A recent horticulture client evening, hosted at Settlers Run Golf and Country Club in Botanic Ridge, Victoria, brought together growers and suppliers for an evening of discussion, learning and networking.
Organised by Connor Steel, horticulture agronomist based out of Elders Pakenham in Victoria, the event attracted strong interest from across the region. There was a wide cross section of growers producing everything from lettuce, spinach and onions to celery, asparagus, herbs, parsnips, carrots, leeks, tomatoes and capsicums.
“There were plenty of good questions and strong engagement from the crowd, which is exactly what you want,” said Connor.
Guest speaker Dr Paul Horne, of IPM Technologies, shared practical insights on IPM and the role of beneficial insects in cropping systems.
“Paul’s main message was about taking an integrated approach to farming, thinking more sustainably and not relying on just one tool,” Connor said.
“He talked about the natural predators that are already present on many farms, and how to make better use of them.”
Connor said these ideas are already part of the conversations he and the Elders team have regularly with growers, but the event created a valuable opportunity to reinforce those messages and open up discussion.
“It’s good to take a step back and have the time to talk through these topics properly. Everyone’s busy so creating space for those conversations is important.”
Feedback from the evening was overwhelmingly positive.
“I had a lot of texts and calls the next day, from both growers and suppliers, saying how worthwhile it was and how well it was run,” said Connor.
“A few mentioned there’s a real appetite for more events like this, and that they got genuine value out of being there.”
A few added touches helped keep the evening relaxed and enjoyable, including a door prize and giveaways for the best questions.
“We had some great prizes. Yeti water bottles, toolkits and dash cams, all generously donated by our suppliers Agnova, Haifa, Nufarm and Albion/Ace Olsen. People really appreciated that.”
Dinner and drinks followed the main sessions, giving people the chance to connect more informally.
“There was a real mix of growers in the room, which made for some great conversations and different perspectives,” said Connor.
The night also gave suppliers a rare opportunity to speak directly with multiple growers at once, without the pressure of a formal presentation, something Connor said doesn’t often happen outside of field days.
“It’s a small thing we can do, especially considering the level of support our growers give us. Putting on a night like this is well worth it.”
Planning is already underway for the next client evening, with nutrition or soil biology likely to be the focus.
Elders is attending Hort Connections in Brisbane between 4 and 6 June. Attendees are encouraged to visit Elders trade site located at sites 48 – 51.
Header image: The Elders Pakenham team at the event. L to R: Pete Wilkinson (Rural Product Sales Representative), Rose Beyer (Agronomist), Kate Reedy (Rural Product Sales Representative), Connor Steel (Agronomist), Tia Roden (Rural Product Sales Representative), Nicholas Gray (Agronomist), Sam Spirli (Agronomist).