Hi! My name is Emily Buddle and my WHOLE LIFE has been an agriculture adventure

venture! I am no typical aggie, that’s for sure!

 In fact I live in the city. That’s right, the city! I live 10 minutes from Adelaide CBD and 10 minutes from the beach! I have lived here all my life, and as much as I long to live in the country, I wouldn’t change my past for the world!

Ever since I was young, I have loved the outdoors. I was always in the garden, in the mud, playing with the dogs, any excuse! I am told stories that I would come home from kindergarten with pockets full of rocks and sticks, and sometimes I would surprise mum with a creepy crawly or two. We spent weekends and holidays out in the South Australian Mallee where my parents grew up.

I always looked forward to riding motor bikes, collecting eggs, hanging out in the shearing shed and rounding up sheep. I think country life was just in my genetic make-up! We also had chickens in our backyard, and I was often found pushing them around in my pram, or putting leads on them and taking them for walks up the street. I guess my love for animals started at a young age!

Throughout primary school, I loved the performing arts and had my heart set on being a professional singer. Whenever I was asked the generic “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I would often respond with Brittany Spears. I would dance around my room singing the latest songs by the winner of the TV shows, or to the Golden Oldies like Abba and Queen. Luckily, I grew out of the desire to become the world’s next Madonna.

When it came time to decide on which high school I wanted to attend, my heart lay with Urrbrae Agricultural High School. Urrbrae is a high school with a farm and wetland on campus, in Adelaide! I honestly believe this was the best decision I ever made! My fascination for the outdoors, and for agriculture, swiftly grew.

Helping a friend out with her horse – any excuse

My favourite subject was agriculture and I studied it all the way through high school. From year 10, I did every single agricultural based subject I could- agribusiness, animal science, agricultural business studies, agricultural geography… the list goes on!

I immersed myself into the school’s beef cattle team.

The school has a Poll Hereford stud, and also competes every year in the steer competition at the Royal Adelaide Show. In year 10, I had the opportunity to take a school heifer to the South Australian Junior Heifer Expo. That experience cemented my love for cattle and my passion for the industry. In year 11, I became Heifer Club leader and made every excuse to be in that cattle yard! Every lunchtime and free lesson I would be down there; grooming or mucking out, it didn’t matter; I knew that was where I wanted to be! I have now competed in 4 other South Australian Junior Heifer Expos, exhibiting Limousin cattle, and I don’t see myself slowing down!

I graduated year 12 and was awarded the Peter Waite Old Scholar’s Prize for Excellence in Agriculture, and was named Dux of Agriculture for 2010. I think my future pathway was pretty clear; I wanted to work in agriculture!

In 2011 I started my Bachelor of Agricultural Science and have never regretted it! (If you asked me that during exam revision, my answer may be different!

I am also one of the lucky recipients of RIRDC’s Horizon Scholarship. Through the scholarship, I have had some amazing experiences. It has opened so many door that I would have never dreamed existed and I have met some incredible people from all around Australia .

My agricultural experience just goes to show that you don’t need to grow up in the country to have a career in agriculture.  Whilst it may not appear to be a glamorous career choice at first glance, its an important innovative and an ever changing industry. Too often we lose sight of just how important it is, after all we all do have to eat. Try it you will see what I mean, looks can be deceiving 

I would encourage everyone from the city to have an agriculture experience, whether it is going to a farm or talking to producers because you might be surprised.

Think about it everyone wants to be part of something amazing? Why not become part of a profession that has been given the challenge of feeding the 50 billion people expected by 2050. You won’t regret it! Just like me it may just be your calling!