A family home running off-grid on just 2.1kW of solar panels and 9kWh of battery storage sounds unlikely — until you see how the whole house has been designed around low energy use. Near Meckering in Western Australia, we look at the practical systems that make a surprisingly small off-grid solar setup work. Rather than simply installing a much larger … Read More

Bushfire grants for farmers can help landholders improve their firefighting readiness before the next fire season. At the Longwood BlazeAid Camp, we look at the new All Fired Up program and what farmers need to know. Applications open 1 September and close 30 September 2026, with BlazeAid putting prevention alongside the disaster recovery work it is already known for. Blazeaid … Read More

Birds attacking car mirrors? Ross solved the problem by giving them another mirror to focus on instead. His simple star-picket setup redirects the birds away from the car — and it actually worked. Ross had thrushes pecking at the mirrors on his vehicle and leaving quite a mess behind. Rather than continually fighting the birds, he came up with a … Read More

Can capeweed control start with rebuilding soil biology instead of simply treating the weed? Dr Mary Cole compares two neighbouring paddocks with very different capeweed pressure and explains what she believes the weed is telling us about the soil. Then we follow the practical system — from thermal aerobic compost and temperature management to brewing aerated compost tea and getting … Read More

Are Dexter cattle a practical choice for a small farm or lifestyle block? Nicole Davidson explains their meat, milk, pasture and management strengths—and the trade-offs buyers need to understand. Learn who Dexter cattle suit, how long they take to finish, why conventional saleyard marketing can be difficult and why buying from a registered breeder matters. Nicole Davidson began with six … Read More

Farm inventions at Sheepvention 2026 show how practical rural ideas can solve real problems involving safety, labour, livestock and machinery. From a tractor-mounted fire unit to a titanium shearing handpiece and quick-clean water trough, these inventions were built around problems farmers actually face. Tim Thompson joins Darren Sherman from the Hamilton Pastoral and Agricultural Society and rural inventor Rod Davidson … Read More

Does agricultural lime solve low soil pH—or does the living root zone deserve more attention? Dr Mary Cole explains how the rhizosphere, root exudates and mycorrhizal fungi may influence nutrient availability and pH immediately around living plant roots. Tim Thompson sits down with Dr Mary Cole of Agpath in Victoria to examine one of the most debated questions in soil … Read More

Giant rat’s tail grass had overtaken this 300-acre Queensland cattle property. Campbell Cochran explains how he turned it back into productive cattle feed in under two years. The system combines a 14-species pasture mix, strategic cultivation and short, high-density grazing—with no fertiliser or herbicide used in the paddocks featured in this case study. Just south of Gympie, Campbell was facing … Read More

Giant rat’s tail grass had overtaken this 300-acre Queensland cattle property. Campbell Cochran explains how he turned it back into productive cattle feed in under two years. The system combines a 14-species pasture mix, strategic cultivation and short, high-density grazing—with no fertiliser or herbicide used in the paddocks featured in this case study. Just south of Gympie, Campbell was facing … Read More

Steel post driver review and field test: see how the Rotech picket post driver is designed to reduce wrist shock, prevent steel posts twisting and improve fence-post alignment. For farmers, fencing contractors and landholders, this is a practical look at whether a longer 900 mm manual post driver with fin guide can make steel fence posts easier, more controlled and … Read More

A farm firefighting unit is only useful if it starts, carries enough water and survives rough paddock work. Chris and Michael from Creightons Creek CFA explain what a reliable rural fire unit really needs—and the weaknesses that can leave landholders exposed. Following the January 2026 Longwood fire, I visited Creightons Creek in Victoria to examine the equipment, preparation and community … Read More

How does the soil food web turn nutrients into plant-available nitrogen? Dr Mary Cole explains the overlooked relationship between soil bacteria, protozoa and plant nutrition. Learn why microbial grazing, nutrient timing and soil disturbance matter—and how farmers can support a more functional soil biology. At Agpath Laboratories( https://agpath.com.au/), Tim Thompson speaks with plant pathologist and soil microbiologist Dr Mary Cole … Read More

Steel posts twisting inside a petrol post driver can pull an entire fence line out of alignment. We field-test the Wireman Star Striker to see whether this simple attachment can keep posts straighter and make fence installation more efficient. The test also shows how one post-driver guide can handle both standard steel posts and larger posts without repeatedly removing the … Read More

Small farm profitability depends on more than stocking rate. See how a 50-hectare South Australian farm is using direct meat sales, an on-farm butcher shop and soil repair to make the numbers work. This practical farm case study follows the business, equipment and regenerative systems helping one farming family move from price takers towards price makers. Brenton and Charlene own … Read More

Olight Baton 4 Pro review and real farm night test against my trusted Olight M2R, using targets at 10, 20 and 30 metres. See whether this smaller rechargeable torch has enough reach, simple controls and everyday practicality for real farm and rural property work. I have used my older Olight M2R for around four years, and it has been one … Read More

Peach leaf curl can badly affect peaches and nectarines—but can citrus peel, pruning and airflow help reduce the problem without routine spraying? Dr Mary Cole shows the low-input orchard approach used on her chemical-free property, including a small peach tree that produced more than 40 peaches with only three or four affected leaves. Mary places fresh citrus peel beneath her … Read More

Farm input trials don’t have to be expensive, complicated, or left to researchers. Here’s how to set up a simple paddock trial so you can test fertiliser, biological inputs and soil products before spreading them across the whole farm. How do you know if the product you’ve been sold is actually working? In this Farm Learning video, Tim Thompson is … Read More

Exclusion fencing can make the difference between growing pasture for livestock or feeding feral pigs, deer and kangaroos. On this central NSW grazing property, Leo Collins explains how hot electric fencing, clean water and better pasture planning are changing the farm. On 2,700 acres of grazing country in central New South Wales, Leo and Melissa Collins have been dealing with … Read More

StrongBo cattle weighing is helping this grazing operation track liveweight gain without running cattle through the yards. On this NSW farm, daily weight data is being used to improve pasture utilisation, reduce stress, and make better decisions about when cattle should move. At Abedine, New South Wales, Lachey White manages a large cattle grazing system turning off around 3,800 steers … Read More

Biological farming is not a recipe — it is a way of thinking about soil, inputs and farm resilience. At Natimuk in Western Victoria, Chris Smith explains why farmers hold back, what creates change, and how biology can help reduce the “more-on” input cycle. Chris Smith is a cropper and grazier from Natimuk in Western Victoria who has moved a … Read More

Feral pig fencing can change the economics of crop protection when shooting alone is not enough. On this Liverpool Plains property, electric exclusion fencing helped protect a crop, reduce pest pressure, and cut control costs. On a 43,000 acre property in New South Wales, feral pigs were hammering crop paddocks and turning some areas into sacrificial country. In this episode … Read More

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Can biological stimulants help farmers grow more grass while using less synthetic fertiliser? At Camperdown, Victoria, this pasture trial shows what happens when a paddock is treated more like a living compost system. In this Farm Learning story, Tim visits Biolink and Niu River Pastoral Company to look at a system that started with reliable, biosecure composting and developed into … Read More

Can a bolt-together end assembly replace a welded farm fence end? Kurt and Amber show the small installation details that make these systems work. In this Farm Learning episode, Tim visits Gulgong, New South Wales, to look at modern bolt-together fencing end assemblies being used by fencing contractors on their own farm. The discussion covers why post depth matters, why … Read More

Can regenerative cropping still stack up when the season turns dry? In South Australia, Luke and Adam show how soil biology, stubble cover and smarter inputs helped build a crop that still harvested in the 2024 drought. In this Farm Learning episode, Tim Thompson visits two dryland cropping paddocks in South Australia to compare compacted, low-biology soil in a conventional … Read More