It’s been a productive and hands-on term in Agriculture for our students, developing their skills and deepening their understanding of animal and plant care.

Year 12 students have recently been completing or reaching the mid-point of their external projects. Nicki Zanker has seen considerable weight gain in her sheep and should make good profits at the markets. Hayden Laird and Haylee Magnay have very recently planted broccoli and brussel sprout seedlings in a paddock to have a go at a vegetable irrigation production. These students have all been very impressive in their planning of their own production and their collection of high-quality data.

Year 11 students have been learning about new technologies in agriculture. Students have been using research skills to determine what the future of agriculture may look like and largely considering the impact of robotics and AI. These students have also been preparing the steers for the led steer competitions. We have been practising breaking in the steers and training them to walk on a lead rope, which has sometimes been challenging, but we are making progress toward being show-ready.

Year 10 students have been working diligently with the school’s Merino wethers, building on the livestock handling skills they developed last year with the goats. They’ve been gaining valuable experience identifying both wool and meat characteristics, and have started the exciting process of selecting which wethers will be taken to the Royal Adelaide Show for competition.

Year 9 students have embraced new challenges as they work with goats for the first time. This has been a fantastic introduction to small livestock management, giving students practical experience in animal care, feeding, and handling.