Gallery: Farmers continue annual tradition despite dry year
A southwest Victorian community has rallied to continue an annual Christmas tradition, despite a dry year. See all the best pics here.
A southwest Victorian community has made hay while the sun shines, and will kick off their annual Christmas tradition this week.
A dry year hasn’t stopped the Red Rock Hay Bale Trail from going ahead, with 12 families preparing festive frontyard features for passers-by to enjoy.
Alvie dairy farmer Clint Theodore said a dry year meant no hay but plenty of silage. They received 100mm of rain in the past month, which “kicked things along”.
Clint, alongside his two children Scarlett, 6, and Rhett, 3, featured their first corn crop in their Christmas entry.
“Whatever is going on our farm we work in with it,” he said.
“Last year I had a tractor and a plough on the back, set up on a potato paddock where we sow potatoes.”
Event organiser and long-time entrant Laura Martin said Colac and surrounding businesses donated hay and prizes, while people offered to print maps for the community free of charge.
“People were struggling to get hay this year, so the Co-Op in Colac donated square bales for people which is amazing,” she said.
She annually borrowed hay from a neighbouring farmer, and her children Noah, 13, Ava, 10, and Amos, 8 would brainstorm designs before choosing one to feature in their front yard.
“[Our] Pikachu has ears and a tail made out of ply, we figured out how to fix it to the bales so it could be removed for when the farmer comes and picks the hay up,” she said.
“It’s part of our Christmas now, it’s one of the traditions we have, and it’s based in that rural community.”
Laura said the Red Rock District Progress Association was integral in starting the trail, and she took over the reins three years ago.
Corunnun farmer Holly Bray-Low said their hay shortage failed to stop their family from entering this year’s competition, and they borrowed a neighbour’s bales.
“We normally have two paddocks we cut but there hasn’t been enough rain this year,” she said.
Her family entered the trail each year, with their four children Isabelle, 10, Levi, 7, Harvey, 4, and Piper, 1, taking part in the Paw Patrol design.
Holly also designed a nearby fire truck entry to celebrate the local fire brigades’ 80 year anniversaries.
Morris Transport co-owner Murphy Morris, from Larpent, said they simply “had the resources” as fodder suppliers.
The company’s mechanics designed the entry, with a Kenworth truck, semi-trailer carrying hay, and a bull bar.
“It’s an activity that adults can do with the children and they get a lot of enjoyment out of it, seeing all the different designs from Bluey to a John Deere tractor, and spotting the farms you know,” she said.
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