Australian Talk.

[melking]

Hey Ken & Suzie
I fight the palmetto battle with my little 35 horse Branson tractor. I have a root rake that is a little big for the tractor but it works okay. I am happy to get 200 square feet cleared every weekend. We live in Fort Myers, but we are building a house at the ranch. We are trying to build it with cash so it is a long process. We go out as early as we can on Saturday morning and come back as late as we can on Sunday evening. Looking forward to this weekend as we have the extra holiday. I am going to start nuilding the doors for the house this weekend. I agree with both of you, I need to write down my projects because I just go back and forth and never seem to finish one. Right now I am trying to rid myself of a 7 foot gator in one of my ponds. He, the gator, is laughing at me everytime I come around.

 

[Suzie Q]

Scary Melking. I would be leaving that to a professional, but that might just be my fear.

Do they grow back if you pull them out with the tractor? Maybe a little bit of poison will help. I have a weed brush. You just brush the plants you don't want. It kills them roots and all.

 

[melking]

Hey Suzie,
The idea about the weed brush sounds like a good one. What kind of chemical do you use? They do grow back like crazy if you do not stay on top of them. The gator issue is a little scary but you know the old saying, you don't have to be fast enough to outrun an alligator, you just have to be fast enough to outrun the slowest person in the group.

 

[wbvs58]

A spotlight and suitable rifle at night would be the go Mel, I guess aligator steaks would be as good as crocodile. I believe they can travel a fair distance between ponds, I read a book on buffaloe and croc hunting in the Northern Territory in the 40's and 50's, they used to harpoon the crocs in billabongs, the blacks doing the harpooning, then all of a sudden they would disappear, the crocs would move on to the next billabong and then the next. They found a heap of dead crocs one day when moving on, presumably they died from dessication when the next billabong was dry and they tried to get to the next.
Mel the photo of your front gate the other day didn't show up real well, but I thought from that you were fairly high, I thought the gators would stick to the low country. I use a paint brush tied to a long stick and keep a pot of Glyphosate on the side of the quad bike to paint any unwanted grasses, the glyphosate is diluted to 2 water to 1 of glyphosate. I don't know if it would knock your regrowth, but surprising what it will do if you keep coming back at it. It is a bit like my clearing, whenever I clean up an area it is more area that grass can grow and in the end it amounts to a fair bit. When I look at old photos and the dead timber around the edges of the paddocks and see them now, grass now grows right up to the rocks at the edges.
Building a house as the cash comes in is a good way to do it. I was lucky when I built mine, about 4 years ago now, I had the cash from selling my business and was able to get on with it, I started in May and got the final inspection the following February, I went fulltime at it, I made sure I turned up every day, even if I didn't feel like it, if I just got that bit done I would be that much further ahead. I made a commitment to keep going until I got the final inspection as I am not a good finisher. I kept things fairly simple, the certifier in the end congratulated me, he reckoned it was the first time he passed an owner builder first time and said the finish was as good as a professional builder.
I will have to post some photos of it, unfortunately I do not live in it now as I bought this other block done the road and I rent it out, but the money is nice.
I would like to see some photos of your house as you go along.
I started the blackberry spraying around the road yesterday, i left the bike around there, didn't get much done but made a start, I'm heading around there today to put in a good day at it.
Ken

 

[jilleroo]

Melking, the little palms look like something I try and grow in my garden! As for the gator, that would be worse than canetoads...
pardon my ignorance, but how dangerous are gators, the same as crocs? I know freshwater crocs in Aust arent dangerous.
I love the name of your ranch, Camelot....did you make the sign Melking? I suspect you're very clever, building your own house and all, like Ken. Some talented people on these boards!
Suzi, the senepol bulls arent really big bulls, they'd weigh 650 maybe 700kgs. Ken, I think if you visit us we'll have to hide most of our bulls - there's not really many we like.
About a dozen heifers might calve tonight. I'll needle what hasnt calved in the morning and get them choofed through the system, sick of looking at the same old ones. They're just sitting around huffing and puffing in the heat.
We got a good run at the fencing yesterday morning and again this morning. It's very hot so we get a good sweat up, get rid of some of that christmas pudding. If only - it sticks to me better than that.
Having trouble with the submersible on the artesian bore at our other place, having trouble keeping water up to the cattle. So not only is it a drama to get them fed, its a drama to get them watered! The dams are all dry as a bone of course. We've got a fair bit of water in turkey nests so will probably pull the pump up and see if theres any rubbish in it or whatever. It's pretty new.

Have been working hard (trying to do some time management Suzi) and have got my painting to the stage where the board is covered. Phew. Now I need to go all over the whole thing and refine it - that will take me a week at least. Or I might just put it away and start another and come back to that one with a fresh eye. Sounds like a plan. Will post a pic of it when I tidy it up.
It won't appeal to everyone - I like "pretty" paintings - there's enough sad and dreary things in the world without painting them too.
We got given lots of fruit at christmas - a box of fresh white Cunnamulla grapes, two cartons of mangoes and a big watermelon grown on the Burdekin River. What more could you ask for! We're still munching our way through it all.

Not sure if we'll go to a NY party - my nephew and his partner should be arriving about NY eve. Will wait and see. Mike is 6 foot 5 ins and very handy and obliging - I've got some jobs lined up for him already. A diesel mechanic, so hubby will be keeping him occupied too!

 

[melking]

I will post some pictures of the progress on the house, it is a monster but that is the better halfs doing. She likes things big. Lucky for me as I am not a small person. I like the idea of the weed brush and I think I will give it a try. We also have a problem with Brazilian Pepper bushes which are invasive and very difficult to stop. The nice thing about them is that they are very shallow rooted and easy to pull up with the tractor. I know the picture of us leaving was dark, but it was a picture of one of the planets, a sliver of moon and the sign in combination. It was nice to see. Yes Jilleroo, I built the sign. I love woodworking and spend a lot of time on projects. I wish I could learn to weld like Ken. There are so many things that could be easier with a bit of welding.

 

[wbvs58]

Jilleroo, the trouble when you own a bull, you get to see it all the time, especially in their working clothes and you become very critical of them. It amuses me how people have the nerve to give critical opinions of cattle on here often from one poorly taken photo. Your cattle always look good to me, your photos are always in real situations and I think the cows do pretty well.
We missed out on storms last night, it came over dark and some thunder, 1.5mm out of it, from Allora to Toowoomba got 20-80mm. Its starting to dry out a bit here. One thing about riding about the paddocks spraying, you get to have a real good look at them. The Cocksfoot I ran out behind the ripper about 18mths ago at my other block is going great. It is a temperate grass and goes dormant over summer, here we are at the end of December and it is still very lush and succulent, starting to go to seed which is good. I am very impressed with it, its ability to establish without a properly prepared seedbed and the quality of it as feed. I did a couple of paddocks last autumn and early signs are that it took, this next autumn is when you get to really see it, I'm planning another couple of paddocks to rip this autumn and I'll be fairly generous with the seeding rate of cocksfoot, plantain is the other seed I've had success with.
Ken

 

[jilleroo]

Thanks for that Ken, we'll see what you think when you visit one day. No doubt the bulls must have impressed us at some stage, the fact that we bought them or kept them as bulls. The worst is one I bought in April.....not the one I really liked, he's still good, but another we paid $5500 for. He's a shocker now - but other folk were bidding up on him too so he looked pretty good at the time! Hubby lets us all have a go buying bulls, he says he likes sharing the blame around...
Melking, I would love to see some more photos of your woodworking and your house....I get so excited by people who can do stuff. Was talking to a fellow who does wrought iron work recently, so good. I don't know why I'm compelled to paint a picture, just something in me. Not that I'm very good at it even but I have to do it for some reason.
A couple of calves last night, both senepols. Will be some more today. Didnt needle the heifers, got caught up in doing something else.
My nephew and his partner are on their way from Warwick. They've got a little acreage at Sladevale. He's the son of my sister and he lived with us and did home schooling after she died. He and his sister have gone on and done very well - she is livestock manager of a feedlot on the Downs for Mort & Co. We're always trying to talk her into doing something else where there's less horsework and close contact with stock - she's had some accidents. It's one thing when you own the stock yourself, another when you're on a wage.
The men are busy trying to sort the pump problem still.

 

[Suzie Q]

ARGh at the pump problem, Jilleroo. I hope they get it sorted.

Yes Gysophate Melking. You can get it pretty cheaply at Crazy Clarke's over here. It is more expensive from Mitre 10.

I am using Time management as well Jilleroo. Out to chase out a bull cow and calf that doesn't belong to us after breaky. I finally left the gate open as I hadn't seen them outside our gate for ages, but nope in they came again. Then I did a bit of weeding and watered the garden. Then out to unload the second half of the hay trailer. Only the truck to unload now and we will be finished from the last lot of baling. Fed the cattle, rang Mum, had a shower and in to work to rest!!!

I have booked hubby in to see a doctor tomorrow. He is not fit to be left by himself. So I will go in with him to see what the doctor prescribes and make sure he gets it.

 

[wbvs58]

Jilleroo, your nephew lives just down the road from here at Warwick. It must be annoying having to drop other jobs to attend to that pump, I get real cranky when I have to leave a project that I am on to attend to something else. The other day you asked about Jamie, my little dog, she is a miniature foxy, she is actually my daughters dog, 11yrs old, she is very fit, a very good hunter but fortunately leaves snakes alone.
Suzie I'm sure you can do better than Crazy Clarks for Glyphosate, I can buy it up here for $77 for 20 litres.
I went to Centre Link today, I was thinking of trying for a Health Care card, after reading the application booklet I'll give it a miss. I am trying to disappear off the planet as far as the government is concerned and to get a card I have to get into the system, give them too much info, bank acc no.'s etc, I'll just pay my way.
Well Mel, I dug up a couple of photos of the house today, as you can see my two house share a common theme, all steel, actually I had already had the plans drawn and the house started before I bought the second place, I did not copy. My idea was low maintenance, no painting, very little to burn and white ants will blunt their teeth on my house, also the idea was not to have any yard to maintain, the cows can graze right up to the vearandahs. The tennants like to mow around the house though but have to be prepared for the cows walking through.
The first pic is from today.

The next shows the all steel frame.

The next shows the open plan living area, the 1/2 wall on the left is my office, I hate being shut away and it allows the heat to flow through too, it was taken about a month before completion.

The next photo is a clump of Cocksfoot, I was talking about this morning, it is a nice looking grass.

I had to feed Marios dogs today, this lot didn't eat much.

But this pair did.

And now a couple of cattle photos, the first is one of my heifers, she is doing a real good job on a heifer calf. Her ID is QNJE1.

This is her calf who is by The Grange Iconic.

And lastly one of my best commercial cows feeding her little calf, she has produced 6 big 300kg plus bull calves in a row.

Ken

 

[melking]

Wow Ken, Cool looking house. Mine is all concrete with the interior being steel framing. I am even using concrete board siding on the barn. We have termites like crazy here in florida. Jilleroo, I know very little about cattle operations (just starting) but you photos always look like good healthy animals to me. I am anxiously awaiting seeing your paintings. Hope you all have a pleasant new years eve and day.

 

[wbvs58]

Haha Mel, sounds like we are on the same page with regards building materials.
Ken

 

[Sean M]

You've got some great looking cattle there wb.

 

[Suzie Q]

I feel the same as you about Centrelink, Ken. I wanted to join an Agency to find work, however out here they are only interested in you if you have a number from Centrelink as they get paid. As far as I am concerned it is none of 'their' business what Shares, etc I own, or how much my Husband earns for me to be able to get a job.

 

[Suzie Q]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I am down 15 kgs this morning from the second week in August. I am able to fit into jeans that I haven't been able to wear before. WWWAAAAHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

 

[wbvs58]

Thanks sean, we keep the crook ones hidden from the camera, actually they all look ok this year, amazing how much difference a bit of feed makes. You come from one of my favourite parts of the country, I love it down there in autumn.
Happy new year to all, I hope you have a prosperous and fullfilling one.
I have my whiteboard up and working just in time for the new year.
I just added up the rainfall for 2011, it was 1162.5mm. Greatly helped along by 361mm in January, if you take 300 off for that then it would be pretty close to average for the remainder. Anyhow it explains why things are looking so good so far, a good reminder not to get too carried away with what the place can do.
I'm off to consult my whiteboard now to see what I have to do today.
Ken

 

[Sean M]

Yeah it is lovely in autumn. Winter is a bit chilly sometimes but I'd rather that than humid QLD summers It has been a great season in Armidale as well, I haven't seen it as good as it is for years even though the last few years haven't been bad either. I saw some photos a few pages ago and you don't look like you've got too many to hide, there's always one though!
Yeah I've lost a bit of weight as well Susie, I've lost ten kilos in the last few months and 30kg since I realised I was a big tub of lard 18 months ago.

 

[jilleroo]

Happy New Year everyone....here's hoping for a good season and cattle prices to match.
Fabulous photos Ken. Is that a racoon with your friend's foxes?? The house you built is well-thought out for your area.
It would be very hot for out here - not much breeze on those verandahs. Although many of the old houses out here in town are corrugated iron - imagine summer in them in the olden days. Some of them are still there but most have an air-con box poking through the walls now.
Nephew has pics of his house he's renovating at Warwick. He's done some great work, with more to do, and hopes to sell it and upgrade next year.
Wow, 15kgs Suzi - wish I could do that!! Any tips - apart from lack of food? I tell hubby I need to have some muscle for the heavy work around the place. For example, picking up a hulking char calf and lugging it onto the bike is not easy!
Can hear him coming in now with a load of springing heifers from our other place - have got the yards ready for them but better go and check them out.

 

[wbvs58]

Sounds like a maternity hospital Jilleroo, going out to check in your new arrivals. The house is actually pretty good in the heat Jilleroo, because of the area it had to be well insulated, pretty high rating stuff in the ceiling and also all the external walls are full of fibreglass batts, while aimed at keeping the heat in in winter, it also keeps the heat out very effectively in summer. The raked ceiling ( that spelling doesn't look right!) also has a space between it and the roof so plenty of air flow. But as you say we don't get anywhere near the heat that you do out there. I just got what you meant by no breeze on the verandah, the sheeting under the rail, I put that on for the final inspection, had to have it kid proof, I was going to take it down after and just have the rails, but once up I sort of liked the feel on the verandah, it felt like I was a ships captain walking up and down giving orders from the bridge.
Yeah that is a racoon, the foxes are local ones. Mario buys a lot of skins from the US, some are mountable, some just for hanging, he resells a real lot in Australia. He has an interesting collection in his house, foxes, deer, pig heads, arctic fox, racoon, skunk, squirrels, wolf(massive) and a large north American bear standing about 6ft tall just to name a few.
That is a very good effort Suzie, you must be very proud of yourself.
You too Sean, you must notice a big difference, what altitude are you there, we are at 960m at Stanthorpe, we experience much the same temperatures as you do here, our summers are pretty good too, thats one of the reasons I moved up here. Some people claim that we are at the start of the New England, I don't think so, certainly Tenterfield is which is only a bit south of us.
I consulted my whiteboard today and after moving the feeder and backrub, started cutting a bit of firewood. I have put the board up right next to the backdoor so I get an eyefull when putting my cap on. I have divided it into two, jobs to do immediately on the left and longer term on the right. I might divide it again to put up the things I want to look up on line. So here it is.

And now a photo of my growing wood heap.

Ken

 

[jilleroo]

Great woodheap there Ken. Do you run some cattle Sean, and if so, what sort do you have? If not, what breeds do you like?
Drafted up the new arrivals yesterday into close calvers and backward calvers. Wouldve had all mine just about done and dusted if we hadnt had to bring these others over.
Went for a "feel good" run around the calved heifers' paddock this morning but didnt feel good long! Came across a heifer under a boree tree - she had laid down for a camp - there was some timber on the ground too, she mustve stretched out and got her head behind an upright branch off the dead trunk. She couldnt sit back up again and was caste. Wouldve been there three days I'd say. She was just about dead but we got 6 gals of water with electrolytes down her and if I put grass or hay well back in her mouth, she will chew and swallow it. Not looking good. Going back out to her shortly. She's too poorly to cart around with the tractor at this stage. Her calf has obviously been sucking on her upturned udder recently but can't be found now - no idea what her calf looks like but I think she went through the calving paddock a while ago, so it might be a couple of months old.
Day before yesterday when out with my nephew we found a big steer weaner with a broken offside shoulder. His mother is with him - we'll see how he goes for a while, sometimes those shoulders will mend fairly well. Sometimes not.
On the upside (yes, believe it or not, there is an upside) I'd been watching a huge charbray cow who calved 10 or so days ago, way away from the yards so hard to do anything with. She had a big blown-out udder but the bull calf was barely surviving by sucking on two extra teats about an inch long way up the back of her udder. The calf had deteriorated badly so nephew and I went down to wrest it from her. Was delighted to find that her huge teats had actually softened and gone down a bit and the calf had been able to latch on at last. That was a relief - wasnt looking forward to dealing with that big cow, she knew I was onto her.
Life is never dull on the land. Back to working on the books now....