About us

Bill Crabtree (B.Ag.Sci., M.Sc. UWA, Cert. IV TAA). McKell medal 2009.

Known as "No-Till Bill" for his enthusiasm for no-tillage and the role he played in the Western Australian no-tillage revolution. Bill began his career with the WA Dept of Ag as a researcher into "Minimum tillage for wind erodable soils" in his home erosion-swept town of Jerramungup.

Now Jerramungup is a leader in the adoption of no-till cropping systems. He then extended this work to farmers in Esperance and the rest of the state which led to him receiving the "Landcarer of the year award in WA" in 1996.

He returned to WA as the Scientific Officer for the WA No-Till Farmers Association for a 5.5-year term.

Bill received the prestigious GRDC's Western Panel Seed of Light Award in 2006 for excellence in communication. This was particularly for the role in extending information on no-tillage and biotechnology.

Why Bill got into No-tillage (pdf)

Written for the CSIRO Carbon Kids Project. Reproduced with permission of CSIRO, December 2010.

Above: Bill and Jon Crabtree competing in the Avon Descent

In December 2007 Bill purchased 3,200 hectares of York Gum farmland at NE Morawa and has been working closely with his older brother Geoff.

In March 2011, Bill spent a month in NSW, Victoria and South Australia providing Sustainable Agriculture workshops to groups of local farmers. He said it was interesting seeing first hand the effects of the flooding, droughts and pest issues for the 2011 growing season. He also sold 80 books.

In April 2011 Bill travelled to Namibia to visit farmers and to speak at the Namibian Farmers' conference. He enjoyed learning of the challenges of farming in western africa and found the locals very hospitable.

In Jan 2012, Bill travelled to North America to speak at three different farmer conferences and was well received. He travelled with the then WANTFA president, Wes Baker. Together they drove across the frozen Canadian prairies visiting agricultural industries and meeting some wonderful people along the way.

2013 has seen Bill speaking on the limitations of cover crops in dryland agriculture. He spoke on this topic in ‘No Till on the Plains’ conference in Kansas in January, and at the AAPRESID international conference in Rosario, Argentina in August.

Kansas soil

AAPRESID conference panel

Bill and farmer friend Rod Birch travelled on to the Cerrado, near Brasilia, in August to view the new farming land of Brazil and to see the array of crops being grown there:

Local agronomist and Brazil’s no-tillage expert John Landers, with Bill in wheat crop.

Tomato harvest

Spring onions in cerrado soil

Australian Farmer Rod Birch in Brazil

Bill also:plays guitar, has completed 3 Avon descents, and walks with Monique and is an active member of the Liberal Party.

Monique Crabtree (B.Min., Cert IV TAA, Cert III Retail and Wholesale Travel)

Monique is a director in the business. She enjoys writing itineraries for the Ag Study Tour and loves to travel. She especially likes to give Australian farmers the opportunity for extended cultural experiences by interacting with locals in the country they visit. On the 2012 tour: women had a patchwork class at a local shop, farmers were billeted overnight by Kansas farmers, and a Canadian rural kids club cooked us dinner. On the 2013 tour the Australian farmers spent the day with local farmers helping them with rice and cassava harvest.

Monique enjoys watercolour painting, and sits on the Board of Directors of Tabor College.