Australian Farmers: Telling Our Story

Victoria's Strathbogie Ranges offer a rugged landscape, breathtaking views and an unforgiving climate. It's a backdrop that has resulted in award-winning wine. Fowles Wine aims to farm with the utmost respect for the natural environment. It's a commitment that has transplanted the owner from a chance to work as a New York lawyer to an expert in cold-climate wine, 90 minutes outside Melbourne. To l...

If you cast your eyes around many Australian properties and stations – something seems to be increasingly missing. Young people. The role of Jackaroo or Jillaroo was often a coming-of-age opportunity for the next generation of farmers. Determined to bring them back, is a group of bushies in the NSW Riverina. Those former jackaroos have since forged successful careers for themselves and want the ne...

For someone who is a first-generation dairy farmer – my guest today has accomplished a lot in a short space of time. She's a director on the GippsDairy Board, sits on the Victorian Young Farmers Advisory Council and has a high community involvement dedicated to finding pathways for young women in the industry. Perhaps surprising given a school career adviser told her, agriculture wasn't for women....

In a world driven by artificial intelligence and autonomous machines – the agriculture industry is changing dramatically. But with more technology, does life become more complicated? One farming couple is striving to create better and simpler practices with farm-bots. They used their own farm in Central Queensland as the testing ground and now – these mechanical helpers are being deployed to farms...

You'd be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't love a spud! Baked, mashed, jacket, wedge, or hash brown – they're all good. In fact, 85% percent of us have potatoes in the home pantry. But perhaps more unexpectedly, the huge industry behind this vegetable warrants a World Potato Congress. And this year's is happening in our own backyard in Adelaide on the 23rd-26th of June. The colourful ambassa...

A father-daughter duo is embarking on a bold venture to offer curious visitors, a front row seat to a day in the life of a traditional farmer. From lamb-marking to planting winter crops, and even fencing – whatever is on the agenda is an open book. Gilgooma located near Coonamble in north-west NSW is an 11,500-acre working property and now a farm-stay. Hire a cabin or book a camping experience and...

Being a farmer often means being your own boss. It can involve long days spent alone. Given that, it's very easy to stay in your own lane. Jamie Pepper's 'lane' is sheep and cattle farming in Victoria. But he's stepped outside his comfort zone in many ways. He's a leader in the industry, with a place on the National Farmers Federation Young Farmers' Council – a role that's taken him to the other s...

Mum, wife and bull catcher are roles you don't often see on the same resume. But my guest today does all three in the Northern Territory. Liz Cook is an outback ringer, which means she wrangles feral cattle for a living. Bull catching can be a lucrative business with hundreds of thousands of wild bulls and buffalo wandering remote properties across the country unclaimed. It is tough, it's dangerou...

If you're a dog lover, you'd be no stranger to the impressive intelligence, agility and loyalty of working dogs. But these special animals gained a whole new fan club with the hit TV series Muster Dogs. Today I speak with the owner of star pup Gossip. There is a lot to breeding these amazing canines that are so highly sought after on farms that some are worth a small fortune. Happily, for those of...

The humble orange finds its way into most fruit bowls at some stage during the year. We know it's a powerhouse for immune boosting Vitamin C. But there's so much more to citrus than many of us know. What better way to find out than with a farmer who grows 14 different varieties. And for a fruit that is usually purchased for its flesh, not its skin, why then is preventing blemishes such a big inves...

** Trigger Warning**  In this episode, we do talk about suicide, which can be distressing. If you need resources or support go to beyondblue.org or for 24 hour free counselling in Australia, the number for Lifeline is 13 11 14. Leila McDougall wears many hats – not just an Akubra. As well as being a farmer, she's a mother, a teacher, a writer, producer, actor and former Miss Australia. Most recent...

The humble cabbage may not often receive the kudos it deserves. But for one couple who swapped the hustle and bustle of Sydney for the pristine pastures of Tasmania, these cruciferous vegetables are a hero ingredient. Tom and Sue Glynn might be new to farming but the art of turning cabbage into kimchi is something that's been passed down for generations. Now, they're giving customers the chance to...

Not all farm animals are soft like woolly sheep or docile like grazing cows. Some in fact, would eat you, if given the chance. Crocodile farming is not for the faint-hearted and today we're catching up with the family who established Queensland's first commercial crocodile farm in 1981. Croc leather, meat and tours are growing in popularity. But this niche enterprise certainly has its challenges f...

Where do all those marked, undersized, scratched and cracked pieces of fruit and vegetables end up? Most shops and consumers won't even look at them. But my guest today is turning second-grade produce into top-notch snacks, meals and garnishes. It's amazing how with a dehydrator, aesthetics suddenly aren't all that important. The magic of turning fresh rejects to prized dried all happens in a fact...

You could describe my guest today as a country girl trapped in the city. Growing up in Adelaide, there was always a country calling for Meridie Jackson. But it certainly hasn't come easy. She's had to take the long road to get there – from a corporate career, to the job of being a mum. Only in the last few years has her dream come true. She's officially a farmer, producing beef in Central Victoria...

We're living in a market where so-called disruptive foods have flooded supermarket shelves in recent years. Think plant-based meats, insect protein bars, synthetic fat replacers and precision fermented milk proteins. A new report by agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank suggests the hype might be over. So, where to next with food innovation? It's a fascinating topic and to learn more Rabobank's...

In sugar-cane and banana country, a Queensland farmer is striving to connect with customers through cutting edge technology that tracks every bunch of bananas from the farm to the fruit bowl. Carbon neutral bananas and protecting the Great Barrier Reef from run-off are also in his sights. A task that has now received a huge boost with a $445 000 grant through the Coles Nurture Fund. The family-run...

As the days become warmer, our taste buds often get cooler. Ice cream conjures memories of Aussie summers, days at the beach and childhood. South Australian kids have been growing up with one particular brand for 100 years. Golden North started as a true family business and has grown to keep up with demand. It's won the Canstar Blue Award for Australia's Favourite Ice Cream Tub for six years and i...

My guest today calls a million-acre cattle station in remote South Australia home. While her day-to-day life is incredibly remote, she's also one of the most connected people you could find in the industry. A true 'agvocate', Gillian Fennell is on a mission to promote agriculture. She takes on the tough issues and does so publicly, dispelling misconceptions on social media. To learn more about wha...

Four daughters and one dream. On the farm, that means a very full house, lots of teamwork but also tough discussions when it comes to the future. We are so lucky to have Karen Penfold and her eldest daughter Bonnie with us today for a live episode recording at the National Farmers Federation 2023 National Conference in Canberra. This mum and daughter have travelled all the way from Western Queensl...

Seventeen years old, living on the family farm in western Victoria with her life ahead of her. It all sounds pretty idyllic for Holly Draffin, until she was struck down with Lyme Disease in April last year. Forced to take time off school, she filled in the time showing off her family's historic property to the wider community through her Instagram account Emu Hill Ag. She describes the immense res...

Living and working in a rural area is a rich and rewarding experience in so many ways. But it can also be isolating. When my guest today moved to Byaduk in Victoria's Southern Grampians, finding her people was difficult. However, she went on to do more than simply make personal connections by founding the Australian brand of "Rural Women's Day" which is celebrated during the month of October. Her...

Life sounds pretty sweet in WA's pristine Kimberley when you're producing beautiful raw bush honey. Given the region has no industry or other pollutants, the bees thrive among the Saltwater Paperbarks, Grevilleas and Melaleuca. This Indigenous owned family business has just been awarded a grant as part of the Coles Nurture Fund. And they have some exciting ideas about how to spend it. To learn mor...

Eating our greens is often hailed as the key to good health but my guest's influence goes well beyond her own dinner plate, or any one farm. She's doing her part to spread that message by making vegetables the star of their own tv show and a popular choice in schools by teaching the next generation about these superfoods. Under her vision, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, lettuce, celery and spri...

'Deep mulch' and 'compost teas' may not be in our every day vernacular but at one commercial scale market garden in southern NSW, they are commonly used terms. Maple Tree Farm is all about healthy soil and nutrient rich vegetables. You won't find a tractor in sight - everything is harvested by hand. The founder of the business is passionate about localised food systems and the land share movement...