Past Seminars & Speakers

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Browse by Seminar Topic	Browse by Speaker
Managing a Farm from the City	Simon Fritsch
Rebuilding in a Rural Environment	Mahalath Halperin
Animal Behaviour and Stock Handling	Jim Lindsay
Farming and the Internet	Angus Taylor
Natural Animal Health	Pat Coleby
Cell Grazing Management	Sean Martyn
'Hands On' Soil	Jacinta Christie
Farm Security	Peter Nunn
Trees for Pleasure and Profit	Rowan Reid
BushFire Prevention	Terry Jackson
Managing the Manager	Graeme Walker

September 2000 - Managing a Farm from the City
	After completing a degree in rural science at the University of New England, Simon worked as an agronomist at Twynam Cotton's 2000 hectare Buttabone Station in Warren, NSW. In 1990 Simon joined Hassall and Associates where he heads up the company's agronomy and farm management services. He has developed farm benchmarking services throughout NSW and Southern Queensland and has been instrumental in the formation and running of two farm syndicates. Simon works in Gunnedah.
Presenter: Simon Fritsch
Hassall & Associates (Gunnedah, NSW)
Contact Simon by calling 02 6742 5930 or e-mail sfritsch@hassall.com.au
Seminar Topics
- common problems experienced in dealing with farm managers - identifying good farm managers - how to manage farm managers - how farm, livestock and machinery syndicates work and can benefit their members.
Resources
Seminar Handouts
November 2000 - Rebuilding in a Rural Environment
	Mahalath Halperin is a qualified architect with many years of experience across all facets of design and architectural practice. She specialises in the design of energy efficient, solar passive and environmentally friendly buildings. Mahalth Halperin Architects employs two architects and has worked on several projects for city resident farmers. Mahalth is actively involved in the NSW country division of the Australian Institute of Architects. Mahalath lives in Armidale.
Presenter: Mahalath Halperin
Mahalath Halperin Architects (Armidale, NSW)
Contact Mahalath by calling 02 6772 2263 or e-mail ozarch1@tpgi.com.au
Seminar Topics
- setting priorities - investment versus overcapitalisation - design issues - restrictions & layout - securing and management tradespeople & materials - utilities - legalities
Resources
Seminar Handouts | Newsletter Article on Farm Houses
January 2001 - Animal Behaviour and Stock Handling
	Jim Lindsay was raised on a two million acre cattle property in far south-west Queensland. He has been involved with large herd management in extensive areas as well as droving cattle. Jim has been conducting working dog schools for a number of years and more recently has started stock handling schools after attending a Bud Williams course in 2000. His company is called Low Stress Stockhandling Pty Ltd.
Presenter: Jim Lindsay
'Kentle Station'(Hughenden, QLD)
Contact Jim by calling 07 4741 7259 or e-mail lindsay@topex.com.au
Seminar Topics
- how animals think and see the world - predator/prey relationship - how to work with rather than against animal instincts
Resources
Seminar Review | Website | In the Media
March 2001 - Farming and the Internet
	Angus Taylor grew up on a farm near Cooma in southern NSW. After completing postgraduate studies at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar he joined the global consulting company McKinsey and Company where, as a partner, he focused on agribusiness and industrial companies. In 2000 he left McKinseys to establish and head up The Farmshed, an agricultural internet portal founded by Wesfarmers Dalgety/McKinsey and Rural Agricultural Publishers (publishers of The Land newspaper). Angus lives in Sydney.
Presenter:Angus Taylor
The Farmshed (Sydney, NSW)
Contact Angus by calling 02 8303 2514 or e-mail ataylor@thefarmshed.com.au
Seminar Topics
- the technology driven transformation of rural services - update of the internet by farmers - what services are available now and what is yet to come
Resources
Seminar Handouts | Seminar Review | Website
May 2001 - Natural Animal Health
	Pat Coleby of Maldon, Victoria has devoted her life to the development of natural farming methods through practical experience in her own farming enterprises on different properties. She is the author of numerous books on natural land management and animal husbandry and helps hundreds of Australian farmers seeking advice on natural methods.
Presenter:Pat Coleby
Consultant (Maldon, VIC)
Contact Pat by calling 03 5475 2680 or writing to 91 Church Street, Maldon VIC 3463
Seminar Topics
- how chemical fertilisers 'tie up' important minerals in the soil - how mineral deficient soil contributes to modern animal diseases - how to restore the soil and animals to health using natural supplements
Resources
Seminar Handouts | Seminar Review
July 2001 - Cell Grazing Management
	Sean Martyn is a director of Resource Consulting Services (RCS), a national agricultural consulting and training company which has been at the forefront of the development of cell grazing in Australia over the last ten years. Sean has had experience working with urban-based investors who want to invest in agriculture and/or gain a better understanding of the profit drivers in agriculture.
Presenter: Sean Martyn
RCS (Coffs Harbour, NSW)
Contact Sean by calling 02 6658 0775 or e-mail smartyn@rcs.com.au
Seminar Topics
- why conventional farming isn't profitable - what is cell grazing and how it contributes to economic and ecological sustainability - the principles of cell grazing
Resources
Seminar Handouts | Seminar Review | Website
September 2001 - 'Hands On' Soil
	Jacinta Christie holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree with Honours majoring in agronomy from the University of Sydney. She has been NSW Agriculture's district agronomist at Singleton for nearly four years. Jacinta works closely with farmers to assist with pasture improvement programs, including pasture mixes and fertiliser requirements. She also conducts species evaluation trials and native grass recognition workshops and has been involved with the Prograze program.
Presenter:Jacinta Christie
NSW Agriculture (Singleton, NSW)
Contact Jacinta by calling 02 6545 1800 or e-mail jacinta.christie@agric.nsw.gov.au
Seminar Topics
- how to enhance soil texture and structure through judicious management practices - how to assess the stability of soil - how to interpret soil tests
Resources
Seminar Handouts - Does my soil need gypsum? - Fertilisers and the environment - Which liming material is best? - How cultivation affects soil - Cation exchange capacity - How wet is my soil? - Improving soil health with soil livestock - How earthworms can help your soil - When it rains, its pores which count - Why is soil organic matter so important? - Interpreting soil tests - Don't let nitrogen acidify your soil - Soil organic matter - Making clay easier to work - Protect your soil from compaction - How to interpret your soil test - Why phosphorus is important - Why worry about acidity? - What is soil pH? - Testing your soil | Seminar Review | Website
November 2001 - Farm Security
	Detective Inspector Peter Nunn from Wagga Wagga has been responsible for establishing new dedicated rural crime units in NSW. These units are charged with investigating all types of rural crime and are staffed by officers who are trained in agriculture as well as policing.
Presenter: Peter Nunn
NSW Police, (Wagga Wagga, NSW)
Contact Peter by e-mail: nunn1pet@police.nsw.gov.au
Seminar Topics
- the most prevalent types of crimes on farms - which properties are most at risk - how to prevent crime - how to catch the culprits
Resources
Seminar Handouts - Crime on Farms - General Farm Security - Identification of Farm Machinery, Tools & Equipment - Farm Machinery Theft - Farmhouse Security - Fuel Tank Security - Seed & Grain Theft - Livestock Theft - Illegal Trespassers & Shooters - Reporting Crimes to Police - How to Establish a Neighbourhood Watch or Rural Group | Presentation Slides | Farm Crime Prevention Tips Sheet | Seminar Review
February 2002 - Trees for Pleasure and Profit
	Rowan Reid is a driving force behind the Australian Master TreeGrowers Program and Senior Lecturer in agroforestry and farm forestry at Melbourne University.
Presenter: Rowan Reid
Melbourne University, (Melbourne, VIC)
Contact Rowan by calling 03 8344 5011 or by e-mail: rfr@unimelb.edu.au
Seminar Topics
- the 7 reasons to plant trees - where to plant them - how to look after them - how to get multiple benefits from the same trees
Resources
Seminar Handouts
May 2002 - Bush Fire Prevention
	Superintendent in charge of the Hornsby Kuring-gai district in Sydney, Terry Jackson has thirty-three experience with the NSW Rural Fire Service. Twenty-two of these years have been on a fulltime basis.
Presenter: Terry Jackson
NSW Rural Fire Service
Seminar Topics
- find out your responsibilities as a landowner - learn which trees to plant in bushfire prone areas - discover how to care for fire damaged trees - learn how to be 'bushfire ready' if a fire is coming your way
Resources
http://www.bushfire.nsw.gov.au/communityfiresafety/publications.htm http://www.bushfire.nsw.gov.au/communityfiresafety/protectrural.htm
November 2002 - Managing the Manager
	Graeme Walker has managed stud and commercial cattle operations in Victoria, NSW and WA for over 15 years. He now runs a farm management consulting company from Scone specialising in cattle production.
Presenter: Graeme Walker
Australian Cattle Management Services
Contact Graeme by calling 02 6545 1456 or e-mail austcattle@hunterlink.net.au
Seminar Topics
- how to get the manager to take your ideas seriously - what managers should do and what you should do yourself - who should decide whether to spend money on fertiliser - how to tell if the drench is being swallowed by sheep or being sold in the pub?
Resources
Seminar Handouts | Newsletter articles