Archive for the 'This farming life' Category

Steel capped orange gumboots by special request

Posted in This farming life by St33v on Tuesday, 07 July 2009.

The mind of Zoe moves in mysterious ways. Today she requested pictorial evidence of her sartorial elegance. Perhaps for a bet? Here ’tis:

Zoe models steel capped orange gumboots at Araluen 2008

Zoe models steel capped orange gumboots at Araluen 2008

Pix of a minor flood

Posted in Pix, This farming life by St33v on Friday, 22 May 2009.

Harsh looks in the henhouse

Posted in This farming life by St33v on Thursday, 15 January 2009.
Rooster sez my food so hen takes evasive action

Rooster sez my food so hen takes evasive action

Fences: a new obsession?

Posted in This farming life by St33v on Wednesday, 17 December 2008.

Since I started my Apprenticeship (farm studies, majoring in applied ecology and construction jobs of all descriptions) I’ve begun to feel a strange compulsion, nearly as strong as the attraction of female flesh that beset me at adolescence. And like puberty, it has been a lonely period of self-doubt, shame and finally acceptance and rejoicing. Now I feel confident enough to come out and say that I have become a connoisseur of fences. I find it hard to keep my attaention on the road as I drive through the country admiring the firm, perky lines of a fresh young fence, the timber not yet bleached to grey by the sun, wire taut as a violin string; or a stately old hand-made post and rail bulwark possibly 100 years old, lopsided in places but still holding strong, defiantly resisting the ravages of tiem and termite.

Like cars, once you get your eye in, the variety of styles and designs begs to be catalogued, so here is the first of perhaps more than a few extracts from my new but growing collection of fence photos.

In this one, a round gatepost is stayed against the strain of the wire fence by a horizontal beam and a tensioned diagonal wire. Notice how grooves have been cut in the posts by chainsaw to guide and hold the wire. It is perhaps a little overengineered but that is a hallmark of the hand of Simon Stenhouse.

A nice round post strainder assembly, Deua river, downstream of Araluen NSW

A nice round post strainer assembly, Deua river, downstream of Araluen NSW

Vealers on the rampage

Posted in This farming life by St33v on Friday, 12 December 2008.
In a scene reminicent of the horror movie "Revenge of the Herbivores" a mob of Murray Grey x Limousin calves mob an innocent cattle dog.

In a scene reminicent of the horror movie Revenge of the Herbivores a herd of Murray Grey x Limousin calves mob an innocent cattle dog.

A steer outstanding in the field

Posted in This farming life by St33v on Thursday, 20 November 2008.
A pasture-fed steer standing in the field. His coat is shiny but he still has to develop muscle in the rear and across the back

A pasture-fed steer standing in the field. His coat is shiny but he still has to develop muscle in the rear and across the back

Buffalo flies converging on the eye of a steer

Posted in This farming life by St33v on Thursday, 20 November 2008.
Buffalo flies converging on the eye of a steer

Buffalo flies converging on the eye of a steer

And the rain fell down: 100 mm overnight - pix to follow

Posted in This farming life by St33v on Thursday, 20 November 2008.

A reminder of the good old days, before deisel

Posted in This farming life by St33v on Wednesday, 19 November 2008.
A horse-drawn hay rake. Simple design, simple to operate: Strap your horse in at the front, sit on the seat, raise and lower the tines of the rake to make bale-sized windrows. Perhaps we'll see this machine in action one day?

A horse-drawn hay rake. Simple design, simple to operate: Strap your horse in at the front, sit on the seat, raise and lower the tines of the rake to make bale-sized windrows. Perhaps we'll see this machine in action one day?

Inspecting the river

Posted in This farming life by St33v on Tuesday, 18 November 2008.
Dad inspects the bank after recent heavy rains. The river is up but the trees are holding on.

Dad inspects the bank after recent heavy rains. The river is up but the trees are holding on.

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