PAGE 2 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, June 28, 2011
Wendy Whelan: the Toora dairy farm assistant manager was a mentee of the 2008 DairySage Mentoring program. She said the program helped her set and achieve some of her goals.
Right advice key to getting ahead By Matt Dunn WITH the price of acreage
being what it is, many aspiring dairy farmers can feel locked out of the industry.
Unless you’re going to inherit the family farm, it’s a tough – sometimes impossible – road to being your own boss.
But for many, like Toora’s Wendy Whelan, there is no other life than one in dairy. Wendy has had her supporters too. The 33-year-old has worked on Bruce and Jan Best’s farm in Toora for about eight years, and the couple has been instrumental in educating her on the ins and outs of dairying. Another is John Versteden, who mentored Wendy through the 2008 DairySage Mentoring program. The program, which has been operating since 2007, was established to help attract and retain young people in the dairy industry. The most recent program was held in Traralgon on June 14 and 15 and was supported by funding from the Gardiner Foundation. John is a Longwarry farmer and chairman of GippsDairy. He said he enjoyed being able to pass on his experiences to Wendy “and talk about my mistakes too”. “I’m passionate about playing a role in the development of young people in the dairy industry. It’s very satisfying to know that I can help people develop both personally and professionally in my role as a mentor,” he said. Wendy said the arrangement worked well for her, and she has achieved at least some of her goals since taking part as a mentee. “One of my goals was to invest offfarm and to buy a house. I’m now in my second year of home ownership and I probably wouldn’t have done it without DairySage,” she said. “It made me really think about my goals, and helped me to define them and start some action plans so that I could see how to achieve what I wanted to do. “It was a chance to learn new things and I really enjoyed meeting some new people and achieving some things that I wasn’t sure I could do.” Wendy believes one of the main benefits she derived from the program was meeting young people with struggles not dissimilar to her own. Networking and simply making friends were big pluses too. “I was just willy-nilly wondering along. I hadn’t set a career path. During the program I set a farming plan too, working out whether it was better to
invest money in a farm or off the farm. It really made you think what you wanted to do,” Wendy said. Wendy said she aspired to a “managing role...just because it’s just so expensive to buy a farm.” “Stock loans are not easy to get and you need to have a lot of equity – you need to have about half the money – so it’s a lot of money. If you need $400,000 for cows, that’s a $200,000 bank loan. That’s pretty hard to get just from wages,” she said. “Work/life balance in another issue. Pay can be an issue too. I get well paid here, so I don’t have any complaints. For others, though, it can be pretty hard.” Share farming remains another option. She is assistant manager at the Bests’ property and revels in the role. Despite the difficulties of staking a claim on her own farming enterprise, Wendy does not see herself anywhere else. “I like being outside and doing something different each day. It’s pretty challenging at times. I’ve always liked animals. I’m from Melbourne originally, but my parents had a sheep and beef farm since I was born,” she said. She hopes for the industry’s sake that farms remain with families or are bought by passionate young farmers trying to find a way in. “If they all get bought out by corporates the knowledge will be gone. Sometimes I wonder why I’m here, but then I really like it,” she said. DairySage project manager Karen Baum said mentoring was a “supportive and private relationship between two people”. “It provides the individuals involved with an opportunity to share and develop their knowledge, experience and skills,” she said. “It helps to develop and retain people in the dairy industry. We’ve had terrific relationships and success stories from the earlier workshops.” Gardiner Foundation CEO Paul Ford said both mentors and mentees had provided very positive feedback from previous programs. “We are pleased to remain the principal funder for DairySage,” he said.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, June 28, 2011 - PAGE 3
Top breeders pay top dollar By Jacob de Kunder CATTLE breeding is nothing new to Roger Perrett, so he is assured that buying a Jersey cow for $21,100 was a smart business investment. “We’ve paid high prices for Jerseys and Holsteins in the past and they make their money back fairly quickly,” Roger said. He and wife Helen have been on their farm in Kongwak for many years, with Roger being the third generation to farm the land. The Perretts’ well established dairy farm comes under the title of Rye Valley Jerseys and Hill Valley Holsteins, both well respected names in the breeding business. The Kongwak farm has produced top ranking Jersey and Holstein cows in regard to their ABV (Aggregate Breeding Value). If a cow is ranked first under the ABV, all other cows are compared with that cow for quality. These cows are renowned for being near to perfect and generate a handsome price when offered for sale. The recent $21,100 purchase is a great new opportunity. “The Jersey has the potential to start a new family of high class cows,” Roger said.
“She has all the right attributes and is already in calf. “We look for finer points of breeding in all of our cows, even just the everyday milkers.” The Jersey, Kaarmona Parade Marie 67, is the daughter of well known American bull B.W. Parade and part of the Marie cow family. This isn’t the most Roger has purchased a cow for. In 2008, he bought a Holstein for $33,000. “We recoup the money pretty quickly after purchase, that is providing they don’t die,” he said. “We got our money back within two years with that Holstein, which was great.” That Holstein, Page House Shottle Noni, had won many awards and was another smart investment by the Perretts. Roger only insures the cattle in transit and says it’s too much of an expense to have constant insurance. “It costs around 15 per cent of the nominating price to have them insured on farm, but I don’t really see the risk.” In the past, the Perretts have produced not only top genetically ranked cows but top milkers and show animals. They produced Australian Holstein of the
Year in 2006 and have won many other awards, and were ranked the number one Holstein herd for nine years. Roger receives better results by mixing all cattle while on the farm, as opposed to singling out the prize winners or top breeders. It’s a method he’s always used. “It’s a great side hobby for dairy farmers and it makes you proud when you can produce top level animals,” Roger said.
High price: the Holstein, Page House Shottle Noni was purchased for $33,000 in 2008.
Top sale: Roger with Kaarmona Parade Marie 67, the Jersey worth $21,100.
PAGE 4 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, June 28, 2011
From paddocks to By Simone Short WHEN the floods ravaged South Gippsland last April, Rod and Lyndell Cope’s property in Middle Tarwin resembled the Wonthaggi Wetlands rather than a dairy farm. With around 100 acres of their 180 acre farm underwater for 10 days, the Copes’ biggest concern was the damage to their paddocks and feed after the water drained away. Rod said he had never seen a flood so big. “The water came in really quickly; it was like a wave of water coming down,” he said. “We lost around 180 silage bales, with 50 of them just picked up and carried away. The ones left have got holes in them and they’ve soaked up water. If you put a cost on that, it’s nearly $10,000 worth of feed.”
Flooding had always been the norm but around 10 years ago, the winters became dry and mild, leaving river flats dead dry over the winter months. When the rain did eventually come, the ground was so dry it would soak in the water, but Rod said a wet start to the season had changed that. “Now the ground is full and the surplus water just sits there until it runs away,” he said. “That’s sort of a worry I suppose; we’re going into winter already wet.” Since last July the dairying areas of Gippsland have experienced one of the wettest periods in recorded history. Frank Mickan, Victorian Department of Primary Industries pasture and fodder conservation specialist, said the continued odd heavy downpours followed by intermittent heavy showers have resulted in many areas having copious run-off and flooded creeks and waterways.
He said cows must be managed to avoid converting paddocks to mud and to avoid pugging as much as possible. “The minute cows start to pug a paddock, get them off,” he said. “There is no point in leaving them in any longer as intakes won’t increase much, the pugging will worsen and pasture production and quality will suffer.” Over two months after the floods, around 50 acres of the Cope’s paddocks are still too wet to let cattle onto and they have no choice but to wait for the land to dry out and replant. Rod said while you can’t prevent floods, making sure the drains are cleaned out will help minimise damage. “With the mild winters we’ve had, we haven’t kept the drain maintenance up to scratch,” he said. “That might have helped get the water off a little bit quicker.” Frank agreed, saying the obvious first steps to prepare for a wet winter were to ensure existing spoon and open surface drains were
Swampland: new crops will need to be sown in paddocks affected by floods.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER�, June 28, 2011 - PAGE 5
ponds cleaned out to allow water to escape fast. Even with wet weather, sometimes minimal damage is done and pastures will grow back without the need to sow crops, but this ood was a different story. “It was a really dirty ood,â€? Rod said. “It’s killed all the low ats. Sometimes the oods will come in and go, then leave it all half green and it will take off and start growing again, but it’s just mud now.â€? Without sowing crops or grass seeds, the affected land will be useless after it dries, growing only weeds and couch grass. The Copes are preparing to plant ryegrass in affected areas, but this process won’t begin until the spring or summer. Rod said while the land is still wet, it is only good for a small number of things. “Rice, ďŹ sh farming, oysters or abalone,â€? he joked. “There’s nothing we can really do with it. We just have to sit tight and wait until it dries out.â€?
Keeping the cows away: Rod Cope said it is vital to keep cattle out of damaged paddocks to avoid pugging.
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PAGE 6 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, June 28, 2011
History lies within By Brad Lester SOME farmers have sheds full of tractors, ploughs and tools essential to the daily operation of their agricultural businesses. So does Korumburra farmer Bob Newton, but he has even more sheds for machinery from the farming days of old, dating back to the nineteenth century in fact. Bob is an avid collector of machinery and tools indicating how farming was undertaken in the past, and the amateur historian believes it’s his duty to preserve the ways of the pioneers who laid the foundations for rural Victoria and South Gippsland in particular. Friends say visitors never know what treasures they will find. “I just love the ingenuity in old gear and show people who are interested in old objects the difference in old tools made by our descendants compared to those of today,” Bob said. “We never own anything. We are only looking after it for the next generation.” Among the most fascinating of Bob’s many collections is fencing wire and tools, with samples of tools from across the generations, indicating how technology has changed over time. There are wire strainers galore: a Wallaraoo combination strainer and pliers made in 1932; American rope strainers that used pullies to transfer load and apply strain; and examples of end line tensioners used by railway services in Australia and New Zealand. Bob’s Walter end line tensioner was used to keep vineyard trellis wire at the correct tension. Many wire strainers have been sourced from South Gippsland and some from as far as the United States of America. The wire display includes samples of wire made by Jayne and Hill (patented in 1877) and Pooler-Jones (patented in 1876), and early welded wire, similar to today’s cyclone wire popular with sheep farmers. A board shows examples of knots for joining wire. So substantial is his knowledge of fencing tools acquired from reading about farming history - he has been invited by the Scienceworks Museum in Melbourne
Skills of old: Bob Newton with his collection of tools crafted by blacksmiths with rasps and files.
Tales to tell: a variety of fencing tools and wires, each with a story.
“SOUTH COAST FARMER”, June 28, 2011 - PAGE 7
eclectic collection to identify wire strainers within its collection. The samples dispel the stereotype that new is often better. “If you compare this 1886 Reids Magpie tightener with a modern one, there is virtually no difference,” Bob said. On his wall is a simple straining tool made by Stan Finlay of Alberton, intended to be ‘simple and effective’. The tool was hooked to wire and a crowbar was placed in the tool’s ring. Tension was obtained by levering against a straining post. The Donald Tenax Grip - designed to grip wire was intended to be used in conjunction with the Donald strainer. An advertising sign from the period read: “You save time and scratches and get a perfect job without damage to the wire. The handling of barbed wire especially becomes a pleasure compared to all other methods, and the saving in time is astonishing.” Bob has fashioned a replica of an 1887 Reids tensioner and he is on a mission to find an original specimen. Still, his preferred strainer is much simpler: a piece of pipe with a rod protruding from either end and bent at right angles. For a touch of memorabilia beyond the farm gate, Bob has wire winders used by soldiers in the first and second World Wars to dispense wire in the field for telecommunications. A sign amongst his display tells that when barbed wire was introduced in the 1870s, stock had no knowledge or fear of it and often suffered wounds from collisions. “If these became infected by screw worms, heavy losses could occur,” the sign stated. Some wires were fitted with metal or wooden
plants to make the barbed wire more obvious. Realising the advantages of barbed wire, some farmers applied pre-formed barbs to plain wire fences by hand, using special tools. Two or four point barbs, as well as barbs cut out of tin plate, were available. Bob’s interest in all things old stems from his late father, Thornton, who lived on the Newton farm and even performed blacksmithing on the same forge Bob uses today. His sheds display Furphy water cart ends dating from the first one made in 1870, some with inscriptions in Pitman shorthand stating: “Beer and whisky are concoctions of the Devil so drink water when you can”. John Furphy was not only trying to sell water carts but he was also a Methodist teetotaller. While Bob’s collection is not open to the public, members of his beloved Lions clubs and a select few have enjoyed the breadth of his examples. Old petrol signs, a complete set of American number plates, hub caps, tractor seats, sheep shearers and the 52nd grey Ferguson tractor to come to Australia. There is a corrugated iron roller sourced from Matterns Hardware at Yarram and quirky models of washing machines and Hills Hoists used by salesmen, and even a bicycle with a lawn-mower blade fitted to the front forks. “I bought the wife a ride-on mower but she won’t use it. It’s good for exercise and you can use it for transport and you’re not using any fuel, so it’s good for the environment,” Bob said. “You won’t see a collection like I’ve got anywhere.”
Opposite ends: Bob Newton displays a forked wire strainer fashioned from a branch by early pioneers and a more contemporary strainer.
PAGE 8 - “SOUTH COAST FARMER”, June 28, 2011
By Isaac McCallum IT MAY sound clichéd, but Mark and Margaret Brammar believe an apple a day keeps the doctor away. And living on an orchard for the past 17 years, it would be fair to assume no doctors have troubled this family of four for a long time. The business, Strzelecki Heritage Apples was the brainchild of Mark and Margaret after the latter tended to her friend’s orchard whilst at university. These days, on just three acres, the couple has more than 400 varieties of apples and 80 each of pears and plums. Margaret said the number of apples is increasing all the time. “There are plenty of varieties that we’re still verifying,” she said. Even the most miniscule of differences can separate two apple types, which has been known to cause plenty of discussion between the husband and wife pair. “Sometimes there are arguments,” Mark said. “But it’s very helpful to have ideas put forward by someone else. “It’s very rare to be 100 per cent certain, they’re so variable.” Mark admits the Strzelecki home-business can be hard work, especially given he works three days a week at the DSE in Leongatha. “Going to the markets is a large time commitment and the physical work is a factor,” Mark said. “All the pruning, planting, potting and things like that can take a toll. “We don’t really have business hours, either. People will come visiting any day of the week and call at any hour.” The duo finds they receive some strange receptions when setting up their stall at the local markets, mostly from people who only eat Granny Smiths. “Some of the apples don’t look very nice. They may have rough skins so people often are a bit tentative,” Margaret said. “But people tend to enjoy them if they give them a try. If you taste 20 apples you’re sure to like one and it can really change your perception of apples.” The reason the apples may appear a little rough around the edges is because the Brammars aim to use as few chemicals as possible. It’s an outlook that may seem alternative, which suits them just fine. “We live a pretty conservative life. We believe in recycling, conservation, just simple life living really,” Mark said. “We want to make a reasonable income, so we won’t push the price and force it for every cent. “I’m not worried about income, promotions or career, just as long as we’ve got enough.”
Tasty: Mark and Margaret Brammar delight in the fruits of their hard work.