Category / Young Farming Champions

by Action4Agriculture

Day 5 Archibull Prize 2013 Judging Model Farms to Winmalee with a stopover at Jamison and Elizabeth MacArthur High

Continuing on our epic judging day at the Rouse Hill Town Centre library

School Twenty Two was Model Farms High School

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Wool I Am. The super-cow! He has his cape (made from knitted patchwork squares) flying behind him and a knitted mask..

Model Farms (8)

This is a cow in a form we have never seen before! By breaking the cow into three separate pieces, it allowed them to individually showcase different areas of the wool industry. The initial idea came from the desire to view the cow from multiple angles and to see different elements each time.

Each of the segments tells a story about a different part of the wool industry. The front segment represents ”the farm, the pastures the sheep in their fields” (as well as being filled with balls of wool which represent bales of wool ready for export).

The centre segment represents “the label from a ball of wool and includes some of the important information that encourages us to buy the product”. The interior of this segment depicts the internal organs of a cow.

The rear segment “reflects the business end of the wool industry, once the wool has left the farm”. Spirals of smoke tell us what the main woollen products are. “The embroidered end describes the processes used on a farm and life from shearing the sheep, wool types and the export of bales”.

A truly inventive cow!

School Twenty Three was Elizabeth Macarthur High School

Eye-popping colour, clean lines and a clear message are all shown by “Apple” at first glance. Her name (which links to a sheep from the schools’ farm) is the most mysterious part of her!

“Apple” shows a whole world of influences as she speaks about the Australian wool industry. She uses simplicity and a series of wrapped woollen images, overlaid on a simplified paddock backdrop with layers of earth below. This backdrop wraps all the way around the cow to give her a beautiful consistency.

Her impeccably wrapped woollen images show, on one side, the world (as we export a large portion of our wool), and on her other side an image of the iconic shearer from the early Australian painting by Tom Roberts called “Shearing the Rams”. The Woolmark and Woolblend logos also feature.

“Apple” also references the classic Holeproof TV ads where the farmer puts his sheep in bright red Holeproof socks.

The eye-popping red contrasts beautifully with the vibrant woollen and painted images. The red is picked up again in her wrapped horns and tail and in the bunch of apples which hang around her neck like a series of cowbells.

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School Twenty Four was  Winmalee High School

“Winmeatlee” takes the beef industry from ”farm to plate”, and tells the story of how Australian cattle feed a nation of hungry meat lovers.

With strong stylistic influences drawn from Roy Lichtenstein and Howard Arkley, “Winmeatlee” was always going to be bold and vibrant. She is definitely a modern cow appealing to a modern audience! She references mass media and youth culture.

One side of “Winmeatlee” tells the ‘farm’ story, while the other side tells a ‘suburban’ story. The base links from farm to consumer, though the stories of export, meat cuts and some of the benefits of eating beef. Her feed trough cleverly does not contain food for her, but instead contains food we eat. The meals represented were chosen as the results of a school survey of the most common beef meals.

Her consistent styling links all components of the story together beautifully and she is sure to catch the eye of anyone passing by!

School Twenty Five: Jamison High School

“Hathor” (which is one of the Egyptian names for their goddess of agriculture) takes us on a journey around the world!

This world trip passes through the main countries which Australia exports beef to, and depicts these countries through an iconic image associated with that country. Amongst these images we see the Statue of Liberty (representing the USA), the Great Wall of China (representing China), Babushka dolls (representing Russia) and camels representing the Middle East.

Secondary countries which Australia exports beef to are shown through an image of their flags. Different cattle breeds and butchers shops are also shown.

At her feet, this goddess has a well-travelled suitcase, filled with the essentials for any discerning traveller (of the bovine variety) and becomes her passport to travel the world.

by Action4Agriculture

Day 5 of Archibull judging 2013 takes us back to where it all began

Day 5 took us back to the Rouse Hill Town Centre where we had the first launch of the Archibull Prize in 2010

We have 7 schools today so it will be very interesting!

As a taster here are Wendy’s insights into the first 3

School Nineteen was Arndell Anglican College

“Jersey” tells the story of the “threads that bind us together”.

She talks about the final products made from much of the cotton industry in Australia –clothes.

The story starts with plain white cotton clothing on the washing line. This is a typical Australian image that we can all identify with and immediately recognise. Shown are the basic clothes for all of us – sox, underwear, singlets and t-shirts.

From this image, she then progresses to a bright series of complex geometric patterns which represent some of the retro fashion styles found in 2013.

To emphasize that cotton is the core of the fashion industry, “Jersey’s” internal organs are shown as being made from intertwined cotton plants.

The picnic basket on her side shows the different stages of cotton production, as cotton samples in bottles.

School Twenty was Caroline Chisholm College

Having won the Archibull Prize in 2011 and best cow in 2012 with two cows dedicated to telling a very thorough, easy to identify story in an interactive way we were looking forward to seeing what the girls had come up with this year.

It was soon very clear the girls have chosen the same focus this year . There is not much which “Salvador” doesn’t tell us about the cotton industry in Australia, and each part has been shown in an unusual way! He has been designed to appeal to a wide variety of viewers from small children to farmers.

Salvador is part of a cotton picker!

On the tailgate of the picker, a timeline of cotton growth is shown, both through words and visually through key parts of the cycle forming a pop-up book. These key elements –seed germination, vegetatvie state and then flowering, all lead to Salvador himself who is the mature cotton boll. Harvesting is then shown through the cotton picker (which Salvador is driving).

The history of cotton and the production cycle are shown on the melting clock faces on either side of Salvador, reminiscent of “melting Clocks” by Dali.

The blocks at the front of the picker, connect to smaller children and tell stories about pests, the products that can be produced from 1 bale of cotton, growing of cotton through the seasons and the importance of Australian cotton.

The drip irrigation on the udder shows the importance of water to the industry and also how technical the industry has become.

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Next up was School Twenty One Cranebrook High School

This cow shakes, rattles and rolls!

“HarMoony” is bright and bold and takes a very different approach to the Beef industry in Australia. The approach was to look at the industry through the ways they are trying to harmonise with the environment and with nature.

They chose to do this through a play on the word ‘harmony’. An interactive approach was taken and a multitude of musical instruments are used.

Here is a little movie I made just to show how clever HarMOOny is

She has chosen the simple and striking colour of bright orange as her base. This is the identifying colour of Harmony Day. The simple black contrast of the words, statistics and musical instruments works well.

She will be a favourite with the kids, but may come home a little worse for all the wear she will certainly get!

by Action4Agriculture

Day 4 of Archibull judging from Northlakes to James Ruse

On Day Four of our Epic Archibull Judging Tour of 2013 found us on the beautiful central coast .

Still predominately following our time schedule, (much to everyone’s surprise -especially us!) and having a great time seeing all these wonderful Archibull cows and meeting the very clever students and teachers who have put their heart and souls into their 2013 Archibull Prize entries over the last 6 months.

School Fifteen was Northlakes High School

A Starry Starry night, Cornfields (turned into fields of cotton!), a palette of blue and green, and a bandaged head where his left ear used to be. (It is now in a box at his feet, waiting to be sent to his beloved, Rachel.

He has emerged out of the picture frame at his feet and can only be “Homage to Rachel” and to Vincent van Gogh.

This Archibull is expressive and beautifully painted. It tells a wonderful story about Vincent van Gogh as well as the cotton industry. Growing fields of cotton are shown, as well as the end product (the cotton doilies and cotton bandage). The importance of water to the cotton industry is expressed by the watering can, hovering over the entire scene.

This “Homage to Rachel” also has a subtle “Where’s Wally” theme going through the use of the Cotton Australia logo. How many can you find?

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School Sixteen was Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College Berkeley Vale Campus

“Casey Cotton Boll” is very unique (a little bit of an understatement!)

She shows three distinct facets of the cotton industry –the planting and harvest of cotton, the manufacture of cotton thread and the transformation of cotton thread into clothing. Each of these facets is shown on a different side of the cow.

That’s right! Three sides to this cow!

No, she is not triangular, but has been split in half lengthwise. This has allowed the school to show each story separately.

One side, through the stylistic influence of Brett Whitely, covers the growth cycle of cotton from seed to harvest. It also shows some of the technology used, the integrated pest management and the importance of water.

Her other side tells of the cotton which is exported to be ginned, processed and made into clothing in India and other countries. This has been shown through the delicate motifs of textile patterns and prints of India and Bangladesh, as well as imagery of the Sacred Cow.

The inside of Casey is stylistically very different again. She stands on a suitcase, which represents the export of raw cotton overseas, and shows the final product as we commonly see it –clothes. It also links to their Young Farming Champion – Richie Quigley.

Fabulous work!

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School Seventeen was Turramurra High School

“Mootilda Purl” does not moo. She bleats like a sheep!

She is, after all, a cow in sheep’s clothing! Her woolly coat is 100% Australian made and will keep her as warm as toast all through winter.

It showcases the flags of the three main countries that Australia exports wool to –China, India and Italy. She talks about the fact that while Australia exports most of its wool, we also import finished wool products back into Australia.

She has gorgeous, grassy green knitted legs with bright coloured flowers, seemingly picked up while she was frolicking in a paddock.

Her cowbell motion sensor hangs around her neck, surprising anyone who gets too close.

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She is quirky and fun and constantly surprises you as she bleats at you. You look around for a sheep, but don’t find a sheep, just a cow in sheep’s clothing!

School Eighteen was James Ruse Agricultural High School

James Ruse is the holder of the 2012 Archibull Prize and it was delightful to see the trophy taking pride of place in their trophy cabinet as we walked through the door

“Woven” weaves together the story of the wool industry in Australia. She shows the connections between all of the parts to create a cohesive whole.

She shows the wool industry through its

-history (through the imagery on a film reel),

-connection to Australia (through the colouring and the quirky take on aboriginal motifs),

– people (through a collage of some of the occupations and faces involved),

-technology (through the cog motifs)

-farming (from farm to consumer)

-processes (from greasy to scoured to carbonised and finally to wool top)

She highlights the resilience of the industry as well as between the animal side and the people side of the industry.

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Whilst a number of schools this year have been inspired by famous artists the James Ruse students said they had been inspired by each other

by Action4Agriculture

Archibull Prize Judging Day 3 Menai to Matraville

Day 3 saw us visiting 4 Sydney schools from Menai in South West Sydney  to Matraville and Chifley on the east coast

We are feeling very confident and happy, after two beautiful days in Berry where everything worked like clockwork. I am sure we can manage to keep to our schedule today (mostly!)

School 11 saw us visit Menai High School

Brandon takes a very different look at the beef industry. He looks at it from the consumer perspective, rather than from the production side.

He is wrapped, quite literally, in discarded brown paper bags which have been branded with a variety of recognisable beef related brands. These brands include both traditionally styled brands and product related brands.

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A coil of connected receipts spiral around Brandon from head to tail, and convey consumer loyalty to repurchase quality Australian beef. They show the time, love and money that the Australian consumer spends on beef each week.

Brandon is simple and concise with a sophisticated message.

School Twelve was  De La Salle Catholic College

Where would our Archibull Prize competition be without a Hipster Cow? We haven’t had one in the past, but now we do!

De La Salle Caringbah 
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The concept is centred around urban youth culture. The cow has been painted to resemble a graffiti wall with cement rendering chipping away to reveal the brickwork below. Graffiti tags adorn the wall making links to the digital world of youth culture with QR codes to lead the audience to online information on wool through posts, tweets and Instagram photos. The handle @hipstercow13 and hash tag (#hipstercow13) that has been used in our social media will continue to grow as people snap it, tag it, post it and re-post it, increasing the online profile of the cow. Stencil art on the wall depicts a sheep blowing up piles of yarn to depict yarn-bombing. While the hipsters discuss their use of wool, the cow takes on the appearance of a hipster itself.

He is wearing a school sock (the most common item of woollen clothing owned by students according to their survey) and a scarf in the colours of the school uniform.

A very well dressed hipster cow!

School Thirteen was Chifley Primary School (feeder school for Matraville Sports High School)

Jasper Co Co is the second of our very cool surfie cows, but tells a very different story.

Jasper is channelling Christo (the artist who wrapped nearby Little Bay).

He is packaged up to represent the fact that over 50% of Australian cotton is being exported overseas to be made into products.

He is wrapped and tied and has enough stamps on him to travel anywhere he wants to around the world –maybe a couple of times! Each stamp is an individual little piece of art showcasing the cotton industry, farmers and relevant environmental factors for growing cotton. (Jasper even manages to feature on a few himself!)

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Jasper is riding a carefully woven denim surfboard, which symbolises the finished products journey back across the ocean (as well as his local community in the Eastern Suburbs).

School Fourteen was  Matraville Sports High School

Miss Sophie reflects….. the multiculturalism of the school.

Miss Sophie reflects….. the cotton industry.

Miss Sophie reflects….. Antonio Gaudi.

Miss Sophie reflects!

Miss Sophie employs two very different stylistic approaches (indigenous artwork and the mosaics of Gaudi) and combines them together beautifully.

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The Aboriginal motifs tell the story of the local community and the school, the city, as well as the process of growing cotton. These are then overlaid with the striking mirror mosaic representing the flowing lines of water and the irrigation systems needed for cotton. The fountain flowing from the mosaics also links beautifully to the irrigation of cotton.

She is bold, sophisticated, vibrant and truly unique.

What was particularly poignant about this school was its close relationship with its adjoining primary school Chifley and the rapport between the Matraville students who mentored the students at Chifley involved in the painting of Jasper

by Action4Agriculture

Day Two of the Epic Archibull Judging Tour of 2013

We were back again to the idyllic setting of the Arts and Crafts Pavilion at Berry Showground for day 2 of judging

We thought we were running on time to start, but we didn’t count on the enthusiasm of the students and teachers with two school arriving before us!

At least we aren’t starting late.

First cab of the rank was Kiama Public School

Pablo ……..has worms!

Actual, living, breathing worms! (This is a first for us!)

Even better……….the worms have been yarn-bombed!

Now, don’t get too excited! The worms were not individually yarn-bombed (too wiggly I assume), but their worm farm was. It is part of Pablo’s story about Permaculture and sustainable agriculture.

Pablo himself was also yarn-bombed. He shows the digestive processes -from eating grass, to digestion, then manure, and then turning the manure and compost back into grass to start the cycle over again (this is where the worm farm comes in!).

Great story shown in a clever way. Well done! Nice use of worms.

Second cab of the rank was Vincentia Public School and still running on time  –Yay!)

They have name their Archie Booderee which is Aboriginal for Bay of Plenty, and that is exactly what this little cow shows- Plenty!

She is literally covered from nose to tail in a detailed collage of images drawn by the students. The images depict many of the plants and animals which are significant to aboriginal life in their local area. These have then been interspersed with relevant photos. Strong bands divide the images according to type.

Her head shows images of their local area, while her tail shows images of the amazing ‘bush tucker trail’ created by the school.

In the words of Vincentia Public School:

“Booderee” is like no other calf in Australia. He represents the beautiful area we live in with its wonderful cultural, spiritual and traditional significance of the Aboriginal people.”

Well said!

Day 2 continued ………………………

School Seven was Bega Valley Public School

Buttercup is immediately noticeable.

She is distinct and finely detailed. Her buttercup yellow base (a very appropriately named cow!) is overlaid with striking aboriginal motifs, which form a map of the local area. It shows where the main farming communities are and the paths people take to get to each area, as well as important local mountains and landforms.

 

In the words of the school:

The Aboriginal design elements make this cow unique. The students involved learnt about their culture as a result of the artistic process. We discussed the unique way that aboriginal artists use symbols to tell stories about their land, and used these to represent the beef and dairy communities in our region.

Her consistent styling makes this a very appealing Archibull.

School Eight was up next and that was Shoalhaven High School

I am not sure that this cow was named correctly, because it is not her udder that is brilliant (though it is not bad in the slightest!) It is her unique stomach that expands your mind! (“Stomach Brilliance” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it though!)

 

She sends a very detailed message to all about the importance of natural resource management in the dairy industry as well as the increasing use of technology and mechanisation in the industry.

The natural resource base that the industry relies upon for sustainable increases in efficiency is the legs and the living pasture foundation. Her body is about mechanisation and innovation in milking technology and the biomechanical processes of milk production.

But…… back to her brilliant stomach now. Anyone who sees it will definitely remember it. Her side opens up and a material model of an actual sized ruminant digestive system can be pulled out. Details about each of the four stomachs roles are written on it.

It is not slimy or real, but simply “Udderly Brilliant”!

School Nine was St Brigid’s Catholic Primary School

For a fresh take on the beef industry, you really must try the food at Lim’s Cafe! It is the place to be seen.

You see…. there’s this really bright young Archibull called Lim, who has his own little cafe (no long legs allowed!). They serve a wide variety of tasty beef dishes which are all fully explained on the detailed and very informative menu. The decor is bright and colourful with quite a spotted feel to it. The waiters are extremely helpful and informed about the lovely creations of Chef Lim. Even the flooring of this little cafe transports you out into the green countryside!

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If you are particularly lucky, you may even get the chance to have Chef Lim himself come out and tell you about the wonderful creations he has produced. He really was quite fascinating.

Overall, I felt that Lim’s Cafe provided a lovely dining experience for a judge who needed to ‘Spring into Beef’!

School Ten was Gwynneville Public School

Baa Baa Bovine will be extremely cosy this winter. She has her own teddy and her own paddock and is wearing and amazing jumper.

Her woolly jumper is made from a wonderful patchwork carefully stitched together (with wool of course!) showcasing the differing types of woollen finishes available. She has been crocheted, knitted, felted, appliquéd, recycled, darned and many more. Her legs have been wrapped, and her hair will keep her head warm all through winter.

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She is ready for another “Winter Woollies Day” at Gwynneville Public School, (however I think they must have forgotten to check if they got all of the knitting and sewing needles out before she put her jumper on –very uncomfortable!) She wears many labels and tells a wonderful story.

She is literally ‘Wrapped up in Yarn’.

Baa Baa Bovine also wrapped up our time in Berry.

Now it was off to Sydney for Day 3

A big ‘thankyou’ to all schools involved in the Berry Exhibition for their wonderful Archies, their clever students and teachers and their enthusiasm.

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by Action4Agriculture

I am a champion and your gonna hear me roar

Day One of the Epic Archibull Judging Tour of 2013 revealed many champion school and students who were determined to roar in one way or another  and roar they did

Day 1 began at the Agriculture Pavilion at Berry Showground on the south coast of NSW a town steeped in dairy tradition saw us adding cotton and sheep to the food and fibre mix

With four schools to see today, we were off to a flying start first thing Monday morning. (We actually even started early -probably the only time we will manage to start early during the whole trip!)

First cab off the rank was Avoca Public School

DJ Beef is definitely the rockstar of this year’s herd!

He comes with a red Mohawk, blue skin, a turntable, plenty of bling and the slogan “Aussie beef gives you the energy you need to be the rockstar you really are”.

You are going to recognise him as soon as you see him!

He does however, also have a serious message. The concept “nothing goes to waste” is very clearly demonstrated.

When we were doing our research we were shocked at how much food people wasted. It got us talking about how much things had changed over the years. When our grandparents and great grandparents were growing up they couldn’t just pop down to the grocery store to get what they needed. A lot of them were on the farm and had to kill and butcher their own beasts. Back then they couldn’t afford to just eat the fancy bits of steak, they ate it all! We have brought this concept into our design by naming all the cuts of beef on one side, on the other side we have included recipes that use unusual cuts of meat like the clod.

Great job Avoca Public School! Very eye-catching!

Next up Barrack Heights Public School bought a new generation perspective on dairying to the region. BTW -and we are still running ahead of time! I know this isn’t going to last so it should definitely be applauded!

Brocco is one of the two cool surfie Archies of 2013.

She is riding into the competition on a wave of recycling. She tells two strong stories: one of the dairy industry and their need to look after our waterways, and the second is a strong message about recycling.

She is quirky and interesting, with a wonderful story and fascinating features!

One of the most extraordinary things about this cow however, was actually the way that the whole school at Barrack Heights embraced the Archibull program, and the very real changes that the students involved brought about. They now have recycling at the school (even having their own recycling committee) and also lobbied for their school community to stop buying the cheap milk sold through large supermarket chains. Their launch, showcasing gorgeous dairy products, looks to have been superb as well.

Check this previous post out just to see how cleverly team Barrack Heights leveraged the program

Truly great ideas and extremely impressive!

Next up was a cow that screamed the man that put their town on the map –  Bowral Public School – Can you believe it!! We are actually still ahead of schedule and feeling very proud of ourselves. I am sure it is due to the schools clever work and efficient speakers not us, but we are feeling efficient anyway!

And Don Bradbull comes to the crease to represent Bowral and wool! All padded up and ready to go, he knocked us all for six!

He showcases through collage the students’ research, as well as their excursions to the Big Merino and a farm visit to see sheep being shorn. He highlights the idea of ‘Barn to Yarn’, through the greasy wool running down his back, which leads to the finished wool of his scarf. The photo collage is surrounded by a sea of pale tulips which showcase Bowral and its tulip festival.

With his farmers hat and cricketers pads, Don Bradbull is definitely unique.

Did you know that Don Bradbull was created in the very classroom that the legendary Don Bradman was taught in?

Wonderful connection to your local community, your history and to your industry!

School Four Day 1 was Corpus Christi Catholic High School from Oak Flats  – (still sticking to our timetable, so maybe 2013 will be an improvement from the past years in terms of the punctuality of the judging tour! – we hope)

Ms Fillet Mignon of Oak Flats was the first of our High School Archibull entries that we have seen in the flesh.

She is beautifully painted with expressive imagery appropriated from a variety of sources.  On her side she starts her narrative with the early morning stillness taken from Gruner’s  ”Spring Frost” . This is followed with the bright afternoon sunshine of a compilation of many works, which is followed by the early evening of Heysen’s “Coming Home”. The most recognisable and well known of the images used, is Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night”. They form a beautiful timeline of a day in the life of a farm.

These farming images however, seem to be held up by a fifth appropriated work, this one by Ann Newmarch. The four women, each on a leg, appear to be literally holding up the farm! They show the role women play in agriculture and link nicely with the Devondale logo.

The women featured include ABC Landline’s Pip Courtney who inspired the girls and our very own Young Farming Champions Steph Fowler and Bessie Blore as well as Young Eco Champion Erin Lake

 

A well executed Archibull with an interesting concept!

 

 

by Action4Agriculture

Schools deliver an auditory and visual blast

Yesterday afternoon I attended the most incredible event. The organisation, the style and the superb food  and innovative menu would have done Prince Harry proud

Barrack Heights Public School who are competing in the 2013 Archibull Prize held a launch party to celebrate the finishing of their artwork and the students and teachers involved

The launch was co-ordinated by Julie Debnam and class teacher extraordinaire Natalie Harris (above) the room was decorated in everything black and white to celebrate  Australia’s most popular breed of the dairy cow – the Holstein

Now a COW on a surfboard is not something you see every day, but it’s part of the Barrack Heights Public School Archibull Club’s grand vision for their fibreglass cow, Brocco. I will let the art judge share with you after judging all the very clever elements of the Cow Art

The 25 students taking part in the Archibull Prize competition this year, decorating their Archie with paint and recyclable materials to showcase their theme, “looking after waterways”.

Their Archie ‘Brocco’ is now covered in colours, a map of Australia’s rivers and indigenous artwork.

Yesterday was a celebration of all things dairy including the menu created by Azarak Experimental Kitchen owner and head chef Shane Debnam

Those who have dined at Azarak  know we are always about surprises, and for the Archibull, we are surprises abound. We will be charging yoghurt with NO2, churning a milk sorbet with dry ice, smoking milk with hay, steeping milk in straw and souring it to make a soft curd, and wrapping beef in pastoral lucerne, and cooking it sous vide for six hours at 53’c. Like I said; Azarak is always about surprises. says Shane

Inspiration for the Archibull menu was drawn from the local urban and suburban environment. We will utilise localised foraging to enhance the menu items, paired with our unique brand of approaching ingredients in a scientific, and classical manner.

The best part about using dairy is the versatility of the core ingredient. Dairy encompasses milk, cheeses, yoghurts, sorbets, gelatos, and beef itself. We also want to showcase the local rural and urban environment, with sustainable foraging, pairing it with the best in handmade yoghurts, soft curd and sorbet.

Our five course degustation auditory and visual sensation

Cant wait to get permission to show the delight on the students faces to have the opportunity to participate in this experience that saw them create ice-cream through a haze of dry ice

Special thanks to Shane and Parmalat for providing the opportunity for all the students to have access to the perfect nutrient cocktail that is dairy

However I must admit the most rewarding part of the experience for me and the wonderful team behind Art4Agricuture was the feedback from the teachers, parents and students.

This is the best experience the school has ever participated in said headmistress Sarah Rudling

Ms Harris said it is great for the students to see a project come together over such a long period of time. “They really love the involvement and seeing it grow.”

Although the students have loved painting their cow, teacher Natalie Harris says they have been most excited when learning about their assigned industry, dairy.

“The kids love it because, one, they get to be involved in a huge art project with a lot of different aspects to it, but also because they’re involved in something they don’t know a lot about,” she says.

“Ninety per cent of it is working on the cow, but 10 per cent is looking at sustainable farming. I think in a way they’ve loved that part more.”

“Not a lot of our kids have been to farms, I think in the group there was about four that had been to a farm.

“For them to able to get some information about the farming industry . . . they have really enjoyed being able to find out where does milk come from, how they look after animals, what a farmer actually does.”

Ms Harris says many parents have told her that their kids have asked them to buy locally-produced milk rather than cartons from the major supermarket brands after their research into the Illawarra dairy industry.

The Archibull Club has also learnt about recycling and the impact rubbish can have on waterways, which Ms Harris says has led to students making a conscious effort to recycle and pick up rubbish at school.

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They reminded us all the well being of our planet is the responsibility of everyone

The Challenge – WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Last words from Natalie Harris

That was the most parents that have ever attended a school function.

Thanks again 🙂 I have just loved the whole project

Follow Barrack Heights Public School journey through their blog here

If you would like to check out Azarak Experimental Kitchen on Facebook, please follow the link here.   Don’t forget to like their page!

by Action4Agriculture

You don’t have to be the Candyman to deliver lollipop moments

Take just six minutes out of your day and watch this wonderful TEDxToronto talk from Drew Dudley called “Leading with Lollipops”

Drew asks

How many of you guys have a lollipop moment? A moment where someone said something or did something that you feel fundamentally made your life better?

We need to redefine leadership as being about lollipop moments, how many of them we create, how many of them we acknowledge, how many of them we pay forward, and how many of them we say thank you for. Because we’ve made leadership about changing the world, and there is no world, there are only six billion understandings of it. And if you change one person’s understanding of it, one person’s understanding of what they’re capable of, one person’s understanding of how much people care about them, one person’s understanding of how powerful an agent of change they can be in this world, you’ve changed the whole thing.

Last weekend Art4Agriculture pulled together a team of truly amazing people of the calibre of the gem that is Ann Burbrook and the incredible Gaye Steel  to inspire and support our very talented Young Farming Champions who are all redefining both the word Champion and Leadership.

Every day they are delivering lollipop moments across the landscape in Australia and being the change that agriculture must have

Ann quotes Judy Garland when she gives them this great advice

always be the best version of yourself not a second rate version of some-one else.

We took the opportunity to share the growth of these wonderful young people with their industry sponsors and supporters and held a showcase dinner which the Young Farming Champions hosted themselves.

As a wife and a mother you spend a great deal of time in the background and the stands sharing the blood, sweat and tears of great moments in your family’s life.

On Saturday night the silent tears poured down my face as I watched each of these young people stand up and be the best version of themselves par excellence and so wished all of their parents could have been there sharing this moment with me.

You can see some of the highlights in pictures on Facebook here 

As part of the presentation we saluted some of the highly diverse accolades of the program’s alumni and what was even more enriching was on Saturday we discovered Dairy Young Farming Champion Tom Pearce who tag line has always been

“I am the dairy farmer who puts the cheese on your cracker”

Has now been immortalized by Bega Cheese as the face of the cheese

Then I had the phone call on Sunday from Megan Rowlatt telling me she had been invited to meet Prince Harry today.  That would make 5 of our team mixing with royalty after four of our Wool Young Farming Champions where given the opportunity by Australian Wool Innovation to meet Prince Charles last year

We have Wool Young Farming Champion Sammi Townsend appearing in Dolly Magazine’s up coming  “Inspiring Teens” feature.

MLA YFC Bronwyn Roberts won the prestigious 2013 Red Meat Industry Emerging Leader and was the key note speaker at the Marcus Oldham Rural Leadership Program Gala Dinner

MLA leveraged the talents of Kylie Schuller and Stephanie Fowler and Bronwyn Roberts at a number of their community events which saw Kylie and Stephanie and Bronwyn mixing with celebrity chefs and Cotton Australia YFC Liz Lobsey was introduced to Queensland Premier Campbell Newman

MLA 2012 YFC Stephanie Fowler was invited to present a paper at the 59th International Congress of Meat Science and Technology (ICoMST) 2013 held in Izmir in Turkey

Stephanie’s trip to Europe also saw her invited to visit the iconic Max Rubner-Institut which undertakes research in functional foods for a healthy and tasty diet.

AWI YFC Jo Newton and her UNE team won the Enactus Australian Championships. Jo is currently in Cancan, Mexico representing Australia in the World Cup

Cotton Australia YFC Richie Quigley seen here receiving his NSW Farmers Scholarship from Barry O’Farrell won first overall and the individual prize in the 2013 Australian Universities Crop Competition (AUCC)

This award includes an international ten-day study tour to compete in the Collegiate Crops Contest held in November 2013 in Kansas, USA. Richie’s award includes airfares, accommodation, meals, enterprise visits, and registration to compete in the Collegiate Crops Contest.

The Young Farming Champions instantly came to mind when I read this great article featuring the research of Professor Haslam and his team

An important finding from the team’s research was that in order to get the best out of creative individuals, society needed to invest in the groups that made certain forms of creativity possible. They found that whilst creativity and genius are commonly seen as attributes of an individual, their research indicates the role played by the surrounding group may be just as important.

“Our research supports the argument that geniuses and creative people are very much products of the groups and societies within which they are located.”

“What people create, and how they create it, depends to a large extent on what those around them – those with whom they identify – are doing,”

For the creativity of individual creators to be celebrated, and to make a difference in the world, it has to be enthusiastically embraced by others,”

The argument is corroborated in a number of experimental studies the team has conducted over the past decade which have been published in leading scientific journals. The paper explores how creative individuals are often portrayed as mavericks who, freed from group constraint, can fly in the face of convention.

“Even Steve Jobs needed a group to treat his ideas seriously and to cultivate them,” Professor Haslam said.

“Indeed, it was precisely because people refused to be ‘trapped by the dogma of another person’s thinking’, that Jobs’ idea of the personal computer wasn’t dismissed as lunacy.”

My call to action.

Agriculture identify your young talent, engage them, nurture them and most importantly invest in them and celebrate them

by Action4Agriculture

Agriculture celebrates its rising stars

Art4Agriculture guest blogger Kristy Stewart is one of nine passionate tertiary students committed to the future of agriculture who were this week awarded scholarships from Rural Finance to assist them with their studies. Rural Finance Scholarships are open to vocational, undergraduate and postgraduate students who demonstrate a career commitment to agriculture including farming, consultancy, research, technological and other related services. The scholarship offers offer agri-students funding of up to $6,000 per year while studying.

We previously profiled Kristy Stewart in March this year through her inspiring blog Lets Get Back to our roots. Kristy is currently studying Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences, La Trobe University and she and her family farm in the foothills of the beautiful Otway Ranges in Victoria. Kristy is a 5th generation farmer on their 580 acre property.

Passionate about the environment and farming, Kristy is keen to learn how agriculture can be developed as a sustainable industry. Her parents provide her with inspiration and strength and encourage her in her passion to promotion sustainable conservation to the next generation.
“It’s time to get back to our roots & realise the importance of agriculture to the people of Australia and by extension, the world”. Kristy says

Hear what Kristy has to say here

 

For over 21 years, the Rural Finance Scholarship Program has committed over $2.3M to students who strive to be of value to Victorian agriculture, and is recognised as a leading scholarship program supporting the development of Victorian youth.

At the conclusion of their studies, students become members of the Rural Finance Scholarship Alumni, offering ongoing opportunities for mentoring and networking.

by Action4Agriculture

Richie Quigley Cream of the Crops

Art4Agriculture and Cotton Australia sponsored Young Farming Champion Richie Quigley has had a huge year capping it of by winning the first overall and the individual prize in the 2013 Australian Universities Crop Competition (AUCC) which includes an international ten-day study tour to compete in the Collegiate Crops Contest held in November 2013 in Kansas, USA. Richie’s award will include airfares, accommodation, meals, enterprise visits, and registration to compete in the Collegiate Crops Contest.

“I wasn’t expecting anything, especially seeing the level of knowledge among the other competitors. I come from a farming background and the trip to USA is a good opportunity to visit some farms” said Richie.

The winning team: Richard Quigley, Eleanor Percival, Sarah Waldron-Jones, Emily Lamberton, Eleanor Readford, Constance Mort and Haruna Suenaga with Dr Adriana Hoxha

This is extra exciting for our team as 2011 Young Farming Champion Heidi Cheney designed and instigated the inaugural Australian Universities Crop Competition

During her time at Grain Growers Heidi established a capacity building strategic plan which led to the development and delivery of several new initiatives including: The Innovation Generation Conference, the Australian Future Grain Leaders Program as well as the Australian University Crops Competition.

The University of Sydney team from the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment also won the 2013 Australian Universities Crop Competition (AUCC) based on the three highest scoring individuals from each university.The competition was held in Temora, NSW from 18-20 September 2013, organised by Grain Growers and sponsored by Dow AgroSciences, GRDC and Farmoz. Charles Sturt University came in second and Curtin University came in third.

During the competition the students had the opportunity to take their knowledge from the lecture theatre to the field. The competition included components like farm management, grain grading, live crop yield potential, live crop weed and foliar diseases identification and soil analyses.

“I was surprised from their commitment in training as a team during our stay in Temora”, said the team lead coach, Dr Adriana Hoxha. Senior Lecturer from the Department of Plant and Food Sciences, Dr Daniel Tan said, “Our agronomy and soil science programs provide our students with a solid foundation to apply their practical skills in the field.”

The University of Sydney entered seven students into the competition this year, with the group led by Dr Adriana Hoxha, along with support from student coach, Johanna Couchman who won third place in the 2012 Australian Universities crops Competition and a ten-day International Study Tour to the USA. The students in the Sydney team are Richard Quigley, Eleanor Percival, Sarah Waldron-Jones, Emily Lamberton, Eleanor Readford, Constance Mort and Haruna Suenaga