I know nothing

Extracted from the Farm Tender weekly Newsletter - Sign up and get the email every Wednesday morning before 5 am. www.farmtender.com.au

By Dwain Duxson

I made a boo boo in the "weekly" newsletter this week, and as you know, when it goes out as an email, you can't get it back. Here, I can correct it.

This is what I wrote --- I have a mate who just loves the TV series, Mash. He still watches repeats regularly. The classic Sgt Schultz line "I know nothing" is a line we regularly use now.

This is what I should have written --- I have a mate who just loves the TV series, Hogan's Heroes. He still watches repeats regularly. The classic Sgt Schultz line "I know nothing" is a line we regularly use now.

If you hadn't picked up the error, I had Sgt Schultz in Mash and not Hogan's Heroes. My bad, and I would have had over 50 replies pointing out my mistake. Everyone had a laugh at my expense which was great. But I learned if you want people to engage, make a few mistakes.

The newsletter continues here.....

It got me thinking about Farming and Agriculture (as you do) and how at times, the best way to eventually succeed at something is to know nothing about it at the start.

I have an old mate I went to Ag School with in Geelong, who, when finished, went and took over the family Farm (as you do). We cross paths occasionally, and I knew that 5 or 6 years ago (maybe longer) he was diversifying from Sheep and Cattle Farming into Free Range Egg Farming.
Just lately I have noticed their branded Van with "Honest Eggs" cruising down the Freeway, I am seeing their Eggs in Cafes and Stores, and they are even making Pasta from any Eggs that don't make the grade.

I was talking to a mixed Farmer just yesterday who said they supply Eggs to them. He said the business had grown massively lately, and he is looking to expand his own Chook numbers and supply more Egg.

And we are going through an Egg shortage ATM.

So as a Sheep and Cattle Farmer for a few decades, why would you diversify into Eggs? Why not? I guess they would have had many people tell them it won't work, disease, the Foxes will eat them, etc etc.

I will ask him next time, but my old Ag School mate just might have entered the Egg game not knowing a thing about it. And that is probably why it's a raving success now.

I argue that preconceived notions hold us back. Yes, knowing things and having hardened opinions about things is what's blinding our future successes in Farming and Agriculture.

A lot of the time, these successes, start out as side gigs or experiments to the main enterprise and, on many occasions, end up being the core.

Creating something with a fresh sheet and advancing it by "doing" (successes and failures) rather than "knowing" is often a path where newbies can jump ahead of established incumbents. I am sure there have been many lifetime Egg Producers who look at the Honest Eggs business and think, how did they do that?

It's the Nike slogan. If you have a side hustle or want to try something new, then "just do it". With "do" being the keyword.

Sometimes it's best to "know nussing".

End of message.