Soils are fundamental to farming. It is important to look after them to keep them healthy and productive. The soils chapter and supporting resources will guide you through assessing, managing and monitoring soils on your farm.
Please contact B+LNZ's resources team at [email protected] to request printed copies of resources.
Soil chapter
The chapter resource will guide you through a series of steps to complete this portion of your farm plan. It includes background information on the key concepts along with examples of how to complete any templates.
Soil templates
In this section, you’ll find blank templates that you can print or download to fill in electronically. These templates are compatible with Adobe Acrobat Reader – just download and save a copy to edit offline.
Supporting resource links
- Visual Soil Assessment resource book (PDF, 15MB) – the guide has been developed to help land managers assess soil quality easily, quickly, reliably and cheaply on a paddock scale.
- Visual Soil Assessment Score card - plant indicators (PDF, 83KB)– assessing plants using this score cord can complement the Soil indicator component of a VSA but is optional.
- Cotton Strip Test (PDF 2.9MB)- a guide on how to carry out a cotton strip test to assess the biological activity of your soil. A great activity to do with kids.
- Great kiwi earthworm survey - here you can find out more about the great kiwi earthworm survey and download a guide and data sheet to help you complete your own assessment.
- LUC factsheet (PDF, 2MB) – this factsheet covers the key elements of the land use capability (LUC) approach to mapping your land resource.
- LUC resource book – the land use capability (LUC) Survey handbook contains information on understanding LUC assessments. You can download the full handbook from Landcare Research.
- How to find Soil Data on S-Map (PDF, 1.4MB) – a step-by-step guide to using S-Map a Landcare Research tool created to help you understand the soil types on your farm.
- Soils Portal - This portal from Manaaki Whenua has a whole range of tools and resources including links to soil maps and resources to understand soil types, classifications and orders.
- OverseerFM nutrient budget form (PDF, 1.8MB) – a template to help with data collection for OverseerFM.
- Fertiliser Resource Books (PDF, 2.4MB) - Booklets from the Fertiliser Association provide easy reference to practical science-based information about fertiliser use for a range of New Zealand farm systems. You will find one on Fertiliser use on sheep and beef farms and one on soil sampling.
- Hill country futures factsheet series - A series of 11 soil and fertiliser factsheets coving a range of topics and different types of fertilisers. They were developed as part of the Hill Country Futures Programme.
- Cultivate/ graze test (PDF, 24.8 KB) – questions to determine if it is too wet to graze or cultivate?
- Understanding your soils – this online learning module will help you know soil characteristics, assess soil and understand soil management practices.