Fence repairs are clearly not my forte
The skills a dairy farmer – or family – needs are astounding when you start listing them:
- vet nurse/paramedic
- animal behaviouralist
- nutritionist
- mechanic
- chemist
- agronomist
- biologist
- environmentalist
- fencer
- machinery driver
- plumber
- electrical TA
- project manager
- accountant/book keeper
- trainer
- OHS officer
- human resources manager
Understandably, nobody’s good at all of these roles and some of us describe ourselves as a “tractor man” or a “cow lady” or “pasture supremo” or whatever takes their fancy. But, unfortunately, we all have to have a go at all of them. One thing I am not is a “fencing fellow” as the pic at the start of the post demonstrates. Our neighbour Rob can tie immaculate reef knots..in barbed wire…but then he’s both a sailor and engineer!
Sometimes, doing a good job means bringing in specialist expertise and equipment, so I am not shy of engaging good contractors and consultants. Might seem expensive in the short term but there are good savings to be made with the right advice.
By the way, here’s a strange-looking “paddock Yeti” left behind by the flood.
Yeti in the gully
The Milk Maid Marian 
I always chuckle when I hear farmers say that they don’t have any skills to go work in another career. When you list it out like that you can see how versatile farmers have to be.
Not only that, I hate the perception by some people that all farmers wear singlets and can’t string a sentence together. Farmers are constantly doing complicated mathematical calculations, managing risks, marketing their goods, all in addition to the hard manual labour. Show me a banker who can do his job and fix a broken axel on a multi-tonne truck or catch a lamb that’s escaped out of a paddock. Not that easy!
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