Beyond the Farm Gate artwork

Beyond the Farm Gate

61 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago -

Beyond the Farm Gate is a show where we shine a light on great Australian stories in agriculture. On the show, you'll hear from farmers who've survived challenges like fire, flood, and drought; farmers who run innovative and unique agribusinesses; and farmers who are balancing work and family in rural Australia. You'll be inspired hearing their stories, and pick up some insights along the way. Produced by Rural Bank.

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Episodes

Fruitful endeavours: Nurturing Australia’s organic future

March 25, 2024 13:01 - 22 minutes - 20.4 MB

Nathan Free is the President of the Victorian Farmers Federation Horticulture Council and co-manages a leading organic produce and stone fruit farm with his family in Lake Boga, in Northwest Victoria. His journey from a humble roadside stall to a Nuffield Scholar and a key figure in the VFF is nothing short of remarkable. In this episode, Nathan delves into his agricultural journey, his dedication to sustainable organic farming practices, and his advocacy for the industry he holds dear. He ...

The importance of taking chances and moving forward

March 11, 2024 13:01 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MB

This episode is part two of our two-part chat with Hugh Dawson. In the last episode, we heard how Hugh ended up as the Head Stockman for one of the Northern Territory’s largest cattle stations and the industry groups and not-for-profit organisations he got involved with while he was there. In this episode, Hugh tells the story of how he decided to leave the NT to study at Marcus Oldham College, his experiences with Brokenwood Wines after graduation, and his vision for the future of agricult...

Dusty boots to degrees: A stockman’s trek into leadership, education, and agribusiness

February 26, 2024 13:01 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MB

Hugh Dawson is a young agriculturalist whose love of the industry has taken him all over Australia. Hugh grew up on his family’s farm in South Australia, but after high school, he found himself as the Head Stockman on a 2.6 million acre station in the Northern Territory. In this episode, Hugh shares his journey to the Northern Territory, the lessons he learnt as a leader, and why he’s so passionate about groups like the Young Livestock Exporters Network. He also opens up about his involveme...

Necessity is the mother of invention: How innovation in agritech is improving production outcomes

February 12, 2024 13:01 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MB

Pip Grant is the CEO of Riverine Plains Inc. Riverine Plains Inc. specialises in farmer-driven research and extension to benefit broadacre farmers in Victoria and New South Wales. Throughout her career, Pip has been on the cutting edge of agritech innovation and has committed her life to programs and technology to improve outcomes for farmers and rural communities. In this episode, Pip digs into Australian agritech, where the industry is currently and where it can go in the future, and how ...

From cotton chipper to Federal Member: David Littleproud’s journey to politics

January 29, 2024 13:01 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MB

The Hon David Littleproud MP is the Leader of The National Party, Member for Maranoa, and Federal Shadow Minister for Agriculture. David has represented Queensland’s Maranoa region since 2016 and held many positions in the Federal Parliament. However, his connection to ag started much earlier than that: growing up on the family farm near Chinchilla. In this episode, David opens up about his approach to leadership and standing his ground during negotiations. He also takes us back to his chil...

The importance of farmer-led research organisations for Australian agriculture

January 15, 2024 13:01 - 25 minutes - 23.8 MB

Fiona Best is the CEO of Birchip Cropping Group. Birchip Cropping Group, or BCG, is a Victorian not-for-profit agricultural research group run by and for farmers and is dedicated to increasing prosperity for all farmers through scientific research and innovative strategies. In this episode, Fiona shares how her growing up on a farm influenced her career choices, how her journey to the boardroom included a long detour into the classroom educating the next generation of farmers, and the many ...

Perseverance, passion, and people: The importance of encouraging young people in ag

January 01, 2024 13:01 - 22 minutes - 21 MB

Florance McGufficke is the Elders NSW Livestock and Stud Stock Sales Support Officer in Dubbo. In 2023, Florance was recognised as an ambassador for women in rural NSW when she was named the Land Sydney Royal AgShows NSW Young Woman of the Year which was previously known as Sydney Royal Showgirl. In this episode, Florance speaks about the opportunities life in agriculture has given her and shares her advice for other young people who are unsure about their next step. She also opens up about...

The future of ag is digital: How research from the CSIRO benefits farmers

December 18, 2023 13:01 - 32 minutes - 29.3 MB

Michael Robertson is the Director of CSIRO Agriculture and Food. The CSIRO is an iconic Australian scientific organisation that has had agricultural research as a cornerstone of its work for almost a century. In this episode, Michael will break down the tangible effects that past agricultural research has had on Australian farmers as well as the research the CSIRO is currently undertaking. He’ll also share how digital agriculture can help to improve yields and may also lead to a reduction i...

How devastating bushfires led to a thriving online business for Aussie farmers

December 04, 2023 13:01 - 15 minutes - 14.2 MB

Bianca Tarrant is the CEO of Our Cow. Following extreme bushfires in 2019, Bianca and her partner Dave created Our Cow which is an online subscription service providing Australian meat directly from the farmer to the customer. In this episode, Bianca will open up about the issues that she and many other Australian farmers struggle with, the genesis of Our Cow, and where she hopes the business goes in the future. Bianca will also describe how social media played a part in creating a multimil...

The power of resilience and embracing life in agriculture

November 16, 2023 13:03 - 28 minutes - 25.9 MB

Jack Jordan-Hill is a Product Specialist for CLAAS LEXION harvesters in Australia. Jack has travelled the world because of ag, from delivering product presentations in Europe to harvesting grain in the United States. But his love of ag started at home, in Victoria, as a child on his family farm. In this episode, Jack shares the opportunities afforded to him by a career in agriculture and why he loves it. He also opens up about a devastating and life-changing loss, and how it has shaped him ...

Creepy crawlies or handy helpers: How microorganisms affect soil health

November 16, 2023 13:02 - 29 minutes - 27.4 MB

Dr Anthony Young is a Senior Lecturer in Crop Protection at the University of Queensland. For over 20 years, Anthony has been researching how to detect and prevent diseases affecting agriculture. He is also passionate about creating beneficial microbial communities for improved soil health and better agricultural outcomes for farmers. In this episode, Anthony explains how current ag research is benefiting farmers, how remote sensing is being used to combat pests and diseases in the field, a...

From the refinery to the field: What ag can learn from chemical engineering

November 16, 2023 13:01 - 27 minutes - 24.9 MB

Tim Rethus is a farmer in Horsham, Victoria. Before pursuing his passion for ag as a dryland broadacre cropping farmer, Tim was a chemical engineer. Today, he uses the lessons he learned in chemical engineering on his farm to innovate and push the envelope. In this episode, Tim shares his early connection to ag before heading off to university and pursuing a career as a chemical engineer. He’ll elaborate on how he found his way back to agriculture, how working for a multinational fuel compa...

Introducing 'Unpacking Ag'

September 18, 2023 14:01 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MB

It's been a while, and Annie is back with some exciting announcements from the world of Rural Bank podcasts. Firstly, 'Beyond the Farm Gate' is making a comeback! So keep an eye out for some fresh new episodes coming soon. Annie will be passing along the torch to some new voices who'll be continuing to shine a light on great ag stories from across the country. Plus, we've just launched a brand new show from the Rural Bank Insights Team called 'Unpacking Ag'! It's all about providing the in...

The stories of agriculture you need to hear [BEST OF SERIES]

December 19, 2022 13:01 - 37 minutes - 34.2 MB

Original publish date: Tue 09 Nov 2021. Oli Le Lievre is the Founder of Humans of Agriculture, a modern media company that aims to strengthen the connection between the food and fibre system, as well as the broader community, by making agriculture more relatable. In this episode, Oli shares his journey, from growing up in Sydney, to jackarooing, before completing his studies at Marcus Oldham College. He shares his interest in the future of rural and regional Australia, and how Humans of Ag...

The third-generation farmer creating education and opportunities in horticulture [BEST OF SERIES]

November 14, 2022 13:01 - 24 minutes - 22.2 MB

Original publish date: Tue 10 May 2022. Catherine Velisha is a third-generation farmer with a passion for business and creating opportunities. Her first-hand experience on the farm shapes her newest venture, the Velisha Education Group (VEG), as she works to promote pathways into horticulture, and safety on the farm. In this episode, Catherine shares the story of how her family started in horticulture, and how the farm ended up in her capable hands. Plus, an insight into the entrepreneuria...

How to own a farm when you have no capital [BEST OF SERIES]

October 17, 2022 13:01 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MB

Original publish date: Tue 12 Oct 2021. Growing up on a farm, Andi White has always had agriculture in her blood. And while Andi and her husband Hayden have been living and working on the same farm in NSW’s Tocumwal for the past 16 years, they’ve always dreamed of owning their own farm. That opportunity came in 2020 when the property they’d been managing for the past 10 years went up for sale — and Andi and Hayden knew they had to hustle. While they had built up a solid deposit through sha...

Challenging Australia's drinking culture [BEST OF SERIES]

September 19, 2022 14:01 - 50 minutes - 46.5 MB

Original publish date: Tue 06 Jul 2021. Shanna Whan is the CEO of Sober in the Country, a national advocacy program for social change in the bush. In this episode, Shanna shares her (very) personal journey, from growing up in her local rural scene to her battle with alcohol — which led her to start 'Sober in the Country'. She’s determined to spread the message that ‘It’s ok to say no to a beer’ throughout Australia’s rural communities. Shanna has worked as a rural journalist, a jillaroo, ...

The entrepreneur with a focus on improving profitability in the livestock industry [BEST OF SERIES]

August 15, 2022 14:01 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MB

Original publish date: Tue 16 Mar 2021. James Walker is a fifth-generation farmer from Longreach in Queensland. In between farming James is an accomplished entrepreneur with a focus on improving profitability in the livestock industry. In this episode, you'll hear how innovation has future-proofed James' family farm, how he's diversified his income stream through AgriTourism and AgTech, and how he's creating farming efficiencies that are bringing positive change to the Northern cattle indu...

Why saying "Yes" took Tom on the ultimate ag-adventure [REBROADCAST]

July 18, 2022 14:01 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MB

Original publish date: Tue 16 Feb 2021. Agriculture, why wouldn't you want to be a part of it? So says today's guest, Tom Murphy of Kulin in Western Australia. As you listen to Tom speak, it’s easy to tell that he truly loves farming. And his passion for farming runs deep. It's a passion that's led him on a journey across the Nullarbor and back, working for some of the biggest names in Australian agriculture. In this episode, you'll hear Tom speak about his unwavering commitment to communi...

Don't judge a book by it's cover: The therapy donkeys helping a rural community

July 04, 2022 14:01 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MB

Kate Nicolson runs Croftdown, a property in Bathurst, where she runs miniature donkeys, highland cows, and Angus beef cattle; with a particular passion for her donkeys. Kate grew up in a traditional farming background, surrounded by sheep, horses, and cattle, which she left to pursue a career in bushfire science, before ultimately being pulled back to rural life. In today's episode, Kate details her passion for donkeys and other unusual animals, and how she's found a way of supporting her l...

The benefits of paddock-to-plate food systems

June 20, 2022 14:01 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MB

Dr Rachel Carey is a Researcher and Lecturer at the University of Melbourne, with expertise in all things food systems. Whilst working as a cook on a remote cattle station in Queensland, UK-local Rachel realised how good the food culture was, and how it was tied directly to how much food was grown near the city. As a result, she's since conducted research on the governance of sustainable food systems, and now leads the Foodprint Melbourne Project, which aims to improve the resilience of Melb...

The Wimmera legend mentoring the next generation of ag graduates

June 06, 2022 14:01 - 28 minutes - 26 MB

Greg Kuchel is the Regional Manager of Agribusiness with Rural Bank for both the Wimmera and Mallee regions. Greg also sits on the board of the Birchip Cropping Group — a key industry body for growers in the region. Despite growing up in South Australia, Greg has become well and truly entrenched in Victoria's Wimmera farming community, and he's passionate about not only farming but also supporting young talent emerging in the industry.  In today's episode, Greg shares his connection to agri...

The fifth-generation farmer advocating for drought and water management

May 23, 2022 14:01 - 32 minutes - 30.3 MB

Kate McBride is a fifth-generation farmer from New South Wales and the youngest member to sit on the Western Local Land Services board. Kate uses her agriculture experience to advocate for drought and water management and the importance of understanding the role that climate change plays in these areas. Her advocacy work has led her to become an Anne Kantor Fellow at the Australia Institute, where she can research the connections between water, the climate, and other rural issues. In today'...

The third-generation farmer creating education and opportunities in horticulture

May 09, 2022 14:01 - 23 minutes - 21.9 MB

Catherine Velisha is a third-generation farmer with a passion for business and creating opportunities. Her first-hand experience on the farm shapes her newest venture, the Velisha Education Group (VEG), as she works to promote pathways into horticulture, and safety on the farm. In this episode, Catherine shares the story of how her family started in horticulture, and how the farm ended up in her capable hands. Plus, an insight into the entrepreneurial side of the vegetable industry, and how...

Challenging the stereotypes of women on-farm

April 25, 2022 14:01 - 35 minutes - 32.8 MB

Kirsten Diprose is a communications specialist and content creator. Along with her husband and two boys, Kirsten lives on a mixed grazing and cropping farm in southwest Victoria, where their latest adventure is incorporating dairy into their farming business. In this episode, Kirsten shares how her experience in farming, combined with her expertise in broadcasting, resulted in co-founding the Ducks on the Pond podcast alongside Jackie Elliot. She also shares how her passion for telling the ...

The reality TV star using his platform to promote Australia's fantastic regional centres [REBROADCAST]

April 11, 2022 14:01 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MB

Original publish date: 30 Mar 2021. Neil Seaman is a fifth-generation wool grower on his family's 2,000-acre property, Rosemont, located near Crookwell in NSW. Alongside his father, Neil runs 4,000 Merino ewes, producing fine micron wool. In this episode, you'll hear how proud and optimistic Neil is about the future of Australia's wool industry, why he believes rural Australia is the place to live, and how his time on the reality TV show, Farmer Wants a Wife, has given him a platform to he...

There's an app for that: Digitising your farm management

March 28, 2022 13:01 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MB

Jock Lawrence is an entrepreneur and founder of Mobble (or Chief Mobbler!), a digital app that allows farmers to track and manage their livestock. Mobble is a simple, easy to use platform that enables farmers to take charge of their own farm management. In this episode, Jock’s shares how he was inspired to come up with Mobble upon returning to the family farm. He also takes us through his personal farming journey so far, and walks through his mission: to make farmers' lives easier through t...

The University Professor fighting for the future of agriculture

March 14, 2022 13:01 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MB

Jim Pratley is a Professor of Agriculture at Charles Sturt University (previously Wagga Wagga Ag College) and has been for almost 50 years. Over that time, he taught courses in agronomy and related areas and has published widely on the topics of conservation farming, weed management, herbicide resistance and allelopathy. He was also the Foundation Dean of Science and Agriculture at CSU from 1990 until 2006. Jim is also an advocate for the industry and uses his knowledge and experience to dr...

George the Farmer: Connecting kids to the land

February 28, 2022 13:01 - 38 minutes - 34.8 MB

Simone Kain is co-owner of creative agency Hello Friday and co-founder and author of the award-winning educational brand, George the Farmer. Simone and her husband Justin are also raising three young boys on their family property near Penola, South Australia, which specialises in beef-cattle trading and sheep for meat and wool. In this episode, Simone shares the story of how George the Farmer began in 2012 when Simone was trawling the internet looking for farming books and apps for her farm...

Helping Aussie farmers make data-driven decisions

February 14, 2022 13:01 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MB

Claudia Kirby is an Agricultural Analyst with ProFarmer, where she works with various data sources to help farmers make decisions and inform the industry about the latest trends. In this episode, Claudia shares how she grew up in the grain industry and how it has taken her from the Western Australian Wheatbelt to Kansas in the US, over to Victoria and across the ditch to New Zealand. She also discusses how these experiences not only exposed her to different crops, such as soybeans and corn,...

Why you need to start paying attention to the dairy industry

January 31, 2022 13:01 - 19 minutes - 17.8 MB

John Droppert is what you might call a dairy junkie. Having grown up on his parent's dairy farm in Victoria, working weekends and school holidays, he was encouraged to leave the industry and not come back… Yet he’s now the Industry Insights and Analysis Manager at Dairy Australia. In this episode, John shares how his interest in both social media and content has turned him into both the producer of Dairy Australia’s podcast as well as one of the most prolific Twitter users in the industry. ...

Why you need to know your numbers to run a profitable farm

December 06, 2021 13:01 - 40 minutes - 37.6 MB

David and Natalie Egerton-Warburton are the husband and wife team behind Agrimaster, a company that specialises in delivering financial, compliance and growth solutions to farm businesses via software, training and consultative support. Natalie has an extensive background in banking and finance, with an amazing gift for numbers and an entrepreneurial spirit. She heads up the finance, HR and operations side of Agrimaster. David combines his experience in the ag industry, along with a keen in...

Choose your own 'Agventure'

November 18, 2021 13:01 - 42 minutes - 38.6 MB

Alexandra Gartmann is the CEO of Rural Bank, and the Executive of Partnerships, Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group. She is also Chair of the Victorian Agriculture and Climate Change Council and Director of the Australian Farm Institute. In this episode, we're celebrating this year’s #AgDayAU. We asked Alex to share what inspired her to embark on an agventure, the journey it’s taken her on, and what she’s learned along the way. We also chat about the importanc...

The stories of agriculture you need to hear

November 08, 2021 13:01 - 36 minutes - 33.9 MB

Oli Le Lievre is the Founder of Humans of Agriculture, a modern media company that aims to strengthen the connection between the food and fibre system, as well as the broader community, by making agriculture more relatable. In this episode, Oli shares his journey, from growing up in Sydney, to jackarooing, before completing his studies at Marcus Oldham College. He shares his interest in the future of rural and regional Australia, and how Humans of Agriculture is on a mission to share 10,000...

Aligning profitability with sustainability on your farm

October 25, 2021 13:01 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MB

Jack Cresswell is the creator and host of Farms Advice podcast, a show which aims to share farming best-practice, innovation in agriculture, and create transparency within the industry. With each episode, Jack asks “How can this conversation improve farm outlook?” by interviewing industry leaders and leading farmers. Jack’s passion for agriculture is in his blood. He grew up on the multi-generational family property in Wilcannia. After completing his Bachelor of Agribusiness (majoring in Ma...

How to own a farm when you have no capital

October 11, 2021 13:01 - 28 minutes - 26 MB

Growing up on a farm, Andi White has always had agriculture in her blood. And while Andi and her husband Hayden have been living and working on the same farm in NSW’s Tocumwal for the past 16 years, they’ve always dreamed of owning their own farm. That opportunity came in 2020 when the property they’d been managing for the past 10 years went up for sale — and Andi and Hayden knew they had to hustle. While they had built up a solid deposit through share farming and purchasing weiner calves t...

What boots can learn from suits (and vice versa)

September 27, 2021 14:01 - 26 minutes - 24 MB

Dr Kate Burke founded Think Agri after identifying a need for corporate and institutional investors to have access to astute experience-based advice when considering key agri-investment decisions. In this episode, Kate shares how her family has been farming in Elmore, Victoria, since the 1860s, and how this background (combined with her 26 years of experience) ensures that she knows the critical questions to ask about any agricultural investment. Asking the right questions is a key part of ...

Why farm dogs are so much more than working companions [REBROADCAST]

September 13, 2021 14:01 - 27 minutes - 25 MB

Original publish date: 27 Apr 2021. Kelly Barnes is the Founder of Mates Dog School and the Co-president of the newly revived Dunkeld CWA — both in Dunkeld, Victoria. Kelly originally studied agriculture before a chronic pain condition forced her to give up farmwork. In this episode, Kelly shares how her experience inspired her to come up with Mates Dog School — a place where farmers, together with their dogs, learn low-stress stock handling, enhance the dog-owner bond, and build resilienc...

Bringing the Silicon Valley mindset to Australian agriculture [REBROADCAST]

August 30, 2021 14:01 - 28 minutes - 26.6 MB

Original publish date: 19 Jan 2021. Sarah Nolet grew up in Silicon Valley, California, in the home of tech companies and the world of entrepreneurship. Although her dad had a hobby farm, the agriculture industry was not something she ever imagined working in. But after living and working on farms in South Africa for a year, she fell into the agriculture rabbit hole. Now in Australia, Sarah has combined her technology background with her love for ag by creating AgThentic, a food and agricu...

Dealing with the 3 Ds — death, divorce and drought [REBROADCAST]

August 16, 2021 14:01 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MB

Original publish date: 13 Apr 2021. Warren Davies, aka ‘The Unbreakable Farmer’, is a keynote speaker covering topics such as mental health and resilience. Warren worked on his family’s farm for six years upon leaving school, developing a love for the dairy industry. In this episode, Warren shares his story as well as how he was forced to adapt and build resilience through a series of challenging events. He also talks about how he’s used this experience as a way to connect and help communi...

Why these farmers are all getting naked [REBROADCAST]

August 02, 2021 14:01 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MB

Original publish date: 22 Dec 2020. Social media can sometimes be seen as the creator of social problems, especially when it comes to mental health. But farmer Ben Brooksby decided to use it in a positive … yet unconventional way. As a result of a cheeky photoshoot with a friend, he started The Naked Farmer — an Instagram page that has over 100,000 followers. Ben believes using social media positively can change your mental health. And in this episode, he talks about the growing impact tha...

Why you should thank a farmer for your next meal

July 19, 2021 14:01 - 28 minutes - 25.7 MB

Sam Johnston, like most rural kids, was shipped off to a Sydney boarding school which is where he first became aware of the disconnect between the product and consumer. In this episode, Sam shares how these experiences inspired him and his mate to start #thankafarmerforyournextmeal, a social media campaign-turned-movement with the goal to showcase the Australian ag industry while educating folks on where their food comes from.   Resources and links: Thank A Farmer For Your Next Meal   ...

Challenging Australia's drinking culture

July 05, 2021 14:01 - 50 minutes - 46.2 MB

Shanna Whan is the CEO of Sober in the Country, a national advocacy program for social change in the bush. In this episode, Shanna shares her (very) personal journey, from growing up in her local rural scene to her battle with alcohol — which led her to start 'Sober in the Country'. She’s determined to spread the message that ‘It’s ok to say no to a beer’ throughout Australia’s rural communities. Shanna has worked as a rural journalist, a jillaroo, and a photographer, which gives her a uni...

Why agriculture holds such diverse and exciting career opportunities

June 21, 2021 14:01 - 27 minutes - 25.6 MB

Amelia (Milly) Nolan is the Event Coordinator for The Livestock Collective, an organisation with a vision to increase connection to, and understanding of, agriculture in the wider community. While that’s her official role, her knowledge and passion sit firmly within agriculture. In this episode, Milly shares her first-hand connection to agriculture, why she believes advocacy is so important, and her experience of flourishing in what is often seen as a male-dominated industry.   Connect: ...

When the hustle pays off

June 07, 2021 14:01 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MB

Morgan Dahl is a hardworking, fifth-generation farmer from Queensland (amongst several other occupations!). When Morgan was younger, he embraced his entrepreneurial side intending to save enough money to buy his first farm. He now has a holding of 2,200 acres and continues to work off-farm while still helping on the family beef cattle farm in Miriam Vale. From running an importing business to working as a qualified electrical technician, Morgan knows how to hustle and put a plan into action...

Gaining ground with regenerative agriculture

May 24, 2021 14:01 - 29 minutes - 26.7 MB

Rachael Treasure is a regenerative agriculturalist at Ripple Farms Partners, as well as a best-selling author. Her first novel — Jillaroo — forged a new genre, kick-starting a boom in rural women’s fiction. In this episode, Rachael shares her journey from agriculture, through journalism, and back to agriculture. She also shares her personal experience of the gender divide in the industry. And we also discuss how, together with her fiance Daniel, she’s regenerating a run-down farm, paying ca...

The exciting future of farm connectivity

May 10, 2021 14:01 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MB

Tom Andrews is the Co-founder and CEO of Connected Farms, a business formed to specifically provide connectivity solutions to the agriculture sector. In this episode, Tom shares his journey from growing up in a small Scottish farming village to falling in love with rural Australia. We also discuss Connected Farms' vision to improve 'over paddock connectivity' and some exciting developments in the future of rural connectivity.   Connect: Rural Bank website Rural Bank on Facebook Rural B...

Why farm dogs are so much more than working companions

April 26, 2021 14:01 - 27 minutes - 25 MB

Kelly Barnes is the Founder of Mates Dog School and the Co-president of the newly revived Dunkeld CWA — both in Dunkeld, Victoria. Kelly originally studied agriculture before a chronic pain condition forced her to give up farmwork. In this episode, Kelly shares how her experience inspired her to come up with Mates Dog School — a place where farmers, together with their dogs, learn low-stress stock handling, enhance the dog-owner bond, and build resilience through social connection and peer ...

Dealing with the 3 Ds — death, divorce and drought

April 12, 2021 14:01 - 27 minutes - 25.3 MB

Warren Davies, aka ‘The Unbreakable Farmer’, is a keynote speaker covering topics such as mental health and resilience. Warren worked on his family’s farm for six years upon leaving school, developing a love for the dairy industry. In this episode, Warren shares his story as well as how he was forced to adapt and build resilience through a series of challenging events. He also talks about how he’s used this experience as a way to connect and help communities devastated by fire, flood and dr...

The reality TV star using his platform to promote Australia's fantastic regional centres

March 29, 2021 13:01 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MB

Neil Seaman is a fifth-generation wool grower on his family's 2,000-acre property, Rosemont, located near Crookwell in NSW. Alongside his father, Neil runs 4,000 Merino ewes, producing fine micron wool. In this episode, you'll hear how proud and optimistic Neil is about the future of Australia's wool industry, why he believes rural Australia is the place to live, and how his time on the reality TV show, Farmer Wants a Wife, has given him a platform to help close the gap between city and cou...

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@ruralbank 58 Episodes