Farm Enterprises

Skid Steer/Loader course

Ten students completed their skid steer and loader tickets last week, acquiring skills in driving and manoeuvring the machines and completing safe tasks such as “back blading,” “dozing” and carting gravel.

Students now understand how to perform maintenance on the machines and how to do prestart checks.

Well done to all the students who successfully completed the course and a big thank you to Chilli from Central Regional TAFE for teaching the course! 

Tameka Baker

Farm Technical Officer

Sheep

Term 4 started in full swing with the Yr11s interested in shearing and wool handling completing their paperwork for next year, and the students shearing almost full time. 

All the merino lambs are being weaned, the ewe lambs shorn and the older sheep sorted ready for mating again in December. 

The Poll Dorset lambs have been weaned too and they are looking terrific.

Students are also getting ready for the last shearing shows of the year, with Kojonup at the end of the week and Boddington and Dinninup at the beginning of November. 

Last but not least, the sheep enterprise farewelled Lairdy at the end of the school holidays after 30 years of teaching the students everything about sheep. We'll do our best to keep the enterprise running as it used to. 

Marika Martini

Farm Technical Officer

Grains

In the grains area, we were hard at work making hay and thank you again to Joel Harland, Danny Bult, Daniel Davies, Tristan Dyer and Fredrick de Beer for their hard work after hours to get it done.  Joel and Danny were the experts of the small square baler and Fred was the master of the round baler, but the balers were led around by Daniel and Tristen showing of their skills on the rake.  All and all, a great effort by everyone!  We made about 750 round bales and 2200 square bales with Mr West and his students accepting the challenge to move the bales into our hay sheds and put them into rows outside our hay shed. 

Thank you, Mr West. We really appreciate your efforts!  

As harvest is getting closer, all students who are interested in completing the harvest practical at the College, please have a look at the student list next to the Farm roster in the Farm workshop.  Can you please tick the appropriate box by 25 October 2024, so we can start setting up a harvest roster? 

Daniel de Beer

Farm Manager