S4 Ep 14 - The Christmas Farm
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
It’s the stuff dreams are made of – Christmas all year round. For one Queensland family and all who visit their farm, that’s the reality. 20 acres of perfectly formed Christmas trees, the decorations to adorn them – and for those wanting a little more – you can even indulge in one of their famous hot chocolates. If it sounds magical, that’s exactly what the owners had in mind. Let’s meet the family sprinkling that Christmas spirit almost 12 months of the year, Katrina and Brad Fraser of Granite Belt Christmas Farm join me now to discuss: Their favourite spot on the property is...
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S4 Ep 13 - Echo Valley Farm
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
As first-generation farmers, this family says they started small and safe – but there’s nothing small about the big issues they’re addressing. Ethics, sustainability and regeneration underpin everything they do. To achieve that, they have a passion for First Nation’s knowledge combined with giving their animals the most natural life possible on a farm. To learn more about Echo Valley Farm, Randal Breen joins me now to discuss: Randal shares his favourite place on the farm. As a first-generation farmer, he explains why he chose this life — to care for the land while working...
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S4 Ep 12 - Cracking Bird Flu
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
Eggs - they’re an easy and usually affordable source of protein and nutrition. But walking through most Australian supermarkets lately, it’s clear cracks have appeared in the industry. So why is there an egg shortage and why when you do happen to find some are they so expensive? Egg farmer and sector advocate, Danyel Cucinotta from LT’s Egg Farm joins me now for the lowdown on avian influenza. We catch up with Danyel, who still finds the work on the farm deeply emotional but continues to love both the work and the land. As an egg farmer, she has experienced firsthand the significant...
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S4 Ep 11 - Koala Corridor
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
Macadamia farming is their day job – saving Koalas is their passion. In a pocket of Northern NSW just west of Byron Bay, there is a healthy crop of trees producing delicious macadamia nuts on a commercial sale. But there’s another forest on the same farm – and there eucalyptus is king. And Koalas are loving it. The Viola family is part of a growing trend that’s seeing farmers dedicate some land to saving our adored marsupial. To learn more about the koala corridor Dale Viola joins me now to discuss: Dale’s favourite place on the macadamia farm and eucalyptus oasis. How and why this...
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S4 Ep10 - Sprouting a New Generation
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
Siblings Erin and Josh Cranwell know a thing or two about Brussels Sprouts. Five generations of their family have produced them. But returning to the farm after high-school to take up a career in the business has surprised everyone, not least themselves. The brother and sister from Hay Valley and Lake Plains in South Australia, now live and breathe this superfood. Well aware of the bad reputation the humble sprout has attracted, they are passionate about educating consumers about their wonder crop. To learn more, Erin Cranwell from AE Cranwell and Sons join me now to discuss: Erin’s...
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S4 Ep 9 - Boon Luck Farm
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
It’s one thing to love feeding people – it’s another entirely to care so much about what they eat, that you grow the produce yourself. Such was her passion for food, that’s exactly what the owner of beloved Thai restaurant Chat Thai has done. It’s changed the ethos of the business, which first opened in Sydney in 1989. Today, there are 5 eateries, and if you dine at one of those venues, you might be lucky enough to taste the gorgeous organic produce farmed in the Byron Bay hinterland. To learn more about her desire to feed her own family and her customers with food grown with care,...
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S4 Ep 8 - Second Squeeze
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
There are few things more disappointing for a farmer than growing produce that can’t be sold because of aesthetic imperfections. Food waste is an issue that affects many primary producers, but with better technology and some entrepreneurial minds, that may all soon become very avoidable. Second Squeeze, as the name suggests is a business offering a second life to perfectly good food, that would otherwise be destined for landfill. To learn more co-founder, Brent Beauchamp joins me to discuss: Brent’s favourite Second Squeeze product that they have created so far. They turn perfectly good...
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S4 Ep 7 - In a Pickle
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
Pickles and McDonalds are a long-standing partnership. But many of us may not have thought about how those perfect circles are grown, fermented, sliced and finally, served up on your burger. Incredibly, there is just one family responsible for all those Maccas pickles Australia-wide. The Parle Family has been producing pickles for the fast-food chain, on their farm in Griffith, NSW for more than 3 decades. Operations Manager, Ben Parle joins me now to tell the story of the famous Parle Pickle. Ben’s favourite place on the farm. Although the farm has been around for a long time now,...
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S4 Ep 6 - Banking on Farming
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
As a fifth-generation grain grower from north-east Victoria, James Russell has a lot of hands-on experience. Despite that, furthering his formal education has helped him take his farm and career to the next level. He’s recently finished a dual degree in agribusiness and farm management and also ventured into the corporate banking sector. As the worlds of farming and banking collide, James has plenty of insights. He uses his skills to advocate for other growers and to expand his own operation to include fascinating elements of seed production like seed cleaning . To learn more about his...
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S4 Ep 5 - Dancing into Dairy
Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story
Pivoting from a career as a dancer to a dairy farmer, isn’t the most linear path. But for my guest today, it’s landed her in place where she feels right at home. Celina Pellett suffered a debilitating injury – a broken back and it caused a rethink. She’s now happy working among her cows in the NSW Gloucester region. To learn more about the unlikely road Celina Pellett has travelled, she joins me now to discuss: Celina shares her favourite spot on the dairy farm in the New South Wales Mid-Coast region. Originally from New Zealand, Celina reveals her family’s history in the dairy...
info_outlineIt takes incredible strength of character to turn something tragic into something hopeful. That’s what one young rural woman has done following the tragic loss of both her parents. After losing her father to a heart condition when she was just 12 years old, she then lost her mother to a rare form of cancer. Her horses became her lifeline. Now, they are her full-time companions as she rides 5-and-a-half thousand kilometres across outback Queensland and NSW, to raise money for cancer research. The incredibly resilient woman in the saddle, Sarah Wheeler joins me to discuss:
- Sarah’s favourite rural place she has visited so far along her epic journey.
- Sarah’s current location as she rides 5-and-a-half thousand kilometres across outback Queensland and NSW.
- The reason she is riding for charity and, how her parents have been her inspiration to keep going.
- Her childhood and the influence her parents had on Sarah becoming a strong rural woman.
- The planning that’s gone into this trip and, the people she has met along the way.
- Sarah’s horses have been loyal companions in the face of her immense loss.
- The support crew and horse float which, turns out to be much needed when there are cream rocks around.
- As well as being a healing pilgrimage for Sarah, she also wants to make a difference in the fight against cancer and, how we can support her through ‘Pancare’
- How her horses ‘Shifty’ and ‘Sally’ are going on this long trip and, their daily ride routine.
- How Sarah is documenting her trip as well as a map of where she is right now.
- What Sarah loves most about being a rural woman.
- Sarah shares very openly about the common misconceptions about grief.
- Sarah’s ultimate dream for the future.
We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.
Links:
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Connect with Sarah on Instagram _beneaththebrim