THE SOUTHERN
Part of the Farmer Group Rural Newspapers Covering Victoria Published since 1986
AUGUST, 2017
HAY AND SILAGE
www.nemedia.com.au
WINTER WARMTH
PAGES 11-14
PAGE 17
LIVESTOCK
PAGES 18-19
The spreading of a truffle culture Gembrook farmer Colin Carter has pioneered truffle and hazelnut production in Australia
LITTLE TREES, BIG MONEY: Colin and Jan Carter in their greenhouse with some hazelnut inoculated trees, and the truffles it can produce.
Trust only Bondioli & Pavesi and Bima for
g ting the farmin Proudly suppor nce 1950 community si
“The complete agricultural driveline solution”
ALTHOUGH Colin Carter grew up in Doncaster, his uncle and aunty had a farm in Digger’s Rest where he would spend all of his time during school holidays. “It was a mixed farm,” said Mr Carter. “You would milk the cows, separate the cream and feed the pigs and chooks. “It was one of those classic 1968 farms that don’t exist anymore.” When Mr Carter finished high school in the 70s, he went off and studied horticulture at Burnley College, one of the oldest universities in Australia, and now part of Melbourne Uni. “I always had farming interests,” he said. “And in those days it was the premium horticulture school in Australia.” Upon graduating, he found a career in nurseries. After meeting his wife Jan, the pair went on to own and run their own nursery in Gembrook, where they sold wholesale to
BY JARRAH LOH
jloh@ nemedia.com.au
Safeway for many years. Then they traded the nursery for a flower business, supplying Woolworths. “The stores were open 24 hours a day and we had to run seven days a week, so after 10 years I got tired of it all and sold that business, too,” said Mr Carter. He had always had a passion for teaching, and eventually found a job in the nursery at Swinburne Uni. “I started doing casual relief teaching, and they were really good at training their staff,” he said. Mr Carter was there for 12 years and became the manager of the horticulture and environment department, but when TAFE cuts came calling, he took a package and a chance. Continued page 3
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