S5 Ep 10 - The Travelling Farmer

Farming is often as much about looking after your own patch of land - as it is learning from others. Weather extremes and changing seasons can make grazing cattle year-round incredibly difficult. In his quest for answers former Nuffield Scholar Stuart Tait has travelled to New Zealand, Europe, the UK, North and South America to learn about filling the pasture-based feed gap to boost beef profits. He's also offered up his farm as the site of a first of its kind pilot plant to turn straw into fertiliser. When he's not travelling world, he's managing his family farm in the NSW Central Tablelands. Stuart Tait joins me now. Stuart calls his family farm in Mandurama home, with his favourite spot being along the Belubula River.  In 2017, Stuart was awarded a Nuffield Australia Scholarship, which saw him travel to 14 countries over 18 months to explore global farming practices.  He has developed a strong interest in addressing the pasture-based feed gap during the winter months and explains what this means for producers.  Stuart discusses the challenges of climate variability and the importance of being able to fatten and finish beef across a full 12-month cycle.  He shares his experience designing a forage-based system using a variety of pasture species, including key learnings from New Zealand and the cost of producing a kilogram of dry matter.  Stuart explores ways to make feed go further, including alternative options to traditional hay and silage, and maximising available resources.  While there's no simple solution to improving grazing profitability, Stuart outlines innovative approaches to managing feed shortages in colder, drier months, such as stockpiling pasture, self-feeding silage, and bale grazing.  With four generations living on the family farm, Stuart reflects on how his role has evolved over time and the lessons he's learned along the way.  He shares what he loves most about life on the land, particularly the changing seasons throughout the year.  Stuart opens up about some of the challenges he has faced throughout his farming journey.  He addresses common misconceptions around using straw as fertiliser and discusses plans to establish a pilot plant in the coming years.  Looking ahead, Stuart shares his vision for the future and what lies ahead for him and his two sons.  We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.   Links: Angie Asimus  Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram Partnered with Australian Farmers  Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram    Nuffield Scholars   Produced by Pretty Podcasts