Spring Frenzy!

It seems there is never nothing to do on the farm....springtime is one of the busiest times!

There is always a fence that needs mending, weeds that need spraying, seeds to sow, hay to make and sheep and cattle to care for. 

The list goes on and on!

Dad has been spraying some paddocks, so that next year he can sow new pastures or crops.

 He need sunny days with no wind to get this job done.

The bulls are out visiting the cows, and they are really happy about that. 

The weather does not bother them too much at all!

Springtime on the farm is all about green grass growing fast!

 This year it is green but not growing that fast and it is starting to dry out. 

The weather is warm, a bit too warm for spring. We need rain and we need it NOW!

On the weekend we had to go and pick up another bull for the cows. 

And while we were there, we came across a man with a dog......

After watching him in action .....he came home with us!

Meet Gibbo!

He is a lovely dog, he is really friendly and Dad says very good natured! 

The man has been working him with sheep and cattle and he is a bit of an all rounder.

Dogs are really important workers on our farm. 

I really do not know what we would do without them.

And they are really good mates TOO!

Gibbo is just visiting for a while to see if he likes us and we like him.

The man is selling Gibbo....$1200.00 will buy him.

Dad says,  he would be a good investment!

Sweet as Honey, Cold as Ice!

It would seem that we have not seen the last of winter! 

After some lovely sunny days it has turned grey and cold AGAIN!

Because it is so cold the grass in the paddocks has not really started to grow. 

Mum and Dad are moving mobs of sheep from paddock to paddock. 

Paddocks need to be empty for a little while for the grass to grow.

Normally in September the grass would be starting to grow, but our winter has been alot colder than normal and things are running late.

All the meat lambs are on the crop. 

In about 2 weeks the lambs will have to be taken off the crop, so the crop can grow for grain.

The steer weaners are also on the crop and they love it.

Dad has to make a few repairs to the fence, those cheeky meat lambs were getting out!

Remember those buzzy bees we robbed.....

there are buckets and buckets of honey....what alot of honey I have! 

5/1/2 kilograms of honey!

Our very own honey....and enough to last a long time!

Is it Summer?

Crazy weather....

I thought summers were meant to be hot and dry. I think we are having a winter summer. It just keeps raining and the grass in the paddocks just keeps growing. Mum has taken some of the shorn merino lambs to the paddocks where the grain was harvested.

It is green with grass and LOTS of weeds.....

Dad has a major project underway, that will keep him real busy!

The farm we bought has no sheep or cattle yards.

Finally Dad is building the sheep yards, it will save us walking the animals a long way.

This is where they will go....I have been helping Dad measure things.

and this is the start....

I also have a major project underway.....I have started school! It is GREAT.....

the only problem is.....

Mum and Dad will only have my help on the weekends.

The rest of the week they will have no help...I hope they can manage!

Battle of the Breeds

Fat cattle everywhere.....

More steers ready for sale, these ones are a little different to last weeks steers.

Dad, Mum and I bred these ones, their Dad is not a Poll Hereford bull. He is a Blue-E bull.

I call him BIG RED, he is a cross between a shorthorn (red) and a Angus (black).

These steers are 17 and 18 months old, they are very fat. They averaged 558kg on the farm.

They have grown that big just eating grass.

I wonder how they will sell?

$1.92c/kg and they weighed 525kg at the saleyards.

 Dad is a little disappointed with that, the market was a little cheaper today.

Anyway........ BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME!

"Walk up Cattle"

Grass everywhere.....we need more cows!

This summer it just keeps raining and growing more grass.

Sheep like their grass short and cattle like their grass long. We move the cows and calves to the the long grass paddocks to try and chew it down.

I hope they are hungry, they have alot of grass to eat!

After moving the cows and calves we discover that the merino lambs are starting to get fly blown.

The chemical that protects them from flies is starting to run out.

Time to ring the shearers.

A big storm came through yesterday afternoon......big thunder and lots of lightning.

 It was really noisy and a little bit scary.

Bad fly weather, flies love it wet and warm.

A beautiful rainbow appeared after the storm.....

Some people say there is a pot of gold where the rainbow ends.
Maybe I should get my shovel and go on a treasure hunt?
Or maybe it would be more fun to slide down.....

Money In MUD?

The weather man got it right......the rain came followed by really strong winds!

Dad says there is plenty of money in mud BUT................I can't seem to find it!

The paddocks look better all ready.

25 millimetres or one inch of rain......PopPop says it is worth a million dollars. It seems it has made everyone happy!

AND guess what, the weatherman says there is more coming!