Complete an evaluation of the system as you know it at this time, in relation to organic compliance and standards. In your report,  describe/explain how organic standards have been applied across the system and how they fit with actions carried out. Are organic standards being followed and met? Give evidence for any claims you make.

I first began the journey of system management and organic compliance  by looking into different organic certification bodies and deciding which one would best suit my small market garden operation and understanding organic standards so I could apply this to my operation.

After evaluating the bodies here: I decided that Organic Farm NZ was the best suited to my site and operation with my small experimental market garden. OFNZ is a non-for-profit organisation and organic certification body that allows smaller farms within the organic growing space to achieve organic certification using BioGro standards.
Organic Farm NZ – for the organic producers in NZ It is solely for New Zealand producers supplying the New Zealand market, not for export. There are less expenses involved and it is more achievable for farmers and market gardeners on small scale to withhold. "Food grown by locals, for locals" It is designed to be low cost, supportive and educative. OFNZ was the best fit in what I wanted to achieve through organic compliance and certification - locally grown food, via regenerative, biodiverse and organic horticulture. Due to the small and experimental nature of my garden, this was an ideal starting point for organic certification which I can continue to build upon if I were to scale up and work towards a BioGro certification in the future.

Below I have evaluated BioGro Crop Production standards which will be assessed to achieve OFNZ Organic certification. This is my initial evaluation to dive into the organic compliance standards and see how my site initially aligns with these and what needs to be worked on.

BioGro Module 9 - Crop Production Standard Module_9_Crop_Production_May+2009.pdf (squarespace.com) 

Soil and Fertility 3.1
"Sustain and enhance the fertility and life-supporting ability of the soil" Emphasis on soil organic matter, soil flora and fauna and achieving cycles and flows of nutrients.

Soil testing
Regular soil testing has been carried out via VSA soil assesments taken at the beginning of soil rejuvenation, getting the foundation of soil health before any amendments were made, see results here: Plans for regular VSA will be put in place to coincide which each report to keep an eye visually on soil health. However soil chemical testing and analysis is required within 3 years of applying for organic certification so this will need to be achieved to gain certification via a ISO 17025 accredited laboratory. Eurofins lab in NZ provides comprehensive soil testing and scientific anyalsis requuired for organic certification standards: hill-labs.co.nz/testing-services/soil-testing/organic-farming/ 
I plan to send off samples for heavy metal testing to Soil Safe Aotearoa Soilsafe Aotearoa | Kia mōhio ki o oneone. (auckland.ac.nz) 

Organic matter
Organic matter has been assessed and will be monitored by VSA and will need to be chemically assessed via soil laboratory tests in orders to meet biogro (ofnz) standards. Soil samples would need to be sent off for testing, which I can include in my next steps to achieve for certification.

Soil Health
I had planned to begin the season back in august/september with a cover crop, however by the time compost arrived and beds were prepped, it was too close to the growing season to complete this. Over winter and early spring season, cover crops will be planned to be applied. In the interim, peas and beans will be incorporated  into the crop  growing plan to provide nitrogen fixing species into the system.
Fresh soil composts will be applied at the beggining of the system set up in formation of each bed. A thick layer of 6-7cm will be applied to each bed, creating a blanket of foundational organic matter in the system. (return 2 earth compost was used, which is not certified organic, so other certified sources will need to be used in the future for compliance and cerification).

Composts and Vermicasts
Return 2 Earth compost used - not BioGro approved, will need to locate and research approved compost sources for future used or look into setting up an onsite approved composting system, as tthis must be heated, aerated , mixed and matured sufficiently. Vermicasts have not yet been incorporated into the system, but will definitely be part of the plan in the future.

Leaching
Leaching losses will be mitigated by minimal applied composts and organic fertiliser inputs to ensure proper nutrient cycliong and minimal losses to leaching. Emphasis will be placed on little to no input and to created a closed looped self - feeding system via  optimal soil health via root exudates and their role in feeding and nuturing the soil microbiome and food web. Soil will be kept covered as much as possible with live plant roots to help with nutrient cycling and absorbtion to prevent leaching also.

Nitrogen Rates
As above, nitrogen rates will be kept very minimal with little to no use of organic feritlisers added and will not exceed 170kg limit per hectare.  A one off input regime at the start of the season before compost was laid was carried out including:
- Blood and Bone (Non certified, can easily be swapped for biogro cert)
- Potash (Biogro cert)
- Lime (Biogro cert)
- Chicken and Sheep pellets (Non certified, can easily be swapped for biogro cert)
Compost was then laid on top. Official nitrogen rates will be confirmed with a chemical soil analysis.

Raw Manures
Were not applied and not planning to be applied and will be composted if planned to use in future.

Sewage by-products
Will never be used.

Industrial by-products
Textile waste have not been used, neither of food waste so far. With no intention outside of compost and carboard to be used in the system as of this moment.

Mulches
Mixed mulch was used from onsite trees that were felled and chipped. Various species accross the WITT grounds, native and introduced.  Medium sized chip, bagged and transported from carpark to site. Unfortunately this source is not BioGro certified, however, this might be able to be signed off with evidence that no prohibited substances were applied directly to them and residue tests may be required. I will look into BioGro cert sources in the future and if I am unable to find them will look into getting this source form WITT approved. This woodchip mulch was used to line paths and provide a substrate for micchorzhial fungi growth.

Seeds, seedling and vegetative propagative materials
A mix of certified organic seeds were used. I used seeds from companies I had on hand to experiment and get the garden established and to see what worked well. Koanga seeds (heritage) Setha's Seeds (Heritage)  Eco seeds (cert organic)  Kings seeds (cert organic range)  were all compliant companies I will continue to source seed from for compliance in the future and replace any non cert organic companies I have used -  and if I am unable to find certain varieties organic, I will discuss their possible used with OFNZ.  I grew majority of my crops via direct seeding and seedling propagation.  However I did source and use non certified organic seedlings also, which I will completely avoid moving forward, focus on my own successions with  cert organic seeds and seedlings to meet requirements moving forward. I used Tui BioGro cert seed raising mix to ensure compliance.

Genetic Engineering
Will never be used.

Green Manure crops and crop residues
Green manure crops have not yet been used, but will be planned for and of great use during slower seasons in winter and to increase soil fertility in the first few years of production. Polycropping will be maintained to ensure coverage of soils. VSA's and soil testing bi-monthly and annually to assess nutrient and organic matter levels achieved in soils. Crop residues from falled crop matter and roots left in soil will be incorporative back into the soil and gentle raking and occasional broadforking to achieve a smooth and fluffy planting surface will be used. Emphasis on keeping roots and organic matter and crop residues in the soil will be maintained in each bed to increase and maximise organic matter levels.

Fertility and crop rotation plan
Crop rotation will be at the forefront of the crop plan to ensure different species are rotated throughout the system and different root exudates, root length, plant structure and nurients are cycled throughout the system as a whole. Fertility and crop plan must be documented for at least the next two seasons. So far, I have planned out the crop plan for summer and will soon plan out the autumn and winter plan. Restorative phases via green manure crops will be incorporated over slower growing seasons to maintain overall fertility and enhanced. Polycropping will ensure a diverse range of crops are rotated and cycled throughout the system to rejuvenate and increase soil fertility over time also. 

Soil Structure
Soil structure will be monitored via regular VSA's to assess compaction, worm populations, organic matter levels and  more. Damage to soil structure and compaction has been actively mitigated. An intial broadforking of the entire market garden space was undertaken to increase aeration and to remove annual and perennial weeds. Careful consideration and placement was carried out to ensure we were not stepping on the areas we had broad forked. Paths were layed out with woodchip, these were to be the only areas in the garden that were allowed to be stood on. NO standing on beds at any time will be enforced to mitigate soil bed compaction and impact on soil structure. No heavy machinery has been used only broadforking and gentle raking on top to smooth out beds. Adding compost and the intention of green manure cropping will offset any damage done to soil structure and polycropping to improve soil structure will be prioritised at all times.

Biological Activators
Have not yet used, but will definitely look into their use for the future.

Permitted Fertilisers
Refer Appendix B.
Blood and Bone (Non certified, can easily be swapped for biogro cert)
- Potash (Biogro cert)
- Lime (Biogro cert)
- Chicken and Sheep pellets (Non certified, can easily be swapped for biogro cert)
The only fertilisers used to far, along with Tui liquid seaweed (BioGro cert)

Restricted Fertilisers
Refer Appendix B.

Fertiliser Supply
Tui:
-Chicken and Sheep pellets (Non certified, can easily be swapped for biogro cert)
- liquid seaweed (BioGro cert)
- Blood and Bone (Non certified, can easily be swapped for biogro cert)
Yates:
- Potash (Biogro cert)
- Lime (Biogro cert)

Liquid fertilisers including vermicast liquids and compost teas

-Tui organic seaweed fertiliser has been used for topical and soil soaking so far. Used for overall plant health, microbial support and health.
- No used of vermicast or compost teas at this stage, will defintiely be looked into in the future for use.

Sewage
Will never be used.

Miscellaneous Fertilisiers
Blood and Bone (Non certified, can easily be swapped for biogro cert)
- Potash (Biogro cert)
- Lime (Biogro cert)
- Chicken and Sheep pellets (Non certified, can easily be swapped for biogro cert)
The only fertilisers used to far, along with Tui liquid seaweed (BioGro cert)

Thermal Sterilisation
Have not needed to use.

Burning vegetation
Have had no need to be used and no plan to use in future as of now.

Salinization
Soil testing will help to identify any salinization effects and to monitor water supply coming from the tap used for hose irrigation. We are a long way away from the ocean and high up, so there is minimal risk of salinization from seawater, storms and run off. It will be water supply monitoring and fertilisation inputs that need to be monitored the most.

Water Supply and Irrigation 3.2

Water source purity

Potential contamination: The surrounding areas of the site have a consistent history of spraying glyphosate and various other weed killers and pesticides. This poses risk for contaminated water in the area. Rigorous water testing will be required to measure contamination in water and a plan set in place to mitigate this. Mains water from the Te Henui lodge will be used for irrigation. Water testing will be undertaken to test chlorination, nitrates and PH levels. High Taranaki rainfall will be a strong source of water and rainwater catchment will be set up in the future.

Catchment

There are no natural water catchment areas on the site. However the closest body of water is the Te Henui stream which is roughly 150m from the site over the Puketarata Pa. This is a farmland area grazing sheep, so there is likely to be run off into the stream. https://www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/taranaki-region/river-quality/te-henui-stream However, majority of my water supply will be from the town mains water via the Te Henui lodge. This water is supplied via the New Plymouth plant that catched water from the Waiwhakaiho river. This river runs from the maunga out to sea. This water goes through extensive separation and chemical treatments to be deemed safe for consumption. This means the mains water will have high levels of fluoridation, chlorine amoung other chemicals that remove harmful bacteria from the water. This is likely to have impact on microbial life in the soils. Read more about the New Plymouth water treatment plant here: https://www.npdc.govt.nz/home-and-property/water-wastewater-and-stormwater/our-treatment-plants/new-plymouth-water-treatment-plant/

Optimal watering

Current irrigation method used is over head hand watering via hose from Te Henui lodge. This will be undertaken 1-3 times a week over spring and summer and once a week during early Autumn until raining season hits. Optimising watering will be undertaken in a water management plan of installing irrigation in the future either via drip lines or overhead timed sprinklers. Rain water catchment for watering will be set up in the future to taken advantage of high Taranaki rainfall. 

Monitoring water

A strategic water use plan will be put in place to minimise precious water use and ensure crops are receiving adequate watering without excess or scarcity. A smart irrigation system will be set up with water gaging to monitor litres used and research to find water saving sprinkler or drip irrigation systems will be undertaken. Rain gages will be installed to help monitor rainfall and therefore reduce the need for excess watering. 

Regional plan and water consents

Taranaki regional water plan

Temporary irrigation systems

Not yet installed.  Will be removed after use if required in future.

Seeds, varieties, transplants and crop management 3.3

Plan to trial alternatives

A documented plan and data capturing of what crop varieties work best on the site will be created. Keeping track of what varieties are used in what season, their performance, weed pressure and pest pressure tolerance will all be recorded. This will give a foundation of knowledge and data log of what works best in the site. A plan then to trial alternatives to species that have not performed well will be undertaken. I plan to create a heavily diverse market garden and will be regularly trialing a variety of different species and will be recording them to see what has performed best.

Seeds, seedlings and vegetative propagative materials

Certified organic seed where possible has been used and will continue to be used. Seed companies such as Kings organic range, Koanga and Setha's seeds provide compliant varieties of crops. This season, I have used seeds from my small seedbank that I had on hand to use up these recourses and to test what works best in the site for this season in particular to polycropping. In the following seasons make the full switch to certified organic seeds and seedlings and where this is not possible for certain varieties such as hybrids, I will seek written consent to continue with these crops that cannot be found organic. I will endeavour to grow all my crops from seed and look for organic compliant retailers when short. Please refer to organic compliance list for companies here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BF2cMTn1GEdk6QmhKamrco-lHGn1vJ7JDRiCXTwMB4s/edit?usp=sharing  Open pollinated, organically grown seeds and seedlings will remain top priority with minor exceptions in seeds that can only be sources non certified. However these seeds will never been GM and not contain prohibited materials.

Seedlings
Seedlings will be grown in BioGro certified potting mixes. This season I have used Tui's organic performance seed raising mix with reasonable success. I will continue to research the best organic compliant seed raising media. See alternatives here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BF2cMTn1GEdk6QmhKamrco-lHGn1vJ7JDRiCXTwMB4s/edit?usp=sharing I aim to innoculate my seedraising media with beneficial fungi and microorganisms with homemade composts and vermicast. This will be sent off for writted approval before use for compliance. 

Thermal Sterilsation

Not yet required.

Pollination
No intention of bringing in beehives, especially those that contain prohibited treatments. My main goal for pollination is instead to infuse the garden site with diverse pollinator friendly flowring crops and created habitats for these natural pollinators to thrive.

Seed and Plant material
If I am to sell or collect seeds, these crops will be grown under organic management for one generation for annuals, two growing periods or 12 months for perennials. This will ensure they can be sold or advertised as certified organic seed and plant material for use in my garden or to be sold for revenue.

Treated  timber
Treated timber will not be used on site.

Weed Management 3.4

Weed management plan
See weed management plan here:
Weeds will be controlled via integrative weed management plan, with zero use of chemical herbicides. An integration of physical, biological, cultural and mechanical practices will be used.

Biological control
Biological control of weeds will be looked into in the future. This is still a new weed control management option in New Zealand and extensive research is being undertaken. For example the red spider mite (Tetranychus linteariu) to control gorse and the Honshu white admiral butterfly (Limenitis glorifica) to control Japanese honeysuckle. You can see an extensive list here: https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/discover-our-research/biodiversity-biosecurity/weed-biocontrol/projects-agents/biocontrol-agents/  My aim first is to create an ecosystem that naturally invites a diverse range of insects, fungi and microrganisms that will attribute to biologial control. Biological weed control agents such as this extensive list in the above link will also be researched and looked into in the future.

Mechanical and thermal weed control
Flame weeding has been used in the site and will continue to be used as an effective form of thermal weed control. Initial mechanical removal of soil was done via broadforking and hand removal to eliminate as much perennial weeds as possible. Hand and handtool weeding will be continued to be used, aswell as gentle broad forking. Hand hoe weeder along the paths will be used also.

Plastic and reflective mulches
Tarping use will be considered for future use and re-used and disposed of correctly.

Mulches
An on site wood mulch was used for pathways. This was a mix of tree varieties on WITT grounds. Future use of mulches will need writted approval for future.

Herbicides

Chemical synthetic herbicides Will NEVER be used.

Solarisation

Will be considered for use if difficult perennial weeds arise in the future. Consent will be needed.


Pest and Disease Management 3.5

Pest management plan
See pest and disease management plan here:
Pests and disease will be controlled via integrative pest and disease management plan, with zero use of chemical pesticides and fungicides. An integration of physical, biological, cultural and mechanical practices will be used.  Pest and disease management on my site will be dedicated to ensure plant and soil health are optimised and maintaned.  A robust, healthy soil will create robust and healthy plants, so ensuring plant and soil health through practices mentioned above and in the plan, as well as crop production standard. Encouragement of a natural balance via not completely eradicating pest and disease populations will be mean that their natural predators can thrive and control their populations naturally. My goal will to create a supportive environment for these beneficial predatory species to thrive.

Resistant varieties
Pest and disease resistant varieties will be regularly trialed. All species of crop varieties used on site's data will be recorded to keep track of their success or demise and their resistance to pest and disease.  Identifying strong crop varieties will be paramount  and  incorporating these into polycropping guilds that support each other will be undertaken to improve pest and disease resistance.

Preventative management

Crop management  systems will be managed to ensure crop and soil health is maintained and regenerated to reduce likely hood of pests and disease. Having diverse polycropping systems with roots in the soil, a strong water management plan, crop rotation and nutrient management practices will be adhered to to ensure optimal health of soil and plants to reduce pest and disease pressure. 

Habitats

Piles of sticks, leaves and natural mulched areas will be installed and created around the site to create natural habitats for beneficial predatory species. 'Bug hotels' will be created. *Biological control of pests will be an integral part of my IPM system, whether intentionally releasing specific predator species via BioForce species or naturally encouraging these species with leaving some pests for them to consume and creating a habitat with flower species, plants and brown areas of leaves, mulches etc.

Mechanical controls

Physical traps such as traps, sticky traps, pheromone traps, lures and barriers will be used when necessary. Physical control via high pressure hose spraying, hand removal or squishing of pests will also be used for pest instances.

Permitted materials

Refer Appendix B

Restricted materials

Refer Appendix B

Prohibited materials
Synthetic  pesticides and herbicides will never be used.

Thermal sterilisation

Not yet required.

Harvesting , Packing, storage and transport 3.6
Harvesting of crops has not yet commenced, this will be evaluated in later reports.

System Operations have been evaluated via a system plan found here on the Site Analysis page. 

Complete an evaluation of the system as you know it at this time, in relation to organic compliance and standards. In your report,  describe/explain how organic standards have been applied across the system and how they fit with actions carried out. Are organic standards being followed and met? Give evidence for any claims you make.

The overall system is in full force in reguards to being at the peak of the growing season, with production in full swing. Physical access to the system and site remains easy, with parking close by, within walking and biking distance from my residance. I have been able to attend the garden site 1-2x a week for watering, crop planting, management and watering. Please refer to site analysis here for more information about accessibilty, climate data, water source and more.

The system overall has been working well in regards to growth, productivity and management all while adhering to organic standards, below are the successes and potential problems, issues or pitfalls indentified and what I can do to alleviate and solves these in terms of adherance to Biogro/Organic farm NZ standards. Below are the organic standards that relate and have been monitored or used in the system at this time of report:

Soil testing has been further undertaken and will continue to be monitored by routine VSA's to access basics in soil structure and health, along with plans to invest in chemical soil testing and microbiology assesment. At this stage in the system, soil performance is strong and is reflected in rampant growth and health of crops. Refering to orginal VSA, clear evidence was provided in visible soil structure improvements, along with increased worm sitings and fungal structures. A more strict seasonal VSA and yearly chemical testing regime needs to be put in place to capture data to have on record to spot patterns in soil health and tract progress.

Organic matter levels are yet to be tested, however composts has been used, along with 'natural' fertilisers to add organic matter to the soil. What I would do differently again is to have a chemical soil analysis completed to assess naturally occuring levels of organic matter and instead of guessing and risking adding too much and unbalancing soil nutrient availability to microbes and therefore plants. A this point in time, organic matter levels appear to be efficient for growth and productivity.

Composts and Vermicasts This is where the biggest hurdle when it comes to meeting organic compliance standards. Compost used so far in the system has been from a non certified organic source - return 2 earth and will result in failing certification. Research into alternatives needs to be undertaken and a compiled list of BioGro certified alternatives is being compiled here: I endeavour to find an affordable and quality certified organic compliant alternative. For now this compost has been working very well within the system, it was relitively easy to apply, be delivered and distribute. Beginning with a chemical soil analysis will also prevent excess compost being needed and applied therefore freeing up resources, labour and time. Vermicasts have only been used in the system at this stage for seed raising, from a certified organic source and mixed in with certified organic seed raising mix with promising results. I will continue to use this for seedraising and explore different uses in the garden in the system in the future.

Mulches have been used only for paths at this stage in the system. A mix of new woodchip sourced from various trees around the WITT grounds was a free and relitively easy to apply resource for mulching pathways and protecting soils. However, this is not a certified organic resource and means organic certification cannot be achieved unless with special consideration. Mulching materials must be sourced from certified farms, so research into where to source these materials for mulching will be undertaken to achieve compliance. This wood mulch has worked well in the system so far for moisture retention and protection of pathway soils, breaking down to provide organic matter and support fungal networking and fruiting bodies within the system.

Seeds, seedling and vegetative propagative materials seeds and seedlings currently being used in the system are a mix of certified organic and no certified. A switch to 99-100% certified organic seeds and seedlings will need to be made with some special exceptions of F1 and trialed alternative varieties that work well in the system and can't be found organically will need to be made to meet standars. At this stage in the system I have been trialing species and using resources I have had on hand to reduce costs and learn from experimenting with polycrops.

Plan to trial alternatives trialing alternative crop species will be a key priority within the system to see what works best. At this stage I have tried many alternatives and a variety of species to test which works best in the system and in which polycropping. Recording of this data has occured in the crop plan spreadsheet.

Pollination has occured on a natural basis within the system and has been supported by various biodiversity in flowering plants and crops.

Seed and Plant material As I am dealing with annual growing crops at this stage in the system, all crops grown from seed are under organic management for one generation, seedlings purchased however were not under organic management and this will need to be adhered to in the future as well as with perennial crops.

Green Manure crops and crop residues at this stage, crop residues are either being taken away or left to add organic matter to the soil and support fertility.

Fertility and crop rotation plan the next couple of growing seasons will be planned for including autumn/winter and then into spring/summer. Crop rotation will the key guiding factor to ensure restorative phases and biodiversity.

Soil Structure The only compaction inducing acitivitys at the moment in the system are human activity by walking which has been restricted to beds. zero heavy machinery or tools have been used in the system so far. Only light raking and drawing lines for seed sowing. Any compaction has been mitigated by soil health practices.

Fertilisers at this stage in the system the only fertilisers that have been applied are blood and bone, lime, potash and chicken and sheep pellets. These are a mix of certified organic and non certfied organic sources. Using what resources were on hand and not going overboard to apply excess fertilisers. All future fertilisers will continue to never be aquired from prohibited sources and material and will only be of certified organic sourcing, with research applied. Any fertiliser use will be backed up by an extensive soil chemical analysis and recommendations from an expert.

Liquid fertilisers including vermicast liquids and compost teas So far the only liquid fertiliser that has been used in the system is Tui certified organic seaweed fert used as a soil drench and foliar feed. This will be continue to be used throughout the system and other certified organic alternatives and biological acitivators/microbial based foliar feeds will be used.

Water source purity currently main water source is coming from a tap attached to Te Henui lodge, sourced from mains water from NPDC catchment system. This water is yet to be tested by myself for purity, however it is considered safe for human consumption, so therefore it is the main and closest source for irrigation on site. Rain catchment and water filtration will be explored in the future.

Optimal watering It has been a very rainy summer season, so a lower level of water has been needed only 1-2x weekly. A new watering regime will be put into place over the next summer season, as there was some points during summer on hot weeks without rain where the system did struggle. Access to water has been east via a hose and possible looking into hose pressure reducing nosels and timing waterings can be put in place to reduce the need for overwatering. 

Monitoring water currently do not have a water monitoring gage within the system. Rain gages will be installed and a look into monitoring irrigation systems and tracking litres used in the future to meet this for compliance.

Regional plan and water consents there wasn't any water bans over summer, however with the councils regional plan, emphasis on reducing water consumption has and will continue to be adhered to.

Weed management plan the main weed management place after the initial broadforking was weekly hand weeding beds when weeds arised, as well as using thermal weed control with a butane weeder to kill off newly germinated beds. Mulching of paths kept weeds at bay and sticking to a regular weeding regime allowed for minimal weed pressure at this point in the system. All crops grown thrived without weed pressure and all weeds were maintained with this IWM process within the system. Strictly zero herbicides were used in the system.

Pest management plan luckily during this main growing system there was minimal pest and disease pressure. The only prominent issues were a bout of aphids on cucumbers and lettuce, however observations showed this was due to plant health weakening due to lack of watering over hot weeks. IPM was used to manage this with observation of populations on plants, natural bioglogical controll with predatory species spotted as well as with removal of infected foliages and high pressure hose removal of infestations. As for disease, there was an unusal disorder with the tomatoes which still seemed to perform okay, but this was an unsual finding and will be investigated further through soil testing. Powdery mildew did arise late in the season and this was managed mainly with removal of infected leaves and natural biological control. The use of organic milk, baking soda and at worst certified organic fungal control used to control, however the system still managed to thrive and the disease did not take over or impact production.

Resistant varieties varieties will be explored and recorded each season with alternatives explored to see what are resistant and best suit and thrive within the system.

Preventative management soil health is of key priority for preventative management in both, weeds, pests and disease control. Focusing on soil health and always having living roots within the soil will be paramount to feed microbiology and keep plant health strong. This will therefore improve plant health, along with optimal watering, biological foliar feeding to prevent pests and disease occuring in the first place. Better watering system, crop rotations and successions, as well as biological foliar feeding need to be put in place as changes to be made within the system as preventative management.

Habitats increasing biodiversity with flowering species, mulched areas have been put in place creating habitats for beneficial species, beetle banks/bug hotels and diverse flower plantings will be installed within the system to further support this.

Harvesting , Packing, storage and transport
At this point within the system, harvesting has started to commence. Crop harvesting had begun as soon as crops entered maturity, mainly for sampling and gifting to family and friends. Harvest for profit will begin in the new year when more crops reach maturity and there is enough products to sell at the farmers market. This will be explored in later reports.

Overall, the system has been working well in terms of soil health, biodiversity, crop production and system functionalilty. There are many steps needing to be taken to fully adhere to and meet organic compliance standards within the system. There is actionable steps to take to achieve this. Otherwise this far in the year has proven that the system has been working well together to acheive a productive and biologically supportive garden system that can feed and support life of both humans and the environment.

Complete an evaluation of the system as you know it at this time, in relation to organic compliance and standards. In your report, describe/explain how organic standards have been applied across the system and how they fit with actions carried out. Are organic standards being followed and met? Give evidence for any claims you make.

At this point in the system, the above requirements in previous reports remain the same in relation to organic compliance and standards. Below is a summary of what has been done and what needs to be done to further the process of compliance within the system. The main differences in this report is harvesting and how this has been followed in terms of organic compliance. 

What's being done in the system to meet organic compliance and standards

• Zero use of prohibited materials, no chemical herbicides, fungicides or insecticides. IPM, IDM, IWM have instead been used within the system to adhere to organic compliance standards and successfully manage pests, disease and weeds thus far into the year within the system. With strong foundations within these management systems, there is clear pathways to stay on top of these common pressures within a growing system. They provide multiple options that continue to support the system as a whole rather than create detriment to the system and surrounding environment and people. Refer to management reports here

• Some certified organic seeds have been used, with plans to trial alternatives within the polycropping systems

• Certified organic seed raising mix has been used, along with certified vermicast

• Foliar feeding with certified organic seaweed

• Regular VSA's being carried out with plans for chemical and microbiology testing

• At this stage in autumn, minimal watering is needed due to high Taranaki rainfall, so monitoring and planning for optimal watering by observation and being in tune with the local climate

• Mulches are being used to help prevent weeds and to improve soil health

• Polycropping and green manure/cover cropping is being used during the entirity of the system and covercropping during winter months to improve soil health and biodiversity

• Minimal fertilisers have been used and there has been no excessive application of fertilisers. Fertilisers used at the beginning were minimal, with some certified organic imputs. Chemical soil analysis to address specific nutrient deficiencies will be carried out to monitor this and determine future use of certified organic fertilisers

• Soil health has prioritised with diverse polycrop plantings in each bed, minimal disturbance, no stepping on beds, crop rotation, mulching, organic matter and keeping living roots within the soil and allowing crop residues and mulches to lift organic matter in the soil.

• Biodiversity within flowering species and edible crops is at a premium level to support beneficial insect diversity and populations. Shelter belts, nesting sites are all in the area to protect and encourage natural enemies of pests

What needs to be done

• All seeds, seedlings and vegetative propagative materials used need to be of certified organic sources, a full switch needs to be made. Special exceptions to f1 varieties or seeds without organic alternatives can be considered if they work well in the system, otherwise all species used within the system need to be certified organic

• Composts used in the future need to be certified organic. Soil testing will determine if compost is needed in the future or if organic matter levels are sufficient

• All fertilisers need to be certified organic and there use strictly limited which will be backed up by chemical soil analysis.

• Liquid feeding will be prioritised over extensive fertilisation, with certified organic liquid feeding, biodynamic amendments and biological foliar feeds, along with powdered fungi to create a biology first approach to feeding which support microbiology to unlock soil nutrition. All foliar feeds used will need to be certified organic

• Mulches need to be of certified organic source

• Watering systems need to be explored to ensure optimal watering vs hose watering. Efficient irrigation systems explored

• Soil testing and chemical residue testing needs to be carried out to ensure residual levels of previous spraying within the system don't exceed prohibited levels.

Is the overall system working, is polycropping the way to go?

So far in the system, there has been many sucesses and the biodiverse polycropping system is working in a variety of areas, as well as needing improvement in a variety of areas also. Successes have been mainly found in crop and soil health. This is likely to be due to the diversity in plant species and therefore exudates released and feeding the soil microbiology and ecosystem. I have been in luck over two growing seasons during this year for finding polycrops that work well together within the polycropping system. Access to the system remains the same, safety, ease and resources are sufficient and close by. The system remains well protected by the largely dense and diversly populated shelter belt system, which is also backed up by the surrounding steel fencing around the market garden site. It terms of harvest and bulk, polycropping will only be able to achieve this on a relatively large scale. This would be in terms of using this system to sell at farmers market, for bulk buying eg for stores and hospitiality. The question has that has then arised is polycropping better suited for smaller scale operations such as feeding families weekly vegetable boxes or supplying small amounts to cafes and chefs? Is it more of a land and soil regeneration project that a scaleable and highly profitable system? These questions are now to be discussed in the final report.

Any changes?

At this stage in the system, there haven't been many changes since the initial installation and management of this market garden site. No other external imputs have been used in terms of compost, organic amendments and else where. The main changes have been the crop rotations and putting in autumn/winter polycrops and cover cropping has been implemented to help rejuvenate soils before the big summer growing season once more. Watering has been reduced due to high rainfall this time of year in Taranaki. Pitfall and stick traps installed to assess biodiversity. Plastic string removed as this had proved to be of detriment to the garden due to fraying. A mix of purchased seedlings and direct sowing plantings were used. Need to switch to organic seedlings and seeds.