By Judy Barnet, Ag Columnist
It’s been an exciting and action-packed week. We had tickets for Tom Curtain’s Outback Show, so after a long day on Sunday of drenching and moving sheep we arrived slightly exhausted at the Tenterfield showgrounds with not much time to spare. The event was wonderful – Tom and his backup band were wonderful singers but the seven sheepdogs, three goats and three horses were real show-stealers.
We have amazingly talented people in Australia that we need to discover by getting off our backsides and supporting them. A lovely lady said to me last week, “Nothing changes unless it changes,” or words to that effect. It is so true, we can moan and groan all we like but nothing will ever change unless we instigate change and follow it through. Yes, it takes effort, courage and strength – but the rewards are infinite!
Speaking of change, I decided I had to do something about my house which needed a proper spring clean but had got way beyond my capabilities. Eight or more years’ worth of cobwebs, ceiling smoke stains and general grime were getting me down. I located Darling Downs Property Services and met proprietors Cathy and Dave. It’s the best phone call I have made in ages as I no longer have that, “I really need to do something about this house,” feeling every day.
Words can’t describe how light and bright the house looks now and I don’t have to feel embarrassed when someone comes to the front door! Cathy and Dave came out with Tegan and Ty and they went through the house like a hurricane. I was blown away by the camaraderie of the team. I had a day off work and could hear them talking and singing as they worked, making light work of a very hard job. I didn’t get off so lightly though; it took Richie and me three days burning midnight oil to clear the house of its contents, of which were many, and take them down to the container. We were also helped by our neighbour (a.k.a. fairy god mother, cottage cleaner) who put in a fair few hours’ packing things up last Saturday when I was at work.
Cathy and Dave started their business about three years ago. I asked what inspired them and they replied at the same time: helping people, and the satisfaction seeing a job well done. Thoroughly committed to ensuring the business is sustainable, they are both attending a business school. Their staff has grown from just themselves to 20 employees who cover all parts of the Darling Downs.
With all the drench resistance problems in the sheep, as well as running out of paddocks to rotate them, I was ready to give up and sell them all. A conversation though with a colleague who happens to be a sheep farmer helped me through the crisis. Ash said I wasn’t on my Pat Malone with the problem, a lot of other sheep people are in the same boat. He also mentioned he was happy to do worm egg counts for me which he has done.
Two weeks after drenching the ewes in the top paddock were only at 150 eggs/g but the weaned lambs in another paddock were 750! Then another bit of good luck came my way when a neighbour offered use of his well grassed paddock that hasn’t carried sheep for over 10 years. A new drench was introduced and all sheep except one rogue were moved next door. What a relief it is to have this breathing space and rest for the paddocks. It looks like I am meant to have sheep for a bit longer yet.
Question: What could be better than watching a Kelpie playing and swimming in the dam? Why, two Kelpies playing and swimming of course! We are dog-sitting again for a couple of weeks and when we went to pick up Jay the dog we discovered he had a new friend Billie the Kelpie. The easiest way to exercise three dogs is for me to jump on the bike and either ride around the farm or take them down to the dam. Jay doesn’t really swim, he just paddles a bit, but Dora and Billie have an absolute ball launching themselves off the bank and swimming after sticks or just after each other.
As I walk around to feed the chooks of a morning now I feel the grass, dry and brittle crunching under my feet. A dry hot wind blows every afternoon sparking bushfire fears. I start to get a bit nervous about the water level in the tanks. The tank off the shed, solely for dog and chook water, has long run dry. Yesterday afternoon, though, a wild storm blew in and we received a welcome 13mm of rain.
Last Friday I went to hang out some washing only to come face to face with a massive goanna gorging on guinea fowl eggs in the scrub next to the clothesline. I don’t know which of us got the biggest fright, it or me, and it turned into a Mexican standoff. He wanted the eggs but so did I. Neither of us would give ground and not wanting to let a chance go by I went inside and grabbed the camera. I got some ripper photos of Giddy Goanna – he was a magnificent specimen. Eventually he wandered off and so the bird nest remains intact.
