KIRRAag (Ka)

KIRRAag (Ka) is responsible for all the Agricultural activities in the community projects. 

This includes General Farming to encompass the principles of Organic Farming, Permaculture, Biodynamic Farming Techniques, Hydroponics and Syntropic Farming and Agroforestry. This division is also responsible for the acquisition and maintenance of livestock and plant stock. While the community is moving towards natural whole food-based diets and production, animals play a vital role in the farming cycle. For example, 1 Kg of Chicken manure creates 70 Litres of Biogas. The manure from all the animals is a valuable composting source and hoof action on the ground helps create Necromass, which in turn creates a greater abundance of Biomass. 

Until our lake is completed and full of fresh water, water scarcity (both capture and storage) an issue facing the community, the extension of food production techniques to include Hydroponics and Aquaponics are considered essential in our food generation systems. Hydroponics, Aquaponics and Aquaculture use 90% less water than conventional farming techniques and our use of water and its conservation are critical, this item alone may determine the fate of the community project. Moving towards sustainable farming requires the focus shift from conventional farming, to Hydroponics, then to Aquaponic systems that are self-sustaining. Once this is achieved the Hydroponic systems will be converted to Aquaponic systems and be fed from the holistic Aquaponic infrastructure. 

Sustenance and Sustainability are key aspects of the Kirra Project and the Ka operation. Feeding the people and ensuring the KIRRAkitchen (Kk) is stocked with abundant fresh produce. 

The stewardship of the property falls into the Ka remit. Working with KIRRAutility (Ku) to best determine what areas of the community are best suited to which purposes, the eventual development of the community as a going concern rests completely within the Ka remit.

One of the biggest challenges when starting a project like this from scratch is the remediation of the dead loamy nutrient deficient soil into a rich organic teaming soil, that can grow healthy crops. Ka has started to focus on this with some legume and summer cut 'n' drop crops in some of the cleared areas around the community. Most of the material removed from these cleared areas has either been turned in mulch or used to create Hügelkultur raised gardens.

Ka has an impressive seed collection which sports a variety of seeds in excess of 500 varieties. These are broken down into 5 classifications.

• Edible plants - (broadly, by any other living creature including humans and animals) - Apothecary

• Flowers - edible, remedial (- Apothecary), floral design and biomass 

• Herbs - edible and remedial (- Apothecary)

• Fungus - edible and remedial (- Apothecary)

• Algae - edible, fuel, remedial (- Apothecary) and biomass

Each of these however, have been selected to start the Apothecary focus of the community. All plants aid in soil fertility and regeneration. Some of the seeds will take up to a decade to produce any usable produce, so although the ideal time to plant these would have been 10 years ago, the next best time is now, so we have planted many of these long-term plants already.

From a starting position of absolutely nothing. The first few months have been a flurry of activity as the first agricultural infrastructure of the community is established. There were a few false starts with the really warm weather, and a few of the newly started plants failed due to the hot weather. Some remediation was put in-place and things have started to recover.

Our first Hydroponic systems was setup and running before the end of January 2023.

Ka includes the following areas of responsibility:

• Organic Farming (as mentioned above) with all the derivations.

• Composting and Organic Recycling

• Hydroponics and Aquaponics

• Planting and Propagation techniques - Various layering techniques, various cutting techniques, grafting, suckering and in conjunction with KIRRAlabs (Kl) tissue culturing and Transgenic propagation.

• Entomology - Investigation into entomology for beneficial insects and infestation control insects - this also includes biological chemistry for infestation controls using natural remedies from the Apothecary supported by KIRRAlabs (Kl).

• Animal Husbandry and Management - Freshwater Fish, Clams and Yabbies, Bee Keeping (Native and Honey), Chickens, Rabbits and Goats. None of these animals are for consumption, they are our living cultivation and biodynamic workers.

• In collaboration with KIRRAlabs (Kl) the creation and propagation of specific Transgenic plants, and;

• Provision of root exudates of pharmaceutical proteins via release into the plant nutrient solution by Transgenic plants - for the Apothecary.