Agsolutely Fabulous | Podcast in RSS.com

Agsolutely Fabulous

Agsolutely Fabulous

di Katja Williams and Gillian Fennell

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Stagione 2

#87 | In Studio With Gillian and Katja: Polldale Shorthorn Sale Day, Conference Updates and More!

In episode 87 of the Agsolutely Fabulous Podcast, Katja and Gillian share updates including merch shirts nearly selling out and how to buy remaining sizes; they preview topics such as the Cattle Australia levy review, Katja’s upcoming bull sale, and new product shout-outs. Katja recaps attending the Australian Women in Agriculture Conference with 250 women, sessions on AI, agrotourism, advocacy, and she co-facilitated a workshop identifying barriers to women’s leadership and developing advocacy pathways. Gillian explains the cattle transaction levy, where funds go (MLA marketing/R&D, Animal Health Australia, NRS), concerns about using compulsory levies for advocacy, transparency, and upcoming voting at MLA’s AGM. They promote Gondwana Macadamias, a Savvy event in Wellington, and HarvestHer Power planning and sponsorship needs, then criticize Telstra’s outage and accountability, and Gillian briefly recaps attending LambEx in Adelaide. HHP webinar Collaboration with Boyce coming up! Tuesday 18th August 10am - Tax Structure and Potential Impacts of the Federal Budget Wednesday 23rd September 2026 - Working Effectively with Your Accountant and Your Bank Wednesday 18th November 2026 - Preparing for the Next Generation to Take Over. Find out more including speaker bios head to Harvest Her Powers website and socials. Main website: https://www.gondwanamacadamias.com.au/ Head straight to the skincare: https://www.gondwanamacadamias.com.au/collections/botanicals-skincare-range Savvi Main Website: https://savvithelabel.com/ Foundation: https://savvithelabel.com/pages/savvi-foundation Future Her Event - 25th September 2026 6-8pm, Black Cat Cocktails, Wellington NSW.

#86 | Breaking Barriers: Women in Agriculture and Mining

In episode 86 of the Agsolutely Fabulous Podcast, it’s part 2 of the live discussion with Katja and Gillian. In this episode, Katja explains navigating male-dominated workplaces by listening, reflecting others’ language, and using structured tools like strong chairs and timed speaking limits in boardrooms to ensure all voices are heard. The group critiques agriculture’s tendency to elect poor leaders who block new talent and rely on “fight” tactics with government, emphasizing that boardrooms should be gender neutral and that governance matters. They discuss using DiSC/Myers-Briggs-style profiles to communicate in others’ “language” and how to motivate participation by framing it as business value. The conversation shifts to how appearance affects success only “to a point,” noting women receive conflicting judgments regardless of dress. They then address perimenopause/menopause, its early and insidious symptoms (brain fog, irritability, UTIs) and safety/family impacts in farming, and link it to succession stress, arguing succession should start early, be regularly reviewed, involve honest, age-appropriate family conversations, and consider business viability, fair pay, diversification, and vertical integration to support returning children. Links & Resources Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/ Find or Register a Group: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/find-a-group/ Learn how to Get Involved with Landcare here: https://youtu.be/3s74Lvmlutk 💕 Support Our Partners THANK YOU TO OUR PODCAST SPONSORS! Farm Table – Your online hub for all things ag, connecting farmers with resources, events, and opportunities. Check them out at https://farmtable.com.au/ Book Box - Use code Fabulous15 for a special discount at checkout! Start your next chapter here → https://bookbox.au/

#85 | Empowering the Next Generation in Agriculture

In episode 85 of the Agsolutely Fabulous Podcast, we are jumping into a three part series from a live recording with Gillian and Katja. In part 1, the ladies recap networking, gift bags, and Gillian’s art before tackling “You Can’t Ask That” questions with audience input. They discuss how to gain hands-on farm skills without moving remote, debating the value of soft skills versus practical competence, the safety and insurance risks of inexperienced workers, and the lack of clear apprenticeship-style pathways in agriculture despite varied farm contexts. They note trial traineeship efforts, limited farmer participation in work experience, and barriers like supervision burden and “who you know” networking. On funding youth attendance and engagement, they argue for capturing motivated young people at stock shows and improving farmer accessibility and school-industry links. They then address empowering men to call out other men’s bad behaviour, emphasizing early intervention, accountability, community norms, support for underlying stress, and prioritizing victim safety and leaving unsafe situations. Links & Resources Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/ Find or Register a Group: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/find-a-group/ Learn how to Get Involved with Landcare here: https://youtu.be/3s74Lvmlutk 💕 Support Our Partners THANK YOU TO OUR PODCAST SPONSORS! Farm Table – Your online hub for all things ag, connecting farmers with resources, events, and opportunities. Check them out at https://farmtable.com.au/ Book Box - Use code Fabulous15 for a special discount at checkout! Start your next chapter here → https://bookbox.au/

#84 | Childcare Challenges in Regional Australia with Sarah Secker

In episode 84 of Agsolutely Fabulous, Gillian is solo today with her guest, Sarah Secker, a farm and business owner in Keith, South Australia, who previously worked as a marketing and advertising executive in Sydney and London. Secker describes how the country work ethic helped her gain opportunities, then explains her current advocacy focus: regional childcare access as a critical “livability” and economic development lever for rural communities with seasonal work patterns and smaller populations. She argues government policy is city-centric, market-driven childcare fails in low-density areas, and government must play a larger provider and regulatory role, including more flexible subsidies and support for in-home care. They discuss practical reforms such as adding au pairs to the 88-day ag visa and addressing HECS indexing when parents can’t work due to childcare shortages. Sitker calls for regional voices at decision-making tables, sharing media links, and contacting local members, noting impacts on essential workers, volunteers, and regional political shifts. Links & Resources Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/ Find or Register a Group: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/find-a-group/ Learn how to Get Involved with Landcare here: https://youtu.be/3s74Lvmlutk 💕 Support Our Partners THANK YOU TO OUR PODCAST SPONSORS! Farm Table – Your online hub for all things ag, connecting farmers with resources, events, and opportunities. Check them out at https://farmtable.com.au/ Book Box - Use code Fabulous15 for a special discount at checkout! Start your next chapter here → https://bookbox.au/

#83 | Farm Wives, Tariffs, and Bull Sales: Chit Chat with Katja and Gillian

In episode 83 of Agsolutely Fabulous, Katja and Gillian share personal updates and Katja explains recording a mini-series with her husband to market Polldale’s Shorthorn Bull Sale (Wednesday 26 August), covering family history, what makes a good bull, and balancing predicted genetic data with traditional stockmanship, plus upcoming photography and a Kalgold Magazine collaboration. They discuss China’s 55% tariff on Australian beef as an over-quota measure announced on New Year’s Day, urging listeners to seek deeper market analysis. They also address University of Adelaide research on women in farm businesses and labels like “farmer” versus “farm wife,” then warn about bird flu detections in WA and SA with practical biosecurity advice. Katja reveals she has written a nonfiction book about moving to the farm and a closed-door Australian romance. Links & Resources Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/ Find or Register a Group: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/find-a-group/ Learn how to Get Involved with Landcare here: https://youtu.be/3s74Lvmlutk 💕 Support Our Partners THANK YOU TO OUR PODCAST SPONSORS! Farm Table – Your online hub for all things ag, connecting farmers with resources, events, and opportunities. Check them out at https://farmtable.com.au/ Book Box - Use code Fabulous15 for a special discount at checkout! Start your next chapter here → https://bookbox.au/ Email us - agsolutelyfab@gmail.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSELTTER: https://tr.ee/qd6wlKKB1W 00:00 Welcome Back AgFabs 00:24 Catholic Funeral Stories 04:50 Bull Sale Podcast Marketing 09:05 China Beef Tariff Explained 14:58 Women And The Farmer Label 18:36 Farm Wife Identity Debate 25:25 New Books And BookTok 31:03 Bird Flu Biosecurity Tips 34:13 Wrap Up And Listener Question

#82 | Empowering Women in Soil Health with Landcare

This week, Katja Williams continues a Landcare chat with Danielle Littlewood, Central West regional Landcare coordinator, and Dr. Aurelie Quade, director of Soil and Resilience. They discuss their women-focused soil health workshop “Talk Dirty To Me,” funded through Landcare Enabling Program Phase 3 grants, designed to remove barriers via a safe space and provided childcare; about 25 women attended despite cold, wet weather. Dr. Quade explains translating soil science into accessible language, building women’s confidence to participate in farm decision-making, and myth-busting around buying inputs without measuring, emphasizing soil tests and targeted use of fertilizer. Practical signs and activities include digging, assessing structure, infiltration and pH, and smelling soil for microbial activity. They connect soil health to wellbeing and profitability, note global pressures from rising input costs, and share upcoming workshops, soil test subsidies, and contact details. Links & Resources Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/ Find or Register a Group: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/find-a-group/ Learn how to Get Involved with Landcare here: https://youtu.be/3s74Lvmlutk 💕 Support Our Partners THANK YOU TO OUR PODCAST SPONSORS! Farm Table – Your online hub for all things ag, connecting farmers with resources, events, and opportunities. Check them out at https://farmtable.com.au/ Book Box - Use code Fabulous15 for a special discount at checkout! Start your next chapter here → https://bookbox.au/ Email us - agsolutelyfab@gmail.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSELTTER: https://tr.ee/qd6wlKKB1W 00:27 Meet Danielle 01:06 Meet Aurelie 01:42 Talk Dirty Workshop Origins 03:03 Removing Barriers for Women 04:53 Making Soil Health Simple 06:00 Confidence at the Farm Table 08:24 Myth Busting and Measuring 09:31 Paddock Tests You Can Do 10:38 Soil Health and Worry 12:26 Global Trends and Profitability 15:22 Inputs and Smart Decisions 16:55 Next Steps Soil Testing 17:46 Urban Rural Storytelling 19:46 Simple Signs and Smell Test 22:22 Farms as Complex Systems 23:51 Why Workshops Feel Safe 25:59 How to Get Involved

Ep. 76 | Behind the Scenes of Life on the Farm: Q & A with Katja and Gillian

Episode 76 of Agsolutely Fabulous is a Q&A with Gillian and Katja, including updates on Gillian’s possible trip south and concerns about flight cancellations, and plans for a live recording at the Duke of Brunswick Hotel (a fully gluten-free venue) featuring a bespoke non-alcoholic cocktail, merch, and possible discounted nearby accommodation. They answer why it’s important for young people to work off their home station—highlighting independence, professional workplace structure, broader agricultural exposure, networking, boundaries, and avoiding assumed knowledge. They discuss hard moments on farm, focusing on overwhelm, mental load, safety anxiety, and feeling dismissed by outsiders, and suggest checking in and listening without immediately offering solutions. They share what meeting them in person is like, clarify “farm” vs “station,” and compare gumboot options, sock strategies, and wet-weather footwear. Links & Resources Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/ Find or Register a Group: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/find-a-group/ Learn how to Get Involved with Landcare here: https://youtu.be/3s74Lvmlutk 💕 Support Our Partners THANK YOU TO OUR PODCAST SPONSORS! Farm Table – Your online hub for all things ag, connecting farmers with resources, events, and opportunities. Check them out at https://farmtable.com.au/ Book Box - Use code Fabulous15 for a special discount at checkout! Start your next chapter here → https://bookbox.au/ Email us - agsolutelyfab@gmail.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSELTTER: https://tr.ee/qd6wlKKB1W

#75 High Tech on the Farm: How Drones Are Transforming Landcare

Title: High Tech on the Farm: How Drones Are Transforming Landcare It’s episode 75 of Agsolutely Fabulous! Today, Gillian and Katja kick off the third in their Landcare series, featuring Three Rivers Landcare coordinator Carmel Bundy and drone survey pilot Ben Watts. They discuss how drones are used less as a novelty and more as a tool to collect objective, high-resolution mapping data, including 3D models and plant health maps, to benchmark ground cover and land condition over time and help landholders communicate stewardship to stakeholders. Carmel explains the project began through ag skill funding and quickly filled, leading to a second course that trained 27 Landcare members of diverse ages. Ben describes 15 years of agricultural drone use, benefits for safety and coverage, early stress detection 7–10 days before visible symptoms, and targeted treatment to reduce chemical use and support sustainability. Learn More About Landcare: Landcare Australia is a national, independent not-for-profit established in 1989. For over 35 years, it has led community and corporate engagement in environmental conservation and sustainable land management, helping protect Australia’s land, water, soils, plants, animals, and ecosystems. The organisation supports Landcare groups and partners through funding, on-ground project delivery, capacity-building, and knowledge sharing, while also managing large-scale restoration initiatives like the Landcare CarbonSMART program. Working alongside a network of 6,000 groups and more than 100,000 volunteers, Landcare Australia strengthens biodiversity, restores landscapes, and builds resilience in food and farming systems. As climate change and environmental challenges intensify, its focus remains on innovation, partnerships, and empowering the next generation—including stronger engagement with First Nations communities. Links & Resources Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/ Find or Register a Group: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/find-a-group/ Learn how to Get Involved with Landcare here: https://youtu.be/3s74Lvmlutk 💕 Support Our Partners THANK YOU TO OUR PODCAST SPONSORS! Farm Table – Your online hub for all things ag, connecting farmers with resources, events, and opportunities. Check them out at https://farmtable.com.au/ Book Box - Use code Fabulous15 for a special discount at checkout! Start your next chapter here → https://bookbox.au/ Email us - agsolutelyfab@gmail.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSELTTER: https://tr.ee/qd6wlKKB1W

#74 | From Boundary Setting to Bounties on Foxes Katja and Gillian

They address “the farm is a money pit” and promote boundary-setting workshops and community funding for internal skills. They discuss Elders planning to stop handling WA wool locally and shift operations to Melbourne amid a shrinking sheep flock and reduced industry confidence after the live sheep export ban, recalling a Canberra rally and urging respectful political advocacy. They discuss a reel on women being gaslit about “having it all,” and finish with support for Victoria’s new fox bounty and multi-pronged feral control. Links & Resources Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/ Find or Register a Group: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/find-a-group/ Learn how to Get Involved with Landcare here: https://youtu.be/3s74Lvmlutk 💕 Support Our Partners THANK YOU TO OUR PODCAST SPONSORS! Farm Table – Your online hub for all things ag, connecting farmers with resources, events, and opportunities. Check them out at https://farmtable.com.au/ Book Box - Use code Fabulous15 for a special discount at checkout! Start your next chapter here → https://bookbox.au/ Email us - agsolutelyfab@gmail.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSELTTER: https://tr.ee/qd6wlKKB1W 00:30 Station life updates 01:54 Rural Women Awards night 02:38 Parliament House ID drama 04:45 Language Academy winner 06:30 AI finalist and automation 07:55 Night driving glasses tip 09:47 Farm money pit boundaries 14:12 Elders exit wool industry 17:19 Canberra rally recap 20:18 Who showed up and why write 21:53 Writing Politicians Right 23:49 The Myth Of Having It All 25:28 Renovation Rabbit Holes 27:27 Mental Health Help Reality 29:24 Fox Bounty Fury 30:52 Native Pets And Lizards 34:48 Why Foxes Target Lambs 36:30 Multi Pronged Fox Control 38:14 Safe Shooting And Cities

#72 | Going Beyond the Pantry & Prepping for Today's Uncertain World with Robyn Verrall

In episode 72 of Agsolutely Fabulous, Katja speaks with Robin Verrall—farmer, beef and lamb producer, author, publisher, and board and committee member in South Australia—about navigating global change, practical prepping, and supporting aging parents as winter approaches. They contrast city shopping habits with farm “pantry staples” and discuss readiness without panic buying, including keeping backups like flour, long-life milk, shelf-stable meals, gas cookers, battery backup landlines/radios, and organized, pest-proof storage, plus planning for power outages. They also discuss the emotional and social adjustments after COVID, including close contact in public spaces. For aging parents, they emphasize winter needs such as heating, wood/kindling, comfort foods in manageable portions, safer transport when driving becomes risky, staying connected through neighbors, and medication management via chemist blister packs, especially with dementia. Links & Resources Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/ Find or Register a Group: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/find-a-group/ Learn how to Get Involved with Landcare here: https://youtu.be/3s74Lvmlutk 💕 Support Our Partners THANK YOU TO OUR PODCAST SPONSORS! Farm Table – Your online hub for all things ag, connecting farmers with resources, events, and opportunities. Check them out at https://farmtable.com.au/ Book Box - Use code Fabulous15 for a special discount at checkout! Start your next chapter here → https://bookbox.au/ Email us - agsolutelyfab@gmail.com SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSELTTER: https://tr.ee/qd6wlKKB1W 00:27 Meet Robin Vel 01:09 World Feels Unstable 02:40 Pantry Prep Basics 06:50 Beyond Stockpiling 07:08 Kids and Kindness 08:44 Aging Parents in Winter 10:38 Safety and Connection 14:08 Medication Management

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