Rural news
www.gippslandtimes.com.au
Weed control webinar
Boisdale agronomist Carley Einsiedel has begun her own business this year, attributing a scholarship to her progress.
A WEBINAR focussing on tips for spring and summer weed control and identification, specifically for Gippsland producers, will be held tomorrow night. The Agriculture Victoria-hosted webinar will cover topics such as pasture weed identification and control, control options and tips for chemical use, as well as woody weed identification and control. The webinar will be held from 7.30pm until 8.30pm tomorrow night, and people can register via Eventbrite. Those who would like information about registering, or who would like to submit questions or photos of weeds for identification prior, should email janice.dowe@agriculture.vic.gov. au or phone 0437 282 315.
A good grounding in agronomy
Webinar on preparing for fire in east Gld
LIVESTOCK producers in east Gippsland are enjoying favourable conditions this spring, but now is the best time for farmers to be asking themselves whether they are prepared for the coming fire danger period. Agriculture Victoria will host a free ‘Prepare Your Property, top tips to get your farm ready for the coming fire season’ webinar for landholders in east Gippsland. The webinar will cover what the coming fire danger period will look like, preparing property for fire, minimising the risk of fire, preventing haystack fires, what resources are available and whether to stay and defend, or get out early. Bairnsdale CFA community liaison officer Allan Cracknell will provide timely reminders on how to ready properties for summer, while local landholders Kevin Dean and Ian Brownrigg will discuss their first-hand experience of bushfire and preparing their farms to minimise the risk and damage from future fires. The presentations will be followed with a short question and answer session. The webinar will be held next Tuesday, October 12, from 7.30pm to 8.30pm. Those interested should register before 5pm on the day via Eventbrite. For more information or help with registration, phone Paul Simpson on 0455 750 605 or email
paul.simpson@agriculture.vic.au
Carbon abatement webinar
WITH increasing interest in carbon abatement in agriculture, the CSIRO has developed a landscape options and opportunities for carbon abatement calculator. Next Tuesday, October 12, from noon until 1pm, a free webinar will provide an introduction to this tool. The CSIRO’s LOOC-C program leader, Dr Stephen Roxburgh, will explain the calculator’s background. By visiting https://looc-c.farm farmers can use the map interface to select a potential project area and help begin the conversation of carbon abatement options for their businesses. To register for the webinar, visit agriculture.vic.
gov.au/climate-and-weather
BOISDALE’S Carley Einsiedel has achieved her dream of becoming an agronomist, thanks to a Gardiner Dairy Foundation Tertiary Scholarship. Not only did the scholarship give Carley the financial support to study when drought was severely affecting her family’s farm, it also introduced her to a mentor — retired agricultural consultant Noel Thomas. On the first day of her course in 2019, Carley was interviewed on the ABC Country Hour, little realising her words would lead to contact with Noel, who continues to guide her as she embarks on her own agricultural consultancy business based in Boisdale. Carley’s words about the scholarship and her vision for a career in agronomy struck a chord with Mr Thomas. “He got in contact with me through Gardiner Foundation and since then he has been a mentor and a massive source of knowledge, confidence and materials for my business,” she said. Now retired, Mr Thomas guided Carley as she began her own agronomy business, CreAg Services, in April. “I remember when I first told Noel that I was interested in regenerative agriculture,” she said. “It wasn’t a term he was necessarily familiar with, but he did everything possible to ensure I had the resources and opportunities to increase my knowledge on the topic; including organising a group of like-minded young people to bounce ideas and concepts off. “Noel has not only guided me through the start of my career confidence-wise, he helped me develop a computer program to thoroughly interpret soil
tests, and gave me access to a large set of referencing publications and physical tools that are an essential component of a consultant’s toolbox. “Noel is not only a wealth of professional knowledge and experience, but also an excellent life mentor and a great friend.” Carley was the Bill Pyle Gardiner Foundation Tertiary Scholarship recipient in 2019. The scholarship paid for her accommodation while she completed her Diploma of Agronomy and Advanced Diploma of Agribusiness Management at Longerenong Agricultural College. Carley grew up around cattle, soils and agriculture on a dry land beef farm in Boisdale, sparking her life-long interest in the field. “It’s an intense dairying region and I always wanted to come back here and work in agriculture,” she said. “I like the diversity; everyone has their particular and differing opinions, which I find really interesting.” The broad and practical nature of her TAFEbased course suited Carley to the ground. “It was extremely broad, which I really appreciated, and they really push a lot of practical skills,” she said. “You get out in the field and get to talk to a lot of farmers and learn the practical side of agriculture as much as the scientific side. “I could have done an ag science course at university, but I wasn’t 100 per cent sure about
being an agronomist, and wanted to learn more about the field. “I’m extremely happy that I went to Longerenong. “It gave me practical skills that made me ready to work. “[The scholarship] was a massive help because it paid for my accommodation, which was six hours from home.” Carley took a part-time job with a race trainer, but the scholarship meant she could cut back on work and focus more on her studies. “We were deep in a drought when I left, so it would have been a struggle to complete the course without it,” she said. CreAg Services is now steadily growing, putting Carley’s study to good use. “I love communicating with farmers and educating them on their soil status,” she said. “Instead of just telling farmers what to put on and when to do so, I really love getting them involved with their soil and teaching them about that aspect of their farm.” While enjoying growing her business, the course also stimulated Carley’s interest in regenerative agriculture, and she hopes to do more research in the field to incorporate it into her consulting business. “I’d like to help east Gippsland farmers to restore their soil health and structure, whilst minimising the overall reliance on chemical inputs,” she said.
Fox and wild dog bounty collection tomorrow in Maffra and Yarram THE Victorian Fox and Wild Dog Bounty collections planned for Maffra and Yarram tomorrow will continue as planned. Fox and wild dog parts will be collected tomorrow from 9am until 11am at the Maffra Agriculture Victoria depot at 1 Stratford Rd, Maffra, while fox parts only will be collected at the Rodgers St site in Yarram from 2pm until 4pm. Those attending a collection centre must comply with COVID safety principles including using the QR code to check in, physical distancing,
good hygiene practices and wearing a face mask indoors and outdoors (unless there is a lawful reason not to). Identification will be checked, and people who do not have the authority to travel to that collection point will not be served. Farmers should continue to check the Agriculture Victoria website for the latest fox and wild dog bounty information, as the collection schedule is subject to change in response to the COVID-19 situation.
Central Gippsland Irrigation Efficiency Incentives Program Applications for funding under the Central Gippsland Irrigation Efficiency Incentive Program are open from Monday 20th September to Friday 29th October.
Your “one stop shop” for all your bulk & bagged stockfeed, nutritional advice and rural merchandise requirements
GP1628690
Incentives will be available to help landholders with on-farm irrigation infrastructure works that will contribute to:
• Locally owned • Products manufactured on site • Employing locals
GP1632866
Free delivery in Gippsland
Page 20 – Times-Spectator, Tuesday, 5 October, 2021
620 Hey yffiielld Upperr Maffra Road Tinamba West Matt James - Sales Ph 5145 1345 Mob: 0488 623 159
• Promoting a profitable and sustainable irrigation sector • Increasing water security through improved irrigation efficiency • Reduce nutrients and pollutants for the Gippsland Lakes Funding is limited and new eligibility criteria are in place. Eligible infrastructure projects that meet the program objectives will be allocated through a random ballot process. Funding is also now available for irrigation farm planning on a first come – first serve basis. For further information contact the irrigation team at the West Gippsland CMA on 1300 094 262
