FERRY Rowland Janet. FERRY Rowland Janet. FERRY Rowland Janet. FERRY Rowland Janet.
2000 – Current
Written by Janet Ferry
Janet & Roland Ferry
With trees taking over farming properties on the South Coast, expanding a farming enterprise at Many Peaks was not possible. Having looked at farms from Hyden to Esperance the decision was made to purchase two adjoining properties owned by AFF Properties Pty Ltd on the Kukerin Road at North Nyabing (known locally as the Pastoral Company). Settlement on the 1st April 2000 came quickly and the long process of moving cattle, sheep, machinery, two families and a transportable house was a daunting task, which took several weeks to accomplish. The Nyabing store closed the week we moved up, not encouraging to a family new to the district!!
A further property, known as Merilup Block, was acquired 4th May 2001, which would give the farming enterprise more cropping land for our expanding family.
Dylan with Toto The Bull
Woodford Limousins
Sandra and her husband Sean Kornaus, along with our first grandchild Dylan (born on 17th December 1997), joined the family farming enterprise on moving to Nyabing. They continued with their successful Limousin stud which was established at Green Range in 1997. Sandy and Sean, using worldwide genetics, bred and exhibited an excellent line of Limousin cattle selling breeding bulls to both WA and Eastern State cattle breeders.
A special gift, Leighton Lee Kornaus, was born on the 11th May 2001 and touched our hearts for a precious nine days, passing away at PMH on the 20th May 2001. Hamish Tyler Kornaus was born 13th August 2002, a little brother for Dylan who was now five years old. The boys grew up fast and were soon attending Nyabing Primary School.
February 2010 saw change for the Kornaus family when they moved to Wagin. All the cattle were sold and Sean worked for a local trucking company before going on the mines. Sean and Sandy soon bought a lovely home on three acres. Both boys settled into their new school and went ahead in leaps and bounds. Dylan joined the Cadets at Katanning and enjoys trips away with his fellow cadets.
Hamish recently got a Shetland pony and exhibited Saturn at both Narrogin and Katanning shows, winning Champion Shetland at each show for his efforts – with the help of mum of course. Sandy has also competed in endurance rides in Wagin with her Quarter horse, Charlotte, and won the Champion Quarter horse at Narrogin Show.
Our daughter Melissa moved to the farm for a short while in 2003 before settling in Katanning. Six months later Melissa returned to Albany to live with her then partner. Melissa gave birth to our first granddaughter, Ieisha Bella Jane on the 1st November 2004, a happy young lady that keeps mum on her toes. Melissa works as a Dental Receptionist in Albany and Ieisha is now in grade 1 at Albany Primary School.
Arriving at Nyabing Primary School in 2003, fresh out of uni, Bronwyn Beard settled into teaching the senior class for two years. Shortly after arriving she met Robert, and before long the pair were good friends, with Bron spending many weekends visiting the farm. With her position at Nyabing being filled, she was transferred to Lake Grace in 2005 but returned every weekend to continue seeing Robert and the family.
A transfer to Braeside Primary in 2006 ensured the daily drive to Katanning, and their engagement in July sealed the deal. She was another teacher who was in Nyabing to stay.
After the purchase of the property “Guelfi’s” Warren Road, on 1st March 2006, Bob and Bron moved into their new home and started renovating the house. Getting that lino up was a challenge with many nights spent chipping away at the concrete! Being on the farm has also seen regular visits from Bronwyn’s parents, Clive and Liz. A Cranbrook girl, Liz enjoys being back in this part of the country, and Clive enjoys revisiting his own farming days from Kweda. With family stretched from Albany to Perth, Robert and Bronwyn were married in Mandurah on the 15th September 2007.
Katelyn, Bronwyn & Robert, 2011
Bronwyn continued to teach at Braeside Primary until mid June 2009, awaiting the arrival of their first child. Katelyn Lucy was born 28th July 2009, and is a joy to be around, full of beans, giggles, cheek and those golden curls.
Katelyn & Bob in a crop of lupins
2010 saw Robert begin to solely run and manage the Woodford Pastoral farming enterprise, with Janet continuing the accounts along with helping on the farm whenever she was needed. Robert now co-ordinates the seeding, cropping and spraying programs along with the sheep management. Robert & Bronwyn will move to the McLaren Farm after harvest 2011 (Bron’s first harvest experience driving the chaser bin).
Since the move from Many Peaks, seasons have come and gone, and there never seem to be two alike, taking its toll on everyone. Roland, after battling post traumatic stress disorder for some 25 years, along with challenging seasons and the loss of his brother, sadly moved onto greener pastures and passed away on 17th December 2006.
Roland
The Ferry family is continuing to farm in Nyabing with sheep and cropping, watching farms change hands, neighbours move away and children in the district grow up. Time has also brought changes to Janet’s household, remarrying in Pinjarra on the 9th April 2011 to Terence Ryan. They are continuing to enjoy living in the farm house on McLaren Road.
Woodford Harvest 2003
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