Newsletter No 20 May 2010.

Newsletter 20 May 2010 We thought it was time to send out another newsletter to let you know that we are alive and well. Christmas came and went and was enjoyed by all the Blanch family as it was our turn to have them all home. Sixteen of us sat down to dinner with lots of good food ,a "little" wine and lots of talk and laughter. Now that the eldest of our grandchildren is 21 the conversations can be wild and varied. We sometimes think some of the remarks made are to horrify the grandparents. They little realize that we have probably been there and done that long before they were thought of. The S.N.E. Merino Field Days followed in January and while the crowds were slightly down on previous years the interest was high. The Ram sales this year were good with Linda and Chris Dunn purchaser of the top priced ram for $3100 and Bess Vickers purchasing Stud Ewes to $105. The average for 2 ˝ yr woolies was $1972 and the 2tooth spring shorn rams to $2500 averaging $1281. At the Armidale Ram Sales we topped at $4500 to BillGow and $3500 to Bess Vickers. The show season went along quietly except in the extrafine department where we won most shows . The Royal was much the same until we got the Ultrafine Champion Ewe which allowed us to compete against all qualities for the Grand Champion Ewe of the Show. Much to our surprise and delight we received Best Merino Ewe of the Show and a Purple Ribbon. Scott has detailed the Ewe's figures in his report. This year we also attended the Queensland Sheep Show held this year in Goondiwindi and while not having a strong August shorn team managed second in the Breeders Group. Season wise it has been poor to say the least. The rain at Christmas/New Year was gentle and gave us no run off for the dams and the rest of summer and autumn was dry. We were not able to get under a storm at any stage. As we write this note it is raining measuring over 2inches (55mls) over the past few days. ( Freezing Mount Wellington Dec 2009 ). Judy and I have experienced some wonderful events in the past few months. In December last year the family (eight of them) took us on a surprise journey. Until we were getting on the plane we had not a clue where we were going. We landed in Hobart for four (4) of the most wonderful days A small bus had been organized which Christopher (our son-in-law) drove. We visited all of the surrounding sights including the Cadbury Factory as well as a day trip to Bruney Island and then back to the airport via Richmond ,the historic bridge and "The lollie Shop" .

On the Home Front. A NOTE FROM SCOTT
2010 New England Field Days. I would like to thank the people who came to look and compare. We tried to show where we are heading with our breeding, with new rams as well as the older ones, and also show the lambs from these joinings. Our Armidale and On Property Ram sales were very good thanks to our loyal clients. We thank you very much. As always if you have any questions about your rams please feel free to talk to Leo or myself We will try to answer any questions or get extra information for you. The show season was a little of being the bridemaid locally but Sydney Royal was a tremendous buzz, to win Best Ewe of the Show. EWE JO10-Y SIRE WV GUS DAM L68-1 (Wallace) FD 14.9 SD 2.6 CV 16.1 FCF 99.85 GFW 8kg Skirted 6.8kg WEC -26 S/F 14.1 She was entered as a 6 tooth Ultrafine March Shorn Ewe. We have Artifically Inseminated her and at this point looks to be in lamb. Fingers and everything else crossed. Don't talk about the weather this season. We hope that you are having a better one and the second half is WET On behalf of my family and myself I wish you a less stressful few months ahead.

LIFE…….ITS NOTHING LIKE THE BROCHURES

A NOTE FROM CORY
Hi everyone. Hope all are well and enjoying some of these recent rains. It had been getting very dry here for us. Now with this break its time to get spraying and planting as soon as we can get back on the paddock. Last years pasture project has responded well to some of the TLC it got, and is looking impressive, given how dry and hard the season became just after it was established. We were also able to establish quite a good crop of millet and made silage to cover the winter feed gap to keep the cattle happy. As usual we are never short of something to do with supplementary feeding cattle and sheep and all the other jobs like fencing etc as you all know well, so I had better get back to it and will catch up next time.

FOR ALL THOSE BORN PRIOR TO 1950
WE ARE THE SURVIVORS Consider the changes we have witnessed; We were born before television ,before Penicillin, before Polio Shots ,Frozen Food ,Xerox,Contact Lenses, Frisbees and the Pill. We were before Radar, Credit Cards, Laser Beams and Ball Point Pens; We were before Pantyhose ,Dishwashers Clothes Dryers, Electric Blankets, Air Conditioners, Drip Dry Clothing and before Man walked on the moon. We got married first and then lived together. How quaint is that?. We were before House Husbands, Gay Rights, Computer Dating, Duel Careers and Computor Marriages. We were before Day Care Centres, Group Therapy and Nursing Homes. We never heard of FM Radio ,Tape Decks, Walkmans, Electric Typewriters, ArtifiacialHhearts, Word Processors, Yoghurt and Blokes wearing Ear Rings. For us Time Sharing meant Togetherness-not Computers or Condominiums; a Chip was used to heat water for a bath, Hardware meant Hardware and Software wasn't even a word. In 1950 " Made in Japan" meant junk and the term "making out" referred to how you did in an exam or interview. Pizzas, McDonalds, Instant Coffee and Tea Bags were unheard of. Chicken was a luxury after Dad had cut its head off and Mum spent hours plucking it. In our day Cigarette smoking was fashionable, Grass was mown, Coke was burnt in a fire and Pot was something you cooked in. Rock music was Grandma's lullaby and Aids were helpers in the Headmaster's office or type of Nurse. We were certainly not before the differences between sexes was discovered, but we were surely before "sex changes". We made do with what we had and were the last generation so dumb we though you needed a husband to have a baby. No wonder we are so confused and there is such a generation gap . BUT WE SURVIVED.!!

God bless,

Leo & Judy