CONGRATULATIONS to dealership principal Peter Russell and all the team at On Trac Ag Bathurst for being named New Holland Australia Dealer of the Year.
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This award recognises excellence in performance and service quality across New Holland's network of 104 dealers nationwide.
Clients of the Bathurst dealership know that this award is well-deserved and the On Trac Ag business premises are located on one of Bathurst's most eyecatching sites.
Care down there
FIBREGLASS products from Polymaster have established a solid reputation in farming products and a recent catalogue details troughs for sheep foot bathing that are light to handle, end-on-end joining connections and well-designed foot grips on floors.
A 300 litre trough that is 2.5 metres long and one metre wide at a price of $520 could be an asset on some properties.
No-one ever claims to be foot bathing sheep for virulent footrot, but zinc sulphate has always been a good product to sell in our district.
A lot of trading sheep have come into our area and care must be taken to address disease problems.
RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:
Hone your skills
THE prospect of a shearer/wool handlers' school on a property close to Bathurst should be of real interest to young people who are keen to work and make real money.
A man who had a dream of being a full-time professional shearer once told me: "I want to drive up to a sheep cockie's farm with some mates on a Monday morning and do a good job."
He learned well, shore his first hundred before he was 19 and would earn around $2000 per week at present and he loved the challenge.
Details of registration for the school from Peter Moore on 0419 011 398; Kirby McPhee; www.colonsaaystud.com.
Lots of jobs could be available in future as shed hands, pressers and classers.
AWI is sponsoring the five-day school and there is no charge to attendees.
This could be a golden opportunity for young people to hone their skills, get recognition for being willing to have a go, and make friends with workmates of the future.
Season's greetings
ONGOING falls of rain are providing our lovely Central Tablelands with a good winter season, an old-fashioned Bathurst winter and hopes of an early spring as soil moisture profiles are excellent at present.
There are lots of reports of bogged vehicles and a four ton Bobcat on a flat, muddy paddock can be seen like wrestling an oily, fat pig.
We must take care if using snatch straps as a snapped pin or shackle will travel far and fast.
Many small loads of hay are being traded and stored as good value is available at present and we know that good times don't last long.
Facing the masks
FACE masks are the order of the day as COVID risks are obvious in every situation.
Agriculture is providing much-needed cash flow to country towns as the business of farming has to continue on a daily basis.
NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns is showing us an old-fashioned face of Labor as a modern family man.
Premier Gladys and her government are exposed to plenty of criticism for acting slowly in their recent disease outbreak, but Mr Minns isn't using the politics of hate, instead he seems to want to help our citizens.
Our local Nationals members Andrew Gee and Paul Toole have not had to face an old-fashioned Labor opponent to this stage, but the day may come.
Make the move
CANDIDATES for council elections on Saturday, September 4 are starting to build their profiles and explain the policies that they hope to bring forward.
Bathurst residents realise that water security and traffic jams are of urgent consideration and our city needs a couple of real leaders to set the agenda for seven willing councillors.
This week's suggestion is to bring the Motor Museum from Mount Panorama to the former Tech College building in central William Street.
There could be a Bentley room, Ford, Jaguar and Holden rooms, with plenty of other rooms for council to rent.
While dad and the kids were at the museum, mum might spend quite a bit in the nearby shops.
Policy makers should have some great ideas to bring to voters.
Diary dates
- Monday, July 26: Bathurst Merino Association AGM, Bridge Hotel, Perthville. New members welcome.
- Saturday, August 14: Ram Expo at Bathurst Showground.
- Monday, August 16-August 20: Australian Wool Innovation wool harvesting school. Contact Peter Moore, 0419 011 398.
- Saturday, September 11: Perthville Village Fair. Stall bookings: perthvillefair2795@gmail.com
- Saturday, October 9: Trunkey Creek Show. Stall bookings: Peggy O'Brien, 0447 491 958.
Wool report
WITH more than 51,000 bales on offer in week one of the new selling season and a projected offering of 50,000 bales in week two, the trade went into week one slightly nervous of how the increased supply of wool of over 100,000 bales in the first two weeks of the financial year could affect our wool market.
Day one saw a retracement due to uncertainty and lack of new orders.
By the time the week had finished, we had seen the EMI gain back most of its losses, with finer microns only finishing 20ac cheaper for the week and 18.5 micron and broader dearer in Melbourne on the final day of selling.
The EMI finished the week only 3ac cheaper, down to 1420ac/kg.
Crossbred wool continues to struggle; 28 micron fleece seems to be trading in the 460-500ac/kg clean range.
It is really pleasing to see all sectors of the industry active again.
China is still taking the majority of merino wool. Italy is active on the better style, lower VM fine wools, even buying out as broad as 19.0 micron.
India is somewhat active and a large European processor is on both merino and crossbred types.
All intel is for a good close to sales in week two following sales of merino wool over the weekend.
This will be followed by the traditional three-week recess, which will allow exporters to get wool shipped and fill up the coffers for sales to recommence in the second week of August.
Richard Butcher, Nutrien Wool
Laugh lines
"THERE'S a lot to be said about marriage," she said. "Just please don't say it in front of the kids."
***
"DID you shrink from romance?" the counsellor asked.
"Oh no," she replied, "I've always been 48 kilograms."
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THEY sat together and she said: "Country life has been wonderful, dear, but one of us must pass on soon. You are nearly 80. I think I'll go to live in Queensland."
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A COW cockie always calls a spade a spade until he falls over one.