Rosewood History. Qld.

Queenslander News Budget (Brisbane, Qld.), Saturday, 2 May 1908, page 16

AMONG THE SOUTH QUEENSLAND FARMERS.
Ashwell and Tallegalla.
(From Our West Moreton Correspondent.)

Mr. August Schimming, of Tallegalla, is the eldest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Schimming, who died about three years ago. A kinder pair never lived than this couple, and they were greatly missed by the district generally. It is about ten years since I first visited this family, and really it is wonderful to see everything kept in the same order as when the parents were alive—both house and farm. August takes after his father—very quiet, indeed—but he keeps the farm in splendid order. His four sisters are at home with him, and everything goes on just as it did ten years ago—the house and dairy spotless clean. Such settlers as these help to build up a State, and are a credit to the great German nation from which their parents hailed. If we could get 20,000 more like them to come out, without a penny in their pockets, they would, if given a fair show on some of our scrub lands, teach the extremists a lesson that would last them their lives. These people are the pioneers, who started on the land with only the deposit in their pockets, and now look at them. Look at their lovely homes! Look at their splendid herds! Look at their beautifully cultivated farms, all done with their own hands. When they started farming maize was often sold at 9d. a bushel, and butter for 3d. per lb.; and today they are clear of debt, with cash in the bank. If certain people would take a drive round West Moreton, the blight would be removed from their’ dull eyes, and they would see what industrious people can do in this State when they put their shoulder to the wheel.

The late Mr. Schimming came to this State about 38 odd years ago, and selected 81 acres at Tallegalla, where he reared nine children. The Tallegalla Dip Company bought half an acre of land from Mr. Schimming upon which they erected an up-to- date dip, where the settlers dip their cattle regularly.

The Schimming’s dairy about 20 head the whole year through, and they farm chiefly for the herd, except the maize, which is grown for the market. A good deal of land is under fodder crops for the dairy herd, which are fed throughout the year. There is also a never failing supply of water on the farm.

J. P. Freeman, of Tallegalla, is the eldest son of Charles Freeman, senr. Those Freemans are born farmers, both father and sons, and it must be pleasant to the parents to see their sons take to the land.

J. P. Freeman has 81 acres, and 7 acres are under cane. He expects to take off’ at least 100 tons of cane for the mill from the 7 acres. The other crops grown are chiefly for his dairy herd of 20 cows, which he milks throughout the year. The Tallegalla people are great on dairying, although most of them grow a patch of cane of 7 to 14 acres. This is no doubt a wise thing for them to do, as farming and cane growing should go hand in hand.

It is not often one comes across a settler—with wife and family of six children—like Mr. W. Greet, of Ashwell, who was born on his present holding. His father took up this 70 odd acres, and Mr. Greet has never been off the farm. It is almost as productive today as when his father took off the first crop. Mr. Greet, snr., was one of the oldest pioneers of this district, and his son says he has often heard his mother relate how she used to have to come from Rosewood to her home by a bridle track on horseback, and how she got a buster off the horse on one occasion when bringing home groceries, and broke her collar bone; and only a year ago she (now 74 years old) broke her shoulder, and is about today as lively as a cricket.

Mr. Greet’s wife’s father—Mr. Kapernick—was one of the Tallegalla pioneers, and is now living in retirement in Rosewood. Mrs. Greet was pleased to tell me that her husband keeps a patch of onions like her father used to do in the olden times, and made good money out of them. Mr. Greet is a great fancier of the Yorkshire cross with the Berkshire pig, and the stock look very fine indeed, quite up to factory requirements, having both length and breadth. He farms chiefly for the pig and cow, and dairies about 17 head the whole year through. He has a very nice herd of cows, and, being up high, the frosts does not reach him, so that he has green fodder at all seasons of the year.

Amongst the Embreys again, after a climb of two hours along the Bluff. A Mr. Merritt lives on the top of the Bluff, about 2,000 feet above Embrey’s place, and this unhappy man has to deliver his cream on his back three times a week. To see the way he walks up the side of this mountain is marvellous, and often he carries up 100 weight of flour. The man must have the heart of a lion. Life is not worth living if one has to exist in this manner. 

H. Embrey, with a good many other farmers, knows when he has bred a good beast, and for a three year old colt there is nothing to beat it in West Moreton. It is by the Earl of Guster, out of a Franklyn mare. He has 150 acres, 40 acres being under cultivation. His potato crop looks well. He has just delivered 35 bags of maize from 6 acres, and he has a crop of white panicum, which has been eaten off nine times, and he maintains that this is the best fodder for dairying cattle yet produced—better even than lucerne. The Embreys and the Freemans are all Rosewood identities.

Travellers passing through the farming districts around Rosewood have been heard to remark that the holdings are too small. Well, all I have to say is that the small holders are doing just as well, and in some cases better than the larger ones. J. Ballin has within the last two months gone on to his father-in-law’s place, on the half share system. And by the way he was handling the team when I popped out from behind the big hills that are numerous in this district, I should think that he will do well on Mr. C. F. Muller’s 50 acres. Mr. Muller is a very old settler in this district, and adjoins the Embreys. Out of 50 acres 40 acres are under cultivation. He has from 30 to 40 acres under maize, which will realise about 10 bushels to the acre. They milk about 20 cows. Mr. Ballin senr., who is about 66 years of age, took up land 40 years ago at Verner, near Lowood, and after selling out in that district came to Tallegalla, where he does a share on the farm today, being strong and hearty.