Thread: Anybody need a change of scenery?

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In answer to your question Ryan:

The original block was 329 acres, of which approximately 200 acres was solid virgin bush. ('Woods' to you Americans.) What was cleared had been subdivided into three paddocks. (Fields.) Our first year on the place we milked 87 cows and there was not enough grass to feed them adequately.
We couldn't raise young stock because a) we had no calf-rearing facilities and b) we had no paddocks to put them in to keep them separate from the milking herd.
All supplementary feed had to be bought in because a) we had no land flat enough to mow, (it was all just as it had come out from under the bush, with rimu and rata logs lying all over the place, great holes where stumps had rotted out,) and b) we had no fences to keep stock out to stop them grazing it.
I logged up and fenced several of the easier areas, drained and tiled them, bulldozed them with a little Oliver OC3 calf-dozer, disced them, and grassed them out.
I also cut fencelines through the bush and fenced it into smaller and smaller blocks until it was all in 20 acre or less blocks, starting with a chainsaw, then discovered TD9 bulldozers, then graduated to a 12 ton MF 450S draindigger. (Track hoe.)
I put in metal races (gravel tracks,) bridges and culverts, and reticulated water to every paddock.
When we sold the farm proper (keeping our house, sheds, and one paddock,) we were milking 240 cows, raising our own replacement stock, with all supplements (hay, silage etc,) grown on farm.
I've had a great working life; creating my own and my family's secure future with my own sweat.
(And blood too at times!)
I've been very fortunate.
The right bloke, at the right time, given the right opportunity in the right place, and had the right attitude.
I've been extremely lucky.