GrainGrowers Blog

Behind every success is a story of challenges overcome. For Australian farmer Steven Hobbs, it’s a patchwork quilt of opportunity, learning, moving with the ebb and flow of weather to overcome obstacles.

As combine harvesters begin their roll across the Western Australian wheatbelt, Australian growers begin their early mornings to the sounds of birdsong. It's a melody Asha McFarlane from Doodlakine in the central wheatbelt, has known since childhood. Now, soon to be armed with an ag degree, she's returning to the family farm to help with harvest once more, and maybe this time, stay for good.

Hi, my name is Natasha Giles and together with my husband Bill, and our twin boys Jack and Tom, - who will be the 6th generation on the property - farm around 4000 acres on the southern Yorke Peninsula around the townships of Yorketown, Edithburgh, Stansbury, Port Moorowie and Coobowie.

Tom Carberry is a fourth-generation farmer from Narrabri NSW on a mixed farming operation. A mixed farm is one which combines different styles of farming like cropping and livestock together. On Tom’s family’s farm, they grow the four C’s - cotton, cereals, canola and cattle.

Danielle Hamlyn is a young broadacre and hay production farmer from Freeling, South Australia. Along with her husband, Dale, and their two small children, they farm approximately four hundred acres of leased and owned land at the edge of the Barossa Valley wine region.

If you chat with any farmer across Australia, one of the first things they’ll mention they love most about farming, is the lifestyle. Working with plants and livestock and seeing the work they do make a difference to millions of lives in Australia and internationally. Ben Salisbury, a farmer from near Monto in Central Queensland who runs a mixed cropping and livestock property is one such person.

Hi everyone, I’m George Clark from Bungunya Queensland. We grow wheat, chickpeas and sorghum in a five-year rotation; we’ll put in a cover crop if we think it’s needed and depending on weed burden in that field. We also run 500 head of ewes selling into the lamb market.

Hi everyone, I’m James, a 5th generation farmer and I work with my parents Sue and Andrew Russell who took over the operations from my mum’s parents around 27 years ago. Our family farm is located in North-East Victoria at Rutherglen, within a wine region that attracts tourists due to its proximity to the Murray River, mountains and of course the boundless wineries. Lilliput Ag is part of a wider family business that includes Baker Seed Co.

Hi everyone, I’m Ian and my family and Ifarm near Ariah Park, about 35km South of West Wyalong, NSW. We are 100% dryland cropping and predominantly grow canola, wheat, barley and faba beans on approximately 1900Ha.

Hi, I’m Matt Hyde. I'm a fifth-generation farmer from Dalwallinu, WA, about 2.5 hours north of Perth. Working alongside my parents Harry and Jane, we manage 7,500ha of land with 100% crop rotation of wheat, lupins, canola and field peas.

Hi, I’m Clarke Schober, a fourth-generation farmer. I work alongside my parents and brother on our family farm, located in the northern Mallee, northwest of Loxton, with another cropping property near Karoonda in the Murraylands region. Recently, we’ve diversified our operations to include a 40-hectare irrigated almond orchard at Loxton.

Hi, I’m Sam. I am a fourth-generation farmer and I manage my farm together with my brother and younger sister. My father is still involved but he is taking more of a back seat these days. My siblings and I initially left the farm to pursue further education and interests however we have over time decided to return to the farm.

Hi everyone, my name is James Kuhnemann. I am a fifth-generation farmer, working alongside my brother and uncle at our farm in the Central Darling Downs in South Southern Queensland. My mother and father are also still involved.

Binyin Di, known as Patrick or Paddy to his mates, is an agricultural specialist with a unique story through Australian Agriculture. Originally from China, he grew up in rural areas, moving to Sydney at 18 to pursue his passion for agriculture at the University of Queensland, Gatton.

Meet Parker Dean, a second-year student at the University of Queensland (UQ) who's just beginning her journey in the agricultural industry.

Hi everyone, I’m Kate Gunn. Our family operates a rain-fed farming business on the Liverpool Plains with a mix of flat and sloping country. Our farming system is typically a long fallow rotation with wheat and sorghum being pillar crops, and crops including canola, chickpeas, barley and cotton incorporated to manage agronomic issues and take advantage of marketing opportunities. We also run a beef cattle herd alongside our cropping operation.

Matthew Hyde is a fifth-generation farmer from Dalwallinu in Western Australia. A participant in this year’s GrainGrowers Australian Grain Leaders Program (AGLP), Matt studied Agribusiness at Curtin University after leaving school, before returning home to farm with his parents in the 100% cropping business. Matt has found that being a part of the AGLP has contributed to all areas of his personal development, including evolving the content of his own program project focused on mitigating risk on farm.

Hi everyone, I’m Tim Eckert from Meningie, South Australia. I farm around 7800 hectares with my partner Laura, mum Gwenda, dad David, and my brother Matt and Matt’s wife Megan. I also can’t forget to include Matt and Megan’s almost one year old daughter, Rosie.