Special morning tea held for retired cane growers

“It’s good to see these men reminiscing, telling their stories and rekindling old friendships.”

Current chairman of the NSW Cane Growers Council Ross Farlow with his predecessor Vince Castle reunite for a special Cane Growers Morning Tea in Harwood on Saturday (May 15, 2021)

More than 70 retirees shared stories from the fields on Saturday for a special Cane Cutters morning tea at Harwood Hall.

“It’s just wonderful to see all these men, and a few ladies as well, come together to celebrate the times they spent together in the cane fields, the derricks and the loader drivers as well,” president of the Clarence River Cane Growers Association Ross Farlow said.

“It’s good to see these men reminiscing, telling their stories and rekindling old friendships.”

A rolling video of days gone by, along with a display of memorabilia, including old photographs showing scenes from the fields. and some original hand cane cutters and knives complimented the morning.

For Vince Castle, the former president of the Clarence River Cane Growers Association and NSW Cane Growers Council, it was a chance to share many stories from his many years with the cane industry.

“One of the highlights was when I attended a function at the Maclean RSL and out of the 200 people there, I got to sit next to the Prime Minister John Howard,” he said.

“The reason for that, the cane industry was the oldest industry in the Clarence, so I was given the honour of sitting next to John Howard over lunch!”

Click here to see photos from the Cane Growers Morning Tea