Murrumbateman Field Days 2011

Each year we go along to the Murrumbateman Field Days, which is a really nice rural show.  It seems to be a mixture of the Royal Norfolk Show (with less beer tents) and the Robertson Historic Railways event.  Certainly it has not been subverted to a sideshow alley with a few horses which appears to be the current deal with the Canberra Show.

Last year the weather was a bit sub-average and indeed the forecast for this year was not that flash involving showers and storms. In the event it was a lovely Spring day, with a good bit of blue sky and a maximum of 22 degrees.

We arrived at about 11am and the car park was already quite busy
and the paths in the showgrounds were well laden with punters.
We left Tammy at home since I wasn't sure if dogs were permitted or not.  As would be expected of a GOOD show dogs were quite welcome.  Both small dogs
and larger ones.
We purchased the heritage tomato seedlings, which were a feature of us going there.  Last year the lead-up weather had been so bad that our friend from whom we purchased had small numbers of poorly developed plants.  This year she had a brilliant selection and we have acquired about 16 plants of a wide rage of varieties.  The way other punters were going for them I suspect (and hope) that she'll have sold out before the show is over.

Matters mechanical were of great interest this year including the tractor pull, which was rather decibel enhanced, but good fun to watch whether it was a big old tractor
or a little old tractor.
There was also a fascinating display of static engines, which I believe to be the work of the Yass Antique Farm Machinery Club.  Of the wide range of devices on show
I was particularly taken with this very well restored item.
A bit away from this display was a functional threshing machine.  Note the sheaves of wheat waiting to be fed into it.
Finally, if you want 'cute' how does a little black and white lamb (I think it is a lamb - even though it looks a bit like an alpaca) slurping on a bottle of milk work for you?

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