1st August 2008

Friday and we had an early start. Prue did some emails and some other things around the Karavan. I managed to go for ride again. Not such a long ride but more of a spin type ride. On arrival back at the Karavan, we had a coffee and showers.

This morning, we went on a free Farm Tour. It was starting and finishing at the Hoochery (Rum distillery). We arrived and joined 18 other people that wished to experience the second of the trial or free Farm Tours. Our guide was Calyn Fletcher, the daughter of the owner of the farm, Spike Dessert. Spike moved to Kununurra in April 1973 and has lived in the valley for 24 out of the last 33 years. Three of his four children and five of his six grandchildren still live in Kununurra.

Spike and his family run R B Dessert Seed Company and the Hoochery DistilleryBack in the 1970’s he was sent to Australia to find a “frost-free place with a stable government” to grow seeds. He settled in the Ord River irrigation area near Kununurra in Western Australia.

He now grows between 70 and 100 crops each year, ranging from hybrid seed crops, to lettuces, pumpkins, sunflowers, tomatoes, melons, belotti beans, chia and chickpeas.

About three quarters of Spike’s plantation is devoted to seed crops, the rest are research plants. Other seed companies and state Governments can ask him to breed up seeds over winter, ready for them to grow in summer.

Ask him if he ever grows the fruit and vegetables for human consumption and he says you can only do one thing right and “I’m a seed man, not a farmer!” All this information was told to us by Calyn. She also told us about, what is perhaps now the largest crop in the area, Sandalwood. It is about a 15 year project to harvest. Her family will not be turning to this venture. Potential is good but we have seen schemes like this before and not a lot of money ends in the investors pocket.

We think Calyn will be busy during the tourist season as it was full for both trial tours. Another coincidence, Calyn worked at Goondiwindi as did her husband, Matt Fletcher. Matt is known to our son Andrew and he also knew who Calyn worked with, too.

When we returned to town, we met up with Ian and Kay Preston from Geelong. They are longer term owners of a Kimberley Karavan. We have a lot in common with then especially that we all farmed and now do not. All of us went and had lunch at Ivanhoe Farms Cafe.

After lunch, we went to the Repair Shop to see where the whole saga is up to. Of course the Insurance Company had not done anything. They are willing to take our premium in a flash but very slow to respond to a claim. Our decision was to expedite the repair and we will deal with cost recovery after. Otherwise, we will be here for a long time. The Repairer, Darren, has told me on this decision he will have us on the road again by Friday. We hope so.

Later in the evening, an independent assessor rang and told me he was happy with the quote. So there was no reason not to make a start. So by next weekend, with some luck, we will be in a position the reload the Bravo and then recommence our travels albeit slightly modified.