PAGE 8 - “THE STAR� Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Staying focused on the big picture THERE’S no shortage of hills and valleys on Dan and Cindy Knee’s dairy farm - and there’s been plenty of ups and downs during their two years as Focus Farmers.
Sharing ideas: from left, GippsDairy extension officer Donna Gibson with the Gardiner Foundation’s Aaron Gosling and Mirboo North Focus Farmer Bruce Manintveld at the Toora North field day.
The Toora North couple have just completed their time under the Focus Farm microscope and have been riding a roller coaster of events for the entire two years. Focus Farms are funded by GippsDairy and Dairy Australia using dairy service levy funds and provide an experienced farm consultant as a facilitator as well as a support group made up of fellow farmers and local service providers. A bumper first year was followed by the poor spring of 2015 and the subsequent milk price fall. Add in the birth of their daughter Lexi and another baby on the way, and it’s been a big 24 months for the Knees. Dan and Cindy took over the lease of the property from Dan’s parents, Bruce and Rae, at the start of the Focus Farm period. Since then, they have purchased an additional 43 hectares to create an effective milking area of 187 hectares on which they currently milk 420 cows.
Focus farm facilitator Matt Hall said the Focus Farm period had provided an invaluable insight into a farming operation in good and bad times. “Their first year was a reasonable to good milk price and a good season to go with it and they made a significant cash surplus - everything went right,� he said. “The next year the milk price opened at $5.60, which was a very workable price, which would have meant a cash surplus of around $130,000, but then we got one of the most difficult springs that I have ever seen, which brought a number of challenges around trying to get enough silage and planting additional crops, some of which failed because of the dry conditions. “In the end it resulted in a negative cash flow of around $50,000.� While the tough season and reduced milk price has tested many farmers, Matt said Dan and Cindy should be commended for keeping one eye on their long term goal of owning the farm in 10 years, while being able to adjust their farm business plan to suit current conditions. “The key insight that I have had from this Focus Farm is that you can plan all you like, but things out of your control can ultimately determine the outcome,� he said. “Dan and Cindy employed a lot of tactics that they had to, but I still don’t think they ever forgot the big picture. “Tactics are for the short term and they can sometimes lead you a little bit away from your long term goal, but they have not forgotten their main goal which is to buy the farm in 10 years, which is still very possible.� Speaking at their final Focus Farm field day, Dan and Cindy said that, despite the challenges that have confronted them, they felt more confident in running their business than they did two years ago. “We’re a bit more confident in what we are doing,� Cindy said. “It’s certainly helped me, because I started fresh two years ago and I’ve learnt a lot about finances in that time.� For Dan, developing his farm skills has gone hand in hand with improving his business acumen. He said the Focus Farm experience had helped him make better and more confident decisions. “We are definitely better business people,� he said. “There’s been a few things that people have suggested, like chicory and other crops, that we have tried that have
worked really well. “Even having the Support Group supporting our ideas has been really helpful.� GippsDairy extension co-ordinator Tony Platt said the Knee Focus Farm had offered an insight into a young farming couple and how they dealt with two very different years. “For all those following this Focus Farm – and we had very strong turnouts at all the field days – this has been a fascinating look at what it takes to build a dairy business and how to deal with the obstacles that are often in the way,� he said. “GippsDairy would like to thank Dan and Cindy for opening up their farm business and the Support Group for sharing their knowledge, experience and time during a busy couple of years.� The remaining Focus Farm field days will be held at the Macalister Demonstration Farm on Thursday, July 21, at Bruce Manintveld and Fiona Baker’s farm at Mirboo North on Thursday, August 11 and Tim and Grit Cashin’s farm at Leongatha South on Friday, August 19. The final Focus Farm field days will include information from the Tactics for Tight Times program, with an emphasis on winter and spring management strategies, as well as financial planning for 2016-17.
Opening eyes: from left at the Toora North Focus Farm field day were Scott Benton from Toora, Binginwarri’s Trent Crawford, Hedley’s Luke and Tate Jenkins and Russell Mann from Rabobank.
Aboriginal artefacts uncovered AN archaeological dig around Leongatha South has revealed a fascinating insight into the region’s indigenous heritage. The exploration was undertaken as part of archaeological investigations as part of laying infrastructure for the National Broadband Network (NBN). The dig resulted in the discovery of 493 stone artefacts and three pieces of ochre, according to Amanda Goldfarb, project archaeologist with ANZ Infrastructure and Environment, Melbourne. “The majority of artefacts were mostly made from silcrete, which is one of the most common raw materials used across Australia, however, crystal quartz, quartz and quartzite was also found,� she said. “Overall, five new Aboriginal archaeological sites were recorded as a result of the project, including two large artefact scatters.� Of the two large scatters, one contained 217 artefacts, and the other 233, with some artefacts found on the surface. “Excavation, however, revealed the majority of finds. The two large sites recovered were both knapping floors – the debris left over from the manufacture of stone artefacts – however, both sites had notable differences and were located some 1.3 km apart,� Ms Goldfarb said. “These sites indicate stone artefacts were manufactured both within close proximity to the Tarwin River, but also up on the high ridgelines surrounding the waterway. “Tools, such as scrapers, were recorded closer to the river, indicating that activities such as butchering took place at this location. This contrasted with the site located almost a kilometre from the river, which was a large artefact scatter containing almost no tools.�
However this site had a high number of cores and angular fragments, indicating the site was an early-stage knapping floor where stones were brought and crafted into primary flakes. “These were then removed, and reduced further into formal tool types elsewhere, possibly closer to the river,� Ms Goldfarb said. “Due to the rarity of these sites in Leongatha, the two large sites recorded during the project were considered to be of moderate to high scientific significance. Their Aboriginal cultural significance is high.� The artefacts were reburied after works were completed near where they were found.
Uncovering history: representatives from Boon Wurrung Foundation, Bunurong Land and Sea Association and Gunai Kurnai at work on the archaeological dig at Leongatha South. From left, Wayne Pepper, Tim Paton and Steven Compton.
2016 Hard Waste Collection Service
Council’s annual optional hard waste collection service will be conducted in October for all households who choose to book and pay for a collection. The service will be delivered on a ‘fee for service’ basis, of $94 per household. Pension Card holders can apply for a discounted rate of $32. You have until 31 August to book a collection through Council on
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