Smart Farming

Smart Farming is a three day program offered at YRTS. This program introduces students to horticulture and agricultural practices. Students investigate current trends and explore the application of technology and innovation that can benefit or enhance current agricultural practices.

The year 9 students from Lilydale High School were excited to be going on an excursion with the tech school on their first day of our Smart Farming Multi Day program. For the first section of the day they were headed to Raynards Orchard, one of our industry partners, to take a tour of their Orchard.

Raynards orchard is a family run, boutique fruit orchard in the Yarra Valley. They grow over 450 varieties of fruit including peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, tamarillo, pomegranate, persimmon, figs, pepino, feijoa, guava, kiwi fruit, Dutch medlar and various citrus throughout winter. Students went for a tour around the orchard and were given different varieties of fruit to try. Students were given an insight into the challenges local farmers face; from the big supermarket chains, pests, birds, and wastage.

The students then made their way back to the tech school where they were met with Mick, Box Hill Institutes very own Director of Biosecurity Centre of Excellence. Mick talked to the students about bio-security and how infections happen and the process to stop these infections spreading.

After lunch the students split into two groups, one stayed at the tech school and went through the Urban Farming simulation game while the other went down for a tour of Box Hill Institutes Horticulture area with Claudia, BHI Coordinator of Agriculture, Horticulture, Conservation and Land Management.

The students then spent the next two days working in teams, investigating and practicing techniques of different smart farming technologies. On the final day, they presented their solutions to the challenge they identified on day one, demonstrating prototypes and their learning journey.

Smart Farming will run again in Term 4, so contact us today to book this amazing multi day program!