Twenty years giving back
Astalwart of the Wimmera Machinery Field Days committee, Andrew Bell is looking forward to welcoming exhibitors, farmers and the community back to Wimmera Events Centre next week.
“This year will mark my 20th Wimmera Machinery Field Days as a member of the committee,” Mr Bell said.
“Being part of the committee is a great community service opportunity.
“It’s almost like being part of a football team – you get your mates to join, stand around and talk and do a bit of work as well.
“It’s something I always wanted to do – to be able to give back to the community and our local farmers.”
Mr Bell farms mainly sheep and a small amount of crop at Mockinya, south of Horsham, and said the field days were a chance to learn from and catch up with other farmers from across the region.
“We learn a bit from other farmers as we’re going around doing our jobs as well,” he said.
“We chat with them about their paddocks and what they are doing with their stock and crops.
“There are not many other sheep farmers on the committee, but when we get together, we have a good yarn.”
Mr Bell said it was exciting to have the field days back in action and to get the community together at Longerenong.
‘We’ve had a good roll-up of exhibitors who are keen to come back and the team is all back together again to organise the event, which is great,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to the whole three days, but the first day is so good.
“It is when everything jumps to life and by the second and third day, everything tends to run pretty smoothly.
“The first day is when we put out all the little fires that happen and race around to do the little jobs we are ready and trained to do.”