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Living Rural - www.livingrural.net

Anecdotal stories, observations,comments and discussion pieces as insights into living in Rural Australia

[ September 2006 ] [ November 2006 ]

Living Rural - October 2006

Australian Birds of the Bush

October 30th 2006 14:42

Blue fairy wren

No, I am not talking about the girls of rural areas!! Birds that are part of my day are the feathered varieties that frequent our area. Some are welcome, some are not!

Among the most welcome is the blue fairy-wren. The male is a real iridescent blue and even its mate has shades of blue in its feathers. The only thing wrong with this bird is that it nests in dumb places – like hanging pot plants or lowish bushes and become a prime target for predators, as a result. Another colourful bird with a bit more sense is the scarlet Robin (our version of a robin red breast). Usually seen with its mate sitting on the clothes line, it is a welcome visitor.
Willy wagtails are small black and white birds that, with a variety of flycatcher cousins, are cheeky birds that dart around the yards catching food on the wing. Their favourite trick is to peck at fly screens – to get bits of fine wire plus cobwebs for their nests. They also tease our cat – and never get caught! Wattle birds and honey eaters are larger birds that also are always busy in the gardens and bush pockets keeping the cycle of plant life in good condition.
Another welcome bird is the White tailed black cockatoo, which are often associated with rain coming, but you always know when they are around because they make a racket and they like dropping gum nuts all over the road or on your head if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their close cousin, the red tailed black cockatoo are very welcome if ever seen, as they are now very rare.

Another bird that has been welcomed in their return is the wedge tailed eagle. This is a cautious welcome only as it was believed to have almost disappeared from the area and with an increase of tree corridors it has returned. However it can be cruel when it comes to little lambs, but handy in culling rabbits from the area. Like many birds – a mixed blessing.
This leads me to some of the less welcome members of the bird family. I have this theory. If our cat kills birds he is in big trouble. BUT, if he makes a meal out of a “twenty eight” (Port Lincoln Ringneck Parrot) – a predominately green parrot – he is welcome to it. I live in this dream world that he wouldn’t eat anything smaller because it wouldn’t be worth his while, but I know I’m probably wrong and I am conscious of the fact that there are lots of people who hate cats. These parrots really get stuck into the crops and love rose buds too. Say no more. Up until now we have not had to put up with the white cockatoo or the pink and grey galah – both popular in city bird cages but not in flocks of hundreds in a cereal crop.
Western Australia have starlings that nest in the shed and keep the farmer busy cleaning his machinery and cement shed floors. But with much vigilence, we continue to keep swallows out of the state - you see there are some advantages in being isolated!
Crows are not very nice birds either. They are the most cunning bird there is. Given half a chance they will find a way to take all the chook eggs, sitting in a nearby tree waiting for the hen to cluck once! If the farmer even goes to the gun cabinet and turns the key, they seem to know and if he takes one step in their direction – they are off. I have yet to see a crow that has been run over on the road – they are so clever. Crows are also very cruel if there are any weak lambs or sheep in the paddock – shall we say they don’t wait until they are dead before they feed – I will leave that to your imagination. I don’t like crows, despite their shiny black coats - (extra shiny when they eat eggs!) and I wish the cat was smart enough to catch them!
Kookaburras are meant to be an integral part of the Australian Bush – but sorry NO! Not in our part of the world in Western Australia. If you think the cat kills most little birds – then you are wrong. The kookaburra is native to the Eastern states but not Western Australia, and as a result becomes a major predator on vulnerable birds. I much prefer to be woken by a magpie’s chorus than a laughing kookaburra. The calls of the good old Aussie magpie or magpie-lark are always welcome with their morning chorus. In fact I believe they have just been voted the most musical of all birds in a recent scientific investigation!!
A call rarely heard – but would be welcome if increased - is the Mopoke or Boobook Owl whose call is like its name, and can occasionally be heard at night.
As farmers and others continue to re-plant bush pockets and allow re-growth of trees, bird life will continue to be part of the life in rural areas, and hopefully more research and educating of people like me**, will ensure their future.

* Photo by M. Seyfort/Nature Focus Australian Museum Online publication
**I do not profess to be an expert by any imagination in this field. Nor am I a “true believer”- as evidenced by the fact that I own a cat!! But when I pause in a busy day and take in the life among the trees, I feel blessed to have these creatures as my neighbours. Which feathered friend wakes you in the morning?

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: observations

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Bogging the tractor

October 26th 2006 09:39

A sweet memory of wet paddocks!

It’s the middle of winter - and in he comes cold and grumpy after a long walk home, usually in the rain. Then comes the dreaded words. "I need you to come and pull me out." I stop what I'm doing immediately - one doesn’t argue in these circumstances. He’s probably spent the last two hours out there trying to dig himself out, so I know when to move. I pull on the rubber boots and, heart in mouth, follow him out the door. After collecting the drag chain from the shed we both climb on the second tractor, him in the driver’s seat and me perched precariously on the mudguard (don’t tell the safety people). The reason he drives is if we get this tractor bogged, he can’t blame me! He has heard it all before. “Couldn’t you get the neighbour to help you – look he’s just over there shifting sheep……” But to no avail – it’s me or no-one.
In the paddock he carefully position tractor on drier land.
Then the instructions come. "Now just push down this pedal and take your foot off that pedal - but do it slowly - don't jerk it forward." Now I am on my own - and he's on the bogged vehicle.
Controlled panic sets in. The imagination sees me pulling the whole front off the other tractor or the whole back of my tractor. Or the chain will break and flying debris will kill one of us. I inch forward - 'Am I too slow or too fast" then yank and everything shudders. I pray I don't spin my wheels and get bogged too. Miraculously, if we are lucky, the bogged vehicle starts to move forward and slowly comes out. I continue to move forward watching the chain straining and taut at full length. Then relief, as his hand goes up and I can stop. Drag chain un-done, and then I get the thrill of driving the extra tractor home - until the next time.

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: farming

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A Farming budget - work of fiction

October 23rd 2006 04:27

Anyone who owns a small business will know that, to a large degree, budgets are a work of fiction. If they have any dealings with banks or loan institutes they are supposed to produce these with a conviction of a saint and the paperwork to “prove” it. But deep down they know it is all a farce or at least a fantasy. My knowledge of this process is connected with farming, but I am sure others have similar experiences in their businesses. We have a theory – add 10% of last year’s budget to the costs and take off 10% of the income. Even that is still guess work.
So why is this budget such a work of fiction?
Well firstly, all farmers depend on the weather. The success of the crops and pastures depend on the adequate rainfall falling at the right times, sunshine, no frosts and no plagues. In other words – Nature. Most farmers have a love/hate relationship with nature. It can be a kind, caring and helpful entity when it wants to be but can suddenly turn on a bloke and be extremely fickle. The old saying “You can’t live with her, you can’t live without her” applies here. A bad frost could more than halve your crop profits. Flood and fire are minor but devastating possibilities for which only limited insurance can be claimed. And we all know what drought can do – except that it is a long drawn out process for which most farmers have strategies to cope, but for which there is no monetary insurance possible (imagine the bill this year if there was!).
If nature were the only variable, farmers could cope, they have for years. But then it gets interesting and political in a broad sense. Export prices are affected by the Australian Dollar. When the dollar is up, as it has been for the last few years with a booming economy, exporters are more resistant to buying. This is why most farmers opt for large groups to act for them – such as a single desk in wheat sales, for one strong voice can usually get a better deal than ten small voices. (No all farmers would agree with this – especially at the moment.) Cost of grain depends on the markets which may be affected by the weather in other parts of the world, price subsidies in places like USA, whether our expot countries are at war or in the midst of political or economic unrest and other matters. Farmers are often very politically aware and watch the news constantly.
Wool prices also depend on the policies of the buyers and even the current fashions sometimes affects the selling price of wool. Things like a mild winter in China can affect the price of wool in Australia. Each year the farmer gives research and marketing groups 1-2% of the price of the wool clip in a hope that they will keep seeking markets.
Australian farmers have a myriad of rules and criteria to work to, to ensure their product is clean, green, meet religious needs and are exactly what is required. It is never “bung it on a boat and forget about it”. And, of course these all cost money – both to meet the criteria and severe penalties or loss of sales if you don’t. This also applies increasingly to local markets - especially as the big companies such as Coles and Woolworths dictate the size, quality and price - like it or lump it.
Interest rates affect a large majority of farmers. Most farmers have had to expand to remain viable and have therefore borrowed. While in a normal year most have budgeted to be able to at least pay the interest rates, whatever happens in that year it has to be paid - and if they go up they affect farmers in the same way as people with a mortage.
The price of fuel affects everyone in business but it can certainly affects the costs of sowing and harvesting crops, producing feed and fodder for animals and all transport costs – in fact everything that the farmer and his family do. And just when you think you are going well, there are some major machinery repairs or some piece of equipment needs urgent replacement. And that can blow any budget sky high.
There is also a myriad of middle men that need to be paid. If you employ workers or contractors they need a fair pay, of course. Then there are the stock agents and wool brokers who have their percentage of the profits and transport guys taking the sheep and wool to market, various consultants, mechanics, accountants etc, etc, etc. Don’t ever imagine that what you pay for a kilo of chops in the shop is what the farmer gets!
My father-in-law told my husband on receiving a wool cheque in the mail many years ago - “You should have gone to the races – at least you would know how much you lost in a single day.” He also said “Why gamble when you can farm!” In spite of all this, my husband has farmed for nearly forty years and we have managed to educate two kids (who know better than to farm). Which either proves that he is mad or that "money isn't everything. But it helps!"

* Due to the interest shown in my last post regarding the Australian drought and how that has affected our enterprise, I have endulge myself to inform you a little more of the decisions farmer's have to make, and what makes the farming business so challenging. Again, I am aware that all businesses face their own challenges - but can only write from my experience.

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: farming

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Farming Sheep in an Australian Drought

October 19th 2006 14:30

Say goodbye to the Sheep.

Up until now I have avoided writing about the drought in Australia because firstly I didn’t want to be seen as a whinging farmer when I know that businesses fail for people every day. Also despite our very late rains, we had had some rain and we will manage to keep some of our sheep through the summer- for which we are very thankful. We live in a very reliable rainfall area – but still in a year like this our rainfall is down about 40% . However, as the aim of my Blog is to relate rural life to the whole community, I must tell you how this year’s Australia-wide drought has affected this “little black duck”. Although I cannot imagine what five years of drought must be like, I do understand some of the heartache – particularly for those in the sheep industry, which is our main industry.
My farmer husband tells me he has never worked harder – mentally as well as physically in his whole 40 odd years of farming – trying to decide what move to make next. The mental strain of trying to second-guess the weather – will we sell sheep now- where can we move them- do we buy feed $- and buy feed $$ and buy more feed $$$ and eventually find there is no more feed to buy… and so it goes on.
Here are few things we have had to consider

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: observations

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Farm machinery and the farmer

October 17th 2006 00:34

Dismantling the windmill

Some months ago we sold an old windmill to someone. Erecting and dismantling a windmill must be one of the biggest challenges for these amateur front end loader drivers- called farmers. With a series of ropes at the right tension and a strategically placed loader, the bolts at the base were cut and the massive structure was lowered to a position for it to be loaded onto the truck.
Most of us have watched in awe from our car windows at the road construction vehicles as we wait for the man with the Stop sign to turn it around to “Go”. We marvel at the accuracy of the crane operator to get that load of steel onto the right level of the high-rise building. And like the farmer, these workers have learnt these things over many years of experience.
But I cannot help but admire farmers and their ability to skip from one job to another. In any one day the farmer could be carrying out repairs on a tractor, changing a tyre on the motor bike and then be hopping on the front end loader to load heavy fence posts or shift some feed into a silo. And that is only some of the farm machinery they are expected to use. And they are expected to be able to do it – often without any help, other than a memory of what their Dad may have told them, or what the salesman told them when they bought it ten years ago. If all else fails there is that instruction book in the old greasy plastic bag that is stuffed down the side of the seat, but that is often written in several languages, and it is inevitable that the one page he needs is missing. So finally the farmer may go and ring the bloke at the place he bought it. Now that conversation is worth listening to! “Joe, you know the bolt that is under the cog third from the right on the second shaft of my Massey – well it seems to have sheered off. How do I get to that part without dismantling the whole tractor?” And the mechanic understands!!! Half the time they will have to dismantle the whole tractor, of course, and the amazing thing to me is that they always manage to put it back together again

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The Paddock Picnic

October 13th 2006 01:36

"A beautiful spot"

It’s a beautiful spring day, and the family is invited to a picnic. Not in a civilized park in town – no- it’s a cheery voice saying “We have this beautiful spot out in the paddocks – you’ll love it.”
Hair rises on the back of the neck and the warning lights flash in the brain. Memories of the last such picnic come to mind. One of the kids broke his finger, someone in the family was bitten by a bull ant and others had a head ache for a week afterwards because they had sun stroke! (Well that’s their story, anyway

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: events

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Outside Loos

October 6th 2006 07:40

There seems to be a perception among artists - even modern artists, that if they wish to depict a rural residence, there must be an outside loo (toilet) as part of the scene. These structures have been called such names as "thunderboxes" "rubberdy-dubs' and "dunnies" over the years and while anyone who has ever had to use one on a regular basis will tell you there is nothing romantic about them - they have become part of the rural myth.
O.K. As a child X years ago I can remember the "past the pepper tree- past the chooks- don't let the black cow with the white face leaning over the fence scare you and don't forget to pick up some wood for the fire on the way back" trek. I also remember the wooden structure and wooden toilet seat which cracked when it got old and the paper on a nail...... But only vaguely!
Sure, the next loo was also outside but it was brick with a tin roof and was just fifteen paving slabs from the back door and had a flush that went when you pulled the piece of rope that dangled just above your head and even had paper on a roll

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: observations

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Squashing Litterbugs

October 2nd 2006 23:13

My front paddock

There is a story going around about a farmer and his family who took themselves off to the city, found a particular house in a rather up-market suburb, and proceeded to have an extensive picnic on their pristine front lawn before leaving their rubbish behind. It seemed that the occupants of the house had done a similar thing in the farmer's front paddock and this was his retaliation!
It's an interesting story with a moral.
Despite endless advertisements about Keeping Australia Beautiful... despite money back schemes on bottles and charges on plastic bags... despite litter bags in cars and increased road side bins.... the litterbug is alive and well

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: observations

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