future directions group a focus on improving the educational experiences offered at our environment...
TRANSCRIPT
Future Directions Group
A focus on improving the
educational experiences offered at our
Environment Centre and School Farm
Review of Feedback and
Pathways Forward
The Parents and Friends Open
Workshop
‘The Must Haves’
Parents and Friends Open Workshop - ‘The Must Haves’
The Farm
• Fully functioning with dairy and sheep•Diversity – crops and livestock•More relevant farm board•more active & expanded to include diverse skills
• Strong business model – researched and budgeted• Eg: dairy – aim to make money, significant potential &
growth in this industry• Increased communication between key stakeholders
Parents and Friends Open Workshop - ‘The Must Haves’
The Environment Centre (Visitor Centre)
• Fun activities – •More touch and feel activities (hands on)• Expand cottage industries
•Utilise Vegie Patch with visiting schools•Weeding•Cooking with harvested produce
The Parents and Friends Open
Workshop
‘Considerations’
Parents and Friends Open Workshop – ‘Considerations’
The Farm
• Initiate volunteer working bees – school community/staff
•Use available water source – increase irrigation to increase herds
•Develop industry partnerships – Dairy Tas, Poppies, etc.
•Utilise farm manager to advertise the farm -‘The Face of the Farm’
Parents and Friends Open Workshop – ‘Considerations’
The Farm
•Rent Farm Managers house – return funds to farm
• Farm managers wage to be covered by DOE/state government
•A relevant farm board•5 year plan, meet regularly to give clear direction
•More detailed profit and loss details for farm
Parents and Friends Open Workshop – ‘For Consideration’
The Environment Centre (Visitor Centre)
• Increase visitor numbers
• Develop as a hub/portal – access via web-cams to milking, shearing, soil health, sustainable farming
• Feedback from visiting children used to emphasise value of the centre to DOE/minister
• Develop paddock to plate program
• Build on strengths
The Staff Workshop‘The Must Haves’
The Staff Workshop – ‘Must Haves’
•Tractor Rides•Diversity of animals•Museum – historical perspectives•Farm experiences – shearing, milking, animals•Staffing – teachers and support personnel• Innovative use of technology•Hands on experiences•Up to date visitor facilities – camp facilities
The Staff Workshop‘Considerations’
Staff Workshop – ‘For Consideration’
• Increase visitor numbers
• Initiate downstream processing – chocolate & cheese
•Replace dairy herd with beef herd
•Open on weekends and holidays
•Develop animal nursery
•Lease part of farm or acquire additional land
Staff Workshop – ‘For Consideration’
•Explore new cropping potential - Niche/boutique markets, hot house crops
•Establish a market garden
•Sell farm to an investor willing to continue working & upgrade and allow access
•Agist cattle, sheep, horses
Staff Workshop – ‘For Consideration’
•Convert dairy to educational ‘demonstration’ facility –‘Where does milk come from?’
•Develop partnerships with nearby schools to facilitate Ag Science programs
• Investigate trusts to support farm
The Future Directions Workshop
‘Must Haves’
Future Directions Workshop – ‘Must Haves’
•Animals – see, smell, feel, feed
•Sustainability – financial and environmental
•Fit for purpose facilities
•Focus on continuous improvement – facilities and experiences
•Strong educational focus
The Future Directions Workshop
‘Considerations’
Future Directions Workshop – ‘Considerations’
•Demonstration models•Milking, shearing ‘on demand’
•Alternative business models• Effective use of revenue and time
• Interactivity – use of IT to expand educational experiences
Future Directions Workshop – ‘Considerations’
•Expand current enterprise (eggs, lambs, dairy)
•Explore new enterprise (beef, leasing, cropping)
•Value adding – ‘post farm gate’
•Community supported enterprise – volunteers
Pathways Forward
Modifications to the current Working Farm
Model
Value Adding - farming and educational
Alternative Models -Environment Centre and Farm
Hagley Farm School : Vision
Self-motivated, resilient and successful learners.
Hagley Farm School : Vision
We will achieve this through valuing the past, embracing the present and planning innovatively for the future.
Environment Centre Educational Improvement Priorities …
• Connection with the Australian Curriculum
• Innovative use of technology
• Facility development
Pathways Forward
Modifications to the current Working Farm
Model
Value Adding - farming and educational
Alternative Models -Environment Centre and Farm
Educational Experiences
Heritage Farm Environmental0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
>55
>85
<30
Based on 5 year average
Farm Tour & Tractor Ride
Dairy (Walk
Through)
Dairy (Milking)
Shearing (Walk Through)
Shearing (Shearing)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
>95
>60
<20
>60
<2
Farm ExperienceBased on 5 year average
• Environment Centre Revenue supports farm (on average) - %70 - %80
• Farm Manager time applied to dairy operation - %70 - %80
• < %20 of visitors see milking
• < %5 of visitors see shearing
Can Environment Centre and Farm Improvements:
• Increase the number of visitors that see milking and shearing?
• Increase the amount of EC revenue available for improvements to facilities and educational programs?
• Increase opportunities for the Farmer to support and engage in educational programs?
Pathways Forward
Modifications to the current Working Farm
Model
Value Adding - farming and educational
Alternative Models -Environment Centre and Farm
Educational Experiences
Heritage Farm Environmental0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
>55
>85
<30
Based on 5 year average
Farm Tour & Tractor Ride
Dairy (Walk
Through)
Dairy (Milking)
Shearing (Walk Through)
Shearing (Shearing)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
>95
>60
<20
>60
<2
Farm ExperienceBased on 5 year average
• Environment Centre Revenue supports farm (on average) - %70 - %80
• Farm Manager time applied to dairy operation - %70 - %80
• < %20 of visitors see milking
• < %5 of visitors see shearing
Improvement Goals:
• Increase the number of visitors that see milking and shearing.
• Increase access to funds to improvement facilities and educational programs.
• Increase opportunities for the Farmer to support and engage in educational programs.
Develop high quality educational programs and facilities that support improvements to Agricultural Education at Hagley Environment Centre• Focus on Milk and Wool• Develop high quality Dairy and Wool awareness
centre that is accessible to all visitors (camps and day visits)
• Develop farm yard trail experience with a focus on Ag equipment
• Strong focus on pre and post visit support• Strong focus on use of technology• Strong focus on Australian Curriculum
connections• Increase access to farmer to enhance
experiences
Educational Improvements:
High Quality Food and Fibre Experience• Develop Food and Fibre awareness centre in
farm yard• Modifications and refurbishments of dairy and
shearing shed to facilitate experience• Supported by partnerships with industry bodies• Milking & shearing accessible to all visitors• Farmer accessible to all visitors, supports
demonstrations of milking & shearing• Awareness Centre includes:• Separating, churning, spinning, weaving, etc• Consider relocating cottage industries• Interactive displays, activities
Educational Improvements:
High Quality Food and Fibre Experience• Modifications to dairy and shearing shed to
enhance viewing and interactivity• Old storage shed to become the hub of the
awareness centre• Displays, screens, interactive models,
demonstrations• Technology enhances experience: • Vision of historical and advanced examples of
dairy and shearing• Screens in dairy and shearing shed• Use of iPads to enhance interactivity
Educational Improvements:
Farm Yard Experience• Develop a ‘post-card’ appearance for the
farm and farm yard• Develop a high quality educational
experience around the farm yard• Improvements to fencing, farm yard
entrance and access to and from Environment Centre base and toilets
• Improvement placement of equipment and incorporate informative signage
Future Directions Group
A focus on improving the
educational experiences offered at our
Environment Centre and School Farm
Main Points from Feedback
•Dairy and Sheep studies need to be linked to curriculum through food and fibre strand
•Food and Fibre experiences need to offer deeper understandings
•A farmer needs to be visible to visitors
What’s In The Pipeline?
•Rehabilitation of dam forest
• Partnership with NRM and NSS
• Establish a native species interpretation trail
•Discussions underway with Dairy Tas re the establishment of a dairy awareness centre incorporating the old barn building
• Idea floated with Roberts re the establishment of a sheep/wool interpretation centre incorporating refurbishment of the shearing shed
How can we improve the Dairy Study experience?
How can we improve the Sheep/Wool Study experience?
How can we incorporate a farmer into the educational experiences?
‘The face of the farm’
How can we best develop the dam forest experience?
Other suggestions?