SurroundedByGrass.

Well hi everyone. I am Jana from BlueRageDesigns.net. And this is my new blog. Welcome. This blog is more of a personal one, as I’ve recently moved out of home and onto a farm. All by myself.

So I moved in to my little unit on the 1st of June. And “Started work” on the second, not that I did much.

Ockie is my boss, as well as J.P (short for his real name which I cannot spell nor say). They are really nice people. Which is always good. Ockie owned a farm over in South Africa, and J.P started working on farms in NZ (They are both South African, fluent Affricans). Both of their wives are very friendly. Which is also a bonus.

So the basics of the farm? 800 hefers on a 50 aside heiring bone. Dairy farm obv. That’s heaps of cows. To me anyhow.

I don’t know anything about farming, OK well I lie, I studied Ag last year via corrospodence, but that wasn’t practicle work. It was all theory.

So baiscly I’ve come here not knowing a whole lot. And my bosses know that thankfully.

On the 2nd I didn’t really do a lot, at all. I got up at 7, got dressed into my new farm clothes and thermals, only to go out driving. Facinating stuff. We looked at some cows, I thought we where going to do something after lunch, but apprently not! So I did nothing after that, I heated some of ‘em pre cooked meals. twas quite nice (Don’t worry, my blog won’t be this lame usually).

On the 3rd I learnt what “Drafting” is. It’s when you seperate a perticular type of cow from the heard. This time it was the skinny cows. What I did that day? I stood and flapped my arms so the cows wouldn’t go the way they where not meant to. You heat up pretty fast! It reminded me of rugby actually (I used to play). You must block the cow from going somewhere, the moves I used that day I used in rugby. So yes. Yay for rugby.

On the 4th I rode the motorbike. Dang those things are heavy! I already knew how to run it, ride it etc. It was a little different from the one I learnt to ride, but only little things. I’m going to be honest and say I rode into a fence. Yes that’s right. Although it was just a peice of string. I still can’t remember what they’re called. String that seperates paddics etc. Standards and string? I can’t remember. But yeah… The sun was shining on it and I couldn’t see it, I was looking for it and I just rode right into it. Gr. I got back up and running though.

The next day I shoveled out some rocks / dirt / water from the feeding troughs. No one here knows why the previous workers put rocks etc in the troughs. But it was my job to get ‘em clean. Which took only an hour or so. But I actaully enjoyed it. And that’s the thing, I like working outside, no matter what I’m doing, cleaning or falling off my bike, it’s just so awesome to have the wind in my hair! Yay!

I also learnt how to ride a tractor. Ride a tractor? Make it go? I don’t know. But yes. That was fun, it’s not as hard as I thought. It’s pretty dang easy really.

So that’s the farming side of things. The living alone bit? Well;

It’s GREAT! Sure I get freaking board sometimes, but now I have the net, and bunnie ears for the TV. And there are guys living next door, but I am to shy to introduce myself!

So that’s the first blog for Surroundedbygrass. It was just the basics. Later I shall put more interesting things up!

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