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Country Newspapers

February 11th 2008 07:01

Road Closed - read it in the local Newspaper

What is the main source of information in a country town? It is not the town gossip – despite the characterization of such people - it is the town’s local newspaper. These may be part of a wider network of Community Newspapers that are bought from the local newsagency and come on the usual newsprint and newspaper size. Or, as in the case of our town, it is a fortnightly paper run by volunteers with articles written and edited by volunteers, printed in the local telecentre and folded by volunteers. The costs here are met by local businesses that pay for their advertising. It requires a large degree of dedication from a few people and the co-operation of many organizations who contribute articles and information for future events.
There are, of course many regular items: sports results for all levels of every sport in the town – from bowls to bingo and everything in between, Church notices, CWA, Red Cross, Garden Club and other meeting notices. There are also children’s writings- a different class from school contributing stories for each paper. The Shire uses the paper to get out essential information such as which roads will be closed for repairs, when the fire breaks will be inspected or why the rates are going up again. Achievements of individuals and community groups – whether it is winning a state competition, the school productions, quiz kids or work milestones may make it into the paper.
Juicy gossip – births, marriages or who is having a special milestone are celebrated.
There are often the stories of who got their car stuck in the drain on their night out on the town (sure to get a picture with that!) or similar misdemeanors - it is quite an achievement if you manage to stay OUT of this part of the paper. However, it must be said that the volunteers also have to take great care that they get the facts straight and to avoid any legal issues! Letters to the paper cannot be anonymous so people tend not to “vent their spleen” in this arena.
The passing of locals are also recognized, both in the town news column and also when articles are written about prominent citizens. The Historical society use the paper for “interesting milestones” and farming organizations use it to advertise workshops or field days. Work positions and further educational opportunities are advertised and there are always a few things for sale.
When a newcomer arrives, they are likely to crack a mention – and maybe even have their photo taken. This will ensure they will at least start to read the paper!
There can be no excuses for people to be uninformed in a town with its own newspaper!
While I have a member of my family who is a journalist who has no intention of writing stories about “getting cats out of the tree”, I wish to praise the people who do that, week in and week out – for they are the ones who help a community celebrate their achievements and solve their problems. And whether they are dedicated volunteers or paid journalists, their work is appreciated in the day to day lives of their readers.

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: farming, town life, people, events, observations

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Farm Safety - the limping farmer

January 22nd 2008 07:06

How do you tell if someone is a farmer by looking at him/her? Firstly, look at the hands - if there is some skin missing, the nails are still dirty despite a good scrub, there is black oil in any creases and there is a crooked finger (at best) or a missing finger or two, you can be fairly sure you have either a farmer or a mechanic. Then check out the tan - if it is uneven - white feet but brown legs - brown arms and white shoulders - you definitely have a farmer.

Uneven sunburn - a farmer's legs.

However, sunburn is the least of a farmer's troubles - unless it leads to melanomas and the typical male doesn't get to the doctor on time......
You can also usually tell a farmer by the other long term injuries that show themselves in later life. Doctors and Specialists can pick them a mile off. There's the ruined knees caused by continuous jumping on and off tractors , trucks and other machinery, kneeling on hard cement floors to fix things and bad tempered sheep which take great delight in charging into unsuspecting legs in sheep yards.
Then there are the shoulder and neck injuries - caused mainly from twisting around in the tractor seat to look at the machinery that is following.Do that all day everyday for one or two months a year and your shoulders would suffer too. Then backs get a fair thumping too when farmers decide that "that heavy ewe does need to come back to the yards and that hoist I saw at the last Show would be useful right now!" or "I used to be able to lift that motor onto the truck - I can still do it... I think....." If you get the picture.
Motor bikes give their fair share of injuries too. The four wheeler comes with a video on how to use it - which shows the manufacturers are aware of the dangers even if the user isn't.
Farmers are, on a whole very safety conscious. Some people from Farm Safety organisations probably wouldn't agree with that and more and more legislation - some well deserved and long overdue and some occasionally a bit "silly" - reflect their view. However when people work with machinery and stock there are bound to be accidents. Some are purely freaky, and they are the worse for there is no explanation or cautionary tale to learn from them. Some are carelessness and inexperience - like the first accident I ever heard of - a young farmer with long hair got it stuck in a post hole digger as it was spinning and nearly scalped himself. (He survived but he wasn't a pretty sight for a long time after that). Some are caused by hurrying, tiredness or stress - all usually coming together. For example: the farmer who forgot he'd shut the wire gate and then attempted to go through the gap on a motor bike, or the farmer who got under the header to remove the rubbish without telling his son who was the driver that he was there. Long weeks in hospital were the results.

Working with machinery - always safety first.

There is a farmer's saying that "it is the quiet bull that kills". This means of course, that it is the thing you least expect to cause a problem which the one that may strike. All farmers know this, and try to ensure that as many "quiet bulls" are accounted for before beginning a job.
The average age of farmers in Australia is 58years old. Hopefully as they get older and wiser they become more safety conscious. Most of their current ailments are the result of earlier more physically challenging days. There are a lot of ways farmers can work "smarter" and more safely than in the past. However the nature of the job still required working with machinery and animals - both of which can be unpredictable.
So next time you hear a farmer having a whinge ... it could well be he/she is hurting like hell with sore knees, back, shoulders and skin off the most sensitive part of his finger. So give him a break and offer him/her a chair to rest the weary bones!

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: farming, people

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Farm Stays

November 10th 2007 03:29

Suddenly a log becomes a cubby or a horse to ride

There are thousands of Australians who have little or no contact with the rural life. Up until about fifty years ago, a majority of city folk had a cousin – or some other vague relative that still lived either on a farm or at least in a rural town. Visits to farms were part of the childhood holiday plans and a taste of how the other half lived led to a better understanding. Of course there was the nostalgia of the perfect life “in the bush” where no-one would hassle you about being home on time or cared if you rode around on the back of the ute or did wheelies in the front paddock on the motor bike.
Now, of course there is a sense from some city folk that the outer suburbs are the bush and the closest they will get to farm life are the animal pens at the Royal Show.
Some fortunate children, often with parents who are re-living their own childhood, venture onto farm stay properties for a holiday and these can be a great experience, especially if the occupants have catered well for the visitor and enjoy having the family join in with the activities. But a fortunate few still have those cousins – or uncles that have a real farm, with real jobs

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Market Forces

October 19th 2007 06:56

Fishing in South Australia

Keeping with my "living rural" theme and to further discuss the market forces that affect the economical returns that those involved in rural industries are receiving, I submit the following thoughts.
In view of the prospects of higher prices of grain for the coming year - due to continuing drought and failed crops in many areas of Australia: Australian produced pork, poultry, beef and sheep products will rise. Will you, as a consumer, continue to support Australian products where the strict regulations to ensure that what these animals are fed and the conditions under which they are produced are in place and strictly monitored? Or will you take the action of buying overseas imports where many of these issues are either not monitored or the products' history is unknown?
Do you as a consumer ever look at the labels on everything from bottled water to tinned fruit to ensure you have bought Australian products - grown or collected on Australian farms and tinned or bottled in Australian factories

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: farming, observations

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A Viable Farm? - part 2

September 27th 2007 09:26

Some time ago I wrote about the question "Is farming Viable?" There has been considerable interest, so I feel it important to write a little more on the subject. At the moment we are holidaying in North Queensland - away from the sheep and farmbooks, seeing new places and hearing new stories. However, when we talk to farmers or ex-farmers we find, that despite the different crops or animals being farmed, the same questions about farm viability remains.
There was the water taxi owner at Dunk Island. He used to own chicken farms until the "big two" (Woolies and Coles) squeezed the price he could get for his eggs to just over one cent an egg. Considering hens only lay one egg a day - at best,and it costs more than that a day to feed them - you can see why he got out.
There was the sugar farmer - a very efficient industry from what we can see, but many of the farmers are beyond the age of retirement- still working because younger men are being paid more away from the industry. Contractors, used for harvesting the sugar need a harvester - worth almost half a million dollars, at least three tractors worth $100,000 each and three bins worth at least $50,000 each. They try to keep prices down so that the farmer can pay them, but how can they replace equipment and cope with petrol prices

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Posted By: bumpkin - Category: farming, observations

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More Blessings to Count

September 8th 2007 02:49

Plenty of Grass

OK. I'm not terribly inspiring at the moment. This flu is still hanging around and I've had my second visit to the doctor. I haven't been able to help my husband who has had a lot of sheep work this week, but at least I've done the books! But when I look out across the paddocks I can only thank God for the way He looks after us. After months of worrying if it would rain, for us, it did, and has continued to do so, so my blessings are scenes similar to those you see on this page. While APEC and other such meetings discuss the wealth of nations and are urged to discuss the sharing of such wealth with those who still suffer from the many devastating aspects of poverty, I too look at my own blessings and think of those within our rural communities that have not had the rains (or have had floods) and find the bottom line getting crimson - not just red.

A full dam

Many patches in WA have had either no rain to put in crops or not enough rain for run off into dams. South Australia is devastated because they had a good start but no follow up, and crops have been burnt off and died. The Murray Darling may be running, but for how long? It will take more than the rains that have fallen so far this year to help it and the industries depending on it - and the nature depending on it, to recover.
So think on these people as you look at these lovely pictures and pray with me that all may be blessed with a green paddock and a smooth road ahead.

A Smooth road

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Counting my blessings

September 1st 2007 07:30

I have the flu. So what’s new about that – I expect all my readers have had it some time this winter. Still, I’ve decided I should use this moment to count my blessings. I got the flu when my beloved youngest son came from the city to help his Dad do some sheep work. The Blessing One is that I have sons that help where they can and Blessing Two – I avoided the flu until he so generously brought it from the city – isolation has its benefits!
We are having a few running repairs done on the house this Saturday morning. A bit of roof work – was going to happen on Wednesday – but it was raining, (Blessing Three) so the workers came back today – officially their day off - not sure if that’s a common occurrence where you come from, so that’s Blessing Four. These boys are farmer’s sons, who can turn their hand to many a different job – including roofing and shed building, working in a tyre shop, seeding, harvesting, truck driving and sheep work. Very Handy handymen in their early twenties.
My husband is replacing a screen door. OK it took weeks to arrive from the manufacturer, but being married to a farmer means that this odd job can be done – provided I am available to assist now and then. Blessing Five is my own personal handyman and is a bit like Four but now I’m talking about my clever husband. Necessity leads to these abilities, for getting professional builders etc are nearly impossible for the little jobs. The only problem is, if you have to wait for him to do anything it can take as long as it would to get a handyman in the city, and it usually requires a slight degree of – dare I say it - persistent reminders – known in some quarters as nagging

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It's a lamb's life

August 26th 2007 07:42

Safe with Mum (New Zealand ewe and lambs in Highlands)

It’s that time of the year when lambs begin to learn what life is all about. Our lamb has spent the first two months of his life enjoying the warmth of his mother’s milk, the protection of her body on a cold windy day and the joy of skipping across the paddocks, having races and jumping off logs with friends.
Then one day a motor bike and a couple of excited dogs disturb the peace and it takes all his strength just to keep up with Mum as she races towards the open gate with all the other Mums. Soon he finds himself confined in a muddy yard where white coats soon become grubby and it is easy to be rolled over in the mud or to lose Mum for some time. Soon the lamb finds that he has been separated from his Mother for the day. It could be that the farmer needs to crutch* her and drench* her. If that is the case it is only a matter of a few hours before mother and child are re-united – and a more pleasant time can be had when it comes to that next feed – without the smelly dags!
However, it is not long in our young lamb’s life that he will be the one getting the attention. Tagging*, tailing*, inoculating* and mulesing* could be a possibility. It is not a pleasant day in our young lamb’s life, and the farmer would give anything not to have to do these things to his young charges. However, just as a human mother knows that immunization is an essential part of ensuring her child will remain healthy, so the farmer knows that these different operations will keep his sheep in good health

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Pondering our past - and future in Country Museum Parks

August 18th 2007 10:29

Pondering the past

What is this fascination of old rusty equipment from agricultural pursuits of the past or the machinery from saw mills or old dairies? Why do we spend hours standing in front of old steam trains or cars from the 1920’s pretending to remember things that were not our memories but the memories of our fore-fathers? What is it that drives people into yet another early settler’s kitchen to see yet another fire place and hanging black pots?
There are those who spend their whole lives trying to recreate the atmosphere of the early settlers in country towns – with their slab bush school, doctor’s surgery, police lock-up and “Mrs Jackson’s” house. These are often set among little bush walks, streams and wooden bridges, labeled trees, hand made wooden benches and picnic gazebos.
But there is nothing romantic about not having anywhere to be treated for a broken leg. There is nothing romantic about being crushed between a goods train and a timber log or several falling wheat bags. There is nothing romantic about being thrown from a flighty horse or being lost in the bush. There is nothing virtuous about slaving over a wood fire on a hot day in an iron hut. And what child would enjoy learning in a classroom that had cold wind whistling through the cracks all winter. These stories hold the attention of tourists and locals alike when they make the obligatory visit to the museum park.

air conditioned classroom

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Lifestyle Farmers - neighbours from Heaven or Hell?

May 30th 2007 02:25

Farms to the left of you, farms to the right

There is a sense of unease among many farmers who rely on what they can produce from the land as their major source of income, when they are introduced to the hobby farmer, absentee land owner or those who have opted for a “bush change” in their retirement or semi-retirement - the so-called lifestyle farmers. While most people in the bush make a great effort to welcome new-comers to their district, these people can be met with some suspicion and coolness, if certain basic principals are not followed.
The new comer must realize that to begin with, the price paid for the piece of land they have acquired was probably inflated to a degree that a normal farmer was unable to acquire it. This is great for the seller, but not for farmers who wish to expand their properties. However, most farmers bow to the demands of market forces, however unwillingly, and if the new neighbours are nice enough people, such little matters can be overcome. (Besides, the farmer will make a mental note of the price and adjust the equity value of his property a little as a result

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Here comes the Rain!

May 3rd 2007 04:14

I'm in the good books!

The cat is earning his keep at the moment. He has managed to catch two mice in the house and he and I had a wonderful time getting rid of a family of eight rats that took up residence in the hen house. Well the old dog helped a bit with one – he scared it to death – honestly – it had a heart attack! I believe the moggie is now being employed gainfully down at the shed for the same purpose.
Why this sudden influx of rodents? It all has to do with a change in the season – and more importantly the signs that it is going to rain. I have it on very good authority (my husband) that rodents in my kitchen are a sure sign that good rains are on the way. So instead of complaining about the half eaten Weetbix and the smell in the saucepan cupboard I should be happily cleaning out said cupboards each week and living in hope! Well I hope he’s right – because I hate cleaning at the best of times… (Just as an aside here - we have had some rain already – it’s good to see some patches of green in the paddocks – may it continue – lots and lots!)
What other signs of nature should we all be aware of to predict rain? The first one to to be seen is when the salt water that is just below the ground in salt patches comes to the surface. This is really noticeable and often salt tolerate grasses start to green up too. This is, of course, like many farm activities a mixed blessing. The farmer can see if his salt patches have spread – not good, but he is also hopeful that rains are on the way - good.
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Anzac Day in the Bush

April 17th 2007 07:49

Lest We Forget

The time of year is again approaching when Australia remembers those who fought in many theatres of war over the last one hundred or so years. Most country towns will hold a march from point to point with any veterans available, women who had served as nurses or land army, some children of these service men and women, Red Cross and CWA members, the boy scouts, girl guides and possibly the fire and ambulance volunteers to swell the numbers. The local clergy will say the prayers and others will share the formalities of the service. The last post and reveille will be sounded by the gifted child that is learning the trumpet or the sounds will come from a well worn tape recording. Wreaths will be laid at the local memorial – a cairn in a park, a soldier with his rifle turned upside down in the main street or a wall on which names are displayed – many of them the same surnames as those that are still within the town. Nothing will stop this solemn ceremony – even Highway traffic must give way for this event.
Most towns sport a Memorial Hall, a Memorial park and/or an RSL Hall as permanent reminders of these sacrifices. These places are held in respect and a certain reverence.

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Old Dog

March 27th 2007 03:43

The old dog - just resting

Our old sheep dog is getting slower and slower. While a couple of years ago he would tell off the other mutt when he invaded his territory in the sheep yards, now he is more likely to let any other dog do the work. Now he gets in the road when sheep are being moved from one paddock to another– not on purpose- it's just that it takes him longer to get there! Only if his master is at the sheds for more than two hours will he bother to wander down to join him. His life now tends to be a series of moves from one dug out in the garden to another - following the sun around the house.
He is actually lucky to be alive at all. As a very young dog he fell off the back of the ute and went under the full sheep feeder which is attached behind, breaking the bone at the join to the hip. The first diagnosis was “forget it”, and then the vet decided he needed the “practice” and offered to do it for nothing. (When the bill came we realized he meant he needed his practice - that is, needed to keep his veterinary practice going – as the anesthetic bill was enormous). However, despite being told the dog would never be able to jump on the tray of the ute, he has always done so for many years.
Then he had a run in with a kangaroo which meant he is not as manly as he was – if you get my drift.- more stitches

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