"...the competition to an apple grower is not the neighbour, it is the Mars bar..." Fiona Hall

Fiona Hall is a cherry and apple grower, packer and marketer from Orange NSW, where she and her husband Bernie run Caernarvon Cherry Co and Bonny Glen fruits. Plus she makes a mean cuppa!

Marketing seasonal produce such as cherries both nationally and internationally, is a key to producers getting good prices for their products and sustaining growth. We discuss the challenges of market penetration, and the need to work together as a smaller industry to achieve growth. Meanwhile, ageing workforce's and farm consolidation are changing the business dynamics in the local apple industry.

Fiona's shares her thoughts on developing the confidence to lead an industry through practical action, and building an upbeat community.

Click the link below to check out the interview.

Interview August 2018

Culture and managing the unknown

Ash Keegan is the CEO of FABAL Pty Ltd, one of Australia's largest private agriculture management companies. Prior to this Ash was the Chief Viticulturist and entered the industry from a less than conventional path.

This is a fantastic conversation, with some real nuggets of wisdom along the way including being OK with not knowing the answers to every question. We also discuss the need to care about your employees in building team culture and the paddock PHD.

Other topics covered include:

• 12 questions to ask your staff

• 3 rules of profitable business

• How to push the boundaries of your knowledge and understanding

Enjoy.

The Nuffield Phenomenon - Dr Jean Lonie

"Leadership is finding your voice and having the agency to step into issues that are important to you, and be part of the conversation. Leadership is stepping up to a situation that needs people to be part of it and you have that voice." Jean Lonie

Dr Jean Lonie is a Director of Nuffield USA, and has now completed her PHD at Penn State University. Her topic was "The Public Value of Global Agricultural Capacity programs -specifically the Nuffield Phenomenon". Jean discusses the Nuffield program, agricultural leadership, capacity building,  collaboration,  and the concept of antifragility.

Differing time zones are a challenge but caffeine carried me through this interview.

Click the picture to watch the video. Enjoy

Change. Inevitable, and often for the best..

"Look at things from a different angle...  be open to someone who's doing it the opposite way. You can learn something from someone's opinion. You might not agree with it, but you might learn something from that" Simon McLachlan

Simon lives this philosophy. He's a keen observer, respectful of others and not afraid to upset his own status quo.  He has converted farms from conventional to bio dynamic practices, moved states and climate zones and grown any number of different crops. He and his wife Josie also directed an off the grid youth wilderness retreat. Perhaps this period of hard work in humble, disconnected surrounds helped solidify the observer that Simon is today. Now they are developing their own property in Hoddles Creek, a long way from Simon's roots growing pineapples,ginger and strawberries in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. 

Simon and Josie embrace change, and their farming is all the better for it.

Enjoy, the video.

Repairing the Ozone Layer

"The ozone hole recovery at this stage, 34% of that recovery, is just due to the regulation of methyl bromide." Prof. Ian Porter

As a child of the 80's and 90's, I vividly remember the discussion around the hole in the ozone layer, a real hot topic of the time.  Professor Ian Porter of La Trobe University has been working with the United Nations since the Montreal Protocol was enacted to aid in its repair.  Ian's role has been to co-chair the committee for the reduction of Methyl Bromide in Agriculture. This work, along with the reduction of other ozone depleting substances,  has resulted in significant repair to the ozone layer and the atmospheres ability to filter ultraviolet radiation. 

We discuss soil health, UV radiation, leadership and the politics of working with the UN. Ian is passionate about this topic, hence his recent award of recognition from the United nations for 30 years of dedication to the cause, and a great communicator. 

Enjoy.