Sunday 26th May – Day 13
We mustered the biggest paddock today, started at 8 and finished just before 4 – one very long day tearing around on a quadbike! I seem to be getting the hang of navigating my way around. I still mostly have no idea where I am when I am in the bush, but so long as I know the direction I need to go and where the sun is I can usually make my way to the end point! Came across a couple of uncooperative cows today, so had fun zooming around after them. I also had a bit of a run in with a grumpy bull; head down, snorting and pawing at the ground he tried to face off against my quadbike – what can I say, bull bars really do work!
Luke also had a very moody cow, he managed to get her down and tie her rear legs. We then tied her front legs and picked her up using the loader… tada upside-down cow! She was then deposited back in the holding yard, in front of all the other cows … fingers crossed they all took note of what happens when you don’t co-operate. Sadly we didn’t have a camera on us so we weren’t able to take a photo, my only memento of the event is a bit of a dent in my shin where the cow kicked me whilst I was holding her legs to be tied. Bad cow.
Monday 27th May – day 14
Today we drafted the cattle, these were mostly cows with claves so we separated the weeners from the cows and sorted the cows further into dry/wet. We had to take the calves away from their mothers because with such little food the cows were really starting to suffer and look bony. I worked the back yard, which means bringing cattle through different pens in order to be sorted. Generally the cows are well behaved and trot through without too much effort and arm flapping, although I had a bit of a hairy moment when one decided to charge at me. Thankfully I had a yard stick (just a bit of blue pipe we use when drafting to help block cattle) so as it came at me I was able to tap her on the nose and jump out of the way… The Three Musketeers would have been impressed by my parleying skills! I will admit that the experience got the blood pumping a bit. Who needs rollercoasters and other adrenaline sports when you’ve got angry cows in confined spaces. Of all the different types of work we do, being in the yards with the cows makes me sweat the most. Cows really can be quite scary. Once the cows were all sorted we headed out to check the dams and make sure there were no cattle bogged. On the way we came across the 4 resident camels who are very friendly and let you go right up to them for a pat … or rather a scratch. It must be the most amazing feeling having someone scratch you when you don’t have hands and fingers of your own. I’ve never noticed before how goofy camel faces are, next time we come across them I will get the camera out for a close-up.
Luke has some friends staying with us for a few days, Tina and Tony with their two children Brianna and Liam. It’s been nice having some kids around – made me realise how much I miss all little squirts back home (who are probably not all that little now!)
Tuesday 28th May – day 15
Walked cows out to Dripping Bore paddock which as the crow flies is about 24 kilometres. It’s quite a long way to take cattle so it was quite slow going, although we did have a few try and break out from the mob .. which is always a bit more exciting. I gave riding a motorbike a go today, can’t say I am the most graceful at it! Took a couple of attempts to get going, the country out here is quite rough so it’s not the easiest stuff to ride on. Apparently if you go at 90kms you glide right over the bumps, (not that I tried that mum, honest!) Things were going quite well on the bike until Luke asked me to cover the lead for a while. All you have to do is keep them steady and make sure they don’t start running. Of course no sooner did Luke disappear did the lead cow start running. Managed to wiz by and stop them, circled around to turn back and face them and ZOOM off went the lead 3, straight across the rough stuff. Somewhat flustered I tried to pursue and get them back in but with 1 hour’s motorbike riding behind me I choked L Gears got stuck and conked out in the middle of the rough. Thankfully Nena was on the quadbike and was able to get them back in. Epic fail on my part. Later on switched back onto the quadbike to give my butt a bit of a break; the same cow decided to try and get away from the mob, so I got a chance to get some revenge on it. Whizzed up to turn her back in and she started coming at me, so hit the gas and gave her a bit of a bump in the right direction. If only someone had filmed the whole thing, it was pretty bad ass!
Wednesday 29th May – day 16
Bit more of a relaxed day today. Did a water run this morning and then a few odd jobs during the day… no exciting encounters with cattle. Got to drive the loader a bit more today moving some concrete feeding troughs… it’s not exactly the smoothest of rides – as Nena observed driving in it is like having really bad ….
Anyways later on we watched Luke cold shoe a horse, looks like pretty hard work! I’m now sat waiting to tuck into a delicious smelling roast with everyone. Yummmm.
We mustered the biggest paddock today, started at 8 and finished just before 4 – one very long day tearing around on a quadbike! I seem to be getting the hang of navigating my way around. I still mostly have no idea where I am when I am in the bush, but so long as I know the direction I need to go and where the sun is I can usually make my way to the end point! Came across a couple of uncooperative cows today, so had fun zooming around after them. I also had a bit of a run in with a grumpy bull; head down, snorting and pawing at the ground he tried to face off against my quadbike – what can I say, bull bars really do work!
Luke also had a very moody cow, he managed to get her down and tie her rear legs. We then tied her front legs and picked her up using the loader… tada upside-down cow! She was then deposited back in the holding yard, in front of all the other cows … fingers crossed they all took note of what happens when you don’t co-operate. Sadly we didn’t have a camera on us so we weren’t able to take a photo, my only memento of the event is a bit of a dent in my shin where the cow kicked me whilst I was holding her legs to be tied. Bad cow.
Monday 27th May – day 14
Today we drafted the cattle, these were mostly cows with claves so we separated the weeners from the cows and sorted the cows further into dry/wet. We had to take the calves away from their mothers because with such little food the cows were really starting to suffer and look bony. I worked the back yard, which means bringing cattle through different pens in order to be sorted. Generally the cows are well behaved and trot through without too much effort and arm flapping, although I had a bit of a hairy moment when one decided to charge at me. Thankfully I had a yard stick (just a bit of blue pipe we use when drafting to help block cattle) so as it came at me I was able to tap her on the nose and jump out of the way… The Three Musketeers would have been impressed by my parleying skills! I will admit that the experience got the blood pumping a bit. Who needs rollercoasters and other adrenaline sports when you’ve got angry cows in confined spaces. Of all the different types of work we do, being in the yards with the cows makes me sweat the most. Cows really can be quite scary. Once the cows were all sorted we headed out to check the dams and make sure there were no cattle bogged. On the way we came across the 4 resident camels who are very friendly and let you go right up to them for a pat … or rather a scratch. It must be the most amazing feeling having someone scratch you when you don’t have hands and fingers of your own. I’ve never noticed before how goofy camel faces are, next time we come across them I will get the camera out for a close-up.
Luke has some friends staying with us for a few days, Tina and Tony with their two children Brianna and Liam. It’s been nice having some kids around – made me realise how much I miss all little squirts back home (who are probably not all that little now!)
Tuesday 28th May – day 15
Walked cows out to Dripping Bore paddock which as the crow flies is about 24 kilometres. It’s quite a long way to take cattle so it was quite slow going, although we did have a few try and break out from the mob .. which is always a bit more exciting. I gave riding a motorbike a go today, can’t say I am the most graceful at it! Took a couple of attempts to get going, the country out here is quite rough so it’s not the easiest stuff to ride on. Apparently if you go at 90kms you glide right over the bumps, (not that I tried that mum, honest!) Things were going quite well on the bike until Luke asked me to cover the lead for a while. All you have to do is keep them steady and make sure they don’t start running. Of course no sooner did Luke disappear did the lead cow start running. Managed to wiz by and stop them, circled around to turn back and face them and ZOOM off went the lead 3, straight across the rough stuff. Somewhat flustered I tried to pursue and get them back in but with 1 hour’s motorbike riding behind me I choked L Gears got stuck and conked out in the middle of the rough. Thankfully Nena was on the quadbike and was able to get them back in. Epic fail on my part. Later on switched back onto the quadbike to give my butt a bit of a break; the same cow decided to try and get away from the mob, so I got a chance to get some revenge on it. Whizzed up to turn her back in and she started coming at me, so hit the gas and gave her a bit of a bump in the right direction. If only someone had filmed the whole thing, it was pretty bad ass!
Wednesday 29th May – day 16
Bit more of a relaxed day today. Did a water run this morning and then a few odd jobs during the day… no exciting encounters with cattle. Got to drive the loader a bit more today moving some concrete feeding troughs… it’s not exactly the smoothest of rides – as Nena observed driving in it is like having really bad ….
Anyways later on we watched Luke cold shoe a horse, looks like pretty hard work! I’m now sat waiting to tuck into a delicious smelling roast with everyone. Yummmm.
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