Laura Harris is the owner of Beau River Beef, a cattle breeding operation utilising agistment properties across NSW from Griffith to Orange. Laura also works for Local Land Services as part of the Invasive Species team. In this episode, Laura discusses the humble origins of her Santa Gertrudis x Angus crossbred herd and how she uses agistment for her breeding operation until she can purchase her own property. She explains why she thinks agistment is an underutilised resource, how to find it, how...
Jun 30, 2025•34 min•Ep. 126
This episode is part two of our two-part chat with Annie Scott. In the last episode, Annie discussed how she and her team use extensive data collection to consistently improve their Angus livestock. In this episode, Annie shares her personal journey as an Angus breeder, starting as a Youth Ambassador in the 1990s and culminating in hosting the recent World Angus Forum, where she was given an industry award for over 20 years of dedication to the Angus breed. She also dives into how to bridge the ...
Jun 16, 2025•19 min•Ep. 125
Annie Scott is an Angus Breeder and Advocate at ‘Karoo’, a 2,300-hectare farm and Angus stud between Bathurst and Lithgow, which Annie took over from her parents in 2008, with a later partnership with her father in 2018. In this episode, Annie explains how extensive data collection combined with an improvement philosophy has allowed Karoo Angus to produce high-quality animals. She also discusses the importance of pasture management and why shifting their calving period to later in the season has...
Jun 02, 2025•30 min•Ep. 124
Wal White is the Feedlot Manager at ‘The Mount’, a mixed farming operation west of Forbes on the west slope of the Corridgery Range. Wal keeps himself busy managing 840ha of cropping, another 800ha of grazing country, and a 4,000-cattle feedlot at its heart. In this episode, Wal opens up about the backgrounding process used at ‘The Mount’ for cattle entering the feedlot, what a normal day managing 4,000 head of cattle looks like, and discusses the improvements made at 'The Mount' while he's been...
May 19, 2025•28 min•Ep. 123
Terry Worthington is a Farmer at ‘Four Corners’, a 7,000-acre livestock operation near Condoblin. Terry’s business is split between trade and agistment of cattle and bare breach Merino sheep, and breeding composite cattle. In this episode, Terry opens up about how his approach to farming has become simpler over time and has reduced stress for himself and his livestock. He also discusses how his appreciation for the differences between his property and his neighbours has helped him improve the he...
May 05, 2025•46 min•Ep. 122
Col Clapham is a beef and sheep producer in the Ilford area of NSW. Col runs three properties with his wife and uncle across 5700 acres, using the variable elevation as part of their pest management strategies to protect their 1600 breeding ewes, 200 cows, and 400 steers. In this episode, Col discusses the challenges of managing soil that ranges from sandy to rich basalt to achieve his production goals, how he tackles managing native and improved pastures in the cooler, elevated country of his p...
Apr 21, 2025•27 min•Ep. 121
This episode is part two of our two-part chat with Isabele and Pete Roberts. In the last episode, Isabele and Pete opened up about their family’s Poll Dorset stud operation and the importance of good breeding. In this episode, Isabele and Pete highlight the importance of multispecies grazing crops for their farm and the research they have recently undertaken with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). Local Land Services Mixed Farming Advisor, Rohan Leach, continu...
Apr 07, 2025•34 min•Ep. 120
Isabele and Pete Roberts are the husband and wife duo behind Ridgehaven Poll Dorset stud in Cudal. With three properties across Cudal and Forbes, Isabele and Pete work with their family to produce high-quality sheep. In this episode, Isabele and Pete explain how they run their complex business, the importance of breeding rams with good eating qualities, how they achieve fast-growing lambs that meet market specifications, and the truth for producers looking for the “silver bullet” in their sheep ...
Mar 24, 2025•29 min•Ep. 119
Grace Hadley is the Business Manager at Burrawang West, an 11,000-acre mixed farming operation owned by AAM Investment Group between Condobolin and Parkes. Grace spends her days mostly focused on the Burrawang Dorper and White Dorper Stud programs. In this episode, Grace explains the strategies used at Burrawang to train Dorpers with quiet temperaments, how focusing on breeding rams chosen for conformation and fertility results in lambs of a mid-maturity growth type, and how an eight-month joini...
Mar 10, 2025•23 min•Ep. 118
Kate Nixon is a Horticulturalist and Environmental Consultant who founded Macrocarpa Landscapes in 2024. Kate advocates for using endemic Australian plant species to create healthy, beautiful landscapes to improve farms and gardens in rural Australia. In this episode, Kate discusses how to choose the best endemic species for the farm, how they can be used tactically to reduce fire risk and manage flood areas, and how to build a gorgeous garden from native Australian plants that promote more biod...
Feb 24, 2025•31 min•Ep. 117
Sam Johnston is a Farmer who works alongside his dad to manage their family properties near Forbes. The Johnston's primary focus is on trade lambs and lucerne hay production however, they have recently moved into breeding composite meat sheep too. In this episode, Sam discusses how high-performance pastures of perennial grasses, lucerne, clover, and chicory helped his farm to trade over 3,000 lambs on approximately 150 hectares of river country. He also explains how their hay production sometime...
Feb 10, 2025•31 min•Ep. 116
Jacob Stein is a Farmer and Winemaker at Robert Stein Winery in Mudgee. For three generations, Jacob’s family has farmed their 600-acre property and expanded their operation to include a vineyard, winery, restaurant, and mixed farming enterprise. In this episode, Jacob shares how regenerative farming techniques boosted soil carbon levels from 1% to 8%, discusses their paddock-to-plate approach, and reveals how innovative farming methods like natural sunscreen on grape vines have contributed to m...
Jan 27, 2025•32 min•Ep. 115
This episode is part two of our two-part chat with Jon Wright. In the last episode, Jon shared his journey to create the highly regarded Blue-E line of cattle and how it became the most feed-efficient herd in the world. In this episode, Jon dives into the importance of EBVs and how farms can use this information to develop more effective beef production systems. He also discusses how his collaboration with ag tech developers and researchers from the University of Sydney will aid farmers in reduc...
Jan 13, 2025•35 min•Ep. 114
Jon Wright runs a 700-head cattle and breeding operation at his property, "Coota Park", on the edge of the Lachlan Valley. Jon developed a high-efficiency composite cattle line, Blue-E, almost 30 years ago using a Shorthorn Angus cross and refining the line over time. In this episode, Jon walks through his beef and cattle journey and how working on a research station in his early career influences how he operates his farm. He digs into how he developed the Blue-E line and how monitoring individu...
Dec 30, 2024•23 min•Ep. 113
Richard and Bernie Sharpe are the husband and wife team behind “Winton Park”, a SheepMaster stud they run on their farm, “Coraki”, along the banks of the Bogan River northwest of Parkes. In addition to the stud, they also have a commercial shedding sheep flock with a bit of cropping to complement their sheep enterprise. In this episode, Richard and Bernie discuss how SheepMasters are different from other breeds of sheep and their benefits for different farming setups. As newcomers to the Parkes ...
Dec 16, 2024•29 min•Ep. 112
Sam Mason is a Farmer at “Spicers Run”, a 4,500-hectare mixed-farming operation near Wellington. Sam, his brother Joe, and their families use a 10-year cropping rotation schedule to help them make the most of their land. In this episode, Sam shares how his cropping rotation works and the benefits of dual-purpose cropping for providing high-quality winter feed for livestock while leaving plenty to harvest at the end of the season. He also shares how his intense production strategy helps to offset...
Dec 02, 2024•22 min•Ep. 111
Paul Jameson runs a livestock operation on his farm, “Pine Knoll Park”, near Geurie and is also the NSW Livestock Stud Manager for Elders. Using his experience with Elders, Paul has turned his property from a blank canvas into a thriving farm. In this episode, Paul discusses how he improved the infrastructure of his farm and why he established permanent pastures. He explains why he joined the LLS Farming Forecaster network and how real-time data helps his business. He also shares his advice as a...
Nov 18, 2024•24 min•Ep. 110
Joe Fleming is a fifth-generation Farmer with his family on their 10,000-hectare mixed farming operation, “Ulah”, near Walgett. Wheat and chickpeas are the primary crops at "Ulah" with some opportunistic irrigated cotton, cattle trading, and agistment when seasonal conditions allow it. Joe is also the Founder and Director of Evolve Engineering, which designs and manufactures innovative farming technology such as “crimpers” to allow farmers to manage weeds without disturbing the soil. In this epi...
Nov 04, 2024•29 min•Ep. 109
Emily Sinderberry is a Farmer and a Rural Bookkeeper at EJS Business Services in Condobolin. Emily is a trained accountant who specialises in helping farmers and small business owners take control of their finances, streamline their bookwork, and reach their financial goals. In this episode, Emily shares helpful tips for anyone looking to get on top of their books but emphasises the importance of a personalised approach to financial management. She explains why business owners need a holistic ap...
Oct 21, 2024•24 min•Ep. 108
This episode is part two of our two-part chat with Anthony Shepherd. In the last episode, Anthony shared the lessons he’s learnt from his years as a farmer and sheep consultant and how changing his farming processes brought his weaning rates above 130%. In this episode, Anthony explains how he uses technology to improve his farming operation. He discusses how Smart Shepherd helps him spot multiple-bearing ewes that aren’t raising both twins and how he identifies underperforming ewes in the pursu...
Oct 07, 2024•21 min•Ep. 107
Anthony Shepherd is a Sheep Producer on his commercial merino enterprise, “Jaffa”, near Cootamundra. In addition to running his farm, he’s also worked as a consultant in the sheep industry for many years. In this episode, Anthony shares the knowledge he’s gained as a farmer and consultant and how that knowledge has allowed him to change his processes to bring his weaning rates above 130%. He also explains the usefulness of indexes and shares his tips for shearing every six months and the longer-...
Sep 23, 2024•26 min•Ep. 106
Jill and Neil O’Grady are the husband and wife team behind “RedGround” near Oberon. “RedGround” is a fully functioning 60-acre commercial truffle orchard and tourist destination offering visitors the chance to participate in truffle hunts. In this episode, Jill and Neil walk through the basics of truffle farming and reveal that out of 250 varieties of truffles, there are only 4 worth eating. They also open up about the hard lessons they learnt when diversifying into hospitality and agri-tourism....
Sep 09, 2024•33 min•Ep. 105
Rhett Robinson is a Farmer at “Orana” between Gulgong and Dunedoo. Together, Rhett and his father produce SAM sheep and cattle using a native pasture base on their 500-acre property. Rhett has also been a longtime part of the Local Land Services team as a Senior Biosecurity Officer specialising in pest animal management. In this episode, Rhett shares the pest animal management tips and tricks he has learnt throughout his 22-year career with LLS and on the farm with his family. He highlights the ...
Aug 26, 2024•28 min•Ep. 104
This episode is part two of our two-part chat with Hamish Wald. In the last episode, Hamish discussed how fortunate he feels to be part of the sheep farming community and how his family decided to move away from exclusive wool farming and diversify with dual-purpose Dohnes Merinos, cattle, and cropping. In this episode, Hamish dives into the effects of innovations such as genomics and fertility tracking for sheep farmers and discusses the importance of community, biosecurity, and flexibility in ...
Aug 12, 2024•30 min•Ep. 103
Hamish Wald is a Farmer and Stud Owner at ‘Tullinga Dorper Studs’ outside Condobolin. For generations, Hamish’s family have farmed their property and he continues their work with his wife Penny, their two children, a studmaster, and a couple of handy backpackers. In this episode, Hamish shares the story of multi-generational farming and how their business has changed. He explains why they changed from exclusively farming wool to dual-purpose Dohne Merinos. He also opens up about adding diversity...
Jul 29, 2024•26 min•Ep. 102
Craig Whiteley is a Farmer on his family’s 700-acre farm, "The Oaks", outside Geary. For almost a hundred years, the Whiteley family have raised sheep and experimented with crops including cherries, potatoes, and lucerne. In this episode, Craig shares how his family's long history in ag allowed them to try different crops in response to market demand. He emphasises the importance of balancing market opportunities with simplicity in farming. He discusses lessons he learnt from various crops and t...
Jul 15, 2024•27 min•Ep. 101
It feels like just yesterday we sat down with our first farmer to talk about dryland cropping, sheep, and feedlotting but here we are 100 episodes later! In this extra special episode, Neroli sat down with Rohan, Tim, and Jas to reflect on what they learnt by making 100 episodes of Seeds for Success. They share the grains of wisdom that have stuck with them, the behind-the-scenes moments that didn't make it into the episodes, and everything that has made this journey so special. Thank you so muc...
Jul 01, 2024•28 min•Ep. 100
Beck and Brad Hurley own and operate 22,000 acres on their properties, “Eremeran” and “Kalabra”, a hundred kilometres outside Condobolin. Their farm has changed a lot over the years, and they currently run a mixed cattle and sheep operation with miniature donkeys for herd protection. In this episode, Beck and Brad expand on how their operation has changed from their early days running the farm, how exclusion fencing has benefited their business, and why they love having miniature donkeys as part...
Jun 17, 2024•28 min•Ep. 99
John Murdoch is a Farmer and rural mental health advocate from Bombala. John runs a mixed farming operation with his wife and father focused on merinos, first cross ewes, Angus cattle, and fodder cropping. He is also an outspoken advocate for mental health awareness and support for farmers. In this episode, John provides insight into farming in the Monaro and explains one of the major projects he managed in his previous role as a Board Member and Chairperson for the Monaro Farming Systems group....
Jun 03, 2024•34 min•Ep. 98
JB and Alison Tancred are the husband and wife duo behind ‘The Maze’ near Gulargambone and G.R.A.S.S. Merinos at Armatree. G.R.A.S.S. Merinos is a cooperative stud breeding program, and ‘The Maze’ is an 8,000-acre farming operation with 5,000 acres dedicated to a cropping program based on wheat, barley, and pulse crops with a commercial merino flock. In this episode, JB and Alison talk about the cooperative nature of G.R.A.S.S. Merinos, the challenges in meeting breeding objectives, and the impo...
May 20, 2024•30 min•Ep. 97
