March 1894

Thursday 1st    I went to Warkworth to a Fruit & Vegetable Show in connection with the Warkworth Fruitgrowers Association.  I called at Mr Matthews and had dinner there.  It was a very good show considering it was the first held under the auspices of the Association.  I called in at Bowden Birdsalls on my way home reaching home about 10 pm.

Friday 2nd   Henry was hauling for A. Torkington at Tea Point.

Saturday 3rd   We were fixing up the Sheep pens in Harpers paddock for the Show.  We also had a meeting of the Committee afterwards to fix the prizes.  Willie returned from Tomarata in the evening.

Sunday 4th   It was a fine day.  Read service in the Hall in the evening.

Monday 5th   I went down to the Hall in the morning.  Alec & Norman Matheson were working there fixing up the tables for the Show.

Tuesday 6th   We were getting the exhibits ready in the morning.  In the afternoon I went down to the Hall to take the entries & exhibits and staid until 11 pm.   Mr, Mrs & Miss Sainsbury came and staid at our house all night.

Wednesday 7th   It was a fine day but dull.  I was busy all day with the Show.  The “Rose Casey” came in from Auckland a little after 12 bringing 44 excursionists.   The Show was a great success.

Thursday 8th   Did not get home till daybreak, had a few hours sleep and then got up and went down to clean up the Hall.

Friday 9th   I was splitting Shingles all day.  Killed a Sheep and went to the Library in the evening.  Henry Brown came and staid for dinner.

Saturday 10th   I was splitting Shingles.

Sunday 11th   It was a fine day.  Revd J. Law held service in the Hall in the afternoon.  Sarah & George Pratt were here for tea.  Henry went up to Pratts.

Monday 12th   It was a fine day.  We got all the Sheep up into the Stockyard, we cleaned them and put 50 Ewes and the 2 Rams into the Barley Paddock, we put red ochre on to the Rams bellies so that we can see when the Ewes have taken the Ram.   Willie Pratt commenced splitting Shingles for us at 3/- per 1000.   Henry was billetting and I was splitting in the afternoon.  Willie was splitting all this week and next ending March 24th.  I am giving them their board free these two weeks as he is not making much at splitting.

Memo.   Willie has split 8,200 earning   £1 . 4 . 8

Monday 19th   We got the Sheep up from the Barley Paddock, and took 6 Ewes out which had taken the Ram and put them on to the farm.

Monday 26th   Easter Monday.  It was a fine day.  I rode to Warkworth, had dinner there and then walked to Mr Morrisons place and had a look round his orchard and had tea there. Afterwards Mr & Mrs Morrison & I walked into Warkworth to hear the Hon R. Seddon speak in the Masonic Hall, there was a very large audience.  I enjoyed it very much.  I rode home in the moonlight in company with J. C. Wyatt, A. Kempt and G. Knaggs.

Tuesday 27th   We got the Sheep up again and put out 20 Ewes which had taken the Ram.  We also got all the Sheep up from the farm and put all the Ewes into the Barley Paddock with the Rams.

Saturday 31st   We got the sheep up from the Paddock behind the house having had to put them there on account of Frearson having burned off the line and are (?) putting up the fence between the Barley Paddock.
We took out 24 Ewes which have taken the Ram and we put them out on the farm, and we put the other Ewes & the Ramsinto the Barley Paddock again as Frearson has finished a portion of the fence.