Farm

Farm

Harvest is progressing well, and we were held up only for two days after receiving 9mm of rain early Monday morning. 

It is unbelievable that this is our last Chatter article for 2023, but we are saying goodbye to some Year 11 students until next year and look forward to all the Certificate III students and a few General students coming back next week, to finish of their Harvest observations and catchup on some work.

We wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a save harvest.

See you all next year.

Daniel de Beer

Farm Manager

Madison Corsini

Assistant Farm Manager

Piggery

As the year comes to an end our Year 11 students have been focusing on completing their Cert II piggery units with an impressive number of students already finished and many more very close. 

We’ve been stung with a few hot days over the last three weeks, but the pigs have been coping well. Our cooling equipment is currently being serviced or updated to keep the pigs cool and comfortable during the hot months ahead.

Linley Valley Abattoir has begun taking our 30kg spit pigs in preparation for Christmas, most of these pigs will be marketed domestically with some exporting to overseas markets due to their high quality. 

This year's Cert III gilts have all farrowed large litters and impressive birth weights. Some of our imported Myora gilts have farrowed eighteen piglets in their first litter! Our porker and baconer pigs have also shown high performance with impressive growth rates gaining on average 6.2kgs/week! 

In week seven this term the 2024 Cert III Pork students will have their course inductions which will include assessment expectations, potential industry excursions and the selection of their own gilt to manage and care for throughout the school year. 

Jemma Read

Technical Officer