TOOWOOMBA EVENT – The Farmer Wants a Science Life
This event is now over
17 March 2017
Cobb+Co Museum
Venue
Cobb+Co MuseumLocation
Cobb+Co Museum, Lindsay Street, Toowoomba City, Queensland, AustraliaDate
17 March 2017Time
5:30pm - 9:00pmCost
Free ticketed eventSummary
The Farmer Wants a Science Life will be the first World Science Festival Brisbane regional event to be held in Toowoomba.
This event will explore how science is changing agriculture and will enable the local Toowoomba community to hear from scientists and producers and celebrate the future of farming all while sampling delicious local produce.
There are also science interactives on hand to provide further insights into the science of agriculture including Earthlife Mineral Fertiliser, Queensland Murray Darling Commission, Department of Natural Resources and Mines and Soil Science Australia, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Throughout the night there will be live music and a chance to enjoy a drink in the Museum after dark.
The Farmer Wants a Science Life is proudly supported by Tourism and Event Queensland, Inspiring Australia and Felton Food Festival.
Bookings
This is a free ticketed event for adults (18+ only).
Exhibitions, entertainment and displays
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Felton Food Festival
Stalls: The Barefoot Baker, Budgee Garlic and Herbs, Golden Ark Honey, Rosbrook Pastoral, Jalbirri Googum and Granite Belt Brewery
Time: 5:30pm – 9pm
Location: Shingle Roof and Showring
About: Produce stalls – sale and sample.
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The Tiniest Winemakers
Speaker: Ursula Kennedy
Time: 6:15pm-6:45pm
Location: Windmill Gallery
About: Ursula Kennedy, Viticulturist and Oenologist from University of Southern Queensland, will explore some of the tiniest creatures that are crucial of making good wine – and also may lead to good wine going bad – wine microorganisms.
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Automation for Precise Irrigation and Crop Sensing
Speaker: Dr Alison McCarthy
Time: 7pm-7:30pm
Location: Windmill Gallery
About: Dr Alison McCarthy, Research Engineer at University of Southern Queensland’s National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture, will speak about her research and development of robotic systems reducing labour in plant growth monitoring, which could potentially optimise the irrigation of field crops.
Attendees will hear from her research and development of low cost camera-based sensing systems to reduce labour in plant growth monitoring, which could potentially optimise the irrigation of field crops.
Her current projects involve the variable-rate irrigation of cotton, dairy, horticulture and sugarcane crops via lateral move and centre pivot irrigation machines and surface irrigation systems.
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Science with Farmers
Speakers: Greg Platz, Vicki Green and Allan Richards
Time: 7:45pm-8:45pm
Location: Windmill Gallery
About: This discussion will investigate how science is changing agriculture.
Greg Platz
Greg is a principal pathologist with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. He has a lifetime of experience with diseases in cereals and has worked closely with wheat, barley and oats breeders in the development of resistant varieties. Over almost half a century, Greg has witnessed first-hand how science has changed many research disciplines in the pursuit of disease resistant crops.
Vicki Green
Vicki grew up on a sheep and cropping farm at Corrigin in Western Australia before studying Agricultural Science at UWA and then working for the WA Department of Agriculture. She moved to Queensland in 1997, initially working as a commercial agronomist for IAMA. Vicki has worked for Landcare, and been on the GRDC Northern Panel and helped her husband Andrew expand their farming operation at Felton.
Allan Richards
Alan started producing hydroponic figs as a trial of 50 trees in between truss tomatoes/cucumbers and eggplant, mainly because he loved figs and fig jam. These 50 plants expanded to 150 then to 350 then progressively over the last 3 years to total 3500 plants.
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Linda Capewell
Time: 5:30pm-9pm
About: Enjoy the vocals of local lovely Linda Capewell as you to her blend of acoustic folk pop sound.
Cobb+Co Museum
Cobb+Co Museum, Lindsay Street, Toowoomba City, Queensland, Australia