastures for animal production, and 
4. How to effectively remove ley pastures and return to the cropping phase.

Healthy Soils

Healthy Soils is a project producing extension material describing best management practices for soils in the mixed cropping/livestock zone, the tablelands and irrigated areas of central/southern NSW. This material complements previous soils research conducted at Condobolin and assists landholders identify limitations to production and implement management solutions for problems. 

Trees on Farms

Trees have been regularly planted on the station since 1950 in tree lots and windbreaks. More than 180 species have been planted and these are now being used as a living educational exhibit for visitors and to demonstrate suitable species for local plantings.

Central West Farming Systems

In addition to the core site on the station Central West Farming Systems (CWFS) coordinates 10 regional sites located across an area of 14 million hectares. CWFS has a strong emphasis on research extension and communication and works closely with Condobolin ARAS research and advisory staff to deliver its services. This is achieved through regional site field days, quarterly newsletters, monthly “Your Questions Answered” fact sheets, workshops, seminars and publication of their annual field day book and research compendium.

The Condobolin ARAS is a research and demonstration site for two trials run by the Central West/Lachlan region of the national Grain & Graze program. In this region the program is combining farmer knowledge and appropriate R&D to increase profit for mixed farmers, improve environmental outcomes and biodiversity, and increase farmer capacity and confidence in decision making.