Published since 1986
AUGUST, 2019
Get together coming to Merrijig
Livestock
PAGE 10
PAGE 18-19
A truffle obsession Ĺ°
www.farmernews.com.au
Sheep sales
PAGE 20-21
SAFFRON GOLD KEVIN and Marie Marriott’s farm is located in Archerton, on the outskirts of Tolmie. Situated on 100 acres of rich red soil, the plateau has a huge spring-fed damn that provides more than ample water for their saffron crop. Not being a thirsty plant, irrigation was not one of their main concerns when initially researching the possibilities of saffron in the area. Pictured is Kevin with his crop. Turn to pages 4 and 5 for their story.
Peter Stahle’s love of harvesting white gold
“FROM early childhood I used to go out with my father and collect mushrooms for eating,� said Dr Peter Stahle, Victorian trufp H IDUPHU DQG SUHVLGHQW RI WKH $XVWUDOLDQ 7UXIp H *URZHUV $VVRFLDWLRQ Foraging as a child instilled a love of QDWXUH LQ 3HWHU DQG KH GHYHORSHG D NHHQ insight into the ground and the symbiotic UHODWLRQVKLSV WKDW H[LVWHG ZLWKLQ LW 7KLV LQWHUHVW OHG WR KLP LQLWLDOO\ SXUVX ing a career as a research scientist for the 'HSDUWPHQW RI $JULFXOWXUH VSHFLDOLVLQJ LQ PLFURELRORJ\ ,W ZDV WKLV H[SHUWLVH WKDW PDGH KLP WKH obvious choice to conduct an economic HYDOXDWLRQ RQ WKH SRVVLELOLW\ RI D WUXIp H LQ GXVWU\ RQ PDLQODQG $XVWUDOLD ERWK IRU H[ SRUW DQG GRPHVWLF FRQVXPSWLRQ Though he had left the world of research VFLHQFH EHKLQG DQG KDG HPEDUNHG RQ D career in management consultancy, it was KLV VFLHQWLo F EDFNJURXQG WKDW DVVLVWHG KLP PRVW ZKHQ FRQGXFWLQJ WKH VWXG\ k, JRW WR WUDYHO WKH ZRUOG HDWLQJ DQG WDON LQJ WUXIp HV y 3HWHU UHPHPEHUHG DV SDUW RI KLV o HOG UHVHDUFK 7KH UHVHDUFK DOVR RSHQHG KLV H\HV WR WKH
HFRQRPLF SRWHQWLDO RI WUXIp HV DV D FURS and he has been involved with the industry HYHU VLQFH +LV LQLWLDO IRUD\ LQWR JURZLQJ WUXIp HV ZDV D MRLQW EXVLQHVV YHQWXUH LQ -DSDQ EHIRUH WKH <DNX]D WKH -DSDQHVH PDo D GURYH KLP RXW DQG KH ORVW HYHU\WKLQJ $IWHU VXFK DQ H[SHULHQFH VRPHWKLQJ PRUH IDPLOLDU DQG FORVHU WR KRPH EHFN RQHG +LJKODQGV D UHJLRQ WXFNHG EHWZHHQ 6H\PRXU <HD DQG <DUFN SUHVHQWHG DQ RSSRUWXQLW\ ZLWK SHUIHFW FRQGLWLRQV DQG DPSOH UDLQIDOO IRU JURZLQJ WUXIp HV Peter also had fond memories of the UHJLRQ KDYLQJ VSHQW KLV FKLOGKRRG YLVLWLQJ a friend whose family had lived there for JHQHUDWLRQV 7KH SUR[LPLW\ WR 0HOERXUQH DOVR EH FDPH D GHFLGLQJ IDFWRU DV WUXIp HV RQFH KDUYHVWHG QHHG WR EH WUDQVSRUWHG UHODWLYH O\ TXLFNO\ LQ RUGHU WR UHWDLQ SRWHQF\ DQG PRLVWXUH 7DNLQJ DOO WKLV LQWR FRQVLGHUDWLRQ LQ 3HWHU DQG KLV ZLIH SXUFKDVHG DFUHV RI JUD]LQJ ODQG LQ +LJKODQGV
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