Tues, 23rd Jan, 2024 Malcolm & Kerry’s place, Westbury, Tas

12 degrees minimum and only 13.6 degrees when we got up at 8am. The sky is grey and overcast.

I worked on my blog for the morning. Steve went wandering with Malcolm around the farm.

The goats are funny to watch. They are all boys and these two were having a head battle on the trampoline.

I tried to distract them so Malcolm could put their feed in the trough but they were too quick.

After lunch Malcolm loaded a silo ready to deliver tomorrow morning. Steve will go with him and Daniel will drive the pilot vehicle.

Malcolm has made some great garden ornaments.

One of child hood friends lives on the neighbouring farm - but a lot bigger farm. He wanted Malcolm to have a look at an old truck they are going to use for their son’s wedding so we went along for the ride. Passed old and newer poppy fields on the way, with the ‘keep out’ signs. I said to that Malcolm farmers need to put up signs so us uneducated people can work out what is growing in the fields. He then pointed out the Barley in this field.

The farm was established in 1887 the sign said as we entered. We pulled up beside a truck and a four-wheeler and met his mate, Mitch. They were waiting for a herd of sheep to come down and into the nice green pasture that he has been watering with a very long irrigator. They sheep went the wrong way to start but then they saw the open gate and in they ran.

Looking across to Quamby Bluff.

They grow all kinds of vegies and grain here as well as the sheep.

We continued on so Malcolm could show us their groups favourite camping spot on the farm on the Meander River. These are canola fields - the male is grown in the middle then cleared out after it has fertilised the female part of the crop - hence the rows.

Passed huge paddocks of onions have just been harvested. They will lay on the ground for a few days to dry out. It is done on a contract basis - someone comes in with the seed and sows it then the farmer waters and fertilisers them and then the contractor comes back and harvesters the crop. Saves having to have different machinery for each type of crop I suppose. Seems to work well apparently.

Down to the special camping spot by the Meander River on their property - lovely. They catch trout in here too. Great spot with the rapids then the river splits and goes around the island. They have had many races in canoes etc around the island. They have had some major flooding the last couple of years that has eaten out the grassy slope and around the old tree roots. The blue rope marks the recent flood height.

On our way back Malcolm pointed out another spot they used to swim in the Meander River was the big pool below. There was a huge tree they had a swing off but it has gone now.

This is another crop of onions nearly ready to be harvested.

Back to Mitch to check on the old Morris Commercial. They had a look and wound it over so they will come back later to work on it.

Headed back to farm. Met Vincent, an Alexandria parrot, and his girl, Polly who was hiding in the box with her chicks. There are also budgies and ring-neck parrots - one is blue.

Another silo has been completed by the silo staff from Sth Aust. Malcolm just provides the space and then delivers them.

Steve got some forklift practice.

After a cuppa the boys went back to work on the truck. I got some more blog written and uploaded then did some cross-stitching as Kerry and Michelle had gone into Launceston for hair cuts etc.

5.30pm Steve was back so we walked down to the creek which is Mal’s boundary to try and spot a platypus. Phil said he had seen 3 so far. All quiet up that way.

Walked down to the rock weir and waited. Then I spotted one coming along the edge of the reeds. Just got him before he disappeared into the grass to go up to his burrow we imagine as he didn’t come out at the top of the weir.

I cooked our dinner then went inside to join the others for a while. Malcolm fed us a huge serving of his fresh strawberries and ice cream - yum.

The wind has picked up and the clouds have opened up to show more blue sky here and there as we head back into the camper for the night.