We learn pretty early on in life that good food promotes health. But what’s not so simple is how many of those nutrients we actually absorb, or what impact does the way something is farmed have on the quality of the produce. Nicknamed, The Simple Scientist, my guest today has a bit of a superpower and that is being able to breakdown complex research to help consumers make better choices. And farmers are among her favourite people! Dr Anneline Padayachee joins me now to discuss:

• Anneline shares her favorite food fact.
• Dr. Anneline explains that nutrition starts on the farm and elaborates on its significance.
• She is often called "The Simple Scientist" for her ability to clearly explain complex concepts.
• Nutrient delivery is a crucial topic, and Anneline highlights how even a healthy diet can be affected by absorption issues.
• She discusses recent food trends that concern her, including the "Nova" concept.
• Anneline addresses the impact of food production systems on consumers and clears up common misunderstandings about the role of farmers in this process.
• She acknowledges positive trends, such as the growing interest in understanding where food comes from.
• Dr. Anneline shares her best advice on improving nutritional intake.
• The emotional aspect of food is emphasized, recognizing its role in cultural celebrations and the importance of the pleasure of eating.
• She expresses her love for being a food scientist, a field that unites people across diverse locations and backgrounds.
• Misunderstandings between food and nutrition are highlighted, along with the challenges of navigating an overload of information and applying it to individual digestive needs.
• Dr. Anneline concludes with her ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Dr Anneline Padayachee

Connect with @dranneline on Instagram

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How does someone who spent their childhood in the middle of Geelong City in Victoria end up, not just working in agriculture, but literally getting her hands dirty at some of the country’s most remote cattle stations. My guest today is using her incredible story to encourage others to do the same. She is a valuable advocate for life on the land, highlighting both the romantic moments of county life but also the truth. To help others make the leap into agriculture a little easier, she’s the driving force behind online platforms Young Aussie Farmers, and more recently, Agriculture Jobs Auswide. To learn more, Zoe Carter joins me now to discuss:

• Zoe’s favorite experiences on the land.
• How, up until the age of 13, she was a city girl—and how the country captured her heart.
• At just 19, Zoe headed off to a Merino stud, an experience that cemented her passion for agriculture.
• After an unfortunate horse riding injury, Zoe has had several hip surgeries and, how this has impacted her life on the land.
• How this challenge sparked a new career and a passion for connecting the agricultural industry with workers.
• The creation of Agriculture Jobs Auswide, a platform that addresses connectivity gaps by providing a central hub for job seekers and employers in agriculture
• Why people are fascinated by Zoe’s journey from the city to the country and how her story encourages others to realize they can do the same.
• Zoe’s advice to young people aspiring to work in the agricultural industry.
• The challenges of accessing farming education today and Zoe’s top tips for getting started.
• Events and general education resources available through the platform.
• What Zoe loves most about life on the land and what a typical day looks like for her now.
• The most common misconceptions about agriculture and the unexpected moments she’s experienced.
• Zoe’s ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon as we continue to learn how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Connect with Zoe Carter

Agriculture Jobs Auswide

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Life on the land is often picturesque - picture worthy even. So, when a former visual arts teacher moves to a farm in beautiful Mudgee in NSW, you can imagine there would be a fair bit of creativity going on. It started with a few pictures on greetings cards for the local markets. Now, her artwork has gained a loyal following of art lovers around the nation. Rachael Flynn of Red Tractor Designs joins me now to discuss:

• Rachael lives on a gorgeous property in Mudgee New South Wales, and shares her greatest inspiration.
• As a visual arts teacher, Racheal has a creative side which she has used to start imitating rural life with her art.
• In the beginning, Rachael focused on typical farming scenes like wheat harvest, shearing and mustering.
• The evolution from landscape artwork and maps, to farm animal based character artwork.
• The range of products Rachael offers for anyone who’d like to own a little piece of life on the land for themselves.
• Rachael’s most recent major production line has been in affiliation with Nepal to sponsor local disadvantaged women.
• They type of clientele who are buying these products and how this has shifted over the years.
• Rachael’s favourite aspect of country life to paint and design.
• The most unexpected thing to happen since starting the business.
• Rachael’s ultimate dream for the future for Red Tractor Designs

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Red Tractor Designs Artwork by Rachael Flynn

Follow @redtractordesigns on Instagram

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Pastures are already pretty green in New Zealand, but this newly married couple wanted to find something extra special. They landed on Gippsland in Victoria where dairy farming became their main source of income, but they value added, bringing in a pick your own strawberry patch, on-farm café, petting zoo and playground. If it all sounds very family friendly, it’s because Nicole and Brendan Saunders know a thing or two about kids, having four of their own. Nicole from The Berry Dairy joins me to discuss:

• Moving from New Zealand to have a better life here in Australia.
• Nicole shares her favourite place on her farm.
• In 2018, Nicole and Brendan were newly married and she shares why they decided to move to Australia.
• Brendan grew up on a dairy farm and Nicole is also a generational dairy farmer.
• Diversifying into agritourism and the beginnings of ‘The Berry Dairy’.
• The range of people they see coming through and what to expect on a family-friendly day out.
• As well as strawberry picking, customers can have a meal at their on-farm café where 90% of the produce is locally sourced.
• This model has earned them some impressive awards and, the response they have received.
• The highs and lows of the last 12 months and Nicole’s openness when it comes to the struggles.
• Strawberries, although generally seasonal have been growing almost all year round.
• What Nicole loves most about life on the land.
• A common misconception about farmers.
• The most unexpected thing to happen since starting.
• Nicole's ultimate dream for the future of The Berry Dairy.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

No farming background? No worries. That’s the attitude one young couple from NSW is taking in their unique business. After purchasing a mountainous, overgrazed and neglected 100-acre property in Putty, just a couple of hours outside Sydney, they are on a steep learning curve. And they’re pulling it off beautifully, producing cattle, pigs and chickens with regenerative agriculture at the heart of what they do. To learn more, the owners of Hillside Food Forest, Sam Rayment and Liz Ferrone are here to discuss.

• Sam and Liz’s favorite place since they moved to their farm in February 2021
• With no farming experience Sam shares how and why they ended up purchasing this land and becoming farmers.
• Previously, they lived on Sydney’s northern beaches with a couple of chickens and an aquaponics system, which led them down this pathway.
• So, where did they begin and how did they learn how to produce animals?
• Turning an old block of land which was neglected, into a functional farm.
• Sam and Liz started with cattle then added in, pigs and chickens.
• Sam and Liz, from the start, wanted to use a regenerative method and share what this involves.
• As Liz has a background in dietetics, the quality of what they are producing has been of the highest priority.
• Selling direct to consumer has been a game changer for Sam and Liz, and they share how it has been received by the local community.
• What Sam and Liz love most about their new life on the land.
• The most unexpected thing to happen so far.
• A common misconception about who is the ‘farmer’.
• Their ultimate dream for the future of the farm.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Produced by Pretty Podcasts

There are sheep farmers, and then, there’s Lady Ba Ba. My guest today is an incredible advocate for agriculture and the industry is lucky to have her. Through her social media platforms, she educates people about the wonders of wool and takes on some tough topics, often successfully turning critics into fans. With such a bubbly personality, it’d be a waste if we didn’t see more of her. So, thankfully you can also catch her on television. Lady Ba Ba, otherwise known as Mel McGorman joins me now to discuss:

• Mel has a sheep and grain farm in South Australia and shares her favourite place there.
• Her first viral post, which was footage of a bushfire and it’s impact which, made international news.
• Wool is an amazing fibre and most are unaware it is fire resistant.
• The argument and reasoning around the practice of live sheep export and, the facts around this method.
• As a farmer and a mum, Mel uses social media to share stories about the reality of raising a family on the land.
• Mel shares the opportunities which have arisen with social media and, the importance of ‘putting yourself out there’.
• With the cost of living, Mel explains the different sorts of meat we can be eating to reduce costs.
• Supporting local farmers and butchers.
• Her experience on Channel 7’s “South Aussie with Cosi” https://southaussiewithcosi.com.au/
• What Mel loves most about working on the land.
• The most unexpected thing to happen on this journey.
• Dissolving misconceptions around farming and looking after animals.
• Mel’s ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Follow Lady Ba Ba on Instagram

Follow Lady Ba Ba on TicTok

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Buying a dead cherry patch in South Australia’s Riverland and converting it into a vineyard, may not sound like the best career move. However, for my guest today bold decisions like that have dominated his winemaking journey. The first-generation farmer has been making wine for two decades now. Ricca Terra Wines (meaning ‘rich earth’ in Italian) has found the key to success with carefully selected grape varieties, innovative low alcohol options and in a surprise, even to himself, cask wine. To learn more Ashley Ratcliff of Ricca Terra joins me now to discuss:

• Ashely’s favourite place in the Riverland of South Australia.
• The great story of how Ashley came to live there and the condition of his land when he purchased it.
• The beginnings of the property and the decision Ashley is most proud of.
• Demonstrating innovation in his ability to adapt depending on the global climate.
• Ashley has more than 50 grape varieties, including Portuguese grapes and shares why he has taken this approach in the vineyard.
• Riverland in South Australia is hot and dry, and by taking the weather into consideration, Ashley has proven that this region can be used for vineyards.
• Consumer tastes are so important and, the huge market for lower alcohol options.
• Ashley shares his surprising business choice to launch cask wines and, some of the challenges.
• Ashley has the accolades to back up his success - in 2019 he was awarded a five-star rating in the 2020 James Halliday Wine Companion and again in 2021. He was also listed in the Top 10 upcoming wineries in Australia.
• Ashley is an advocate for the industry and is co-chair of the Riverland Wine Association.
• With China imposing tariffs during COVID and more recently an oversupply, Ashley shares the ‘yellow balloon’ he is focusing on right now.
• What Ashely loves most about life on the land.
• The most common misconception about the wine industry.
• The unexpected aspects of working in this area.
• Ashely’s ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Ricca Terra Wines

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On this podcast we aim to show-off our best agricultural minds to listeners. My guests today have the same goal – but to viewers. A Little Bit Agricultural is a video series that aims to entertain and educate anyone who is a little curious about how their food and fibre is produced. Hosted by celebrity fisherman Andrew Hart and agricultural scientist Oscar Giudici. To learn more about the show – Andrew and Oscar join me now to discuss:

• Oscar's favorite places from his travels since launching the series and hear about some impressive farms he’s visited.
• Andrew, a seasoned host of ‘Hook, Line and Sinker’ for 20 years, shares how he transitioned from finishing to exploring the farming industry, despite having limited knowledge about agriculture.
• Andrew discusses the motivation behind the series ‘A Little Bit Agricultural’
• Oscar, with his background in agricultural science, joins Andrew to create a compelling narrative, blending adventure motorcycle travel with agricultural insights.
• Hear how Oscar’s passion for adventure motorcycle travel has intertwined with the project, offering a unique perspective throughout the series.
• The dwindling interest in agricultural science and how the series aims to inspire a new generation to explore this exciting field.
• The people they have met along the way and the perception barriers commonly associated with farming.
• Shedding light on the farming industry and rural lifestyle and, the surprising elements they’ve encountered.
• The most unexpected thing that has happened since the series began.
• Common misconceptions about agriculture and filming on the land.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

WATCH A Little Bit Agricultural

A Little Bit Agricultural

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