Cows run amok

• By Natalie Pitfield

On a lifestyle block, one of the most important issues is making sure your stock has adequate drinking water. Usually, this is done by a header tank sending water down to troughs in each paddock.

We’ve stocked cows on our property for over twenty years, and while most of them have
been well behaved, there’s always the odd few that are the equivalent of a larrikin down at the pub. Our last lot was just like this.

I could see the float on our header tank at rock bottom, so I knew there was a problem
somewhere. It was wet and cold, so I donned wet-weather gear and set out to walk the
property and find the issue. The cows had pulled the line off a trough. It was a low trough, so I had to get down to ground level to repair it.

Unfortunately, I have multiple metal joints, so I contort like a pipe cleaner to get myself down to the ground.

Once I’d fixed the problem, the header tank still wasn’t refilling. I realised there was another break at the trough inlet. I fixed this and waited to see if all was well.

It wasn’t.

I found the cows had actually broken the float inside the trough as well. I replaced this and
thought I was done. I’ll add that by this point, my wet weather gear was caked in mud, and I was cold and pretty unhappy.

The rotten sods pulled the line off again the next day. Armed with boards and nails, I created a barrier to the trough fittings that I hoped would stop them from being so naughty. To retaliate, they pulled an electric fence unit off and dropped it in the trough. I was extremely glad when this particular lot of cows moved on.

Dave, our wonderful stock agent, called me to say he had lined up some more cows for us. I told him that after the last lot, I was a little wary.

But he assured me the news girls were hand-raised and docile. Thankfully, he was right.

RECIPE: Risotto

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
450g Arborio or risotto rice
1 onion, diced
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 cup white wine
1.2 litres warm chicken stock
60g butter
125g grated parmesan
Olive oil

Method:

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Sautee onion and garlic for 2
   mins or till onion is translucent.
2. Add rice and stir till rice begins to look opaque.
3. Add white wine and deglaze the pan. Stir till wine is incorporated and starch is
   beginning to release from rice.
4. Begin to add stock a ladle at a time, stirring well after each addition. Stock should
   incorporate into the rice.
5. Once all stock is added you can add anything else you wish to flavour your risotto. If
   making plain risotto then remove from heat at this point and add butter and parmesan.
6. Place lid on pan and leave for 2 minutes.
7. Stir well and serve.

Things that go well in risotto:

• Prawn & peas
• Pumpkin
• Mushrooms
• Chicken & leek
• Leftover vegetables
• Christmas ham