Having planned to travel to Europe this year (a trip that did not eventuate due to Covid 19), we booked a short holiday in the state’s southwest region instead.
In this corner of the state, there are tall trees, lush growth, waterfalls, moss, full rivers, and immaculately maintained walk trails and tracks.
Continue reading “Southbound”Work commitments, more than lifestyle has kept us on this farm. The farmer has been on his own now, having left a farming partnership with his brother almost ten years ago. I have had a reliable off-farm income for many years now.
Continue reading “Country work, farm work”Imagine your children leaving for boarding school before they become teenagers. My three daughters left the farm between the age of 12 and 13, and sad to say, they never really came back. That’s young to leave your hometown. As a mother, I found this extremely hard. Spending time with them now as adults are one of the main reasons why I want to leave the farm.
Now that I have well, almost retired, I feel relaxed enough to sit outdoors and watch the ways of the natural world. I fully appreciate the garden I have tended for years. I acknowledge the beauty of the sensational autumn roses I have grown here on the farm.
Continue reading “Country garden”
There is no doubt that women carry more weight as they get older. This may be due to hormonal changes, health issues, a more sedentary lifestyle, an increase in stress, less sleep, or natural muscle loss. Since I took leave from my office job, I have lost 2 kg with very little effort. The farm lifestyle is inherently active.
Continue reading “Active after 50”This is where the farmer was raised, and where our children grew up. The farm has become an intricate part of our identity and when I think about leaving (when the time comes), a sense of nostalgia creeps in, for the lives we have led and for the lives that have changed. Memories of the children growing up on the farm are still so vivid, from when the place was alive with laughter, joy, play, and the occasional tear.
Becoming a grandmother has been one of the most important and beautiful things in my life. I can’t tell you how much I love my little grandson. Coming from a family of nine sisters, attending an all-girls boarding school, and giving birth to three daughters means that I know very little about boys.
Finally, I have one in my life now. I could be with him all day every day if I could. In fact, I jokingly talk about stealing him, but I would never do that to him, his mother and father. I’m full of love for him, like my own child, all over again.
Continue reading “Becoming a grandmother”Dare I say it! Rural people are disadvantaged. Living in a city certainly allows for greater medical options and choice. I am not old, mid-50s, relatively active, and seriously motivated to live a good, fun, and energetic life.
As a woman, I feel scared and worried about the aging process. In fact, the fifties are often referred to as the forgotten decade. But, what does a country woman do when she needs medical support or advice? She gets a referral from a GP and makes an appointment in the city.
To do this, you have to plan to travel outside of the agricultural season so that your absence isn’t too conspicuous in the running of the farm. For me, there have been some epic failures!
Living and working outdoors has its drawbacks. My lifestyle is such that I am outdoors much of the time (farm work, gardening, walking, riding, running, motorcycling, boating). I fear to die from skin cancer. This fear is well-founded, having Irish born parents. My mother died from melanoma in her eighties. Like her, I want to live long enough so that I can see my children and grandchildren. Unfortunately, my skin cancer concerns have been realised. I am fastidious about regular skin checks because I have had many basal and squamous cell cancers removed recently, and in the past. The images below (Read More) reveal the various stages of Efudix treatment. Fear not, your skin improves in a matter of weeks.
The farmer’s family settled in this region over 100 years ago and where we, this generation have conducted our lives. We have produced legumes, pulses, grain, meat, and wool.
More recently, there has been a change in land use in that is has become home to WA’s largest solar farm. At the time of writing, power has not yet been connected to the main grid. Once connected to Western Power, it will have an expected output of 281GWh of electricity annually, generating enough energy to power approximately 42,000 Western Australian homes.
The solar farm was constructed over a period of 3 months, making it the largest solar farm in Western Australia. The small town saw an increase of almost 500 people in the latter part of 2019. After a 12 hour shift, the streets filled with backpacker workers, tradespeople, managers, and their teams. The pubs were lively, and any available accommodation was filled.
Come January, the town became deserted once more. People took their annual holidays and the workers left.
Continue reading “Merredin Solar Farm”
