AT JACK MURAT, WE ARE FINALLY LAUNCHING A NEWS PAGE. WE BELIEVE THIS PROJECT IS WORTH SHARING WITH YOU AND MAY PLAY A SMALL PART IN FORGING AN AUSTRALIAN-GROWN INDUSTRY THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF. COFFEE FARMING IS STILL IN ITS INFANCY IN AUSTRALIA, AND THERE IS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO LEARN AND, IMPORTANTLY, TO ADAPT TO OUR UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT. HERE, WE DOCUMENT THIS JOURNEY AND SHARE EVERYTHING – THE UPS AND DOWNS, BECAUSE THIS JOURNEY IS AUTHENTIC, OPEN, HONEST, AND HELL-BENT ON CREATING GREAT COFFEE. YOU CAN EXPECT REAL CONTENT ON FARMING, ROASTING, AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

IN THE INTERESTS OF BEING TRUE – THE PHOTO THAT ACCOMPANIES THIS POST IS IN LINE WITH THE ETHOS. THE CONTRAST FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT - IT ISN'T JUST A CASE OF TREE MATURITY - THE SPARSITY APPARENT ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS WHAT WE SIMPLY TERM "MISSES." THE PLANTED SEEDLINGS HAVE FAILED TO STRIKE AND ESTABLISH THEMSELVES. IT'S A COSTLY AND CONSUMING REALITY. BEFORE THOSE SEEDLINGS WERE PLANTED, THEY WERE COLLECTED FROM SEED, POTTED, AND TENDED TO IN OUR NURSERY FOR MONTHS. WHAT CAUSES THEM TO FAIL? THERE ARE AN ABUNDANCE OF ISSUES, INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL AND WEATHER CONDITIONS – LIKE PARTICULARLY HOT OR COLD TEMPERATURES. IN OUR CASE, THE ROOTS OF THE SEEDLINGS HAD, UNBEKNOWNST TO US, BEGUN TO "J" UPWARDS. WHEN PLANTED IN THE SOIL OF THE PADDOCK, THEY NEVER CORRECTED THEIR TRAJECTORY DOWNWARDS INTO THE RICH LOAMS.

THE REALIZATION AND DISCOVERY WAS MADE BY A FARMING FRIEND WHO RECOGNIZED THE ISSUE, HAVING GONE THROUGH THE SAME TRIAL THEMSELVES. EFFECTIVELY, WHEN THE SEEDLING WAS REPOTTED, THE DEPTH OF THE HOLE WAS INSUFFICIENT FOR THE ROOT LENGTH. THE REMEDY WAS SIMPLE: EITHER TRIM THE ROOT LENGTH OR ENSURE THAT THE DEPTH IS GREATER THAN THE ROOT. SIMPLE AS IT MAY SEEM, THESE LEARNINGS CAME ONLY AFTER THE BEST EFFORTS OF SEASONED GARDENERS AND NURSERY PERSONNEL SUPPORTING THE PROJECT.

IT'S ULTIMATELY ONLY THROUGH DOING THAT YOU PERHAPS TRULY LEARN. LESSON LEARNED. THESE "MISSES" WERE REPLANTED AGAIN AND ARE NOW HEALTHY, ESTABLISHED TREES.