Tuesday 10 May 2022

Busy Times on the Farm - Part 2 [Easter 2022]

17 - 21 April 

A visit to the farm is good for the soul. Add in some 'hard yakka' and it is sheer bliss!

[hard yakka, strenuous labour -  Aussie slang derived from the Yagara language of the Brisbane region, for whom yaga meant 'work'.]

Monday

After weeks and weeks of constant and heavy rain, my cousin Robert had found it impossible to keep the grass mown in the house paddock. The day prior to my arrival he had used the tractor and slasher, to try and mow the lower section, which was completely overgrown. He had to give up, as the ground was too soft. The mown grass was so thick that the couch grass underneath was going to die. With no rake to add to the tractor to move it, it became a physical workout. We took turns in raking and loading. 





It was then a 200 m drive to the bonfire pile to unload.

Boggy gate entrance to manouvre.

The unloading was delayed, as I couldn't resist photographing this tiny gully with the exposed roots of a Norfolk Pine Tree. Note the fencepost which would have come before the tree. The tree would have been from a seed dropped by a bird sitting on the post.

This phenomenon was pointed out to me by Robert in another field. [below]  I had noted that the field had been bordered by Camphor laurel trees and assumed they had been planted by Granddad. No, Granddad fenced the field and the birds perched on the posts.

Back to work.


The afternoon was spent with my driving the ride-on, mowing the vegetable paddock, while Robert used the whipper snipper on the long grass edges.

New ride-on. Still looked after well.

Evening glow as we relaxed after a rewarding day's work.

Tuesday

Magical dawn and then a day in town at the Historical Society, researching Granddad's involvement in the Kyogle community. I am retyping his memoirs and want to add additional information, if possible.




Wednesday

The new ride-on had completed 11 hours of mowing, so it was time for its first oil and air filter change. It took most of the morning and was not the easy task Rob was told it would be.  I got busy with the old push mower. Remember them! At least it wouldn't have got bogged. Yes, it has been very wet.


By 4pm the house paddock had been completely mown. I was looking forward to a wine under the pergola and I was hoping Rob would suggest that we light the firepit.

No, but he came up with a much better plan!
We loaded the 4-wheeler and headed up the back of the property for sunset. I could think of no better finale for this wonderful return to the farm!

West


East

Goodnight

And a hair raising drive back through the long grass to the house! Such fun!

Work on the farm in the 1940's or there abouts. Uncle Stan with his cousin Kevin.


In the background is the Moreton Bay Fig tree of the previous post.

Granddad was only 18 or 19 when pig droving. 

A wonderful visit, but an even more exciting visit is now only 4 sleeps away. On Thursday, [12th May] we fly to Sydney for 3 nights. On Sunday 15th, we finally board an Air Canada flight to Vancouver, Montreal, and Charlottetown, to long awaited cuddles and kisses from our Grandchildren. We have been trying to isolate to be healthy for our departure, hence time to catch up on my blogging.

I would love to read your comment.

16 comments:

  1. Oh I am so happy for you, Helen! To finally see those sweeties after all this time must be so exciting for you.

    I would love to cross paths with you, if possible, while you are here. Today my husband and I spent time with a couple I know through blogging. It was great to meet them.

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  2. That would be wonderful Marie. I assume you refer to David and Miriam's visit to the island. Blogging allows one to make lovely connections. I've actually hiked with two bloggers, one from Calgary and the other from Portland.

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  3. Ah--- the joys of mowing. What a fine day! You accomplished a lot and had fun as well.

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    1. It was wonderful to be able to help and have a sense of achievement.

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  4. I'm so glad you got to visit. It was wonderful to see a glimpse of your family farm. It looks like you got in on a LOT of work, however. I guess "payments" in sunrises and sunsets is pretty good though!

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    1. A lot was achieved Kim. Alas, in the past week torrential rain has again fallen, so keeping up with the mowing is again impossible.

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  5. What a fun week! Such interesting and beautiful views... and tasks... there are.
    When I'm writing this, you are in Sydney. Have a wonderful visit to Canada! xx

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  6. Thank you Sara, we most certainly will! While you were writing I was walking under autumn trees and scrunching my feet on those already fallen. That doesn't happen in Queensland. We have had to leave from Sydney, as the flights to Vancouver still haven't been resumed from Brisbane after Covid. We have 2 extra nights here, as with the atrocious weather in Qld, we wanted to make sure we didn't miss our early Sunday flight. As it was, the our luggage got wet as it was loaded and the flight was delayed as a passenger had to be removed by police before our take off. We are now rested and super excited for the 28 hours of travel ahead tomorrow!

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  7. I'll bet you didn't think you'd be put to work! :) I'm sure your cousin appreciated the help.

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    1. Linda, it wasn't a chore at all! I just wish there were still cows to milk!

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  8. I love reading of your farm visit but don't envy you all that mowing. The grass has been growing and growing here too. I was so grateful when the neighbour mowed the footpath with his ride on. It was too thick for me to hand mow even with the blade set at maximum height.

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    1. With the continuing rain, the mowing will be out of hand again. I'll have to visit on my return.

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  9. I love how you celebrated after a long day of hard work! I am so happy for you finally being able to visit your family in PEI.

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  10. Thanks, Alexandra. The days were perfect and the evening relaxaton magical as is this visit to PEI. I loved following your travels but haven't had time to comment fully. You certainly made the most of your time there.

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  11. You got down and dirty, Helen! I bet you were stiff after all that lifting and throwing. A peaceful end to a day of hard work - beautiful scenes.

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