“After that we went and fixed some of the fences”
This is the eighth in a series of portraits profiling Big hART Gold participants in Queensland, from the communities of Goondiwindi and Stanthorpe, made by Mick and Melinda.
This is the fifth in a series of portraits profiling Big hART Gold participants in Queensland, from the communities of Goondiwindi and Stanthorpe, made by Mick and Melinda.
Stanthorpe farmer and Gold participant Jean Harslet is profiled as a key contributor to the Australian Climate Witness Report. This report was a collaborative effort between WWF Australia and the Queensland Murray Darling Committee. The WWF initiated the project as part of an international Climate Witness project. This report is based on the climatic observations of 60 farmers.
Jean is profiled on page 52 of the report. To read more and download the report follow the links below:
At approximately 6:20 am, Bronwyn bounced into the lounge room, where everyone had fallen asleep the night before, with the intent of waking us from our deep slumber. And while she was successful, she quickly retreated from the room after she had poked Paul, who had attempted to bite Bronwyn’s hand in retaliation.
Crumpets were the key component of our breakfast, and after a quick coffee, we bolted out the door unwashed and barely dressed, in a mad rush to make it to the work shed before everyone drove to the various fields in a max exodus.Peter greeted us as we reached the shed, and we all piled into the back of his white Ute and headed over to the Baby Cos Lettuce Fields – where we helped him do a special small order.
Fabian and Paul packed whilst Ben folded boxes and Bronwyn stuffed up how many lettuces to put in each box.We then headed over to the Main Cos Lettuce picking line. Paul folded plastic crates, whilst Fabian packed the lettuce into crates and Bronwyn helped cut lettuce out of the ground. Ben and Davo had the very important job of filming everyone working and capturing time lapses of the harvest.
One of the farmers, John, who has worked on the farm for almost 14 years, was extremely impressed with Fabian’s packing and offered him a job. John showed us the damage kangaroos can cause to the lettuce, and gave Bronwyn a crash course in lettuce cutting to improve her abysmal skills.
Peter then took us to the ‘Falls’, an area of flat granite rocks slopping down from the lettuce fields, which looks like a giant waterfall while raining. Peter was interviewed whilst Paul and Fabian did more parkour in the background.
After, Peter dropped us off at the Chinese lettuce fields, where he left us to film some more workers. However, Fabian had got something stuck in his eye, so while Davo tried to administer first aid, Paul, Ben and Bronwyn got on with the work.
At 9.30am on the dot we headed to smoko, having been given the use of a farm ute. We spent time with Peter, Trish and the gorgeous golden retriever Barny. Trish had been working at the farm for the past 24 years. She and her husband also own their own farm growingmedicinal herbs and invited us to see her farm next time we visit.
We then caught up with Jean, who told us many stories about the farm and the local Stanthorpe district, which was recorded for posterity on our mini-disk.She then took us to visit Alec and Denise’s house, which is hidden away on the edge of the mountain and has a beautiful garden landscaped into the rock. Unfortunately we were unable to meet Alec and Denise as they were away on holidays. Most of the Harslett family have said that the ability to go on holidays is one of the benefits of being part of a family run farm, as there is always others available to look after the farm while they are gone.
By lunchtime, Fabian’s eye had grown progressively worse. It was decided we should find a chemist in Stanthorpe. The chemist said Fabian should see a doctor – so while Davo and Fabian waited in town – the rest of us headed back to finish filming.
Back at the farm, we quickly headed off to learn how to cut celery. Peter then convinced John, who was feeling nervous, to be interviewed. On camera, John told us how about his work on the Harslett farm and how he also grows parsley on his own farm.We were all warned about celery sores on our leaving – where celery juice on fair skin combined with UV light can cause 3rd degree burns. Sometimes the sores don’t appear until a couple of days after. We were suitably cautious.
We then met Rosie, who was rushing around as her and Peter were about to fly to Adelaide. However she still generously took the time to be interviewed. It was great getting a female perspective of farm life and to hear what it was like to and become part of the Haslett family. Farewelling Peter and Rosie, Bronwyn headed back to Stanthorpe to collect Fabian and Davo whilst Paul and Ben started building fires. Luckily the dirt in Fabian’s eye had been removed safely and he returned to the farm.Bronwyn, Fabian and Paul returned to the 40-acre rock to get time lapses of the sunset and moonrise.
However from above the rock the sky was overcast as they saw storms from every directing heading towards the farm. As we began to hear thunder they decided it would best to head down the hill and remove any chance of electrocution. Davo cooked a delicious chicken and potato meal for everyone while rain began to fall by the bucket load. Pat, a worker from America and Tim came around for a drink, and we learnt about Pat’s fire fighting past. After a heated debate about video games and sexism, they decided to head off, but not before telling us that we should come down to the fields the next day.
Back at the ranch the boys went about cleaning the house we were staying at. As we were packing the car, Jean came over to tell us that a turtle had come up from the dam to lay eggs in Tim’s driveway, so we all headed off with cameras in hand to capture the moment. The turtle was rather shy, and so didn’t work the camera well.
Jean explained how old timers say that the drought has broken when turtles start laying eggs so far away from water. We hope this is true.
After getting good shots of the turtle, we left Stanthorpe and headed to Goondiwindi. The trip went quick compared to all the other times we travelled, and we were at the Colorado farm at no time at all.
We met Peter, Cherylene, Luke and Lydia, who invited us over for dinner. After unpacking our belongings and setting ourselves up in the guest house graciously provided by the Lennons, we headed over to their house. A beautiful baked dinner was just what we needed at this point in our trip. We explained to Peter and Cherylene what Big hArt was and what we had been doing the past week. Peter told us that we could film him shearing sheep and he would teach everyone how to do it as well.
Fabian and Paul then pulled out some photos from out last exhibit and talked a bit about what the young people had been doing down south. It was a lively conversational meal, which was great for people who had just met. With our shearing plans set for the morning set, we headed back to the guesthouse for some sleep.
Forth & Fifth Report Completed Day 5 2400
The Brave hART 101st Airborne Cavalry
Mission:Queensland
“When the original Death Star was blown up, it was manned by over one million people, half of which were innocent support personnel.”
