Ben Firman describes his career in agriculture as a “prime example” that people don’t have to be off a farm or from a farming family to carve out satisfying careers in the industry.
Ben loves working outside and being able to see benefits from management decisions and hard work on-farm.
The 33 year-old also took a break from farming to join the army, but said he was always going to come back to agriculture.
His first foray into agriculture was doing work on farms while he was at school in Geelong. Ben then worked as a farmhand with his father-in-law Rod Rayner on his sheep farm at Bamganie, between Shelford and Meredith.
Ben and his wife Bec then travelled around Australia for a year and on their return, he joined the army for four years. He was in a cavalry unit, which was equipped with tanks and other armoured vehicles. Ben was first posted in Brisbane and then Puckapunyal.
“I was always really keen to come back to farming,” Ben said.
He made his return to agriculture with a farmhand role on a sheep and cropping farm at Hopetoun in the southern Mallee.
“I really enjoyed it up there,” Ben said, adding the people with whom he worked taught him a lot.
With two young children (Jack, now 9, and Hayden, now 6), Ben and Bec decided to move closer to home.
Ben has been the livestock manager at The Meadows, Rokewood, for five years. His responsibilities include animal husbandry, improving genetics in the stud and commercial flocks, assessing and renovating pastures and maintaining property infrastructure including fences and windmills, because most of the water system on the property relies on them.
At The Meadows, owned by the Bingley family, they join 350 stud ewes and 3500 commercial ewes in March.
Under the guidance of Tim Bingley, the team has started concentrating on Poll Merino genetics, while maintaining the good frame, long-stapled, white and crimpy wool that cuts and weighs well.
They breed rams for use in their commercial property and sell a number to a loyal client base of mostly local producers.
Ben said depending on the season, they run around 3000 wethers that are generally kept to four years-old, and between 2700 and 2800 weaners.
“We’ve been lucky enough to get the weathers on the boat (for export to the Middle East).”
Ben’s career has been founded on practical experience, learning from the people with whom he’s worked, and courses such as the Lifetime Ewe Management.
“I’m so lucky to have Tim (Bingley) to learn from, with all of his experience in the Merino industry. I certainly don’t take it for granted.”
He’s also excited to learn from Andrew Witlock who manages the cropping program at The Meadows.
To young people considering a career in agriculture, he said: “Go for it.”
“Start wherever you can and work your way up; there’s a ladder you can climb to get an enjoyable and fulfilling role.”
Ben likes that as a livestock manager, he is able to make decisions, learn on his feet, and see the outcomes.
“When we scan the ewes, at lambing or the wool cut, when you see improvements in them it’s very rewarding.”