PAGE 2 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008
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“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008 - PAGE 3
Keeping a lid on accidents WorkSafe is renewing its call for farmers to wear helmets when operating all terrain vehicles (ATVs). The four wheel motorbikes have been involved in a number of recent accidents, one in which a woman was killed at Loch. A week later a man was injured on an ATV in the same area. South Gippsland is one of the most dangerous places in Victoria to operate ATVs because of the region’s steep inclines. Many operators have tipped over because they have loaded the vehicles with equipment. Worksafe spokesman Paul Fallon said the authority had no firm figures on just how many people had been killed or injured on ATVs. “We suspect quite a few are hurting themselves,” he said. WorkSafe’s executive director, John Merritt, said wearing a helmet could greatly reduce injuries caused by impact with the ground or other objects, or crushing,” Mr Martin said. “We know helmets work, on-road or off. Farming is tough enough without putting yourself, or someone else, at risk of a permanent head injury, or worse. “ATVs are a common and useful piece of farm equipment but great care is needed when using them. Understanding the limitations of the machine and yourself, wearing a helmet and following the manufacturer’s instructions can be a life-saving decision. For farmers, who frequently work on their own, the dangers are magnified.” A recent study by the Victorian FarmSafe Alliance found that nearly 75 per cent of farmers who took part in an ATV helmet trial felt safer wearing a helmet, and would recommend it to others. The Alliance, which includes WorkSafe, the Departments of Primary Industry and Human Services, the Australian Workers Union and Victorian Farmers Federation gave helmets to 100 farmers and sought their views. More than half thought the model trialled was cool or very cool to wear, while less than a quarter thought it was too hot. Three-in-five thought the helmet was comfort-
able while nearly 70 per cent said it was easy to fit. “This study, although small, shows that there are suitable models on the market, and that people should be encouraged to find one that suits them.” Mr Merritt said employers should ensure anyone using a motorbike or ATV understands they must wear a helmet. That information should be recorded, and acknowledged, as part of a person’s training. Safety essentials: • Be dressed in suitable work clothing and footwear for operation. • Know correct use of machine controls. • Don’t carry passengers. • Know how to do a pre-operational check. • Check operation and adjustment of brakes. • Wear a helmet that complies with AS 16862006. • Ride in forward direction around a defined course. For safety concerns involving ATVs call Work- Playing it safe: Welshpool Motorcycles’ proprietor Safe on 1800 136 089. Mick Webb knows the benefits of wearing a helmet.
Great cause: Ruby Adkins takes a bright pink tractor for a spin in Leongatha.
Riding over cancer GENDORE Tractors and Machinery recently took the opportunity to help “drive away breast cancer” with pink tractors. Every time someone purchased a pedal ride-on or a 1/16th scale model, part of the proceeds went towards breast cancer research. The big pedal ride-on tractors proved popular, but if you’re lucky you might still be able to get your hands on the 1/16th model. They are available at Gendore Tractors and Machinery, 82-84 Yarragon Road, Leongatha, or call 5662 4044.
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Grape harvest biggest ever TOMS Cap vineyard has almost completed one of the biggest and best harvests ever at the 40 hectare vineyard since it was established more than ten years ago. Situated in the rolling hills of Carrajung Lower, 15 minutes from Yarram,
Toms Cap is following the nationwide trend that has seen higher than expected yields. The 2008 national grape harvest is expected to exceed 1.5 million tonnes, slightly above last year’s yield of 1.4 million, Australian Wine and Brandy Industry reported. Original predictions for the grape haul were in the
1.2 million tonnes range. Officials within the industry have welcomed the high yields after concerns had been raised regarding Australia’s ability to meet demands for its wines this year. Two years of heartbreaking drought, frosts and storms had severely hampered the industry’s output. Jock Osborne, acting
Helping hand: Sarah Kush assists with bringing in the harvest.
chief executive of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation said, “The results of the 2008 harvest have been all positive for the wine industry sector. It should reassure markets of our ability to maintain supply, while at the same time rationalising some of the pressure on supply/demand balance.” Osborne added that a ‘promising quality profile’ had also been reported. Toms Cap vineyard owners Graham and Ann Morris echoed Osborne’s statements, claiming their harvest had yielded some of the best quality fruit they had ever seen on their vines. The Morris’ started the harvest in late March, picking the Chardonnay grapes first, followed by the Cab Sav a few weeks later. “We employed 12 locals to help us with the harvest which was completed over a number of weekends,” Graham said “This has been our best year bar none. “The reds are looking really good, nice flavour, good colour, and the whites are equally as impressive. “We still have a few hectares of late Sav Blanc grapes on the vines and we are going to experiment with these and see if we cannot produce a sweet wine. “Having just tested the sugar content, we have decided to pick about a tonne, which will produce about 1000 bottles of a sweeter wine. “We will only pick the cleanest and best fruit of what is left, because if it doesn’t work it will have been a costly exercise. “This will be an experiment for us, but you
Ideal scene: the Carrajung Lower vineyard is a place of breathtaking beauty.
Golden harvest: Graham Morris with the results of a year’s hard work. never know just what you can do until you have a go,” he said. Once picked, the grapes will be transported to Koonwarra wine maker Owen Schmidt for processing.
Graham and Ann maintain their bumper crop was due to a combination of factors, not the least the weather conditions and hours of hard work put into tending the vines.
“Last season we had no harvest at all due to the drought, but this year it has been the complete opposite, with good rains at the right times and mild weather conditions without the wind,” Graham said. The Morris’s have built their business literally from the ground up. Graham, an accountant by trade was looking for something to occupy his time after injury prevented him from competing in marathon running on the weekends. After months of looking for a piece of land, he stumbled across the blackberry infested piece of land nestled in the hills of Carrajung. After months of research he decided to experiment with growing grapes, and the rest is history. With Ann by his side, the two cleared the land and planted the vines, followed by two cottages which are booked out constantly, a reception centre and restaurant and just recently a wine bar which offers café menus on Friday nights. Toms Cap is one of the major employers in the Yarram area.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008 - PAGE 5
Plan for milk money ALBERTON West dairy farmers Jackie and Terry Donchi maintain planning is the key to success. The couple purchased their dairy farm in 2000 and after a few years of careful planning, purchased the farm next door to increase their overall holding to 500 acres. While increasing their property size, the couple focused on plans to build a new dairy to cater for the proposed increase in herd size. The couple has gradually increased the size of the herd in the last couple of years and is hoping to milk 300 prominently Friesian cows this year. “After we purchased the neighbour’s property we decided if we were to increase numbers we would need to improve facilities at our dairy to cope with the extra numbers and not add extra pressure on ourselves with extra hours in the shed,” Jackie said. “Just as we started to build the new dairy the drought really started to bite. Fortunately we were able to negotiate to get the dairy to milking stage and then do the rest later. Craig McDonald from Yarram and District Milking Machine Service was fantastic, and while we have now completed the dairy, we could not have done it without Craig’s input,” she said. The business is the new DeLaval dealership for South Gippsland. “It may have taken a couple of seasons but it was worth the wait and we now have a fully automated DeLaval, 20 a side herringbone dairy with cup removers and stall gates. “ Jackie said they were advised by Craig of what set up would most suit them. “After working with him we trust his judgment as he is fully trained in all aspects of fitting out dairies and regularly up dates his qualification,” she said. “Most importantly, Craig is only a phone call away if we have a breakdown and always has spare parts on hand to get us going again as soon as possible. As all dairy farmers know, you cannot afford to be out of action for too long at the dairy.” Jackie and Terry are always looking to improve both their farm and lifestyle, and recently took on a full time employee who has allowed them to have time away from the farm as well as helping Jackie with the day to day work load. “Last year we took on a full time farm hand in Graham Snowden, and he has
certainly made life easier for us,” said. “With Terry working off farm, it is great to have someone as reliable and hardworking as Graham to help me,” she said. “We milk all year round as we have a split calving pattern, calving a small number in January/ February, another lot in the autumn and the majority in winter/spring, so it is full on most of the year. In a normal year the farm could run quite a few more head, but we haven’t had a normal year for a while now and we cannot see the point in adding any more stress than need be to the job.” Jackie said during the drought they brought in truck loads of feed. “This spring and summer we have ensured we have enough feed to see us through the winter and harvested approximately 800 rolls of silage and 500 rolls of hay,” she said. “As we head into win-
ter things are not looking good, with little or no rain for the past few months, pasture is almost non existent, but with forward planning we have home grown fodder on farm to get us through and will not have to spend thousands of dollars bringing it in. “We have over sown a number of paddocks as well with annual grasses and have 75 acres of crop in the ground so if we get some rain soon and it doesn’t get too cold we should have plenty of feed in the paddocks as well.” Since the pair started out, good seasons have been few and far between, but with good planning the couple have been able to ride the bad times out and prosper in the good. For Jackie, having plans in place allows her to have the attitude that the glass is always half full, enabling her to enjoy the lifestyle that dairy farming offers them.
Out and about: Jackie Donchi takes the time to inspect her herd during the day to ensure they are content. Left: Planning: Jackie Donchi discusses the prospects of extending her 20 a side herringbone dairy with milking machine experts Jo and Craig McDonald of Yarram and District Dairy Service, new DeLaval dealers for South Gippsland.
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The onion story HISTORIAN John Murphy launched his new book One Bag in Six, Onion Growing in Gippsland 19002007 at a function at The Dakers Centre in April. Some of this story contains excerpts from the book. The book can be purchased from the Leongatha Mechanics Institute for $20 which is open Thursdays and Fridays, 12 noon until 4pm.
FROM small beginnings in the first decade of the 20th century, onion growing grew steadily in the Leongatha and Koo Wee Rup districts of south and west Gippsland until 1960. Busy time: Bill Lester is pictured with his son Warren Lester and some crates of onions ready for sorting and packing.
Launch success: having a chat at the launch in April of John Murphy’s new book are, from left, Gippsland historian Patrick Morgan, John Murphy, Professor Weston Bate from the Royal Historical Society Victoria, and historical society president, Geoff Michael.
After this a slow decline took place as new areas in southern Australia came into production using different techniques in growing and harvesting. Botanically, onions are a member of the genus Alliaceae, a name derived from the Latin word for garlic. The most common species which are closely related to the onion are the leek, garlic, chive, scallion and shallot. Onions are a very hardy crop which thrives on fertile soil and an adequate rainfall of between 25-35 inches annually. It is generally believed that the onion originated in central Asia whilst historical records contain references to
onions being grown in the Middle East and ancient Egypt since 3000 BC. Throughout the middle ages, onions and bread were often the staple food of large sections of the populace of Europe, where Spain and Portugal, because of their suitable sunny climate, grew large quantities. Onions were first grown in Australia in a small way in New South Wales soon after the arrival of the First Fleet in Botany Bay in 1788, but lack of suitable soil and an unfavourable climate lim-
ited production. Onion growing as a commercial proposition in Victoria first began on the Bellarine Peninsula in 1854.
Beginnings in South Gippsland This expansion of the market for Victorian onions and its consequent increase in profitability in-
Onion Soup Recipe It is important to start with a good stock. Traditionally French Onion Soup is made with beef stock, but you can use chicken if you wish. Another important tip is to caramelise the onions slowly for at least 30 minutes to bring out the sweetness. Ingredients 2tbs olive oil 1kg (approx 6) local red or brown onions 2 cloves garlic minced 2 teas brown sugar 2 teas flour 3 ½ cups beef or chicken stock ½ cup dry white wine ¼ teas thyme 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper to taste French toasts to top 12 thick French stick slices Olive oil spray 1 cup Swiss Gruyere cheese Garnish A little Parmesan Cheese and chopped parsley
Method
Proud historian: John Murphy OAM at the launch of his book, One Bag in Six-Onion Growing in Gippsland 1900-2007.
1. In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the butter and olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 30 minutes. Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the caramelisation. 2. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavours are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf. 3. To serve, you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately. Serves 4-6. (Preparation time 1 hour)
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008 - PAGE 7
brings a tear to the eye evitably led to farmers in the newly settled districts of Gippsland attempting to share in the rewards associated with the growing of this particular crop. The opening of the Great Southern Railway line from Dandenong to Yarram in 1892 enabled settlers in the newly drained sections of the Koo Wee Rup swamp lands and heavily forested areas around Leongatha to contemplate the growing of onions on a commer-
cial basis. The Great Southern Star of April 19, 1901 contains the first reference to the successful growing of onions in the district: A wonderful crop of 30 acres has been grown on the property of Mr John Smith on the Mardan Road.
Later years At Dalmore and other parts of the Koo Wee Rup area, a similar contraction of acreage under onions as at Leongatha has tak-
Humble onion ONIONS have been around since civilization began and today this versatile vegetable has become very much part of our diet. It can be grilled, sautéed, pickled, boiled, roasted, barbecued or fried. It is believed the onion originated in Asia dating back to 3500 BC. After arriving in Egypt it was worshipped by the Egyptians and its popularity eventually spread to ancient Greece and Rome. During the Middle Ages it has been reported that physicians prescribed onions to alleviate headaches, snakebites, and even hair loss. On a recent holiday to Leongatha a German visitor said onions were a very good treatment for bee and wasp stings. The biggest onion ever was grown by V. Throup in Silsden, England. It was 10 lbs. 14 oz. according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
en place since the 1960s with much of the fertile, peaty soil there now being devoted to the growing of asparagus, both for domestic and export purposes. Onions are now being grown commercially in all Australian states, thus exploiting the natural varied geographical and climatic conditions and thereby ensuring a year-round supply to the consumer. During the 1980s there was a 300 per cent growth in Australian onion exports with Tasmania emerging as the main exporting state. By 1990 over 50,000 tonnes were being exported annually, representing 30 per cent of Australia’s yearly production. For over 40 years between 1922 and 1965, onion growing was an integral part of farm operations on the Murphy family farm, which fronts on to the Ruby Creek at Leongatha North. With the formation of the Leongatha and District Historical Society in 1964, John Murphy’s interest in history and his intimate knowledge of farming, led to him writing several booklets on the area in-
cluding his newest book One Bag in Six. Growers like Bill Lester and son, Warren, of Mardan continue to produce onions on a commercial basis.
Tribute A special tribute night was held recently at the Dakers Centre for our own historian John Murphy. John, who has written two major works and 14 monographs, is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. Mr Murphy, who is not an academically trained historian, is the envy of many of his academic counterparts according to Gippsland historian Patrick Morgan. John’s wife, Kath Murphy, was also singled out as a great support to John. Kath is an historian in her own right, having received an Order of Merit by the Royal Historical Society of Victoria. Kath has a very good knowledge of textiles, in particular white work; including embroidery and linen. Kath has been a great stalwart of the Leongatha and District Historical Society.
Tradition: Bill Lester of Mardan has been farming onions since 1974. Son Warren is continuing the family tradition.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008 - PAGE 9
PAGE 8 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008
Feeding the chooks By Danny Buttler
THEY say the best small businesses are run by people who love what they are doing. If that’s the case, then Meg Parkinson’s free range egg farm should run like clockwork. Meg and husband Geoff run 4000 chooks on their 29 acre Fish Creek property. Their labour of love has turned a backyard hobby into a thriving business that services the free range egg needs of shops and restaurants from Yarram to Melbourne. Unlike many who buy their eggs, Meg said the decision to operate a free range farm, rather than an intensive battery operation, was not motivated by ethics of politics. “It wasn’t a political decision, it was just what we wanted to do,” she said. “Free range was just the way we liked to do it, it grew slowly over time.” Meg reckons working with chooks is the ideal way to make a living and much preferable to her former life as a commercial retail property manager. “When you have a bad day there is nothing better than watching your chooks – it’s better than a double whisky,” she said. Not that life as a chook grazier leaves
much time for idle contemplation of the fowl yard. Like other farms, it’s seven days a week from dawn till dusk. The hens don’t have a day off, so neither do the Parkinsons. “We feed them, they get fed three or four times a day,” Meg said. “One of us is here every day, pretty much, unless we pay someone else to come in.” “You have to make sure the feeder is working and that they have water.” Despite their love of chooks, the Parkinsons are in no doubt that this is a business first and a passion second. They use utilitarian (and rather plain looking) hens that at their most fertile during their short stay on the farm. Once they have started moulting, the hens have passed their most productive stage of life and are shipped off to backyards where they lay fewer, but apparently larger, eggs for the rest of their days. The culling of ageing hens is vital to maintain a steady supply of eggs to shops and restaurants who stock her Annie’s Free Range and Contended Chooks brands. The Rhode Island Red/New Hampshire cross hens – “they look like Isa Browns” – have about a 90 per cent daily lay rate, meaning about 3600 eggs roll out of the hen house every day.
You’d think feeding and protecting 4000 chooks would keep most people busy enough, but Meg is set to take on one of the biggest roles in the state farming community. If successful, her bid to become the president of the Victorian Farmers Federation would see her become a political powerbroker, influencing major decisions like the Murray Darling Basin strategy and drought relief for the farming families. It’s a high powered position and one that would take her out of the hen house and into boardrooms across the country. The former head of the VFF’s egg group said she is serious about her tilt at the top job and reckons she has plenty to offer Victorian farmers. “I’m going for it, I’m going to give it a good hard go,’’ she said. “I like to do things in an inclusive way ... the VFF has about 11,000 farming families so it helps if you can sit down
and talk about issues.” The battle to unseat the incumbent, Simon Ramsey, will be a tough one, and Meg is shrewd and experienced enough to carefully time her run to the finish. “I’m really not wanting to put (my campaign strategy) out there until nominations close,” Meg said. “Everyone’s keeping their powder dry until they know who they are standing against.” The political nature of the VFF presidency has seen the immediate past two leaders move into politics, with Simon Ramsey also tipped to contest a seat for the conservatives. But Meg said she would never swap her chickens for the savage pecking order of parliament. “There is no way I would go into parliamentary politics,” she said. It’s a pity. Not since Joh BjelkePeterson have we had someone so expert at “feeding the chooks”.
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Bees put By Brad Lester
NOT every farmer can boast that his paddocks extend from South Gippsland to as far as Wagga Wagga in New South Wales. Aris Wolswinkel has a big area to service but the apiarist from Loch is keen to
point out that his ‘workers’ do most of the work. They are his bees, Italian bees in fact, and he has thousands of them under his watch. Together, they travel around Victoria and to the NSW Riverina - Aris delivering hives, the bees pollinating everything from almond crops at Robinvale in north western Victoria and raspberries at
Always surprise: apiarist Aris Woslwinkel inspects a hive on his Loch property.
Calming effect: Aris uses smoke from stringybark trees to soothe bees before inspecting hives.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008 - PAGE 11
fruit on the table Healesville, to plum, pear, cherry and apple orchards in the Goulburn Valley. Aris’ bees also pollinate kiwi fruit come November and lucerne crops for seed. If he’s lucky enough, he may get lucerne honey that tastes like clover. “Good orchardists rely on apiarists. Bees not only start the fruit, but also give better quality fruit, a better shape,” he said. “Pollination in Australia is worth about $2 billion in exports. A lot of fruits depend on pollination. Almonds rely 100 per cent, and apples a little less, while cherries rely 80 per cent on bees.” At any one time, he has about 200 hives scattered around the countryside, with anywhere from 10,000 to 40,000 bees per hive. “One of the real pluses of this job is that you get to see some beautiful country. You do not realise how beautiful this country is until you go out on some of the back roads,” he said. A beekeeper for much of his life, Aris well and truly knows his game and he has a silver medal to prove it. At last year’s world congress of apiarists in Melbourne, Apimondia, Aris won second place in the medium colour honey class for his alfalfa variety. His talents were on show before 1800 colleagues from 60 countries. “I think my friends were more excited about it than I was. It did not sink in at the time,” the modest man said. Bees perform a vital role in horticulture and agriculture by pollinating plants as they travel
from male flower to female bloom, carrying pollen, allowing flowers to become fruit and produce. Wild bees can be used to do the job, but strike rates and production levels are much higher when hives are introduced. “With canola crops, we’re talking about thousands and thousands of hectares of canola. If the crop is weak, I will put them in for a few weeks and the bees breed really well because there is plenty of pollen for them to feed on,” he said. The honey that bees make from pollen and nectar feed larvae to continue the bee colony, as bees have short lives. Worker bees may exist from six weeks to six months, while queen bees may live for five to six years. “If you take too much honey from them, then you feed a lot of sugar syrup,” Aris said. His honey is sold at local markets and he believes a by-product of honey production, propolis, is ‘one of the medicines of the future and of the past’. Propolis is a glue-like substance bees use to seal their hives from cold and drought. “It’s good for ointment and has a lot of health properties. It’s good for sores and ulcers. It’s magic stuff,” Aris said. He prefers Italian bees for their ease of handling and strong work ethic, plus the queens are easy to identify by their bright yellow colour. “At the peak of the season, about September and October, she can lay up to 2000 eggs a day, up to eight times her own body weight,” he said.
“How does she do it? Ask her.” Bees work in a way that could be described as an ‘apprentice system’. Young bees will fly practice runs around the hive and then collect nectar nearby before venturing further afield. Particular about their environment, bees prefer hives to be around 30 degrees and should their hives warm up, the insects will collect water and flap their wings inside to evaporate and cool the hive down. “Sometimes you can feel a cool breeze out the front of the hives,” Aris said. “Sometimes you can work with them all day and never get a sting, but some days you think ‘No, not today’.” And yes, he has been stung before but is not fazed. So far, reactions have only been mild. The type of honey Aris produces varies according to plants and trees flowering at the time. Yellow gum is available right throughout the season and yellow box starts around October, followed by red gum and then grey box come winter. “It never stops amazing me. I’ve been at it all my life and I reckon I know nothing,” he said. Aris has always kept bees, even while a dairy farmer. It’s a hobby that stems from his childhood in his native Holland. These days he is the secretary of the Melbourne branch of the Victorian Apiarists Association. “Curiosity and the things bees do is just amazing and to watch how they work. It’s never-ending really,” he said.
Left: Natural wonder: Aris Wolswinkel at one with his bees high in the hills above Loch.
Close quarters: bees live a noisy, active life, working intently to make honey inside hives.
PAGE 12 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008
South Gippsland’s By Bert van Bedaf
LOCAL history records reveal the first Italian migrant to reside in South Gippsland was John Giacomo Canobio.
Earliest pioneer: The first Italian migrant to reside in South Gippsland was John Giacomo Canobio. Classified advertising closes 12 noon Mondays
Born in Villa de Terano, Lombardy, in 1840, John arrived in Australia on board the Morning Light. He came to Edgerton in Victoria, where he was a charcoal burner and a carrier with bullock teams. A photo of him and biographical details has pride of place at the Italian club in Korumburra, which upholds a proud tradition of Italian settlement in rural South Gippsland. The Canobio name lives on in Bena. John married Mary Ann Harris, a beautiful young Welsh woman in 1875. John arrived in Jeetho in 1878, initially because he was a coal miner. But he selected a farm, which must have made him the first Italian-born farmer to settle in this district. After clearing a number of acres, he brought his family to Jeetho in1880 and became a well-known identity in the region. He continued to be a carrier. He bred horses and was a good judge of cattle and horses. John won many prizes at Royal Melbourne shows and became the local bush veterinarian. John became an Australian citizen in 1898 and was one of the first Italians to do so. He died of pneumonia in 1901, aged 61 and is buried at the Poowong cemetery. The best possible resource of the history of Italian settlement in South Gippsland is a master thesis by Marina Bruzzese, a history teacher at Mirboo North secondary college, whose parents migrated to Australia in the 1950s. She attained her master of arts, from Monash University, in 2000. Her father was a tailor and her mother was a textile worker, but by 1962 they came to Foster and started a dairy farm. Retired from farming, they still live in Foster. Marina said the Italian influx came in three waves and not specially for farming but for gold and coal. Farming came later. The first wave of migrants came during the gold rush. The second wave between the world wars, 1910 to 1938 and the third wave took place postsecond world war.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008 - PAGE 13
Italian connection Also among the early pioneers was Luigi Clavarino. He arrived in New South Wales in 1862 and settled in Foster in 1895. He died in 1902 and was buried in Foster. The Clavarinos still live in Foster today. Among the first Italians to settle in Mirboo North was Giacomo Pincini. Born in 1838, he migrated to Australia in the 1850s. By 1858 he searched for gold around Ballarat and Castlemaine and finally selected land in Mardan in 1979 and became a cattle farmer. His son Joseph became a Mirboo North shire councillor, Marina said. The Pincini family later became potato farmers and descendants still live in the Mirboo North region. John Giacomo Canobio became a prominent Korumburra identity. He settled on a 320-acre property and later bought another 150 acres. He attained mining rights but never mined, Marina said. “He bought more property and started a carrier business, carting timber and other goods from Grantville, where there was port access,” Marina said. He bred Ayrshire cattle and prizewinning Welsh show ponies, which he showed in Melbourne. “As the local bush vet he would go out to cattle when they were sick, which led to his death,” Marina said. “He died of pneumonia, going out on cold nights.” Korumburra resident Ross Lom-
Living history: Mirboo North teacher Marina Bruzzese. agno was born in Sicily in 1937. He came to Australia as a 12-year-old with his parents, a brother and two sisters in 1949. A third sister was born here. Ross has never forgotten about his Italian heritage. He was a founding member of the Korumburra Italian Social Club in Korumburra, which is more than 30 years old. Ross remains involved in the Italian community, celebrating his Italian heritage. His father was a dairy farmer in Sicily and had sold everything to come to Australia. His sister and her husband, who were already in Australia, sponsored the family, who went to live in Strzelecki. “We stayed in Strzelecki until 1952, when dad put a deposit on a farm near Outtrim. I was 15 and I had already left school after two years to work on the farm. “My early memories of life in Australia are the rabbits and the noise of the kookaburras. In the morning in
the trees near our home they used to cackle,” Ross said. They began eradicating the rabbits and started growing peas. “Later we started a dairy farm, milking cows,” John said. In the late 1960s Ross’s father sold the farm and bought another farm in Kongwak. “I worked there with my father until he died. I then worked the farm and raised a family with my wife, Serena. We retired from the farm in 2003 and now live in Korumburra,” Ross said. However, you can’t take the grower out of Ross. His back yard is a wealth of tomatoes, beans and herbs, which contribute to the family’s healthy diet. Migration to Leongatha occurred in the second wave, Marina said. “No one turned up in the 1800s, but you’ll find they moved here during 1910-38,” Marina said. Marina interviewed more than 40 people of Italian heritage for her thesis and her roll call makes fascinating reading. Names like Arestia, Argento, Biesuz, Croatto, Di Marchi, Stefani, Nobile or Tumino are among those reverberating in South Gippsland. They, and many others, can look back on a magnificent heritage of Italian farming and pioneering – and reflect on their own achievements as the sons and granddaughters, grandsons and daughters of their migrant ancestors’ long journey.
A rich Australian history ITALIAN Australians are one of the largest ethnic groups in Australia. The 2006 Census counted 199,124 persons who were born in Italy. Italians are well represented in every Australian town and region but there is a disproportionate concentration in Victoria, 41.5 per cent compared to 24.7 per cent of the general Australian population. Italians have been arriving in Australia in a limited number since the last decades of the 18th century and around 1869 Australia saw the arrival of a people who had left Italy for noneconomic reasons, such as missionaries, musicians, artists, professionals and business people, escaping despotic rulers. Through the 1840s and 1850s, an increasing number of Italian migrants of rural backgrounds came for economic reasons. In the late 1850s, some 2000 Swiss Italians from the Valtellina region migrated to the Victorian goldfields. Some of those
descendants came to South Gippsland. Between 1921 and 1945, the Italian migration to Australia increased markedly. In the early 1920s Italian migrants began to arrive in Australia in notable numbers. While the Australian Census of 1921 recorded 8135 Italians residing in the country, during the years 1922-1925 another 15,000 arrived and, again, a similar number of Italians reached Australia during the period 1926-1930. Since the mid-1950s, the Italian flow of migrants to Australia assumed a sort of mass migration. Although there are no precise figures, due to the fact that the Australian Census refers only to Italian-born, some scholars have suggested that, with their Australian-born children, the Italian ethnic group in Australia could be approaching almost 800,000, thus still ranking it as the first non-English speaking ethnic community of Australia.
Ross Lomagno: celebrates his Italian heritage at Korumburra. He likes growing a range of tomatoes, beans and herbs in his vegetable patch at home.
PAGE 14 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008
Alpacas are “a By Chris Brown
STEVE Mooney says he has become “addicted” to alpacas. He began with two of the quirky looking animals on three acres at Sandy Point in 1999; today he has 120 on a couple of hundred acres at Foster North. “Alpacas have an appealing nature; they are a lot easier to work with than other sorts of livestock,” Steve, who first bought alpacas to eat the grass, says. “They’re also a little bit different.” Steve grew up in Melbourne, but found the skills needed to look after alpacas, such as toenail clipping, shearing, injections and vaccinations, easy to master. He’s now part of a growing industry. The first alpaca arrived in Australia in 1989, according to the Australian Alpaca Association (AAA), and today there’s an estimated 100,000 of the animals. Eighty per cent of Australian alpacas are in herds
Emerging industry: alpacas are bred across South Gippsland. Foster North: alpacas in a pen with others grazing on hills in the distance.
of less than 10 animals. AAA director, Iona McKinnon says the Australian alpaca herd has grown to be the largest outside its native South America. “Whilst the alpaca is now farmed in most areas of most states, arguably it does best in temperate regions, such as South Gippsland,” she says. “Whilst some breeders have turned to full commercial alpaca farming, most breeders have relatively small numbers of animals. A core 20 per cent of key industry stakeholders owns 80 per cent of Australia’s alpacas.” In South Gippsland there are breeders at Poowong East, Korumburra, Berrys Creek, Loch and Mirboo North. “It is anticipated that the industry will continue to grow, particularly in areas such as South Gippsland. Whilst it is difficult to succeed in most farming enterprises, alpaca
farming is a good alternative,” Iona says. Selling alpacas to other breeders or small landholders is the main way to make money from the animal. “The alpaca industry has gone from strength to strength every year, unlike other sorts of fad farming ideas - like the ostriches - that failed,” Steve, who named his business Sandy Park Alpaca Stud, says. “The average price of the alpacas is coming down every year as the numbers increase. Reasonable quality females are selling for $2000 to $4000; cheapies are under $1000.” Steve says many buyers are experienced breeders looking for better livestock. Some people buy castrated male alpacas as herd protectors. “I’ve sold two alpacas to a lady in Fish Creek to eat the grass in the paddock,” Steve says. “She rang me up a few months later to say she had just bought some
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008 - PAGE 15
little bit different” chooks and after a week or so she heard a commotion in the paddock and went out to look to find the alpaca chasing a fox away.” There is minimal alpaca meat consumption and some interest in the fleece, which is used for fine clothing and carpets. “I learnt how to shear them myself and it was okay the first few years, as I only had a few animals, but now I get someone in who’s a bit faster,” Steve says. A professional can shear up to 100 alpacas a day and charges $9 a head. Alpacas, which are sheared in midspring, have between 1kg and 6kg of fleece, which sells for $1 to $25 per kg depending on its fineness. “I tend not to make much money from the fleece, but it certainly covers the cost of shearing,” Steve says. In 10 years time Steve hopes to be making a living off his alpaca farm. But for now he splits his time between a 50 hour a week job in the telecommu-
nications industry and 10 to 20 hours on the farm. “We’ve just had 19 babies and so the herd is growing rather quickly,” he says. “I’ve been working off-farm so much the last few years I haven’t had much time to put into the marketing. “I have more animals than I can handle on a part time basis, so I’ve got to sell some of them.” Steve estimates he would need between two to three hundred animals to earn a living off the farm. “I’d like to do it full time, though that may be 10 years down the track,” he said. “(To make a living) I would be turning animals over a lot faster, make more money off the fleece and sell high quality breeding animals to Australia and overseas.”
Alpaca positives - The emerging industry has little competition from overseas producers; - The animals are hardy, adaptable, environmentally friendly, and low maintenance; - Alpacas do well on low protein hay or pasture, coping relatively well in drought; - Alpacas have few significant diseases or health problems; - They have a padded foot that impacts less on fragile soils, and do not overgraze pastures; - Established farming infrastructure and practices require little alteration for alpaca husbandry, unlike goats, deer, emus and ostriches; - As the industry grows from infancy to commercialisation, intermediate markets exist; - Alpacas are already established in mainstream livestock enterprise by the acceptance of alpaca wethers (male castrates) as livestock guardians for sheep, goats, poultry and cattle; - The taking of the product, the fleece, is not dependant on scarce skill or expensive machinery. Source: Iona McKinnon, director Australian Alpaca Association Ltd.
Something special: Foster North alpaca farmer, Steve Mooney said he became “addicted” to the animal.
PAGE 16 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, May 27, 2008
Dairymen cross Tasman By Lauren Malone
WHAT’S the land of the long white cloud got that we haven’t? That question was on the minds of 13 local dairy farmers who headed across the Tasman to New Zealand recently, visiting farms to find out for themselves. The tour was arranged as an initiative of Burra Foods, aimed at enabling suppliers to connect with each other, and also gain some insight on how their counterparts in New Zealand operate. Reno Tomaino, supply manager with Burra Foods said the tour was something he had been thinking about for some time, and that by all accounts
it was a successful trip. “We selected a range of our suppliers, such as relative newcomers to the company, those who have been with us for a longer period of time, and we also aimed to have a range of age groups,” Mr Tomaino said. “This made for a successful tour as farmers were able to share notes with each other, and discuss their differing practices with the New Zealanders.” Mr Tomaino said that what he noticed most significantly during the fourday tour, was the difference in farms, in that they have “a lot more cows per acre because the farmers can grow a lot more pasture.” “Land is a lot dearer in New Zealand so farmers try to put a lot more cows per hectare in an attempt to gain a profit
from their business.” He concluded that despite what he had seen during the tour, the current method of farming here in South Gippsland is “the best we have, and the most profitable.” “South Gippsland is no doubt one of the best parts of Australia for dairy farming, and this Burra Foods initiative is aimed at moving our suppliers forward by offering a well-rounded understanding of the industry, both locally and abroad.” Among those on the tour were young farmers Lucas Licciardello, of Ruby, and Jason McRae of Tarwin. Both gained insight from their fellow travellers, and the several farms they visited during their time in New Zealand.
Another Burra Foods supplier, Alan Van Kuyk, went along as a more experienced operator, having farmed for 15 years, but still a relative newcomer to Burra Foods. “I’ve supplied Burra Foods for the past 12 months, prior to which I supplied Fonterra and the former Bonlac company. Mr Vay Kuyk didn’t necessarily agree with the success of farming more cows per hectare. “The top farmers in both Australia and New Zealand are basically on par, is my understanding, and in fact New Zealand has a higher stocking rate, and Australian farmers do better in terms of litres or milk solids per cow,” he said. “It was great to compare notes with my Australian colleagues, this is some-
thing that I have been doing for years and I find that when one comes back from such a conference, you learn as much from those you travel with as those you visit. “Always there are a few ideas I’ll agree with and take on board and then some that I will not.” Mr Van Kuyk said he came back from the conference, this time, with a few ideas. “Maize silage for example, also some of the different liquid feeds; these products are feed for cattle and a byproduct of processing whey.” Mr Van Kuyk, an Agnes resident, operates a herringbone set up, with capacity for 15 cows on either side at a time. He added that while, of the three farms visited, two were rotaries, there was still much to learn.
Young farmers: Jason McRae, left, and Lucas Licciardello, both gained a great deal from the conference, which they will utilise in their day-to-day farm operations in South Gippsland.
Captive audience: while visiting three farms, the 13 Burra Foods suppliers learned a great deal about farming in New Zealand.