Quality soils for quality life: a beacon in biological agriculture
Bill Daly watched his land degrade. After years of using synthetic fertilisers, he wanted a way to restore soil balance. After Rhonda Daly got sick, she answered her calling: heal the soil and help others. In 2002, she founded Young-based, YLAD (that’s Daly backwards) Living Soils™ to spotlight the benefits of restoring soils and shifting to biological farming systems.
A Harris Farm Regen partner since the beginning of 2020, YLAD has given new life to Harris Farm fruit and vegetable waste. Ever the innovator, Rhonda has produced Soilbiotic™, which is a nutrient-rich, high grade humus compost. The first batch is now available to buy in-store and online.
Our soil-serving organisation offers an alternative for farmers, fed-up with conventional, bandaid practises. We work with nature for better soil health, more nutritious pastures, improved animal productivity and increased crop yields.
As soil health specialists, we supply sustainable biological, organic and humus compost fertility products and programs. Humus compost is a trifecta soil champion. It improves all three aspects of soil: physical, chemical and biological.
On our farm, Milgadara, we model the best biological and humus practices to show results. Open Windrow Composting is our thing. Our Aeromaster machine turns the food waste, along with a secret recipe of extra components, watering and aerating it in one pass. YLAD compost is a premium offering, and we sell the Aeromaster, the Mercedes of composting equipment, so you can produce quality DIY compost.
We also make compost specific to each farm's goals and challenges. After the compost is stable and mature – minerals are added as per a farmer, or gardener's soil test results. To see what we're dealing with, we inspect paddocks and carry-out crop, soil and leaf testing. We did this at the Harris Family farm in the Megalong Valley, read more about it here.
Our multi-format, educational programs range from material treatments to soil therapy. And we consult with local councils and international companies on waste management strategies. To create healthier soil, food and lifestyle, YLAD facilitates future-farming learning. Our teachings help mitigate changing conditions and feature international and local Regen leaders.
Everything comes from and returns to the soil. This living system supports trillions of organisms that recycle nutrients and carry life. Creating nutritious food and countering climate change is where compost is king. Biological soil management = life and vitality.
We want to return soils to a profitable, balanced and sustainable state. This demands a holistic view of the entire agronomic, environmental system. Each part affects another; healthy soils build fertility, productivity and healthy plants.
YLAD Living Soils™ want farmers to stop treating their soil like 'dirt.' We treat the cause, not the problem and use natural laws to nurture the soil. When farmers learn to read their soil's health and correct it with natural fertiliser – that's change from the ground – up.
