The Rural Voice, 1983-10, Page 17on 1,000 acres, 600 of that cropped in
wheat, barley and lupine, a legume
crop.
Karen Murray, 23, of R R 1,
Chepstow, was working for a Calgary
oil company when her roommate
Chris learned about the IAEA
through her 4-H club. The two girls,
both with a yen to see Australia
-"since we heard it was so different
from other countries" - decided to
apply. They mailed off their applica-
tions in April, were interviewed and
attended an information session, and
learned one week before departure
that they'd been selected for the Oc-
tober, 1982 program.
With part of Australia reeling
under a lengthy drought, Karen's
original host family couldn't afford a
trainee. So right on arrival, Karen
and three other trainees were bustled
off to new farms. Karen was posted
to Colin and Jenny's farm, 30 miles
outside of Melbourne. The 320 -acre
operation included 120 dairy cattle
(Karen is from a dairy farm) as well
as several acres of young trees.
Karen worked under an agri-mix
arrangement, in which she spent some
of her time on farm chores, which in-
cluded helping with the milking and
transplanting saplings, and some time
indoors.
While Karen's stay proved an over-
whelming success, it got off to rather
an ominous start. She and Colin were
working with the tractor moving
some tree limbs on the fourth day of
her stay. Karen had stopped the trac-
tor at the top of the hill to pick up
some more logs. After getting off, she
turned around to see the tractor roll-
ing down the hill, "in slow motion",
heading right for the creek.
Fortunately, she says, "it was a
cheap lesson" - the vehicle was un-
damaged and the whole matter was
something to laugh about later. But
at the time, Karen says, she was cer-
tain her hosts would ask for another,
more experienced trainee.
Looking back, Karen says she and
her host family could hardly have
been better matched - they shared the
same attitude to things, were all
sports -minded and enjoyed music.
During her stay, Karen played on
the local softball team and improved
her tennis. The neighbors proved as
hospitable as her host family - they
held a surprise birthday party for her,
and threw a farewell party, when they
presented her with several typically
Australian parting gifts.
At the end of her stint, the trainees
set off for a whirlwind tour of
Australia - "the three week tour was
the best time." By the end of it,
Karen says, the 40 -some trainees
from Canada and Europe were like
one, big happy family. They learned
to pitch their 24 tents in five minutes
flat and took turns helping the cook.
They visited sights from Ayres Rock,
an unusual outcropping considered
one of the natural wonders of the
world, to Surfer's Paradise on the
east coast.
Brad's six-month stay also ended
with a tour of Australia, follow. ed h\
stopovers in Hawaii and the re,ttul
Fiji Islands. After a hurried, 10 -day
visit home, he flew to Denmark,
Karen Murray: "It went so fast, you wonder if it really happened."
LUCKNOW
GRAIN BUGGIE
UNLOAD ON THE GO
Under ideal conditions, its big 13" auger can unload 400
bushels in 3 minutes and 600 bushels in 5 minutes.
Hydraulically operated from the tractor cab, it also permits no
Toad starting to prevent damage to buggie in wet or compacted
grain.
HELM WELDING LIMITED
R.R. 2, Lucknow 1/2 mile south of Lucknow
519-529-7627
THE RURAL VOICE, OCTOBER 1983 PG 15