Charvel Grazing Co. | Local business

Charvel Grazing Co.

Add/Update information

Reviews

Tags

• Local business

23.01.2022 Celebrating the versatility of baking sheets and laundries. Wheat seed germination test in progress... the wheat seed is looking Prospects for fresh baking however, not so much (just kidding - this here is a dedicated seed germination baking tray. The cook had to get a new one for actual baking )... If you look closely at the end of the tray, you’ll see which seed was stored in the field bin, and which was in the silo ...

22.01.2022 Two thousand acres of cultivation means harvest time has us looking for somewhere to store a LOT of grain. In a good year, this 1,000 tonne capacity silo is fuller than a post Christmas lunch belly. It's made grain handling and storage at harvest time much easier. But the silo also provides us with other unexpected value. It's a long way to the top of that thing. And at the top, there is direct line of sight access to Telstra's NBN wireless internet. It took some finagling, ...but thanks to Caitlyn's determination and Fraser's tech savvy, a receiver sits up on top of the silo and along with transmitters and wireless routers and other marvels of technology, we have good internet service to all the houses and in the workshop. The old land cruiser serves no useful purpose any longer - besides offering weathered, rusty contrast to the shiny new construction. Tradition and technology. Inheritance and innovation. Value what's brought you this far and keep reaching for the future. Which kind of sums us what we're all about.

20.01.2022 We're feeling like Prince Charming at the ball... looking for the foot that fits the slipper perfectly. Except we don't have a slipper. And we haven't been to a ball in ages, because - Covid. BUT! We do have a job opening. For someone from Queensland (because - Covid...) Pop over to www.charvelgrazing.com.au/employment and shoot us an email. *** NO DIRECT MESSAGES** Our admin lady insists job applications and queries need to come via email (and if you're smart enough for us to employ, you'll know better than to tick off the woman who pays the wages ).

19.01.2022 We are lucky to have three wonderful young men to call us Mum & Dad, and who are happy working alongside us and one another. As they’ve made their way in the world, each of them has chosen their perfect partner (seriously, if they’d left me in charge, I’d have chosen these women for them ). As Caitlyn correctly points out, Charvel Grazing is the ‘other obsession’ in all our marriages. We can have a laugh about it, but it’s tough sometimes. So, as we share the logo Hewitt Con...sulting & Communications has created for us, we want to give a special mention to ‘our girls’. (Leah Caitlyn & Madi) They put up with A LOT! Including updating logos to please 5 sets of eyes! Caitlyn has a knack for honing in on the most important elements, and reducing a lot of random thoughts down to a striking image. As we look around us and watch our family growing their own little families, we know one thing for sure - the future is in good hands.

18.01.2022 Bull feeders got feed? Is that dark rain cloud coming out way? How’s the boss’s balance? And just how many dogs is too many dogs to share the front seat? #sundaysatcharvel

18.01.2022 It just looks like a hay shed. But really, it’s months of planning, crop care, irrigating, weed control, then hours of cutting, teddering and raking, then long nights baling while the rest of us are sleeping. Finally, it’s all hands on deck getting it into the shed before the forecast rain moves in. Some very satisfied farmers around here now it’s all finished and they’ve caught up on some sleep! Swipe for a look at the outdoor stack, and a bit of what’s coming up: the corn crop that’s starting to take off...

17.01.2022 Need some cows? Check these out...

15.01.2022 Sunday’s married to a farmer. Deliver hay to hungry cows. Drive truck as farmer throws hay off the back and cows run along behind. Make farmer snippy by stopping driving truck to take photos when all he wants is to get out of the wind so his hat will stay on his damn head! (Return to the comfort of home - OUT of the wind - and decide being stuck at the office desk isn’t so bad )

13.01.2022 Today we are planting this years hay crop, Petral wheat. Should be ready to cut mid September. Bring on the rains

13.01.2022 Over the last couple of months we have been working on getting country ready to plant Leucaena when the rains decide to show their face. After a couple of issues and breakdowns and a fairly major upgrade to the old air seeder we are on the home straight

12.01.2022 DROUGHT An Open Letter to the non-Ag community As most of you know, Australia is currently in the grips of a terrible drought. But it is not as simple as putt...ing all farmers in the same boat. In some place’s things are great and farmers are having an amazing season. In others there have been droughts, frosts and even floods over a few years which are causing incredible hurt. Some, like the dairy industry, are suffering from not only drought and water shortages but also low commodity prices. And some areas are experiencing a devastating, unprecedented dry period which has already lasted many years with no apparent end in sight. There are only so many times you can console yourself with ‘it always rains after a dry spell’ and actually still believe it. We are in our third year of drought in the Northern Mallee region of SA. Last year was our third lowest growing season rainfall in 116 years. So far this year we have had less. And yet, in typical Aussie fashion, no one in our area wants to make too much of a fuss because ‘there are many worse off people out there than us’. It’s a stoic attitude, but it doesn’t lessen the pain - and it doesn’t make it any easier on families or local communities. We can have all the discussions we like (and we should) around climate change, but they don’t change the immediate reality most find themselves in. For the record, I think it would be difficult to find many farmers who don’t believe there have been significant changes in the climate over the past 20-30 years. The message we as farmers have poorly sold is how well we as an industry have adapted to a changing climate in that time, with production increasing, soil health improving and a much higher level of environmental sustainability across most sectors. But what we are seeing at the moment is unprecedented. One to two droughts we can manage. After that it all gets a bit difficult. Make it 4-5 and its tough to know where to turn. So what do we as farmers want and expect from the non ag community? The drought is all over the media, we are seeing lots of stories of hardship, financial appeals and demands on government for help. But if you sit down and asked most farmers, this is what I think they would say. Firstly everyone acknowledges that those in immediate financial difficulty need assistance to feed, clothe and house their families. It is a basic human right of living in a country like Australia - and afforded to all, not just farmers. We can argue about whether it is enough, it’s criteria, and how it is administered. But we can be thankful basic living support is available to all Australians, farmers included. WHAT WE DON’T WANT: 1. SYMPATHY: We choose to live where we live and do what we do. When agriculture is going well, there is no other life. We wouldn’t trade it for anything. We guard it fiercely. Yes, a lot of the rural community is going through a tough time. But, wherever you are and whatever you do you can still have tough times financially, with your health, your families or your careers. We are no different to you. We are not looking for sympathy. 2. HANDOUTS: I don’t think I have even met a farmer who honestly wanted a handout. A hand up maybe, but few are holding their hands out and expecting the rest of the community to subsidise their way of life. That doesn’t mean that assistance shouldn’t be available and we don’t want farmers to have too much pride to accept it. But I don’t believe it is part of the DNA of a farmer to expect or want to be put above the rest of the community. 3. JUDGEMENT WITHOUT ENGAGEMENT: Some of you don’t like what we do and that’s okay. You may not like the fact we farm animals, use chemicals, create emissions or are seemingly supported at the expense of others in the community. We have no problems with different viewpoints and perspectives but all we ask is that before you judge, that you seek to engage with us to learn why we do what we do. And I hope that when you do, that we also listen to you, and seek to understand your stories. We need to talk more. WHAT WE DO WANT: 1. ENGAGEMENT, AWARENESS AND TRUST: We are looking for understanding of what we do, why we do it, and the challenges we face. And we are aware that trust needs to be earned. Yes, the climate is changing, and Aussie farmers lead the world in how we are changing with it. Yes we need to be accountable for what we do, but that requires a conversation around our shared values. We have families that we want to feed, clothe and keep safe, just as you do. We would never put them at risk, just as you wouldn’t. More conversations are needed, but in order to have them, we need to all have a little more trust in each other. 2. SELF HELP POLICIES: As mentioned earlier, we aren’t looking to the government for handouts. We actually want to have systems and structures in place to help ourselves. And that is where government can come in. There are a number of things such as FMD’s which are available to Aussie farmers to assist with fluctuating incomes but with a changing climate comes a new reality of feast or famine. Future government policy should facilitate and incentive farmers to manage these ups and downs within their own businesses. It’s a hard conversation to have while everyone is consumed by the current drought, but a well thought out, long term sustainability policy is a must. 3. RESEARCH AND EXTENSION: We are fortunate in Australia to have an amazing agriculture research structure, which utilises grower levies and matching government funds. It is one of the reasons we lead the world in building a vibrant agricultural economy. As the economics of farming become tougher, the need for effective R&D becomes even more critical as does the need for this research to be validated on farm rather than just in the laboratory. Our future success as a nation will be dictated by our investment in intellectual capital and research across all industries. 4. PATRIOTIC SUPPORT: Buying local is one of the best ways you can assist us. Paying a little more for milk, fruit and vegies, or anything which has local rather than imported ingredients builds rural economies, and in turn a stronger country. 5. VIBRANT COMMUNITIES: Like all of you, we want to live in a local community with is safe, prosperous, has good roads, education, healthcare and sporting facilities. We all deserve to feel proud of where we live, and be part of a vibrant community. Sometimes that is difficult when we are dwelling knee deep in self pity because of droughts, weather events or downturns in industries. But we ask you to help us talk up and support our local communities. Come and visit. Stay a couple nights in a rural town. Buy a vanilla slice and a creamy cappuccino in a country bakery even though you know it’s bad for your hips. Purchase that nice dress in the country shop from the lovely owner, even though you know you could get it for $10 less in the city. We can’t tell you how much we appreciate it. We are all sick of talking about drought, and we know you are getting weary of constantly seeing it on TV - but it is unfortunately the reality for many of us. We thank you for sticking with us this far. We thank you for all your donations to all the appeals, which will have made a difference and put a smile on the face of thousands. We do feel your love, even if we don’t always show it. And when this bastard of a drought is over, we can’t wait to show you what we can really do in this agriculturally rich land and we look forward to sharing the bountiful spoils with you. Regards A grateful farmer.

12.01.2022 We probably don’t tell them near often enough - but we’re mighty proud of our boys and their efforts. This has been a LONG planned project - lots of discussions and ideas and chewing over as it all came together. So satisfying to start with nothing but an idea, and end up with this! ... Now if it would just rain enough for us to test it out!!

12.01.2022 HEAR YE, HEAR YE- YOU COULD BE EARNING $3800 A WEEK! Wow! I have just been reading some of the online outrage focusing on the chronic labour shortage for frui...t picking. There are claims that workers could earn up to $3800 a week, but growers are still struggling to find people willing to help take off their crops. There is outrage on two sides. One is pointed at the supposed lazy Aussie unemployed who don’t want to lift a finger to work when there is this bonanza on offer. The other is focused on how you could possibly earn that amount doing low skilled, back breaking piece work - when it seems most people’s experience is that fruit pickers earn minimum wage at best, and much less at worst. I really shouldn’t wade into this but, I dunno it just seems to be sensationalist journalism designed to create unrest and divide and it is succeeding. Yes, there are certainly people in Australia who either choose not to work, or don’t wish to do what they perceive to be demeaning, low skilled, exhausting, poorly paid work. And in some ways it can certainly be argued that it is unrealistic to expect someone from the city or a large country town to uproot their lives and move to a remote regional area to potentially earn less than they would in a low paid job in the city. Or maybe even less than they would on unemployment benefits. And trying to entice people (even goad people) with the notion of ‘you could earn up to $3800 a week’ is just plain ridiculous. I know there are very skilled fruit pickers with many years of experience who earn exceptional wages and have a passion for what they do. And it can be a very good career opportunity for some, and a prosperous casual job for others. But 25-year-old Adam who lost his job as a tech support person in Waverley isn’t going to waltz into an orange picking job in Mildura and within a short time be on $3-4000 a week. $1000 a week might even be a pipe dream in the short term. And he may be cr*p at it. I can probably best relate this to shearing. I learnt to shear but I was never much good at it. I didn’t do a lot (mainly on my own farm), and I didn’t enjoy it much. My best was 93 in a day and I could usually average 70-80. However, if I would have gone out on a shearing team I am sure that after a season it all would have clicked and I could have been doing 120-130 a day. Hot, back breaking, exhausting work yes - but not bad money. But there are guns out there averaging 200 + a day. Potentially a good shearer could earn $600 - $800 a day up to $4000 for a 40 hr week. But believe you me, if Adam the techie from Waverley thought he could head out to the bush because he heard there was a shearer shortage and earn even $1000 a week within his first few months he would have another think coming. It ain't that easy - but over time it could become a great career, its very rewarding and helps create an amazing work ethic and culture of working together. I think it once again shows that we as Ag do a poor job at communicating what we do, what skills we require, and how we can help people learn new skills and reward them appropriately. There is a lot of outrage in media articles today around this shortage of labour and most directed ironically at farmers! Directed at us because we apparently have harsh workplaces where people don’t feel valued and at ‘greedy’ farmers looking to pay next to nothing while they pocket all the profits. It seems this has now become the story. While we know the shortage is Covid related because we can’t get overseas workers in, the outrage seems to be around farmers not wanting to pay a ‘decent’ wage to attract willing Aussie workers. But those not in Ag are also quick to judge. If you have lived your life in a secure job, always had a secure wage (prior to Covid at least), and have never had to juggle margins as business people do - it may be hard to understand why we can't 'just pay more'. It may even seem incomprehensible to a sane person that as farmers in many cases we are price takers, not makers - and we can't just increase our sell price to cover higher costs. Ironically, it is the consumer's demand for cheaper food which ensures we can't pay the higher wages we would like to. There are many times we are forced to sell our produce for less than it costs to produce, generally to the detriment of our families rather than our employees. While we all talk about how we should Buy Australian, the rider is that the Aussie product must be competitive with imported similar items from countries which don’t have minimal wages and conditions as we do. So, the farmer can’t afford to pay someone $25-30/hr unsupervised, and trust that they are working at maximum productive capacity. It is for this reason ‘piece work’ is part of our industry. It is the reason why some people earn very little and break their backs doing it, while others prosper and thrive. It is the only way some producers can ensure they can manage their margins and still survive. It’s a difficult one and I don’t know the answer. But I do know that sensationalist journalism and cherry picking quotes (if you pardon the pun) does nothing but inflame emotions. We need to engage in discussions about what we do in order to educate and it’s something we in Ag don’t do well. And yelling at each other won’t get the fruit picked.

11.01.2022 What did you do today? We watered mung beans... and fixed irrigator sprinklers. And got wringing wet. But the Mung beans will be happy and we’re thinking we’re pretty lucky to have so much space to spread out in. Farmers all over are tending the crops and the animals, and determined to keep food supply humming along, even as so many other aspects of life are interrupted. We’ve always felt fortunate to have this life, and consider doing our part to feed the world is an important job - even more so right now. And I’ll get right back to loving it just as soon as my knickers dry out!

10.01.2022 Social distancing for cow-lovers! A small reminder to stay safe! #socialdistancing #keepdistance

06.01.2022 There’s lots of great things about living by the river. Sandflies after a fresh in the river are NOT one of them! Just added ‘tending smoke fires for the horses’ to the list of daily jobs for a few weeks. It’s okay though - we’re just so thankful for that green grass!!!

06.01.2022 Charvel meat room. Testing marriages for three generations. There must be some magic in those sausages though, because we all keep coming back!

05.01.2022 This can only mean one thing. Hay season. It’s kind of a love/hate thing. It’s exciting and satisfying to harvest and bale a crop that has been months in the making - planting, watering, managing plant and soil health along the way... and it’s lots of broken nights sleep and fellas all over the place at odd hours. . . #farming #hayseason #makehaywilethesunshines #makinghay#aussieag

02.01.2022 ARE YOU CONFUSED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE? If I asked this question of most people, I would generally expect the same answer in three different ways: 1. NO I am ...not confused. Man-made climate change is the biggest threat to the future of the planet. We need to listen to the science. Global temperatures are rising, Co2 levels are increasing, sea levels are rising, glaciers are shrinking, droughts and heat waves are becoming more intense and whole ecosystems are breaking down. We need to take radical action to reduce emissions, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and our carbon footprint and we need to do it now. There are hundreds of leading scientists around the world who all agree that we are in a climate emergency. 2. NO I am not confused. Climate change is definitely happening, but I believe it is part of a long term weather cycle and nothing to do with man. We need to listen to the science. We only have records for several hundred years, and we have seen these extreme events before, and we will see them again. There were recorded hotter days and dryer years in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s than there are now. We just need to learn to live with and adapt to it. There are hundreds of leading scientists around the world who agree this is just part of a weather cycle and not caused by man. 3. NO I am not confused. Global warming is a myth. The whole climate change industry is just a conspiracy linked to power and greed. We need to listen to the science. It wouldn’t matter if we got rid of all the coal powered stations, all vehicle emissions and all beef cattle it wouldn’t make any difference. And the reliance on renewables will break us. There are hundreds of leading scientists around the world who all agree and have proven than global warming and climate change is a myth. I’m confused. Not so much confused about my own views, but more around how we can’t come to any form of agreement. Once again, we are all talking within our own bubbles. We are all throwing rocks at each other. No one is actually listening to each other’s arguments. We have all made up our own minds. Agriculture gets hammered in this debate. Hammered because we are seen as climate deniers. Hammered because we apparently vote in politicians who are weak on climate action, so this apparently means that we ourselves are a cause of the problem. Hammered because we are expected to bear a huge part of the solution. Let’s explore this a little: 1. FARMERS ARE CLIMATE DENIERS: Not most of the ones I talk to. Most of the farmers I know talk about climate change and strategies for dealing with it. They might not all agree on whether it is man-made or a natural cycle, or how much can be attributed to humans but most believe we are living in a different climate now than 20-30 years ago. 2. FARMERS ARE TO BLAME FOR US HAVING A CLIMATE DENYING GOVERNMENT: There are approx. 85,000 farm businesses in Australia, so if we say 2.2 people to a farm that makes 200,000 we could call farmers. If all of them voted for the government (which I very much doubt) and they changed their votes this likely wouldn’t be enough to change a government. Besides this, there are more issues than climate change on the table that influence peoples votes. In fact, it could be argued that negative gearing and franking credits had a far bigger influence on the election result than did the climate yet the finger is pointed at farmers. 3. FARMERS ARE THE CAUSE OF GLOBAL WARMING: It seems we are environmental vandals, we are burning copious amounts of fossil fuels, our massive land clearing releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and cow burps and farts are the potential last straw in the emission of methane. The answer is seemingly to for us all to stop eating meat and producing less intensive crops. Yes, it can certainly be argued that we are a contributor. But it’s a very long bow to say that we are the cause. 4. FARMERS ARE NOT ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE: Not true. In fact, I would say nothing is further from the truth. Even those who are sceptical about human involvement in climate change would generally agree that the climate is changing and are adapting accordingly. In the last 20-30 years there has been a massive change in the way we farm, with a huge swing to no till. This has meant less cultivation, meaning less erosion, less burning of fossil fuels, increasing soil carbon levels and building of soil structures through better rotations. There is a greater understanding of soil science, nutrition and fertility and increases in water use efficiency not thought possible even 10 years ago. There are similar changes in the livestock industries. I believe their conscientious level of education and understanding in agriculture in managing a changing climate cannot be questioned. Sadly, farmers are being seen as the scapegoats when most should be held up and applauded for their innovation, dedication and passion in dealing with a changing climate. Farmers may not always articulate their position very well but they are just getting on with it. We SHOULD discuss and argue with each other about whether global warming is real and whether climate change is really happening. We SHOULD debate the science, and world leaders should come together to make hard decisions for the future of the planet. As more peer reviewed science comes forward and is accepted as fact, we have a duty to our children and grandchildren to make the best decisions environmentally, socially and economically for their futures. But can we stop blaming it all on farmers? We have been quietly adapting to changing climates for the past 100 + years, and we will continue to into the future. Please support us in those changes, so we can continue to support and feed you.

01.01.2022 Is there anything that makes a farmer happier than watching a crop set grain? (The answer is possibly yes - I think harvesting said crop is THE highlight of the process) But, there’s plenty of sweet spots on the way. #wheat #wheatfarmers #cqcropping #aussieag #aussieagriculture