Farmers rarely do anything in halves. If there is a job worth doing then it is worth doing properly and these dry times are forcing us to look for alternative feed sources for our stock. The latest instalment in this chapter is 15 tonnes of cotton seed, which seems quite a lot. It is light and fluffy with the rather unappetising texture of wool or felt. However the cattle and sheep don’t seem to mind it and it is sustaining them for now. The horses and pet goats are curious but not exactly dining out on it, just yet.
There has always been a large timber chopping block between our sheds and our dog’s kennels. It is mostly used for chopping large chunks of meat for the dogs or other messy things that are better off chopped, dispatched or dealt with in the outdoors. So, when the time came for a new block this was another job that was not going to be done by halves.
The large machinery was necessary to move this enormous stump from its original position. As it was moved it became apparent that it might actually be worthy of a higher ranking position than the dog meat block. So, for now it is still sitting in the paddock while we contemplate a final destination for this gnarly stump.
Perhaps it could be used for weekend smokos and cups of tea. It is big enough to be both chair and table all at once.
It makes a solid leaning post in the afternoon light.
It isn’t a bad place to rest the camera while capturing a dust storm rolling by.
It is a stable platform for photography projects including a bunch of spring things from the garden.
Cracked pepper Jatz, a cold beer and some oozy cheese after a busy Saturday perhaps?
In other news, thank you to Luisa Brimble I have recently become involved in Farmer – The Cookbook project. You might want to read about it or maybe support it and you may even see some familiar faces in some of the photos. It is all very exciting and I cannot wait to see this venture unfold.
Any projects happening at your place?
Are you waiting to find the right spot for something?
What would you do with a very large block?
Happy Sunday, friends x
Anne
Looks as though your stump will be the beginning of an outdoor photography studio. It looks magnificent. Farmer looks a wonderful project and it will be great if it raises funds.
Jane S
Thank you Anne, it is a great solid block for photography.
Kate
That’s one solid block. Cath (twominutepostcards.com) and I have just been walking in Barrington Tops national parks and marvelling at the size of the red cedar stumps that are all that’s left after decades of logging. They dwarf you.
Cold beers and oozy cheese. The best Friday night dinner ever.
Jane S
Sounds like a wonderful walk!
Chookyblue
didn’t think you should feed cotton seed to horses…………(or pigs or chooks)
WOW the block does not truly show it size in the first pic………….that was one huge tree…………I would be putting it to good use in the garden or down the paddock at a favourite picnic spot…………love the pics you have taken with it…………
Jane S
Perhaps not Chooky, they don’t seem to want to eat it anyway. Yes, we thought of using it as a permanent picnic table, the trouble is we tend to go to different places for picnics depending on the seasons, water in dams etc! Thank you for calling in.
Francesca
Best wishes for the production of the book and more importantly, the revenue raising for a good cause. Cotton seed feed- now that’s ingenious – I’m so pleased you found a temporary solution. The block does make an ideal paddock table for tea, beer and afternoon bickies- glad that it gets to live another life.
Jane S
Thank you Francesca, yes it was unfortunate that we had to remove such a big tree. It is nice to see it get a second life.
Laura
That is one impressive stump and clearly proving to be practical too. Such hard times. My dad is in central nsw and looks like little chance of harvesting much at all (if anything). Farmer sounds like a very worthwhile project.
Cheers,
Laura
Jane S
Thank you for calling in Laura, I admire the farmers who grow crops, it is a completely different world for us, although we all rely on the rain.
Anne
Thank you for such a great website….”Farmer” is such fantastic, creative idea…have ordered a copy and bale combination.
I will definitely share the initiative with friends & encourage them to support our magnificent farmers.
Regards. Anne
Jane S
Thank you Anne.