EP Ag Chats

AIREP

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Natural Sciences

EP Ag Chats - conversations connecting generations of experience and innovation in Agriculture on the Eyre Peninsula. The good bits, the bad bits and everything in between. For more information about AIR EP and to get involved with your local research committee or receive our e-newsletters, check out the AIR EP website airep.com.au for our contact details – we are always happy to talk! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5d ago

The Livestock Lowdown - Spring sheep health in a good season

Livestock Lowdown: Spring sheep health with Dr Colin Trengove A good season has brought plenty of pasture growth across Eyre Peninsula, but it can also bring animal health challenges. In the first episode of The Livestock Lowdown, veterinarian Dr Colin Trengove from ProAg Consulting discusses what sheep producers should watch for as spring turns to summer and harvest gets underway. Colin covers worms and when to use worm egg counts, trace elements, flystrike, ram checks before joining, and managing lambs through changes in feed. He also explains why it pays to keep checking stock even when they appear to be doing well. Further resources are linked in the show notes. This conversation provides general information; speak with your local vet or adviser about concerns in your flock. The Livestock Lowdown is supported by the Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board with funding from the South Australian Government’s Landscapes Priorities Fund. Ram exams: https://www.wool.com/on-farm-research/rams/ Vaccination schedule: https://elearning.mla.com.au/lessons/when-to-vaccinate-2/ Worm egg count protocol: https://wormboss.com.au/tests-tools/worm-egg-counting/ Flystrike management tools: https://flyboss.com.au/flystrike-tools/ Protect your flock from pneumonia: https://www.mla.com.au/news-and-events/industry-news/sheep-pneumonia-heres-how-to-protect-flock-health/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 13

Riskwise Podcast - Season update 2026 - Grower Reflections with Mark Modra

Jake Giles catches up with Yeelanna grower Mark Modra to talk about managing risk in a season that has started wet and full of potential. They discuss mixed farming, variable soil types, nitrogen decisions, changing rotations, canola gross margins, sustainability audits and the challenge of knowing when to keep investing in a crop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 5

RiskWi$e Podcast: Season update 2026 - Grower reflections with John Richardson

In this episode of Risk Wise, Jake Giles speaks with John Richardson from lower Eyre Peninsula about managing risk in a high-rainfall, waterlogging-prone farming system. John farms in partnership with his brother Stuart between Yallunda Flat and Tumby Bay, where variable soils, hilly country and poorly structured clay subsoils mean too much moisture can be just as limiting as not enough. He explains how the 2026 season is unfolding, the impact of waterlogging on wheat, canola and pastures, and how rainfall patterns influence nitrogen decisions and yield potential. The conversation also explores the value of faba beans and legumes in reducing reliance on synthetic nitrogen, how mixed farming helps spread seasonal risk, and why building a more resilient nitrogen buffer in the soil is a long-term goal for the business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 29

RiskWi$e Podcast: Season update 2026 - Grower reflections with Ashley Michael

Jake Giles speaks with Ashley “AJ” Michael, a mixed farmer from Mount Damper west of Wudinna, about a high-potential but demanding start to the 2026 season. AJ discusses early sowing, wet conditions, fertiliser and fuel supply challenges, nitrogen decisions, sand amelioration, the move away from sheep, and the balance between managing costs and taking advantage of a strong seasonal opportunity. The conversation highlights a key RiskWise theme: when the season presents rare upside, growers still need to weigh input costs, logistics, seasonal risk and business confidence before deciding how hard to push. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 18

RiskWi$e Podcast: Season update 2026 - Grower reflections with Paul Schaefer

In this RiskWi$e episode, Jake Giles speaks with Paul Schaefer, a farmer near Pinkawillinie west of Kimba, about the unusually strong start to the 2026 season. Paul describes near-ideal conditions, with early rain building subsoil moisture, good April sowing conditions, and follow-up rain in May. He started sowing in mid-April and deliberately stretched the program to manage risk, especially on sandier country. While he expects an above-average season, he avoids setting a firm yield target because conditions on the Upper Eyre Peninsula can still change quickly. The discussion focuses heavily on fertiliser, nitrogen, sulfur, and seasonal risk. Paul has applied the fertiliser already on farm, prioritising lentil stubbles, cereal stubbles, and higher-potential medic country, while keeping profitability in mind given high input costs and uncertain commodity prices. He reflects on 2022, when crops yielded more than expected for the nitrogen applied, and hopes stored or mineralised nitrogen may again support yield this season. The biggest risk he identifies is frost, because it can cause major losses overnight, followed by the possibility of a hot, dry finish. Despite those risks, Paul is optimistic and interested to see what the farm can produce in what he describes as uncharted rainfall territory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 25

RiskWi$e Podcast: Looking Ahead and Planning for 2026 - Grower reflections with Paul Schaefer

In this episode of the Risk-Wise Podcast, Jake Giles sits down with Paul Schafer from the Kimba district on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula to unpack how his farming business is evolving in response to changing conditions. Paul shares insights into his mixed farming operation at Pinkawillinie and Caralue, where wheat, barley and medic pastures have long been the foundation — alongside sheep. But in recent years, that balance has shifted, with lentils becoming a more prominent part of the rotation and sheep numbers scaled back. The conversation explores the drivers behind those decisions, from labour efficiency and workload across large paddocks to profitability and lifestyle considerations. Paul also reflects on how their system has changed over time, including increased use of contractors and expansion into new country to spread risk. With timely rainfall across the region, Jake and Paul also discuss how the season is shaping up — from soil moisture and crop planning through to the real-time decisions farmers are making around inputs, timing and uncertainty. It’s an honest and practical look at how one farming business is adapting its strategy while balancing risk, opportunity and the realities of farming in a low rainfall environment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 18

RiskWi$e Podcast: Looking Ahead -Planning for 2026 Grower reflections with Jim Evans

In this episode, Jake sits down with West Coast farmer Jim Evans to talk about the journey of building a farming business from the ground up. After starting out in contracting—running spray rigs, headers and trucks across the country—Jim made the move into farming in 2000 following the ’99 drought. Over the past 25 years, he and his wife Janet have steadily grown their operation to around 35,000 acres of cropping, a mix of owned and leased land across the Upper Eyre Peninsula. In this practical conversation, Jim shares how long-term planning, disciplined decision-making and careful cost management have helped the business navigate rising input prices and the challenges of farming in a marginal environment. They also discuss machinery replacement strategies, the role of lentils in the rotation, and how recent rainfall is shaping decisions as the new season approaches. It’s a grounded look at the mindset, planning and risk management needed to run a large cropping operation in today’s farming landscape. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 10

RiskWi$e Podcast: Looking Ahead and Planning for 2026 - Grower reflections with Andrew Watson

After a welcome burst of rain across the Eyre Peninsula, the Riskwi$e Podcast is back for 2026. In this episode, Jake Giles sits down with third-generation farmer Andrew Watson to talk about what it really takes to farm in a marginal environment. Andrew runs a mixed farming operation of around 15,000 acres of cropping alongside a growing feedlot enterprise — a shift that has helped the business navigate tough seasons, rising input costs and volatile grain prices. With some significant rainfall recently falling across the region, the conversation explores how that moisture could shape decisions heading into seeding. From machinery costs and changing farm economics to soil moisture, livestock opportunities and sticking to a seasonal plan, Andrew shares practical insights from decades of farming experience. The discussion also touches on the realities of risk in agriculture and the difficult balance farmers face when making decisions in an unpredictable climate. If you want a grounded, honest look at farming in one of EP's more challenging environments, this episode offers valuable perspective from someone who’s lived it. Produced as part of the GRDC-funded Riskwi$e project. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

EP Ag Chats - conversations connecting generations of experience and innovation in Agriculture on the Eyre Peninsula. The good bits, the bad bits and everything in between. For more information about AIR EP and to get involved with your local research committee or receive our e-newsletters, check out the AIR EP website airep.com.au for our contact details – we are always happy to talk! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Creator

AIREP
Years Active

2022 - 2026
Episodes

27
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© AIREP
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