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Three Generations |
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From farm to town - harnessing the changes.
 Les and Marge Littleton have seen many changes in their life at Crows Nest. Following a trade taught to him by his father, Les ran the saddlery in the town for over 40 years, mending saddles and harnesses and providing a cosy conversation corner at the back of the shop where local men came for a chat while wives were shopping.
Life with friends and family was a social whirl of tennis, lunches, cards and dancing in the local halls on Saturday nights and horses were pivotal in the life and work of the community. Les, nearly 90, now lives with Marge at "Devoncourt", a 200 acre cattle property high on the hill to the northwest and overlooking the town. He breeds Hereford cattle, aided by his trusty dog, Bella, and new-age horse (tractor) while recalling the happy days of his youth in Crows Nest. Ride-on Mower
 In 1979, Les's son, Howard, and his wife, Sandra, took over the saddlery in Curnow Street. Times had changed - horses had diminished in their work and leisure role. Howard took out a full page advertisement in the "Crow Call" local paper introducing a range of garden maintenance machinery - ride-on mowers, chainsaws, brushcutters and the like to complement the saddlery trade.
The family interest in horses, however, has not diminished. Howard still rides his Appaloosa, Labelle, and won Local Hack rider at the Crows Nest Show in 1988. At the same time, an increasing local population of small and larger landholders needing to maintain their properties has confirmed the emphasis on machinery.
Howard, Sandra and their four children are also very active in the local community, though Saturday night dances are now few and far between. heather (12K)
 Howard's sister, Heather, married Arthur Waters in 1967, moving to their 80 acre dairy property at Ravensbourne. For many years this hardworking couple and their four children produced cream - and pigs from the by-product, skim milk - and more recently, their dairy produces milk for Brisbane consumers.
Heather and Arthur share a concern for the environment of their beautiful property on the edge of the Great Divide. For years they have striven to keep it weed free and fertile using as little chemical intervention as possible.
INSPIRATION
Then, about three years ago, following the inspiration of a young neighbour who had introduced her to sustainable agricultural practices, Heather began using biodynamic and organic farming principles on the property with a view to improving the health, fertility and vitality of the land from the soil up.
She still rides around the farm, now named "Waters' Edge" on her horse, Abernathy, to check on how it is all progressing. |
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