Articles for Jennifer Nichols

Brothers leave jobs to go farming
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Brothers leave jobs to go farming

ABC  

Rachel Mealey: On Queensland's Sunshine Coast, the need for new housing is squeezing out what was once beautiful farmland. Jennifer Nichols: Riley and Lachlan are both in their 30s and while they've got some family ties to farming, they were in very different careers three years ago. Riley Hughes: Well for us, attending Young Farmers Connect events in the lead …

Farmers Land Young Working Nichols Farm Hughes Brothers
Carer daughter calls for aged care funding rethink to buy all-terrain-vehicle for dad on rural property
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Carer daughter calls for aged care funding rethink to buy all-terrain-vehicle for dad on rural property

ABC  

Atlanta Baker has painful memories of the last time she took her dad to a public park; his paranoia spiked and he scratched his arms until he bled, attracting a crowd of people and an ambulance. But with around $64,000 of unspent funds sitting in his Level 4 Aged Care Home Care Package account, Ms Baker believes there is an …

Rural Care Baker Jennifer Ive Her Father Dad
What to do when you find a honey bee swarm. Call an expert
10 months, 1 week ago

What to do when you find a honey bee swarm. Call an expert

ABC  

A thickening cloud of thousands of honey bees surrounds Scott Whitaker as he reaches up to cut a branch bulging with a large swarm. Mr Whitaker says a good queen lays about 2,000 eggs a day, and within weeks, a rain-restricted hive can house tens of thousands of extra bees in crowded conditions. "Some of the really massive swarms that …

Queen Bees Whitaker Hive Wet Weather Swarm Swarms
Cabomba weevil unleashed on weed-infesting Australian waterways
1 year, 5 months ago

Cabomba weevil unleashed on weed-infesting Australian waterways

ABC  

A tiny weevil is offering hope in an environmental war against a costly weed that chokes waterways, entangles boats and swimmers, impacts platypus populations and significantly adds to taxpayers' costs of treating drinking water. Key points: Scientists say the weevil's potential impact on Australian flora has been thoroughly researched They are confident it will help to control cabomba weed without …

Rural Waterways Control South America Weed Plant Jennifer
What next for Australia's macadamia industry as farmgate prices crack under global glut?
1 year, 9 months ago

What next for Australia's macadamia industry as farmgate prices crack under global glut?

ABC  

If you have never tasted a crisp creamy macadamia kernel, or it has been a while, Australian growers say now is a critical time to buy the native nut and help them weather a global glut and savage price cuts. Key points: After record highs a few years ago the farmgate prices of macadamias are tumbling The price paid to …

Research Industry Rural Prices Price Abc Growers
Kangaroo paws used to fight wrinkles as demand booms for vegan cosmetics
2 years, 2 months ago

Kangaroo paws used to fight wrinkles as demand booms for vegan cosmetics

ABC  

A native bloom has emerged as a star wrinkle-fighting ingredient, creating a new reason to farm the plant in Australia. Key points: Big red kangaroo paw plants are being used in anti-wrinkle products A Sunshine Coast farm is growing and processing the plants for the international cosmetics market Demand has encouraged the farm to go organic Big red kangaroo paws …

Rural Plants Farm Jennifer Abc Kangaroo Jennifer Nichols
Land management in Noosa tackles topsoil erosion into everglades waterway system
2 years, 7 months ago

Land management in Noosa tackles topsoil erosion into everglades waterway system

ABC  

Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast is renowned for its fine food, beautiful beaches, national parks and its pristine network of waterways that form one of only two everglade systems in the world, the other being in Florida. Like dozens of other landholders, graziers Jeanette and Bruce Glasby are working with Landcare to remediate the legacy of past land use, when …

Rural Land Soil Kin Noosa Landcare Erosion
Farmers are helping stop the Sunshine Coast's major water source filling with silt
2 years, 9 months ago

Farmers are helping stop the Sunshine Coast's major water source filling with silt

ABC  

Collaborations with Maleny farmers such as Barry Gartshore and Sally Keyes are helping to prevent the Sunshine Coast's major source of drinking water becoming filled with silt. More than $10 million has been spent fencing cattle out of creeks, building concrete creek crossings, providing off-stream water sources, tackling landslips and erosion and planting and maintaining tens of thousands of trees. …

Rural Dam Jennifer Abc Stevens Drinking Water Creek
South-east Queensland's floods devastate farmers, but army of helpers give hope
2 years, 9 months ago

South-east Queensland's floods devastate farmers, but army of helpers give hope

ABC  

Usually level headed in an emergency, egg farmer Gordon McWilliam admits to being stunned frozen by the sheer scale of the unexpected natural disaster unfolding on his Mary Valley farm. Key points: The NSW and Queensland floods have claimed 10 human lives, killed livestock, destroyed crops and damaged infrastructure Affected farmers say they are very grateful for the help from …

Support Lost Queensland Gordon Neighbours Jennifer Nichols Dore
Tough time for Cedar Pocket farmers with no time to stop to mourn
2 years, 9 months ago

Tough time for Cedar Pocket farmers with no time to stop to mourn

ABC  

Barbara Gear hasn't had time to stop and grieve after police made the grim discovery of the body of 54-year-old motorcyclist Phillip Lambert on her dairy farm at Cedar Pocket near Gympie on Thursday. Key points: Shell-shocked farmers at Cedar Pocket have lost a community member There is no time to stop with fences down and the search for missing …

Water Flood Farm Gympie Fences Jennifer Nichols Lindols Macadamias
Stories of survival emerge from Gympie floods as horses tread water for hours
2 years, 11 months ago

Stories of survival emerge from Gympie floods as horses tread water for hours

ABC  

Horse owners and farmers are counting their losses and celebrating tales of survival after the Gympie region was inundated with up to 650 millimetres of rain over the weekend. "It's just come down in such a hurry that no-one was prepared for it," Tansey resident Julie Cunningham said. "The polo fella, he got three of these mares on his truck …

Water Horse Stallion Cunningham Ms Cunningham Jennifer Nichols Julie Cunningham
Family-run grocery stores and butchers keeping people fed during the pandemic
2 years, 11 months ago

Family-run grocery stores and butchers keeping people fed during the pandemic

ABC  

Social media is awash with images of empty supermarket shelves, but as interstate logistics and supply chain issues plague the big three, smaller butchers and greengrocers are urging people to buy local. Key points: Grocers, farmers and butchers are helping to feed Australia amid the pandemic and supply chain issues Local connections are helping keep up the supply The pandemic …

Buy Jennifer Nichols Erbacher Mr Erbacher
Pineapple growers want you to carve some 'spooky fruit' to stop bumper crop going to waste
3 years, 2 months ago

Pineapple growers want you to carve some 'spooky fruit' to stop bumper crop going to waste

ABC  

Australians are being urged to embrace "spooky pines" for Halloween to stop tonnes of pineapples from going to waste as farmers emerge from drought with bumper crops. Australian Pineapples chairman Sam Pike says people could help out the industry by buying pineapples to make "spooky pines" for Halloween, smoothies, pina coladas or other pineapple-inspired recipes. Ben Clifton, from Valley Syndicate …

Industry Fruit Queensland Growers Spooky Pike Pineapple
Careful dung beetle management will help the environment and the bottom line, experts say
3 years, 3 months ago

Careful dung beetle management will help the environment and the bottom line, experts say

ABC  

Landholders could unwittingly be killing some of the most valuable members of their herd by failing to minimise the impact of drenching farm animals for parasites. Key points: The beetles play a crucial role in burying the dung of introduced livestock and reducing the spread of disease, flies and parasites Experts say the beetles should be cared for like other …

Species Help Landcare Dung Beetle Beetles Dung Beetles
Strawberry growers' plea as lockdowns cause price of a punnet to plummet
3 years, 4 months ago

Strawberry growers' plea as lockdowns cause price of a punnet to plummet

ABC  

Australia's strawberry growers are appealing for consumers to get inventive with the fruit to help farms survive a devastating drop in sales. Key points: Lockdowns have had a dramatic impact on strawberry sales Fruit is being heavily discounted Growers are asking people to get inventive with cheap fruit Prices have crashed early in the season, with lockdowns in New South …

Sales Growers Strawberries Jennifer Nichols Queensland Strawberry
Federal Agriculture Minister orders review into raw prawn import risks following white spot outbreaks
3 years, 10 months ago

Federal Agriculture Minister orders review into raw prawn import risks following white spot outbreaks

ABC  

The risks of importing raw prawns will be subject to review in response to warnings Australia is being left wide open to aquatic disease outbreaks. Key points: An independent advisory group has been appointed to review the federal agriculture department's work on risk analysis for raw prawns Industry leaders and experts say that all imported prawns should be cooked as …

Australia Biosecurity White Review Federal Virus Logan
Mulberry farmers harness nostalgia to restore fruit to 'rightful place at the head of the berry ladder'
4 years, 2 months ago

Mulberry farmers harness nostalgia to restore fruit to 'rightful place at the head of the berry ladder'

ABC  

A Sunshine Coast couple is bringing back memories and introducing new generations to mulberry fruit, as one of the few commercial growers in the country. Key points: Kureelpa Mulberry Company was founded in 2016 by planting cuttings from a backyard tree Prolific mulberry trees were once common in most Australian backyards The growers say most people pick and prune mulberry …

Rural Fruit Trees Lynch Tree Pick Jennifer