Seeds for Success Central West Local Land Services

Harry Pye is the Owner of Gingie Pastoral near Walgett. Harry's 26,000-hectare property is split between arable cropping country and grazing for Dorper ewes and wagyu cattle. Due to the skilled labour shortage, Harry and his family have embraced automation and robotics in their operation.In this episode, Harry explains how SwarmFarm has changed his cropping operation and the impact he believes driverless tractors will have.Local Land Services Mixed Farming Advisor, Rohan Leach, caught up with Harry for all the details.

This episode is part one of our two-part chat with Harry. Join us for the next episode, where Harry discusses his sheep enterprise and why he chose to switch from merinos to Dorpers.

 

Connect:


Central West LLS website
Central West LLS on Facebook
Central West LLS on Twitter
Central West LLS on YouTube

 

The views contained in this podcast series are not necessarily endorsed by Central West Local Land Services. Listeners are advised to contact their local office to discuss their individual situation.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Stan Noonan is a Crop Protection Specialist and Farmer at ‘Retford Park’, a small property along the Macquarie River near Dubbo. With the help of his family, Stan focuses on buying calves and growing them out with introduced pastures and grazing crops.

In this episode, Stan explains how he achieves high growth rates by focusing on quality feed for his livestock to reach their weight targets quickly. He also breaks down how he extends the life of feed from a good season by using baled silage, the challenges involved, and the lessons he’s learnt along the way. He also dives into how he works with growers as a Crop Protection Specialist to improve their spray application and weed control on the property.

 

Resources and links:


NSW DPI - Silage and hay information
GRDC - GrowNotes - Spray application manual
GRDC - Spray application tips and tactics

 

Connect:


Central West LLS website
Central West LLS on Facebook
Central West LLS on Twitter
Central West LLS on YouTube

 

The views contained in this podcast series are not necessarily endorsed by Central West Local Land Services. Listeners are advised to contact their local office to discuss their individual situation.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Sherrie Whitty, alongside her husband Luke, runs Mount Pleasant Limousins, a robust herd of 100 stud cows on a sprawling 2,000-acre property near the Jemalong Range, near Forbes. Their commitment to quality and animal welfare shines through in their operation, which stands as a beacon of excellence in the industry.

In this episode, Sherrie emphasises the significance of selecting for temperament and docility in her cattle. She also explores the benefits of crossbreeding with limousin bulls. The conversation also covers Sherrie’s effective pasture management techniques, particularly her strategic approach to weed control, which plays a crucial role in optimising feed and maintaining healthy pastures.

Local Land Services Mixed Farming Advisor, Rohan Leach caught up with Sherrie to hear all about it in person.

 

Resources and links:


MLA - Guidelines for selecting the breeding system
Mount Pleasant Limousins
Mount Pleasant Limousins on Facebook

 

Connect:


Central West LLS website
Central West LLS on Facebook
Central West LLS on Twitter
Central West LLS on YouTube

 

The views contained in this podcast series are not necessarily endorsed by Central West Local Land Services. Listeners are advised to contact their local office to discuss their individual situation.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Peter Grant and his wife Samantha own and operate “Nerreman”, a 530-hectare property on the Lachlan River, west of Forbes. They run a mixed farming enterprise, which includes irrigation, crops, and cattle. 

In this episode, Peter shares his passion for growing different crops, especially his favourite one, sweetcorn. He also reveals how he has improved his water use efficiency and how he is dealing with the fall armyworm threat in his corn fields. You’ll also learn how Peter has adopted the use of drones on his farm to cope with the labour, skills, and time challenges. 

Local Land Services Mixed Farming Advisor, Rohan Leach joined Peter for this conversation during a break from the sweetcorn harvest.

 

Resources and links:


Fall armyworm - GRDC 



Connect:


Central West LLS website
Central West LLS on Facebook
Central West LLS on Twitter
Central West LLS on YouTube

 

The views contained in this podcast series are not necessarily endorsed by Central West Local Land Services. Listeners are advised to contact their local office to discuss their individual situation.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Kylie Matthews and her husband Adrian own “Kooyong”, just off the highway between Forbes and West Wyalong. Kylie manages their cattle and chicken meat operation and keeps the wheels turning while Adrian works full-time away from the farm.

In this episode, Kylie explains how they built up their farming operation to incorporate cattle and chickens, and how their massive 3-kilometre vegetation corridor project has impacted the farm. She also opens up about their new agritourism venture: The Silo House, which has been both challenging but also rewarding.

 

Connect:


Central West LLS website
Central West LLS on Facebook
Central West LLS on Twitter
Central West LLS on YouTube

 

The views contained in this podcast series are not necessarily endorsed by Central West Local Land Services. Listeners are advised to contact their local office to discuss their individual situation.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.

Trent Frazer is a Producer on his family farm “Warree”, southwest of Stuart Town. Trent and his family run a predominantly sheep and cattle operation with a little bit of cropping.

In this episode, Trent lets the cat out of the bag about his passion for wool and the challenges and rewards of being part of this staple industry. He reflects on how producers can use local trials to give themselves the information needed to make good decisions. Finally, he opens up about struggling to manage St John's wort on the property and how they're approaching it now.

Local Land Services Cropping Officer, Tim Bartimote, caught up with Trent to chat at his farm, "Warree".

 

Resources and links:


NSW DPI’s fact sheet for St John’s wort
NSW DPI’s best practice management guide for St John’s wort 

 

Connect:


Central West LLS website
Central West LLS on Facebook
Central West LLS on Twitter
Central West LLS on YouTube

 

The views contained in this podcast series are not necessarily endorsed by Central West Local Land Services. Listeners are advised to contact their local office to discuss their individual situation.

This show is produced in collaboration with Wavelength Creative. Visit wavelengthcreative.com for more information.