It has been a fantastic beginning to 2022 for all the Aggies, new and old, and it is set to be an amazing year ahead.
Year 10 Ag Science are immersing themselves in researching global food security and how to crop wild relatives to help plant breeders adapt new plant varieties to climate change. Over the semester the Year 10 Aggies will be learning about Australian native food production for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Hermitage plant science competition. It is planned that they will be responsible for establishing a new Australian native food forest on the Ag plot as well as conducting an investigation to determine the most optimal fertilising program for Australian native products.
Year 10 Ag Practices begins with a buzz as students start the construction of a beehive. This beehive will house the calm and placid Italian strain of the European Honeybees. Students will be assembling different components of the hive and gain hands-on experience in managing a beehive and interacting with bees, all suited up and safely protected.
Year 11 Ag Science have started an investigation into the role of protein levels in poultry diets to determine the optimal levels for growth and development of day-old chicks up until 6 weeks of age. This study is using soymeal as a protein additive at various rates. Students will be weighing and observing the chick’s development and then conducting statistical analysis on the data to justify their conclusions.
Year 11 Ag Practices students have been preparing the vegetable garden and should soon be planting herbs to be grown in group settings. We have been learning about Farmgate products, that is, products that can go straight from farm to plate. Students will be focusing their Farmgate project on either herbs, eggs, or, finger limes.
Year 12 Ag Prac are well on their way in their studies into value-adding to farm produce to reduce food waste. Ideas being investigated include dried fruit, juice, freeze-drying and compost to name a few. Students will be trialling their own unique ideas and packaging and marketing their final product.
Year 12 Ag Science have started their experiment on organic fertiliser amendment rates on dwarf bean production and yield. They are using Organic Xtra pellets and determining the best rate to apply for optimal bean yield. They will be measuring growth and leaf area throughout the experiment and obtaining total biomass weight and bean yield at the end of the investigation. Ultimately they will be able to recommend the optimal fertiliser application for dwarf bean production.
Jade King, Head of Agricultural Science
