[Codger]

Farm children​

We do not aim to brag about the personal work and activities as primary school students, I do believe that most of our mates at school did the same or similar sort of stuff, as also there was a daily work regime for town and urban-based children/students in the 1960s.

I enjoyed hand milking dairy cows on our small dairy farm, later we got a small machine, starting at about 5.30 to 6.00 am then into the separator room to turn the handle on the Cream Separator and get the cream can filled while our Dad was in having breakfast before he went off to his day job.

On the way to work Dad would drop off the can of cream to the butter factory. On the way home after school younger brother and I rode our bikes to the butter factory to collect the empty cream can for use again tomorrow. Between us we could carry the can home one way or another.

In that era, we, 7 to 10 years old, were allowed to walk into and through the butter factory whilst churns were rolling over and the entire place was busy working. We could watch from close by the processes of making butter; including at least one occasion when the operators stopped churning, opened the churn door, guided the very large butter tray/bed into the churn to retrieve the 'huge' lump of butter, then pull the tray/bed out of the churn and move the product to a packaging process machinery.

Some of what we saw would be very much against the rules of hygiene in today's food factories; let alone the Workplace OH&S issues with two kids wandering around on the factory floor.

We did, and enjoyed doing, numerous farm jobs in that era; hand feeding out baled hay to cattle, feeding calves, piglets and poultry, before school then doing it all again after school and into the evening, as well as school homework.

Most sincerely I say my life in that era was very satisfying, comfortable, educational and so, rewarding with all of the learning on the small farm let alone at school, brilliant!

 

[maxesmum]

We had a small dairy,too,as a child and I loved it so much! Thankfully,ours was automated! It was fascinating to watch the milk go through all the tubes and whoosh down into the crates,ready to be taken down to the end of the drive for the truck to pick up. Woe betide us if we were late! The truck waited for no one! Our days started at around 4.30 am and we were in bed by 8pm. We helped around the farm,hand fed calves,helped mum in the dairy,helped dad clean and feed,helped mum with the household poultry..it was a dream life for a kid.

 

[Jarred Santos]

Thanks for sharing @Codger @maxesmum! The way you both wrote really says a lot about how you treasured those days...