Lots of wool and sheep competitions provide interest for spectators as well as cooking, craft and photography sections. 

This country show has been a community feature for more than half a century and organisers should be proud of its continued success.

Chainsaw races and the long-running Hi-5 event will provide real interest for show patrons. 

The action starts at around 10am with judging of many sections and will conclude at close to midnight when even the last dancer  in the Memorial Hall comes to a stop.

LAST Sunday’s meeting of the Turondale Wild Dog Control Group was well attended with plenty of interest being shown by members.

Producers reported success in trapping several sheep killing dogs while others discussed sightings of dogs roaming in semi open country. 

The group has now joined Facebook and details are available from Jodie Healey.

Members expressed their appreciation of a dog trapping school that was held at Bruinbun during the year and many believed that another similar school would be of real value for them. 

Local Land Services officer Paul Medway addressed the meeting and his work with this group is highly valued.

The annual group baiting scheme will be held during the first week of September and all landholders in the area are urged to become involved. 

If you are interested in being involved in this scheme, please ring Paul Medway on 6333 2300 or contact Mal and Jodie Healey at Turondale.

LOTS of country people will join me in saying farewell to station commander of Bathurst Fire Station, Peter Willard.

Peter has served our Bathurst community for more than two decades and moves on to become station commander at Taree.

Some of us remember Pete as being very handy with a tennis racquet before Father Time brought retirement to us.

Thanks for a job well done, Peter, and keep using your racquet in Taree.

ONE of our state’s leading stud breeders recently urged merino breeders to “keep it simple” with their annual calendar of operations and lamb, shear, crutch, mark and mules at the same time of each year.

This is precisely the way a farm business has operated through four generations of farmers and it gives a surety of family and business life.

Proponents of a different type of breeding operation propose a no mules, no crutch operation with a six-monthly shearing of staples that measure 65-75mm.

These operations would need to be flexible and allow for up to eight-monthly shearing but lambing percentages and general do-ability of adult sheep would probably improve considerably.

Producers who like to try new ideas are the ones who will most likely use a new approach.

ONLY a few more sleeps till the Perthville Village Fair in the Hall and on the lawns on Saturday, September 10.

Site bookings are still available with Iris and Brian Atkinson on 6337 2049.

This is always a fun day with many stalls, great variety, plenty of Perthville’s special sunshine and friendly people.

NEW Zealand farm management accountant Pita Alexander has kept detailed records of his farm clients from his long career and has analysed them. He highlights the importance of setting lifetime goals.

He followed a group of 15-year-old girls and boys through their 50 years until they reached retirement age. 

His records tell him that 28 would be deceased, 30 will be broke, 20 will still work full-time, 10 will be retired and living comfortably and three will be well off.

He stresses the importance of long-term financial plans and he accepts that even the best laid plans can come unstuck by unseen personal and business upheavals.

TWO old mates sat quietly at a nudist beach.  A young woman strolled past without clothes and George admired the spectacle, nudged his mate and whispered: “Wouldn’t she look great in a bikini.”

AS the Red Sea parted, Moses looked up and said: “Oh no Lord; I was just going in for a quick dip.”

THEY’D been married for 50 years and the reverend was enjoying a cuppa with them at the presbytery. He said, “In all those long years did you ever think of divorce?” and hubby replied, “Oh no, Father, not me darlin’ Kathleen.”  So father turned to Kathleen and asked the same question. She thought a while and said: “Not divorce Father, of course not, but murder, bloody murder, many times.”