S2 Ep 30 - Bush Honey

09/23/23 • 26 min

Life sounds pretty sweet in WA’s pristine Kimberley when you’re producing beautiful raw bush honey. Given the region has no industry or other pollutants, the bees thrive among the Saltwater Paperbarks, Grevilleas and Melaleuca. This Indigenous owned family business has just been awarded a grant as part of the Coles Nurture Fund. And they have some exciting ideas about how to spend it. To learn more, David Appleby of Walaja Raw Bush Honey joins me now to discuss:

David’s favourite place on the farm is being surrounded by Melaleuca Trees.
David is a retired commercial pearl diver and shares the correlation between the two careers.
He currently keeps 400 bee colonies and has only been in the industry 10 years.
The mentors David has relied on.
The challenges, and advantages of the West Kimberly environment for bee keeping.
This beautiful region has no pollutants and David shares the uniqueness it brings to the honey.
How David and his wife, Diane, started Walaja Raw Bush Honey – an Indigenous Family owned and produced business.
The indigenous practices they use to manage the land and bees.
Sharing knowledge and pioneering a new way in the industry.
David won the Coles Nurture Fund grant and his plans for this money.
The advancements David has made to medicinal-grade premium Melaleuca Honey which comes from the ‘Medicine Tree’
The similar mindset between bee keeping and pearl diving and, what David loves most about working with bees.
The biggest challenges and learnings from bee keeping.
The most unexpected thing to happen since starting to keep bees.
The most common misconception of bee-keeping.
David’s ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Walaja Raw Bush Honey

Produced by Pretty Podcasts

David’s favourite place on the farm is being surrounded by Melaleuca Trees.
David is a retired commercial pearl diver and shares the correlation between the two careers.
He currently keeps 400 bee colonies and has only been in the industry 10 years.
The mentors David has relied on.
The challenges, and advantages of the West Kimberly environment for bee keeping.
This beautiful region has no pollutants and David shares the uniqueness it brings to the honey.
How David and his wife, Diane, started Walaja Raw Bush Honey – an Indigenous Family owned and produced business.
The indigenous practices they use to manage the land and bees.
Sharing knowledge and pioneering a new way in the industry.
David won the Coles Nurture Fund grant and his plans for this money.
The advancements David has made to medicinal-grade premium Melaleuca Honey which comes from the ‘Medicine Tree’
The similar mindset between bee keeping and pearl diving and, what David loves most about working with bees.
The biggest challenges and learnings from bee keeping.
The most unexpected thing to happen since starting to keep bees.
The most common misconception of bee-keeping.
David’s ultimate dream for the future.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Walaja Raw Bush Honey

Produced by Pretty Podcasts

Previous Episode

S2 Ep 29 - Velisha’s Farm

Eating our greens is often hailed as the key to good health but my guest’s influence goes well beyond her own dinner plate, or any one farm. She’s doing her part to spread that message by making vegetables the star of their own tv show and a popular choice in schools by teaching the next generation about these superfoods. Under her vision, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale, lettuce, celery and spring onions are celebrated. A strong advocate for horticulture as we’ve never seen it before - Catherine Velisha, managing director of Velisha Farms joins me now to discuss:

Velisha’s Farm is based at Werribee South only about 30 minutes from Melbourne and she shares her favourite work space.
Catherine has been in the business for over 20 years and really celebrates fresh veggies.
The supermarkets Velisha Farms supplies too and their long-term partnerships with Aldi.
She has started VEG Education where they have had 3000 primary school students come to learn about the importance of where their food comes from.
Some of the surprising facts about Vegetables which may change your perspective on price.
How we grow our food is fundamental for all our existence. Catherine says, ‘It’s a great reflection of who we are as a culture.
VEG TV and the broccoli song.
Catherine hopes that behind the scenes glimpses will encourages some students to look at a career in the industry.
Catherine is a strong leader in this space and her hopes to inspire women to strive for leadership positions in agriculture.
The biggest challenges Catherine
has experienced in her time in the industry.
The most unexpected part of this journey has been enjoying the education space and sharing her message with the Media.
The most common misconception about her world.
The ultimate dream for the future of Velisha’s Vege.

We hope to see you back on the road soon, to learn more about how Australia grows on the next episode of Australian Farmers with Angie Asimus.

Links:

Angie Asimus

Connect with @angieasimus on Instagram

Partnered with Australian Farmers

Follow @australianfarmers on Instagram

Velisha Farms

Connect with @catherinevelisha on Instagram

Follow @velishafarms on Instagram

Produced by Pretty Podcasts

Next Episode

S2 Ep 31 - Rural Women’s Day

Living and working in a rural area is a rich and rewarding experience in so many ways. But it can also be isolating. When my guest today moved to Byaduk in Victoria’s Southern Grampians, finding her people was difficult. However, she went on to do more than simply make personal connections by founding the Australian brand of “Rural Women’s Day” which is celebrated during the month of October. Her local gatherings highlight the United Nations International Day of Rural Women on October 15. A lot has happened since the inaugural gathering in 2019 and Jackie joins me now to discuss:

Jackie’s favourite place on the land.
Her experience of moving to rural Australia half-way through year 9 and having to start from scratch in relationships.
The challenges of moving and finding her place within the community.
The first Rural Women’s day was in 2019, and how Jackie went about reaching out to others to establish the event.
The impact it had for regional and rural Australian women.
Fast forward to Rural Women’s Day 2023 and it has now expanded to 10 events, hosted by different communities around the country.
Jackie has been surprised at how eager the women are to connect, collaborate and celebrate each other.
Jackie shares some of the success stories to come from this, including lost-lasting personal relationships.
Rural Women’s Day is usually hosted in October and is run over the weekend but, Jackie encourages a simple garden party with friends if there is not one locally.
The collaboration and new ideas which have come from the women volunteering their time to host events.
What Jackie loves most about country life.
The most unexpected thing for Jackie since this started.
Common misconceptions about women in rural and regional locations.
The ultimate dream for the future of Rural Women’s Day.