Ridin’ ridges, real and virtual
Put your hand up if you already know 2012 is the Australian Year of the Farmer ? A time to celebrate the primary producers who help feed this nation and many mouths beyond these fine shores?
Well done. Hands down. (If your hand WASN’T up, please check out the site linked above and from the logo in my sidebar – I’m an ‘official’ supporter!)
Now how many of you know a farmer?
I hope all your hands are up… because although I don’t think I’m the most experienced, knowledgable or cutting-edge farmer on the block in the paddock, I consider my whole family FARMERS. So that means I must be one too… a farmer of cows and bulls and steers. A farmer of enormous enthusiasm for the land. A farmer who spends much of her time doing the mountains of bookwork required of farming businesses. And a farmer who still gets a thrill out of the hands-on chores required by HER brand of farming.
Namely: Mustering.
I thought you might all enjoy coming for a ride with me – and take in the view from between the horses ears (in this case, Jill, mother of him). Without having to worry about falling off (I did that for you – riding and taking photos and actually helping are a bit of a juggling act sometimes!).
Here is the gang – unloaded from the truck, mostly-mounted-up and rearing for action. Well, in the case of the kids’ horses, eating for action. From left we have Salina, Lachy, A, Violet and Dash.
As we rein-up and head into the paddock being mustered, we get last-minute instructions from the ‘bosses’.
i.e. Pagi (my Dad) and Mr Incredible (husband, not pictured for once).
Then we ride in our allocated areas and push the cattle towards a predetermined fence, and into a mob.
Salina shows us how its done… I thought I’d throw in a gratuitous granite glimpse. (Say THAT quickly). Mustering the cattle into a mob can take between half to two hours, depending on the paddock.
And then we take the mob along the fenceline towards the yards …
This is usually a slow task, with cows and calves not wanting to get faster than a walk (nor do we!) and can take an hour or so.
There is time for conversation and father-son bonding time (as they sit wide on the ‘wing’ or side of the mob).
I usually end up at the tail – or rear – because I am slow. And sometimes distracted with a certain Nikon.
See Jill is flicking her ears listening to me – probably saying “WHEN is that clicking sound EVER going to stop?”
Violet takes her ‘keeping them tidy’ role quite seriously. She loves it.
This is a section of path that was almost totally washed away in last year’s floods. (For those wondering, we are not in the path of any floodwater this year. And while we’d love some more rain, our hearts are with those around Charleville, Roma and St George at the moment).
The steep descent into the creek can sometimes prove tricky – some cows like to try and balk here.
We don’t let ’em. The yards are right across the creek… nearly there!
Once down, we need to keep them on the fence and not wandering down the creek…
And then UP the other side!
You need your horse in Four Wheel Drive for this part. Heh.
It’s always great to see the yards come into view.
The cows know that a big drink of water awaits there. So their step quickens a little. The humans are all anticipating the cup of tea and snack awaiting them here too.
Of course sometimes, little ones get a bit turned around, and think WE are their mothers…
No, sweet-pea. Wrong four-legged creature!
They eventually sort themselves out. Ready for branding. But that’s another story, for another day, for another post…
Hope you aren’t too sore after that little ride…
Did you enjoy your mustering experience?
🙂
BB
PS I also wanted to thank all who link to me from all over the world, mustering in all my wonderful visitors to my little bush blog. Among these I note the MLA (Meat and Livestock Australia) who encourage producers to take part in the ‘real conversation‘ growing between producers and the wider community.
It’s wonderful to be encouraged, to be connected and to be recognised. (It’s why I started this page too. )
16 Comments
Ann
I just loved this, thanks so much, how awesome , great to see such family togetherness, everyone learning even if they don’t know it, especially the children, absolutely priceless in my view, what a grand advocate for Aussie Ag you are BB, you have hills, ha ha, unlike us when we are mustering. Another great blog, love the photos. Ann
Mikey
Love it!! Love seeing the kids out there doing a good job, and you too! Those are fat looking happy cows. Thanks for taking us along with you!!
Mikey´s last blog post ..Updates
Cher
Love it & how the entire family band together to get the job done. Awesome photos as well, I will be looking forward to more of your blogs 🙂
Thank you for sharing your lifestyle with us all 🙂
Hippomanic Jen
I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone who “grows” cattle refer to themselves as “farmers”. (Unless they have a dairy herd). I usually get corrected pretty swiftly when I mistakenly use the dreaded word and informed that they are “graziers”.
Maybe I only know the snobby variety of beef farmer. 😉
All the best for this year’s crop!
And I would so much love to come mustering with you… until the next day when my legs (and arms, and shoulders and backside, and back) turn to rusty iron.
Bush Babe
Jeanie has answered this quite well below… yes, if I were describing what I do WITHIN the farming community, I would say we are Beef Producers or graziers. Farmers ARE generally those that till the soil and grow crops. But as the single umbrella term accepted in the broader community, referring to ALL those who work the land to produce food, seed, grain or fibre is ‘Farmer’ then I am more than happy to stand beneath it.
All that said, I do understand you mention this a touch tongue-in-cheek. Just thought others might be interested to know why we are called by slightly different terms…
🙂
BB
Leenie
Makes me want to dust of my boots and find some tack and a pony. This virtual round-up (Yank for mustering) was great! No bugs, no complaining from my rump and quads, no dealing with a sunburn in the making. Just sorry I’m missing the scents (even the sweaty horses and cow manure)and the green grass and friends.
THANKS
Leenie´s last blog post ..GIANTS DOING CARTWHEELS!
jeanie
Jen, in the area we grew up, graziers was a term reserved for certain socio-economic growers of generally ovine animals. Cattlemen (and women) was the term that was used in that very political era of working out who represented the industry. (The mid-1970s were when there Cattleman’s Union was born out of the split from the United Grazier’s Association). I would assume that, as the political alliances are now represented by the National Farmer’s Federation, Farmers is now a term regarded across more industries than just cropping and dairy.
I wish I got to go mustering these days. Its just not the same drafting on the ‘puter…
jeanie´s last blog post ..Aaaaah insomnia…
Colin (HB)
Fantastic report on Aussie cattle property life. I, when reading, just felt I was there also – memories of way back, I suppose?
Yep, without you and the rest of the rural fraternity, we would starve.
My wish would be that more people would try and appreciate just what you all do.
That ESPECIALLY includes the city based politicans and the bureaucrats they hire as “advisors”. They wouldn’t in some cases know the difference between a goat and a sheep, as for the bull/steer and cow/heifer difference – forget it!
Well done BB and all your gang. You do us all proud.
Colin (HB)
Andrew
Good post, as always. We only ever used dogs for dairy cow rounding up. I guess things are not oranges and oranges. Dairy cattle would have strong habits of being rounded up twice a day and the distances weren’t great. Nevertheless, it could be challenging at times, well challenging for my father who was issuing the appropriate dog whistles.
Andrew´s last blog post ..Watering Fido
KAddy
The cattle are in great nick BB. Love to see fat cattle and green grass.
debby
Thanks for the trip. My grandfather had a small herd of herefords, with a few acres of pasture, fenced. He’d go to the barn for the hay, in the winter, and he’d yell something that sounded like “Kumbossy, kumbossy…” and they’d come running from wherever they were.
I’d recommend giving it a try. Except it wouldn’t be nearly so picturesque.
:):):):);)
debby´s last blog post ..Gotta say…
Bill
Cattle are looking good.
Theresa in Alberta
BB on a horse!! I am very impressed!! I try to avoid being cruel to animals so if I was there I would be boiling the pot for a cuppa tea 😉
Kelly
Well this was fun! Thank you for taking us along! I hope you’ll show us the branding process another time.
I consider anything you “grow” for consumption farming. My husband grew chickens before we married and we now have some cattle. For several years we farm-raised catfish. (which is why I always promote catfish over tilapia in the US). We also own land in the Delta region of our state where we share-crop and grow rice, soybeans and corn. I always make sure I buy rice from an Arkansas mill so I can imagine it came from our farm. 🙂
Kelly´s last blog post ..On Agate Hill by Lee Smith
Margie from New York
I like Miss Violets horse. Is it a palomino? I googled them and it looks like one. Any whoo, love all the pictures, the little calfs are cute. Wouldn’t you be called ranchers as well? like the Pioneer Woman’s hubby or is that an American thing?
Bush Babe
Margie… I edited your comments so only one shows. Yes, Violet’s horse IS a palomino – he is pretty, isn’t he?
If we were in America, our operation WOULD be called a ranch. (Very much like the Drummonds, who we visited almost 12 months ago). I like the word ‘ranch’ actually – but it’s not an Aussie term. We are beef producers on a cattle property. Much wordier!!
🙂
BB