Curious about confinement areas? Take a trip to Canowindra | Rural Notebook

Included in the inspections will be the Gundamain cattle feedlot at Eugowra.

The day will run from 7.15am to 5.30pm on Thursday, June 22 at a cost of $50 per person. Bookings are essential on 0458 745 478 or 6333 2300.

These confinement areas have worked well in drought times and we hope that they won't be needed for many years, but as always we must prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

EACH week sees our season tighten a bit further and livestock sale reports are quoting dry store lambs, light cattle and mutton sheep that are not up to trade requirements.

The CTLX market still has adequate supplies of most red meat animals that are in 3 or 4 score condition, but we do hear quite different descriptions of the yarding from both Forbes and Dubbo.

Because the early winter has remained dry, landholders must be careful with burning-off projects, as standing grass is bone dry and fires can get away very quickly.

Please notify your neighbours if you plan a burn-off; big fines could apply, especially if your fire spreads into other properties.

RECENT RURAL NOTEBOOK COLUMNS:

LOTS of outside jobs are being carried out on rural properties as dry, sunny days are made for these projects.

We must be careful of the risks that are present at every job site and lots of firewood is being cut.

Some of us use the four-in-one bucket on a front-end loader to raise heavy logs to waist height for cutting.

We must never stand in front of the loader when chainsawing as a heavy log can drop in an instant.

In the stockyards, we must be careful of being crushed behind cattle yard gates and one person should do the Gudair vaccinating for lambs and never put the vaccine gun down.

PLANS are well advanced for the dual-cab, four-wheel drive Kia ute and it will be marketed as a Kia Tasman.

Dinosaurs of my vintage will remember Gurdon Motors in Bathurst selling Austin Tasman and Kimberley sedans as well as the tub back ute version of the model line-up.

These Austins were leaders of the front-wheel drive revolution and the ute version was a rarity in the 1960s.

Kia motors are at the forefront of the evolution of electric vehicles and may one day displace Toyota as the biggest motor vehicle manufacturer in the world.

CONGRATULATIONS to Shirley and Colin White, who are celebrating their 63rd wedding anniversary, having been married by the late Father Leo Grant at St Michael and John's Cathedral in Bathurst in 1960.

They raised their family in Bathurst and have been involved in our community during all of those 63 years.

ALSO celebrating an anniversary are Werner and Sylvia Saelzle, who have reached their 40th wedding anniversary.

Angie and Travis tell me that they are very proud of you both and we are all grateful that you have made Bathurst your home.

Congratulations to you both.

FOR readers who appreciate a really good book, I have to recommend Give A Man A Horse by Dianne Haworth.

This is the true story of Patrick and Justine Hogan, their Cambridge Stud in New Zealand's North Island and their rise from a battling dairy farm to one of the world's premier thoroughbred breeding farms.

Their two famous stallions Sir Tristram and Zabeel were the racing royalty in our hemisphere and they made the Hogans wealthy but still down-to-earth hard workers.

You may find this book with a search or ask BooksPlus to order one. If you love a good read, please don't miss this one.

Please read it slowly as the author has a way with words.

ONLY Sydney and Melbourne sold last week in a reduced offering of only 33,435 bales and the market performed very well on the first day, rising up to 20ac/kg.

Once again, the better, low vegetable matter, low CVH (coefficient of variation) types were most sought after and competition was very strong on these wools.

Some of these types were up to 100ac dearer as exporters were keen to get hold of them.

Unfortunately, the Australian dollar strengthened markedly during the week, which really took the wind out of the market's sails!

With the strengthened Australian dollar, traders were shy to buy wool at the lower levels - and Chinese mills too.

There will be 45,000 bales offered next week with Fremantle coming back online in a Wednesday and Thursday series.

LITTLE miss, 8, came to the pet shop alone and asked if they sold rabbits.

"Would you prefer a black one or a soft, cuddly white one?" the shopkeeper asked.

Young miss shrugged. "I don't think our pet python would really mind," she said.

***

AN older man arrived to change some door locks and the lady of the house had to leave for an appointment.

She farewelled her sad Labrador named Gough, saying: "I love you, sweet boy; now you be good, okay?"

From another room, a voice called "okay".

SONG for the week: When You Wish Upon A Star.