The document discusses Jordan Kerr's experience attending Hurlstone Agricultural High School from 2007-2011. It details how the school provides hands-on agricultural experiences and training. Jordan discusses developing a database program as a student to help the school dairy farm keep records of their cows. The school prepares students for careers in agriculture through practical lessons and ensures future sustainability of Australian agriculture.

1. Agriculture is the future
and it is here today,
The Hurlstone Story

2.  Hi my name is
Jordan Kerr
 I attend Hurlstone
Agricultural High
School located in
south west Sydney
between Liverpool
and Campbelltown

3.  Agriculture plays an important role in all of
our lives.
 Agriculture is vital in securing one of our
most basic resources food. The vegetables
we eat and the milk we drink all come from
agriculture.
 If it was not for agriculture we would not be
here today.
 That's why we need to study agriculture
and work together to ensure that we can
continue to feed and clothe everyone in
the 21st century.

4.  My Journey at Hurlstone began in 2007.
 Hurlstone is a school that helps shape the
future of Australian Agriculture.

5.  Year 7 at Hurlstone is all about getting
into the practical side of agriculture.
 We grew vegetables in our own veggie
gardens whilst also getting to know the
farm.
 The times that we spent planting seeds
and watching them grow into tasty
vegetables was an amazing agricultural
experience.

6.  Year 7 was also when
we got to know all of
the animals on the
farm from the chickens
to the goats and onto
the pigs.
 It is an amazing
experience.

7.  Year 8 is when the theory behind the
agriculture begins.
 One particular area of study in year 8 is
growing hydroponic lettuces using the
Nutrient Film Technique

8.  Nutrient film
technique (or
nutrient flow
technique)
provides a
continuous flow of
nutrient solution
over the plants
roots. It is the
'stereotype' of
hydroponics You can read all about it here
www.flairform.com/hints/nft.htm
systems

9.  In late 2008 the state government attempted to sell the school
farm at Hurlstone.
 The student body and ex students got together and managed
to save the farm.
 During these times I met with a number of politicians and
journalists to ensure that our farm was saved.
Daily Telegraph 16th October 2009
Farm Sale put in Trust
Hurlstone Year 9 boarder and agricultural studies
student Jordan Kerr yesterday accused the
Government of trying to turn the school into a
"hobby farm with one cow and one sheep".
"I am asking, as a student, to please help save my
school and the future of Australia," he said.
"We are a fully functioning farm that is running
with a profit. It is the future and the State
Government needs to learn to keep its hands off."

10.  Year 9 was a fun and memorable year at
Hurlstone.
 Tractor driving is the big highlight of the
year.
 Being taught how to drive/ operate tractors
is a very exciting experience.
 Year 9 is also a year of more study around
the farm.

11.  In 2010, I moved into year 10.
 Along with the hard theory comes some
very different life experiences that would
never be available at other high schools.
 Pregnancy Testing to see if cows are in
calf is one that I wont forget.

12. 1. Put on an arm's length latex glove
and spread some lubricant on
the gloved hand. Stand close
behind the cow, lift her tail and
begin to insert your hand and
arm into her rectum.
2. Feel the back of the cow's uterus,
which will be in a downward
position, with your inserted hand.
Move your hand and arm firmly
but gently. After thirty days of
gestation, the foetus should be
about the size of a softball and
will feel like a soft, but distinctive
lump under your hand.
3. Remove your arm and hand from
the cow steadily and gently. You
should now have an answer to
your question of "is she or isn't she"
pregnant.

13.  At Hurlstone in 2011 I am looking forward to
studying Primary Industries as part of my
HSC
 This is a Vocational Education and Training
course which focuses mainly on the
practical side of Agriculture.

14.  The world is changing and so is farming.
 Advances in computerised technology
will help ensure agriculture can satisfy
the growing demand for food, reduce
poverty and malnutrition and do it in an
environmentally sustainable manner

15.  Technology is always changing,
becoming more complex and efficient.
 Technology saves time and money when
used in the appropriate places for the
right reasons.
 When used correctly technology can
boost the agricultural and community
economy and ensure environmental
sustainability

16.  To help the Hurlstone School Dairy keep
track of their cows and their health I
decided I would create a computer
software program
 The program had to be fast, reliable and
easy. This would avoid the need for the
farm staff to look over the old farm
record books.

17.  The task was much harder than I had first
anticipated but if it was going to help it
was worth doing.
 The first task to find out what information
the database required.

18.  The program was created in Microsoft
Access
 Thankfully my other subjects at school
had given me an understanding of what
was required.
 The program took just over 2 months to
complete and is now operational.
 I do regular updates to ensure that all
the data is accurate and protected.

19.  The database was completed with
Version V.1.1 beginning operation on the
school farm during mid September 2009.
 Since then 10 different versions of the
database have been created to allow
for more information to be stored.

20.  This is a screen shot of version 1.2..
 As you can see the program was very simple with a few basic functions
but it is much better than old books for storing data.

21.  The program is very helpful to the farm
staff who work on the dairy herd.
 The program is able to give up to date
and accurate information in a few
simple clicks rather than a few minutes
searching through a record book.
 The program is a big time saver and
works efficiently all day long.

22. There are a number of other technology
advances in agriculture.
Some of these technologies include:
 Automatic Dairy Milking Machines to save
time and money.
 Automatic feed dispensers to feed stock
when you are away.
and
 Tractor guidance systems to ensure that the
whole field is ploughed in the fastest most
environmentally friendly way.

23. http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=60550&start=30
http://www.edgefielddaily.com/farmall_Mb.jpg

24. http://kubota.ca/en/images/db/product/0213.jpg
http://www.tractorequipment.com.au/user
files/images/New%20Holland%20Tractor.jpg

25. Benefits include:
 Better environmental and animal
welfare outcomes
 Higher profit margins
 Improved productivity
 Faster and more efficient
operations leaving more time to
spend on other things.

26.  For decades, agricultural science has
focused on boosting production through
the development of new technologies. It
has achieved enormous yield gains as well
as lower costs for large-scale farming
 Going forward the challenge is to ensure
we balance the need to feed and clothe
the world with the need to avoid land
degradation and declining biodiversity

27.  Hurlstone is a selective co-educational agricultural boarding
high school in Sydney and its one of a kind.
 The school caters for over 950 students which includes 300
boarders. The Boarding School is home for students as they learn
vital living skills. It brings city and country students together in a
rural environment, only 40 minutes from the centre of Sydney.
 Hurlstone has given me a number of agricultural experiences
that wound have never been possible at other NSW public
schools.
 The lessons learnt at Hurlstone stay with you for a lifetime.
 Students go from being afraid to get mud on their hands in year
7 agriculture to being able to vaccinate sheep and Preg-Test
cattle in year 10.
 The school shapes future agricultural leaders and I am very
proud to have the opportunity to study here
www.hurlstone.com.au/

28.  With an ever increasing focus on food
production and its sustainability schools
such as Hurlstone kick start students into
agricultural careers.
 Not only this its helps prepare the next
generation of farmers and rural leaders
to effectively communicate and
respond to the challenges facing
Australia’s future.

29.  As our natural resources run out Australia will have to boost
its economy.
 With no coal or gas to export our economy may cripple.
 The animals we raise and the crops we grow will continue
to feed Australians and many people around the world as
well as support our economy
 To ensure this happens investments need to be made now
to ensure that Agriculture is able to keep Australia and its
economy alive.

30.  Lets embrace the positive influences
technology has on all our lives.
 Lets embrace technology and
improvements in agriculture to ensure
better productivity and environmental
outcomes.
 Let’s invest in agricultural education to
ensure a stable sustainable agricultural
industry and food security for all.

32. WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE SPONSORS OF THE
2010 CREAM OF THE CROP COMPETITION
PLATINUM GOLD SILVER
BRONZE