The Farrer Farm
The Farrer Farm comprises two properties. Farrer school is situated on 192 Ha adjacent to Calala Lane and the Peel River. The Brewongle property comprising of 340 Ha which was purchased in 2009 to provide additional educational resources for our students. These enterprises are integral to the Teaching/Learning activities in the school and, where demand exists, specialist NESA BECs are developed to meet skills needs and student demand: eg Cert III Beef and Cert III Grain Production. Secondly it provides a source of income for the school.
The Angus Stud
The Angus Stud runs 120 HBR breeders and with offspring totals approx 240 head. The Angus stud is run mostly at Brewongle due to lack of space on the Farrer Farm. Students are actively involved in all aspects of its operation and management including vaccinations, selection of cattle, marking, collection of production data etc leading to the on property bull sale which is entirely conducted by students.
The operation of the stud, and its management, is tightly integrated into the school curriculum through the Certificate III Beef Course. The whole curriculum is tied to the annual operational cycle of the stud.
Cropping
Both summer and winter Farrer produces Lucerne for our own use. Oats, barley, irrigated pastures and sorghum are also produced some of which is processed into feed for our other livestock activities and associated classes. We are currently moving towards greater utilisation of the students in the sowing, management and harvesting of these products.
Dairy
The Farrer Illawarra Dairy herd comprises 70 milkers and approx. 35 dry cows. Four Year 9 students are rostered onto Dairy seven days a week morning and night. Farrer produces in excess of 265000L per year and all data collection is carried out by the farm. The dairy is an integral part of the education of the Farrer boys in team building and organisational skills. In addition Year 7 students are rostered onto calf rearing duties for one week each morning and afternoon.
The Dairy is currently accredited Level 7 Bovine Johnes Disease.
White Suffolk Stud
The White Suffolk Stud is managed by Darren Smith with approximately 400 sheep. All animals are recorded on LambPlan and we are MN3 level Ovine Johne’s disease accredited. An extensive AI program is conducted annually which is supervised by Darren but run by the students. This program involves 6 weeks of work outside school hours. Lambing occurs in August over a six week period. We have an onsite sale annually which involves advertising, animal selection, sale catalogue development and the sale day which occurs in September each year. All activities with the sheep are carried out by the students on a rostered basis.
Merinos - this enterprise is used as a comparative program for students as opposed to meat production (used for Wool Science) – 50 sheep in this enterprise. All management and breeding is carried out by Darren Smith.
Poultry
Farrer runs 120 hens in a barn laid situation to meet the animal welfare guidelines for schools, and our eggs go straight to the school refectory. Students in Year 7 are rostered on to look after the hens 7 days per week.
Piggery
We run weaners but no breeders are carried due to the economic considerations. Students in Year 8 are rostered on 7 days per week to care for the pigs as part of the stage 4 & 5 syllabus with a focus on piggery production and intensive livestock management.
Horticulture
We now have a hot house, green house, work shed and nursery area. This is purely an educational resource which meets the needs of the syllabus and student interest. Horticulture is studied in stage 4 & 5 agriculture and provides seedlings for vegetable, trees and shrubs for horticultural and other studies both in Agriculture and Geography.