Throwback to episode #1 - we chatted to @daisyjanehiggs who’s flat out managing cows in the Waikato. Because she’s the absolute best, she’s going to show us a day what a day in the life looks like as a dairy farmer! Stay tuned on Wednesday to see how it’s done 😎

Have you ever seen a whole paddock of chives? You know, the herb? Well now you have and isn’t it something else 🤩. This paddock was being grown for seed production and when it was harvested, you could smell the chivey/ onion smell for kilometres!

In this week’s episode, we catch up with Sonja Vreugdenhil - A Farm Systems Technician at Leaft Foods.     Sonja grew up about an hour south of Dunedin and originally headed to university to study PE. After a couple of years, she decided this wasn't the exact direction she wanted to go in and changed her career path to study agriculture at Lincoln University.  After university, Sonja joined the Foundation of Arable Research in their graduate programme where she was involved in numerous small seed and cereal trials. Last year she joined the Leaft Foods team and she hasn’t looked back.  Leaft Foods have recognised that hidden in the leaves of lucerne is an abundant source of high quality natural protein. Extracting protein from lucerne leaves using their paddock to product process will be low impact and efficient, making it a great option for protecting our environment.    It’s a real watch this space story, and I hope you are as captivated by it as I am. Sonja is an incredibly passionate individual in both her career and life outside of work. She is one of those people who gives everything their absolute all. I hope you enjoy listening to such an enthusiastic young women in our agricultural industry!    If you would like to chat to Sonja about anything we talk about on todays episode, you can find her on Instagram @sonja_renee_v or flick her an email at sonja.vreugdenhil@leaftfoods.com.   Enjoy! Mel x

I thought it was probably a good chance to introduce myself and tell you all a bit about why I wanted to start Bread & Butter! My name is Mel, I’m 26 years old and I’m a very proud kiwi, born and bred on the Canterbury Plains. 12 months ago I got a phone call offering me the opportunity to travel overseas to take what I had learnt in New Zealand and put it into farming systems in Australia. I now work as a Territory Sales Manager for a pasture seed company, servicing Central NSW and it has been the biggest and most rewarding challenge of my life to date. Agriculture has always been a huge part of my life and I always find I’m my absolute happiest when I’m head first into something related to the land. There’s just something about a sunset or sunrise on a farm that gets me every time. As I’ve got older, my attention has turned more to my love for food and clothes. I find myself constantly wondering where and how particular ingredients were grown and whether the clothes I wear are actually made of cotton or wool or whether they are just polyester made in a factory. I then thought shit, if I don’t know where half of these things are made and I work hand in hand with agriculture everyday - how on earth are the urban community expected to know? I hope Bread & Butter can help tell the stories of those closest to the land about what they produce, how they do it and why they love what they do so much. The opportunities within agriculture are endless and if I can help one person learn about where their food and fibre has come from, then I’ve achieved what I set out to do. Enjoy some blasts from the past of me just out there trying to do my bit to grow the world some good tucker 🍞🧈 Thank you for joining me this far, it’s been a real treat! Let’s see what else this journey has to offer 🤩

Carrots certainly look a bit different when they’re grown for seed! Seed production is something we don’t often think but it’s literally the first step in the gate to plate story. From here, the seed will be sold into market gardens and sown into home vegetable patches all around the world 🥕

Tis’ the season for growing Christmas peas! I’ll definitely miss sneaking a handful or three during paddock walks this season 🙃 #gardenpeas #christmas #agronomy

In this weeks episode, we catch up with Richard Konzag - The Owner of Konzag Grains alongside his wife, Trish. Konzag Grains is a 2500ha cropping operation based about an hour north of Adelaide, in the small country town of Mallala. With an annual average rainfall of only 395mm, the Konzags' have had to look at ways to implement farming systems to help conserve soil moisture. By implementing a new row spacing of 7.5inches by using a John Deere single disk seeder, Richard was not only able to have total stubble retention which gives complete soil cover, but it also dramatically increased competition between crops and the weeds - thereby reducing the pressure placed on herbicides. But like everything, it hasn't always been smooth sailing. Richard is incredibly modest and humble about his achievements and like most farmers you meet, just wants to produce the best possible product with the smallest environmental footprint for the modern day consumer. Richards' story is one that will help motivate you to add value to your own products, no matter what walk of life you are from. If you would like to chat to Richard about anything we talk about on todays episode, you can find him on Facebook Konzag Grains or their information will be on our instagram @breadandbutterpodcast_ . Remember - you can listen on all good podcast streaming services. Enjoy! Mel x

My Saturday evening was spent a little differently than normal.. we shot up for a look over the place in this little hunny! How bloody good 🤩. I can’t believe how wet some of the paddocks are here at the moment. Here’s hoping for a good finish to the season so the locals can get another bumper harvest under their belt 🤞🏼 #flying #foxbat #australia

In this weeks episode, we catch up with Angus Woods - The Owner of @leftfieldaus. Left Field products are grown and manufactured in the town of Goondiwindi, which is located 350 km south-west of Brisbane. Their snacks are all produced from homegrown faba beans, sorgum (check out the photos!!) and chickpeas. Angus' family started farming at Billa Billa in the 1950s. What started off as a grain and livestock farming operation has now evolved into a diversified vertically integrated agribusiness from ‘Farm to Bag’. The Woods family business is now into its 3rd generation with the 4th generation not far away. The business is now comprised of five properties spanning approximately 14,000 hectares. If you would like to chat to Angus about anything we talk about on todays episode, you can find him at hello@woodsfoods.com.au, on instagram @leftfieldaus

In this weeks episode, we catch up with James Robertson. James is one of those people who is always on the go. He's driven, ambitious, and has a sense of drive like no other. James works as a Technical Assistant in the Co-operative Affairs of Fonterra and is heavily involved with many different projects. In 2019, James was crowned as the 51st FMG Young Farmer of the Year at an age of just 22, making him the competitions youngest ever winner. If you would like to chat to James about anything we talk about on todays episode, you can find him on Instagram @jimmy_robertson_ Enjoy! Mel x

Here’s a bit of food for thought on a Wednesday: Did you know that there are different varieties of wheat bred to reach different flour markets?! This particular variety was bred for the biscuit & cake flour market. As agronomists, we also manage the how much nutrient we apply to each crop as different flours require different protein levels. Bread flour needs a higher protein percentage than biscuit/ cake flour as a higher protein percentage helps the bread to rise without collapsing! 🍪🎂 #wheat #cake #flour

I have never seen so much Canola in my life. Australia - you and your huge paddocks are insane! 🌼 #canola #australianagricture

Episode Three is now available! This time, we catch up with Sam Tipping. Sam's career began with a gap year to Canada, starting his own fencing contracting business, and breeding a Hereford Stud to now working as an Agribusiness Partner with BNZ. We talk about how his gap years led him to be where he is today and about what a career as a rural banker looks like. If you want to chat to Sam about anything we have discussed today, you can find him here - @sam_tipping_ . I hope you enjoy it! Mel x #breadandbutter

If you are urban or rural, Dougs story of how he pulled himself from drinking alone in his office every night to a being a best-selling author is something I think everyone needs to hear. Not a reader? The Resilient Farmer is also available on Audible so you can listen to it on the move! I mean this is only my third time listening to Dougs book.. #mentalhealthawareness #ruralmentalhealth #nzfarming

Mental health is such a serious topic, and I'm so glad that people like Doug are helping normalise conversations around depression and anxiety. Doug was kind enough to send in some photos of Bonavaree today. Isn't it the most beautiful spot! It's so hard to belief this place encountered 8 years of consecutive drought. If you haven't already listened to Dougs' episode, it's available now. #breadandbutter

In 1999 Doug Avery was in a bad way. The Marlborough sheep and beef farmer was barely coping, personally and financially, after his local area encountered eight years of straight drought. It wasn't a case of overnight success with Doug, but fast forward to today and he will tell you the last 20 years have made all of the challenges worth it. He is now the author of the best-selling novel, The Resilient Farmer. Tune in tomorrow 6am NZT to hear about Doug's story and how a lucerne plant gave him a glimmer of hope. Also - how great is Xero's new ad! #breadandbutter

How fantastic was it to hear from Daisy?! She has an incredible story to tell and I'm honoured that she was able to share it with us. She certainly is one cool human. PS - thank you to the 300+ people who downloaded Daisys episode yesterday! I thought we might've got to 100 if we were lucky, but well over 300 in a day?! I'm seriously blown away. Good thing episode two is dropping tomorrow morning at 6am NZT! Stay tuned for more details to come 🤩. #dairynz #nzfarming #breadandbutter

It's finally here - Episode One is live!! 🎉 I just wanted to quickly say a huge thank you for all of the support over the past couple of weeks. It's very unnerving putting yourself out there and if I'm honest, I almost didn't push go on Bread & Butter because I was so scared of what people would think about it. But I'm also a little bit proud. It really is amazing what you can achieve in 8 weeks when you set your heart on something. I didn't know how to upload a podcast anywhere let alone produce the damn thing! I didn't even know how to interview properly (It's still a work in progress..). I just really want to change the way agriculture is perceived and I hope the stories I share might help make some kind of a difference. I'll be uploading 3 episodes this week, with 3 very unique guests. For a total podcast novice, I hope they have come out alright! Anyway - sit back, relax and enjoy. I can't wait to hear what you think. Mel x PS - Isn't it a bloody pain when you go to pop the bottle and it pops itself!! #breadandbutter

ONE DAY TO GO!! Words cannot even begin to describe how ridiculously nervous I am right now. Hold your breathe Mel, its far to late to back out now.. 😂

Just a hidden gem in the middle of a pak choi seed paddock 🌼

Holy, not even 48 hours to go! I think a celebratory drink might be on the cards tonight 🥂

Red dirt and merino sheep.. name a more iconic Australian duo! 🐑 #australia #merino #sheep

Here's a few photos that best represent me, How many days to go now? Only three! 😎🌾

Two rows? No worries! Heres a paddock of perennial ryegrass seed being harvested in February last year, before it was chucked into a bag to be sold into the New Zealand & Australian pasture market 🌱. #harvest #johndeere #ryegrass #seed

Ever heard of the song 'How to Make Gravy' by Paul Kelly? Sam certainly has! You'll be able to hear my catch-up wit Sam in just a few more days 🤩.

Blue Skies = Happy Calves Happy Calves = Happy Farmer ☀️

Here's a face many of you will know, Good thing there's only 5 days to go 🥳 #podcast #dairyfarm #nzfarming #agriculture

Looks like winter weather isn't quite over in Canterbury today.. ❄ #snow #agriculture #nzfarming

Australians' love the way kiwis' say six, I'm not 100% sure why 🤔. Anyway, only six days to go!

September is such a busy month for farmers. Crops are being sprayed, calving & lambing is all go, sheep need to be shorn, summer crops are being sown - It's all happening in every direction! It's also a great time to take photos. I took this photo of some Discovery Milling Wheat (wheat used for making flour and then biscuits.. you get the point) last September when I was working as an agronomist back home in NZ. Have you got any great shots of whats happening on your farm/ in your job at the moment? Send them in or tag Bread & Butter in it, we would love to see them (especially the cute ones). ☀️🚜🌾

The countdown is on! ⏰

Its September 1st and we all know what that means.. Bread & Butter is all go!! 🌟 The next couple of weeks are going to be pretty exciting for me, i'll begin to introduce you to some of the incredible people i've been fortunate enough to chat to. Fingers crossed you enjoy listening to the yarns as much as I have enjoyed spinning them. From an idea that seemed a little to hard to reach, to having a brand, a logo, some cool merch, incredible support people, and now a website! So there you have it team, she is LIVE! Go and be as nosey as you like and I would love to hear your feedback: www.breadandbutterpodcast.com

Meet mini Mel - she's been flat out farming in her erratic farming attire (thanks mum 😂) and work boots since 1995. She was a keen advocate for agriculture at Kindergarten, with countless pet lambs making visits to show and tell. Not much has changed if I'm honest. The work boots, big goofy grin and ability to talk (a lot) has remained the same, but i'm happy to say that the fashion sense has had a serious upgrade. This kid remind me everyday why I made the crazy decision to create Bread & Butter - I know how happy being on a farm made me 🌾

While I was on the phone to a friend today, she asked me “why did you name it bread and butter? Is it because farmers like to sit around and have a yarn over a bit of bread and butter?”. I laughed and said not quite, although they don’t mind a scone and jam.. 🍞🧈

Introducing my latest (and maybe greatest 🥴) project, Bread & Butter - the Podcast Series! My aim with Bread & Butter is simple. I’ve always wondered how I can help bridge the urban/ rural divide, especially in New Zealand. Since moving to Australia, my rural network has grown exponentially and I can’t wait to share some of the great contacts I have made both over here, and back in New Zealand with you. I intent to invest my passion and imagination into every episode I produce in hopes that it will not only bring some inspiration to your day, but also a good old laugh! Put your feet up, grab some popcorn (and maybe a gin), and enjoy listening to this roller coaster of a ride I’m about to go on 🎢🎙

Im both very excited and extremely nervous to let ya’ll know that Mel’s Agronomy Spot is about to get a serious haircut. Flag that - it’s getting a haircut, a new wardrobe, a career change and a new name 😳. Bring on September 2021 - watch this space! 🌾🎙 #sidehustleup #yarnsfordays