The Downs Farmer Edition 2

Tuesday May 30, 2023

NEWS 17

Toowoomba Chronicle

Edition 2

MAY 2023

Pick e h t f o crop page 4

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Wandoan Photo Challenge snaps

Growing truffles no family Folly

List of winners from the shows

page 6

page 8

page 10

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THE DOWNS FARMER tuesday, May 30, 2023

livestock

Welcome I grew up on a cropping farm near the Murray River in Victoria.

We were a stone’s throw from the Goulburn Valley’s orchards.

Some schoolmates earnt cash doing evening milking on dairy farms and I hung out to “work as a rousy” during shearing at our friends’ place down south, but if I’m honest, that was mainly for the smokos. I’ve yet to have a better smoko than one I’ve enjoyed in a shearing shed.

I thought I had a decent understanding of ag, but 20 years later, I’ve realised I didn’t!

Robert E. Lee once said a man’s education is never completed until he dies. And he hit the nail on the head.

From researching genetically modified seeds, to learning about demand for truffles, to how industry is investing in youth, these stories are always a learning journey for me.

I’ll never cease to be amazed at the technology, innovation and the continual drive that those in ag put into what they do. I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I enjoyed writing them.

Cheers

Jac

Jacinta Cummins

CONTACT US EDITOR: Jacinta Cummins EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR: Alyssa Welke GENERAL MANAGER: Erika Brayshaw, 07 4672 9921, email erika.brayshaw@news.com.au ADVERTISING & PRODUCT MANAGER: Joshua Slade, 07 4599 3835, email joshua.slade@news.com.au All material published in Downs Farmer is subject to copyright provisions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher.

DISCLAIMER: The information contained within The Downs Farmer is given in good faith and obtained from sources believed to be accurate. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.The Chronicle or News Corp Australia will not be liable for any opinion or advice contained herein.

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Toowoomba Chronicle

Tuesday May 30, 2023

JACINTA CUMMINS

Event leads the way Young Beef Breeders Bash sparks youth interest in cattle industry

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he future of any industry is the next generation, and ag is no exception. But each year the average age of farmers, graziers and growers rises, so the industry is trying to get more young people engaged to ensure there’s someone to take the reins down the track.

This inspired the Charbray Society of Australia to hold its inaugural Young Beef Breeders Bash in Miles from March 31 to April 2.

While youth cattle camps are not new, this event was different in that it focused on commercial operations as well as stud operations.

Trevor Ford is vice president of the Charbray Society of Australia and owns Wattlebray Charbrays near Chinchilla with his wife, Lolita, and their children.

He says the weekend is the logical next step for the breed’s future.

“We need youth involved so there are up-and-coming breeders to pass information and genetics on to,” he says.

Twenty-six participants aged from four to 21 travelled from Monto, Calliope and Gin Gin for the Beef Bash alongside youth from Miles, Chinchilla and Taroom.

They were drafted into three teams named after current Charbray Society Life Members Rod Finden and Kerod Lindley and former Life Member, the late Jim Connolly.

Presenters taught them about heifer selection to achieve and maintain consistency, nutrition, how to sell not only your animals but also yourself, as well as the traditional cattle camp activities of preparing, showing and judging.

They toured Roxborough Feedlot to gain a better understanding of how to breed animals which meet market needs.

According to Trevor, the event was designed to get young people

Tilly Malcolm, 9, above, at the inaugural Young Beef Breeders Bash, her first cattle camp. She is now keen to be a jillaroo when she finishes school; participants in the Bash at Miles, below. Pictures: Sally Malcolm, Brendan O’Dea

interested in Charbrays and the broader cattle industry by helping them determine the ideal beast for their operation.

“We wanted to show them how to set a goal and then create a plan to achieve that goal,” he says. “Not many breeders start out with the best, but we’ve all got to start somewhere so having a plan you can just keep chipping away at will certainly help them continuously improve.”

It was the first cattle camp for Sally Malcolm’s three daughters, Matilda, Isla and Darcie.

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Only standing about as high as the calf she was leading, Darcie was the youngest participant.

Sally showed cattle growing up and has competed at the Sydney Royal Easter Show but she and her husband live in town so the girls hadn’t had any cattle experience before the event. She saw the weekend as a great opportunity for them to experience what she had enjoyed so much in her youth.

“We went for the life skills thinking that anything else they learnt would be a bonus,” she explains.

“They ride horses and love the outdoors but were a bit nervous having not dealt with cattle before, but they got over that pretty quickly after being thrown in the deep end!

“The older kids were amazing with the younger ones and were great role models in terms of practising the values which we want to instil in our girls so that was wonderful to see.

“It’s definitely sparked an interest in cattle for our girls, especially Tilly, who’s now got her heart set on being a jillaroo when she finishes school!

“They want to buy a heifer to start a stud and they’re going to some shows with another family in coming weeks which they’re really looking forward to.”

The Young Beef Breeders Bash wrapped up with a Young Judges and Paraders Showcase and awards presentation for cattle categories, leadership and team-all-rounders.

Plans are already under way for the 2024 Young Beef Breeders Bash.

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Tuesday May 30, 2023

Toowoomba Chronicle

THE DOWNS FARMER Tuesday, May 30, 2023

NEWS03 19

a dv e rto r i a l

Farmer wants a tiny house Great returns on tourism trend for rural lodgings

expert expo The Tiny Homes Expo is held at the Toowoomba Showgrounds with the idea of offering much expert information on council, financing, waste water, toilets and solar power, as well as a variety of different build types to give a thorough insight to the possibilities. It is held from Friday, June 9 to Sunday, June 11. Tickets range from $20 to $35, with those investigating all the information on hand getting the best value from the event.

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andowners are discovering that the new “Byron Bay weekend” is in fact a rural setting, with a few cows, sheep, llamas and a farm experience for city dwellers looking to reconnect with the countryside.

And farmers are cashing in on this tourism trend with luxury farm stay accommodation that can attract great rates for a night, or up to two weeks.

Tiny houses are leading the way for farmstay accommodation, including exceptional two-storey, high-end, luxury abodes, to simple designs and even domes and pods.

“The tiny homes in themselves are an attraction,” says Phae Barrett, organiser of the Australia-wide Tiny Homes Expo, where tiny houses are displayed by builders for people to come and look-see-try-buy.

“Coupled with a great view, some countryside charm and a knowledgeable host, it’s a perfect scene for a vacation trend that is charging across Australia.”

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Tiny houses are leading the way for farmstay accommodation.

Airbnb currently lists more than 700 farms in Australia ranging from a traditional farmstead estate, to a yurt in a cow paddock.

Interestingly, tiny homes are also listed as a whole unique category on the popular platform, due to the explosive interest people have shown in living in a tiny house.

The rise of the tiny house industry

has flourished amid multiple crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, floods, fires, cost of living, housing crisis and interest rate increases.

Subsequently, builders of tiny homes have gone from just a handful in 2018 to many hundreds in 2023, the aforementioned Expo tripling in size within just two years.

“Many people like to try out living

in a tiny house before buying one, and agritourism, where land owners can offer a unique short-stay in a tiny home, are highly sought after,” Barrett says.

There is even a Parkmytinyhouse website where people who have bought tiny houses are looking for “hosts” to offer a small parcel of land for longer-term rentals, some offering

up to $200 a week for a plot of private land to park their house discreetly.

Most tiny homes also go hand-inhand with being off the grid, coming with solar power, water tanks and waste management systems – so they really are plug-in and go solutions – needing little else from the land owner other than decent access from the road.

20 NEWS 04

THE DOWNS FARMER tuesday, May 30, 2023

A g r i c u lt u r e

Toowoomba Chronicle

JACINTA CUMMINS

Throw a light on biosolids

Tuesday May 30, 2023

Changes to growing practices help this family farm transform black soil to pure white cotton

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hird-generation farmer Grant Porter knows the importance of previous knowledge. If something’s not broken, why try and fix it? But wearing his mechanical engineer hat, Grant is also continually pursuing improvement by using his skills to adapt farming operations to factor in changing variables like soaring input costs and the unusually wet seasons on his Brookstead farm for the past two years.

But farming wasn’t always part of Grant’s life plan.

“Farming inspired me to become an engineer because I’d grown up seeing my dad and uncle always fixing or changing things,” he says.

“It (fixing things) was part of life growing up, but engineering took me on a different trajectory.

“But when I was working in the resources industry, there was always one bone in me thinking about how we were ripping the earth apart and scarring the landscape to get coal, and that I was enabling this.

“I wasn’t really happy living in the city and where that and my career would take me.”

The fly in, fly out existence also didn’t bode well for the family he hoped to start with wife Elle.

These realisations coincided with Grant’s uncle, Glen, getting sick, and Grant going back to the farm to help out temporarily in 2018.

“My uncle passed away eight weeks after being diagnosed with cancer so it was a really tough time and I saw dad struggling and I could see an opportunity to apply my skills and what I’d learnt from the mines to save some expenses. I also wanted to do things which were good for the environment like I’d seen my dad and uncle do growing up.”

As Grant watches his three-yearold son, Jimmy, running in between rows of cotton plants nearly ready to harvest, he’s confident in his and Elle’s decision to build a life in agriculture, alongside his father, Brett, and brother, Mark, in their joint operation Porters Farming.

The Porters use the same agronomist as their neighbour Johannes Roellgen and while this means they share some practices like fertilising with cow manure, they also do many things differently because of the nature of the land they’re working and their business models.

More than 20 years ago, Grant’s father and uncle were in the first group in the area to apply biosolids on their farms.

While the word biosolids can have negative connotations, it’s not quite what the average person thinks. A by-product of the sewage treatment process, biosolids are high in both nutrients and organic matter which improve soil health and consistency, and lead to improved plant health.

Grant says the response from the paddocks they first put biosolids on “opened up a can of worms”.

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“

I wasn’t really happy living in the city and where that and my career would take me needed to do was put urea on and we’d been following this blindly.

“But after putting the biosolids on we saw this huge difference: the plant’s trunk got bigger, yield went up and the cotton was this nice colour so we decided to try it on other blocks.

“It made us consider alternatives like cow manure, because even though the soil tests said our soil had enough potassium, we realised after we applied the manure that it didn’t because of the difference the manure made.

“We’d long battled diseases like Fusarium wilt and Vertasilium wilt, but after applying manure we noticed plant health improved and disease levels dropped.”

Fusarium wilt was first detected in cotton on the Darling Downs in 1993, with the soil-borne fungal pathogen causing extensive seedling loss early in the crop, especially in colder and wetter than normal conditions.

It can also kill the surviving plants later on. Extreme cases can render entire paddocks unsuitable for cotton

growing.

As its name suggests, Verticillium wilt causes cotton plants to wilt and mottles leaves leading to necrosis and defoliation and similar to Fusarium, it can kill entire plants.

The Porters now apply manure to their cotton blocks when they pupae bust each year and are gradually applying biosolids across the entire farm.

The biosolids are applied and ploughed in twice over a four-year period, with Grant confident it will deliver enough phosphorous to benefit the soil for at least 50 years.

But as with anything, there’s drawbacks and he describes biosolids as a long-term project.

For one, it has to be your turn in line with the other farmers.

“Biosolids are very difficult to put on because your country needs to be dry and spent, because you’ve got a 30-plus tonne machine and trucks everywhere so the ground can’t be soft because of compaction and they need to be ploughed in as soon as they

are spread so you need dry soil to incorporate it in.

“There’s a lot of things which need to line up magically and then if it rains, it’s off.

“If you do pull it off, there’s the smell. You definitely don’t want the wind blowing into your house the following few days!”

But the benefits very much outweigh the negatives.

“People don’t like the concept, but I think they’re probably unaware of how much compliance we undertake and how treated the biosolids are to ensure it’s fine to produce fibre from these paddocks.”

When it comes to water, Grant only irrigates cotton with all his other crops dryland.

“The business matrix e we operate off is highest gross margin per megalitre of water and that’s cotton,” he says.

“Every season we have ‘x’ amount of water available and it’s never as much as we’d like so we need to turn it into as many cotton bales as we can.

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“Our cotton blocks are rested every second year to collect and retain moisture.

“We’re planting later than dad planted cotton and we’ve gone from prewatering and waiting 10 days, to planting and watering at the same time so the moisture carries us further.

“We flood irrigate because the paddocks are level and set up for it.

“There’s a significant cost to transition to lateral irrigators. If flood wasn’t working then you’d consider changing, but if it is, why would you change?”

Grant believes the average three waterings in crop makes this part of the Darling Downs area stand out in comparison to other regions where cotton is watered more than 10 times a season.

“We have a black clay soil which is self-mulching,” he says.

“It cracks when it’s dry so any fertiliser, manure or biosolids sink down into those cracks and when it rains, the soil swells up to cover them

Grant Porter wants his son Jimmy to have the same opportunity as him to grow food and cotton on the family farm at Brookstead; Grant and Elle Porter say they’re lucky to be able to raise their family on the farm; Elle with daughter Lily. Pictures: Jacinta Cummins

so everything is incorporated. Our top soil goes down a metre and combined with moisture conservation tools like cover crops, stubble retention and ploughing practices, we are in an incredibly unique position.

“I want Jimmy to have the opportunity to farm here and it’s critical our water balance isn’t upset because it would be a huge loss in production if we can’t farm here.”

Grant is referring to the ongoing attempts to drill for coal seam gas, which opponents fear could cause subsidence and contamination to water sources.

“We’re really lucky in this location – where other people pay to cart manure hundreds of kilometres to fertilise their country, but we’ve got feedlots just down the road and our country produces incredible crops,” Grant says.

“This (farming) is as much our lifestyle as it is our livelihood and we need to protect this ability to produce food and fibre at all costs.”

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THE DOWNS FARMER Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Toowoomba Chronicle

Tuesday May 30, 2023

A DV E RTO R I A L

Chris Sinnamon placed second in the Open Small Town, Big Country Category with Following the Sun.

Capturing daily life in the bush Senex Energy Wandoan Photo Challenge showcases faces and places of those on the land

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ong gone are the days when almost everyone had “country cousins”. While older city dwellers fondly recall school holidays spent on farms and the lessons learnt about the different pace of life out there, many of their offspring can’t relate.

But the advent of smartphones and digital cameras is changing this by allowing people to capture images which share life in the bush with those who haven’t experienced it.

Gone are the days where you had to own a bulky camera and spend a small fortune on lenses to capture the simple pleasures of work and play on the land.

It was this change in technology and the strong budding photographic talent of locals which saw the first Wandoan Photo Challenge held in conjunction with the Wandoan Show in 2017. The competition was designed to showcase life within

100km of Wandoan as the crow flies and 79 photos were entered.

With a $5000 plus cash prize pool on offer and some incredible placewinning images over its history, the Wandoan Photo Challenge has a solid reputation as a competition which both amateur and professional photographers want to win and, just as importantly, it generates

conversations among viewers about country people and places.

This year was no exception attracting 228 entries, making judging no easy task for Moree-born and bred photographer Heidi Morris.

Morris’s photography business, Lens of Rosie, was born out of her own journey sharing photos of station life on Davenport Downs in

Carly Baker was awarded third in the Open Small Town, Big Country Category with All the Gear and No Idea.

the Channel Country on social media for her Brisbane friends after leaving school.

She found judging a lot harder than she expected and had to review the photos multiple times, going away and then coming back with fresh eyes to look over them again.

“If I had my way there would have been fourth and fifth placings because the quality was outstanding!,” she says.

But pick she must and it was Guluguba mother and son duo, Chris and Layne Sinnamon, who placed second and first respectively in the Open Small Town, Big Country Category with images of headers harvesting paddocks.

Carly Baker’s image showing her

son and his friends doing maintenance on a motorbike in the shed, which would be familiar to townies who spent holidays on farms, placed third.

For Heidi, the place-getting images all evoked a response or an emotion which she feels the viewer will connect to.

“I was blown away with so many of these photos and they really are invaluable helping to build stronger connections between town and country,” she says.

“My hope is that they create a greater understanding of how agriculture affects everyone because it provides the food and fibre everyone needs daily, no matter where they live.”

Jeffrey Yates won first in the People’s Choice with Downfall sun in Guluguba, left; and Layne Sinnamon won first in the Open Small Town, Big Country Category with Chasing Acres, right.

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A collection is scheduled for Queensland AgVet chemical holders. Simply register your unwanted chemicals for collection at chemclear.org.au by 31 August.

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• within 2 years of expiry or deregistration

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Toowoomba Chronicle

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THE DOWNS FARMER tuesday, May 30, 2023

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Listen for the symptoms Hearing loss among farmers made worse by constant noisy machinery

Prevention • Ask yourself the question: Can the task be completed in a way that reduces your exposure to farm noise?

• When buying or replacing machinery ask about the availability of a quieter model.

• Ensure machinery or equipment is maintained with regular checks to ensure it runs as quietly as possible.

• If possible, rearrange work areas to alter your proximity to loud machines or equipment.

• Insulate cabins to further reduce noise.

• Limit the time spent working close to loud machinery. Try rotating work tasks.

• Be familiar with the noise levels of equipment, machinery and tasks on the farm by downloading a noise meter app on your phone.

• Wear Class 5 hearing protection such as ear plugs or ear muffs and be familiar with the Sound Level Conversion (SLC) rating of those items.

T

he continual use of loud machinery and equipment on farms, such as tractors, augers, firearms, chainsaws, radios and tools in the workshop increases the risk of permanent hearing loss for farmers.

According to a report by the Australian parliament on the “Extent and cause of hearing loss impairment in Australia” (2008-2010), the agricultural sector reports high levels of hearing loss among farmers. Sixtyfive per cent of Australian farmers have measurable hearing loss, compared to 22-27 per cent of the general population. Hearing loss is also higher among young farmers compared to the general population.

On average hearing loss occurs 10-15 years earlier than in non-agricultural populations.

Signs that you may have hearing loss include: • Background noise makes it difficult

Hearing checks

to hear conversations in crowds or at social events.

• You do not always hear the phone ring.

• Others may complain the television or radio is too loud, but you find it is at a comfortable level for you to hear.

• Constantly asking others to repeat what they have just said.

• Ringing or noises in the ear or head when away from equipment or machinery (tinnitus).

• People complain that you talk too loudly.

Hearing loss and links to other health concerns The six major conditions associated with hearing loss are social isolation and loneliness, depression, balance problems and falls, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia.

Regular hearing checks are important in monitoring your hearing, and your local ihear clinic can provide you with hearing protection, advice and hearing solutions. Ihear has clinics across the Darling Downs area, call 4638 1277 to arrange your free hearing check. farmerhealth.org.au /2014/03/21/noise-prevention

Hearing loss can be a direct effect of many occupations and exposure to loud environmental sounds.

The continual use of loud machinery and equipment on farms, such as tractors, augers, firearms, chainsaws, radios and tools in the workshop increases the risk of permanent hearing loss for farmers.

Our work related hearing services include: l Free hearing checks l Hearing protection solutions. l Latest hearing devices Do you feel that your work or environment may have impacted your hearing?

Sound Level (dBA)

Example of Noise Source

Effect on Hearing

150

Explosion

Instantaneous damage

140

Rifle Shot

Damage over a brief period of time

130

Jet taking off

Threshold of pain

120

Power or chain saw

Damage after approx.

30 secs

110

100

Pneumatic drill; Grinding metal; Noisy lawn mower

90

Heavy truck

80

Industrial sewing machine

70

Street traffic

Some damage after approx. 15mins Damage after 2 hrs At 85 dBA and below, an 8-hour day may be worked without using hearing protection devices.

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Call for other locations available across Darling Downs

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THE DOWNS FARMER tuesday, May 30, 2023

Toowoomba Chronicle

Tuesday May 30, 2023

B U S I N E S S JACINTA CUMMINS

On the hunt for truffles Ballandean growers look forward to harvesting ‘diamonds of the kitchen’ on their family farm

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hen someone mentions black truffles, Michelin Star restaurants spring to mind along with images of other highend ingredients like saffron, caviar and abalone.

After all, French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin called truffles the “diamond of the kitchen”.

But for Barry the bull arab, truffles are merely a means to an end: his favourite meal.

The pig dog turned truffle hunter only gets chicken fillets pan fried in olive oil with salt and pepper as a reward for finding ripe truffles buried in the soil at The Folly Truffles during truffle season.

The truffle farm, known as a truffiere, near Ballandean, has been a long-held dream for Mike and Judy Egerton which their son and

daughter-in-law, Ben and Maple, are now helping them achieve.

Black truffles are the aromatic fruiting body of a fungus grown on the roots of trees as a result of the symbiotic relationship between certain species of ectomycorrhizal fungi and the host tree.

While truffles have been grown in Europe for centuries, since the first truffles were harvested here in the late 1990s Australia has unexpectedly emerged as the world’s fourth biggest producer of Perigords, the much sought after truffle commonly known as the French black.

They sell for around $2500/kg due to the time and complexity required to grow them, the relatively small harvest and the need for refrigerated transport to maximise the short shelf life of 10-14 days.

The high price point is balanced out by the tiny amount needed to enjoy

their taste, with their strong scent permeating just about every other food stored in the fridge with them.

It’s a far cry from the life Maple Egerton pictured for herself when she met her now husband, Ben, while they were studying music at the Queensland Conservatorium. But she wouldn’t change it for the world.

“We were running cattle at our Deepwater property but came to The Folly in 2011, and in 2016 it was all hands on deck with Mike and Judy and our kids, Felix and Polly, helping us plant our first 450 French Oak trees,” she explains.

“We’ve embraced everything (truffle farming’s) thrown at us because we’re a team and we are really fortunate Mike and Judy have provided financial backing and are out from Toowoomba every weekend mowing and helping with anything which needs to be done.

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Truffle growing is a multigeneration business for Maple and Ben Egerton, pictured above with Ben’s parents Mike and Judy and their children Polly and Felix; for the Egertons’ dog Barry, sniffing out truffles is a means to an end: getting his favourite meal of pan-fried chicken, left; and, below, demand outweighs supply of The Folly Truffle’s specialist product.

“Along the way, Ben and I have worked out our strengths and developed our roles based on that.

“He’s good at growing truffles and I focus on marketing and agritourism.

“I work as a music teacher part time so it’s a big juggle between that and the bookwork, to selling truffles to chefs, to running farm tours giving people that whole paddock to plate experience, but so far we’re making it work!”

And education is as much a part of the Egertons’ remit as growing the truffles themselves.

Maple admits she went into the venture unsure if she even liked truffles because the synthetic truffle flavouring she’d tried in the past was far too overpowering for her taste.

“I’m not overly patient so it was a long wait between planting the trees and harvesting our first truffles, but thankfully, I discovered I enjoyed the real thing,” she says.

“It’s been a learning journey working out the best way to use them in cooking ever since.

“We attract people from those who’ve never tasted truffle, to those who’ve had a bad experience with it, through to people who’ve truffle hunted in France and Italy and are surprised to not only have the opportunity here, but to find Australian truffles are as good as any grown overseas.”

Weather dependent, truffle season starts in June with a normal season being eight-to-10 weeks and up to 12

Call us to find out how your home, farm or business could benefit from our services today TOOWOOMBA 519 Boundary Road 4634 0444 Warwick 43 Progress Street 4661 7922

weeks in an outstanding year. Truffles only reach a stable yield 10 to 14 years after the trees are planted, so the Egertons don’t expect their truffiere to hit peak production until 2026.

Ben and Maple planted 1800 trees in 2019 and 2020 on a nearby former tomato and chilli farm that they coown with Mike and Judy and Ben’s other siblings, and they hope this truffiere will produce 450kg a season by 2030.

Meanwhile this season’s prospects are good if the amount of time Ben, Maple, Felix and Polly have spent covering exposed truffles back over with soil in recent months is anything

to ic en bl Op e Pu th

THINKING OF A PROPERTY CLEAN UP THESE HOLIDAYS? WE PAY CA$H FOR SCRAP

“

It’s been a learning journey working out the best way to use them in cooking

to go by. They’re hoping harvest will be double last year’s, with Maple explaining the truffle tours have been their most reliable income thus far with the unusually wet weather reducing the amount of saleable truffles the past few years. But there is much to be done between now and achieving peak production.

As with any new industry, creating awareness of the product and how to best use it is a time-consuming task.

Maple says the price can put people off using truffles, as they worry about wastage, so it’s about educating both chefs and consumers in how to select the perfect truffle and use it.

She became the first Queensland representative on the Australian Truffle Industry Association in 2021, and she and Ben recently hosted about 20 Queensland truffle growers from 10 truffle farms for an event at The Folly to connect growers and share information.

“I’d seen how the Granite Belt wine growers achieve success through working collaboratively so despite truffles having a reputation as being secretive, we thought the same approach could only help everyone.

“We’ve only been successful due to the knowledge and research from Australia and overseas and we want to be transparent about this. Rather than looking for a bigger slice of the pie, we want to make the pie bigger so every truffle grower can share in it and we can cement the success of this burgeoning industry together.”

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Toowoomba Chronicle

Tuesday May 30, 2023

W A R W I C K A N D T O O W O O M B A S H O W r e s u lt s

Winning ways Warwick Show

PRIME CATTLE Class 1 — Single Vealer or Yearling – Liveweight up to 300kg 1st No.12 Friedrichs & Benn; 2nd No.19 L&B&J Gross; 3rd No.7 L&B&J Gross Class 2 — Pen of 3 Vealers or Yearling – Liveweight up to 300kg 1st No. 10 M.Cleary; 2nd No. 11 Reham Stud Class 3 — Single Vealer or Yearling – Liveweight 301 to 370kg 1st No. 15 Maxinne Lee; 2nd No.16 I.C & H.A Cox; 3rd No. 6 Maxinne Lee Class 4 — Pen of 3 Vealers or Yearlings – Liveweight 301 to 370kg 1st No.22 P.Stephens Class 5 — Single Steer or Heifer– showing NOT MORE than 2 permanent teeth, 371 to 460kg 1st No.23 Friedrichs & Benn; 2nd No.66 Tim Eastwell; 3rd No. 26 Risdon Park Feedlot Class 6 — Pen of 3 Steers or Heifers – showing not more than 2 permanent teeth, 371 to 460kg No winners Class 7 — Single Steer or Heifer – showing not more than 2 permanent teeth, 461 kg & 570kg 1st No. 67 Tim Eastwell; 2nd No. 36 Ben Gross; 3rd No. 3 Scots PGC Class 8 — Pen of 3 Steers or Heifers – showing not more than 2 permanent teeth, 461 kg & 570kg 1st No. 40 ABC B.Feeders; 2nd No 30. ABC B Feeders; 3rd No 41 ABC B Feeders Class 9 — Single Steer or Heifer - showing no more than 2 permanent teeth, 571kgs and over 1st No.2 Scots PGC; 2nd No.43 Friedrichs & Benn; 3rd No.54 B Feeders Class 10 — Pen of Three steers or heifers, showing no more than 2 permanent teeth, 571kgs & over 1st No 55.

ABC Friedrichs & Benn; 2nd No.57 ABC Kingsford Family Farm; 3rd No.58 ABC B Feeders Class 11 — Pen of 4 feeder steers, average live weight 280kg to 400kg 1st; No. 60 ABCD Reham Stud; 2nd No. 65 ABCD Willbri Pastoral Co.; 3rd No.61 ABCD B Feeders Class 12 — Pen of 4 Heifers, average live weight between 280kg and 400kg 1st No. 64 ABCD B Feeders; 2nd No. 63 ABCD B Feeders; 3rd No. 62 ABCD B Feeders CHAMPION VEALER or YEARLING (From Classes 1,2,3,4) Maxine Lee RESERVE CHAMPION VEALER or YEARLING (From Classes 1,2,3,4) Friedrichs & Benn CHAMPION STEER or HEIFER (From Classes 5,6,7,8,9,10) Scots PGC RESERVE CHAMPION STEER or HEIFER (From Classes 5,6,7,8,9,10) Friedrichs & Benn CHAMPION PEN of THREE (from classes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) Friedrichs & Benn RESERVE CHAMPION PEN OF THREE (from classes 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) Kingsford Family Farm

GRAND CHAMPION PRIME BEAST OF SHOW (Any Class, Steer or Heifer) Scots PGC David Cory Memorial Trophy (Champion Vendor Breeder Beast of the Show — Any Class, Steer or Heifer) Tim Eastwell WARWICK WATCHMAKERS & JEWELLERY TROPHY Friedrichs & Benn RIVERINA STOCKFEEDS TROPHY B Feeders

Toowoomba Royal Show

UTILITY DOGS Novice utility dog 1st Adam Miller - freestones willy; 2nd Adam Miller - walkabout jack; 3rd Brad Clark - Ruby; 4th Margo Hogan - Timmie Open utility dog 1st Adam Miller walkabout jack; 2nd Brad Clark - Donegal; 3rd Brad Clark Ruby; 4th Brad Clark - Ginger SHEEP DOG THREE SHEEP NOVICE 1st Geoff Gibson - Blythe Twiggy; 2nd Craig Freestone - Freestones Dixie; 3rd Barry Knight Knights Frank; 4th Bailey Knight - Camara Custer; 5th Bailey Knight - Knights Champ; 5th Garry Barker - Trewina Tootsie THREE SHEEP IMPROVER 1st Brandon Cherry - Shaundar Reef; 1st Clinton Hall - Trapline Pretty; 3rd Garry Barker Trewina Tootsie; 4th Clinton Hall - Trapline Teddy; 5th Bailey Knight - Na; 6th Joy Williams - Gibsons Mr Gibbs RASQ GUY MAURICE ALLFREY MEMORIAL TROPHY Clinton Hall Trapline Pretty RASQ GUY MAURICE ALLFREY MEMORIAL TROPHY Brandon Cherry - Shaundar Reef THREE SHEEP OPEN 1st Barry Knight - Larners Mavis; 2nd Bailey Knight - Knights Champ; 3rd Bailey Knight - Melnunni Duncan; 4th Clinton Hall - Trapline Pretty; 4th Damian Bougoure - Knights Trudie; 6th Bailey Knight - Camara Gwen ENCOURAGE AND TRIAL 1st Monique Naumann Shaundar Kora; 2nd Lyn Fisher - Shaundar Meg; 3rd Brandon Cherry - Shaundar Reef; 4th Martin Campbell - Welbatch Bell; 5th Pearl Allen - Freeway Oops; 6th Matt Preston Encourage - Shaundar Please BEEF CATTLE - ANGUS sponsored by MASTERHIRE BULL 6 months and under 12 months 1st M & K Freeman – Karnahla Terrific; Supreme Exhibit of Show JN, CA & J, & T Pocock, Iseppi – Ellendale Cinderella Bling BULL 12 months and Under 15 months 1st T Nuttridge - Gold Star Tried N True; CHAMPION CALF ANGUS BULL T Nuttridge - Gold Star Tried N True RESERVE CHAMPION CALF ANGUS BULL M & K Freeman - Karnahla Terrific BULL 24 months

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and over 1st Ian and Jackie Tout - Currajong Richard R1 (AI) CHAMPION SENIOR ANGUS BULL Ian and Jackie Tout Currajong Richard R1 (AI) GRAND CHAMPION ANGUS BULL T Nuttridge - Gold Star Tried N True FEMALE 12 months and under 15 months 1st Shay Barron - K5X CHARLOTTE S191; 2nd Ian and Jackie Tout - Currajong Duchess T1 CHAMPION CALF FEMALE ANGUS Shay Barron - K5X Charlotte S191 RESERVE CHAMPION CALF FEMALE ANGUS Ian and Jackie Tout - Currajong Duchess T1 FEMALE 18 months and under 21 months 1st T Nuttridge - Gold Star Duchess S3 CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE ANGUS T Nuttridge - Gold Star Duchess S3 FEMALE 21 months and under 24 months 1st Shay Barron - Kellash Creek Super Trooper S8; 2nd Shay Barron - Kellash Creek Dancing Queen FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Ian and Jackie Tout - Currajong Florgammer P1; 2nd Ian and Jackie Tout - Currajong Florgammer P5; 3rd Ian and Jackie Tout Currajong Duchess N1 CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE ANGUS Ian and Jackie Tout - Currajong Florgammer P1 RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE ANGUS Shay Barron - Kellash Creek Super Trooper S8 GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE ANGUS T Nuttridge - Gold Star Duchess S3 AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE ANGUS Sponsored by SEDL EARTHMOVING Bull 6 months & under 12 months 1st Debbie Cole - Cole Glen Mr T Bull 12 months and under 15 months 1st Koenraad Labrie - K-raad Black Earl Champion Calf Australian Heritage Angus Bull Koenraad Labrie - K-raad Black Earl Reserve Champion Calf Australian Heritage Angus Bull Debbie Cole - Cole Glen Mr T BULL 15 months and under 18 months 1st Greg & Tracey Krahenbring Mason Farm Monte Majura; 2nd M & W Iseppi - MWL Spongebob Champion Junior Australian Heritage Angus Bull Greg & Tracey Krahenbring - Mason Farm Monte Majura Reserve Champion Junior Australian Heritage M & W Iseppi - MWL Spongebob Bull 21 months and under 24 months 1st Greg & Tracey Krahenbring - Mason Farm Red Alert; 2nd Debbie Cole - Cole Glen Peter Perfect Champion Senior Australian Heritage Angus Bull Greg & Tracey Krahenbring - Mason Farm Red Alert Reserve Champion Senior Australian Heritage Bull Debbie Cole - Cole Glen Peter Perfect Grand Champion Australian Heritage Angus Bull Greg & Tracey Krahenbring - Mason Farm Monte Majura FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st M & W Iseppi - MWL Pretty Bitchin; 2nd Debbie Cole - Cole Glen Tootsie Champion Calf Female Australian Heritage Angus M & W Iseppi - MWL Pretty Bitchin Reserve Champion Calf Female Australian Heritage Debbie Cole - Cole Glen Tootsie FEMALE 18 months and under 21 months 1st M & W Iseppi - MWL Mia Champion Junior Australian Heritage Angus Female M & W Iseppi - MWL Mia FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Greg & Tracey Krahenbring Mason Farm Classic Diamond; 2nd Debbie Cole - Cole Glen Saddie CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE Australian Heritage Angus Greg & Tracey Krahenbring - Mason Farm Classic Diamond RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE Australian Debbie Cole - Cole Glen Saddie Grand Champion Australian Heritage Angus Female Greg & Tracey Krahenbring - Mason Farm Classic Diamond BREEDERS GROUP AUSLINE 1st Greg & Tracey Krahenbring - Mason Farm Auslines; 2nd Debbie Cole Cole Glen AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE sponsored by RDO EQUIPMENT BULL 6 months and under 12 months 1st Jamie Smith - Vern park typhoon; 2nd Wendy Caesar - Ebony Thor BULL 12 months and Under 15 months 1st Jacqui Schiller - Lik Lik Titanium CHAMPION CALF AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE BULL Jacqui Schiller - Lik Lik Titanium RESERVE CHAMPION CALF AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE Jamie Smith Vern park typhoon BULL 15 months and under 18 months 1st Wendy Caesar - Ebony Sambuca BULL 18 months and under 21 months 1st Lockyer District High School - Loc-Hi Stuart Little CHAMPION JUNIOR AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE BULL Lockyer District High School - Loc-Hi Stuart Little RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE Wendy Caesar - Ebony Sambuca BULL 21 months and under 24 months 1st P Pittsworth state high school Pittsworth Screentime BULL 24 months and over 1st REMY BARRON - LEEDAR R U PERFECT; 2nd REMY BARRON - MEROWEN ROBOTICS; 3rd Jacqui Schiller - Lik Lik Reknowned CHAMPION SENIOR AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE BULL REMY BARRON - LEEDAR R U PERFECT RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE REMY BARRON - MEROWEN ROBOTICS GRAND CHAMPION AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE BULL REMY BARRON - LEEDAR R U PERFECT FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st REMY BARRON - MEROWEN TIPTOE; 2nd P Pittsworth State High School - Pittsworth Temptress; 3rd Wendy Caesar - Ebony Tanami; 4th REMY BARRON - MEROWEN TENNESSEE; 5th REMY BARRON - MEROWEN TRENDSETTER FEMALE 12 months and under 15 months 1st Jacqui Schiller - Lik Lik Trinity CHAMPION CALF FEMALE AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE Jacqui Schiller - Lik Lik Trinity RESERVE CHAMPION CALF FEMALE AUSTRALIAN REMY BARRON - MEROWEN TIPTOE FEMALE 15 months and under 18 months 1st P Pittsworth State High School - Pittsworth Solar Eclipse; 2nd Lockyer District High School - Loc-Hi Sahara; 3rd P Pittsworth State High School - Pittsworth Sassy Girl FEMALE 18 months and under 21 months 1st Wendy Caesar - Ebony Sweet Sundae; 2nd Lockyer District High School - Loc-Hi Spotlight; 3rd Lockyer District High School Loc-Hi Scout; 4th Lockyer District High School - Loc-Hi Stella CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE Pittsworth State High School - Pittsworth Solar Eclipse RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE AUSTRALIAN

Blaze Barron with Fanta the Jersey cow from Ardylbar Dairies in Cambooya, at this year’s Toowoomba Royal Show.

Picture: Nev Madsen LOWLINE Wendy Caesar - Ebony Sweet Sundae FEMALE 21 months and under 24 months 1st Lockyer District High School - Loc-Hi Suki FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Jacqui Schiller - Lik Lik Perfection; 2nd P Pittsworth state high school - Pittsworth Q Girl; 3rd Wendy Caesar - Ebony New Attitude; 4th Pittsworth State High School - Pittsworth Qwerty CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE Jacqui Schiller - Lik Lik Perfection RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE Lockyer District High School - Loc-Hi Suki GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE Jacqui Schiller - Lik Lik Perfection SUPREME CHAMPION AUSTRALIAN LOWLINE REMY BARRON - LEEDAR R U PERFECT BREEDERS GROUP LOWLINE 1st Jacqui Schiller Lik Lik Titanium; 2nd Lockyer District High School - Loc-Hi Lowlines; 3rd P Pittsworth state high school - Pittsworth Screentime BELTED GALLOWAY sponsored by COUNTRY SUSPENSIONS BULL 15 months and under 18 months 1st Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Storm Trooper BULL 18 months and under 21 months Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Storm Trooper CHAMPION JUNIOR BELTED GALLOWAY BULL Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Storm Trooper BULL 21 months and under 24 months 1st Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Rolleston CHAMPION SENIOR BELTED GALLOWAY BULL Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Rolleston GRAND CHAMPION BELTED GALLOWAY BULL Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Storm Trooper FEMALE 12 months and under 15 months 1st Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Tamara CHAMPION CALF FEMALE BELTED GALLOWAY Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Tamara FEMALE 21 months and under 24 months 1st Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Rhiannon CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE BELTED GALLOWAY Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Rhiannon GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE BELTED GALLOWAY Darren Rackley - Yelkcar Tamara BREEDERS GROUP BELTED GALLOWAY 1st Darren Rackley - EX2 BRAHMAN sponsored by SEDL Earthmoving FEMALE 15 months and under 18 months 1st Tim Krause - Malabar Camille FEMALE 18 months and under 21 months 1st Tim Krause - Malabar Goldie 2132 CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE BRAHMAN Tim Krause - Malabar Goldie 2132 RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE BRAHMAN Tim Krause - Malabar Camille GRAND FEMALE CHAMPION BRAHMAN Tim Krause - Malabar Goldie 2132 BRANGUS sponsored by RANGE EVENT HIRE FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st Peter & Roz Alexander - Hidden Valley Beef Miss Real Mccoy 801T3 CHAMPION CALF FEMALE BRANGUS Peter & Roz Alexander - Hidden Valley Beef Miss Real Mccoy 801T3 GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE BRANGUS Peter & Roz Alexander - Hidden Valley Beef Miss Real Mccoy 801T3 CHAROLAIS sponsored by MASTERHIRE BULL 15 months and under 18 months 1st Ross Sticklen Lilydale Senator CHAMPION JUNIOR CHAROLAIS BULL Ross Sticklen - Lilydale Senator GRAND CHAMPION CHAROLAIS BULL E D & MJ Ross - Cooingie Squares Diana FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st T Charolais & Show Steers - Tookawhile Tess FEMALE 12 months and under 15 months 1st Ross Sticklen - Lilydale Queensland 7 CHAMPION CALF FEMALE CHAROLAIS T Charolais & Show Steers - Tookawhile Tess RESERVE CHAMPION CALF FEMALE CHAROLAIS Ross Sticklen - Lilydale Queensland 7 FEMALE 15 months and under 18 months 1st Ross Sticklen - Lilydale Norah 14; 2nd Ross Sticklen Lilydale Chelsea 9 CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE CHAROLAIS Ross Sticklen - Lilydale Norah 14 RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE CHAROLAIS Ross Sticklen - Lilydale Chelsea 9 FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Holly Crompton - Connewarre Park Confidence CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE CHAROLAIS Holly Crompton - Connewarre Park Confidence GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE CHAROLAIS Holly Crompton Connewarre Park Confidence TCHE01Z01MA - V1

Tuesday May 30, 2023

Toowoomba Chronicle

SOUTH DEVON sponsored by Toowoomba Motorcycles BULL 12 months and Under 15 months 1st McUtchen Family - Jambili Turinui CHAMPION CALF SOUTH DEVON BULL McUtchen Family - Jambili Turinui BULL 18 months and under 21 months 1st McUtchen Family - Jambili Salakaia-Loto CHAMPION JUNIOR SOUTH DEVON BULL McUtchen Family - Jambili Salakaia-Loto BULL 21 months and under 24 months 1st R & S McDouall - Kildare Snoopy; 2nd R & S McDouall - Kildare Special K (B) CHAMPION SENIOR DEVON SOUTH BULL R & S McDouall - Kildare Snoopy RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR SOUTH DEVON BULL R & S McDouall - Kildare Special K (B) GRAND CHAMPION SOUTH DEVON BULL McUtchen Family Jambili Salakaia-Loto FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st McUtchen Family - Jambili Thumbelina CHAMPION CALF FEMALE SOUTH DEVON McUtchen Family - Jambili Thumbelina FEMALE 24 months and over 1st McUtchen Family - Jambili QP; 2nd R & S McDouall Kildare Dianna 93 CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE SOUTH DEVON McUtchen Family - Jambili QP RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE SOUTH DEVON R & S McDouall - Kildare Dianna 93 GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE SOUTH DEVON McUtchen Family - Jambili QP DEXTER sponsored by RDO EQUIPMENT FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Heather Mourilyan Mourylani Really; 2nd Heather Mourilyan - Mourylani Quby Rose CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE DEXTER Heather Mourilyan - Mourylani Really RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE DEXTER Heather Mourilyan - Mourylani Quby Rose GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE DEXTER Heather Mourilyan - Mourylani Really SUPREME DEXTER EXHIBIT OF THE SHOW Heather Mourilyan - Mourylani Really DROUGHTMASTER sponsored by SEDL Earthmoving BULL 12 months and Under 15 months 1st Lincoln Rayner - Silva Rayne Comet CHAMPION CALF DROUGHTMASTER BULL Lincoln Rayner - Silva Rayne Comet BULL 15 months and under 18 months 1st Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Nigel BULL 18 months and under 21 months 1st Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Napoleon; 2nd Lincoln Rayner - Silva Rayne Solomon; 3rd Lincoln Rayner - Silva Rayne Mauricio

DAILY LUNCHES

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL

LASAGNA

CHICKEN WINGS

tuesday, May 30, 2023

CHAMPION JUNIOR DROUGHTMASTER BULL RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR DROUGHTMASTER BULL Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Napoleon GRAND CHAMPION DROUGHTMASTER BULL Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Nigel FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st Lincoln Rayner - Silva Rayne Eryn CHAMPION CALF FEMALE DROUGHTMASTER Lincoln Rayner - Silva Rayne Eryn FEMALE 15 months and under 18 months 1st Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Nicky; 2nd Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Nikita; 3rd Ipswich Grammar School - Lamont 1597 FEMALE 18 months and under 21 months 1st Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Natasha CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE DROUGHTMASTER Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd Nindethana Nicky RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Nikita FEMALE 21 months and under 24 months 1st Downlands College Downlands Oakmore Park Valentina FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Downlands College - Downlands Oakmore Ursa CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE DROUGHTMASTER Downlands College - Downlands Oakmore Park Valentina RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE Downlands College - Downlands Oakmore Ursa GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE DROUGHTMASTER Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Nicky BREEDERS GROUP DROUGHTMASTER 1st Nindethana Pastoral Pty Ltd - Nindethana Droughtmasters HEREFORD (Horned or Polled) sponsored by RANGE EVENT HIRE BULL 6 months and under 12 months 1st Richard Ogilvie Te-Angie Triumph CHAMPION CALF HEREFORD BULL Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Triumph BULL 18 months and under 21 months 1st Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Spitfire; 2nd Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Striker CHAMPION JUNIOR HEREFORD BULL Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Spitfire RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR HEREFORD BULL Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Striker GRAND CHAMPION HEREFORD BULL Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Spitfire FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st Downlands College Downlands Binara Moxie T007; 2nd Downlands College Downlands Binara Prudence; 3rd Downlands College Downlands Binara Dinah; 4th Downlands College Downlands Binara Moonbeam; 5th Downlands College Downlands Binara Blanche CHAMPION CALF FEMALE HEREFORD Downlands College - Downlands Binara Moxie T007 RESERVE CHAMPION CALF FEMALE HEREFORD Downlands College - Downlands Binara Prudence FEMALE 18 months and under 21 months 1st Richard Ogilvie - TeAngie Staturesque; 2nd Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Sunbeam; 3rd Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Duchess CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE HEREFORD Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Staturesque RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE HEREFORD Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Sunbeam FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Richard Ogilvie - TeAngie Staturesque (N046) CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE HEREFORD Richard Ogilvie - Te-Angie Staturesque (N046) GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE HEREFORD Richard Ogilvie Te-Angie Staturesque (N046) HIGHLAND sponsored by SEDL EARTHMOVING BULL 6 months and under 12 months 1st Jules Armstrong - BOE OF VAGABOND CHAMPION CALF HIGHLANDER BULL Jules Armstrong - BOE OF VAGABOND GRAND CHAMPION BULL HIGHLANDER Jules Armstrong - BOE OF VAGABOND FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st Jules Armstrong - Charlee of Vagabond FEMALE 12 months and under 15 months 1st Haylee Colgan - Luna of Rosewood Coos; 2nd Jules Armstrong - SOPHIE OF VAGABOND CHAMPION CALF FEMALE HIGHLANDER Haylee Colgan - Luna of Rosewood Coos RESERVE CHAMPION CALF FEMALE HIGHLANDER Jules Armstrong - Charlee of Vagabond FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Haylee Colgan - DIAMOND ORACLE OF BLAKESLEY CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE HIGHLANDER Haylee Colgan - DIAMOND ORACLE OF BLAKESLEY GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE HIGHLANDER Haylee Colgan DIAMOND ORACLE OF BLAKESLEY LIMOUSIN sponsored by TOOWOOMBA TOYOTA BULL 12 months and Under 15 months 1st Lindesay View Limousins - Lindesay View Top Dog BULL 18 months and under 21 months 1st Lindesay View Limousins - Lindesay View Spencers Choice CHAMPION JUNIOR LIMOUSIN BULL Lindesay View Limousins - Lindesay View Spencers Choice GRAND CHAMPION LIMOUSIN BULL Lindesay View Limousins Lindesay View Spencers Choice FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st Lindesay View Limousins - Lindesay View Tookawhile T14 CHAMPION CALF FEMALE

Our $14 budget busters are here to save the day!

BATTERED FISH

PASTA OF THE DAY

(from left) Kiralee Mulvena, Ella Williams, Jennifer Richter and Jamilia Saad, the Toowoomba Royal Show team from Centenary Heights State High School ag program.

Pictured with Ferdinand the Angus Lowline Steer, winner of Junior Led Steer. Picture: Nev Madsen

LIMOUSIN Lindesay View Limousins - Lindesay View Tookawhile T14 GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE LIMOUSIN Lindesay View Limousins - Lindesay View Tookawhile T14 BREEDERS GROUP LIMOUSIN 1st Lindesay View Limousins - Lindesay View Spencers Choice SUPREME CHAMPION LIMOUSIN Lindesay View Limousins - Lindesay View Spencers Choice MINIATURE BELTED GALLOWAY sponsored by RDO EQUIPMENT FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st Raymond Cross - Freedom Rise Tempest CHAMPION CALF FEMALE MINIATURE BELTED GALLOWAY Raymond Cross Freedom Rise Tempest FEMALE 15 months and under 18 months 1st Raymond Cross - Freedom Rise Shadow CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE MINIATURE BELTED GALLOWAY Raymond Cross - Freedom Rise Shadow FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Raymond Cross Freedom Rise Quincy CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE MINIATURE BELTED GALLOWAY Raymond Cross Freedom Rise Quincy GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE MINIATURE BELTED GALLOWAY Raymond Cross Freedom Rise Shadow MURRAY GREY sponsored by RANGE EVENT HIRE BULL 24 months and over 1st Jim & Veronica O’Shea - Red Gum Royalle CHAMPION SENIOR MURRAY GREY BULL Jim & Veronica O’Shea - Red Gum Royalle GRAND CHAMPION MURRAY GREY BULL Jim & Veronica O’Shea Red Gum Royalle FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st Kasandra Teske - NB7 TOUCHSTONE T5 CHAMPION CALF FEMALE MURRAY GREY Kasandra Teske - NB7 TOUCHSTONE T5 FEMALE 15 months and under 18 months 1st Kasandra Teske - AZTEC DOWNS SAMBUCA FEMALE 18 months and under 21 months 1st Kasandra Teske - HIDEAWAY PARK ELIZABETH S32 CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE MURRAY GREY Kasandra Teske - HIDEAWAY PARK ELIZABETH S32 RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE MURRAY GREY Kasandra Teske - AZTEC DOWNS SAMBUCA GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE MURRAY GREY Kasandra Teske - HIDEAWAY PARK ELIZABETH S32 BORAN sponsored by SEDL EARTHMOVING BULL 6 months and under 12 months 1st Ipswich Grammar School - 1863 Thor BULL 15 months and under 18 months 1st Ipswich Grammar School - Kimbarella Solomon; 2nd Ipswich Grammar School - Booralee Singiti CHAMPION JUNIOR BORAN BULL Ipswich Grammar School - Kimbarella Solomon RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR BORAN BULL Ipswich Grammar School - Booralee Singiti GRAND CHAMPION BORAN BULL Ipswich Grammar School - Kimbarella Solomon FEMALE 24 months and over 1st Ipswich Grammar School - High Places Quincee Wilma; 2nd Ipswich Grammar School - Booralee Roxanne Agave; 3rd Ipswich Grammar School - 1863 Sandey Ivy CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE BORAN Ipswich Grammar School - High Places Quincee Wilma RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE BORAN Ipswich Grammar School - Booralee Roxanne Agave GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE BORAN Ipswich Grammar School - High Places Quincee Wilma SANTA GERTRUDIS sponsored by TOOWOOMBA TOYOTA BULL 12 months and Under 15 months 1st JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Theo CHAMPION CALF SANTA GERTRUDIS BULL JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Theo BULL 15 months and under 18 months 1st JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Thomas CHAMPION JUNIOR SANTA GERTRUDIS BULL JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Thomas

TUESDAY

BULL 21 months and under 24 months 1st JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Stephen; 2nd JA & RA McCarthy Rosehill Sebastian CHAMPION SENIOR SANTA GERTRUDIS BULL JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Stephen RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR SANTA GERTRUDIS BULL JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Sebastian GRAND CHAMPION SANTA GERTRUDIS BULL JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Stephen FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Tammy FEMALE 12 months and under 15 months 1st Cameron and Rose Drynan - Whitalby Tania CHAMPION CALF FEMALE SANTA GERTRUDIS JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Tammy RESERVE CHAMPION CALF FEMALE SANTA GERTRUDIS Cameron and Rose Drynan - Whitalby Tania FEMALE 15 months and under 18 months 1st Luke and Tanya Hoare - Rose Oak Twinkle; 2nd Downlands College Downlands Ribbleton 639 (P); 3rd Luke and Tanya Hoare Rose Oak Tulip (P) CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE SANTA GERTRUDIS Luke and Tanya Hoare - Rose Oak Twinkle RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE SANTA GERTRUDIS Downlands College - Downlands Ribbleton 639 (P) FEMALE 24 months and over 1st JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Renee; 2nd Downlands College Downlands Rose Oak Symphony; 3rd Downlands College Downlands Rose Oak Sapphire CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE SANTA GERTRUDIS JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Renee RESERVE CHAMPION SENIOR FEMALE SANTA GERTRUDIS Downlands College - Downlands Rose Oak Symphony GRAND CHAMPION FEMALE SANTA GERTRUDIS JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Renee BREEDERS GROUP GERTRUDIS 1st JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill SUPREME CHAMPION SANTA GERTRUDIS EXHIBIT JA & RA McCarthy - Rosehill Stephen SIMMENTAL sponsored by TOOWOOMBA TOYOTA BULL 12 months and Under 15 months 1st JN, CA & J, & T Pocock, Iseppi - Ellendale Red Hot Sheriff; 2nd Trevor ANDERSEN Barb EVANS - Trinity Vale Standing Ovation (P) CHAMPION CALF SIMMENTAL BULL JN, CA & J, & T Pocock, Iseppi - Ellendale Red Hot Sheriff RESERVE CHAMPION CALF SIMMENTAL BULL Trevor ANDERSEN Barb EVANS - Trinity Vale Standing Ovation (P) BULL 21 months and under 24 months 1st K M Rowlands & S Lean - KBV SENSATION (P)(AI) CHAMPION SENIOR SIMMENTAL BULL K M Rowlands & S Lean - KBV SENSATION (P)(AI) GRAND CHAMPION SIMMENTAL BULL K M Rowlands & S Lean - KBV SENSATION (P)(AI) FEMALE 6 months and under 12 months 1st K M Rowlands & S Lean - KBV TEMPERENCE (P)(ET); 2nd K M Rowlands & S Lean - KBV TEMPTATION (P)(ET) FEMALE 12 months and under 15 months 1st JN, CA & J, & T Pocock, Iseppi - Ellendale Who’s Catwalk Queen CHAMPION CALF FEMALE SIMMENTAL K M Rowlands & S Lean - KBV TEMPERENCE (P)(ET) RESERVE CHAMPION CALF FEMALE SIMMENTAL JN, CA & J, & T Pocock, Iseppi Ellendale Who’s Catwalk Queen FEMALE 15 months and under 18 months 1st M & W Iseppi - Ellendale MW Fluffy Unicorn FEMALE 18 months and under 21 months 1st JN, CA & J, & T Pocock, Iseppi - Ellendale Cinderella Bling; 2nd Trevor ANDERSEN Barb EVANS - Trinity Vale Sprite (P) CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE SIMMENTAL JN, CA & J, & T Pocock, Iseppi - Ellendale Cinderella Bling RESERVE CHAMPION JUNIOR FEMALE SIMMENTAL Trevor ANDERSEN Barb EVANS - Trinity Vale Sprite (P) Remaining results can be found toowoombashow.com.au/royal-show/results-table and warwickshowandrodeo.com.au/show

WEDNESDAY

Tuesday’s are “ALL YOU CAN EAT PASTA & SALAD BAR” $20

All served with salad and chips!

Visit us today at 331 Hume Street or call us at 07 4635 1960 to reserve a spot

311 Hume Street, Toowoomba | +61 7 4635 1960 | clubtoowoomba.com.au V1 - TCHE01Z01MA

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THE DOWNS FARMER

STEAK NIGHT FOR ONLY $20 200gm Steak served with your choice of sides.

THURSDAYS

Rack of Ribs served with chips & salad $28.50

/clubtoowoomba

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Toowoomba Chronicle

Tuesday May 30, 2023

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Tuesday May 30, 2023

Toowoomba Chronicle

a g r i c u lt u r e

JACINTA CUMMINS

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THE DOWNS FARMER tuesday, May 30, 2023

Cotton is really a whole new ball game The industry has come a long way in the past 30 years with improved, sustainable crops

T

he glaring midday sun bounces off the cotton crop, lighting up Johannes Roellgen’s face as he inspects the paddock to see how long it will be before the sea of fluffy fibre can be picked.

As he examines the white cotton in its boll, he reflects on how far the industry has come since he and wife Scarlett first grew cotton at Brookstead in 1994 after immigrating from Germany.

“We were share-farming with the Thomas family who owned the property then, and only half a day into harvesting our very first crop we got 10 inches (254mm) of rain over two or three weeks and lost 40 per cent because of decreased yield and downgraded product,” he says.

“We grew our first few crops with a lot of concern in terms of whether cotton growing was sustainable in this area.

“With its high upfront costs, we really felt it wasn’t feasible. It was just rolling the dice every year.”

Adding to the challenge were the widespread irrigation water cutbacks which started around the same time.

“During the Thomas family’s time on Tyunga, they were still building dams and getting water licences issued from the river,” Roellgen says.

“Whereas when we started up, moratoriums preventing irrigation expansion were coming in, and it quickly became obvious we would potentially have to give up water.

“So the focus shifted to making do with what water you had and getting the most out of it.”

The Roellgens were part of a group of irrigators who eventually had their groundwater licences halved in a scheme negotiated with the Queensland government.

But nearly three decades after growing their first crop, they are still growing cotton in what they describe as an integral part of their wider cropping rotation which includes wheat, sorghum, corn and opportunity crops like mung beans when water is available.

The family was named Darling Downs Cotton Growers of the Year in September.

According to Roellgen, there are a number of factors that have allowed this to happen.

They include transitioning half the farm from flood irrigation to lateral move (spray) irrigation to decrease water use which has improved water efficiency from 1.4 bales of cotton per megalitre of water to two bales per megalitre.

This irrigation system also increases flexibility for fertiliser application.

Instead of applying all the crop’s nitrogen at planting, Roellgen now applies 60 per cent upfront leaving the rest to be applied when the plant most needs it. Alternatively, he can decide not to apply any more fertiliser if the crop doesn’t need it or there V2 - TCHE01Z01MA

isn’t enough water to finish growing it. Spreading smaller amounts of fertiliser at different times reduces volatilisation, a process which causes nitrogen loss by ammonium converting to ammonia gas and escaping into the atmosphere.

pest management Roellgen has also embraced Integrated Pest Management (IPM) with the goal of eliminating spraying for common cotton pests like heliothis pests (commonly known as the cotton bollworm), green mirid, cotton aphid and silverleaf whitefly.

Eighty per cent of the crop being picked in 2023 hasn’t been sprayed for pests and the remainder was only sprayed once.

One of the driving forces who has helped the Roellgens change the way they grow cotton is Toowoomba agronomist Matthew Holding.

Roellgen describes Holding, who owns Meteora Agronomic Consulting, as “the connecting link” for many growers in the area.

“Matt started us on IPM and planting crops like chickpeas to encourage beneficials (insects for pest control) (to breed up in higher numbers).”

Combined with Ingard, this reduced insecticide spraying significantly which saved money and a lot of time previously spent organising chemicals and spraying.

“If you had 20 fields of cotton, you were spraying every day so this timesaving freed us up to work on other areas of the business,” Roellgen says.

Ingard was the first genetically modified cotton developed by CSIRO and produced a toxic protein which killed heliothis when they ate the

plant leaves. It was limited to 30 per cent of the national plant to avoid resistance issues.

In 2004, Ingard was replaced by Bollgard which produced more toxic proteins making it harder for pests to become resistant to it and meant there were no limits on how much could be planted.

Current Bollgard varieties are (also) herbicide tolerant, allowing for more weed control options.

But it’s not just technology which has improved Roellgen’s quality and yield.

He turned to the age-old practice of fertilising with manure, sourcing it from nearby feedlots.

“When I grew up in Germany, my parents farmed a system which had been farmed for hundreds of years and this made me realise that whatever (nutrient) you take out of the soil, (ultimately) needs to be replenished,” Roellgen says.

“We apply manure to increase potassium, but it ticks a long list of (boxes by providing other nutrients it contains, like) phosphorous and micronutrients like zinc and calcium.”

The soil’s gradual response to the manure means each paddock now has manure applied every third year after cotton picking at the same time as pupae busting.

Roellgen tracks the nutrients in his soil using a Nutrient Bank approach, a software that Holding developed.

“Going back 20 years, we’ve recorded what has been harvested in any field: the nutrients which are removed by every bale of cotton and every tonne of grain are tracked and over time we try to replenish what has been removed from the soil,” he says.

“

The focus shifted to making do with what water you had and getting the most out of it

Johannes Roellgen, left, says advances in technology, improved pest management techniques and increased water efficiency have made cotton growing sustainable; and Darling Downs cotton growers are happy with this year’s yields, below, considering the unseasonably cool temperatures.

Pictures: Jacinta Cummins

“We still take soil tests but we don’t take the results as gospel.

“We also take regular plant tissue tests in-season and look at how each paddock performs to give us a better idea of soil health.”

better practices Given Roellgen and his wife both had their doubts about growing cotton initially and the fact that there is some lingering public opposition to the crop, I ask him what made them change their minds and stick with cotton.

Before answering the question, he acknowledges that as a grower he’ll be accused of bias, but he tries to look at it objectively.

“There’s still a lot of bad legacy issues for cotton in terms of opinions and press, but at the same time, there’s been big improvements made through changing management practices and technological advances.

“We grow more cotton with half the water we had when we started and it’s an annual crop so if we don’t have the water, we just don’t grow it.

“You don’t have this choice with permanent crops like almonds.

“Insecticide use has dropped drastically and in some cases it’s been eliminated entirely, synthetic fertiliser use has reduced and water efficiency has improved.

“At the end of the day, cotton is integral to our system as it usually comes out on top in terms of the dollars you can make per megalitre and water is our most limited resource.

“But it’s one part of our focus, not all of it.

“Our other crops provide agronomic benefits like stubble for surface cover and nitrogen fixation and also help spread the financial risk more evenly in those challenging extreme wet and dry years.”

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Toowoomba Chronicle

Tuesday May 30, 2023

program Tuesday, June 6 ● Grower Panel 1 (noon – 1pm): Rob Davies and James Traill on Adapting to address workforce challenges and workforce engagement. ● Grower Panel 2 (1pm – 2pm): Renee Anderson and Aaron Kielly on Wellbeing at work.

Wednesday, June 7 ● Workshop 1 (10am – 11.30am): Developing video training resources to support new entrants to learn (and current team members to revise) on-the-job skills with Troy Smith and Renee Anderson. ● Workshop 2 (12.30pm – 2pm): Wellbeing at work workshop with Chantal Corish.

Dentures Dentures withbite bite with

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Cotton growers’ and farm managers’ workshops focus on people planning

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otton growers and farm managers Australia-wide are invited to a series of interactive Zoom sessions on June 6 and 7, to discuss and workshop what they can do to secure an engaged and adaptable workforce.

The Cotton Research and Development Corporation-funded action research project “Delivering Best Practice for Management of Future Workforce Skills” is supporting cotton growing enterprises to implement strategies, tools and resources to better attract, develop and retain their workforce.

The SHIFT project is focused on using knowledge from the cotton industry to create a workforce development framework that is centred on the mechanisms by which employers can achieve the positive workforce outcomes they’re striving for. The five pillars of the framework are social sustainability, human sustainability, innovative workplaces, future focus, and transformative leadership.

An initial co-design process has identified key challenges and practical solutions to some of the on-farm workforce challenges faced by cotton growers.

Using the past decade of CRDC-funded workforce research to unlock the transferable lessons from grower knowledge and experience has been essential to the project.

SHIFT Solutions Group facilitator/project lead and CQUniversity researcher, Dr Nicole McDonald, says the SHIFT project has allowed for meaningful conversations among cotton growers.

“We know from past research that growers value their workforce,” McDonald says.

“Our challenge is to support people to find people management practices that work for them and their teams.

“Through case studies and conversations, we also know there are good practices growers are already doing. Part of this project is to facilitate peer-to-peer learning and encourage growerled discussion on how owners and farm managers practically work on the ‘people’ part of their businesses.”

“

Our challenge is to support people to find people management practices that work for them These learnings will be shared in the grower/ farm manager only event: The SHIFT Workforce Solutions Unconference.

Unlike traditional conferences where a program is designed separate from the attendees’ needs and often delivered in lecturetype talks, the Unconference is centred on the participants’ interests and involves discussions and workshops.

The Unconference will include grower panels talking about their experiences in tackling current workforce challenges. Additionally, members of the SHIFT project team, leadership expert Jo Eady and CRDC PhD candidate and rural psychologist, Chantal Corish, will share new ideas and practices with growers to discuss and test out in their own enterprises.

“We are especially grateful to the growers that we have brainstormed and talked with so far in the SHIFT Project,” McDonald says.

“Their input has helped shape this Unconference to ensure the topics will be relevant, practical and focused on the needs of cotton growers.”

Cotton farmers can register to attend the online SHIFT Workforce Solutions Unconference at cqu.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/ SV_6JxtjkmGlCwUMw6 TCHE01Z01MA - V1

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s o c i a l p h o t o s Jacinta cummins

Taroom footy Supporters gathered to watch Taroom Wandoan Battlers take on Roma Cities

Sophie Tennyson and Kate Conway.

Wal Vivers and Neil Kehl.

Mallory Bowtell, Brooke Conway and Jane Ziesemer.

Ebony Robinson and Chelsea Clegg with Bella Christiansen.

Jo Lethbridge, Jacki Standing and Jackie Tennyson.

The Taroom Wandoan Battlers attempted a comeback against Roma Cities after half time but it wasn’t enough for them to win the game.

Scott Ayre and his daughter Poppy.

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Madi Bange and Louise Oakman.

Georgia Gorkow and her son Theo.

Stan Clarke and Jack Argus.

Mia and Willa Wright.

Connor Lacey and Drew Saunders of Roma Cities.

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Tuesday May 30, 2023

s o c i a l p h o t o s BRENDAN o’DEA & SALLY MALCOLM

Young Beef Breeders Bash The Charbray Society hosted the inaugural event for children and youths at Miles

Hector Pailthorpe.

Twenty-six young people converged on Miles for the Charbray Society of Australia’s inaugural Young Beef Breeders Bash in April.

Grace Ogle won the Young Judge Class Champion in the 15 to 21 years category and was also highly commended in the Young Parader Class 15 to 21 years category.

The Overall Most Inquisitive Award went to Riley Zeimer who peppered organisers and presenters with questions all weekend.

Sisters Tilly and Isla Malcolm discuss the finer points of cattle showing.

Darcie Malcolm was the youngest participant, only standing about as high as the young cattle she was working with!

Lola Grabbe won the Overall Positivity Award for the weekend.

Samuel Ford with Wattlebray Taya.

The Overall Leadership Award went to Emma Natoli.

Isla Malcolm.

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