Ducks on the Pond

Kirsten Diprose and Jackie Elliott
  • 4.7 (37)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED FORTNIGHTLY

A podcast for rural women... by rural women. Hosted by Kirsten Diprose and Jackie Elliott, they seek expert advice and the stories of other rural women on issues such as succession planning, motherhood, starting a business...running for politics and much more!

  1. 15 HRS AGO

    Working Smarter, Not Harder: Lean Thinking in Farming, with Jana Hocken

    What if the difference between a struggling farm and a thriving one isn’t the cows, the land or the milk price… but the systems? When Jana Hocken and her husband returned to their 1,000-head dairy farm in New Zealand, they were facing two seasons of low milk prices, a $500,000 overdraft and long, exhausting workdays. Something had to change. In this practical and eye-opening live recording from the Australian Dairy Conference, Jana shares how applying Lean management principles,  developed by Toyota,  transformed their business. The results? 15% reduction in costs72% increase in labour productivity over 10 yearsMajor gains in production Overdraft eliminated — and cash surplus at season startSame herd. Same genetics. Same infrastructure. Different management. Instead of hoping milk price rises to improve profit, Jana explains why the real opportunity lies in controlling what you can; cost, systems, communication and culture. Jana has now founded The Lean Farm Project, to help others. Hosted by Kirsten Diprose, this episode captures Jana’s keynote on how Lean tools; from weekly team meetings and visual management boards to root-cause problem solving and radical financial transparency, can dramatically reduce stress, lift productivity and build a farm that lasts generations. This is the final collaboration episode with the Australian Dairy Conference. Go back and listen to earlier episodes, to hear more wisdom from the fabulous speakers and leaders involved in the event. Produced by the Rural Podcasting Co… can we help YOU tell your own story? Send a text

    31 min

  2. 4 DAYS AGO

    Busy, Burnt Out… or Burnout-Proof? with Carli Phillips

    What happens when you don’t make time for your wellness? For wellbeing researcher and speaker Carli Phillips, the answer was confronting: double pneumonia, a heart infection and total burnout in her late thirties... all while juggling two jobs, a masters degree, young children, farm life and caring responsibilities. In this powerful live recording from the Australian Dairy Conference, Carli, the founder of the Corporate Wellbeing Hub, shares the lesson that changed her life: If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness. Hosted by Kirsten Diprose, this episode captures Carli’s keynote address to more than 900 people, followed by a practical and heartfelt Q&A focused on rural workplaces, leadership and psychosocial safety. This is a collaboration episode with the Australian Dairy Conference. Produced by the Rural Podcasting Co... can we help YOU tell your own story? Send a text

    36 min

  3. 28 JAN

    Battling the Anti-Farming Agenda with Positivity and Storytelling - Claire Taylor, ADC Collab episode

    Where did the anti-farming sentiment begin, not just in Australia, but around the world? And most importantly, what can we do about it? Claire Taylor brings a genuinely global perspective to this conversation. Originally from Scotland, she travelled across multiple countries as part of her Nuffield Scholarship, exploring how farming is portrayed, discussed and defended in different cultural contexts. That journey eventually led her to Australia—where she fell in love with a farmer  and now lives just outside Orange, New South Wales. Having only been in Australia for a year, Claire speaks candidly about what it’s like to miss your old life while navigating a major career pivot. Once an agricultural reporter working across TV and newspapers in the UK, Claire is now the founder of her own consultancy, Agvocacy Consulting, focused on helping agriculture tell its story better. This episode is has been made in collaboration with the Australian Dairy Conference and is packed with practical, accessible advice on sharing positive stories about farming—and you don’t need to be an influencer or media professional to do it well. The Australian Dairy Conference is on in Melbourne from February 11 to 13, so make sure you're getting quick to book your ticket! This is a Rural Podcasting Co. production Send a text

    1h 7m

  4. 26/11/2025

    How to Understand Your Leadership Style - Australian Dairy Conference collab episode

    Farmers are often portrayed as being lone operators, but we know that working in agriculture, or any rural business, is a team sport. No matter what specific industry you’re in, you’re not going to get far without the ability to get people working together towards a shared goal.         None of this is possible without effective leadership, and that’s the topic we’re going to be tackling in this episode. How do you define your leadership? And who better to ask than two women in leadership roles within the massive event that is the Australian Dairy Conference.  Rose Philipzen is the first woman to act as president of the Australian Dairy Conference. With a lifetime of experience in the industry in New South Wales, Rose shared what her trailblazing journey has taught her about the benefits of leaning into a collaborative leadership approach. Ella Credlin is working in Rose’s team as the conference’s programming chair. As a passionate dairy farmer from south-west Victoria, Ella was tapped on the shoulder to work for the ADC, and told me all about her hope to create positive change within the industry she loves.     Also in this episode we discuss the Australian Rural Leadership Program. The ARLP is a 15-month program that helps rural people develop their skills as leaders in their field.  This episode was brought to you in collaboration with the Australian Dairy Conference, Australia’s premiere conference. Next year the conference will be held in Melbourne in February at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre. You can register for the conference or explore the program at this link.     This is a Rural Podcasting Co. podcast. Check out our other podcasts and how we can help you create your very own podcast too! Send a text

    43 min

  5. 12/11/2025

    What it’s like to wind up a business you love - Nikki Davey

    Nikki Davey is well known in the rural women's community as an entrepreneur, flower farmer, speaker and absolute go-getter. She founded Grown Not Flown, an app connecting customers with local flower growers. This startup business had a great cause in directly challenging the lack of sustainability in the flower industry, where many flowers are flown to Australia from countries in South America, Africa and Asia. Which is a crazy amount of unnecessary flower miles... given the amazing flowers we have right here in Australia.  As a business and a movement, Grown Not Flown was kicking goals. Nikki won the National Agrifutures Rural Women's award in 2023. She fostered a large social media following and most importantly, created a platform that was popular with both growers and customers. But a couple of months ago, Nikki posted online about how she was winding up Grown Not Flown. This came as quite a shock to many. But the reality of any startup is that most fail. Sometimes you can even have the market fit, a brilliant founder and a popular platform... and things don't work out. So you're about to hear an interview with Nikki Davey that she did on another podcast called Agtech.. So What, who have kindly shared it with us. Sarah Nolet is the interviewer and dives into the business side of things, from what it's like being the founder of a startup, the challenges of finding funding and how difficult it is to make the final decision to wind up the business.   Nikki is still doing amazing things of course too, including a new role in the sustainable flower industry, her new startup AI business, Stratlas and she just released a book for business owners about collaboration... called "The Pie Gets Bigger." This is a Rural Podcasting Co. production. Check out our other podcasts and how we can help you create your very own podcast too! Send a text

    47 min

  6. 10/09/2025

    How do we account for sustainable farming practices? FCA Collab, pt 3

    It can feel very murky when diving into measuring things like nature, biodiversity, carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.  Essentially, how do you know what you’re doing is working? And while the tools are still improving there are many reasons why it’s worth giving it a crack.  In part 3 of our collaboration series with Farmers for Climate Action, we dive into ways to help you account for all the good environmental work you do on farm. We also get insights directly from the bank, including what financial tools are out there and how to best communicate your vision with your bank manager.  Hear from: Carmel Onions, Executive Manager Agribusiness Sustainability at Commonwealth BankLeah Garnett, dairy farmer at Mohyu, VIC and science researcher on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in dairy.We also discuss some of the latest scientific developments in greenhouse gas reduction, including a ‘methane vaccine’. Please note - this episode does not contain any financial advice. All financial discussions are general in nature. Quack! Are you interested in sponsoring the next season of Ducks on the Pond? Contact us at Rural Podcasting Co. Send a text

    50 min

  7. 27/08/2025

    What does ‘climate smart farming’ even mean? - Collab with Farmers for Climate Action, pt.2

    “Climate smart farming” has become somewhat of a buzz word (or buzz phrase, rather!). But what does that even mean? Instead of becoming caught up in definitions, we hear from two women who are each running farming operations in two very different landscapes...but are both proudly, climate smart farmers.  At its essence, climate smart farming is about lowering inputs where you can, making decisions for your soil and grass, and in some cases, tapping into opportunities such as renewable energy or carbon sequestration. It’s going to look different, depending on your property.  However, it's often thinking about farm productivity from the soil up, and yes, it also means making a profit too. Hear from: Ellen Litchfield -  runs a cattle and sheep station in remote South Australia. She’s also a vet, and has a Masters in Sustainable Agriculture and works part-time for Farmers for Climate Action.Dimity Taylor - runs a sheep farm near Crookwell in NSW. She is implementing regenerative agriculture practices on the farm and also works part-time as a physiotherapist.Both Ellen and Dimity talk about the challenges and successes they’ve had in getting others on board their climate smart farming journeys.  Send a text

    54 min

  8. 20/08/2025

    Women as Change Makers in Ag - Fiona Marshall and Cressida Cains, FCA Collab Series, pt1

    Behind every good Ag business, is a good woman. Well, a smart and caring one. There are many women doing innovative things on farm and in the broader agriculture industry. From cracking a value added business, to finding more sustainable ways of producing food. In this episode, you’ll meet two women who think strategically about their own farming businesses, as well as broader issues around soil science, national food security (such as a national food plan) and how to bring more diversity into industry board rooms. Hear from: *Fiona Marshall -Chair, Grain Growers National Policy Group Member. Chair, Riverine Plains Farming Systems Group.  Grains producer and advocate for agriculture. Based in Mulwala, NSW. *Cressida Cains - President of Australian Women in Agriculture and founder of Pecora Dairy, a raw-milk sheep cheese dairy. Based in Robertson, NSW. This is episode one of a 3-part collaboration series with Farmers for Climate Action. Come to their national summit - and receive 20% off! Listen to the episode to find out how! This is a Rural Podcasting Co. production Send a text

    29 min
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4.7
out of 5
37 Ratings

About

A podcast for rural women... by rural women. Hosted by Kirsten Diprose and Jackie Elliott, they seek expert advice and the stories of other rural women on issues such as succession planning, motherhood, starting a business...running for politics and much more!

Information

  • Creator
    Kirsten Diprose and Jackie Elliott
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    102
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ducks on the Pond
  • Show Website
    Ducks on the Pond

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