Building Better Soil by Working With Nature
The Yeomans Keyline System is a practical approach to improving soil health, water use and farm productivity by working with the natural shape of the land.
Developed by P.A. Yeomans in Australia and refined over more than 70 years, the system combines land planning, water management and deep soil development to create more resilient and productive farming systems.
What Is the Keyline System?
Build Fertile Soil
Create deep, healthy, biologically active soils that can store more water, support stronger root systems and produce better crops and pastures.
Use Natural Landform to Your Advantage
Plan cultivation, dams, roads, fencing and tree belts using the natural shape of the landscape rather than working against it.
When combined, these principles help improve rainfall infiltration, reduce runoff and increase long-term productivity.
Understanding the Landscape
Every landscape is made up of ridges and valleys.
Within each primary valley is a point where the slope begins to flatten. This location is known as the Keypoint.
A contour line passing through the Keypoint is called the Keyline.
This natural reference becomes the foundation for planning water management and cultivation patterns across the property.
How Water Naturally Moves
Rainfall naturally flows downhill and tends to concentrate in valleys.
As a result:
• Valleys often become wetter than necessary.
• Ridges often remain drier than necessary.
• Water leaves the property more quickly.
• Erosion risk increases.
The Keyline System aims to slow, spread and make better use of rainfall within the landscape.
How Keyline Cultivation Works
Keyline cultivation uses deep-ripping equipment that loosens the soil without turning it over.
Unlike conventional tillage, the objective is not to create a seedbed. Instead, the goal is to improve the soil profile while preserving natural soil layers.
Benefits include:
• Increased rainfall infiltration
• Reduced runoff
• Improved soil aeration
• Stronger root development
• Greater biological activity
• Better drought resilience
The cultivation pattern also helps distribute soil moisture more evenly across the landscape.
Why the Yeomans Plow Is Different
The Yeomans Plow was specifically developed for Keyline cultivation.
Its narrow shank design lifts and fractures the soil with minimal surface disturbance, helping maintain existing soil structure, pasture cover and biological activity.
Instead of inverting the soil, the Yeomans Plow creates deep channels that allow air, water and roots to move more freely through the profile.
The Result: Healthier, More Productive Soil
As soil structure improves:
• More rainfall enters the ground
• Roots grow deeper
• Organic matter increases
• Beneficial soil organisms thrive
• Plants gain access to more moisture and nutrients
The result is a more resilient farming system that performs better during both wet and dry periods.
More Than Cultivation
The Keyline System is also a whole-farm planning approach.
It can be used to guide the placement of:
• Dams
• Roads
• Fences
• Irrigation systems
• Tree belts
• Farm infrastructure
By working with natural topography, farms can often become more efficient, productive and easier to manage.
Key Benefits
✓ Improved water infiltration
✓ Reduced runoff and erosion
✓ Better drought resilience
✓ Increased soil biological activity
✓ Improved root growth
✓ Long-term soil fertility improvement
✓ More productive and resilient farming systems
A Proven System for Modern Farming
For more than seven decades, the Keyline System has influenced farmers, land managers and regenerative agriculture practitioners around the world.
Its principles remain as relevant today as ever: build healthier soils, make better use of rainfall and improve the long-term productivity of the land.
P.A Yeomans marking out Keylines
Learn More
Interested in applying Keyline principles on your property? Read P.A Yeomans’ Book here
Watch Videos on Keyline Principles here
Read resources from government and research bodies here
Explore the Yeomans Plow range here
Contact our team to discuss the right solution for your farm.