STORY 1
The dog with no tail and the beach umbrella
Halbury farmer, David Anderson can proudly recite the model number of every piece of machinery he’s owned yet he can’t quite recall the name of the bob-tailed dog in the photograph taken in the 1970s.
“Poor little pup,— he says. “It had a terrible habit of following the last wheel on the combine and one time I stopped, and he got a bit caught.— The unfortunate old mutt survived, minus the tail, but learned to stay well clear in the paddock.
David first took the wheel of his father’s tractor at the age of 14.
“I couldn’t leave school quick enough to get home on the farm,— he says. “I’ve never wanted to be anything other than a farmer.— In 1878, his grandfather settled in the district between Rhynie and Balaklava working the fertile black soils with a horse drawn wagon.
As the farm grew, so did the machines. David has had 12 headers across that time, speaking fondly of each one like it was an old friend. From the International Harvester Co of Australia GL-200 header harvester (made in Geelong, 1954) to the latest Case IH 8250 model which “is so flash it does everything itself—.
Now at 84, this is the first year in seven decades that he hasn’t driven a header during harvest (“I reckon I’m too old for it—) but he’s pleased to watch his son, Grant, a fifth-generation farmer, who is continuing the Anderson tradition as a broad acre crop and hay producer.
So, what’s the secret to a successful, multigeneration family farm?
“You’ve got to have a love of the land and look after it,— David says with a smile. “The land is always the heart of your business.—
And getting back to the photo, why the beach umbrella?
“That was my air-conditioned cabin,— he explains the home-made modification. “My longest stint during harvest was 48 hours straight without sleep and it can get a bit hot and dirty out there.—
David Anderson on his International Harvester A8-4 Header Harvester