Harvest time.........

Christy and Ben's house in Mackay before the makeover.

The front is now complete with a new porch, windows,
stairs and handrails.

The massive rear extension which incorparates
a huge undercover back deck, large master bedroom
with ensuite and a laundry.

The finished product which only needs a paint job!

On Saturday morning we were lucky enough to get the chance
to go out to a local cane farm at harvest time.  Tac jumped in with Chris
while he operated the harvesting machine and I sat alongside Gary in the
tractor which pulled along the carriages that the harvester filled with the
cut cane.  I then took my turn to ride in the harvester and Tac sat next to Gary
in the tractor.

This is the harvesting machine in action cutting the top off the cane and also the front rollers
sucking in the bulk of the plant.  It's an awesome machine with heaps of grunt!

At the same time the harvester cuts the cane up into small sections and shoots
 it into the train carraiges ready to be transported to the sugar mill.

Once the carriages are full they are labelled and ready for the mill.

The sugar mill is actually visible from the farm so doesn't have far to go.

We had smoko with the boys after sitting along side them while they worked.

Our ranger is parked on the trash from the cane that has already been harvested.  The new cane resprouts itself for 7 years then has to be dug up and replanted.  Each crop takes one year to mature.

What an amazing experience!