A Place to Call Home | Stories from Australian Agriculture

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A Place to Call Home, hosted by Sam Fryer, is a podcast for the next generation of Australian primary producers, sharing the stories, lessons and insights from people building a life on the land. Through honest conversations with farmers, industry leaders and rural entrepreneurs, each episode explores the journeys behind agriculture — the successes, the challenges, and the decisions that shape life in rural Australia. Guests share first-hand experiences from across the industry, along with practical knowledge to help guide those looking to build their future in agriculture and find a place to call home. Whether you're already farming, looking to return to the land, or simply passionate about the future of Australian agriculture, this podcast is here to support the journey. Copyright: A Place to Call Home Group

  1. #80: From Music Festivals to Farming with Mark Vass

    5D AGO

    #80: From Music Festivals to Farming with Mark Vass

    Send us Fan Mail G’day and welcome to the A Place to Call Home Podcast, a podcast sharing the stories of people building a life in agriculture across rural Australia. In this episode, I sit down with Mark Vass, a fifth-generation cane farmer from the Burdekin in North Queensland. Mark’s journey into agriculture hasn’t been a straight line. Starting out as a boilermaker, Mark spent time working across the country before jumping into running a music festival with his brother in his early 20s — an experience that taught him plenty about risk, business, and resilience. Like many people who grow up in the bush though, agriculture has a way of pulling you back. What started with a simple conversation with his dad eventually turned into leasing country, stepping into the family operation, and building his own farming business — all while continuing to grow and expand through diversification and business outside of agriculture. This is a conversation about taking risks, learning through failure, building from the ground up, and the importance of integrity, community, and backing yourself. In this episode, we chat about: 🏡 Growing up in the Burdekin and life on a cane farm  🔧 Starting out as a boilermaker and working away  🎶 Running a music festival in his early 20s — and what it taught him  📉 Losing money in business and the lessons that come with it  🌱 The decision to return to agriculture and lease family country  🚜 Building a farming business from the ground up  🌾 Diversifying beyond sugarcane and exploring alternative crops  📊 Why relying on one commodity can limit growth  🏗️ Building a business outside of agriculture alongside farming  💰 The realities of getting started in farming today  👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Succession, family, and thinking long-term  🔥 Dealing with naysayers and focusing on your own path  🌱 Why integrity and community matter in business and life Resources mentioned: 🤝 How to Win Friends and Influence People | Dale Carnegie Follow Mark and Next Gen Building co 🌏 Website: Next Gen Building Co If you enjoyed this episode Please share it with a friend or leave a review — it really helps these stories reach more people across rural Australia and the agriculture industry. Stay connected with A Place to Call Home: 📘 Facebook: A Place to Call Home 📸 Instagram: @aplacetocallhomepodcast 🔗 LinkedIn: A Place to Call Home Podcast 🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au 🎙️ Podcast Partner — The Cathedral School This episode is proudly partnered with The Cathedral School of St Anne and St James in Townsville. If you’re a family in regional or remote Australia thinking about schooling options, Cathedral offers a strong boarding experience designed to support students both in and out of the classroom. They’re hosting a Boarding Experience Weekend on the 9th and 10th of May, giving families the opportunity to explore the school, meet staff and students, and experience boarding life firsthand. It’s completely free to attend, but places are limited. Boarding Experience - Cathedral Support the show

    1h 10m
  2. #79: Finding a Way Back to Farming with Nick Holliday from Belvedere Farm.

    MAR 20

    #79: Finding a Way Back to Farming with Nick Holliday from Belvedere Farm.

    Send us Fan Mail G’day and welcome to the A Place to Call Home Podcast, a podcast sharing the stories of people building a life in agriculture across rural Australia. In this episode, I sit down with Nick Holliday from Belvedere Farm. Nick and his wife Brydie are building a diversified farming business producing grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork and eggs, selling their products direct to consumers. But Nick’s pathway back into agriculture hasn’t been the typical one. Coming from generations of agricultural families where each generation has had to start again, Nick spent time building a career in law, union organising and advocacy before eventually finding his way back to the land. What started with buying a small parcel of land has gradually grown into a farming business built around direct-to-consumer sales, regenerative thinking, and creating a farm that could support the next generation. This is a conversation about starting small, learning new enterprises from scratch, and building a resilient farm business over time. In this episode, we chat about: 🌱 Growing up in agricultural families and the challenge of starting again  ⚖️ Nick’s career in law, union organising and advocacy  🏡 Buying their first 20 acres and beginning their farming journey  🐄 Producing grass-fed beef, pasture-raised pork and eggs  📦 Building a direct-to-consumer farm business  🌾 Soil health and regenerative agriculture principles  📱 Using social media and storytelling to connect farmers and consumers  👨‍👩‍👦 Creating a farm business that could support the next generation  🧠 The importance of personal development and leadership in agriculture Courses mentioned: 🌱 Holistic Management Training  🤝 Red Earth Community Foundation Leadership Program  Follow Nick and Belvedere Farm 📘 Facebook: Belvedere Farm 📸 Instagram: Belvedere Farm 🌏 Website: Shop | Eat from a Thriving Ecosystem — Belvedere Farm If you enjoyed this episode Please share it with a friend or leave a review — it really helps these stories reach more people across rural Australia and the agriculture industry. Stay connected with A Place to Call Home: 📘 Facebook: A Place to Call Home 📸 Instagram: @aplacetocallhomepodcast 🔗 LinkedIn: A Place to Call Home Podcast 🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au 🎙️ Podcast Partner   Speed Tagger, Tough Tags This episode is proudly partnered with Speed Tagger and their Tough Tags range. Tough Tags are Australian owned and operated in regional Queensland and designed for real grazing environments. They feature permanent laser printing that won’t rub off, fast turnaround ordering direct from the tag company, free shipping Australia-wide, and a four-year warranty. Plus, 10 cents from every tag sold goes towards supporting rural charities, giving back to the c Support the show

    1h 2m
  3. #78: Feedlots, Fitness & Building a Life in Agriculture with Teek Carmichael

    MAR 13

    #78: Feedlots, Fitness & Building a Life in Agriculture with Teek Carmichael

    Send us Fan Mail G’day and welcome to the A Place to Call Home Podcast, a podcast sharing the stories of people building a life in agriculture across rural Australia. In this episode, I sit down with Teek Carmichael, based around Condamine in Queensland, who somehow manages to wear a few different hats across agriculture, business, fitness, and community. Teek works in finance with Business and Rural Solutions, helps run the family cattle and feedlot operation with her husband Ben, and is also a personal trainer building community through fitness in the bush. From growing up outside Injune as a bush kid… To heading to Brisbane for university and elite-level netball… To finding her way back into the Australian beef industry and helping build a family feedlot enterprise from the ground up… This is a conversation about life in rural Australia, agriculture, feedlots, community, resilience, and building your own path in the ag industry. It’s about navigating life between two family farming businesses. It’s about learning new enterprises from scratch. And it’s about remembering that looking after yourself matters just as much as looking after the business. In this episode, we chat about:🌱 Growing up outside Injune and life as a bush kid🏐 Moving to Brisbane for university and playing elite-level netball🐄 Returning to agriculture and marrying into a farming family⚖️ Balancing time between two family farming businesses📈 Building and learning a feedlot enterprise from scratch👥 The importance of building the right team around an agricultural business💪 Why fitness and mental health matter in agriculture🤝 Community connection in rural towns like Condamine📱 Using social media to help tell agriculture’s story🌾 Creating your own path in agriculture without giving up your passionsResources mentioned📘 Business and Rural Solutions 📘 Beef Central – Week in Beef Podcast Follow Teek📸 Instagram: @teekcarmichael If you enjoyed this episodePlease share it with a friend or leave a review — it really helps these stories reach more people across rural Australia and the agriculture industry. Stay connected with A Place to Call Home: 📘 Facebook: A Place to Call Home 📸 Instagram: @aplacetocallhomepodcast 🔗 LinkedIn: A Place to Call Home Podcast 🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au 🎙️ Podcast Partner — HalterThis episode is proudly partnered with Halter. Halter® | Virtual Fencing and Pasture Management Halter is the app and smart collar helping producers run more productive cattle properties. It provides virtual fencing and remote shifting, allowing you to move and manage mobs straight from your phone — no shifting breaks, no extra fencing, and no chasing labour. With 24/7 location tracking and pasture insights, you can see exactly where your cattle are at any time and make better decisions around grazing management. Hal Support the show

    54 min
  4. #77: Dream Big, Plan Smart: Finance in the Bush with Brecken Curtis from Seasoned Finance

    MAR 6

    #77: Dream Big, Plan Smart: Finance in the Bush with Brecken Curtis from Seasoned Finance

    Send us Fan Mail G’day and welcome to the A Place to Call Home Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Brecken Curtis — rural finance specialist, business owner, investor, and long-time Longreach local. Brecken originally moved west for what was meant to be a two-year stint in banking… and more than 20 years later, he’s still there — having built a career in agricultural finance and stepped out to create his own brokerage, Season Finance. This is a conversation about rural lending, risk, vision, and what it actually takes to build assets in agriculture. From understanding how banks assess deals…  To why rural finance is completely different to city lending…  To the small financial decisions that quietly impact your long-term borrowing power… It’s honest, practical insight from someone who’s seen it from both sides of the desk. It’s about backing yourself.  It’s about having a clear plan.  And it’s about starting somewhere — even if it’s small. In this episode, we chat about: Growing up in the South Burnett and building a career in ag bankingWhy rural finance is assessed differently to commercial or residential lendingThe three C’s of credit — collateral, capacity and characterCommon mistakes producers make when applying for financeThe impact of equipment loans, credit cards and cashflow on borrowing powerWhy young people need to start building appreciating assets earlyPartnerships in agriculture — opportunities and risksStepping away from corporate banking to launch Season FinanceThe realities of starting a business with young kids and financial pressureWhy having a clear vision is critical to long-term success in agricultureHis investment journey across property, livestock and hospitalityResources mentioned: 🎙️ Brecken’s podcast: Dollars In The Dirt - YouTube  📘The Compound Effect Resources 📘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life : Manson, Mark: Amazon.com.au: Books Follow Brecken and Seasoned Finance 📘 Facebook: Seasoned Finance 📘 Linkedin: Seasoned Finance: Overview | LinkedIn 🌏 Website: Home - Your Trusted Regional Finance Brokerage Stay connected with A Place to Call Home: 📘 Facebook: A Place to Call Home 📸 Instagram: @aplacetocallhomepodcast 🔗 LinkedIn: A Place to Call Home Podcast 🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au This episode is proudly supported by Walkabout Brangus & Ultrablacks Walkabout Brangus & Ultrablacks is a northern-focused bull breeding enterprise established in 2023, shaped by real experience in Northern Australian agriculture. Their cow herd has been built from the north, for the north — with every breeding decision grounded in tough seasons, heat, and country that demands cattle earn their keep. Their program focuses on fertility, structure, temperament and adapta Support the show

    45 min
  5. #76: You Can’t Produce Beef, Without Leaf with Ross Newman from Pasture to Prosperity

    FEB 27

    #76: You Can’t Produce Beef, Without Leaf with Ross Newman from Pasture to Prosperity

    Send us Fan Mail G’day and welcome to the A Place to Call Home Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Ross Newman — pasture agronomist, problem solver, decision-making coach, and lifelong learner based in Rockhampton. Ross works with beef producers across Queensland helping them solve the problems consuming their pasture systems — and more importantly, coaching them to make smarter decisions in their business. From growing up on a potato farm that’s been in the family since 1897…  To stepping away to build skills and experience…  To travelling internationally and working across pasture systems around the world…  And ultimately finding his way back home. This is a conversation about grass, mindset, resilience, and clarity. It’s about understanding that you can’t produce beef without leaf. It’s about challenging “this is how we’ve always done it.” And it’s about building prosperity — not just financially, but in soil, systems, and self. In this episode, we chat about:  Growing up on a mixed potato farm and the lessons from working alongside family  Realising the farm wasn’t big enough for multiple families — and stepping away to grow Choosing experience over income in the early years of his career Why pastures are the foundation of profitable beef production The most common mistakes producers make in their grazing systems Why clarity of mind leads to better on-farm decisions The importance of continuous learning and investing in yourself Mental health, vulnerability, and having the right conversations in agriculture Using his family farm as an R&D block to challenge conventional thinking What “Pasture to Prosperity” really meansResources mentioned: 📘 Grazing for Profit (RCS) 📘 The Advancing Beef Leaders program  📚 Zero Limits – Joe Vitale 📚 Not a Life Coach - James Smith Follow Ross and Pasture to Prosperity 📘 Facebook: Pastures To Prosperity 📸 Instagram: @PasturesToProsperity 🌏 Website: Pastures To Prosperity | Beef Production Agronomy If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends and leave a review — it really helps us keep these conversations going. Stay connected with A Place to Call Home: 📘 Facebook: A Place to Call Home 📸 Instagram: @aplacetocallhomepodcast 🔗 LinkedIn: A Place to Call Home Podcast 🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au 🎙️ This episode is proudly brought to you by JobSafe Pro. Built by farmers, for farmers — JobSafe Pro helps you simplify safety and compliance by keeping everything in one place, from inductions and chemical registers to machinery logs, incident reporting, timesheets and payroll. Job Safe Pro Pty Ltd - An app to simplify workplace safety and compliance Support the show

    58 min
  6. #75: Building Connection in Regional Australia with Mia Ryan from Howdy

    FEB 20

    #75: Building Connection in Regional Australia with Mia Ryan from Howdy

    Send us Fan Mail G’day and welcome to the A Place to Call Home Podcast. In this episode, I sit down with Mia Ryan — founder of Howdy, a community-focused app designed to help young people connect in regional Australia. While studying at university, Mia stepped into the world of tech and entrepreneurship, building an app in an industry she’d never worked in before. From training horses to pitching investors. From rural roots to startup founder. From idea to execution — all while still at uni.This is a conversation about courage, backing yourself, and building something from scratch without a roadmap. It’s about taking the values you grew up with and applying them in a completely different arena. In this episode, we chat about: Growing up on a property and how that shaped her mindsetTraining horses before university and the lessons that carried into businessWhy she created HowdyWhat it actually takes to build an app from scratchLearning on the go in an industry she’d never worked inThe realities of startup life as a young founderBuilding community in regional AustraliaFollow Mia and Howdy 📘 Facebook: Howdy Global 📸 Instagram: @howdy.dating 🌏 Website: Rural Dating Service | Howdy Global | AUS If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with your friends and leave a review — it really helps us keep these conversations going. Stay connected with A Place to Call Home: 📘 Facebook: A Place to Call Home 📸 Instagram: @aplacetocallhomepodcast 🔗 LinkedIn: A Place to Call Home Podcast 🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au 🎙️ This episode is brought to you by SkyKelpie. You can learn more at: SkyKelpie - Drone Mustering & Aerial Stockmanship Support the show

    51 min
  7. #74: Grass, Cattle & Customers: Building an Ag Businesses with Charlie Thurgate

    FEB 13

    #74: Grass, Cattle & Customers: Building an Ag Businesses with Charlie Thurgate

    Send us Fan Mail G’day and welcome to the A Place to Call Home Podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Charlie Thurgate, a 24-year-old cattle producer based in Tamworth, New South Wales — and someone who genuinely wears a lot of hats. Charlie’s story is one of resilience, responsibility, and having a crack. From stepping into management at a young age, to building his own trucking business, surviving a serious accident, and rebuilding from the ground up — Charlie has packed a lot into his early twenties. Today, he’s building Kamilaroi Cattle Company, a paddock-to-plate beef business grounded in regenerative principles, while also growing Element Agri, a mineral business supplying livestock and soil health products across Australia — all while continuing to learn, trial, and refine his systems. What stood out most in this conversation is Charlie’s level of perspective and wisdom for someone his age. He’s thoughtful, open about mistakes, and deeply committed to building systems that work with the land, not against it. This is a practical, honest conversation about regenerative agriculture, genetics, business, and what it really takes to build something from scratch in agriculture. In this episode, we chat about: Taking on responsibility at a young age and learning on the jobOvercoming adversity and rebuilding after a life-changing accidentTransitioning land from cropping back to pastureRegenerative agriculture and ultra-high density grazingSanga genetics and breeding cattle for resilience and efficiencyBuilding a paddock-to-plate beef business from scratchThe realities of running multiple ag businesses at 24Systems thinking, soil health, and long-term land stewardshipResources Mentioned MAN, CATTLE and VELD : Zietsman, Johann: Amazon.com.au: BooksIntegrity Soils - Biological Education SpecialistsFollow Charlie 📘 Facebook: Kamilaroi Cattle Company 📸 Instagram: @kamilaroicattlecompany @elementagri 🌏 Website:Kamilaroi Cattle Company If you enjoyed the episode, please share it with your friends and leave a review—it really helps us keep these conversations going. Stay connected with A Place to Call Home: 📘 Facebook: A Place to Call Home 📸 Instagram: @aplacetocallhomepodcast 🔗 LinkedIn: A Place to Call Home Podcast 🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au 🎙️ This episode is brought to you by, Speed Tagger You can learn more at Speed Tagger Website Speed Tagger – Speed Tagger Support the show

    1h 5m
  8. #73: How Embracing Nature's Wisdom Transformed a Farmer’s Life and Land with Tim Lee

    FEB 6

    #73: How Embracing Nature's Wisdom Transformed a Farmer’s Life and Land with Tim Lee

    Send us Fan Mail G’day and welcome to Episode 1 of Season 7 of the A Place to Call Home Podcast. To kick off Season 7, I’m joined by Tim Lee. I first heard Tim speak at the Young Beef Producers Forum in Roma, and you honestly could’ve heard a pin drop in the room. The way he shared his story stuck with me, and I knew it was a conversation I wanted to bring to the podcast. Tim’s journey has taken him from the army back into agriculture, stepping into the responsibility of taking over his family’s property. Along the way, he’s had to navigate transition from the army, identity, and the realities that come with life on the land. In this episode, we spend a lot of time unpacking regenerative agriculture, and we also have some really open conversations around mental health and the realities of life in agriculture. Tim also shares how his involvement with the Lachlan Hughes Foundation helped create real change for him personally, as well as on his family property. This is an honest conversation about land, purpose, community, and the role regenerative thinking can play not just in improving country — but in rebuilding people as well. In this episode, we chat about: Tim’s journey from the army back into agricultureTransitioning from conventional systems to regenerative farmingThe importance of land connection, stewardship, and long-term thinkingMental health challenges faced by veterans and rural landholdersThe power of community, mentorship, and shared experienceTim’s involvement with the Lachlan Hughes Foundation and lessons learnedPurpose, legacy, and leaving the land better than you found itResources Mentioned Call of the Reed Warbler, eBook by Charles Massy | A New Agriculture - A New Earth | 9780702254741 | BooktopiaFarming & Grazing for Profit Programs | RCSTarwyn Park Training: The Home of Natural Sequence Farming | Tarwyn Park Training: The Home of Natural Sequence FarmingLachlan Hughes Foundation - Supporting Regenerative AgricultureIf you enjoyed the episode, please share it with your friends and leave a review—it really helps us keep these conversations going. Stay connected with A Place to Call Home: 📘 Facebook: A Place to Call Home 📸 Instagram: @aplacetocallhomepodcast 🔗 LinkedIn: A Place to Call Home Podcast 🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au 🎙️ This episode is brought to you by, KneeDeep Apparel You can learn more at KneeDeep Apparel Website KneeDeep Apparel Support the show

    56 min
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A Place to Call Home, hosted by Sam Fryer, is a podcast for the next generation of Australian primary producers, sharing the stories, lessons and insights from people building a life on the land. Through honest conversations with farmers, industry leaders and rural entrepreneurs, each episode explores the journeys behind agriculture — the successes, the challenges, and the decisions that shape life in rural Australia. Guests share first-hand experiences from across the industry, along with practical knowledge to help guide those looking to build their future in agriculture and find a place to call home. Whether you're already farming, looking to return to the land, or simply passionate about the future of Australian agriculture, this podcast is here to support the journey. Copyright: A Place to Call Home Group

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