Courtesy of TROVE Northern Star, Saturday 26 April 1947

SAGAS OF THE EARLY DAYS by WINDSOR LANG.

Society Enters The Lives Of The Early Settlers

Clearing operations continued well into the years that followed the 90’s. Logs and stumps left over from previous “burns,” as well as newly-felled scrub, had to receive attention. Clearing up work seemed to be continuous from one year’s end to another year’s end over a decade ahead. Stumps had to be either burned out or grubbed out before any attempt could be made to use a plough. Indeed, I have witnessed stump grubbing, burning out of roots, and blazing fires connected with the clearing of a holding going on 30 years after the initial brushing had taken place.

Harvesting from a maize crop growing higgledy-piggledy amongst half-burned tree trunks, and nesting in weeds called for primitive methods. Sometimes the ears of maize were gathered from the stalks by being placed into a sack and carried on the harvester’s back. Pack horses were used as far as possible, but they could not move freely through the tangle.

In later years, when the ground was not so cumbered with rubbish, a slide would be used. The first slide used was fashioned from a solid, forked branch of a tree. A clumsy-looking contraption this, but eminently adapted to negotiate the rough ground over which it had to travel. Still later on, this slide would be replaced by one more carefully constructed, and running on a pair of iron-shod slide-boards. The slide was useful for a hundred and one odd jobs about the farm. By the time that the farm had grown to the dignity of being an orderly and reason ably properly-tilled holding a spring cart superseded the slide for most types of farm work, but the slide was still utilised as being a handy farm vehicle.

After the corn had been gathered into the barn the corn husks had to be removed, and the cobs of corn thrown into the straddle. Neighbour co-operation in harvesting and “husking” provided opportunities for social communion.

In later years when the harvests were larger, and when the holdings were supporting families, “corn-husking bees” were the chief source of social entertainment in the community. Tea, coffee, and scone refreshment was provided, anecdotes, real or fictional, were exchanged during the husking, and at refreshment time, and a few hours’ dancing rounded off the night.

In the harvesting season each farmer’s barn took its place in a regular round of such entertainment. Dancing would take place on an earthen floor, and accompanying music, were music available, was provided by the simplest of instruments – Jew’s harp, mouth organ, or paper and comb – at times the only accompaniment was the rhythmical humming or clapping of the dancers. A performer on a concertina or an accordion would be certain of an enthusiastic welcome if he happened along on one of these festive occasions.

At a still later date when the more substantial barns were provided with wooden floors, they were often transformed into dance halls in other than the husking season. Dancing maintained its place as most-favoured pastime well into the 70’s and 80’s, by which time steam river boat excursions and “beach rides” were added to the district recreations.

Happy was he who could boast of the possession of a pair of light cossacks, with which to dance the light fantastic. Non-cossack possessors shed their bluchers, and wholeheartedly joined in the fun. I have been told that these latter spent much of the following day in getting out splinters from their tender soles

A dance became an indispensable adjunct to any social gathering –  wedding parties included. A prospective bridegroom has been known to confess to being for months haunted by the fear that he would be disgraced by being unable to dance at his own wedding Mr. Tom Mallett, in recounting the story of one such wedding dance, stated that the only instrument in the dance orchestra was a Jew’s harp, and that the only available performer upon it was the bridegroom

Seating had to be improvised. Boxes and light planks were available. On one occasion of which I have been told a long seat was provided by a lengthy plank supported by a couple of open-topped casks – to be used when necessary for brining the meat.

Naturally the seat was crowded, and a lady of generous proportions occupied the end seating place. At one stage during the night the gathering was alarmed to hear startled screams from this lady. The plank had slipped, and she had slid backwards into the cask.

For years maize growing continued to hold pride of place amongst agricultural undertakings in the district. Its position was not seriously challenged for more than a decade. In about 1876 sugar cane farming was started, and before long it rivalled maize growing as a favourite farming pursuit. On many farms sugar cane replaced the maize crops.

One does not readily associate successful wheat farming with the Richmond River district, yet, strange as it might seem to us of this day, more than one of the early settlers on this river did seriously endeavour to establish wheat as one of our farm crops.

That farmers along the Clarence River basin had had a measure of success with wheat no doubt inspired some of the selectors to follow their lead.

In his book, “The Northern Rivers of New South Wales,” Mr. Arthur Cousins, in referring to the Clarence River venture, writes:  –

“Some good wheat was certainly grown, and the prospects looked so good that Mr. Fraser erected, at South Grafton, a mill which was opened in January, 1862. Unfortunately, the foundations of this mill were, in the following year, destroyed by a flood. The mill was re-erected on the northern side of the river, but the coming of rust so discouraged the farmers that they ceased to cultivate wheat, and the mill was converted into a sawmill.”

As regards wheat farming on the Richmond the same publication records:  –

“In 1860 a farmer, Mr. Darley, and his family, arrived from Illawarra, bringing all sorts of improved farming implements, and a quantity of prize wheat, which he intended to plant on a farm of 200 acres, two miles above Lismore. Unfortunately the heavy rains prevented his venture from being successful.”

When one realises that so often, in those early days, the available supply of wheat flour in the river towns failed to meet the demands made upon it by the district population, it is natural to assume that those early settlers were both keenly and hopefully interested in the venture, and ready to overlook the climatic unsuitability of the district for wheat culture.

Mr. William Mallett, who lives at The Risk, Kyogle, has supplied me with the story of a field of wheat grown near Lismore. a few years later than Mr. Darley’s ill-starred venture. One can quite appreciate the fact that neighbours watched with interest the progress of that paddock of wheat, which grew to maturity. Mr. Mallett writes:  –

“Your mention of the days of shipping delays, and the consequent shortage of supplies, has spurred my memory to recall an incident of those days – the mid 70’s – which might be of interest to readers.

“At a place near Lismore, a place now called Loftville, a farmer,  – Mr. McNamara, a number of whose descendants still live in the Lismore district today, had planted a paddock of wheat, which thrived and ripened within my memory –  the only wheat crop that I ever saw – and, I believe, the first and only wheat both grown and manufactured into flour on the Richmond, and this at a time when most households were using maize meal, ground on the farms, to eke out provision supplies. A party of willing men armed with scythes, banded together and started the first job necessary in the process of producing flour. The whole area was mown by hand, and the harvest gathered into a barn. The seed was threshed out by hand, the implements used being flails. “These flails were made by linking together, with strong hide, two poles. One was used as a handle, whilst the other was made to flog the heap of seeded straw, so that the wheat grains would be shaken out. The wheat grains were then sifted clear of the chaff, or hull, Much the same procedure is followed today by those who gather paspalum seed.

“Finally, the sifted grain was ground into flour by the aid of the grinding mills which had been in use in making maize flour. “I do not recall how long the whole process lasted, but I can remember that householders within a large radius each received a 50 lb. bag of newly milled wheat flour at 20s a bag. I also do know that the bread made from this flour, mixed with the remainder of the old flour, was brown in colour but we children thought that the bread made from it was quite the nicest that we had ever eaten, especially after having endured a surfeit of the maize meal mixture.”

The writer’s father was one of the workers amongst the wheat. He also took part, at other times, in the harvesting of crops of oats for hay, but that crop of wheat and its history from paddock to camp oven, must take some beating.

(To be Continued.)

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