Australian Bush Harvest: On the Land

A landowner's story. The day doesn’t start with an alarm clock — it begins with the sun creeping over the horizon, and there are animals to feed, crops to plant, and a few uninvited guests — ferals that help themselves as if they own the place. The kangaroos never did get the memo about fences, so there’s always wire to mend before moving on to the next job. The tractor seems to know the busiest days to demand an oil change, and the dog’s already sitting on the ute, wondering what’s taking you so long. The weather is a character all its own. Today the forecast promised rain, but all we got was dust. Tomorrow it’ll probably say “clear skies,” and we’ll get a downpour instead. You learn not to take it personally — it’s just part of land management. It’s seven days a week, sun up to sun down, and sometimes even later. There’s no knock-off bell, no “see you Monday,” and no shortcuts. The work is tough, the hours are long, and it’s not always fair. But there’s also a kind of reward in it that’s hard to explain to anyone who hasn’t lived it. Because in between the broken fences, the stubborn tractors, and the unpredictable skies, there are moments that make it all worthwhile — the first rain after a dry spell, the smell of freshly cut hay, the quiet of a paddock at dusk. It’s those little things, alongside the commitment to sustainable agriculture and using eco-friendly products, that remind you why you’re here, and why, no matter how hard it gets, you wouldn’t trade life on the land for anything else.