Rural Youth - Young Farmer

The Young Farmer of the Year is a prestigious award given to the winner of a series of competitions covering a wide knowledge base of rural life. The tasks could be practical or theory based and cover everything from finance, machinery, animal management, cropping welding to even home economics.

The award comes with a $10,000 prize package.

This years winner Tori Perival dropped by for a visit to the show

For more information contact Rural Youth on 6331 6154 or drop by the website.

Sheffield Berry Gardens

Is there anything more summer than berries - and Sheffield Berry Gardens have the advantage of being local and being grown spray free wherever possible.

Third generation berry growers Brett and Juliet Rosenberg have a range of strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries that are available fresh or frozen at direct or through farmers markets or as icecream or as a dessert sauce when they are out and about in their specially kitted out van.

Available direct or through a variety of farmers markets of community events given them a ring on 03 6491 2680 to find out where they will be this weekend.

Spreyton Cider Co

Spreyton Cider Co produce a range of five distinctly different ciders.  Even a small taste of each elicits thoughts of food to match (beef and mushrooms was a surprise for me), or places to drink (a porch in summer, just as the sun was going down was a favorite). Feel very welcome to share your own imaginings. There isn't a bad one in the lot but I particularly recommend the Dark for something a little bit different.

A Tasmanian farming family that have diversified twice - once into fresh juices, and now into cider.

Farmer in the Dell

Farmer in Dell is heard on 96.9 MVFM every Friday morning at 7.00 am, repeated Tuesdays at 2.00 pm. Available as a broadcast, webcast or podcast.

Mount View Enterprises

Graham Dent joins us as this week's "Meet the Local". Graham and his family have a mixed farming enterprise at Whitemore as well as being involved in pasture and cereal seed production. Mount View Enterprises also includes a seed cleaning business that is servicing the whole state of Tasmania.

For more information, you can email Graham or call him on 03 6397 3192 or 0408 135 732.

Image from: HowStuffWorks

Three Willows Vineyard

Three Willows Vineyard is a local winery with a great reputation. The cool climate wines are handmade on organic principles. It is well worth a trip to the cellar door either as a destination in itself, or as a stop-over to some of the other scenic delights of the area.

Contact Philip Pares or Lyn Prove on 0438 507 069 for more information.

South East Producers

South East Producers is a  network based around Bega, New South Wales. They are responsible for a number of projects aimed at the sustainability of the farmers, fishers and other food producers of the area including the development of the South East Food Plan. The Plan isn't directly replicable in all areas but is a great read and an excellent starting point for groups wanting to develop something similar for their own areas.

This week we listen to part 2 of our conversation with Project Officer Carolyn Wells. If you would also like to catch up on the first part, just download last week's podcast.

For more information on the Plan head to the website. You can also find information on the Sustaining Our  Towns project, a project not discussed on air but well worth following up here.

Food Day Canada

What do you do when your export beef industry is in crisis? Well if you are Canadian Anita Stewart, you throw a party and invite the whole country to come along. And then you make it an annual event.

That was ten years ago and Food Day Canada has only got bigger. Described as " a chance for all Canadians to join hands in one massive celebration in praise of our farmers and fishers; our chefs and researchers ... and, above all our home cooks" it is the sort of celebration that everyone can be involved in.

Check out the website for more information, ideas and recipes.

CERES Fair Food

CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies) Fair Food is a Melbourne based foodbox system that supplies organic fruit and vegetable boxes, sourced from around Victoria to residents in and around the city. In addition to supporting local farmers, they also employ disadvantaged workers and the profits used assist CERES with their other projects.

Check out the website for more details.

South East Producers

South East Producers is a  network based around Bega, New South Wales. They are responsible for a number of projects aimed at the sustainability of the farmers, fishers and other food producers of the area including the development of the South East Food Plan. The Plan isn't directly replicable in all areas but is a great read and an excellent starting point for groups wanting to develop something similar for their own areas.

For more information on the Plan head to the website. You can also find information on the Sustaining Our  Towns project, a project not discussed on air but well worth following up here.