by Eliza ambrov Halwyn
For those of you who don't already know it, I live on a small (very small) farm in sub tropical Queensland Australia. My Friend Zoe Farris, lives in the capital city, Brisbane, about 1 hour 20 minutes away (by train or car - we live close to the railway thank goodness).
Recently Zoe has been spending part of every week up here, and is learning to be a country girl. (aka "City Slickers). She has milked a cow, ridden a horse, and very recently (the last few days) learnt about fencing with barb wire, flooded creeks and stupid cows.
My property spans a trickling creek. There is a very small paddock (just under 1/2 acre) on the other side. There is no proper, vehicle bearing, bridge so access to this paddock is restricted to whoever can either jump across the creek or walk across the plank bridge. This makes maintenance difficult.
We have had a fair bit of rain in the past two weeks and the other night it pounded down like someone had emptied huge buckets over us. The creek gave up and flooded. The cow, and her baby, was on the other side. (Aussie swearing removed to protect sensitive American ears). Not only that - but she was on the outside of our fence on the other side.
6.30am Thursday
Down to the creek trudge Channel and Companion. Meadow, the baby cow, was terribly distressed as she couldn't get to her mother, and when she saw us she flung herself into the raging torrent. Zoe, seeing the calf getting washed downstream, flung herself in from this side. The calf was washed by the current over to us. Fortunately so was Zoe. Result - calf on one side of flooded creek, mother on the other side, wet sime.
I came back up to make up cows breakfast to entice her back through the fence then returned to the raging torrent to see if there was a way across. After several attempts I decided that no, there wasn't. We would have to drive around to the houses on the other side and walk through their properties to get to Buttercup (the cow). I tied Meadow up so she wouldn't try to get back to mum, and Zoe and I drove around and tiptoed past peoples houses and down their paddocks to where the cow contentedly ate other peoples grass. Due to the loose nature of the wire in the fence, getting her back through to our side was simple. If she would only lead!
Sopping wet Channel and Companion head back to car and home for hot showers.
I left Meadow (the baby) in the barn in the hope that her cries would bring Buttercup (the mother) home.
7.30 am Thursday
Meadows constant crying from the barn, and Buttercups answers from down the paddock are driving us insane. I let Meadow out and put her in a small paddock next to the barn in the hope that it would shut her up.
8.30am Thursday
Meadow jumps out of the paddock and swims back across flooded creek to mum. That little cow is too gymnastic for her own good.
11am Thursday
Cow back through fence into neighbors yard. Rain temporarily stopped, creek still flooded. Go get cow.
4pm Thursday
Cow back through fence into neighbors yard. Thunderstorm - cow can (Australian swearing removed to protect delicate American ears) stay there.
5.30 Thursday
Storm over, go get cow.
6am Friday
Cow back through fence in neighbors yard, creek down. I wade across it - up to my chest but not running as fiercely - trying not to spill the cows breakfast that I need to entice her back again. (My matchmate asleep on the camp bed in the lounge room wondering why she is suddenly so cold.)
7.30am Friday
Repeat proceedings
10 am Friday
Repeat proceedings
4 pm Friday
Thunderstorm - creek rises again. Oh well.
During all this Meadow has decided that she is a swimming cow and has taken delight in terrifying both her mother and us by swimming back and forwards across the creek.
6am Saturday - oh hell, lets just say that Saturday is a repeat of the previous days. I'm getting really good at wading across creeks and have run out of dry clothing. (I don't have a clothes dryer. Over here 90% of people use the sun to dry clothing - I plan to buy on ASAP now).
Saturday night - fight with husband about fence. We were to go see the play "Not now Darling" but he decided that after my demands for a fence (he wasn't here - he didn't have to go across flooded creeks 4 - 5 times a day, therefore we need do nothing about a fence) he didn't want to go to the play with us. I pointed out that I had no clear funds in my bank to buy the tickets I had booked so he gave me his card. Foolish man :) Quick trip to the bank to get out money for tickets and see how much he has in his bank and we went to see the play. Zoe tells me it was very funny. I think I slept through it.
Sunday 7am
Hardware opens. Eliza, card in hand, buys a roll of barb wire, a pair of fencing pliers, and mis. other fencing equipment with husbands money. Cost, $125.00
Sunday 7.30am
Zoe and Eliza struggle to get a 50kg roll of barb wire down the paddock to the creek. It rolled down the hill very well. I surveyed the creek to see how best to get the wire across. While I was doing this, the wire got away from me and rolled into the creek at one of the deepest spots. (about 5 foot).
(Australian swearing removed to protect delicate American ears)
(Australian swearing removed to protect delicate American ears)
(Australian swearing removed to protect delicate American ears)
I got into the creek and felt around with my foot until I located it, then hitched my toe under the loop handle and raised it enough to get a rope tied to it. As it was already in the creek we decided to pull it out on the other side.
So Zoe and Eliza standing on a slippery wet clay bank, heaving 50kg of wet barbed wire plus who knows how many kg's of creek bottom out of a flooded, fast flowing creek.
We did it. To make a long story somewhat shorter we also put up an extra two strands of barb wire along the back fence. Then we went back across the creek, cold, wet, sore and scratched, but feeling relieved that the job was done, to hot showers and trin tea.
12.30 pm Sunday
Cow in neighbors yard. (Australian swearing removed to protect delicate American ears)
Back down we went. We had left the wire over there thank goodness. The fence was down along the creek, not where we had added the wire, but in an almost inaccessible area under trees on a slope similar to a child’s slippery dip and made of wet clay. 2 hours later (and 20 minutes before Zoes train left) we have a sort of fence there as well.
Back across the creek, Zoe dries off and catches the train home.
You want to know the WORST bit? She ENJOYED it!!!
6am Monday
With heart in mouth I check cows position. (HEAVENLY CHOIR) She is STILL on this side of the fence! WE DID IT!!!!!
Thank you Zoe :)