24
the official magazine of australia's sugarcane industry
TAKES A VILLAGE TO GROW BY ROBYN DEVINE
In today’s society, a wellknown proverb asserts that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. This perspective also holds true for regional agricultural communities, as they serve as lifelines for established residents and newcomers, offering vital systems that enable them to grow and flourish.
The support and knowledge shared by neighbours, family and grower representatives along with key stakeholders provides a strong foundation to create a robust and resilient industry. Mark Weiss, who has been growing sugarcane for over 30 years in the rich and vibrant Childers soil, is a humble advocate and recipient of shared knowledge, this support over the years has brought him sweet success. Mark started growing cane 34 years ago, with his father at Cordalba and has continued that the family tradition of working together, as his children move to become more involved in the family business. “Dad had a dairy farm at Apple Tree Creek, and he had been sick, at the time I was working overseas with Tofts, I came home to look after his cows while he was in the Brisbane hospital,” Mark said.
Childers grower, Mark Weiss happily continuing the family legacy, as the next generation enters the family business.
“I decided to stay on to help out during his recovery and it was by chance, that we happened to be at a real estate office in Childers, Dad was looking for somewhere to put some heifers to grow up because it was another drought year. The real estate agent had just got off the phone with a cane farmer wanting to list what is now our current farm. The agent said, “you want
to buy a cane farm?” and that’s how it all started.” Childers is well known for its distinctive deep red soil, the volcanic basalt is very fertile and rich in minerals, but the sugarcane crop often requires regular irrigation as the microclimate leans towards consistently dry conditions. “The water made a difference, we had no water when we bought the farm, but the scheme was coming and that helped shape our decision on where we bought. We wanted the water.” The transition to growing sugarcane Mark admits was made easier with the help of his father’s friend an experienced sugarcane grower, good old fashioned neighbourly help, and the extensive support and guidance from industry stakeholders. “At that time you had the Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations (BSES), and you had the Pest Board and there was CANEGROWERS, there was a reasonable amount of support there,” Mark said. “It only took a phone call to BSES with a problem or to your neighbour, we all worked together. We seem to be a bit more separate now, with people doing their own thing more. “Back then we'd be burning cane together every night and probably shared more machinery. CONTINUED PAGE 26 ‣
