Were there a lot of dairys around here then?
ROLLO. Nearly everyone dairied in those times.
What was the maximum amount of cows that you would milk by hand?
ROLLO. Twenty to thirty-five. That's a family. There was Dick Brownlie ('Towamba Station') he milked his seventeen to twenty-five cows, up here, Ramsey ('Hillview') he dairied about his twenty-five cows and run sheep besides. Then there was 'Elmgrove' that was Love's, they milked up to one hundred cows.
So how many people would they have milking?
ROLLO. That was a big family.
So how many cows could one person milk...?
ROLLO. You'd average out eight cows each hour.
What type were they. Jersey?
ROLLO. Yes. Mostly Jersey. Grey Jersey. And Shorthorn cross. And there was Freddie McPaul, where Ronnie McPaul is ('Rosebank') they milked up to ninety to one hundred cows there. Then there was Eltons, they milked seventeen to twenty cows.
*** Excerpt from Rollo South's interview in 'The Forgotten Corner Interviews.'

The Towamba valley, once cleared by the early settlers, had generally rich and fertile soil. River flats and undulating hills attracted dairy farmers who milked and separated the cream by hand to be sent off to the local butter factory. Small dairy herds could yield enough cream to supply cash for living expenses. The separated milk was fed to pigs that were fattened and often walked to the bacon factory at Pambula on the coast.
Many families share-farmed for properties that had large dairy herds. The children would help with the milking before and after school. Most farms supplied their own meat, vegetables, preserves, fresh fruit and bacon. Supplies were brought by coastal steamer from Sydney or Melbourne to the port at Eden and picked up by horse and bullock teams that hauled the ordered goods back to the valley. Many items were ordered from catalogues or via the local village store at Towamba which for many settlers living at Pericoe, Letts Mountain or Wog Wog was still a day's ride away.
Self sufficiency was survival in this remote area.

LINKS :

Albie and William Love cutting hay at Love's Valley, Pericoe. c 1937 Photo courtesy M. Price.

'Pambula Voice' January 12, 1894.
TOWAMBA
The late fall of rain was not so heavy here as it was in other parts of the district although several farmers have had a quantity of hay damaged.

BULLOCKS WITH SLED. (Possibly Pat Farrell at 'Old Basin' (creek). Rocky Hall.) Photo courtesy Jean McPaul. No date.

'Pambula Voice' March 16, 1900
EDEN ITEMS
Some very fine cobs of early maize grown by Mr. Robert Hazelgrove of Lower Towamba are on view at the office of Messers Phillipps Bros. The variety in question is known as the 'Early Leman' and appears to mature much earlier than other kinds grown locally.

TOWAMBA
Newspaper Unknown
October 4, 1913
Nearly 6 inches of rain within 21 days! The country is verdant, stock are looking well, and the cream cans show a marked increase. Most of the farmers have their ground ploughed and are ready for planting. Of course they are three weeks early, but I hear several of our more progressive farmers talking of cross ploughing.

Jim Beasley and son Laurie (in buggy), Alf (son) in front. 'Log Farm' Towamba. c. 1927

EXISTING INDUSTRIES 1929 ( in Bega Valley Shire area)
Maize growing Fishing
Timber Oyster culture
Sheep farming Fruit growing
Dairying Whaling
Pig raising Mining
Wattle growing

TOWAMBA
'Magnet' June 1929.
* Country looking well around Towamba and Pericoe. Sheep weighing 100 lbs. dressed, and two others at 80 lbs.

Prize winning maize crop. Fred Booth and Roy Mitchell at Lower Towamba. 1938. Photo courtesy Mary Mitchell.

'Magnet' July 13, 1929
* Typical winter weather during the past month, severe frosts and a good many cold days. Farmers have almost completed their corn pulling and can by no means boast of heavy yields as in former years. Potatoes are nearly unprocurable here, the crops being a failure on account of too much rain after such a long spell of dry weather.

'Magnet' July 20, 1929
* Mr. Roger Boland of Rocky Hall now has 900 sheep on 'The Ridges', at Towamba.

UNKNOWN FAMILY. PERICOE. (Possibly Lizzie Love and Bill Love's team) Photo courtesy of Jean McPaul. No date.

'Magnet' September 14, 1929
* Ploughing is in full swing here. Influenza has been rather prevalent but no serious cases so far.
* We have had further good falls of rain with warm days. We should have plenty of grass after this.
* Mr. & Mrs. A. Tasker Snr., have taken over Mrs. L. M. Love's property at Fulligan's Flat, Pericoe and are moving from here during the week.

Carting hay at Pericoe. c.1900 Man in white suit is Percy Alexander, on his left (in middle) is his brother Robert (known as Beau) Alexander and the others are believed to be other brothers, Syd, Alf and Horace (known as Eden). (Names courtesy of Kathy Jones)

PERICOE
'Magnet' February 15, 1930
* A new cemented sheep dip has been put down at 'Pericoe Station'. It measures 45 feet long, 2 foot 6 inches across with a depth of five feet. It is expected that the quality of the wool will be improved for the next shearing as well as benefiting the health of the sheep.

TOWAMBA
'Magnet' April 12, 1930
* The weather continues very dry. The prospects for a good winter are by no means favourable. The annual autumn sowing of oats for green feed is held up for lack of rain.

'Magnet' January 31, 1931
* Owing to the rains the countryside now looks well and on most places there is a good growth of pasture. We have received more than our share of chilly blasts though, for this time of the year.
* Mr. Alf Alexander attended the cattle sale at Cathcart on Easter Saturday amid reports that the majority of the lots admitted to auction were of poor quality and bidding was dull.

MAN AND CHILDREN. (Possibly Jim Rixon, Annie Farrell's Husband. Rocky Hall) Photo courtesy of Jean McPaul. No names. No date

'Magnet' October 3, 1931
* Eagle hawks have been causing the sheep men much concern as these feathered gentry are very partial to young lambs. At 'Nungatta' a sheep was poisoned with strychnine and this juicy bait quickly accounted for eleven large eagles.

'Magnet' November 7, 1931
* Mr. Roy Shelley has finished shearing on his Towamba Station. The wool was exceptionally clean and of excellent quality.

100 year old shearing shed. 'Sheepskin' Burragate. Photo K.Clery

Shearing shed, 'Elmgrove', Pericoe. Photo K.Clery

'Magnet' October 22, 1932
ADVERTISEMENT

Corn shed architecture. 'Daisy Hill' Pericoe. Photo K. Clery

* Noxious plants declared by Bega Council are: Horehound, Khaki Weed, Bathurst Burr, Cats' Head, Scotch Thistle, Blackberry, Sweetbriar, Purple Top, St.John's Wort, Opium Poppy, Cocoa Leaf and African Boxthorn.

'Magnet' October 29, 1932
* Mr. Bill Greer has returned from his shearing expedition to South Australia.

PERICOE
'Magnet' July 15, 1933
* Mr. A. J. Clements is operating as district buyer of pigs for Messers J. Birch & Co., of Orbost.

Corn shed, Towamba. Photo K.Clery

FODDER CONSERVATION
Local judging results
Following are placings in the judging by Mr. J. L. Green, agricultural instructor of entries in connection with the fodder conservation competition under the auspices of the Eden Exhibition Society.
FIRST. W. A. Green Towamba
SECOND W. R. Roberts Towamba
THIRD R. J. Goward Kiah
FOURTH J. McMahon Snr., Kiah
FIFTH J. C. Roberts Towamba

Corn shed, Lower Towamba Photo Kate Clery		Detail of corn shed structure.

'Magnet' June 23, 1934
FODDER CONSERVATION
Eden and Pambula district competitions
Eden competition winner is Mr. Wal Green.
The winner, Mr. W.A. Green of Towamba submitted an entry that the whole district should be proud of and one that should go a long way in the south coast championship. The total area of this farm is only 81 acres of which 12 are alluvial flat and 69 comparatively poor hill country. On this area, 29 head of cattle and 4 horses are run with an average of 18 cows going through the bales throughout the year. There are only seven acres of cultivation, one acre being sown to lucerne but from this during the last two seasons 30 ton of silage, 13 ton of lucerne hay and 3½ ton of maize grain have been conserved. The silage pit has been filled and emptied last year and again has recently been filled with sorghum. When feeding from the pit last year the loss was practically nil. In addition to these fodders he conserved 2 tons of excellent quality rye grass, white clover hay was made from sown improved pastures. Also 8 ton of sorghum has been cut and stooked for immediate feeding. The silage, lucerne and grain are in excellent proportions for rations for dairy cows and are all conserved adjacent to recently constructed feed stalls. Under the method of judging. Mr. Green has more than double the quantity required conserved and scored 6 points for surplus.

Mr. Walter Roberts' entry
Mr. W. R. Roberts who gained second place was noteworthy for the large quantity of lucerne hay stored. This farmer has truly shown the way in growing this valuable fodder in the Towamba district and not only is it stored but used extensively for feeding. Practically the whole of the 52 tons has been made from the 16 acres under lucerne during the past summer. Perhaps it is more in regard to quality than quantity that Mr. Roberts should be commended. No better lucerne hay was to be seen during the judging than was conserved on this farm and when it is realised that the season was against the making of good hay the performance is more noteworthy. This competitor lost points for access to his fodder as the bulk of the hay was stored on the opposite side of the river from his dairy and feed stalls. Also as the hay was stored in an old butter factory building. It was difficult to store and difficult of actual access.

Old corn shed. 'Parkside', Towamba. Photo K.Clery

'Magnet' September 29, 1934
* Visitors who realise the farming possibilities of Towamba and surrounding districts and evince a desire for local progress, suggest the formation here of a branch of the Agricultural Bureau and a branch of the Junior Farmers Club. Unquestionably, live wire branches of these organisations would do much to make life for our farmers mutually more helpful and strengthen the faith of our young folk in themselves and their homeland.
* A recent addition to our farming community is Mr. James Curtis who is dairying on shares for Mrs. L. M. Love on 'Elmgrove' Towamba.
* So far the conditions for farming operations have not been normally favourable, the season being rather late. With dryer weather the ploughing is now in progress with continued warm weather a good spring in pastures should result.

CARTING WATER. (George 'Brickie' Farrell, 'Basin Creek', RockyHall) Photo courtsey Jean McPaul. No date

PERICOE
'Magnet' November 17, 1934
* The season is well advanced here and prospects look good. Old hands say that the growth of clover this year is phenomenal.
* Preparations are being made on Pericoe Station for a busy sheep shearing period.
* Mr.& Mrs. E. Love and family, formerly of McPaul's dairy, Pericoe, are now residing in Eden.

'Magnet' November 24, 1934
TOWAMBA
The following complimentary reference to a Towamba entry in the Far South Coast Pasture Improvement Trials appeared in the official report on areas sown by dairy farmers in the autumn of last year: Mr. A. J. Clements' 'Model Farm' Towamba. The following mixture was sown per acre on a five acre plot of alluvial land: 16 lbs certified perennial rye grass, 4 lbs akaroa coxsfoot, 4lbs red clover, 1½ lbs New Zealand white clover. This plot was sown in continuation of a definite plan of pasture improvement work on this farm. Germination was excellent and good grazing was obtained throughout the year. It would have been advisable to have included about 3obs of Italian rye grass per acre and to have reduced the perennial rye by this amount. Italian rye makes stronger growth during the first and second seasons than does perennial and will give more grazing. Italian rye should be included in all pasture mixtures to be sown on alluvial country. On this farm, as on many other farms, a considerable amount of pasture improvement work has been carried out with a resultant improvement in production and in the health of the stock. There is one feature that has arisen, however, and that requires attention. In flush periods, as in the past spring, the growth is so luscious that clover flavours are strong in the cream. The latter is frequently graded down with the resultant financial loss to the farmer. This flavour is very nearly unavoidable where a large area of improved pasture has been sown down. And what is more regrettable is the fact that it is the progressive farmer who is being penalised. It is possible to eliminate this flavour at the factory by the installation of a Vacreator or deodorizer which experience has shown also has the faculty of improving the general cream quality. It now devolves on the factories to install one of these machines and thus assist these progressive men. It would appear that the next step in the advancement of pasture improvement lies with the factories. Improved pastures will undoubtedly increase production so all that could be done to encourage this work will be for the betterment of the district and individual farmers.

'Magnet' December 1, 1934
WOOL AWAY!
Wool from the Towamba and Pericoe districts is being brought to Eden for shipment to Sydney. Some growers are selling in the shed and various buyers, chief of whom are the old established Eden firm Messers Stone and Littley, are operating.

CARTING WOOL AT PERICOE (POSSIBLY FROM PERICOE STATION). c. 1925. Photo courtesy M. Price

PERICOE
'Magnet' March 9, 1935
* The farming prospects in Towamba district are better than for very many years. The maize crops look extraordinarily well; fodder crops are at normally heavy and grass is green, succulent and plentiful. Mr. Walter Roberts is filling a silo that will give him 80 tons of chaffed maize silage and has found it necessary to construct another silo that will enable him to conserve an additional 40 tons.
Mr. Wal Green is also about to fill his pit silo with choice chaffed fodders which, together with a nice lot of fine lucerne hay will provide his stock with ample reserves of feed for a considerable time to come. Other farms in the district appear to be well worked and an appearance of general improvement is everywhere observable.

'Magnet' March 9, 1935
FARMERS PROBLEMS
Within the coastal territory served by the port of Eden are at least two important districts, namely Towamba and Burragate which could not fail to benefit largely by the local establishment of an operation of the branches of the Agricultural Bureau of New South Wales. Both are old and well established settlements. Both merit all the efforts that can be made to promote their further progress. With the many up to date and progressively minded farmers in and around these centres to constitute in each a nucleus, branches could easily be established and become important factors in furthering local interests and in assisting in cooperation with others to pave the way to progressive prosperity.

TOWAMBA
'Magnet' April 27, 1935
Mr. Wal Green has just completed the filling of his silos. Others have also been filled by Mr. W. Roberts, Mr. C. Roberts and Mr. A. Clements. It is puzzling why more farmers do not go in for fodder conservation, particularly by the pit method which is recognised as a cheap and efficient way to make ensilage. There is no doubt that equally as good quality silage can be made in the pit as in the tub silo. Owing to the rainy season, maize crops have been considerably reduced in yield on the river flats. Blight has been very prevalent.

TOWAMBA
'Magnet' June 15, 1935
* Most farmers have completed harvesting their maize crops. Some splendid yields have been obtained from late maturing crops. The early varieties were badly blighted.
* On Tuesday last, Mr. H. C. Stenning, Chief Agricultural Instructor, Accompanied by Mr. Skidmore, Assistant Secretary of the R.A.S. together with the representatives of the 'Farmer and Settler' , 'Telegraph' and 'S.M.Herald', arrived to judge the entry of Mr. W.A.Green for the fodder championship, he being the winner of the local fodder competition with Mr. W.R. Roberts as runner up.

Mouldboard plough. Photo 'The Farmers' Handbook'

June 15, 1935
FODDER CONSERVATION
Eden District Farmers Example
Mr. Wal Green again the winner.
Splendid work in fodder conservation mainly by means of pit silos is revealed by the second annual competition conducted by Eden Exhibition Society in conjunction with the R.A.S. and again won by Mr. Wal Green of Towamba.
Mr. J. L. Green, agricultural instructor reports:
There were seven entries in this competition which is two in excess of the number obtained in the initial competition conducted in 1934.
MR. W. A. GREEN
Mr. W. A. Green of Towamba was again the winner with a very good entry which showed improvement in quantity of fodders stored and general quality of that of last season. This competitor shows what can be done on a small property in the way of fodder conservation; although he has only eighty-one acres of land, twelve of which is alluvial country and utilised to the full, the remainder being in rather poor hill land, country which never-the-less is being improved by the use of subterranean clover and super. Mr. Green was the first farmer on the Towamba River to fill a pit silo; this was in 1933. Each year it has been fed out during the winter and spring and filled the following summer. This season, owing to the success of the previous one, another pit has been constructed and filled. Most of the fodders inspected had been conserved this season and showed that Mr. Green believes in the value of feeding his stock in order to get the best from them. In fact, his production is taken as the basis for comparison at Towamba, more than one farmer saying that ' Wal Green got so much per cow for the month and mine was only a few shillings less'. Fortunately many local men have followed the lead of this farmer and thus we see in Towamba, well sown and cared-for pastures and comparatively large quantities of fodder, particularly pit silage, stored. It is only a few years ago that Towamba produced little else but pigs.
MR. ROBERTS
Mr. Roberts of 'Parkside' who secured second place submitted a fine entry also. He has two pit silos filled with maize, a large quantity of lucerne hay and maize grain but points were lost for location as the hay is a considerable distance from the feeding stalls - in fact, across the river - and for protection as stock were damaging this same hay. All the same, there was a good quantity of fodder conserved which when fed will help boost production.
MR. A.C. CLEMENTS
Mr. A.C. Clements who is competing for the first time, gained third place with an entry that was outstanding for the amount of red clover hay conserved. This particular clover does particularly well in Towamba and Kiah and local farmers would be well advised to sow down a small area, say one or two acres, with it alone at the rate of £10 per acre. This would give half an hour's grazing on pure clover during the summer months when the majority of clovers is more or less dormant. It is an accepted practice at Moruya and Bodalla and might be followed with advantage by farmers further south.
Mr. J. N. HARRIS
Mr. J. N. Harris of Kiah had in his entry a quantity of mangolds that had been pulled and stored in a heap. Mangolds yield very heavily on rich land. Yields of over one hundred tons per acre being obtained in New Zealand. The half acre on this farm yielded at the rate of about forty-five tons per acre. Cattle like mangolds and for pig feed they are grown quite extensively at Hawksbury College.
MR. D. LAING
It was not until this competition, the last judged, that an entrant was met who had protected his oaten hay from vermin damage. Mr. D. Laing, Towamba, had taken suitable precautions by building his small stack thirty inches off the ground and posts being wrapped with sheet tin and as a result his hay was as good as the day it was stacked. For those who conserve this type of hay a simple method such as this as protection might be adopted. When farmers have to enclose their stack with iron walls let into the ground to a depth of eighteen inches to prevent the ravages of mice and rats.
OBSERVATIONS
No other part of this district with the possible exception of Bodalla have farmers made full use of pit silos. Three years ago the Eden district didn't know them. Two farmers had two pits each. In not one instance has the silage come out of a pit other than as good quality stuff. Another pleasing feature is that all the pits are of the trench type and have been well constructed and carefully filled. Mr. Clements constructed his first, this year and with two men, two horses, a plough and scoop, the work was completed in five days. Six and a half hours work being done each day. Except for making the batters at each end less than the usual length, and having to use pick and shovel for this, the job was completed without any hand work being necessary. This pit is fifty-two feet long, eleven feet wide at the top and ten at the bottom and six feet deep and will hold forty tons of silage. Filling took just on five weeks and as a result the pit has not settled down below the ground level which is a fault frequently seen with many pits. Mr. Harris of Kiah, on easier working ground, excavated a pit forty-eight feet long, nine feet wide and six feet deep in quicker time than this. The filling was extended over a period of five weeks and as a consequence he has a well filled pit that is showing no loss at all on the surface. Farmers in older dairying districts could learn a lot from the farmers of Kiah and Towamba and it is safe to state that many of the latter have done more in the way of pasture improvement and fodder conservation in three years than many farmers, further north have done in a lifetime. Production figures prove the value of the work being done.

Horse drawn scoop used to dig out silage pits. Photo courtesy Leo Farrell

'Magnet' November 30, 1935
TOWAMBA
*After experiencing rather cool weather with a couple of frosts this month, summer came with a vengeance; the thermometer reached the hundred degrees mark today (Wednesday). We could do with a shower of rain to freshen the pastures though hot weather is needed for maize crops which are very backward.