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Dry Season Resources Podcast

The South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub is dedicated to sharing information that supports growers in preparing for dry seasons.

On the Hub’s Dry Season Resources podcast, we chat with farmers and industry experts about preparing for a dry season. Topics covered range from early planning to tactical decision-making as the season changes throughout the year and setting up for the following season.

Find the latest episodes of the Dry Season Resources podcast below. Subscribe to the Hub’s podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

S3E5 Upskilling farming communities with landscape rehydration infrastructure

26 March 202523:24

Tam Connor, Learning and Development Manager, and Lance Mudgway, Landscape Planner and Hydrologist at the Mulloon Institute, explore the principles of landscape rehydration – using nature-based infrastructure and strategic land management to restore water cycles, enhance water quality, and build ecosystem resilience.

S3E4 Opportunities and challenges of deep sowing

12 March 202525:04

CSIRO Plant Physiologist Dr Sarah Rich and Facey Group CEO Tina Astbury discuss the Future Drought Fund project "Improving Sowing Opportunities for Increased Farm Resilience in a Changing Climate". They explore the potential of deep sowing, the current opportunities for adoption, and what’s on the horizon for this practice.

S3E3 Making every drop count: innovations in water harvesting

26 February 202526:42

How can we make the most of rain when it falls, and what alternatives exist when it doesn’t? In this episode, researchers Samantha Viljoen (Murdoch University) and Dr Priscilla Tremain (University of Newcastle) share their innovative work on improving water security in agriculture.

S3E2 Livestock nutrition in dry seasons with hay, silage and containment feeding

12 February 202529;02

Dr Penny Schulz from the SA Drought Hub and Dr Jeisane Accioly-McIllre from Western Beef Association Inc. share insights from their work on drought resilience strategies for livestock feeding. Penny discusses her pilot program on containment feeding, highlighting its benefits for productivity, pasture management, profitability, and drought preparedness. Jeisane brings her expertise from the ‘Better Hay and Silage’ workshops, equipping farmers with practical knowledge on producing, storing, and using hay and silage effectively.

S3E1 Managing heat stress in sheep, beef and dairy cattle

29 January 202530:17

Join UWA’s Professor Shane Maloney and Western Dairy Extension Advisor India Brockman as they delve into the impact of heat stress in sheep and cattle, with a special focus on dairy cows in Western Australia. Shane discusses the Murdoch University-led project "The Benefits of Shelter Belts", which is evaluating the effectiveness of shelterbelts in WA's South West region, while India introduces Dairy Australia’s Cool Cows program.

S2E23 Thriving through flexible planning in the eastern Wheatbelt

11 December 202431:05

Nic McGregor from AgVise Merredin and Ben Whisson from ConsultAg Kulin discuss the realities of farming in WA’s eastern Wheatbelt, highlighting the importance of getting the basics right: planning, execution, and cost control.

S2E22 Selecting the weather tools that work for you

27 November 202431:00

In this episode, Dave Stead from Anasazi Consulting and Phil Smyth from Nutrien Coorow explore the growing array of weather tools and apps available to farmers. They discuss the rise of localised weather stations, the benefits and limitations of popular apps like CliMate and Meteorlogix, and the importance of understanding trends in weather models.

S2E21 Land access options amid rising land prices

13 November 202432:06

Join Carly Veitch, farm management consultant at AgAsset and President of the Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants (AAAC), along with Ian Donaldson, senior manager of rural valuations at Rabobank, as they delve into the dynamics behind soaring land prices.

S2E20 Navigating extreme seasonal variability in WA’s Wheatbelt

30 October 202429:21

In this episode, Coorow farmer Rod Birch and Yuna farmer Jess Grove share their experiences managing extreme seasonal variability in Western Australia’s northern wheatbelt. With 2023 marking the lowest rainfall on record, and 2021, 2022, and 2024 presenting vastly different conditions, Jess and Rod discuss their strategies for adapting to these challenges, capturing gains in productive years, and building resilience for drier ones.

S2E19 Dry seeding strategies: tackling risk amidst changing rainfall patterns

16 October 202428:05

In this episode, we explore how changing rainfall patterns are reshaping seeding strategies and risk management across Australia. We are joined by Rachel May, Farming Systems Adoption Officer for the South Australian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, and Peter Newman, farm business consultant with Planfarm.

S2E18 Autonomous spraying to preserve soil moisture in the northern Wheatbelt

2 October 202429:21

Mullewa farmer John Flannagan and Tom Holcombe, Field Operations Lead at SwarmFarm Robotics, discuss the benefits of using autonomous spraying technology in WA's northern wheatbelt. The conversation highlights how these technologies have not only boosted operational efficiency but also helped conserve valuable soil moisture.

S2E17 Diverse pastures for year-round feed security

18 September 202426:54

In this episode, we explore strategies to navigate the evolving challenges of livestock management while boosting productivity and system resilience. Chapman Valley farmer Jason Stokes shares his approach to managing seasonal variability. Daniel Real from DPIRD delves into the Feed365 and Pasture365 projects.