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Hello Hello

Welcome to another edition of the Square Leg Files. Last week we could only be found on the blog as the Marnoo Community News didn’t go to print. This week I think we are back in both. Here we go again

On trial

Some of you may have heard this before but I just thought I would revisit because I think it’s funny. You see many years ago a friend of former Marnoo Shopkeeper John “Noisy” Nisbet was given the ultimatum. His wife said to him “it’s either me or the grog, what’s it going to be?” He said, “I’ll give the grog a months trial”

Busking in the street

I have it on good authority that about 2 years ago the combination of Gary “Larry” Cameron and Stewart “Smacka” MacPherson did a busking duo on the streets of Melbourne. Not sure how many $$$ they made but it would have been entertaining.

Harvest winds up

The harvest throughout the area is all but finished after what you would call a long drawn out event. I think most people were reasonably happy with the outcome but I was told that after the last big rain the grain wasn’t much chop. Some Barley was going feed 3 and there is no apparent market for that

Cricket trip

Not sure how many are coming but the MCC cricket trip to Yarrawonga is on. On the agenda is a boat cruise on the lake and a chance to win $2000 in the Yarrawonga Mulwala CC last man standing. It’s on the weekend of the 13^th of March.

More rain on the way they say

As I write this little column it is heading toward 42 degrees but that’s not the main weather item everyone is talking about. Everyone I cross in the street has heard there is another 8 inch deluge coming in February. All I can say is, I hope not because if that happened Charlton would go under for the 4 time in 6 months.

Landline back next weekend

I love nothing better on a Sunday to sit back and watch Landline at 12 noon, but since early December all we have been getting is repeats. Now fair dinkum guys how long do you need off, these guys have more holidays than school teachers. This weekend coming sees the return of Landline and my Sunday routine can get back to some form normality.

A word from the sponsor

Product Tender has just completed approx a $300,000 fencing order, yes that’s around 80km of fencing for one farmer. And I am told they had some ripping quotes. Now that harvest is over for some of you, it’s time to plan for the next cropping season. Everything you purchase for the farm can be put through Product Tender and it’s FREE to use. Just make sure that when you put something on that you are in a buying mood. Just go to www.thefarmtrader.com.au and click on PRODUCT TENDER and then LIST SOMETHING. Remember firstly you have to join the website.

That will do

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Welcome again

Another weekend just flies on by, they seem to go very quickly when you jam so many things in. However I love my job so I am happy when Monday comes around. So welcome to this weeks SLF and I am informed that this weeks “files” are not going to print so you will only exclusively view them on the blog. Well here we go….

Washup of the floods

I was back in the area last week albeit briefly and there has been some damage done to the local roads in the area. But we have to consider ourselves lucky as I went through Bridgewater, Charlton & Donald last week. Boy Charlton looks like a bomb had hit it. And what about the farmland around Serpentine, fair dinkum it will take ages for the water to dissipate on that flat country. It really is devastating for farmers in the flood hit areas. Check out this http://www.thefarmtrader.com.au/articles/flooded-central-western-victoria

Harvest drawn out

Just thinking then about how long the harvest has been drawn out this year, with many still not finished. It reminded my of the late Alan “Dumb Bastard” Marshall who used to harvest the oats in about March and auger them straight into the combine from the header and start sowing them. Now that was efficiency.

Buy your next ute or car on Product Tender

Our sponsor “Product Tender” just did a ripping deal on a ute last week. The farmer got 9 separate quotes and there was about $3500 difference in the highest or lowest quote. Just sign in or join then go to the PRODUCT TENDER page and click on LIST SOMETHING. That’s all you do www.thefarmtrader.com.au

Mooned

I reckon I saw something rare the other morning. As the sun was going up the very full moon was going down.

In China they let it rain - WTF

Talking to my old mate Ross “AR” Loats the other day at a fuel station at Donald and we were talking about the floods and he said “we just have to do what the Chinese do when it rains, They let it rain”. Then he starts laughing and so do I because I have absolutely no idea what it was all about….

Hot bed

Talking about Ross Loats, my Yarrawonga mate Dwain “Daryl” Duxson was telling me he used to turn Loat’s electric blanket on 3 at Bendigo Country week cricket and the old fella used to wake up in a sweat. For those that know Bendigo Country week is in early Feb and the weather is usually a scorcher, certainly not electric blanket weather. When Duxson stopped going to country week Hayden “Howard” McLennan then took over this very important role. Poor old Ross

See yu

Proudly bought to you by www.thefarmtrader.com.au

Welcome again
Another weekend just flies on by, they seem to go very quickly when you jam so many things in. However I love my job so I am happy when Monday comes around. So welcome to this weeks SLF and I am informed that this weeks “files” are not going to print so you will only exclusively view them on the blog. Well here we go….

Washup of the floods
I was back in the area last week albeit briefly and there has been some damage done to the local roads in the area. But we have to consider ourselves lucky as I went through Bridgewater, Charlton & Donald last week. Boy Charlton looks like a bomb had hit it. And what about the farmland around Serpentine, fair dinkum it will take ages for the water to dissipate on that flat country. It really is devastating for farmers in the flood hit areas. Check out this http://www.thefarmtrader.com.au/articles/flooded-central-western-victoria

Harvest drawn out
Just thinking then about how long the harvest has been drawn out this year, with many still not finished. It reminded my of the late Alan “Dumb Bastard” Marshall who used to harvest the oats in about March and auger them straight into the combine from the header and start sowing them. Now that was efficiency.

Buy your next ute or car on Product Tender
Our sponsor “Product Tender” just did a ripping deal on a ute last week. The farmer got 9 separate quotes and there was about $3500 difference in the highest or lowest quote. Just sign in or join then go to the PRODUCT TENDER page and click on LIST SOMETHING. That’s all you do www.thefarmtrader.com.au

Mooned
I reckon I saw something rare the other morning. As the sun was going up the very full moon was going down.

In China they let it rain - WTF
Talking to my old mate Ross “AR” Loats the other day at a fuel station at Donald and we were talking about the floods and he said “we just have to do what the Chinese do when it rains, They let it rain”. Then he starts laughing and so do I because I have absolutely no idea what it was all about….

Hot bed
Talking about Ross Loats, my Yarrawonga mate Dwain “Daryl” Duxson was telling me he used to turn Loat’s electric blanket on 3 at Bendigo Country week cricket and the old fella used to wake up in a sweat. For those that know Bendigo Country week is in early Feb and the weather is usually a scorcher, certainly not electric blanket weather. When Duxson stopped going to country week Hayden “Howard” McLennan then took over this very important role. Poor old Ross

See yu

Proudly bought to you by www.thefarmtrader.com.au

Welcome again

Well what an amazing week it’s been. Unprecedented flooding and rain throughout the district with some people getting up to 10 inches over a 4 day period. The older guys are saying they have never seen a flood and rain event like it before.

Focus on the farm as well

The focus has been well and truly on the 30 odd towns effected by flooding but we need to spare a thought for the farmers and farms that have been flooded. I know this will be a devastating blow for many farmers, especially along flooded creek and river flats. Fences, stocks, crops, pastures, farm houses, sheds, vehicles and machinery have all been affected. And worst of all a lot of insurance policies wont cover many of the above-mentioned items.

Humour amongst the devastation

Our very own Stewart “Smacka” MacPherson has been doing it tough on his farm which is split by the Dunmunkle Creek. I’m pretty sure a big part of his farm was flooded and the surrounds of his house up to the floorboard but luckily not over them. I had to laugh when he wrote on Facebook “sorry guys for not getting back to you so soon, been wrestling with mother nature the cranky old bitch”

Jacks back, not really he didn’t really go anywhere

Listening to the Country Hour today on the ABC and who do I hear, our very own John “Jack” Cameron and let me tell you he didn’t let the punters down. He was telling it like it is as per usual about the floods and rain but he relayed to about 100,000 rural listeners that his biggest fear is now a fire for the area. The reporter was a bit taken aback with this and asked why? Jack said “one would get going now and we wouldn’t stop because all the fire trucks would get bogged, so we would have to run out with wet hessian bags like we used to 50 years ago to stop it”. That last bit was classic “Jack” and I’m not sure what the reporter was thinking after that statement. In times of crisis Jack will keep us entertained.

Is Don is good

Banyena Guru Don McAllister was the following act to Jack cameo on the Country Hour and again told it like it is or was. He had a massive floods go over his property and has lost a lot of fencing. No holidays this year Don said, “we will have to stay home fencing”

That’s it

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Welcome to 2011

You have to be excited with the arrival of 2011, things are looking up for the district which has suffered the last 10+ years under the prolonged drought and 2010 was the first year out of that predicament. Let’s hope we can string at least 5 debt busting years together for the good of everyone in the community.

Will the Square Leg Files continue……

I mentioned before the Christmas/New year break that it was up in the air as to whether I would continue to write this column, well I am still not sure, so I may as well keep going in the short term and see how it goes. Hey somebody else might want to do it??????

Cricket trip planned

I caught up with my old Marnoo buddy John “Noisy” Nisbet and his lovely wife Joy “Joybells” over the weekend and we have planned the MCC end of year cricket trip. Former Marnooian Dwain “Daryl” Duxson and a few other likely types have invested in a barby boat and it’s a great day out enjoying a beer or two and just cruising around Lake Mulwala. So we are organising for the MCC players to join in an aquatic weekend on the long weekend in March (12, 13, 14). Should be plenty of stories come out of that one if it happens.

Rain this week

At the time of writing the forecast is for rain and plenty of it. I know that most people in the district haven’t finished harvest yet so it’s not welcome. But by the time Friday comes around they are talking up to 200mm in some places. They believe that all this rainfall that we are experiences is the rare combination of La Nina and the Indian (or Pacific????) Ocean dipole.

Batyo Catyo a winner

I have heard that the great lake has been a real winner this Summer even through the Summer hasn’t really been Summer as such. I’m told that a few people are starting to camp out there and once harvest finishes we will see more and more people frequent the place.

Christmas eve in the park

I managed to get to the Christmas eve in the park show that was organised by the Navy Blue Supporters Group and being removed from the district on a day to day basis meant that there were some new faces that I didn’t really know. I’m told the school is going to receive a shot in the arm with at least 6 new students this year.

Product Tender – Now that’s buying power – A word from the sponsor

Once harvest has finished it’s time for the farmers to take a break and after that it’s time to start focussing on the new season ahead. Product Tender has now done in-excess of 100 deal for farmers all over the country and if you are serious about saving money on all your farm inputs then you need to start using it. So don’t complain about the price of inputs when you can go part of the way to doing something about it. So join or login with your email address and password and click on the PRODUCT TENDER page and then click on LIST SOMETHING and you are away. Remember to add as much detail as possible and you must be in a buying mood. Remember it’s your money JACK………

Talk next week