Funny farming story.

Last blog I spoke about rural peoples ability to spin a yarn. So I thought I’d share a funny farming story this week.

During a previous drought, not sure exactly what year but in the 90s, my father Barry and I had to do some fencing. There was a dam that was shared with a neighbouring property and it’d dropped so low cattle could sneak under the fence that crossed it. Dad was sick of complaints from next door so we decided to electrify the bottom wire. He plonked me on one side of the dam with a portable electric fence unit and old car battery. Baz, as he’s known locally then took off to fix a couple of issues with the fence on the other side of the dam. His final instructions were ‘when I yell out, hook up the electric fence unit to the battery’. Very simple.

A few minutes passed, I began daydreaming a bit, but finally heard the old man yell out, so I followed his last instruction. Electric fence hooked up. But then he yelled out again, this time a lot louder and with a violent tone. He then appeared on the opposite bank limping, waving his fist and screaming swear words at me I’d not heard as a kid. 
Turns out the initial yell wasn’t the instruction to connect the electric fence but a yelp he’d let out after dropping the sledge hammer on his toe. Only to then grab a wire with a pair of old metal pliers and get a zap. He later claimed to be so wild that he’d contemplated swimming across the muddy dam waters so he could administer me a hiding quicker. Luckily the long walk around gave him time to cool down. 
Funny memories now. 
I’m sure others have even better stories we’d love to hear, if you send to sales@hughcharles.com.au we will share the best.