Value-adding on-farm waste

The situation

A farm waste problem

Imagine saving money on expensive fertilisers, pesticides & herbicides and irrigation – while improving your crops outputs and plant health. Now you can, all by using waste left on-farm to decompose. The patentend Groundswell® process allows growers to convert waste into humus & carbon rich, HumiSoil® – all in a days work. No turning, no fires and in 6 months time, it’s ready to be spread.

Learn more

Saving money and improving soil health

What is the Groundswell® process?

Utilising bio-tech pioneered by global leaders VRM Biologik, the Groundswell® process enables the capture and storage of water, nutrient, carbon in farm waste to be converted, using bacterial photosynthesis through perpetual fermentation, to create HumiSoil®. Similar to compost, HumiSoil is rich in nutrient, carbon and develops struggling top-soil to convert into soil organic matter. Allowing for maximum nutrient uptake by plants. Where HumiSoil differs from compost is in it’s lack of decomposition, as well as the preformation of humus.

A second and vitally important difference is the presence of bacterial photosynthesis, which in time begins to manufacture water in the soil, known as hydrosynthesis.

Through the Groundswell® process, material begins to decompose before the microbes shift into creating soil organic matter – similar to what is achieved on the rainforest floor over 50 years – but through Groundswell it is achieved in 26 weeks.

Any organic material can be added to the pile with no specific ratios – from wood chip to tree prunings, excess fruit, deceased animals, manure and more. The material is mixed, saturated to 70% with water, inoculated with task-specific microbes, piled into M-shape and covered with a tarp for 26 weeks. No turning, no fires.

Learn more

Implementing change

Next Steps

The Groundswell® process meets the AS4454 for Commercial Composting, perfect for the horticulture industry needing to meet Fresh Care Standards.

Green Food Australia works directly with land holders to develop, plan, execute and analyse individual piles to best meet farmers needs – while adhering to strict licensing guidelines by VRM Biologik.

If you want to turn your farm waste into a valuable resource, reach out to us today.

Essentially, all life depends upon the soil… There can be no life without soil and no soil without life; they have evolved together.

Dr. Charles E Kellogg, Soil Scientist and Chief of the USDA’s Bureau for Chemistry and Soils

Merran. B

Wonderful support from Jess and Dom at Green Food Australia for our regenerative exotic tropical fruit farm. Hands on, knowledgeable, keen to get in and do the dirty work with us and great products. Highly recommended.

Compost Vs. HumiSoil®, what's the difference

While composting is a brilliant way to convert natural resources into valuable organic matter – the Groundswell® process allows for greater variation of material being processed. There are a number of significant differences also:

ratio of organic material at the end of process vs start is almost 100% in weight. 200t material = 200t HumiSoil after 26 weeks
photosynthetic bacteria thrive in the Groundswell® process, allowing for hydrosynthesis to occur within the pile and once deployed into soil. reducing irrigation costs and plant stress during extreme weather
less labour intensive: 1 days work, 26 weeks to ferment. no turning, no fires
nutrient content is accelerated during the process, not lost
carbon & water are captured, not lost into the atmosphere
process meets AS4454 – ideal for farmers meeting Fresh Care Standards

What is HumiSoil®

HumiSoil® essentially is the preformation of humus, and when deployed into soil, it continues to develop more humus. Rich in carbon, water, nutrient and organic matter, it’s the ideal solution to building Soil Organic Matter for best nutrient uptake.

Used in conjunction with Green Food Australia’s XLR8® Bio, farms see a significant improvement in soil structure; impressive reduction in pest pressure, reduced irrigation requirements + huge savings in fertiliser applications.

Cost to do Groundswell®

The price varies for each Groundswell® pile depending on a number of situations. Volume and equipment are the biggest fluctuations in each pile. The greater the volume the more inoculant required to process. If equipment and labour is required to assist this can increase the price substantially.

Prices start from around $27 per tonne.

For a free, no obligation quote, click here.