Remember the resilience of all those who came before us | Rural Notebook

Landlords who own (or are paying off) shopfront premises must be feeling the pinch if their investment property is vacant.

Every farmer is affected by the downturn in seasons and livestock markets. We have developed a reputation for resilience, as the generations before us did, and a few simple rules may help us to concentrate:

FLETCHER International has grown into a very big business that operates meat processing works in Dubbo and Albany and employs many hundreds of workers.

A lot of these workers are immigrants and they need comfortable accommodation as they help to keep the wheels of the redmeat industry turning.

Roger Fletcher tells of his company's purchase of a hotel, many motel-like units and demountable buildings to accommodate his new workers.

In his quoted words: "We don't say here's your job, pitch a tent and start at 7am in the morning."

RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

I KNOW that a lot of readers will join with me to congratulate Dr Ross Wilson on his receiving the Brian Williams Award that acknowledges medical practitioners whose mentoring and support enables rural GPs to dedicate themselves to their communities.

We know how well deserved this is by our Professor Ross Wilson.

IS it just me or are the current ads for rural inputs quite insulting to the farming community?

The ad that features "what the?" is particularly grating and I wonder if it sells much product because of the ad.

Most of the farmers that I know are down-to-earth, practical business people who put in the hours and take the risks to produce the food and fibre that the world needs to survive.

A CHEERIO call to Perthville farmer Milton Naylor, who has had a few health problems.

Your many friends in Bathurst and district are looking forward to seeing "the Colonel" up and about again very soon.

THE war drums beat louder each week and we all hope for peace in our world.

Most of our rural organisations are keeping a low profile in NSW, but across the border in Victoria, the Victorian Farmers Federation is currently in turmoil as the president and her board are under legal challenge for their positions halfway through their elected two-year term.

A Supreme Court judge will decide very shortly if a group of disgruntled federation members can have the power to call an extraordinary meeting to challenge the present office bearers.

We must be thankful that all of our state rural associations and boards are settled and operating well.

SEVERAL comments have been made on a recent reference to walking livestock to the former Bathurst Saleyards.

Stock routes from every direction marked the pathway around the CBD and these roads were used every week for walking livestock.

A few names of owner-operators of livestock carriers who changed the industry: Max and Tony Stocks, Sid and Bill Jones, Austin Hagney, Gordon Dunn, Ken Cole and Murray Owens, just to name a few.

Before the stock trucks, there were a number of very capable drovers including George and Herb Piper.

As a teenager, I got to ride a pony for George on a yearly job and I always called him Mister Piper.

THE newly released plug-in hybrid EV Ford Ranger Dual Cab Ute has the ability to operate power tools, camping and household appliances and requisites.

This probably means that holiday makers could leave their generators at home and rely on the Ranger.

Ford Australia is experiencing a great upturn at present. The utes have been at the top of sales for some months and the Everest has been awarded Car of the Year by Wheels Magazine.

Bathurst Merino Association life member Col Ferguson tells me that he competed in lots of Bathurst Light Car Club events in a hotted-up Ford Prefect in the 1950s and 60s and loved the little English car.

PLEASE don't forget Pomanara's ram sale tomorrow at 1pm on-property at Sallys Flat.

WEEK 17 of Australian wool sales had an offering of 36,442 bales, of which 94 per cent was sold.

It was largely an unchanged week overall, however, 17.5 micron and finer were up to 20ac dearer, while the 18 micron indicator eased a little.

Crossbreds eased slightly, though there was interest for these from processors and traders alike.

Carding types continue to be very difficult to sell, so they remain unloved and at low prices.

The next offering will be slightly larger of around 45,000 bales.

GEORGE asked the bar girl for a double whisky to settle his heartbeat because he'd had a blazing row with his wife.

He was asked who won.

"Well, she did come to me on her hands and knees," he said, "and then she said 'come out from under the bed, you little worm'."

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HE said he'd bought his girlfriend a diamond ring for her birthday.

He thought she'd like a Jeep, but he couldn't find a fake Jeep.