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Articles by Nick Bosly-Pask
Green potatoes safe for consumers to eat, researcher says
Sabine Tanios is researching potato greening at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture. Are you one of the many people who are suspicious of any green colour on your spuds? Sabine Tanios is a PhD candidate in Tasmania working on research into why and how potatoes develop green colouring. Her work at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture looks at the wide range of factors that cause undesirable greening in potatoes, and at ways of reducing it.
Snail farmer takes the slow road with plan to supply restaurants
How would you go trying to fit a livestock growing enterprise with more than 100,000 head on a semi-suburban acreage block? Alistair Primrose who hails from Sandford just southeast of Hobart has done just. He is one of only three heliculturalists — someone who breeds and raises snails for the table — in Tasmania. Mr Primrose decided that there was a niche market in raising snails, especially live snails fresh and ready for restaurant tables and he set about starting his snail holding.
Heritage cows provide unique cheese and beef for niche market in Tasmania
Three heritage breeds of dairy cows graze on Glen Huon Dairy Farm in Tasmania. After brewing beer then making cheese on Tasmania's Bruny Island in the early 2000s, one cheesemaker has taken the next step of establishing his own dairy farm using heritage breeds. Nick Haddow uses the herd to supply milk for cheesemaking and would eventually provide beef for a niche market.
Fruit picking season in full swing but southern states struggle to find labour
Farmers in Victoria where these peaches are grown are struggling to find casual workers. The fruit picking season is well underway, but growers have been left short-handed and wondering where all the casual labour has gone. Fruit growers in Victoria could have a shortfall of up to 3,000 seasonal workers to pick their fruit. Mike Crisera from Fruit Growers Victoria said the situation was a cause for concern.
Fruit picking season in full swing but southern states struggle to find labour
The fruit picking season is well underway, but growers have been left short-handed and wondering where all the casual labour has gone. Fruit growers in Victoria could have a shortfall of up to 3000 seasonal workers to pick their fruit. Mike Crisera from Fruit Growers Victoria said the situation was a cause for concern. "It's mostly with cherries and stone-fruit crops that we can't leave on the tree for long periods," Mr Crisera said.
Micro machinery takes out the back-breaking work on small properties and hobby farms
A paper pot planter, one of the micro machines designed for small holdings, hobby farms and market gardens. Farm machinery is a big investment with prices for large-scale farming equipment often running into six figures and then there are the added ongoing maintenance costs. So what about machinery for smallholders, market gardeners and hobby farmers?
Birchs Bay distillery makes use of sheep whey to produce gin and vodka
Each botanical for the sheep whey gin is distilled separately. A distillery at Birchs Bay in Tasmania is pioneering the use of sheep whey to make gin and vodka. With innovation and value-adding two of the biggest buzzwords in primary production, many producers are looking for niches and new ways of making the best use of what they grow and make.
Worried about Christmas kilos? Cherries could help reduce weight gain
Good news at Christmas: cherries could actually help us lose weight. Christmas is a time of over-indulgence for many, but cherries are one food we can eat plenty of — and they might just help us lose weight. Researchers have found an organic compound in cherries that could reduce weight gain.
Tasmanian irrigators look to the skies for rain to fill dams in new irrigation scheme
One of the new irrigation pivots on Richard Hallett's property near Bothwell. Farmers who have signed up to two new irrigation schemes in Tasmania are anxiously looking to the sky for signs of good rainfall. The Swan Valley Scheme near Swansea on the east coast, and the Southern Highlands Scheme around Bothwell, both need rain to fill the newly built dams. There has been a little rain in the past week but not nearly enough at this stage.
Are introduced rainbow lorikeets a threat to Tasmanian fruit growers?
The rainbow lorikeet is native to coastal regions across northern and eastern Australia, but is spreading further. Although it is native to several eastern Australian states, in both Tasmania and Western Australia the rainbow lorikeet is an introduced species and one that, if unchecked, could pose some serious problems to farmers and fruit growers. Numbers of these colourful parrots have exploded in the West and now, in Tasmania, their burgeoning population is becoming a real concern.
Wooden spoon may be a winner for olive growers
At Freshfield Grove olive orchard near Richmond in southern Tasmania, Glenn and Fiona Makowski are looking at value-adding to their product. The Makowskis are relative newcomers to the olive industry and, by their own admission, have been on a huge learning curve. The grove grows Picual and Manzanillo varieties to facilitate pollination with Picual the predominant variety for oil production.
BOM defends itself over complaints it failed to warn Murwillumbah residents about flooding
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has described the floods that hit the New South Wales north coast three weeks ago as a "one in a thousand year event". BOM has been criticised for failing to warn residents of the magnitude of the flood, but national manager of flood forecasting Jeff Perkins said the bureau could not have done more. "This was an extraordinary event. It was a record flood at Murwillumbah," he said.
Oyster grower looks to new ways to protect 'babies' from rough and tumble of sea life
An oyster grower on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula has come up with a method of dealing with an emerging problem since the industry's recent biosecurity scare. Since Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) was found in Tasmania early last year, all oyster spat was being sourced from South Australia, with baby oysters (known as oyster spat) being sold at less than half their usual size.
Meat processor JBS Australia treading carefully as lamb buyers turned off by high prices
Australia's largest meat processor says it has been a balancing act absorbing the high cost of livestock to prevent customers from switching to cheaper meat. Goats are more expensive than lamb in Australia and some butchers have stopped stocking lamb in their shops altogether. This week, JBS Australia extended the closure of two lamb plants at Cobram in northern Victoria and at Longford in Tasmania.
Unearthing the precious opals and colourful characters of Coober Pedy
Since the turn of the 20th century, the opal fields of Coober Pedy have inspired hundreds of travellers looking to change their luck. The name 'opal' is thought to have originated from the Ancient Greek word opállios, which means 'to see change'. And just as the stone changes colour in the light, many lives have been transformed by the opal.
Galati Group walks away from Kimberley's Ord Irrigation Scheme, leasing mango and banana operations to interstate growers
One of Western Australia's biggest farmers and owner of the Spudshed chain of supermarkets has walked away from his operations in the Kimberley's Ord Irrigation Scheme, leasing his banana and mango plantations with the aim of selling. Tony Galati, known to many as the Spud King, began operating in the Ord back in 2012, after snapping up farmland and WA's biggest mango packing shed from the receivers of the failed managed investment scheme Rewards.
South Australia expands restrictions on WA produce that might harbor tomato potato psyllid
South Australian authorities will further restrict the movement of Western Australian horticultural produce in an effort to prevent the spread of tomato potato psyllid. The latest restrictions follow suit with New South Wales and Victorian restrictions to add a broad range of product line restrictions, in addition to those already in place for the tomato potato plant family. Department of Agriculture and Food WA chief plant biosecurity officer Sonya Broughton said the move was not unexpected.
Crocodile management: Calls for croc farms in the Gulf of Carpentaria
Some graziers in the Gulf of Carpentaria say plans need to be put in place to control an increasing number of saltwater crocodiles. The comments came after Katter's Australia Party MP Shane Knuth called for the introduction of a croc cull in north Queensland. Gulf Cattlemen's Association president Barry Hughes said there was no doubt cattle in the gulf were being taken by crocodiles.
Imperial mandarin growers warned not to pick early and risk dissatisfying consumers
Ugly, marked, and poor quality imperial mandarins picked too early could be turning customers away from the fruit, just as growers are desperate to sell them. The start of imperial season has become a battleground for sustainable prices, as some farmers pick their fruit early to try to beat what has become an almost traditional mid-season price slump.
Walnut harvest begins with Tasmanian growers hoping buyers will shell out for better quality
In Southern Tasmania, the hop harvest has ended and most grapes are off the vines and now, it is the turn of the walnut. At Phil and Jane Dening's Coaldale walnut farm at Richmond, they've just begun their annual harvest which will run for the next few weeks. Mr Dening said that, after a disappointing harvest last season, things were looking good for the 2017 crop. "We had a brilliant spring with a lot of good growth.
Radial timber mill opens in Victoria with world-first technology that cuts logs 'like cake'
A new mill opening in eastern Victoria today is bucking the trend of closures in the timber industry by producing a niche products for architects. Radial Timber, which claims to be the only commercial radial sawmill in the world, is opening in Yarram in south-eastern Victoria. The $5 million mill will employ 20 people and initially produce 12,000 cubic metres of timber a year.
Queensland fisherman tackles tinned tuna market with high-end product
High-end tinned tuna may sound like a paradox, but a far north Queensland fisherman and his wife are angling for that exact niche in the Asian-dominated canned fish market. Cairns-based Little Tuna is the only company to exclusively sell Australian-caught preserved tuna. Director Rowan Lamason said he had seen an opening in the market after years of fishing for tuna in the Coral Sea's billfish fishery.
Argentina looks to strengthen trade relationship with Australia
Relationships between Argentina and Australia appear to be strengthening under the new Argentine government. This year alone, representatives from Argentina have made more official visits to this country than in the past 10 years combined, according to Argentine Chamber of Commerce in Australia executive chairman Diego Berazategui.
Seaweed-fed cows could solve livestock industry's methane problems
Cattle on a CSIRO research station are being fed a mix of grain and seaweed to see if eating algae drastically reduces methane emissions in cows. If successful, the trial could pave the way for a commercial Australian seaweed farming industry to help the overall livestock industry cut its methane emissions. Agriculture contributes more than 15 per cent to Australia's overall greenhouse gas emissions, and almost 70 per cent of that is from sheep and cattle.
Regional cities show resilience after mining boom goes bust, Productivity Commission report says
Benefits from the mining boom are still being felt in regional areas despite the prolonged downturn, according to a report from the Productivity Commission. In its interim report on transitioning regional economies, the Productivity Commission found about 80 per cent of regions had positive employment growth over the past five years, although most also saw decreases at times.
North Queensland family see egg production born from daughter's serious illness
For many people the humble egg is probably just that, humble. But for Jane Streeter, they are a lot more than that. For her and her family, their chooks and farm at Airlie Beach in North Queensland, are more than an income or a hearty breakfast. Their north Queensland business was born out of a serious illness which took hold of their little girl, Stella, who was diagnosed with rare form of cancer when she was just two years old.
Copper-zinc drilling kicks off at Mount Hardy under base metal newcomer Todd River Resources
The newly listed Todd River Resources has kicked off its copper-zinc drilling project at Mount Hardy, about 300 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs. Todd River Resources is a spinoff of resource company TNG and debuted on the ASX earlier this month. Technical director Paul Burton said the new project is targeting previous mineralisation that was located by TNG. "This is a historic copper field going back to the 1940s and has been variously explored over the last decades," he said.
Pacific nations agree on trade deal that will provide boost to smaller countries
After eight years of negotiation, Australia and New Zealand have reached agreement on a trade and development deal with 12 other Pacific nations. Once ratified, the Pacific Agreement on Closer Economic Relations (PACER) Plus would create a regional trading bloc that "recognises the vulnerabilities" of its smallest nations, New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay said. Australian trade minister Steven Ciobo said the agreement aimed to balance trade and development goals across the region.
Kimberley live export season starts, with cattle ship leaving Wyndham for Indonesia
The Wyndham Port in far north Western Australia has loaded its first cattle ship of the year, with around 3,000 head setting sail today for Indonesia. The Bison Express was loaded with cattle sourced from stations in the East Kimberley and Victoria River District. Steve Forrest from the Wyndham Port said it was great to see the live export season starting. He said unlike Broome and Darwin, the trade out of Wyndham had been very slow over the last 12 months and would hopefully improve.
Flood-affected farmers in New South Wales call for disaster funding three weeks on
The macadamia industry is urgently calling for a decision to be made on Category C disaster assistance for its growers in northern New South Wales. Grants of up to $25,000 were announced on Friday for primary producers in Queensland affected by Cyclone Debbie, but those south of the border are still waiting. It is estimated that between 5 to 10 per cent of the macadamia crop in the Northern Rivers has been lost.
Queensland cattleman turned conservationist takes care of remote Cape York sanctuary
A former cattleman is now at the forefront of conservation efforts in remote Cape York. Graham Woods spent decades as a stockman and rodeo rider in western Queensland. He was happily enjoying his retirement sailing the Whitsundays, when he packed up and moved north to manage the Australian Wildlife Conservancy's Piccaninny Plains Wildlife Sanctuary. So what would prompt a man to do that? In Graham's case, it was a woman.
Mud crabber incomes halved as white spot control methods cut off valuable seafood markets
Mud crabbers in Queensland's Moreton Bay say tough biosecurity measures to control a prawn disease outbreak have resulted in their incomes being halved. In March, the State Government announced a ban on the movement of crustaceans caught between Caloundra and northern New South Wales. The ban also prevents them from selling their catch beyond south-east Queensland as authorities attempt to stop the spread of white spot disease, which has wiped out seven prawn farms on the Logan River.
Tasmanian eel conditioning facility allows export of fish year-round for first time
The Finlayson family in Tasmania has been in the business of selling and exporting eels for more than 50 years. In October, their company, Tasmanian Eel Exporters, opened its newest conditioning facility, a state-of-the-art aquaculture system that has the capacity to more than quadruple output.
Tasmanian eel conditioning facility allows export of fish year-round for first time
Tasmanian eel catcher Brad Finlayson pulls in a net of eels on a lake in northern Tasmania. The Finlayson family in Tasmania has been in the business of selling and exporting eels for more than 50 years. In October, their company, Tasmanian Eel Exporters, opened its newest conditioning facility, a state-of-the-art aquaculture system that has the capacity to more than quadruple output.
The Angasi oyster makes a comeback
Angasi oysters are smaller and flatter than other more-popular varieties. From fished out to fresh again, the Angasi oyster is returning. Back in Australia's colonial past, early settlers were often keen to either establish or find a "little piece of England" so, when they discovered the Angasi oyster, they saw how similar it was to the flat oysters they were used to back at home.
The Angasi oyster makes a comeback
From fished out to fresh again, the Angasi oyster is returning. Back in Australia's colonial past, early settlers were often keen to either establish or find a "little piece of England" so, when they discovered the Angasi oyster, they saw how similar it was to the flat oysters they were used to back at home. So keen were these early settlers that they harvested the Angasi oysters to the brink of extinction with millions taken from beds around Tasmania alone.
How irrigation changed the face of Tasmania's Midlands
Richard Gardner's property Annandale in the Tasmanian Midlands shows the impact of irrigation. On Richard Gardner's property, Annandale, in the Midlands of Tasmania, a huge transformation has taken place since the 1990s and irrigation has been a major catalyst in that change.
How irrigation changed the face of Tasmania's Midlands
On Richard Gardner's property, Annandale, in the Midlands of Tasmania, a huge transformation has taken place since the 1990s and irrigation has been a major catalyst in that change. A recent Water for Profit workshop on the property heard about the significance of water and water management in Annandale's transition, from dryland farming two decades ago to today where the property runs a substantial dairying operation.
Salmon hatchery doubles size to meet future demand
Production of young salmon is set double under a plan by Tassal. The Tasmanian salmon industry is setting its sights on growing its value to the $1 billion mark by 2030. That is going to mean a considerable increase in the number of salmon produced in the state. This is one of the reasons that Tassal has recently undertaken a multimillion dollar expansion of its Huon Valley Hatchery at Ranelagh.
Salmon hatchery doubles size to meet future demand
The Tasmanian salmon industry is setting its sights on growing its value to the $1 billion mark by 2030. That is going to mean a considerable increase in the number of salmon produced in the state. This is one of the reasons that Tassal has recently undertaken a multimillion dollar expansion of its Huon Valley Hatchery at Ranelagh. The expansion will enable the production of young salmon or smolt as they are known to double from four million a year to eight million.
Apple growers look at earlier production methods
The autumn series of Future Orchards walks organised by Apple and Pear Australia is looking at developments in the industry and future directions. One of the guest speakers in Tasmania's Huon Valley was Dale Goldy, assistant general manager of Stemilt, one of America's best-known fruit companies. Mr Goldy's specialty is in orchard production, especially in the area of improving the development of young trees to reach full production as early and efficiently as possible.
Tasmanian business marks 25 years of harvesting saffron
Saffron is a spice mainly used as a seasoning and colouring agent in food. The picking of Australia's largest saffron crop is due to start early in April in Tasmania. At Terry and Nicky Noonan's Tas-Saff operation at Glaziers Bay in southern Tasmania, preparations for the annual saffron harvest are well underway.
Tasmanian business marks 25 years of harvesting saffron
The picking of Australia's largest saffron crop is due to start early in April in Tasmania. At Terry and Nicky Noonan's Tas-Saff operation at Glaziers Bay in southern Tasmania, preparations for the annual saffron harvest are well underway. Given some cool days and even cooler nights, the flowers should be ready for picking soon and, once they are in bloom, the Noonans and their harvest helpers have a window of about four to five weeks to complete the labour-intensive work.
Organic farm makes the best use of marginal land
Longley Organic Farm in Southern Tasmania hosts its own farm gate and supplies local outlets. James Hutchinson and his partner Hermione began to work on developing an organic farm at Longley, just south of Hobart, 14 years ago. Today, Longley Organic Farm not only hosts its own thriving farm gate stall but supplies to several local outlets with a high demand for organic produce.
Organic farm makes the best use of marginal land
James Hutchinson and his partner Hermione began to work on developing an organic farm at Longley, just south of Hobart, 14 years ago. Today, Longley Organic Farm not only hosts its own thriving farm gate stall but supplies to several local outlets with a high demand for organic produce. With around four acres under plantings as varied as eggplants and berries, the farm is thriving and has also played host to many visiting organic farmers wanting to see how Longley goes about its business.
Brown-headed earthworm helps vignerons and orchardists
Dig into the first 10 to 15 centimetres of soil in most places in Tasmania and you will find four of the five earthworm varieties imported more than a century ago. Dig a little deeper and you will come across the fifth, the brown-headed earthworm. Agronomist and author Graeme Stevenson has been studying these worms and believes the brown-headed earthworm's adaptability and deep digging ability are ideal for locations such as vineyards and orchards.
Black-headed earthworm helps vignerons and orchardists
Dig into the first 10 to 15 centimetres of soil in most places in Tasmania and you will find four of the five earthworm varieties imported more than a century ago. Dig a little deeper and you will come across the fifth, the black-headed earthworm. Agronomist and author Graeme Stevenson has been studying these worms and believes the black-headed earthworm's adaptability and deep digging ability are ideal for locations such as vineyards and orchards.
Cherry orchard of the future nears completion
A four-hectare greenhouse is nearing completion in what is believed to be a world-first trial of growing cherries under controlled conditions. The trial is being run by Reid Fruits with innovation grant assistance from the Federal Government. On the site, near Jericho, the massive greenhouse is already home to young cherry trees, planted in November last year. Reid Fruits Managing Director Tim Reid said the site looks very different from when work began just 14 months ago.
Hop harvest gets underway in Tasmania with increased number of varieties to be picked
Tasmania's annual hop harvest started this week, marking the 152nd harvest at Hop Products Australia's Bushy Park Estate in the Derwent Valley. The history of hop growing at Bushy Park started with the first block planted by Ebenezer Shoebridge in 1864. This year marks the return of hop harvesting on Shoebridge land for the first time in about 30 years, on a block just down the road from the main picking complex.
Meet the organic Angus cattle breeders who found new life in Tasmania
Farmers are often stereotyped but dig a little below the surface and you will find they are a very diverse bunch indeed. Some were born into farming families and have gone on to be fourth and even fifth generation custodians of their family's property. Others come to farming later in life and while some are young people getting into farming for the first time.
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