Farm Gate News May / June 26

What Makes Country Life So Good?

COMMUNITY

A Look Back At A By-Gone Era

Sharing my interest in country area history. This photo (right) of the ruins of the Stuart’s Creek Station homestead was taken by shed builder Steve when he erected a shed for bush Ag on Stuart’s Creek Station and

STUART’S CREEK STATION

“A Recent Visitor” has sent along some ing notes on Stuart’s Creek Cattle and Horse Station, which comprises about 5,000 square miles, belongs to the Willowie Pastoral Company, and is under the able management of Mr. Paxton. “The situation,” the writer says, “is looking well and in good order. There is an abundance of feed and plenty of water, thanks to 22 artesian bores, with strong supplies of capital water, 40 miles of water holes, and 20 large dams. There are about 100 Angora goats, which yield a good return of mohair each season. Mules are chiefly used for buggy and dray work. They are very hardy animals, and can do a 70-miles journey in a day on little feed and water. They never require shoeing, and can traverse the roughest country without their hoofs suffering. The homestead is picturesquely situated near to a creek, the banks of which are

it has prompted me to search online for stories. I hope you enjoy this little snippet from 1911. Stuart’s Creek Station is 48km north of Roxby Downs.

studded with gumtrees and other green foliage. This is where J. McDouall Stuart had his depot when he made his trip across the continent nearly 50 years ago. Some of the best-bred horses and finest cattle in the State are reared at this station. Wild dogs are fairly numerous, although a large number are destroyed each year. Their prevalence is due, no doubt, to their coming in from unoccupied lands adjoining. Among the many blacks at Stuart’s Creek is a remarkable old man named ‘Boco’ Jimmy. He is totally blind, but can find his way anywhereover sandhills and creeks and through fences with comparative ease , his only artificial help being a stick… Mr. Paxton, who is a thorough bushman, and has had long experience in attending to cattle, is busily mustering at present.

Source: The Register, Adelaide 17-8-1911 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ article/58445112

Great fun at the Riverland Speedway Easter 2026 Community Event

12m x 36m x 5.1m Machinery-Workshop

Shed built at Stuart’s Creek Station

Machinery shed on left side has 4.5m wide bays. Workshop on right is enclosed with a dividing wall and 2 sliding doors on the front.

Best Thing In The Mail “Why Danny

While talking with people on the phone, we often get comments about how much they enjoy receiving Farm Gate News. Here’s a recent one… “We thoroughly enjoy getting the Farm Gate News. It’s the highlight of the month in the mail. It’s the first thing that gets read and we flip straight to the back page funnies”.

From “The Woolford’s at Buckleboo.” North of Kimba on the Eyre Peninsula

The Woolford’s have at least 4 Grant sheds with the most recent one (below) built earlier this year.

18m x 45m x 6.5m MEGA Machinery Shed

& Alison Work”

Running a shed business for South Aussie & interstate farmers takes two kinds of horsepower.

Alison is the big-ideas spark: Storyteller, smoko-table charmer and keeper of the customer backstories. She builds trust like she builds newsletter drafts ...fast, heartfelt and with a cheeky grin aimed squarely at the reader. She’s the “Minister for Communications” in an operation that values strong relationships and keeping everyone informed. She also has the “Minister for Finance” portfolio, ensuring the enterprise is well run financially. This is done while the conversation still flows.

Danny is the straight-lines strength: Logistics wrangler, design & measurement master and the calm voice that keeps the roof (literally) on. No fuss, no fluff - just sturdy plans and sturdy sheds. He’s the steady “Minister for Infrastructure”, and keeps a watchful eye out for the mysterious “Minister for War” you can take a guess at who that might be, cos Danny’s not saying… wink! wink! Where Alison brings the yarns, the bright ideas and the finance, Danny manages the operations, oversees the troops and works the designs with a cheeky dose of humour. And across it all, the whole Grant Sheds team know every step matters. That’s what delivers the great outcomes at the end. It’s the perfect combo: Strong framework, immovable ethics, hard work and good mateship - built to last!

That’s why they work. And why your shed will too. Til next time …

Ali & Danny Halupka Owners - Grant Sheds

You Little Ripper... Grant Sheds

LOCAL AUSSIE LEGENDS Speedway In The Bush

DUST, NOISE & NOSTALGIA Why country nights like this still matter

On Easter Saturday, we took a few of the grandkids to the Riverland Speedway.

We hadn’t been for years… but throw in fireworks, a demolition derby and a bunch of 10-year-olds, and suddenly we were very keen again!

And honestly… we loved it.

It was proper, old-school country stuff. Folding chairs. Blankets on the hill. Kids running around.

Engines roaring. Dust in your teeth. Perfect.

Race after race rolled through - sedans, stock rods, sprint car... when something caught our eye…

A classic stock rod with a Grant Sheds sign on the roof. That made us look twice. Because it wasn’t just any car… it was one raced by one of our old shed builders from about 40 years ago - Des Obst. Some of you reading this might remember Des. He was a top bloke and a seriously handy racer too - even reaching #1 in South Australia in his day.

Sadly, Des’ story didn’t end the way it should have. He lost his life in a tragic boating accident at Lake Victoria while still a young man… with his wife Marianne expecting their first child at the time. It’s one of those stories that sticks with you. Which made seeing his old race car again - still carrying our name - feel pretty special.

It also reminded us why supporting country clubs and events matters so much.

Because these places aren’t just about racing… they’re about people, memories, families and stories that carry on long after we’re gone.

And back to the speedway…

The kids absolutely lit up — the noise, the crashes, the fireworks… all of it. They’d never seen a demo derby before. What seemed like a staple of country motorsports (along with burnout comps) from our earlier life, now won’t bypass this generation. It was fascinating to see them enjoying this “new” experience.

At one point Danny leans over and says to them, and says “Ya reckon we need an old car and a track out in the back paddock?”

The response? A very loud, very enthusiastic… “YEEAAHH!” (And a few slightly concerned looks from the mums…). But Danny just grinned and said…

“It’s my job as a grandfather to show them the mischief they haven’t thought of yet!”

Reckon he’s right. Because nights like that - a bit of noise, a bit of risk, a lot of fun - they’re the things kids remember.

And the things that keep country life ticking along.

Family Legacy At Sanderston MODERN FARMING

helped maintain solid results. “We’ve gotten better at growing more on less,” Scott says. “For the amount of rainfall we’ve had, we’ve actually had reasonable crops.” Improved crop varieties, better summer weed control, variable rate fertiliser, and more detailed soil testing have all played a role.

“Just to plant the crop is an extraordinary cost and it’s only growing each year,” Zoe says. “But I think we understand our soil types better and how they perform.”

One of the most noticeable challenges is the soil’s rocky composition courtesy of the dry climate and an abundance of limestone.

Tradition, technology and careful financial management all play a role in keeping their cropping and livestock enterprise moving forward.

“It’s big business,” Zoe says. “You’ve got to understand the numbers as well as the paddocks.” In total their property encompasses about 6500 acres, along with roughly 700 acres of land that they sharefarm. The farm produces wheat, barley and canola, with lentils recently added to the rotation, along with hay production. They also run around 1000 self-replacing Merino sheep. “We’ve got grazing country in the hills, so it makes sense to run stock there,” Scott says. Having both cropping and livestock spreads risk, which the couple sees as essential.

Scott and Zoe operate the farm as a partnership, having taken over the property from Scott’s parents about two years ago as part of a gradual succession process. “They’re still very much part of the farm and the decision-making, but we’re gradually taking on more responsibility,” Zoe explains.

Scott manages day-to-day operations while Zoe handles administration, but decisions are made as a team and that team has a strong network of professional advisors around them.

“We strongly believe that we’re farmers. We’re not here to be accountants or agronomists,” Zoe says. “We’re here to grow the grain and produce the livestock, and we’ve engaged a great group of people to help us make decisions

agronomically, but also with the dollars as well.” Business benchmarking is a key part of this approach. Each year, the couple run through the gross margins of each commodity and look at where they can make improvements. “We soil test each year, dabble in variable rate application and manage our fertiliser costs where we can. It’s been super beneficial for us,” they say.

“It’s breaking the farm down into parts and understanding how each part works.”

This in-depth understanding allows the Starkeys to manage farming’s inevitable challenges, including fluctuating rainfall. Their property averages about 330mm annually, although recent years have been particularly tough. Despite that, the couple say improvements in farming practices have

“We joke that if we could make money out of rocks, we’d be home and hosed,” Zoe says. To help manage the conditions, the Starkeys recently invested in a hybrid disc seeder that pushes rocks down into the soil and also use a Reefinator to fracture the limestone layers. “It helps the roots actually get into something rather than just hitting rock,” Zoe says. “It’s just something we’ve got to manage. You work with what you’ve got.”

While Scott’s connection to the district runs back generations, Zoe’s introduction to farming is far more recent. She grew up in the Riverland region and originally trained as a hairdresser before moving to the Barossa Valley where she was recruited into the local netball club. “Apparently, being 5’11’’ is quite handy for country netball, so I was procured by the Sedan Cambrai Football Netball Club, having never played netball before in my life,” Zoe explains. At the first home game of the season she met Scott, who was playing fullback for the local football side. “And the rest is history,” she says. “Locked that down pretty quickly.”

The couple now have two sons, Luke aged eight and Ryan aged 10, who are already

Sanderston Advances With FARMING PRACTICES

immersed in farming life. “They’re classic farm kids,” Zoe says. “Motorbikes, footy, tractors, sheep work - they’re into everything.”

Like many country kids, the boys balance school with farm duties and sport, but whether they take over the farm in the future remains to be seen. “We’re encouraging them to go out and work for someone else first,” Zoe says. “They don’t have to come home and farm. They can be whatever they want to be. But the farm’s here if they want it.”

If they do take over the reins, the boys will be the sixth generation of Starkey’s farming in the Sanderston region, and over time, the family’s holdings have steadily expanded. “We’ve not actually bought anything that hasn’t touched a boundary,” Zoe says. “We’re quite fortunate that it’s all in one nice, neat parcel.”

And that parcel may increase further as the family navigates a business growth phase, which recently involved a significant investment in infrastructure.

Two large ‘Grant’ Grain Sheds now allow the Starkey’s to store and market grain directly to nearby dairy farms and piggeries rather than delivering it immediately into bulk handling systems. The farm now sends out roughly 80 to 100 loads of grain a year, supplying livestock feed to customers within about 50km.

Expect Sheds To Pay For Themselves Quickly

Ultimately, selling the grain will allow the sheds to pay for themselves within four or five years. In the interim, they also allow the family to ser vice and maintain machinery efficiently, keeping the farm running smoothly even during the busiest planting and harvest periods.

“Once the shed’s empty, we’re able to put machinery and other stuff in here,” Scott says. “It’s quite handy to be able to fold the seeder out in there and work on it.”

But for Scott and Zoe, farming is about more than simply running a business. They see themselves as temporary custodians of a property that’s been handed down from one generation to the next for over a century. “We’ve been super lucky and super supported by the previous generation,” they say.

“We look forward to seeing what we can do in our time here and we’d like to give that same opportunity to our kids as well.”

The Starkey’s two Grain sheds. Each is 15m x 30m x 6.3m with easy-roll sliding doors and outriggers that allow the doors on the end of the shed to be fully opened. An addition of a 10.5 x 30m Leanto on the shed below is used as an easy, drive-through storage space for long combinations like the airseeder or trucks. Scott says they store approx. 1300 tonnes of wheat in each shed with a low front wall added, using IBC shuttles and tarps.

In Scott & Zoe’s own words

“These Sheds Will Pay For Themselves in 4-5 Years”

On why they chose sheds rather than silos, they said,

1. “The Return On Investment on storing this amount of grain... By marketing it ourselves through the year, as opposed to delivering it straight into the system and paying the high warehousing fees, we’ve calculated the sheds can pay for themselves in 4-5 average years and we’ll still have this infrastructure for the future.”

2. “The turnaround is a lot quicker, being able to put it all in one storage spot instead of swapping between silos.”

3. “In dollars per tonne, it works out much cheaper than a silo.”

4. “The sheds have a multi-purpose use. Once the shed is empty of grain we’re able to put machinery in here and it’s quite handy to fold the seeder out to work on it on the concrete floor.”

GRANT SHEDS FAMILY

Trust in Farming Relationships Builds Stronger Communities

TRUST

STILL DRIVES GOOD FARMING DECISIONS

We say it a lot… but we genuinely love seeing it happen. Farmers in the Farm Gate News community backing each other.

In a March 19 Stock Journal article, Col Greenfield of Billa Kalina Station bought 13 bulls from Andy Withers, one of our long-time Grant Sheds “family,” at Andy’s Belmore Shorthorn sale near Naracoorte.

Andy sold 30 of 32 bulls, topping at $16,000.

But the real story isn’t the price… It’s the turnaround.

Last year, Andy’s bull sales were lower, possibly due to widespread drought. And for Col, only weeks earlier, he was staring down destocking for the same reason.

Then the season flipped.

Four good rain events in six weeks at Col’s far north SA station. And now …

“The country is as good as I’ve ever seen it”

That’s farming, isn’t it?

It can knock you around… then just as quickly, give you a crack again. And when it does, good operators don’t sit back - they lean in.

Col did. Backing bulls he knows will perform in his country. Buying from a bloke he trusts. He’s been a long term client of Andy’s Belmore stud. Even better? It’s happened within the Grant Sheds community.

In today’s more disconnected than ever world, “TRUST” is a huge but mostly missing commodity. That’s why building relationships and Connecting Country Communities is so important at Grant Sheds. It’s the kind of thing we’re proud to be part of. Not just sheds, though this always excites us too…

“Building Bloody Good Sheds for Bloody Good Farmers”

15m x 18m x 6.3m Combination Hay & Machinery Shed

Owner of 7 Grant Sheds, Andy Withers is a great bloke. Cheerful, wise and ever a hardworker.

In Andy’s words…

“Excellent Sheds. Up to usual Grant’s Standards.”

“Thank you Ali & Danny. My last 3 Grant Sheds get worked in or are storing hay right now.” And whether hay is in short supply and expensive or cheaper and you’ve stocked up, it’s “All the more reason to keep it under cover.”

15m x 24.3m x 6m Hay Shed

3 x 8.1m beams ideal for large bales, hay bumper rails to protect the walls and UB front columns saves them from vehicle damage in this high traffic area.

This is Col Greenfield’s 1st Grant Shed. He lives in the very remote northern SA pastoral area, owning multiple stations. Like most in such areas he is very resilient and is what may be termed an “Agripreneur” (innovative, enterprising & progressive).

And the reason he bought a Grant Shed rather than any other brand...

In Col’s words… “Service, Quality and Confidence!

“We knew your sheds stood the test of time and are built correctly. Also your reputation as installers, on time, was a major winner. And my experience was that everything happened pretty seamlessly. Communications were great with your office keeping our manager in the loop.”

To Help You With Your FARM SHED SOLUTIONS Ideas Have A Look At These Beauties...

Grant MEGA Sheds, Built Stronger. Here’s How ...

Exclusive, Fast-Flow, High Volume Water Evacuation System

Large, half round gutters move water faster

Big Rainheads & large (or double) downpipes allow water to flow out quicker

Gutters are installed with strong bracket system to support water weight & prevent blow-offs during storms

Super-Strong Framing Sizes 18m-40m spans

Robust framing using webbed roof trusses & UB columns

Heavy duty, welded & bolted ridge, knee & base connections

24m x 48.6m x 8.2m MEGA Hay Shed built for David Hahesy, Rosewor thy, SA. 8.1m bays, bale bumpers to protect wall iron, high volume gutter system to move water fast. Capacity: 2880 bales (8’x4’x3’ squares)

Ideal Bay Sizes for Hay Sheds

8.1m wide bays are the most popular choice for a few reasons

• Fits 3 large square bales per bay

• Economical due to no wasted space

But there are times when you may consider something else.

• Some choose to double that bay size to 16.2m, just to have less columns to manoeuvre around & potentially hit

• Go to 9m beams to give a little more leeway in the bale stacking & fit wider machinery when not full of hay

The wider the bay spacings, the more cost is involved but what you need your shed to do for you is most important.

We’re happy to talk through options with you so you make a choice best suited to you.

*Bale capacities shown here are based on 8’x4’x3’ square bales to column height

6 Grant Sheds for Andy “Shed looks awesome. Excellent job and a cheerful team of really nice blokes. Well done!”

Andy Withers, Naracoorte SA

• Solid steel X & fly braces (NOT flimsy strap bracing)

• Wide bay beams up to 18m for your largest equipment storage

Secure Connection to Ground

• Heavy duty, welded baseplates

• 4 Rigid footings bolts up to 30mm diameter (2 each side of UB column)

• Large footing holes to key shed to ground

Above: 12m x 24.3m x 6m Hay Shed also built for Andy Withers, Naracoorte SA. 8.1m bays, UB front columns for high traffic manoeuvering area, bale bumpers to protect.

Bulletproof Sheds

“Engineered to the max, which is fantastic. I love them. We’re in a windy spot here. These sheds are bulletproof!”

Sam Mumford, Kangaroo Island SA

Above & top left: 15m x 18m x 6.3m

Combination Hay & Machinery Shed built for Andy Withers, Naracoorte SA. 9m wide bay beams, UB front column & bale bumpers to protect wall iron.

15m x 32.4m x 5.7m Hay Shed built for Sam Mumford, Kangaroo Island.

3 x 10.8m wide bay beams across the open front, UB front columns for high traffic manoeuvering area, bale bumpers to protect wall iron, high volume gutter system.

“BIG SHED EVENT”

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*Beat Future Price Rises You could save thousands

Farmer to accountant:“Mate, can I claim the dog as security?”

Accountant: “Does he guard anything?”

Farmer: “Yeah … mainly the ute seat!”

Wife: “Do we really need another shed?”

Farmer: “It’s not a shed… it’s a tax strategy.”

Farmer logic at EOFY:

“I didn’t spend $50,000… I saved $15,000.”

Accountant just quietly nods and pours another coffee.

Wife: “Is this shed really urgent?”

Farmer: “Very. The tax man said I needed it.”

Wife: “Did he?”

Farmer: “Well… he didn’t say I couldn’t…”

EOFY reminder: Nothing brings a farmer, their accountant, and a new shed together quite like the words…“30th of June is coming fast.”

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Banter from the Back Paddock

Where classic Aussie sayings meet questionable life advice

If you’ve ever stood around a ute tray, workshop bench or pub bar long enough, you’ll know we Aussies have a language all our own. Some sayings make sense. Some absolutely don’t. All of them deserve preserving. Here’s this month’s paddock approved banter.

“A few roos loose in the top paddock.”

Context: Slightly eccentric. Possibly questionable decision-making.

Example: “Lovely bloke … but I reckon there’s a few roos loose in the top paddock.”

“Clear as mud in a beer bottle”

Context: Difficulty understanding something

Example: “Andy was explaining how he stacks hay in his hay shed but it was as clear as mud in a beer bottle!”

Thanks to Andy Withers at Naracoorte for this one

Got a cracker Aussie Saying yourself? Email it through. If it makes us laugh, it might make the next edition.

Email: info@grantsheds.com.au