BATHURST Merino Association held its AGM last week and elections resulted in:

President Warwick Larnach, vice-president Richard Butcher, secretary Kirby McPhee, assistant secretary Jill Blanch, treasurer Graeme Ross.

The committee comprises Rob McLeod, John Dwyer, Peter Moore, Scott Seaman, N. Fogarty, Hugh Webb, Col McPhee, Brian Seaman, Michael Inwood and Stuart Kelly.

The group has plans for its Annual Ram Expo and Working Dog Auctions well in hand for Saturday, August 11 at Bathurst Showground, and the annual Ewe Competition in the area to the north of Bathurst will be held in March 2019.

A BIG thank you to Radio 2BS and Town and Country Rural Supplies for their ongoing support to the local rural community, as this is high profile support and really means “we’re thinking of you as friends”.

Meanwhile, Phil Donato and his Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party are being given three full stumps to bowl at by our NSW Government as current interest free loans don’t seem to have attracted many starters.

Phil’s party have appointed their own drought co-ordinator and this lady seems to be practical and is a good listener, and doesn’t seem to have a tin ear.

So where to now for drought support in NSW? State and federal ag ministers are meeting as I write and outcomes will be intriguing. Options could be:

PERTHVILLE’S newest citizen is Miss Louella Plummer, who is a precious baby sister for Wyatt. Congratulations to Hannah and Cam Plummer and the proud grandparents.

CATTLE auction markets have fluctuated. Quite a lot of EOFY sales had obviously attracted smaller landholders whose accountants have offered advice to ensure that the $20,000 annual turnover of their farm business is achieved.

This mandatory figure can be reached by careful livestock trading at the end or start of a financial year and it can certainly skew auction prices at sales around this time.

THE modern CTLX selling complex at Carcoar has certainly proven its worth during current conditions as store lambs, sheep and cattle find a home across a wide area.

When Bathurst lost its local saleyards, many producers from the Bathurst, Sofala and Oberon areas also lost their social point of contact and their easy to reach saleyard.

When a possible site for a regional yard at Raglan was discussed, it was never envisaged that the volume of highway traffic would reach the present stage so quickly.

The thought of lines of loaded livestock transports through Kelso and Raglan shows us just how much our city and its surrounds have changed.

Most of us miss our Bathurst saleyards but we also appreciate the CTLX complex.

RECENT articles in the rural press describe the efforts of two Tarana farmers who had conserved hay and silage in underground pits that were covered for some years.

Silage grabs and hay forks fitted to front end loaders have made the task of recovering covered fodder supplies well within reach of many producers.

When good growing seasons return, many farmers may be tempted to put silage, hay and grain into covered pits as dry conditions will always be a part of living in our Great South Land.

Tarana farmers Richard Webb and Peter Moore deserve praise for their foresight in storing fodder supplies underground, and they would be excellent speakers on the subject at producers meetings in future.

FOUR-YEAR-OLD grandson was asked to say grace before the party lunch. He thanked God for mum, dad, grandma, pop, all the aunties, uncles, cousins, the turkey and sauce, fruit salad, pies, cake and even the cream. He paused, looked up at mum and asked: “If I thank Him for the broccoli, won’t he know I’m fibbing?”

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THE sheep stud breeder was on the couch at the psychiatrist to start his therapy session.

“Let’s start at the very beginning,” the doctor said. 

“Of course,” our man replied. “In the beginning, I created the Heavens and the Earth.”