The Pink'un
Weekly magazine of the Otorohanga Rotary Club
The Club Bulletin has been fondly known as "The Pink-Un" since the 1950's when it was produced on pink coloured paper, cranked out on a Gestetner duplicator.
Club Contact: PO Box 179, Otorohanga
Club President: Lester Rendall
Club Secretary: David Becker
Bulletin Editor: Evan Cowan
Club Website: www.oto-rotary.org
Venue: Otorohanga Services and Citizens Club.
Phone 07 873 7364 for apologies or extras
Club Meetings: Thursdays 5:45pm for 6:15 Meal -
at the Services and Citizens Club Inc.,
Maniapoto Street, Otorohanga
Meal Apologies & Extras: telephone (07) 873 7364
Report on meeting of Thursday 12 August 2010:
Present: quite a few Rotarians and Greg & Denise Hunt
Notices:
The Club 60th anniversary will be held on 9th October. More information as it comes to hand.
A club forum will be held on 2nd Sept. Try to think of any club issues...
No meeting at S&C Club this Thursday.
Changeover Sat. 21st @ Caves Motor Inn. 5.30pm for a 6.30pm meal. See previous notification.
Correspondence: PossiblyReports: Again, quite possibly)3-minute talk: No information about this.Sergeant Lindsay: Fines included:
No information here either...
Programme.
Grant and Julie Marshall, Alpaca growers and owners/operators of the Riverdale Fibre Mill.
Setting up a mill to specialise in Alpaca fibre has been a slow process. They imported machinery in 2002. It consists of:
Picker
De-hairer (removes kemp which can be scratchy)
Carder.(fibre is combed onto a drum)
Doffer (fibre is removed from drum as a thick, soft sliver)
Pin drafter (straightens the fibres within the sliver)
Spinner.(produces yarn, either in skeins or cones)
They do some blending with silk but avoid wool - a lot of blends are nearly all wool. So, now Otorohanga has its own fibre production facility. The machine should do about 10000kg per year. Alpaca fleece sells for about $120/kg, processed. This is not quite as impressive as it sounds as the yield is only 30 to 35% and a lot is lower quality - either colour or fibre diameter.
They use the same stocking rate as sheep as a guideline although their feed conversion is a bit better. They have the usual animal health problems. They are quite susceptible to Facial Eczema and Barbers Pole worm can be a problem because of its very short breeding cycle. They have gestation period of eleven and a half months, so a breeding female is nearly always pregnant. Multiple births are rare. They have 'stimulated ovulation' and are not really suited to Artificial Breeding systems. This has not stopped various people trying, but results have not been satisfactory. There is also a high variability in colour and other characteristics of offspring.
They differ from Llama which are rather larger and used mostly as pack animals (they look down at you). Alpaca are primarily fibre animals (they are shorter and look up). Both will spit if upset and by convention it is always the operator's fault.
Thanks, David
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Date |
21/8/2010 |
26/8/2010 |
2/9/2010 |
9/9/2010 |
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Program |
Changeover See flier attached |
Julie Meade-Rose Social effects of large developments |
Club Forum |
TBA |
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Duties |
N/A |
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|
|
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Host |
|
Barry M |
John M |
Dianne |
|
Grace |
|
Barry P |
Les |
Ian |
|
Stewards |
|
Trevor |
Pat |
Evan |
|
|
|
Lester |
Brian |
Graham A |
|
3 Minute Talk |
|
Richard H |
Marion |
Richard I |
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Parting Thought |
|
Lindsay |
Mike |
Trevor |
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Thanks |
|
Alan B |
Rex |
Lindsay |
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Fellowship/Treasurer |
|
Pat |
Evan |
John F |
Parting Thought: "Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your children."
Editor's Comment: I am afraid I was very late to the meeting so I missed a good deal of the proceedings (and my tea). A college disciplinary meeting went on much later than scheduled.
OTOROHANGA ROTARY CLUB WOULD BE DELIGHTED IF YOU WOULD JOIN WITH US IN CELEBRATING OUR CLUB CHANGE-OVER.
CAVES MOTOR INN
21ST AUGUST 2010
5.30-6.30 HAPPY HOUR
6.30 BUFFET MEAL $36.00pp
DRESS; OP-SHOP BLACK TIE FORMAL*
FUN AND FRIVOLITY PROVIDED, SENSE AND DECORUM OPTIONAL.
Report on meeting of Thursday 22 July 2010:
Present: Several - including the DG and his wife. (We will not be seeing a lot of Peter and Rebecca at meetings this year)
Notices:
Thanks have come in from various clubs for the invitation to changeover.
An application to host a GSE team from Georgia has been submitted.
Correspondence: Nothing interesting - things forwarded to various committees (mostly Ross)
Reports:
Dianne. Changeover report. Generally the function was a great success and visitors were all impressed. The club will have made a profit of about $1500. There were one or two issues however. Firstly the venue was not set up as requested and secondly the caterers were slow with preparing and serving lunch. After some discussion it was decided that the Secretary should write a tactful letter to the Otorohanga Club, letting them know of our concerns
3-minute talk: Trevor recited the following poem:
Aussie Poem
The sun was hot already - it was only 8 o'clock
The cocky took off in his Ute, to go and check his stock.
He drove around the paddocks checking wethers, ewes and lambs,
The float valves in the water troughs, the windmills on the dams.
He stopped and turned a windmill on to fill a water tank
And saw a ewe down in the dam, a few yards from the bank.
'Typical bloody sheep,' he thought, 'they've got no common sense',
'They won't go through a gateway but they'll jump a bloody fence.'
The ewe was stuck down in the mud, he knew without a doubt
She'd stay there 'til she carked it if he didn't get her out.
But when he reached the water's edge, the startled ewe broke free
And in her haste to get away, began a swimming spree.
He reckoned once her fleece was wet, the weight would drag her down
If he didn't rescue her, the stupid sod would drown.
Her style was unimpressive, her survival chances slim
He saw no other option, he would have to take a swim.
He peeled his shirt and singlet off, his trousers, boots and socks
And as he couldn't stand wet clothes, he also shed his jocks.
He jumped into the water and away that cocky swam
He caught up with her, somewhere near the middle of the dam
The ewe was quite evasive, she kept giving him the slip
He tried to grab her sodden fleece but couldn't get a grip.
At last he got her to the bank and stopped to catch his breath
She showed him little gratitude for saving her from death.
She took off like a Bondi tram around the other side
He swore next time he caught that ewe he'd hang her bloody hide.
Then round and round the dam they ran, although he felt quite puffed
He still thought he could run her down, she must be nearly stuffed.
The local stock rep came along, to pay a call that day.
He knew this bloke was on his own, his wife had gone away
He didn't really think he'd get fresh scones for morning tea
But nor was he prepared for what he was about to see.
He rubbed his eyes in disbelief at what came into view
For running down the catchment came this frantic-looking ewe.
And on her heels in hot pursuit and wearing not a stitch
The farmer yelling wildly 'Come back here, you lousy bloody bitch!'
The stock rep didn't hang around, he took off in his car
The cocky's reputation has been damaged near and far
So bear in mind the Work Safe rule when next you check your flocks
Spot the hazard, assess the risk, and always wear your jocks
Acting Sergeant Mike: Fines included:
Editor. Sole meeting attendee last week
Ian. Same thing the week before
Pat. Run over by a grandchild on a motorbike.
Cowans & Loomans - re-entry tax
Les. Carefully put a bowl under the sink to avoid spills when removing the trap. Then he emptied the bowl into the sink.
Peter & Rebecca. In case we don't see them again.
Programme.
Richard Ireland led a quiz competition between 3 teams. Scores ranged from 34 to 39 out of 50. The result was defined as a tie.
Thanks were given by Rebecca
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Date |
29/7/2010 |
5/8/2010 |
12/8/2010 |
21/8/2010 |
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Program |
Phil Tindle What's new in travel? |
TBA |
TBA |
Changeover See flier attached |
|
Duties |
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|
|
N/A |
|
Host |
Debbie |
Ross |
Malcolm |
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|
Grace |
John M |
Dianne |
Graeme |
|
|
Stewards |
Rex |
Lindsay |
Mike |
|
|
|
Barry P |
Les |
Ian |
|
|
3 Minute Talk |
Pat |
Evan |
John F |
|
|
Parting Thought |
David |
Alan B |
Rex |
|
|
Thanks |
Brian |
Graham A |
David |
|
|
Fellowship/Treasurer |
Lindsay |
Mike |
Trevor |
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Parting Thought: Graham A. "If you never made a mistake, you never made anything. If you made the same one twice, you never learnt anything"
Graham A. "If you never made a mistake, you never made anything. If you made the same one twice, you never learnt anything"
