 Strangely enough I fell into teaching and I have been fortunate enough to be in a job that I really do enjoy. Mentoring, guiding and educating students to acquire life-learning skills in agriculture and the environment has made my job a pleasure. Some highlights of my job that extend beyond the classroom are: visiting parents in the country at their homes, outdoor education camps, my marine studies camp on Goose and the Kyre Campus project.
Many parents ask me why their child should study Agricultural Science. I believe the answer is that Agriculture is “the most applicable real living science that is offered at schools”. In Agriculture students learn and operate in a holistic way with the nature and farming systems. Students at Scotch handle livestock from fish and marron to poultry, sheep and cattle - they even produce their own food and make wine. In the future we plan to incorporate a Food Technology facility in which senior students will be able to produce cheese, yoghurt and smoked fish.
I came to the College in 1983 and there have been significant changes at the farm. In the early stages the vineyard, orchard, glasshouse, cattleyard, shearing shed were established and then later the Aquaculture facility was built. Recent developments on the farm include a new polyhouse, hydroponic shed and animal house. The latter houses egg layers, show poultry and internal pew for working livestock under cover. The students are really impressed with the new facilities and they genuinely enjoy working and learning on the farm.
|
