The Dirt — Tasmanian Farming News October 2025
Welcome to the October 2025 edition of our monthly newsletter, The Dirt. Get the latest Tasmanian farming news from our community and beyond!
TEAM UPDATE
Spring is well and truly here, with blossoms bursting into colour, the days stretching longer, and the sun performing its usual springtime dance with passing showers and gusty winds. There’s no escaping the sense of being catapulted into a season of action, growth, and development.
Here at Sprout, October is bringing many exciting things! Jen will finally be returning to the island, and our AGM is taking place on the 2nd. We also have Small Producer of the Year nominations opening soon, alongside applications for the 2026 Small Producer Program already in full swing.
If that wasn’t enough, we’re also launching tickets for the second round of Low Stress Stock Handling workshops with Nic Kentish and TasFarmers being hosted in the Derwent Valley. Plus we will also be co-hosting as a new series of workshops sharing traditional fire-based land management techniques with proud Palawa man Jason Andrew Smith — these sessions are guaranteed to leave you reflective, in sync, and deeply connected to place, space, and Mother Nature.
Warmly,
Calum Jacobsen
Administration & Communications Officer
IN Our Paddock
Round 2: Low Stress Stock Handling Workshop
Following on from our first workshop in June, we’re now releasing tickets for the second set of workshops in this series. We are once again teaming up with TasFarmers to host a practical, on-farm learning experience with Nic Kentish — one of Australia’s leading voices in low stress stock handling.
Over two days you’ll build skills to work with livestock calmly and confidently, improving both animal welfare and safety on farm.
- 4–5 November 2025
- Ellendale, Central Highlands
- $175 for two days (heavily subsidised rate)
- Key takeaways: Calm animal movement, stress-free yard design, safer practices, and greater confidence in the paddock
This is the second in our series of workshops, giving our southern producers the chance to experience Nic’s thoughtful, practical approach and walk away with skills they can put into practice straight away. If you want to ensure your place, be sure to register ASAP as spots are limited!
🎉Growing Good and A New Celebration
We are trying something new!
As is the way with Sprout, we are constantly evolving and responding to our community. In previous years, Growing Good has been a big end of year event, combining fundraising with a celebration of our wonderful producer community and support network.
This year we are going to shake things up a little and host two separate events. In late November, we would like to provide a chance for producers to gather, celebrate and share the years adventures at a family friendly Picnic in the Paddock.
Our fundraising dinner has moved and will now be held in Autumn 2026 when the harvest bounty is high. This new structure will allow us to better nourish the individual intentions and do both better!! Dont worry, you can still attend both if that is your hearts desire, we’d love that.
So, keep an eye out for our end of year celebration – Picnic in the Paddock – more details to come soon. Then, look forward to hearing all about our Growing Good plans towards the end of summer.
🌱The Sprout Producer Program – applications for 2026 are open!
Good glory, it is that time of year again – applications are now open for the 2026 Sprout Producer Program (SPP). For those that are new to Sprout, the SPP is a capacity building program supporting new, emerging and established Tasmanian farmers to connect with a community of like-minded individuals who are dedicated to small-scale farming, responsible land stewardship and building resilience in the local food and nourishment systems.
The program aims to:
- Establish a peer support network for small-scale farmers
- Encourage a reflective and goal orientated approach to build capacity and resilience of small-scale farmers and their enterprises
- Offer resources and opportunities to enhance knowledge and skills
- Foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among farmers
- Support farmers to thrive for themselves, their communities, and for the environment
- Strengthen the food and farming systems in Tasmania
Applications are open to individuals who meet the following criteria:
- New and existing farmers in Tasmania
- Farmers with a genuine commitment to agroecological practices
- Farmers looking for support to thrive and find their pathway in farming
- Farmers who are willing to actively engage with and contribute to the program, and participate in collaborative work aimed at improving them as people, the environment, and their community.
If you are ready to thrive, find your role in agriculture, build community, and strengthen Tasmania’s food, farming and nourishment systems, then learn more about the program below!
Applications close on Sunday 19th of October 2025 at 11.59pm.
🌱 Sprout Tasmania AGM 2025
Thank you to everyone who joined us at Mathers House on 2nd October for our Annual General Meeting. The room was buzzing with energy, ideas, and vision — a true reminder of the passion that drives Tasmania’s small producer community. We’re so grateful to those who turned up, shared their experiences, and leaned into conversations about what comes next.
For those who couldn’t be with us, our 2025 Annual Report is now live on our website. Inside you’ll discover stories of change and resilience — how the Sprout Producer Program has been reshaped to put people and connection at its heart, how our advocacy has carried farmer voices into some of the most important rooms in the state and beyond, and how projects like our service-kill processing report are already shifting conversations about the future of farming in Tasmania.
The report also captures the spirit of our community gatherings — from field days and workshops to Growing Good, Agfest, and Cross Pollinate — each one a reminder that when producers, supporters, and advocates come together, the impact stretches far beyond the day itself.
It’s been a year of growth and momentum, of asking big questions and stepping bravely into the answers. The Annual Report doesn’t just look back — it sparks curiosity for what lies ahead.
Weaving Good Fire Workshop
We are honoured to be collaborating with Traditional Fire Practitioner, Jason Andrew Smith of Patrula Nayri (fire good) and Leadership and Vertical Development Coach, Steve Willing of Growth in Mind, to deliver Weaving Good Fire – a hands-on, cool burning and ecological stewardship workshop series.
The series occurs across two sessions. The first, working closely with Jason to learn about traditional fire in Australia’s landscape and the hands-on application of techniques to care for and rejuvenate country. The second session, invites participants who engaged in the first workshop to reconnect and explore the relationship between farming, fire and ecological stewardship through peer-to-peer learning exchange and facilitated reflection. Through this second session, we also hope to generate opportunities for additional agroecological workshops. Participants will engage as both learners and teachers.
Weaving Good Fire is made possible through in-kind contributions from Patrula Nayri, Growth in Mind and Sprout and is generously sponsored by the TAS Farm Innovation Hub. Attendance at the workshops is provided free of charge to a capped number of participants.
These workshops are intended for farmers, food producers and farm workers involved in land stewardship. If you are interested in attending, but not sure if you meet these criteria or would otherwise like to express interest, please contact our Producer Liaison Officer – Dom via email dom@sprout.org.au
Please register early to secure your place. Participation will require a commitment to both sessions.
Workshop 1: Sunday 2nd November, 1pm-5pm, Cradoc, Tasmania
Workshop 2: Sunday 30th November, 2pm-4pm, Cradoc, Tasmania
The nature of these workshops requires them to be weather condition dependent. Sprout reserves the right to reschedule these workshops where conditions are not conducive with a safe and/or enjoyable experience.
Your Community
🍽 Eat It All — A Dinner Party With Purpose
Eat Well Tasmania and TUSA are inviting the community to gather around the table for a special night that flips food waste on its head. Eat It All is a three-course feast crafted entirely from rescued produce, curated by head chef and food waste whisperer Sam Bray. It’s local, seasonal, and a reminder that delicious doesn’t need to mean wasteful.
📅 When: Wednesday, October 8 — arrive 6:00 pm for 6:30 pm start
📍 Where: Lazenby’s Central Courtyard, UTAS Sandy Bay Campus
💰 Tickets: $5 students / $25 non-students (all proceeds to TUSA’s Food Hub)
Expect long, candlelit tables, live Balkan tunes, and meaningful conversations with waste-wise leaders including cultural guide Djuke Willis Hart, UTAS Professor Alana Mann, strategic designer Vanessa Ward, and TUSA President Ruby Fox.
This is a zero-waste affair, so bring your Tupperware, come hungry, and leave hopeful. Every dollar raised goes straight to TUSA’s Food Hub, supporting food-insecure students across Tasmania.
🌱 Building Climate-Resilient Soils: Caring for Country with Biochar
Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture is hosting a free, hands-on workshop coming up in the Huon Valley on Monday 13 October (10:00am–2:00pm AEDT) where land managers, First Nations knowledge holders, and soil scientists will come together to explore how biochar can help heal country and build more resilient soils.
You’ll be invited to dig in (literally) — with soil assessments, practical biochar demonstrations, and shared wisdom about restoring soil health in changing climates. You’ll also hear from First Nations voices about caring for Country in deeply informed and culturally grounded ways.
Spaces are limited, and expressions of interest close Monday 6 October. If you’re keen to deepen your soil know-how, reconnect with country, and see biochar in action, this is one not to miss.
🌱 Spuds in the Ground This Spring
Thinking of planting potatoes this weekend? You may have seen recent chatter about potato mop-top virus (PMTV) and wondered if it’s still safe to get your favourite root veg in the ground. The good news: it absolutely is! With a few simple steps, you can keep your patch thriving and biosecurity strong.
A few handy tips to keep in mind:
- 🥔 Always plant certified seed potatoes — ask your retailer to show you the certification label.
- 🥔 Skip the supermarket spuds and roadside stall potatoes — they’re for eating, not planting.
- 🥔 Potato peelings and waste are fine to toss into the green bin, your compost, or general waste — just don’t reuse compost containing potato waste in future potato beds.
- 🥔 Give your tools and boots a regular clean, especially if you’re moving between different garden areas.
And keep your eyes peeled (pun intended!) for anything unusual in your crop. If you spot something suspicious, snap a photo and get in touch with Biosecurity Tasmania at Biosecurity.Tasmania@nre.tas.gov.au or call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline: 1800 084 881.
That’s it for our Tasmanian Farming News this month. As ever, do get in touch if you have any questions or issues. We’re always here to help.
Thanks as always,
The Sprout Team.