At 90 years of age, Doug Somerville has hung up his farming boots, plopped his hat on the stand, and taken up residence in his favourite armchair. It’s official – he has retired.
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But it’s no easy rest.
Mind you he still drives his ute, and his eyesight is as keen as ever.
Doug thoroughly enjoys bowling at the Strathfieldsaye Bowling Club, one of the longest serving members.
He plays pennant bowls in Division nine and still fills in on the social bowls days when needed with no bowling aid or walking stick in sight either.
While being urged to take up a less active hobby, with suggestions ranging from art and painting, to woodworking, Doug has reservations.
Selling the last 25 acres of his Strathfieldsaye holdings has been a hard thing to do. This will be the last crop of calves, and the last time he plays midwife to his cattle as they give birth.
He was always proud of the way they fatten up nicely on the lush pasture the nutrient deep soils produce out his way.
The land where in the past the apple orchards thrived, is giving way to the dust and busy work of the land developers, bringing to a close five generations of the Somerville farming dynasty.