Rick Farley Lecture Series 2006

From the Natural Resources Advisory Council website, http://www.nrac.nsw.gov.au/

"Respect and care for the land and waters we share" is the theme for the 2006 Rick Farley Lectures that will explore our relationship with landscape and natural resources and provide an opportunity to share knowledge and explore ways to work together to respect and care for our land and waters.

The lecture series is sponsored by the Natural Resources Advisory Council with the support of the NSW Government and has been named in honour of Rick Farley. Rick Farley’s work sustained inclusive conversations between farmers, miners and Aboriginal people about things that really matter, and opened new pathways to understanding and caring for country.

The 2006 Rick Farley Lectures will be held in Sydney (13 Oct.), Armidale (20 Oct.), Coffs Harbour (27 Oct.), Bathurst (31 Oct.), Wagga Wagga (2 Nov.) and Newcastle (9 Nov.). Prominent speakers will share their own experience of landscape and nature and will lead discussion of the role the whole community can play in valuing and caring for natural resources.

The lectures will be held in the early evening: 6pm for 6.30pm ending about 8.00pm. The lectures are free and open to all, but tickets are required for entry to the venues.

For full details of dates, venues, speakers and topics go to: http://www.nrac.nsw.gov.au/farley/schedule.html

"Water Divining" teleconference 28th August 2006

Bruce Ward from Farm Business Gym Pty Ltd is hosting a dial-in teleconference titled:

'The Art of Water Divining;

What it is, what it is not and how to do it for yourself - the pitfalls and the pleasures'

on Monday, 28 August 2006.

The presenter is Dr. Pauline Roberts of Bundella, NSW. Pauline water divines professionally, works with earth energies and helps people regain their health. Her time is spent working with clients, experimenting, researching, teaching and writing on the subject and applications of dowsing. Pauline can be contacted via the website www.divstrat.com.

To participe:

1. REGISTER by completing the brief template at http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/pauline-roberts.html

2.(You will ) RECEIVE A REGISTRATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT EMAIL advising the telephone number as well as a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to use when you make the call.

3. CALL INTO THE TELECONFERENCE at 12:00noon EST (2:00pm NZ or 10:00am WA) by dialing the phone number contained in the Registration Acknowledgement email (mentioned in Step 2 above). As part of this process you will be asked to input your PIN followed by the # key. NB: The teleconference will be starting precisely at the stated time.

Duration: The teleconference will run for no longer than 90 minutes.

Cost: There will be no charge for participating in the teleconference. You will, however, be paying for the cost of your own call into the teleconference, which is being hosted (from a technology perspective) out of the USA.

More Information: For more information go to http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/teleconferences.html

“Middle of the Drought” Teleconference - 31 July 2006

Bruce Ward from The Farm Business Gym Pty Ltd is hosting a dial-in teleconference titled 'Now That It's Rained - What next?' on Monday, July 31, 2006.
The intent of the teleconference is to enable idea sharing around drought management strategy questions such as:
* Where to now?
* What strategies are others taking?
* Are we alone?
* Who can help us make great decisions?

Panel Members
The following farmers have kindly agreed to form a panel for the discussion:
David Marsh, Boorowa, NSW
Rob and Tasma Harper, Dandaragan, WA
Rupert Richardson and Megan Christie, Mundijong, WA
Jim and Pam McGregor, Kojonup, WA
Trevor and Jacqui Bunce, Darkan, WA
Peter and Wendy Bradshaw, Tambellup, WA

Participants
The teleconference is open to Australian based farm owners and managers.

The basic steps in participating
1. REGISTER by completing the brief template at http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/drought.html.
You’ll notice when you do this that you will be asked for your business telephone number. I suggest that you provide the telephone number that you will be calling from.
2. (You will ) RECEIVE A REGISTRATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT EMAIL advising the telephone number (2 different prefixes) that can be used to call into the teleconference as well as a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to use when you make the call.
These emails generally come through within a few minutes of submitting the form. They also contain some helpful hints; such as the suggestion that you only make calls from landlines.
3. CALL INTO THE TELECONFERENCE at 8.00 PM for those in Qld, NSW or Vic. (7.30 PM in SA/NT or 6.00 PM in WA) by dialing the phone number contained in the Registration Acknowledgement email (mentioned in Step 2 above). As part of this process you will be asked to input your PIN followed by the # key. NB: The teleconference will be starting precisely at the stated time.

Duration
The teleconference will run for no longer than 90 minutes.

Cost
There will be no charge for participating in the teleconference. You will, however, be paying for the cost of your own call into the teleconference, which is being hosted (from a technology perspective) out of the USA. Bruce suggests that callers use the 0018 (Telstra Half hour) prefix but you can use the 0011 prefix if you prefer to access the USA number. Telstra’s web site shows that by using the 0018 prefix a call of up to one hour duration will cost $5.25 in total ($5.25 for the first half hour, with the second free). If using this prefix and the call exceeds one hour you will be paying $5.25 for each additional half hour in excess of the first one hour. Telstra’s current international call offers can be found at http://www.telstra.com.au/phones/homeservices/international_offers.htm.

Copies of the discussion
Bruce will make available copies of the discussion at a cost of $10 to those who either cannot call in or will be participating and want a copy for future reference.

More Information
For more information go to http://www.the-farm-business-gym.com/drought.html

Dr Arden Andersen seminar Spring Ridge 25/08/2006

Dr Arden Andersen will be the key presenter at the Advanced Nutrients 2006 Winter Conference, the details of which are:
DATE: Friday 25 August 2006
AGENDA: 8.30 – 9.00 Check in.
9.00 Welcome & Introduction - Advanced Nutrients
9.10 Dr Andersen – Fundamentals of Biological / Sustainable Farming
10.30 Morning Tea
10.45 Dr Andersen – Fundamentals of Biological / Sustainable Farming (Cont’d)
12.15 Lunch
12.45 Cam McKellar – A Growers Experience with Biological Farming
1.00 Dr Andersen - What is Biological Farming?
2.00 Dr Andersen - Soil and Agronomy for Biological / Sustainable Farming. This session includes a field stop where various plant and soil health instruments will be demonstrated.
4.30 Dr Andersen – Summary followed by a panel discussion involving Dr Andersen, Cam McKellar, and Advanced Nutrients CEO Craig Salmon.
5.30 Close & refreshments.
ABOUT DR ARDEN ANDERSEN: He is a practicing physician, worldwide agricultural consultant and outstanding speaker who understands the link between soil health, crop quality / yield and human health, and has the website http://www.ardenandersen.com/
LOCATION: Cam McKellar’s property “Inverary Downs”, Spring Ridge NSW
DIRECTIONS: If heading out from Quirindi, take the Kamilaroi Highway west to Caroona and then on to Spring Ridge. Approximately 1 km west of Spring Ridge turn left (sign says “Yarraman 29”). Travel exactly 9 km and turn left onto the gravel signposted Greys Road. Follow for exactly 1 km and turn right at “Inverary Downs” sign and follow road to the house and sheds.
COST: Individual $135. Couple $180. Additional individual $110.
TO REGISTER: Click on http://www.advancednutrients.com.au/default.asp?PageID=9 and select “2006 Seminar Registration Form” and go from there
MORE INFORMATION: Call either Craig Salmon (Tel. 1800 244 009) or James Miller (Mob. 0427 938 038).
SPONSOR: Advanced Nutrients Pty Limited, Newell Highway South (PO Box 116), Moree NSW 2400. Tel. 1800 244 009. Fax. 02 67525899 Web: http://www.advancednutrients.com.au/ Email: advancednutrients@bigpond.com.au
THANKS TO: Nutrition Consultant, Julian White based at Gunnedah for letting me know about the event. Julian’s contact details are Ph. 0267 425833 Fax 0267 425803 Mob 0417138015 and email julianrwhite@yahoo.com.au

WA based Aussie gets the job in NZ

Further to my post of 24th June I'm delighted to report, courtesy of Bruce Ward, that a young bloke from WA has been offered and has accepted the job helping the Harrisons through the winter. He was about to go to NZ for a few months working holiday. One of Bruce Ward's clients at Meekatharra recognised the opportunity and set it all up.
One important discovery for me out of this exercise was the existance of an organisiation called Farm Sitters Australia. Phillip Kelly from that organisation got in touch with me as a result of Carolyn Ditchfield sending my email (which included the link to my prior blog) on to all of the people on her distribution list. Whilst Fence Sitters Australia's services were not needed as it turned out, it is fantastic to know they exist. You can find their website at http://www.farmsitters.com.au/
Bruce Ward also mentioned that Joe Harrison was telling him it was 20 degrees below (C) yesterday and that the tractor fuel freezes in about half an hour if not kept warm!

Farm Help Urgently Needed in New Zealand

I’ve posted this blog article for the purpose of locating someone who might be available at short notice to go to New Zealand to assist Joe and Anne Harrison in running the property “Lochebar” for the rest of the winter in a paid capacity.

Where has the call for help come from?
Last night Bruce Ward (http://www.holisticresults.com.au/) sent out a ‘call for help’ on behalf of Paul Harrison - who telephoned Bruce from the UK seeking urgent assistance. Paul is the owner of “Lochaber”, a property located near Fairlie (http://www.fairlie.co.nz/) in the south island of New Zealand. Paul's son, Joe, and his wife, Anne live on and run Lochaber.

What are the main factors behind the ‘call for help’?
There have been horrendous snowstorms in NZ this winter. Lochaber has suffered more than almost any property in the south island. The following news article provides further insight:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3703830a3600,00.html
Joe Harrison is in a really tight spot as his only employee has to leave in a week or so. Feeding the stock is a mammoth task that requires two people. The snow is so deep that much of the feed has to be carted out behind a bull-dozer, because a wheeled tractor cannot handle the conditions in many places.
The entire South Island of New Zealand is “gobbling up” labour like mad during due to the very difficult weather and seasonal factors. Labour is very, very scarce.

What type of work will be involved?
The responsibilities will primarily revolve around the care (including feeding) of the livestock on the property. It will not be a picnic, but it will be an experience of a lifetime. The work will be physically hard in cold and miserable conditions (for a while).

What opportunities exist for off farm recreation activities?
Not clear. Bruce believes that once the current crisis is under control there will be opportunities for off-farm recreation. There are, for example, private ski-fields very close by. The landmark Mt Peel is on the property, but is not a ski field per se.

What skills, attributes and experience should those offering to help possess?
Ideally the person providing assistance will be farm skilled and looking for a challenge. The person should be a self-starter with experience in stock work and machinery.

What are the pay and conditions?
Standard NZ farm-hand remuneration is being offered. Joe or Anne will be able to clarify accommodation availability.

What is the duration of the assignment?
The immediate need is for assistance through the 2006 New Zealand winter.

Who can be contacted for further information?
If you are interested, please call Joe or Anne Harrison as soon as practical on +64 3 685 4887. Alternatively you can contact Bruce Ward in Sydney on 02 9929 5568 who can provide more information about Lochaber.

Stone Age Farming Workshop Gunnedah 29th July 2006

Alanna Moore will be running a workshop at Essence Natural Therapy, Conadilly Sttreet, Gunnedah commencing 9.00 AM on 29th July 2006 on dowsing (divining for water and Earth energies using pendulum and deviceless methods) and the esoteric farming and gardening techniques involving the use of Power Towers and paramagnetic rock. Alanna is the Australian leader (in both theory and practice) on these subjects, and is Australia's most experienced Tower builder. If you'd like more information on her background and business please click on the following link: About Alanna Moore
The fee for attending the workshop is $100 pre-paid or $110 at the door or $80 concession pre-paid. For bookings please contact Julian White on Phone 0267 425 833 Mobile 0417 138 015 Facsimile 02 67425803 or email julianrwhite@yahoo.com.au
Locals please note: Alanna will be available in the region around this time for dowsing surveys @ $75 per hour fee. You can contact her directly in this regard via email to info@geomantica.com